Gifts from the Garden

Gifts from your garden are an easy and thoughtful way to share something special with a friend or neighbor. They can be low- or no-cost gestures that tells someone you are thinking of them.

Many of us have annuals and perennials that reseed in the garden. If you have already saved seed, just package those up and make a label with planting details. Your label can be printed or homemade.

A few common plants that offer plenty of seeds include Rudbeckia, Zinnia, Blanket flower, Native milkweeds, and sunflowers. Just collect a few mature flower heads, separate the seeds from the debris and let the seeds dry out on a towel for a couple of days. Remember there are numerous sources of seeds locally and online that offer a large variety of flowers and edibles when you need a prepackaged gift. Just add in a recycled tray or homemade cups for starting seeds.

If you don’t have seeds available now, consider plants that can be divided from your garden. Stoke’s aster, daylilies, gingers, and Toadlily are just a few. Find a recycled pot for plants that have leaves or add ‘bulbs’ to a small decorative bag with a label.

For those with a green thumb, consider taking a few cuttings of easy to root herbs or annuals. These plants will be ready for a small 4 inch pot in a short time. If you are not able to easily root plantings, consider sharing a piece of a turmeric or edible ginger stems. These can also be purchased from the store for starting new plants.

A plant is often a lasting gift, offering positive memories and beauty in the garden.

Fresh turmeric from the garden or store is easy to grow in a container. Photo by Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County