December’s cold air reminds us that it’s time to find gifts for the gardeners in your life and to help the cause here are some of my suggested Christmas gifts for gardeners this year.
There are many miscellaneous gifts for gardeners that make good stocking stuffers such as an 8 ounce brass plumb bob if the recipient builds landscape structures or buildings. Plumb bob’s range in price from $8 to $25 and they can be found at building supply or hardware stores. Brass watering nozzles for misting seedlings are also useful and cost $5-$12 and can be purchased at garden centres or home and garden stores. While we are talking about brass, there is really no substitute for brass anything when it comes to certain tools because plastic simply does not perform reliably or durably.
There are many other small gifts that almost any gardener could use such as the Lee Valley Dandelion Digger (leevalley.com) which is a good option for weed control that avoids poisonous pesticide use. It is made from forged steel and comes with a hardwood handle in 24- and 60-inch lengths. The V shaped lever head has a wide spoon- shaped piece behind it to allow the tool to pop out weeds without sinking into the ground. Although any weeder like this will sink a bit into soft soil, so a piece of wood under the lever is helpful when working on such soils. Price ranges from $20 to $30 depending on the handle length.
A compost thermometer with a long probe is a great gift for those people who appreciate details and knowing what’s going on with their compost. Understanding the composting process has a lot to do with temperature and being able to measure real-time temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius reveals what’s really happening inside the compost allowing the gardener to intervene and remedy falling temperatures that lead to slower decomposition. Prices range from $30 to $60, and they can be purchased from some garden centres, hydroponic stores or online.
From rittenhouse.ca comes the gardener’s version of the multi-tool, the Fusion 9 Multi-tool from Corona features nine different tool functions. The Fusion 9 includes a bypass p, pruning knife, half serrated blade, point blade knife, weeder, ruler, flat screwdriver, sprinkler tool and bottle opener. The price is $25.70, it comes with a pouch for storage and all of the implements are stainless steel which resists rust, plus a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty.
If something more robust is needed try the Multi Tool - The Man Tool also from rittenhouse.ca. This tool includes a slot screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver, saw blade, serrated knife, file, can opener, flat knife, wire cutters, pliers, hammer and a small axe. Constructed of stainless steel with wood inlay, it comes with a leather carrying case and a cover for the axe head and costs $45. This tool is definitely for the gardener who is also an outdoorsman.
For the organic gardener who feels the need to feed, try a Compost Tea Brewer from growingsolutions.com. The patented technology uses bubble diffusion to brew rich compost tea in 24 hours. The company offers four commercial models that range from a 10-gallon model for $629, to 25-gallon model for $2,300, a 100-gallon model for $4,495 or the jumbo size at 500 gallons for $12,850. The 10-gallon compost tea brewer is recommended for homeowners or other small scale use. This product is robustly constructed, requires power to operate and it needs time to complete the brewing, so a place to set up and run these brewers is required, which should be considered when you buy one for someone.
Probably one of the most underused but useful tools is the laser pointer. This tool has specific use for gardeners who do pruning — and for arborists specifically — but landscape constructors can also use this tool in a pinch when a laser lever is not at hand. Landscape professionals use laser pointers to indicate to the client specific branches to be pruned on a big tree, or to indicate where a hedge will be cut or to level out some structure during construction.
I am not talking about those lightweight laser pointers used in offices. Laser pointers for horticultural use must be ruggedly designed and built, powerful and have a reasonably long battery life and preferably come with a battery charger. Some of the models have ranges of several miles depending on the model and they come with red, blue or green beams. Prices for laser pointers range from around $100 up to $1,000.
These are not toys and should be only given to the well-mannered professional who will use the tool safely and responsibly. Search and order online to find the best models.
Todd Major is a journeyman horticulturist, garden designer and builder, teacher, skills trainer and organic advocate. For advice contact him at [email protected].
