Tis the Season of thoughtful gift giving. Do those word stress you out? if you have a gardener in your life, I’m here today to make the stress of buying “the right” gifts really easy for you. Really. I’m giving you a list of things that, although not glamorous, will bring delight to anyone who loves to grow. Trust me when I say these gifts will be appreciated, more than you know. (Psst…If you’re a gardener yourself, I’ll let you claim this list for your own to pass along.)
Gifts of Soil, Mulch, and Soil Amendments
I already warned you that these wouldn’t be glamorous, but bags of soil, mulch and soil amendments are GREAT gifts for gardeners. Let’s take a look at why.
Soil
Healthy soil is an imperative factor for healthy, productive plants, period. Without a good foundation, your gardner’s plants will have more struggles with both water retention and drainage, pest and disease issues, poor production (whether or flower or fruit), and overall vitality. Give your gardener and their plants gifts that will give them success.
Most gardeners would rather spend their money on vegetables and flowers or other plants, so gifts of soil are not only needed, but more than welcome. Rainbow Gardens carries a wide assortment of soil mixes; there is something for every gardening need. If you are in doubt, go for some bags of FoxFarm Happy Frog. It’s the good stuff. Slap a bright red bow on them and call it a day.
Bonus gift: You are also eliminating the chore of having to load and unload the soil from their car. Believe me, it gets tiring and old. They will thank you.
Mulch
You want to know how to show them you mean business when it comes to picking out gifts for gardeners? A few bags of mulch will do the trick. You are letting your gardener know you appreciate all the work they’ve put into their gardening efforts and that you don’t want to see a winter freeze take that away from them.
A good 3″ layer of mulch around the base of plants through winter can add a few degrees of winter protection, which can mean the difference between a plant that survives and one that dies. Show your gardener you care and get some bags of mulch.
Mulch also helps eliminate weeds that compete for nutrients and water in the soil, and it gives a nice aesthetic look, even through the dullness of winter. If you’re unsure of what mulch to pick, I’d go with pine bark mulch or GardenVille Living Mulch, because they eventually break down and feed your soil over time.
Bonus gift: Give them one of those cheesy but cute handmade coupons for helping them spread the mulch around their plants.
Soil Amendments
Now here is where you can really go crazy. Soil amendments are additives that can help correct, or enrich potting and garden soils. If you don’t know a lot about them, you could get overwhelmed at all the choices, but I’ll run through a few great options and what type of gardener they would be good for here:
- Worm Castings ~ Great for ALL gardeners. Sounds gross, but they are garden gold and not gross when you open the bag and see what’s inside. Worm castings improve soil health by boosting beneficial microbes and helping soil hold moisture. They gently feed plants while supporting stronger root growth. Your gardener will be impressed if you get some of these.
- Perlite or Lava Rock ~ Great for houseplant and succulent gardeners. These soil amendments improve soil drainage and airflow, preventing soggy roots in houseplants and succulents. They help roots stay healthy by keeping soil light and well-aerated.
- Soil Conditioner ~ Great for gardeners with in-ground garden beds. Soil conditioner improves soil structure in in-ground gardens by loosening compacted soil and increasing organic matter. It helps roots grow deeper while improving water retention and drainage.
Gifts of Fertilizer: Espoma, Nelson’s, FoxFarm & Medina
Again, we gardeners KNOW that our plants need food to nourish and sustain their vitality and productivity, but it’s not always our favorite thing to buy. So a bag or bottle of fertilizer will delight your lovable grower. Here are a few basic fertilizer suggestions that are good options if you don’t know which to buy. (If you’re feeling “extra”, you can bundle these together for a power plant trio!)
Espoma Bio-Tone Starter Plus:
We hailed this fertilizer this year as our go-to option for feeding plants at planting time. Espoma Bio-Tone gifts your plants the best start. When sprinkled into the planting holes, roots of plants get inoculated and the risk of transplant shock is reduced, deep root development is encouraged, and soil is enriched with living beneficial microbes with this slow-release formula.
Espoma Fertilizer Line or Nelson’s Fertilizer Line:
These two granular fertilizer lines have specialized formulas for just about any type of plant. You can find formulas for vegetables and fruit, trees and shrubs, flowering plants, acid-loving plants, houseplants, tropicals, and more. Fertilizers in these lines offer nutrition in a granular form and feed plants for an extended period of time. These are best used after the first phase of planting, or mixed into the soil before planting.
Medina Hasta Gro Plants or FoxFarm Grow Big:
These fertilizers are liquid formulas that are terrific for giving plants an extra shot of energy. Liquid fertilizers are great for heavy-feeding plants like flowering annuals and veggies like tomatoes where an extra dose of fertilizer can make them produce like gangbusters. Liquid fertilizers can also be diluted to half strength and offered at planting time for a jumpstart to plants’ growth.
Bonus gifts: Go the Dollar Store and get a set of measuring cups and measuring spoons that can be designated for use in the garden measuring out fertilizer.
The Gift of Seeds and Seed Starting Supplies
Seed starting season starts in a few short weeks. Let the gardener in your life know that your gift is to set them up for success. Seeds and seed starting supplies are quick, easy and thoughtful gifts that are easy to combine into a cute gift basket. Seed packets can be tossed into stockings. Or pile everything into a beautiful ceramic pot and hang a few candy canes off the side for a festive touch. Done! I’m just going to give you an optional checklist for these gifts for gardeners as they are pretty self explanatory.
Seed Starting Supplies List:
- Seed packets
- Seed starting mix (Black Gold Seedling mix)
- Jiffy Peat pots
- Plant labels
- Watering can
- Clean, Never-Used Spray Bottle
- Heat mats
- Seed trays/Dome-covered growing pots
Gifts of Gift Certificates
We offer up these gifts for gardeners all year long because a gift certificate is ALWAYS the right shape and color. Don’t think of gift certificates as a cop out or thoughtless gifts; they are truly the opposite.They allow your gardener the ability to pick out EXACTLY what they want and everyone walks away happy.
Gift Certificates:
- Gift certificates at Rainbow Gardens don’t expire so there is no rush to redeem. That means your gardener can run out and get freeze protection for their plants, or wait until the nursery boosts with blooms to pick out flowers.
- Gift certificates can be used at either location. It doesn’t matter if you buy it at Thousand Oaks or Bandera, you can visit either of both stores (we hope you visit both)!
- Gift certificates can be purchased in store at either location, over the phone with a credit card, or online for store pick up currently at our Bandera location only.
Bonus gifts: Until Jan 1st, we are offering a free 4″ poinsettia with every $25 gift certificate purchased.
Final Thoughts
I hope I’ve given you some food for thought when it comes to picking out some true and useful gifts for gardeners. Of course, I think that anything at Rainbow Gardens is worthy of a holiday gift, but what can I say….I’m a little biased. A new set of pruners paired with a sharpening tool and a bottle of isopropyl alcohol shows you know what they need for pruning season, a pair of gardening gloves paired with a wide brimmed hat and maybe some gardening sleeves shows you care about protecting their skin. Remember, it’s the thought that counts and giving them something they can REALLY use is the most thoughtful gift of all.
~Happy Holidays from The Happy Gardener and all of us at Rainbow Gardens.
