By Sarah Wilson, Healthy Planet Staff Writer
Wondering what to get your favorite native gardening enthusiast? Consider these choices, the first three of which link to Amazon.
Under $25: SHALL Garden Knife
After I used one at a Wild One’s garden installation, I donated my other gardening hand tools and never looked back. A good garden knife like this one weeds, digs, cuts through roots and cord, aids in freeing pot-bound plants, etc. Every gardener needs one.
Under $40:Ninja Sharper Garden Tool & Knife Sharpener
I purchased this to try for this article. Does this tool do what it says it will? Yes. Is it easy to use? Yes. Be careful testing your blades after use because my tools got impressively sharp in one or two light swipes.
Under $50: Root Slayer Shovel
This well made tool has a nice wide foot step for comfort when digging, serrated sides to cut through sod or roots, and a sturdy handle made for vigorous use. I’ve bent/broken more than one lesser products but not this brand. The Root Slayer Shovel is to an average shovel what a steak knife is to a butter knife.
Any Amount: E-Gift Certificates
Want to support your native gardener? Get a gift certificate, not a plant. Trust me on that. Here are three excellent options for online gift certificates.
Greenscape is a local St Louis nursery with an extensive native plant selection and knowledgeable staff to assist (Sue or Emily are usually around the native plant areas ready to help.) You can select from a variety of images for your e-gift certificate that matches many occasions. FYI: Greenscape does not ship plants.
Mo Wildflowers provides a range of native plants that have been sourced and grown in Missouri. They both ship and deliver to local native plant events throughout the season. Also, I’ve found them to have excellent customer service.
Prairie Moon, out of Minnesota, provides native plants appropriate to all lower 48 states. Their huge selection is all grown without the use of insecticides called neonicotinoids. That is important to native gardeners, since plants grown with “neonics” can harm the very pollinators we are working hard to support.
Thank you for supporting your native-plant gardener. By supporting them you are helping the birds and the butterflies, too. Happy Holidays!