It’s easy to shop for that gardener in your life. Plants, tools, books, gift certificates, there’s almost no end to the list of things they’d enjoy finding in their stocking.
Some tools may not fit in a stocking, but they make gardening easier and gardeners happier. Spades, rakes, trowels and cultivators are all good choices. You don’t need to spend $200 just for a shovel, but you do need to buy sturdy tools that won’t break on their first use. Select tools make of quality steel. The word “tempered”, “heat-treated”, “forged”, or “drop-forged” should appear somewhere on the tool. Avoid tools made of stamped steel. Check the handle also. If it is wooden, make sure there are no knots that would make the handle weak and breakable. The handle should connect to the steel head by fitting into the head, not the other way around, and be secured by rivets.
If you’re looking for pruners, make sure to select one whose blades meet in the same way as the blades of scissors. There are lots of new ergonomic designs on the market, with swiveling handles, soft grips, and smaller pruners for smaller hands. Think about adding a leather holster to hold the pruners securely to your gardener’s belt.
Gardening books make great gifts, but which to choose? I’m often asked for recommendations, but I’m hesitant to give them. People have different needs, so there’s not a one-size-fits-all gardening book. Unless there has been a specific request, this is a great time for gift certificates. Let your gardener browse the book stores, but suggest they visit the library as well. Most book stores will special order that special book if it’s not on their shelf.
