21 Essential Gifts for the Gardening Lover

The winter holidays are upon us, and they certainly do seem to sneak up on us these days. If you haven’t started your gift shopping, there is quite literally no time like the present. But if you want those packages to arrive on time, you only have a short window before shipping times get iffy. 

If you’re a gardener yourself, buying gifts for other plant lovers is a cinch. Most of us get excited over anything green or the tools that help us care for it. If you’re not a plant person, we are here to help you find the perfect thing! From raised beds to seed shakers and everything in between, here are some of our favorite gifts. 

Raised Bed

A raised bed is the ultimate gift for anyone who likes to garden outdoors. They make it so easy you might just want one for yourself! Raised beds are wonderful for growing with kids, for anyone with mobility challenges, and for anyone whose soil makes it difficult to grow the things they love.

I’m a big fan of our Birdie’s Modular raised beds. They are so versatile, with different configurations, heights, and sizes to choose from. Taller beds are a wonderful gift for gardeners who have a difficult time bending down and tending to plants in the ground. They are incredibly long-lasting as well. 

If your loved one prefers a more natural look, choose a cedar raised bed. They are gorgeous, and cedar stands up well to the elements, making them last longer than other wooden types. We also carry more modern beds for the fashionable friend. 

Patio Planter

Does the gardening guru in your family have a killer patio that they love to entertain on? They will totally dig a patio planter! Similar to a raised bed, a patio planter has a solid bottom with drainage holes, so it’s moveable and won’t make a mess. This is a great gift for apartment dwellers who want to grow their own veggie garden.

Our tall, modern patio containers are easy to assemble and look great. They come in three different finishes. I love the weathered finish; it’s a great blend of earthy and modern. These go with any style, and they’re made of steel, so they are long-lasting, too!

Grow Light

A grow light makes things easy for the seed starter in your family. They can get started right away with their spring seeds, which means an earlier and bigger harvest. Grow lights are truly wonderful for anyone without a greenhouse. They make it possible to plant those seeds and set a timer. They do the rest of the heavy lifting. 

We carry two different sizes: a large one for the veteran gardener who starts a lot of seeds and a smaller one for the beginner. They both come with a convenient frame, so there’s no worrying over where to hang it from. Trust me, this makes a big difference. The full-spectrum LED bulbs are long-lasting and perfect for growing.

Seed Starting Trays

Grab some seed-starting trays to go with that grow light. These are vital tools in getting your seedlings off to a strong start. There are many options to choose from, but we recommend going with re-useable trays that will outlast the flimsy plastic kind. 

Our Epic seed trays are extra durable and practically unbreakable. They’re also made from recycled, BPA-free plastic, so they’re food-safe and environmentally friendly. The air pruning slots on the bottom are excellent for tending to roots and make it a cinch to push the soil and seedlings out when it’s time to plant.

Heating Mat

A heating mat is a nice little seed-starting luxury. Some seeds need warm soil for germination. A heating mat will expedite the process, giving faster results for the impatient gardener. For starting tomatoes and other warm-weather veggies, this is a must-have.

Our Epic seed starting mat can handle the heat and is resistant to moisture, so it will last a long time. Pair it with a grow light and some seed starting trays for the perfect gardening gift basket.

Seed Collection

While you’re putting together that seed-starting basket, don’t forget to toss in some seeds. Seed packets make wonderful stocking stuffers. We offer curated collections for your convenience, but don’t let that stop you from putting together your own amazing collection. 

For the tea drinker, we carry a herbal tea garden selection. We also have a great set to go along with a raised bed. Is Dad a bit of a prepper? Our heirloom organic seed bank will last from three to five years and contains open-pollinated heirloom seeds that produce their own seeds. These will keep growing for as long as you want them to.

Self-Watering Planter

Are you wondering what to get for that jet-setting plant lover in your life? A self-watering planter is the perfect gift for that friend who calls on you for plant-sitting while they enjoy their adventures. These make travel less stressful because they take the guesswork out of keeping houseplants watered.

Self-watering planters are great for the absent-minded gardener, too. Have you noticed your brother keeps bringing home new plants and letting them dry up in the corner? Give him a self-watering planter so that he can finally grow successfully.

Soil Testing Kit

For the friend who is just getting started, a soil test is a must. Before planting anything major, it’s important to know whether your soil will support it properly. Testing your soil lets you know its structure, pH, and nutrient retention ability. It also clues you into what nutrients are present and in what amounts. 

Pick up one of our soil testing kits for your novice plant lover. It’s easy to collect and send away for lab processing. They will have results in about a week, in plenty of time to prepare for the spring growing season. 

Fertilizer

High-quality fertilizer is something we can never have too much of. If you don’t know what your gardening girlfriend does or doesn’t already have, this is the perfect gift. Sure, it smells a little funny, but that’s part of the fun for your friend because they will know exactly what they’re opening.

Starter fertilizer is great for anyone because it makes seed starting more effective. Let’s face it: We start seeds all the time. Other useful soil amendments, like garden lime, will help lower the pH of alkaline soil. Worm castings are an excellent form of organic fertilizer. 

Compost Bin

Gift a composter to help your gift recipient make their own supply of organic fertilizer. Food scraps go in, and rich, fertile compost comes out, perfect for topdressing or working into new raised beds. There are many shapes and sizes to choose from. 

Our Bokashi Kitchen Compost Bins fit right on the countertop and make quick work of those leftovers. Scrape scraps into the bucket, sprinkle on some starter to eliminate odor and speed up the decomposition process, and voila! Compost in as little as two weeks! For a family that gardens together, a Hungry Bin has a higher capacity and can take on more than four pounds daily. 

Seed Shakers

Our seed shakers bring all the bees to the yard! They also make it super simple to get a pollinator garden going or lay down a cover crop. These pretty canisters pop into a stocking with ease, and they are easy to wrap. Although, they are pretty enough that you can just stick a bow on them. Pick up a hummingbird haven mix for the bird-watching plant lover in your life.

Raised Bed Extension Kit

Concerned that your mom might outgrow that cedar-raised bed in a jiffy? We have a solution for that! Add on a 3-Minute Bed and Extension Kit for an easy buildable solution to a growing raised bed collection. This exceptionally easy-to-build, tool-free kit will be up and running before everyone else finishes opening their gifts. It’s made of attractive and durable cedar. 

Beautiful Live Plant

For the horticulturist host, nothing beats a beautiful live plant. Poinsettias are holiday perfection with their large, colorful bracts that show up just in time for gifting. Do you have a gardening coffee enthusiast to buy for? Arabica is the gold standard of beans, and we have beautiful Arabica bushes. 

In warm climates, both poinsettia and coffee plants can go in the garden in spring, where they will endure for years of enjoyment. Even if they already have one, you can never have too many!

Watering Can

What’s that you say? You’re looking for a gift bag that doubles as its own gift? A watering can makes a perfectly wonderful gift, and you can stuff it with fun little odds and ends, like seeds or plant markers. We have a couple to choose from, they both hold 2+ gallons, and they’re made of durable, high quality plastic.

Vertical Planter

This is one of my favorite products that we carry at Epic. The Greenstalk Vertical Planters are amazing for growing a garden on a small footprint. For the patio or balcony gardener who wants to start growing a salad garden or delicious strawberries, this is the perfect present.

Vertical planters make it easy to grow a lot of plants in a small space by growing vertically. Each pocket holds its own soil, and it’s self-watering. I can’t neglect to mention the newer cherry blossom color. This blush-colored planter is just the thing for the pink lover in your life.

Trellis

Climbing vines are so lovely, and they need something to climb on. A gift of a stunning clematis pairs perfectly with a super stylish Pablo trellis. We have freestanding trellises, too. These are great for the vegetable garden and are compatible with our raised beds. Fresh green beans? Yes Please!

Elevated Planter

Does grandma still enjoy getting her hands dirty, but she doesn’t like the wear and tear on her knees anymore? An elevated bed or planter will make it easy for her to tend to her favorites again! Cedar elevated beds are long-lasting and beautiful, and they are great for preventing pests and diseases.

Patio Citrus Tree

I hope you’re ready for this because I have the perfect gift for your best friend who never passes up a plane ticket to the Mediterranean. Sweep her off to Sicily every time she looks at her patio-sized lemon tree. Lemons grow well in containers, and they are so pretty with their yellow fruits and evergreen foliage. 

For the guy who reminisces about that 30th birthday trip to Key West, a patio-sized key lime tree will really take him back. Perfect for pie lovers, too, a key lime bush stays small enough to move indoors in the winter. 

Outdoor Fruit Tree

Go big and bold with a full-sized fruit tree for the backyard. Fruit trees are beautiful and practical and draw tons of birds and pollinators to the garden. There are many species and varieties to choose from. When you choose a tree for the outdoors, pay special attention to chill hours and growing zones. 

I will say this is not a novice gift. If you’re not sure what kind of tree will grow in your garden lover’s Zone, a gift certificate might be a better idea. Oh, and if my husband asks, I’m a size 3’-4’ black Tartarian cherry tree.

Worm Composting Equipment

Worm composting is a great new activity and another fun gift for the expert gardener who has almost everything. Worms may seem like a strange thing to farm, but they produce some of the best organic fertilizers you can buy. 

Worm farming composting can be messy, but the Urban Worm Bag (version 2) makes it much easier. This convenient vermicomposting system does not need zippers. The tough fabric bag has a water-resistant layer that’s breathable. No screening or sifting is required.

Harvest Basket

Finally, the perfect basket to put your gardening gifts in, the Botanical Interests harvest basket does double duty. It’s a gift basket and a useful gift for your vegetable grower. It makes a great companion for that fruit tree, too! Super sturdy and food-safe, it’s made of attractive pink, birch, and oak woods.