Guest Author - Jessica Carson

Commercials stress that spending lots of money is the way to show others you care. But we all really know that's not the case – caring is spending time with others and giving them your support, thinking about and acting on the needs of others, and giving of your creativity and heart, not your cash. Giving gifts you grow and make yourself are a wonderful way to express you care – gifts with the added special touch that only you can give. And these unique gifts will keep on giving throughout the year, reminding the recipient of you each time they see or use your special present. Here are some wonderful ideas for gifts made from your container garden.

SEEDS, BULBS AND CUTTINGS
Gather seeds from your garden or from neighbors or public landscaping. Your neighbors may be very happy to let you deadhead their flowers and keep the seeds! Package the seeds in small bags and label with planting and care instructions. If you have them, you can even add pictures of the flowers cut from a catalog or magazine.

Bulbs, Corms and Rhizomes: As you dig and separate your bulbs, tubers, etc. set aside some for gifting rather than replanting. If your neighbor has an overgrown patch of iris or gladiolus, offer to dig and re-plant for them with keeping the extras as payment for your effort. Clean off the excess bulbs and dust with sulfur to keep them free of pests and disease. Package in cloth or paper bags (if you use plastic be sure to punch a few air holes to prevent mold and rot). Add a label with planting and care instructions, and a picture if you can find one from a magazine or catalog.

Cuttings: Many plants can be reproduced by cuttings. Take cuttings of some of your favorite plants and start new plants as gifts!

Coleus, Pelargonium, other other soft perennials: Most of these plants will sprout very easily from cuttings placed in water or moist soil. Cut just below a leaf and remove the bottom leaves. Place in a jar of water or a pot of moist soil and set in a windowsill. When roots are 1 inch long or more plant in soil and you are ready to give. Note: cuttings planted in moist soil can be given right away, just be sure the recipient keeps the soil moist for several weeks.

Succulents, African Violets, Begonia: most of these can be sprouted from leaf cuttings. Make small cuts to the veins on the back side of the leaf and pin to the top of moist soil, or partially bury the leaf in the soil. New plants will sprout from the leaf cuts or from the base of the leaf.

Geranium, lantana, and any plant which sprouts from roots: these can easily be propagated with root cuttings. Dig part of the plant and cut any pencil diameter or thicker root sections 2 inches long or longer. Place on their sides or upright in potting soil and cover. Moisten, cover with plastic, and keep shaded. When the new plants appear remove the plastic and place in a windowsill, in a greenhouse, or outdoors if the weather is mild.

Hardwood from shrubs and trees: Cuttings from hardwood are best done during the fall to spring dormant season. Cut a section of the previous season's growth. These will need to be planted right-side-up, so make the bottom cut straight across the branch and the top cut at a steep angle, to make it easy to tell top from bottom. Make the bottom cut below a leaf bud and make your cuttings 3-4 inches long or longer. Dip the bottom in rooting hormone. Plant the cutting in a pot ½ filled with soil, and cover the upper half of the cutting with damp mulch. Wrap in cloth or plastic, and write instructions to keep the cutting in a dark, cool place over winter (like the back of the refrigerator or partially buried outdoors, if they live in zones 4 or warmer.) Over winter the lower end of the cutting will begin to form nodules which, in the spring, will grow into roots. When the weather warms the cutting can be planted in a larger pot and new growth will soon appear.

GARDEN AND HOME DECORATIONS
Bird Feeder: A bird feeder made from a small flower pot and larger saucer is a perfect gift for a bird enthusiast or another gardener. Take a small terra cotta flower pot (6” to 8”) and turn it upside down. Place a 10” or 12” terra cotta saucer or ceramic plate on top and glue in place. Decorate the outside with paints or glued-on beads to make it extra special and unique.

Floral Arrangements: Dried floral or branch arrangements are especially beautiful. Make some for giving from dried flowers and tree branches from your garden, or gather some from local fields or hillsides. Dried thistle, cattails, willow whips, eucalyptus, bay, and tall grasses all make beautiful arrangements.

TEAS, SACHETS, AND HERB VINEGARS
Gifts made from the fruits of your garden can be more than just jams and preserves!
Teas: Dry your rose hips or herbs like mint and chamomile and package in small cloth bags sewn from your cast-off cotton clothing. Add a string for dipping and package with a small note about how you grew and prepared the herbs.

Sachets: Dried fragrant herbs and flowers (like mint, lavender and rose petals) make wonderful sachets. Sew the dried herbs and flowers into little bags of cotton or loose woven fabric recycled from old clothing and label with a small tag.

Herb Vinegars: Save your pretty sauce, pickle and jelly jars and fill with vinegar – any flavor will do, though apple cider or wine vinegars look especially pretty. Add a fresh or dried sprig of rosemary, sage, thyme, or other cooking herb from your garden and close the lid. Add a nice tag tied around the cap and you have custom-made gourmet vinegars for gifting!

PHOTOS
Take photos of your garden or beautiful landscapes and e-mail with an inspirational saying or poem. Your gift recipient can print out the photos and frame, along with the writings.

With all your gifts, remember to add the special touch that only you can give and your gifts will be especially appreciated!