By Val Whitmyre, U. C. Master Gardener
It's not too late to find a holiday gift for your gardening friends. Options include tools, books, plants and more. I tend to give gifts that I would like to receive and think that a gardening book geared to our area would be most welcome.
You can't go wrong giving the latest edition of Sunset's Western Garden Book. It contains a comprehensive plant encyclopedia for the Western states and advice on controlling pests and diseases. Any local gardener would also appreciate the California Master Gardener Handbook, written by University of California plant specialists; Month By Month Gardening in Napa County, prepared by Napa County Master Gardeners; or Trees of the Napa Valley by John Hoffman. All three are available at the University of California Cooperative Extension office .
If your recipient has favorite plants, such as roses or bonsai, look for a book on that subject at local nurseries. I found a wonderful book on pumpkins and squashes that includes beautiful illustrations as well as tips on growing, making crafts and cooking with these versatile fruits of the Cucurbitaceae family.
No matter how careful I am with my bypass shears, they seem to make it into the recycling bin every year. It's maddening because they are like an extension of my hand, and I use them almost daily. A good pair of bypass shears is always an excellent gift. Handy-craft scissors that have long narrow blades are useful for cutting deep inside foliage and narrow stems and twigs. Every gardener also needs a folding pruning saw or keyhole saw and a good pair of lopping shears.
Gloves are always a good choice, and there are many types to suit specific chores. For potting small plants, I use thin kitchen gloves. For pruning roses, I use a heavy-duty pair of tough nylon gloves that cover my arms up to the elbow. There are gloves made of leather, nylon or vinyl, at prices from $5 to $35.
For the gardener who likes to propagate plants, give a container of rooting hormone, some plastic plant labels and a book on propagation. Add a bag of potting soil containing slow-release fertilizer, or a bag of planting mix for cacti, orchids, bonsai plants or seed starting. All the bag needs is a festive ribbon.
How about giving a box of pet-safe snail bait or a plant in a decorative pot? When the chores of the day are done, a good gardeners' soap is indispensable. Actually, anything a gardener uses daily or weekly would make a well-received gift.
With gardening supplies, you get what you pay for. High-quality tools are safer, and well-made gloves last longer. Because gardening is so climate-dependent, books that deal with the Napa Valley are the most useful. And if none of these suggestions fits, you can never go wrong with a gift certificate or gift card.