– Original Credit: Photo courtesy of Beth Richard
As in previous years, I’ve solicited holiday gardening gift ideas from readers. For those struggling with last-minute Christmas gift ideas, here are a few tried and proven suggestions for that special gardener.
Legacy Gardens Leather Gardening Glove — unisex sizing, thorn and cut proof. $16.99 at Amazon.
Pass or membership to either Norfolk Botanical Garden or Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Daily passes are $10-$15 and memberships $25-$85.
Welliver Outdoors Standard Mason Bee House for our pollinator friends? Welliver Outdoors has one for $19.99.
ORBIT makes both programmable and mechanical watering timers to help conserve while addressing our gardens’ water requirements, $12-$20 Amazon or local retailers.
GroundWork Easy-Read 12.5 in. Magnifying Rain Gauge measures up to 5 inches of rain and is easy to read from a distance like a window. Has multiple mounting options or can be staked directly into the ground. $4.99 from Tractor Supply Co.
Felco F-2 068780 Classic Manual Hand Pruner. They are sized to various hands and jobs. With a little care, will stand the test of time. This is the original. The Felco F-6 is a smaller version and may be more suitable for the ladies. $47, Amazon or A.M Leonard.
A.M. Leonard Deluxe Stainless Steel Soil Knife and Sheath. This is a remake of their classic soil knife. This durable and versatile multi-tool can be used for planting, cutting roots/weeds, dividing bulbs and more. $30.49, A.M Leonard.
Edward Tools Hoe and Cultivator Hand Tiller. Carbon steel blade and heavy duty for loosening soil, weeding and digging. With rubber ergonomic handle and rust proof. Every gardener’s battle ax. $19.99, Edward’s Tools.
Silky 270-33 Zubat Professional Series Curved Blade Hand Saw with Scabbard. With 330mm/13 inch curved blade and 1.5mm blade thickness, this Is an indispensable tool for pruning medium-size branches and limbs that are too large for hand pruners and too small for the chain saw. $47.99. Amazon & Home Depot.
Gift certificate from a favorite local garden center.
Gift suggestions were submitted by Courtney Clark (Norfolk), Joanne Albero (Virginia Beach), Beth Richardson (Virginia Beach), Nancy Warren (Virginia Beach), Nancy Wagner (Seaford) and Robin Robichaux (Chesapeake). Thank you.
And one more thing
Last week, I forgot to add my own tip from this past growing season. A plant for you to remember for next year is calibrachoa (ca-libra-KO-a). A member of the Solanaceae family, it is closely related to the petunia. It is a semi-annual that thrives in a wide range of conditions and can tolerate a light frost. I have grown them for years and continue to be amazed at their versatility. In early summer, I purchased a hanging basket from Liliana’s Produce at East Beach Farm Market. The basket was not tagged so I don’t know the variety. I immediately transplanted into an 18″ container, and within a few weeks it was trailing well-over the sides. By August, it was looking tired and beginning to thin in the center, so I cut it back severely and fertilized. It quickly came roaring back, filled out the container and thrived throughout the fall. It has survived two light frosts and potentially a third this week — and still with a few blooms. I’m very impressed with the staying power of this plant. Recommend you give it a try next year.
Send questions to wkspen@gmail.com or to Home + Living c/o The Virginian-Pilot, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, VA 23510.
