Gardener Gift Giving Roundup

We all have gift giving on the mind! Not exactly surprising, considering that Chanukkah starts in four days and Christmas is four days after that. A few weeks back, I wrote up a post with some gift suggestions, but if that list didn’t do it for you, quite a number of other people have written about gardening gift giving as well.

Photo by annamatic3000

Last Minute Gifts for Gardeners: Genevieve from North Coast Gardening has come up with a unique list of gifts for gardeners. Gen is a gardening coach and landscape designer, she wouldn’t steer you wrong!
Handmade Gifts for Gardeners: If you’re a handmade kind of person, but don’t have enough time to DIY this season, check out Gayla of You Grow Girl’s list.
12 Days of Gardening Gifts: Cindy over at Walk Down the Garden Path has been posting a gift idea a day for six days thus far. Be sure to check back regularly to see the rest of her suggestions.
Christmas List for the Beginning Gardener: Avid gardener and journalist Mary Ann at Idaho Gardener has a thoughtful list of nice gifts for beginners, although I suspect there are a number of items on her list a more seasoned gardener would appreciate too.
Music to Garden To: Gayla also came up with this list of music she thinks would be great to stick on your mp3 player and listen to while out among your plants. I like this idea a lot. Mix tapes are a dying art, and a well done playlist is worth way more than the combined cost of the CDs.

December 18, 2008 | Filed Under Product Roundup | 7 Comments

Gift Ideas for Container Gardeners

So, we all know it’s Black Friday, and there is also Cyber Monday for dot com businesses. So I thought I would throw out a few gift ideas for container gardeners, in case you have one or two on your holiday gift list (and no, I am not begging for gifts here!).

Photo by jek in the box

A subscription to a Community Supported Agriculture program. Not everyone can or wants to grow their own food. With a CSA subscription, your loved one gets a box full of fresh produce each week and your gift supports a small family farm. Rising food costs and corporate farms squeezing out family farms makes this gift a win-win no brainer. Here is a list of West Coast CSA programs, if you know of CSAs in other areas, please post them in the comments.
Books. Gardeners can skip a lot of trial and error with a well written gardening book or two. If the recipient grows or wants to grow their own edibles, I can’t recommend Bountiful Container enough. It is the go-to resource for growing edible plants in pots. For other books well suited for gardeners short on gardening space, check out this post I wrote about container gardening books.
Fun Gadgets or Tools. If the person you have in mind really likes growing tomatoes, or might like to try, the Upside-Down Tomato Planter is a fun thing to try and great for small space gardeners. Another fun thing for gardeners to try, especially those who are just getting in to gardening or who have just moved into a new place, is SunCalc, which tells its user how much sunlight a particular spot gets. You can’t go wrong with a nice set of pruners (Felco is a good brand) or tools. And a gift certificate to a local nursery is sure to be appreciated.
Red Envelope. There are also great container plants and projects available through Red Envelope and they just emailed me with some links to use to get some great deals:
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$10 off orders of $75 or more (good until 12/3)
Free shipping on orders over $75 (good until 12/31)
10% off (good until 12/31)

Other good ideas can be found at Fine Gardening Magazine’s blog, The Dirt. Oh, and Territorial Seed has a gift basket made up of vegetable seeds for an urban gardener.

What’s on your wishlist this year?

November 28, 2008 | Filed Under Product Roundup | 9 Comments

Six Reasons to Love Botanical Interests Seeds

I’ve mentioned a couple of times how much I like Botanical Interests seeds, so I thought I would write a post about exactly what it is that I like, and why I think you should like them too!

I first discovered Botanical Interests when I was google searching for a company selling tangerine colored signet marigolds. I found Botanical Interests and have been using their seed almost exclusively ever since. I am sure I have at least 20-30 Botanical Interests seed packets in my seed file (which, by the way, I keep in a Botanical Interests shipping box).

So, here are the six reasons I am a very happy Botanical Interests customer.

1. Great Seed Selection

You want to attract butterflies to your garden? Botanical Interests has got you covered with over 70 varieties of flowers that butterflies like. Interested in drought tolerant plants? They’ve got more than 80 of those. They also have more than 240 varieties of vegetables, everything from Organic Moon and Stars Watermelon to Edible Red Leaf Amaranth and nine different types of carrots. They’ve got herbs too. 65 different varieties. Their seeds are a nice mix of garden standards and more unusual types that are fun to try.

Remember those Roma tomatoes I am growing that would have produced 30+ tomatoes had I started them at the right time of year? Guess which seed company? Persian Carpet Zinnias? Plains Coreopsis? Romaine Lettuce (or it might be ‘Salad Bowl’ I got the markers mixed up)? Ruby Chard? Detroit Red Beets? You guessed it. They’re all from Botanical Interests seeds. Not to mention the plants I don’t have pictures of, like the Peony Poppies and cute little Tonda di Parigi carrots.

2. Great Cover Art

Every packet of Botanical Interests seed has a nice illustration on the front of the packet. As a former graphic designer, it’s nice to see a company paying attention to the visual allure of their product. The cover art makes it a pleasure to flip through my seed packets and dream up different combinations for future container designs.

3. Tons of Useful Information

You can tell that the folks at Botanical Interests are nuts about plants because they can’t cram all of what they have to say about a particular seed variety on the back of the packet. If you open up the packet (after carefully dumping the seed into a cup or baggy) you’ll find recipes, anecdotes, history, and growing tips. It’s kind of like talking to your neighbor who has been growing the most beautiful ________ for 50 years and who loves chatting about how to get the most out of her favorite plant.

4. Good Germination Rate

When I sow seed, I make a hole the depth the packet says to make, place two seeds in the hole, and cover them with dirt. I have no idea if that’s the right way to do things, but that’s what I do. The vast majority of the time both Botanical Interests seeds germinate. And I’ve only had one instance when neither of the seeds germinated. I can’t say the same for other brands of seeds I’ve purchased. I’m still mad about beautiful Zinnia seeds I purchased from a different company that didn’t have a single seed germinate, despite the fact that I followed their directions to a ‘t.’

Basically, when I am sowing Botanical Interests seeds I can count on being happy. Thats important, because I’m an impatient person and growing plants from seed is all about being patient. I don’t want to have to waste time with seeds that won’t even sprout.

5. Great Company

Tired of “big box stores” and giant international conglomerates that could care less about individual customers or ethical business practices? Yeah, me too. So it’s nice to be able to buy a great product from a small, family-run business like Botanical Interests. The owners, Curtis and Judy, were both interviewing for the same horticultural job when they met. To make a long story short, they got married, and started Botanical Interests in a spare bedroom. Today they have moved out of the spare bedroom and have hired 20 or so employees.

It’s also nice to know that they are committed to providing a nice place to work for their employees. This is the sort of company they are the the culture they have developed:

“The 22 on-site employees have adorned stairwells with drawings sketched by their children. The company refrigerator is splattered with goofy photos. There’s a Foosball table in an “end-tag” room where the Jones’ daughter, the ebullient and wise, Sophie, will take a dollar from you for every goal she scores. There are honest and generous smiles here.”

(California Garden Magazine–July/August 2008)

I mean, we’re talking about a business whose company picnic is held in the owners’ backyard. How much more “family” can a family business get than that?

6. Easy to Use Website

I am crazy about putting information together in useful and meaningful ways (I actually enjoyed outlining in law school) and I love how Botanical Interests has ordered their site.

If your gardening spot is shady, and you want to see which flowers might grow well there, simply click on “shade” under the flower list and there you go. If you think you’d like to try some Asian vegetables but don’t know where to start, there’s a category for that too. Heirloom herbs? Orange flowers? Plants to spill over the edge of your hanging basket? No problem, they’ve got you covered with an easy to access list of suitable seed varieties.

Conclusion

So, what more can I say. I’ve written over 800 words about a seed company, of all things. I think you get the point that I HIGHLY recommend Botanical Interests seeds. Five stars. Two thumbs up. And all that good stuff. If I haven’t convinced you yet, you might just be the most stubborn, curmudgeonly person on the planet.

What are you waiting for? Head right on over to their website, or to the seed section at your favorite nursery and knock yourself out. Growing plants from seed is a great way to try varieties you can’t find locally. And If you’re willing to put in a bit of sweat equity, it’s also a great money saver.

Comment on this post or any other for a chance to win some Botanical Interests seeds, a tote featuring their great artwork, and the book for growing food in containers, Bountiful Container.

November 12, 2008 | Filed Under Product Roundup | 14 Comments

Sun Hats Are Not Just for Gardeners With Large Yards!

Have you been spending a little too much time on your balcony? Or more precisely, have you been spending too much time in the great outdoors without proper sunscreen? Not good! I am sure you don’t need me to tell you all the negative effects of burning your skin.

Photo by Sebastian L.S.

I always wear a hat and usually wear sunscreen, but this past weekend, my hat wasn’t enough. I paid for it on Monday! Here are three natural remedies for sunburn:

The June issue of Body + Soul magazine suggests that sunburns can be calmed by sponging strongly brewed, chilled tea on the area. Green or black, use whatever you have on hand, it doesn’t make a difference. It’s the tannins in tea that are anti-inflammatory, which will help sooth your inflamed skin.
Willow Light, owner of Portland’s Spa Willamina, recommends a mixtures of 1 tbsp. aloe vera gel, 5 drops of lavender essential oil, 5 drops of chamomile essential oil and 1tbsp. sunflower oil. Apply the mixture to your face like a mask and let dry. Rinse your face after 20 minutes. For a sunburn elsewhere on your body, multiple the ingredients by 4.
Dr. John Reed at WholeHealthMD.com recommends, among other things, a cool bath with 10 drops of lavender essential oil and 10 drops of chamomile essential oil.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Or a stitch in time saves nine. Take your pick. Check out these great ways to prevent a burn in the future:

Kiss My Face Oat Protein Sunscreen (30 SPF) contains no animal ingredients, no artificial colors, and was not tested on animals. It contains natural ingredients to help counteract the effects of sun damage while protecting your skin from further UV exposure. Also check out Smart Shield which contains no harsh chemicals and is not petroleum based, so it won’t clog your pores or stain your clothes.
Ann Taylor Loft has a very cute straw hat (for less than $10!) to help protect your face without sacrificing on style. Also check out this post at Eco-Salon about sustainably produced sun hats.
Outdora has a great outdoor umbrella specially designed for those of us with small outdoor spaces. Their half-canopy umbrella sits flush against a wall, saving space while still providing respite from the sun.

August 19, 2008 | Filed Under Gardening in Full Sun, How To, Product Roundup | 2 Comments

Check This Out - Balcony Greenhouse

My brother Ben–an accomplished small space gardener who grows, among other things, hydroponic herbs and vegetables–sent me this link to a portable greenhouse that can fit on a balcony and be folded up when not in use.

The creator of the greenhouse is interested in mass-producing his bijou greenhouse, so follow the link and shoot him an email if this sort of thing appeals to you.

July 18, 2008 | Filed Under Product Roundup | 1 Comment

Great Outdoor Tablecloths

Tablecloths can really make outdoor dining feel special, and they can make clean up much easier (remove the dishes, pick up the corners, and either toss the crumbs in the trash or toss the whole tablecloth in the wash). My personal preference is to use oil cloth because they’re so easy to wipe down and you don’t have to wash them in the washer. But don’t be afraid to use a cloth tablecloth outside. Just don’t use disposable tablecloths! There is no point in wasting natural resources and filling up a landfill when there are perfectly good reusable tablecloths out there.

Here are some cute (reusable) tablecloths I’ve found around the net:

Red and White Checkered Tablecloth Checkered Tablecloth from A.H. Mercantile

Pottery Barn Striped Tablecloth Fiesta Bold Oil Cloth from Pottery Barn

Summer Swirl Tablecloth from Linens ‘n Things
Apple Blossom Tablecloth from Overstock

July 17, 2008 | Filed Under Outdoor Decor, Product Roundup | Leave a Comment

Good Looking Doormats

Our doormat bit the dust the other day. Well, to be accurate, it has been fighting a long, slow battle with death and I finally put it out of its misery. Due to this act of compassion on my part, our front door is now nekkid and dirt and leaves are being tracked indoors. Here are some of the better doormats I’ve seen while searching for a replacement.

1) Mando from Ikea