Christmas Gifts for Gardeners They’ll Love

Pruners

Every gardener needs a good pair of pruners. The picture shows my two tried and true pruners: the anvil (black handle) and bypass (red handle) pruners. Anvil pruners are better for dead wood while bypass are better for cutting living plants.

The anvil pruners are Fiskars Anvil Pruners, available for around $25.

The bypass pruners are Felco #5 pruners available for around $35. The Felco pruners you see here are my own, and are over 30 years old. I bought them when I worked at a garden center; they were standard equipment for the employees, and I still consider them an essential gardening tool. The blades can be replaced if they grow dull, and they never seem to break or wear out. And believe me, I give them quite a workout!

The Cobrahead weeder (aprox. $35) is another “must have” gardening tool for me. This amazing weeding device has a solid steel end that is perfect for getting to stubborn weeds. It is equally good for digging trenches to plant seeds. The handles is made from recycled material. I have owned my Cobrahead weeder for nearly 10 years and it is still as good as the day I bought it. It withstands all sorts of tough digging in my clay soil and is a very useful, sturdy gardening tool.

The North Spore mushroom kit was so fun to grow! This is a great gift for apartment-dwelling gardeners. It takes up just about the same amount of room as a house plant, and you can grow it on a sunny windowsill. Just follow the directions on the box. The company includes everything you need to grow one or two crops of mushrooms from the kit. The kit they sent me to test is Lion’s Mane mushrooms but there are many others. Approximately $30.

Droll Yankee bird feeders last. The proof? The feeder you see in the picture on the left is one I bought for my father in 1996, when I worked at the garden center. I use it every year in my garden, and it is almost 30 years old. The plastic is so sturdy it has not even discolored. It is easy to clean and easy to fill from the top. If your favorite gardener also loves to feed and watch birds in the winter, Droll Yankee feeders are a great present. Approximately $40.

Hisea waterproof gardening boots ($30) are great for spring and fall gardening (but a little hot for summertime!). They are very sturdy rubber boots with a soft, cushiony lining that keeps your feet comfortable and dry. The soles have a good non-slip pattern. I wear mine as rain boots, too, and they a great for walking the dog. If they get muddy in the garden, I just hose them off. Available in both men’s and women’s sizes.