Stocking stuffers for gardeners can be practical and fun

Christmas stockings go back hundreds of years; they were even mentioned as an established American tradition as early as 1823 in the poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” Finding small gifts or stocking stuffers can be one of the challenges of the season. However, for gardeners, there are many suitable choices.

A small soil test kit is a good gift. With it, a gardener will know what nutrients their soil needs and can thus help avoid over-fertilization. Speaking of fertilization, you could add a plant-specific bottle of organic fertilizer such as African violet food. There are even houseplant fertilizers that come in stick form.

A pair of pruning scissors is a good stocking stuffer. There are even tiny tools meant just for houseplants, so you could add a small trowel and rake.

Seeds are ideal as stocking stuffers. Wildflower seeds are often available as colorful mixes. With seeds, a little goes a long way; an ounce of wildflower seeds will plant quite a large area. You can put together a themed collection of seeds, perhaps annuals all in the gardeners' favorite color. Or for a history buff, try seeds from plants that grew during the Civil War or Colonial times.

Gift cards can certainly fit in a stocking, and your gardening friend or family member can enjoy a shopping spree.

Gardening gloves are always a welcome gift. You can even get long-sleeved garden gloves that are great when working with thorny rosebushes.

A rain gauge is a necessary and useful tool that fits in a stocking. Underwatering or overwatering will be a thing of the past.

Plant tags are a handy yet often overlooked aid to gardening. It's easy to remember what seed is planted where with plant tags.

A bulb planter makes quick work of planting bulbs and can come in handy when transplanting other plants.

A wooden dibber is a planting tool used to sow various seeds at the right depth. It shows measurements along the side so you can sow seeds and plants at the required depth. Many seeds will not germinate if they are planted too deep, so a dibber is a great tool, and they come in a variety of sizes.

A sturdy nail brush will be welcomed by every gardener. They also do double duty as an impromptu vegetable brush.

Gardening aprons are welcome gifts for both men and women. They let the gardener be hands-free while working with plants, and it provides convenient storage places for your hand tools and even your phone. Get a washable one that will be used year after year. Another welcome bit of garden attire is a foldable sun hat. This can be found in many colors, and there are models for men and women. Because we gardeners are out in the sun a lot, a foldable sun hat that can easily fit in your back pocket or gardening apron will offer protection from overexposure to the sun and help keep you cooler all summer.

Finally, a ball of garden twine is useful all year long. It can be used to tie vines to trellises or bundle cut herbs, and comes in handy for many other uses as well.

With a little imagination, you can put together a stocking filled with surprises for gardeners or even yourself. Ho ho ho!