For plant lovers and those who seek gifts for them, the holiday season offers a wide variety of garden-themed gift sets. These sets sometimes offer great opportunities to pick up new tools, heirloom seeds and other fun garden items at reasonable costs. Some options are better than others though, and consideration should be given to the quality and usefulness of the item as well as the recipient.
Garden gift sets are usually themed around tools, seeds, plants, hand/skin care, and education. Garden centers, plant shops and other stores with plant-knowledgeable staff typically offer the best options.
Garden gift sets are usually themed around tools, seeds, plants, hand/skin care, and education. Garden centers, plant shops and other stores with plant-knowledgeable staff typically offer the best options.
Seeds and plants are where gift sets get the most complicated.
Seeds are easy to package, ship and market. They often come with small planting containers and potting mix. Windowsill herb kits are the classic example. Newer and trendier seed-growing kits are themed for growing succulents, cocktail ingredients, trees, medicinal plants and other novelty items. Plant lovers at all skill levels can be successful with these, or at least with getting the seeds to sprout and grow.
Keeping plants growing after they sprout in these seed kits is more challenging. Gift set containers often lack drainage, setting plants up for root rot. These containers also tend to be small, and plants may outgrow them quickly. Then, there are environmental issues such as how much light plants receive, temperature, potting soil, and watering. Some species, especially most of the herbs, are better suited in Kansas to growing outdoors in the summer than they are to being a winter houseplant.
Experienced gardeners and those who are willing to learn more about setting up the right environment can still likely have success with these kits.
Small plants are also easy to ship and almost sell themselves in their cute little pots. Some plant varieties will get along fine in gift packaging. Others are sold in the same small, non-draining pots used in seed gift sets. Recipients who understand plants’ needs for light, drainage, water, etc. are most likely to have success with plant gift sets.
Bulb gift sets fall in with seeds and plants but are more user-friendly. They usually contain amaryllis or paperwhites. Both species sprout readily after a dormant period, requiring only light and water. Sometimes, amaryllis may sprout foliage and fail to flower, but this is because of prior environmental conditions.
With tools and other garden-themed gift sets, look for items made of sturdy, durable materials that can withstand the test of time and work in the garden.
Creating a garden-themed gift set of your own is also an option. Use a harvest basket, watering can, or large flowerpot to hold items. Select a theme similar to those mentioned above or use a variety of items. Garden gloves; hand tools such as a trowel, pruners, or hori-hori knife; gardeners’ soap, lotion and nail brushes; gardening books and magazines; and watering cans are appreciated by many gardeners.
Originally published in the Lawrence Journal-World 12/11/2021. Reviewed 12/05/2022.
Seeds are easy to package, ship and market. They often come with small planting containers and potting mix. Windowsill herb kits are the classic example. Newer and trendier seed-growing kits are themed for growing succulents, cocktail ingredients, trees, medicinal plants and other novelty items. Plant lovers at all skill levels can be successful with these, or at least with getting the seeds to sprout and grow.
Keeping plants growing after they sprout in these seed kits is more challenging. Gift set containers often lack drainage, setting plants up for root rot. These containers also tend to be small, and plants may outgrow them quickly. Then, there are environmental issues such as how much light plants receive, temperature, potting soil, and watering. Some species, especially most of the herbs, are better suited in Kansas to growing outdoors in the summer than they are to being a winter houseplant.
Experienced gardeners and those who are willing to learn more about setting up the right environment can still likely have success with these kits.
Small plants are also easy to ship and almost sell themselves in their cute little pots. Some plant varieties will get along fine in gift packaging. Others are sold in the same small, non-draining pots used in seed gift sets. Recipients who understand plants’ needs for light, drainage, water, etc. are most likely to have success with plant gift sets.
Bulb gift sets fall in with seeds and plants but are more user-friendly. They usually contain amaryllis or paperwhites. Both species sprout readily after a dormant period, requiring only light and water. Sometimes, amaryllis may sprout foliage and fail to flower, but this is because of prior environmental conditions.
With tools and other garden-themed gift sets, look for items made of sturdy, durable materials that can withstand the test of time and work in the garden.
Creating a garden-themed gift set of your own is also an option. Use a harvest basket, watering can, or large flowerpot to hold items. Select a theme similar to those mentioned above or use a variety of items. Garden gloves; hand tools such as a trowel, pruners, or hori-hori knife; gardeners’ soap, lotion and nail brushes; gardening books and magazines; and watering cans are appreciated by many gardeners.
Originally published in the Lawrence Journal-World 12/11/2021. Reviewed 12/05/2022.