Do you like to receive plants as gifts? Or do you think they're like giving a pet, thrusting too much responsibility upon the receiver?

For gardeners, do you prefer to select your own plants?

Personally, I adore plants so I love to receive them, especially container plants. Sometimes, people give cuttings and they don't always work in my garden.

Hello Lori and all,

Your comment on the responsibility about gift giving is an interesting one especially when it comes to pets where I would never give one without engaging the person completely as to choice, when, where and all and etc. BUT when it comes to plants, well I can say I would love to receive anything in a container - and while my answer is an obvious one, you are right to ask the question - that of would you like to receive one?

I guess green things enhance any environment and there is such a wide range of plant choice that to match the lifestyle and habits of the person getting the present would be easy enough (if the gift is a well thought out one) which essentially it should be.

You know, for instance if the person is a traveller and hardly at home, then a Bonsai that needs daily care is no good whereas a large cactus may be just the answer. But do they like cacti?

When it comes to selecting my own plants, I would probably answer yes - as I know what works for my areas and what I have when it comes to available sunshine and space and needs etc. But generally the kind of gift I would buy or like are much the same as others and are easy to grow and look after.

Cuttings and graftings and snippings from other gardeners can be a bit iffy at times. If they are fresh, maybe let them dry out a day or two then plant them in fine soil and keep them moist not wet. This is why many offcuts do not root, they need water daily if not twice daily to get established.

Another thing is some can root if you put them in a jar (of water only) on a window sill of sunshine. Use water made from melted ice from your freezer - and change it when it goes brown. I water my plants with pre-boiled water (that is now cold) or I leave buckets of water outside in the sunshine to get rid of the flouride affect. Suncharged water is my best just because, but I am not a scientist, please don't ask me how or what happens with water in the sun.When the roots have formed only then put them into the ground in good soil.

Lastly you could consider using rooting powder - available from the garden centre - dip a wetted end in, make sure there is a bud showing above ground and cover the pot with a see through bag that does not touch the shoot for as long as it takes for the bud to start producing a side shoot. When you see this you can be sure that the roots are doing their work!

Try that with your shoots Lori and see what you see then come back and tell us please. Ta.

Cheers now,

PS A gift certificate goes a long way too.

Hello All,

Speaking of container garden as a gift - I was given a mix'n match gift by our garden centre the other day. I don't quite know all the details or their marketing but it seems that they call their 'best' customers in batches of 25s and get them to come to tea as a thank you for their custom during the past year. (Pays to go to the same one all the time - more on this another time).

Well I went to mine and they had a sample table with about ten different items on and each of us could choose any three we wanted for Christmas from their Santa who was bedecked in red, white and green flowers with a silver bowtie and gold boots. It may have been childish - but it really looked fine and made all merry and all and all. There was much teasing and laughter.

Anyway they had ladies spade and fork sets, gift vouchers, pot samples, shears and seccateurs, soils, anti-weeding material, pot liners, gloves and goggles and spray guns and stuff like that.

Well I chose a spade and fork set, some new seccateurs and a big pack of rose food and instantly an 'elf' ran to get my gift and came back with a trolley with an added maxi-tray each of begonia, impatiens and mixed seasonal herb and vegetable seedlings.

This was a first for me BUT what a delightful surprise. Of course you know where I am likely to do 90% of my shopping for the garden next year will be? I thought so.

Yay for container gardening and the gifts you get along the way.

Gardening? It sure is a gift on its own. And ours for the taking.

If you or you know of anyone contemplating starting up a Container or two, I encourage you not to delay one minute more. Just get going and try. The rewards are great indeed!

Send me your black thumbs electronically and I will send them back to you in a green state - that is a promise!

Cheers now

WOW! What a fantastic customer loyalty program. Which garden center is this? That sounds so wonderful! What a great Christmas surprise!

Have you ever tried any of those vertical gardening systems? Or even though hydroponic systems? I saw this huge wheel that rotated to be sure the plants received the same about of gravity.

Anyway, there is a chance we will move next year into a place with only balconies so I'm thinking ahead.

Hi Lori,

Where do you live ... in South Africa?

Also not sure what you mean by plants getting 'the same amount of gravity' - please tell more on this.

Good to for you to be thinking ahead and realise that some more information on Hydroponic gardening would be useful as would an article or two (or more) on vertical gardening. Thanks for the pointers.

Cheers now

Well, the plants are grown hydroponically in small containers that hold their roots. These containers are held into place all around the inside of a large wheel. The wheel rotates every so many minutes because some of the plants will be upright while others will be upside down at any given time. It's hard to describe. Here's a link:

The Green Wheel

It's only one brand that manufactures this type of system. I wonder that the benefits of the rotation are.

And anyway, isn't there a tomato-growing system that hangs from the patio roof and the tomatoes dangle downward? As long as the root system receives proper nutrients and water and the leaves receive sunlight, do direction and gravity matter?

I always give plants as gifts - I love when I can divide up a cool orchid or succulent and pass it on! Thanks for this post, I need to remember to gift some plants this Christmas instead of buying random stuff for people!

Welcome Carolyn Golden,

Hope you come back and visit Container Gardening more often and that you enjoy all that this site has to offer as well as the rest of Bellaonline!

Go well for your gift giving as well, come back and tell us some of your stories. What sort of a container garden do you have? How much time do you find to spend in the garden? Ah me Ah my - there is much to ask and much for you to write about.

Call if you think I can help in any way -

Cheers now

Hi there all,

I just received two plant pots of beautiful Pointsettia as an early Christmas gift - and it is a treat! Like getting a big bunch of flowers that are certainly going to last longer. Great stuff.

Cheers now

Ooo, I LOVE to see a place overflowing with Pointsettias. So festive and beautiful!

Are they annuals?