Surprise your gardener friends this holiday with these gift ideas

SALT LAKE CITY — ‘Tis the season for gift-giving! Here are some suggestions for gifts you can give to your fellow gardening friends this holiday season.

 

Adjustable gardening stool

I am old, and I cannot be on my hands and knees in my garden for hours on end like I used to.

Several companies sell adjustable gardening seats, where the cushioned seat portions allow you to sit, or you can move it down so you can kneel.

The seats can also fold down so they can be hung or rested against a wall, or come with saddlebags that fit on the sides that hold gardening tools and drinks.

Gardening apron

These are made from durable materials and help keep your clothes clean. The apron also has many pockets for tools and other odds and ends.

A feature I really like is that some aprons come with a large pocket to keep harvested fruits and veggies in.

Gardening multitool

These are based on the same idea of regular plier multitools but have a set of pruners at the end instead of a plier.

These tools have a knife, a small saw, and the other usual tools. When puttering around the garden, they are great to have to avoid making a trip back to the shed.

Keep in mind that gardening multitools are sturdy enough for general use, but should not be the primary set of hand-pruners due to them not being as ergonomically well-made, dedicated hand-pruners. Some multitools exist that are in folding-saw form.

Sharpener for pruners

Pruning tool blades are only sharp on one side to allow them to cut efficiently.

Most standard knife sharpeners sharpen both sides and can be detrimental to the performance of pruning tools if they are used to sharpen pruning tools.

There are inexpensive sharpening tools specifically made for pruners.

Sharp pruners can make jobs quicker, reduce physical fatigue and prevent injuries.

Pruners

Pruning is a major cause of injuries to gardeners. Oftentimes the injuries result from using cheap, poorly made loppers and pruners. Handles often break, you can smash your knuckles together, you can stress your rotator cuffs, and the list goes on.

There are several companies that make quality pruning tools. Upper end consumer brands include Corona, Husqvarna, and Fiskars. Professional grade brands include Felco, Hickock, and Bahco. These brands often have rubber cushions, solid, replaceable components, maintain a sharp cutting edge, and come with lifetime warranties.

Electric pruners

Over the last few years, several companies including Dewalt, Milwaukee and Zenport have introduced battery-operated hand and lopper style pruners.

These pruners can make hundreds of cuts before needing a recharge. They can also save rotator cuffs, joints and sore muscles. The pruners are great for aging gardeners and others too.

Prices usually start at around $100 for electric pruners.

Potting bench

A potting bench is for more serious gardeners that sew their own seeds and transplant lots of plants throughout the growing season.

On the bench top there is a basin that fits in like a kitchen sink and is as large as one that holds potting soil. There is also counter space to hold plants and pots.

Potting benches also often have shelves to hold gardening tools. They are often built or placed on the north side of a shed or building so that you can work in the shade.

Potting benches are available locally, kits are online, or you can build your own mostly from scrap lumber and pallet wood.

Hori Hori knife (Japanese gardening knife)

These are becoming more popular with gardeners because they are helpful for so many things.

A Hori Hori knife looks like a slender garden hand spade you would use to plant transplants in the garden. It can be used for that, but it also has a sharp edge, making it great for cutting plastic bags of mulch.

They are sturdy enough that you can cut sod with them and a whole host of other things. The cost is usually around $20.

Gardening gloves

There are many styles of gardening gloves. A good pair costs between $15 and $30. Many people prefer leather, but some styles are made of other durable materials that protect your hands.

I prefer gloves not made of leather because I can throw them in the washing machine or hand wash them in the sink and allow them to air dry. They also do not shrink like leather gloves do as they age.

These gardening gift suggestions are made from our gardening experiences and are not sponsored in any way.

Read more from the KSL Greenhouse show:

• Poinsettia care during the winter
• Using ornamental grass to add to a yard’s architecture
• How to select and care for a living Christmas tree

KSL Greenhouse is on every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Follow the show on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can also find more gardening info at our linktr.ee.