It’s Still Just Dirt, The Tillsonburg News – December 2018
by Angela Lassam
It is the time of year to find a gift for a gardening friend or family member. The gift does not need to be expensive. With a little thought towards your own needs for your garden you can think of many small items. They will be greatly appreciated in the spring when all gardeners start the new gardening year.
Many nurseries have an extensive gift section but look to the small area where you will find all the necessary things to help the gardener achieve a great looking and productive garden. This section has fertilizer, insecticidal soap, Japanese beetle kits and insect sticky hangers to catch aphids and other nuisance insects. Another section has seed starter kits, peat pucks and rooting powder (for cuttings). Bulb kits can brighten a home throughout the winter days. For the person who has many indoor plants there is indoor liquid fertilizer and plant spikes.
Hardware stores have a selection of small hand tools. A pair of secateurs are always welcome. A weed lifter is great and often overlooked as a gift. Small items like a ball of twine, gloves, hand cream, lollipop sticks for markers and a label maker arranged in a basket is another idea.
If you are a person who likes to give a DIY gift some ideas come to my mind. A gardener’s apron with many pockets would be very useful or a bag sewn from flowery material. A miniature garden is easy to make and can be changed for the seasons. A bookmarker made from pressed flowers and a small notepad for a journal would be well received. A birdhouse or insect hotel can be made from various wooden pieces.
Many gardeners take wonderful photos and friends and family would appreciate a gift of a selection of them. You can buy photo cubes and personalize them or make a calendar. There are digital photo frames you can prepare from your favorites which will give great memories.
For children to do over the winter you can make up a growing kit of bean sprouts or herbs in a mason jar or plastic tray. A package using cress seeds is good so that they can make a tray and cut it to use in a sandwich. Maybe this will encourage healthy living and future gardeners. Check out www.pinterest.ca/pin/161637074108078396 for many projects.
Many housebound people enjoy watching the birds so there are many items which are readily available. It is easy to make up a selection of seeds, suet block or bell in a decorative plant pot. A wire cage for peanuts is great this time of year. If you like to make something it is easy to make balls of food to hang using peanut butter, dried fruit and seeds. A book about identifying birds can be a good coffee table addition.
A gift which has been personally chosen is always a pleasure to receive but a visit or coffee chat means just as much to family and friends. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a healthy prosperous New Year.
The next meeting for the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society is on Tuesday January 8th at 7.30 p.m. in the Senior Centre Auditorium, Tillsonburg Community Centre. Robert Traut will share his vast knowledge of Bonsai. Memberships are due this month $15 per person. Non-members are welcome – $2 per meeting or join up for friendship and added benefits. More information on www.tillsonburghorticultural.ca or facebook-tillsonburghorticultural.