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Connecticut Garden Journal
Connecticut Garden Journal is a weekly program hosted by horticulturalist Charlie Nardozzi. Each week, Charlie focuses on a topic relevant to both new and experienced gardeners, including pruning lilac bushes, growing blight-free tomatoes, groundcovers, sunflowers, bulbs, pests, and more.

Connecticut Garden Journal: Gardener's Gifts

tree2mydoor (Flickr / Creative Commons)

It’s getting down to the wire for gift-giving this holiday season. One of the people you might still be shopping for may be the gardener in the family. Gardeners can be a bit particular about the tools, supplies and seeds they use. So, let me give you a few ideas for your favorite gardener.

We all know that gardeners have favorite tools. For example, I love the Cobra hoe for pulling out deep-rooted weeds such as dandelions. So, instead of trying to guess what hand tool your favorite gardener will like, think in terms of carrying the tools to the garden. I like tool totes or the Cross Body Tool Carrier that wraps around your shoulder. They carry not only hand tools, but also pruners, twine, markers, seeds and other small items for the garden.

It’s always hard to find garden gloves that are rugged, yet flexible enough to pick up seeds and small objects. I like the Nitrile glove line for both. These gloves fit like a second skin, but they wear like leather.

If your favorite gardeners like to start seeds indoors in winter, then consider getting them all the fixings for seed starting. Select pots, potting soil, plant labels, markers and an assortment of seeds. Gardeners always like a challenge, and offering some unusual seeds to start indoors such as an exotic eggplant or hot pepper variety might be fun!

Finally, the best gift may be yourself. Offer to help pot up plants, move compost or mulch or do a day of weeding in the summer with them. Hopefully, by then we’ll all be able to garden together again.

Charlie Nardozzi is a regional Emmy® Award winning garden writer, speaker, radio, and television personality. He has worked for more than 30 years bringing expert information to home gardeners.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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