Giving seeds as gifts is a wonderful surprise for the gardeners in your life, whether you buy seeds from a garden center or harvest seeds from your own plants. DIY seed gifts needn’t be expensive, but they’re always welcome. Read on for helpful tips on giving seeds as presents.
Tips on Gifting Seeds
Always remember to consider your recipient. Where does the recipient live? Be careful and don’t send seeds that may be invasive in that area. Check the U.S. Department of Agriculture website for more information.
- Are they a foodie that would love to grow fresh herbs or leafy greens?
- Would they like plants that attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, or native plants that provide seed and shelter for birds?
- Does your friend like wildflowers? Would they enjoy a cutting garden with wildflowers or bright, easy flowers like zinnias and California poppies?
- Is your friend a seasoned gardener or a newbie? An experienced gardener might appreciate DIY seed gifts with heirlooms or unusual plants like bear paw popcorn, peppermint stick celery, or Peruvian black mint.
Giving Seeds as Presents
Put the gift seeds in a baby food jar, tin container, or make your own paper seed packets out of brown paper bags and string. You can also use a regular white envelope and dress it up with your own artwork or decorate it with glossy magazine pictures.
Include a seed packet in a gardener’s gift basket with gloves, hand lotion, scented soap, and a trowel or dandelion weeder, or tuck a packet of seeds into a terracotta pot tied with ribbon or string.
Make simple wildflower seed bombs for planting in a meadow, along a riverbank, in a flower bed, or even in containers. Simply combine five handfuls of peat-free compost, three handfuls of potter’s clay, and a handful of wildflower seeds. Add water gradually, kneading as you go, until you can form the mixture into walnut-sized balls. Set the seed balls in a sunny spot to dry.
Include growing information when giving seeds as gifts, especially the plant’s needs for sunlight and water.