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11/30/2016 11:01 PMWhen you think of holiday gifts, worms, bees, rainwater, seed pots, and pruners may not come to mind. But if you want to delight the people in your life who love plants, flowers, and soil, think again. The 12-plus products and services below all have local roots—made, invented, written, or produced by our regional neighbors.
Reading: Connecticut Gardener Magazine connects local experts with local gardeners. Offering four print editions per year since 1995, it now also offers an online counterpart that includes a fifth, digital-only issue. I have happily subscribed for years. For more information, visit www.conngardener.com, or call 203-292-0711.
Unique planters: Serendipity brought Madison potters Anita Griffith and Robert Parrott an enormous supply of clay harvested from the Connecticut River more than 25 years ago. (the clay harvest is no longer done.) That once-in-a-lifetime find resulted in River Clay planter pots. The potters stamp the planters to show their local origins—and each pots has a flyer that tells the story. I own five of them and can honestly say that plants love them, indoors and out. For more information, call 203-245-7837 or email ct2potters@comcast.net.
Water: I wouldn’t be without the sturdy 60-gallon rain barrels from the Rhode Island Water Lady of West Kingston. For a busy gardener, there’s nothing like the convenience of a full rain barrel near a thirsty plant (no hose to drag). Beverly O’Keefe, the “water lady,” also offers accessory kits and downspout diverters. Delivery options are available. For more information, visit www.riwaterlady.com or call 401-539-0667.
Seeds and seedlings: Connecticut has a long, proud history in the seed business, which luckily continues. John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds of Bantam offers a gift certificate at www.kitchengardenseeds.com/gift-certificates. New England Seed of East Hartford has an extensive online catalog that offers everything from grasses to grains at www.neseed.com. Select Seeds of Union has an online gift certificate for rare and antique flower seeds at www.selectseeds.com. Hart Seeds of Wethersfield offers its attractive seed packets at independent garden centers throughout our area—or visit www.theonlinegreenhouse.com.
And since seedling season is just around the corner, why not give the gift of CowPots, “the pots you plant” to your seed-starting friends? The Freund family dairy farm in East Canaan makes the pots from cow manure. The pots are 100 percent biodegradable, so there’s no plastic waste. CowPots are available in 10 sizes. For more information, visit www.freundsfarmmarket.com/store or find them at Ballek’s Garden Center in East Haddam.
Veggie garden in a box: The City Garden is a three-veggie grow kit from Fibredust of Cromwell. The kit is complete with seeds from East Hartford-based New England Seed, as well as fertilizer. Designed for porch, rooftop, or patio, and they are as close to “just add water” as a grower can get. Fibredust imports coir (“coy-er), the byproduct of shredded coconut shells. It also offers grow-pads for microgreens, bark chips for orchid growers, and a variety of other coir-based products.
Fiberdust began offering tools this year. I used its new Seed Stitcher this fall to seed a pollinator garden. The Seed Stitcher distributes seed evenly and helps create good seed-to-soil contact. It makes small holes in prepared soil and mixes grass or flower seed into the top inch. Find the tool on Amazon or call 860-919-6550.
Spear Head Spade: When Daniel Mathieu of Windsor found the garden a challenge in his 80s, he invented a digging tool that’s easy on the back and knees. I’ve used it for four years and give this spade a perfect 10 for light weight and a deep, precise cut. To find a local retailer or order online, visit www.spearheadspade.com or call 860-688-3280.
Ratchet-Cut Pruners: The pruners manufactured and sold by Florian Tools, Southington, work like a car jack, using leverage to increase power while reducing hand strain. I give the pruners high marks for lightness, ease of use, and a good cut. Locally, Riggios in Essex, Ballek’s in East Haddam, and Pequot Plant Farm in Stonington carry the tools. For more information, visit www.theonlinegreenhouse.com.
Birdhouses: There are many local birdhouse makers, but the chainsaw-carved models from Wethersfield’s Wood Butcher look as though they might attract a few garden gnomes as well. Find these unusual houses, designed with Audubon specifications for bluebirds and sparrows, at Ballek’s in East Haddam.
Helpful Critters: The Stonewall Apiary in Hanover offers three-pound packages of bees, classes, and beekeeping equipment, too. For more information, visit www.ct-honey.com or call 860-334-2245.
The Worm Ladies of Charlestown, Rhode Island, offer red wiggler composting worms by the pound as well as composting systems. They even have gift certificates. Chomp, chomp! For more information, visit www.wormladies.com.
Happy shopping and happy December to you.
Kathy Connolly is a landscape designer, garden writer, and speaker from Old Saybrook. Visit www.speakingoflandscapes.com to learn about her upcoming winter and spring talks.