by Jolene Ottosen for the Chaparral Green Thumbs
As I have said before, 2020 has been a year for local activities and nothing fits that better than gardening. If someone close to you has discovered, or rediscovered, the joys of gardening, here are some possible gift ideas for them for the coming holiday season. Many of these items can be found at local garden centres or online.
Gardening Journal
While I am not yet a garden journaler, I must admit that I am somewhat envious of those who are. For some, garden journaling simply means keeping track of when and what they planted and possibly where, which can help them to rotate crops over the years to help manage pests and not deplete the soil as well as give an idea of what locations work the best. Other journalers will also track weather, especially frost, as well as, documenting the garden’s progress and sketching ideas for the future. There are a variety of journals available, some even including seed saving spaces.
Gardening Books
Gardening books can be a great source of information for both a new and experienced gardener, but you have to consider where the author gardens as gardening in Calgary is very different from gardening in other areas, especially if the author is from somewhere like the southern United States. There are even differences within our province, although those are smaller adaptations to keep in mind. Some local authors I have found to be helpful are:
- Lois Hole – All of her books are excellent, informative, and easy to find what you need. Her vegetable and perennial books are the guides I go to first when looking something up and I highly recommend them for new gardeners. Even though she lived and gardened near Edmonton, most of her advice works for Calgary too.
- Lyndon Penner – Lyndon’s books are great for someone looking to add to the beauty of their yard. I especially love the book “The Chinook Short Season Yard,” as he looks closely at what plants will do the best in our unique growing climate.
- “The Calgary Gardener” – You can’t go wrong with a book written by Calgary gardeners and produced by the Calgary Horticultural Society. They also have a second edition called, “Beyond the Basics.”
- “Gardening Under the Arch” – Produced by the Millarville Horticultural Society, this is another great resource full of practical and relevant information, especially for those of us gardening in the south end of Calgary. I have not read it yet, but they also have a book titled, “Cooking Under the Arch.”
- June Flanagan – I do not have “Edible Plants for Prairie Gardens,” but I have heard it is a great guide for what grows well here.
These are just a few book ideas and is far from an exhaustive list. You might also want to consider a membership to the Horticultural Society or a subscription to a gardening magazine.
Garden Tools
While an experienced gardener might amass a large collection of tools, a beginner can get by with just a few.
- A sturdy shovel – I like a sharp shovel with a comfortable place to put my feet when stepping down on the shovel to sink it further into the ground, regardless of my choice of footwear, so I like the step part to be a bit wider with the metal folded over there. I also prefer a shovel with a handle at the end, but not everyone feels the same.
- A digging knife or trowel – if I had to choose, I would get a digging knife like my Hori-Hori knife over a towel as they are so helpful for a variety of tasks. The sharp blade is helpful when trying to get the long taproots of weeds like dandelions or thistles, the markings on the blade help me to measure hole depth when planting bulbs, and the serrated edge can be used to cut.
- Pruners – a sharp set of pruners are a huge help for pruning branches, cutting flowers, cutting up vegetation for compost, etc. Try to make sure they are stainless steel to keep them from rusting.
Seed Starting
Basic gardening can be done from seeds planted straight into the ground, but some things do best when they are started indoors, so there are some things in that area that a gardener might enjoy receiving.
- Seed starting kit – great for people who are brand new to starting seeds indoors.
- Grow lights
- Paper Pot Maker – this is a great alternative to plastic seed starters, and great if people want to be able to start seeds for larger plants, like tomatoes, without needing to transfer the seedlings if they are started in a smaller container. This method will take up more space than a basic seedling tray, so make sure to consider the recipients space when giving.
Big Items
Some bigger and more expensive gift ideas:
- Compost bin (I like the rolling kind)
- Rain barrels
- Indoor herb gardens
- Indoor garden towers
Smaller Stocking Ideas
- Farmer’s Almanac
- Garden gloves
- Moisturizer (essential if gardening without gloves)
- Seed packets
- Row markers
- Garden twine
Hopefully, this list will give you some ideas. It is definitely biased to my tastes but is a place to start. Please remember that many garden supply stores run year-round and would be more than happy to help you choose the perfect thing for the gardener in your life, regardless of their level of experience.
If you are interested in more information or curious about upcoming events, check us out at http://www.chapgreenthumbs.ca/ or email us at [email protected].
