Last week, after I published some Gift Ideas for Cooks, several readers asked for my thoughts on winter gifts for gardeners who are awaiting spring. Consequently I’ve put together a list of my own favorite gardening accessories and tools:
Note: Click highlighted text for more details and ordering information.
All purpose gloves. Gardeners can never have too many of these! You can purchase a set of 4 “womens” hypoallergenic gloves (in a lovely shade of purple) for just $17.90 from Amazon. Other, similar protective garden gloves for both men and women can be had in a set of 2 for $9.90. Both types of gloves are Nitrile-treated to protect from cuts and scratches.
Gloves for Rosarians. Roses are thorny creatures. For pruning them, experts rely on puncture-proof gloves that are long enough to protect not only the hands, but the arms, too, up to the elbow. Such gloves cost $24.99 at Amazon.
Hori Hori Weeding Tool. I wrote about this brilliant invention back in 2013. It was a game-changer for me. The 7-inch-long serrated blade is great for digging up dandelions and other weeds with long tap roots. The tool comes with a nifty sheaf that attaches to a belt. $21.41 from you-know-who.
Professional Pruning Shears. I use my sharp, durable Fiskars pruners almost every time I step outside. Available from Amazon for just $21.99. This seems like a too-good-to-be-true price, because I think I paid around $50 for mine!
Power Bulb-Planting Auger. One year, a friend of mine used a similar auger to quickly plant hundreds of tulips and daffodils on my property. The auger fits any 3/8-inch electric drill, and boy — it digs holes in seconds, in even the worst soil. I’m buying one for myself for Christmas. Available from Amazon for $27.50.
Leaf Shredder. As I’ve mentioned too many times on this blog, annual applications of shredded leaves make my garden soil rich, fertile, and water-wise. My Flowtron gadget shreds even wet leaves in a matter of minutes. The electric gadget weighs practically nothing, so even a 99-pound weakling like me can lift it without straining. $169.99 from Amazon.
Pop-Up Garden Bin. This is great for holding weeds and whatnot when you are working in the garden. It’s both durable and light. It’s easy to store, too, because it collapses down to a just 2 inches. I store mine on a hook in the garden shed. (Watch me use such a bin in my own garden). Available now from Amazon for $24.99.
Jack’s Classic Blossom Booster. This water-soluble food encourages my African violets and other flowering indoor (and outdoor container-grown) plants to remain in continuous bloom. A 4-pound tub can be had from Amazon for $23.99.
Need more gifty ideas for gardeners? Consider a gift certificate to a reliable plant, bulb, or seed dealer. I did not include shovels and spades in the above list, because although they are useful and necessary, they’re also obvious. And let’s face it: a wood chipper — which I’d love to possess — is just too large for shipping. Okay, now I’m visualizing that famous scene from Fargo…
xKevin
Betty Holcomb says
I love your blog site. Something happened. I am not on your list anymore. So I am applying again.
Barbara says
Thanks for the recommendation on the hori-hori knife. I broke two from Fiskers last year, and am looking for something sturdier. I bought 2–one for my husband’s stocking, and one for mine.
Pat Greenleaf says
Love your suggestions. Next year include Take Root Rooting Hormone for gardeners who like to take cuttings for propagation.
Happy Holidays
Margaret VH says
Planting auger’s my absolute favorite tool for making light work out of mass bulb planting. Gotta get the pop-up bin.
Your recipes are always winners. I gave a dinner party with every course featuring one of yours. The guests were wide eyed and full of compliments.
And Kevin, I’ve been saving gal. water containers to again do winter sowing.
Your ideas are valued here!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Margaret VH – Music to my ears!
Darla Metro says
Hi Kevin,
I just gave my husband a post-it with the Hori Hori tool and the blossom booster on it and told him he could get them for my birthday in May. Now I don’t have to come with suggestions for him and he doesn’t have to guess. It’s a win-win thanks to you.
Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.
Ardelle F Tuxen says
Gardening tools are always appreciated at any time. Received my first gardening/seed catalogs the beginning of December – was ready to skip Christmas but then thought perhaps not. Merry Christmas everyone…
Meg says
Thanks for your gift list for gardeners, Kevin. All your suggestions are right on the money. I love my Hori-Hori knife. I will put the pop-up garden bin on my list. I love the idea of it not taking up a lot of space in my garden shed. Merry Christmas to all.
Judy R says
Shared sentiments about the same pop up bins ( so handy, I even keep one in the garage for bottle returns! and the smaller sized one I keep handy by the deck for flower deheading), same fertilizer, same bulb planter and same style gloves. But on the pruners we diverge. Two years ago I fell in love with Doolini bypass pruning shears, also sold on that site that puts way too many boxes at the front door. Love the quality, that a woman’s hands can easily work these, they’ve never bound up and I’ve literally cut for several hours at a time in fall cleanups. Heavenly in my hands.
Judy says
Kevin, thanks for almost another year of fantastic, informative, and fun posts for 2018! Happy Holidays to you and the family. Oh…..any snow up your way???
Debbie - MountainMama says
Great list! I could use that leaf shredder, for sure. Oh, and a gardener to help me keep on top of the garden and the weeds!! 🙂
Jean diemer says
I bought my hori-hori knife after reading your blog and it is by far one of the best garden tools I own. Thanks for you and your wonderful blog.
Anne in Vermont says
Oops, sorry about the lasst one. I tried the nitrile gloves and I agree that they work well. The only problem I have with them is that mosquitoes can bite through the elasticized cuff. I stopped wearing them and went back to nitrile gloves.
Julie R says
This looks like the perfect gardener gift list, Kevin. I have Fiskars pruners like the ones on your gift list and use them a lot. I would like to get one of everything on this list. I love the picture that you used above your list of gardener gifts.