Tips for a Gardening Gift Basket
Tips for a Gardening Gift Basket
A gift basket is a great present for any gardener in your life, and is easy to customize to any gardening preferences. With just one trip to the garden center, you can create the perfect gardening gift basket for any special occasion.
When to Give a Gardening Gift Basket
A gift basket can be a wonderful choice for any special occasion, including birthdays, anniversaries or holidays. A gardening gift basket is especially thoughtful for someone who is interested in starting gardening as a new hobby, perhaps after retirement or buying a new home where they finally have gardening space. Anyone starting a clean eating or clean living lifestyle may also appreciate getting started gardening so they can better control their own food sources.
Creating the Very Best Gardening Gift Basket
There are many great ways to vary a gift basket to match the recipient’s gardening preferences exactly. Being flexible also allows for creativity in assembling the basket and making it a fun, enjoyable gift. To create a practical, customized gardening gift basket, it is important to consider all the necessary parts, including…
- Basket
A wicker or woven basket is the traditional choice for building a gift basket, but when you’re making a gardening basket, you can think of more creative containers instead. For a small basket, consider using a galvanized bucket, watering can, bird bath, window box or other creative option. Larger gift baskets can start with a large planting pot or similar container, or even something as practical as a wheelbarrow. - Base
Filling the bottom of a basket provides a sturdy base to support gifts, as well as to be sure the basket does not tip over when it is filled. For a gardening gift basket, good options for a firm base include a bag of potting soil or fertilizer, mulch, peat moss or other gardening goodies. A bag of birdseed or river rock can also be an exceptional base. Even a large hose can help fill the bottom of a container and will be another great gift. - Gifts
The bulk of the basket should be the different gifts that match the recipient’s gardening dreams. For a flower gardener, for example, that may include bulbs and seedlings of their favorite blooms, as well as flower pruning shears and other hand tools. A vegetable garden gift basket, on the other hand, would have different veggie seedlings, plant identifiers and perhaps some long-handled tools for working in the garden. A bee house can be a great addition for any type of garden to encourage more pollinators, and a garden hat, new gloves and how-to books are all good choices for any gardening-themed gift basket. Of course, a gift card will always make a perfect addition to any gift basket allowing the recipient to make a few choices of their own. - Decadent Extras
To make a gift basket extra special, be sure to add some luxuriously decadent gifts. These might be purely decorative items or artisanal extras, and can really add character and thoughtfulness to your gift basket. Wind chimes, welcome flags and gnomes or other whimsical pieces are great options, or choose items such as candles, soap, lotion bars, honey or other treats available from local artisans. - Fillers
A good gift basket will be lush and full of fun gifts, and you can easily fill in small bare spots in a gardening gift basket with a range of smaller, inexpensive gifts. Packets of seeds, vine ties, plant food, pot casters, or even a hose nozzle are just a few fun options that can really fill out a gardening gift basket. For colorful fillers, consider adding potted flowers or floral starts for blooms to serve as bows.
Finishing Touches
Once your basket is filled, it’s time to make it look more like a celebratory gift. Choose a card to include as a greeting, and wrap the lip of the basket with ribbon, twine or raffia to draw the gift together. Smaller baskets may even be entirely wrapped with cellophane or tissue so they can be opened for a fun surprise. Burlap can be another option for a rustic but still practical covering or wrap that can be used in the garden to cover delicate plants after the gift is opened.
A gardening gift basket can be an amazing way to celebrate any special occasion or friendship. By choosing gifts carefully and coordinating the basket to the recipient’s gardening wishes, the gift is sure to be a wonderful surprise that is happily appreciated every time the recipient steps into their garden.
Holiday Poinsettia Care
A poinsettia plant is the quintessential holiday decoration and hostess gift for holiday parties or visits. They’re great as a centerpiece, decorating a step or filling in any empty space with bold holiday color and cheer. You can even position multiple poinsettias into elaborate arrangements mimicking trees or other holiday shapes. Have a look at our poinsettia do’s and don’ts list to help keep your poinsettia lush and beautiful through the holidays and beyond.
- DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain to prevent burns that can discolor the bracts or dry the plant out too quickly.
- DO provide room temperatures between 68-70° Fahrenheit. Generally, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia. Cooler (but not cold!) temperatures will be better than hotter areas, but you must avoid sudden chills.
- DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch. Use distilled water without any chemicals or additives. If you must use tap water, allow it to stand for 24 hours before watering so chemicals can evaporate out of the water.
- DO fertilize your plant after the blooming season with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer if you hope to keep the plant thriving for many weeks. Use fertilizer properly according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- DON’T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat. Avoid placing plants near appliances, fireplaces or air ducts, and minimize ceiling fan use or other drafts and breezes near the plant. Don’t place poinsettias near exterior doors that are opened and closed frequently.
- DON’T expose plants to temperatures below 50° Fahrenheit. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so do not place them outside during the winter months.
- DON’T overwater your plant or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering so you can carefully gauge the water it receives, and allow any excess water to drain completely to minimize the risk of root rot.
- DON’T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it. Use the plant sleeve provided when you purchased the plant. If you will be giving the plant as a gift, wrap it lightly with tissue when transporting it.
- DON’T fertilize your plant when it is in bloom. After blooming, use the appropriate fertilizer and follow instructions carefully to provide your poinsettia with the proper nutrition.
- DON’T give up on your poinsettia! These plants can be stunning for many weeks after Christmas, and with proper care you can enjoy your poinsettia for long after the holiday season.
