GIFTS FOR THE HYDRANGEA GARDENER

‘Tis the season…especially for gifts for gardeners. Unlike other suggestions, these gifts would be well appreciated by hydrangea gardeners.

TOOLS TO CHANGE THE FLOWER COLOR

Let’s start with changing the flower color of a plant. Assuming the plant will respond to treatments, you first need a soil test kit, good for all gardeners not just those who grow hydrangeas. If your hydrangea gardener prefers, get them the info on what to do to send a soil sample to a lab. Pre-pay it while you’re at it.

DIY Soil Test Kit can be used to check soil pH

Then you need to add the proper amendment based on the soil test results. So give your hydrangea gardener a bag of aluminum sulfate (to get blue flowers) or pelletized lime (for pink flowers). Not very romantic, I know, but very useful.

SOIL AMENDMENTS TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF YOUR HYDRANGEAS

HELPERS FOR PRUNING

No hydrangea gardener should be without a good pair of sharp snips. This tool is indispensible for cutting flowers for bouquets as well as errant branches. In the absence of snips, a well-fitting set of pruners with a holster can do the same job.

CORONA FLOWER SNIPS WORK WELL IN THE GARDEN

GIVE YOUR CUT FLOWERS LONGER VASE LIFE

Speaking of bouquets, I bet your hydrangea gardener would appreciate a bottle of Floralife Quick Dip 100. It’s a product that helps flowers stay fresh longer once they have been cut.

FloraLife Extends Vase Life for Cut Flowers

TOOLS TO MAKE MORE HYDRANGEAS

Hydrangeas propagate easily and if your gardener likes to make more plants from cuttings, a jar of rooting hormone is indispensable. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing a plant you propagated thriving in your garden.

One commercially available rooting hormone

OCCASIONAL LEAF SPOT ISSUES

Hydrangeas are prone to fungal leaf spot issues as the season progresses. You can help your hydrangea gardener get a handle on that problem by gifting an organic fungal disease product like Monterey Disease Control or Neem Oil.

Monterey Complete Disease Control Comes as a Concentrate or RTU

HYDRANGEA WINTER PROTECTION

Winter weather can wreak havoc on hydrangeas and rob them of their flowers. Shrub covers can sometimes help to prevent that. It’s not too late in some areas to put them on in December. Some of the worst weather challenges can come in March and April just as your hydrangea is breaking dormancy.

Shrub cover for hydrangeas available from garden supply sellers.

HYDRANGEA SOIL HELP

Hydrangeas love compost so maybe a gift certificate to a local compost provider can be arranged. Even better, hiring someone to apply that compost should fill your hydrangea gardener with joy.

GARDEN GLOVES

I don’t believe a gardener ever has enough gloves. Invariably, the glove for the dominant hand (righty for me) gives out and develops holes at the fingertips. I haven’t found a glove that holds up to what I would call industrial use, so I buy them by the dozen. You can’t go wrong with that gift.

DEER REPELLENT

If your gardener lives in “deer country,” you could be a real hero by arranging to have the hydrangeas sprayed with deer repellent on a regular basis. I’m certain there are local vendors in your area that hire out for that job. For the DIY gardener, you can apply your deer repellent yourself, they all work and aren’t harmful to anything or anyone. Just be sure to follow the directions and plan to immediately launder whatever clothes you wore when applying the product. Stinky is not the word for these products. My favorite is Deer Defeat.

Deer Defeat protects hydrangeas from deer and other wildlife

Speaking of hiring helpers, someone with a strong back to do some transplanting is yet another giftable option.

LIGHT METER

Finding the right balance of sun and shade for some hydrangeas can be challenging. There’s a nifty little gadget on the market that can help gardeners determine how much light exists in a particular part of a garden. This light meter makes child’s play of that issue.

GARDEN LIGHT METER HELPS YOU FIGURE OUT IMPORTANT CULTURAL CONDITIONS

HYDRANGEA BOOK

I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you to consider buying a signed copy of my internationally best selling book, Success With Hydrangeas. You can get it through my website and can even get a personal inscription upon request.

Success With Hydrangeas Book

I must tell you that I have to raise my book price on Jan 1, 2023. Printing charges (along with everything else it seems) have been rising steadily. I have absorbed those costs until now, but that’s no longer a feasible business model. You can, of course, get my book at Amazon (unsigned) at whatever price they have set.

AND FINALLY…

Let me take this opportunity to thank you for 2022. Between blog posts, book sales, and presentations, I am grateful for your time and loyalty. I look forward to seeing you at my 2023 public speaking venues and wish you and yours the best for the holiday season.