Christmas for the Gardener

Debbie Roland, Master Gardener

Once again December has arrived and there is Christmas shopping to be done. Do you have a gardener, or wannabe gardener, on your Christmas list? I might be able to help you out with some suggestions for that.

My husband always gets me at least one gift card from a garden center. Most of the time from a locally owned center so that I can get plants that grow well in our area, and another from a big box store so that I can get a pallet or two (yes, a pallet not a bag) of compost or mulch. Or both. When spring arrives and I can’t stand to stay indoors another day, a trip to a garden center is just what I need to escape the winter blues.

Another suggestion is a large flowerpot. I now prefer the foam or plastic ones because they are lightweight and easy to work with. Lots of improvements have been made in these and sometimes you can’t tell if they are pottery, clay or plastic until you touch them. Add packets of seeds, a good pair of gardening gloves, a selection of hand tools from the garden center and maybe a bag of good quality potting soil. I try to find a cute sign with a gardening quote on it and include that as well.

Another favorite is a good gardening book. Nothing is better than a fire in the fireplace and a book. Try the Texas A&M bookstore. You can peruse and order books online for everything from worm composting to wildflowers to Texas history.

There are many gardening journals available. Pair that with a favorite pen and your gardener will be happy.

Other ideas are a birdhouse, a personalized garden stake, rubber boots, a big hat to block the West Texas sun, a mug or a t-shirt.

Permian Basin Master Gardener 2020 Calendars: The local Master Gardeners have just received their 2020 gardening calendars. The committee that worked on this fundraising project did an amazing job on the local photography and assembly. This year they are spiral bound with new gardening tips. At $12.00 each they are a bargain. Contact any Master Gardener or the extension office in Midland or Odessa to get yours. The phone numbers are listed below.

If you have questions, please call the AgriLife office in Odessa at 498-4071 or in Midland at 686-4700 for more gardening information.