Gardening Sweet Spots
By Donna Hessel
A very casual, unscientific survey of my friends who garden revealed tools they couldn’t live without as well as a few unusual but very useful items that might be the perfect gift for a gardener “who has everything.”
Gifts for Friends with Green Thumbs
I’m a relatively new owner of a Hori Hori knife and I haven’t used mine much, although it came in handy to extricate elephant ear tubers from a pot in which the roots had grown through screen wire that separated pot filler from soil. But I have a gardener friend who doesn’t tend to any gardening chore without this knife by her side.
Hori Hori roughly translates to “dig, dig.” The knife originated in Japan as a digging tool, but is built for versatility with both a smooth and a saw edge for cutting, a flat handle for pounding in stakes, inch marks for measuring planting depth and, of course, a pointed blade for digging. Hori Hori knives are available from most gardening catalogs (see list below) starting at $20 and up, depending on size, construction material and accessories. Keeping it sheathed is a good idea.
I purchased my small hand rake at a flower show many years ago and found it invaluable for removing leaves and debris from around low-growing plants.
When my rake handle broke, I searched all over for a replacement. There are many small hand rakes available, but none had the thicker tines bent in the specific angle that prevents
damaging the plant while removing the debris around it. I finally found this one, and I’m back in business: store.harmonyfarm.com/hand-tools/ Whisk Rake – $10.69 SKU 56604. This company also has a model that looks very similar. Celtic Farms: shop.thecelticfarm.com/products/garden-hand-rake-stainless-and-hardwood. $15.99 – Stainless steel and with wood handle.
This scooter saves my back and knees when I need to edge a rock border or cut back perennials
in the fall. I can also position it in a garden bed and weed around it. The one I have has a space under the seat to store tools. Lowe’s has a similar one for $45.00, but there are many styles available. An online search for “garden scooter’ will reveal a wide range of sources, styles and prices.
This inexpensive little gadget has probably saved the lives of more of my
houseplants over the years than I can count. Available from garden centers starting at $10. Just poke the prong into the soil near the roots of a plant and the meter will indicate whether you need to water or not. It can be used outdoors also. Much more exacting than the finger-in-the dirt method!
Grow Lights and a Heat Mat
For anyone who wants to start seeds indoors in the spring, these items would be very useful and assure better results than haphazard setting seeds in soil and hoping they will germinate.
This website will provide the information you need to buy grow lights appropriate for your seeding area: extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/grow-lights-starting-seeds.
There are a lot of different options for seed-starting lights. They come in a variety of colors, shapes and prices so it would be beneficial to know the intentions of the person who wants to start seeds indoors before investing in grow lights.
Including a heat mat with a gift of grow lights will increases the chances of seeds sprouting. A heat mat is used to maintain a steady temperature or reach a specific temperature range. If the ambient room temperature is 70-75 degrees, a mat is probably not needed. But if seeds are to be started in a cool basement or garage, a heat mat would be a good investment. This website provides the details to consider before investing: epicgardening.com/how-to-use-a-seedling-heat-mat/.
While we’re thinking about growing things inside, wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to pick fresh herbs all winter long to add to your entrees? This indoor planter – the one that comes with herb sprouts – will let you do that. We used this last year and it worked beautifully. It would be a great gift for any gardener—or, perhaps for yourself. There are a number of different planters available at a range of prices. Check this website for information: aerogarden.com.
Whether you’re an indoor catch-and-liberate or catch-and-eliminate bug trapper, this item will make your job enormously easier! This is also a great gift for that person who has everything, gardener or not, because who doesn’t have a spider or helmet bug invasion when outdoor weather gets fierce? The handle is in two parts for close-up or distance captures. Trap the bug in the little box, slide the door shut and “voila,” its fate is up to you. Purchase one of these for yourself while you’re at it. Find it at LeeValley.com. Bug Trapper – Item AT220. Cost is $8.90.
A relatively new gardener will appreciate quality tools. The ones I use constantly are a good quality clippers, a narrow metal trowel with inch marks on it and a soil scoop (that I didn’t think I needed until I started to use one). Search for any of these items online or shop at your local garden center.
Magazines and/or Books
An online search for either category will bring up numerous options. A magazine subscription keeps on giving 12 months a year. I especially like Garden Gate magazine, but there are lots of choices. Most magazines also have digital newsletters available that contain timely or expanded information from articles that ran in the print edition.
If You Feel Like Splurging
Any battery-powered tool, such as a hedge trimmer, blower, weed trimmer, handheld small edger, etc., PLUS an extra battery so the tool can be switched to the extra charged battery and used for a longer time.
Gifts from Friends with Green Thumbs (That Would Be You)
Bath Tea Bags – Easy to make for a friend who enjoys a relaxing bath. Ingredients like Epsom salts, rose petals, dried lavender buds, powdered goat’s milk and essential oils provide amazing fragrance and the beneficial properties of natural ingredients. To make bath tea bags, you will need the following:
- Paper tea bag filters (find them at theteaspot.com/products/finum-paper-tea-filters) For bath teabags you will need the large size, 3-1/4 x 7-1/4”. Or, use muslin bags, which can be rinsed out and reused.
What have you grown in your garden that can be picked, dried and included in your tea bags? These are some things you might want to consider: dried lavender, rose petals, Pink Himalayan bath salts, Epsom salts, green bath salts, ground oatmeal, dried monarda (bee balm), dried mint leaves, fennel seeds, comfrey root powder, powdered milk or goat’s milk.
Mix all your chosen ingredients together and fill each teabag with a few heaping spoonfuls. Pack tea bags into a mason jar or pretty vase and include a tag with these instructions: Add one tea bag to a warm bath. Soak in the bath for 20 minutes to soothe sore muscles and relax. Find more DIY details here: youngliving.com/blog/diy-bath-tea/.
Exfoliating Lavender Lemon Sugar Scrub – A teaspoon of this scrub gently massaged into hands and fingers each day will keep them moist and happy. It can also be used as a body scrub to exfoliate and moisturize. Lavender essential oil is soothing to the skin with its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Lemon essential oil is fresh, cleansing and bright. Recipe courtesy of Western Reserve Herb Society.
Directions for a 4-ounce lidded container. Add ingredients in the order listed:
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Add 30 drops of lavender essential oil (count drops accurately and keep oil off fingers and skin)
- Add 30 drops of lemon essential oil (count drops accurately and keep off fingers and skin)
- Slowly add almond oil until ½ inch from top of 4-ounce container
- Carefully put lid on container. Fasten tightly. Shake to mix.
- Wipe outside of jar. Apply a label with directions: Wet skin with tepid water. Use one to two teaspoons in palm of your hand to gently massage into the skin. Rinse and dry. Test for skin sensitivity before using.
I have been the recipient of lavender sachets a couple of times. I stash
them between sweaters to keep moths from chewing holes in them and keep a couple bedside to sniff when I am having trouble relaxing and falling asleep. They can also be placed in drawers to scent linens. It takes about 1-1/2 cups of lavender buds to fill one 5 x 7 sachet bag. Smaller size bags can also be used. The weight of the lavender can vary, but a good rule of thumb is that 16 ounces of lavender equals approximately 14 cups.
If you grow lavender, you have a source immediately available. If not, you can order dried lavender buds online. You will need small, loosely woven fabric or mesh bags with a drawstring that you can either make or buy. Directions for making sachets:
- Place lavender buds in a bin or bowl with high sides
- Add 1-1/2 cups of lavender buds to each bag
- Add two or three drops of lavender essential oil to the lavender buds. Gently bounce the bag to mix the oil into the buds
- Draw the strings on the bag to close it tightly
- Add a custom tag if desired
For additional information, check this website: onsuttonplace.com/easy-diy-lavender-sachets-custom-tags/.
Homemade herb-infused oils and vinegars are always welcomed gifts by friends who love to cook. They taste so much fresher than store-bought
products that may have set on shelves for a long time. Both are easy to make with culinary herbs you have probably grown in your garden. This herb vinegar recipe is simple and inexpensive, but it does require a little pre-planning as it needs to sit for at least two weeks.
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh herbs (such as basil, oregano or tarragon)
2 garlic cloves
2 cups white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
Directions:
- Wash the herbs and dry them by placing them between two paper towels and gently pat.
- Lightly crush the herbs as this will help to release their scent and flavor. Then place them into a clean glass jar with the garlic cloves. Jars do not need to be sterilized.
- Pour vinegar over the herbs and garlic. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the jar; then attach the metal lid. The vinegar must not come in contact with the metal as it will react negatively with the vinegar. Do not use metal implements when making this product.
- Store the jar at room temperature in a dark place like your pantry or cabinet for at least 2 weeks.
- Heat oil over low heat in a saucepan just until warm.
- Carefully pour oil into bottles over herbs. Allow contents to cool.
- If using fresh herbs, strain them out of oil by pouring oil from bottle through a strainer or coffee filter and into a new bottle. Dried herbs can remain in oil, but oil will stay fresh a bit longer if they are also strained out.
- Once herbs are removed, seal bottles with lids or corks. Allow them to sit in a cool spot out of direct sunlight for about one week before using.
Label the contents and add a tag to the bottle if preparing it for a gift. Homemade oils so not stay fresh as long as commercially processed oils and should be used within 2 months. Be sure to put a “use by” date on the tag.
Recipe source and additional information can be found at: thespruceeats.com (How To tab.)
Catalog Resources
The following list of catalogs provides some resources for garden tools. An internet search for a specific tool or item will result in additional resources.
- gardeners.com
Also known as America’s Gardening Resource, Gardener’s Supply is a 100% employee-owned gardening company based in Vermont. - amleo.com
A.M. Leonard Tool & Supply Co. – Landscape & Gardening Supplies - gardentalk.com
High-quality garden tools - leevalley.com/en-us
Main Garden Tools Catalog - gardenartisans.com
- coronatoolsusa.com/home
- womanswork.com
Happy holiday shopping!
Information Sources: Tool source information is listed with each tool described
Photos: Wrapped gifts photo: pexels. Aero Planter: Sprouts- aerogarden.com. All other photos: Donna Hessel
