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Home gardening is a popular pastime across the country. Here are our gift ideas, especially for those who practice vegetable gardening and organic home gardening. We’ve selected the best gardening gift ideas costing $25 or less (prices accurate at the time of publication). Our gift ideas include magazines, books, seeds and gardening tools and accessories.
Magazines about organic and vegetable gardening
CountryLiving offers smart sensible ideas for home and garden. The magazine features everyday tasks that connect you with the land and the seasons. A one-year gift subscription is around $14 at the time of this article’s publication.
Mother Earth News is the quintessential guide to living on the land on the cheap. The magazine regularly includes articles on organic gardening, modern homesteading and sustainable farming. A one-year digital subscription (6 issues) is $19.95.
Gift ideas for garden books
All New Square Foot Gardening teaches everyone how to garden successfully. Children, adults with limited mobility and the gardening novice find techniques that are easy-to-understand and practice.
The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible helps you understand basic gardening techniques, raised beds, vertical gardening, and more.
American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden talks about the food we feed our families and our need to confront the epidemic of childhood obesity by growing healthier food.
Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables, the first book devoted entirely to the subject, explains techniques for energy-saving ways to keep garden vegetables fresh all year long.
The Backyard Homestead details how to grow and use vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and eggs, as well as how to keep bees, chickens and livestock , all on just one-quarter acre.
The Home Preserving Bible is a new and comprehensive guide to food preservation methods, with over 300 delicious recipes. Included are easy-to-understand instructions for eight methods for preserving foods, using many different techniques and tools, both ancient and modern.
Starter Vegetable Gardens promises “24 easy, no-fail plans for small, organic gardens.” If you’ve never opened a seed packet or staked a tomato plant, this book is for you.
Heirloom seeds and gardening accessories
Baker Creek carries 1,300 varieties of heirloom seeds from 70 countries and has one of the largest selections of seeds from the 19th century. All Baker seeds are non-hybrid, non-GMO, non-treated and non-patented. Electronic or print gift certificates begin at just $10.
D. Landreth Seed Company features seeds for the patio gardener and unique collections. Patio plants thrive in small spaces. The African American Heritage Seed Collection includes heirloom fruit and vegetable seeds carried by enslaved peoples from Africa and the Caribbean that became the staples of soul food.
Gardener’s Supply Company is owned and operated by gardeners in Vermont. They offer dozens of gifts for gardeners under $25 including, gloves, garden tools, bird feeders and more. We like their colorful trug (baskets) in three sizes, which would make great gifts for almost anyone.
High Mowing Seeds is another Vermont company that began with one man with dirty hands. The company now offers more than 600 seed varieties, including several types of seed collections that make wonderful gifts.
Johnny’s Selected Seeds tests hundreds of seed varieties, gardening tools and farm equipment every year at their certified organic farm in Maine. Johnny’s suggests many gift ideas under $25, including flower seed mixes, gloves, rain gauges, books and hand tools. Gift certificates begin at $25.
Territorial Seed Company has always sought to offer the best-adapted seeds, plants and starts. Their seeds include hybrid, open-pollinated, heirloom and organic varieties. Gift certificates begin at $10.
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange offers more than 700 varieties of vegetable, flower, herb, grain and cover crop seeds. They emphasize varieties that perform well in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. They also offer unusual Southern heirlooms, including peanuts, southern peas, collards, okra, turnip greens, corns and butterbeans. Electronic or print gift certificates begin at just $1. (The gift certificates are not redeemable via the website. However, the company mentions that if you enter the gift certificate information in the comment section of your order, they will refund the amount from your credit card)
Sustainable Seed Company offers a number of unusual varieties of seeds, including tobacco varieties, hot pepper packages, and rainbow quinoa. 
More great gifts for gardeners
If you’ve got a larger budget, or are going in on a group gift for your favorite gardener, here are more great gift ideas for your gardening friends and family.
Decorative stepping stones are a welcome gardening gift idea and you can usually find them at local greenhouses or home stores. Kids can get in on the gifting by putting their own stamp on the stones, using one of these Stepping Stone Kits from Amazon.
Paint Your Own Stepping Stone – Amazon best seller
Stackable Gardening Pots and assorted herbs would be another great gift for gardeners and plant-lovers.
A new garden tool set is a helpful gift for outdoor gardeners, especially if they’ve been using a hodge-podge of accessories they’ve picked up over the years. Don’t forget a tool sharpener; dull tools can damage plants.
Another great gift is a canvas apron with pockets to keep tools close by. A version of the apron with leg covers lets you keep your pants clean when you kneel, without carrying extra equipment.
Photo: Lehman’s canvas garden apron
A bird feeder, hummingbird feeder or bee house would also be appreciated by gardeners who’d like to bring more wildlife to their outdoor space.
This window bird feeder will let you watch the birds up close.
A great group gift is a tumbling composter (I recommend this one).
Tumbling composter at Amazon
For the dedicated gardener, pick up a soil meter that measures moisture, light and ph levels.
Touch screen compatible gardening gloves are the perfect gift for the gardener who wants to stay in touch while working in the soil. These gloves allow her to answer the phone without removing her gloves. A vented straw hat shades eyes from the sun, protects skin from harmful UV rays and looks good while doing it. There’s also a children’s version.
Try this simple recipe for Homemade Gardener’s Hand Scrub, a sweet-smelling and effective way to remove dirt from hands after gardening. Put it in a decorative glass jar for a homemade gift.
Themed t-shirts like this one are fun to wear in the garden or out and about to show pride in your hobby.
Mushroom growing is the rage, and this oyster mushroom kit is a popular pick for gardeners.
Don’t forget your local organic farmers, farmers’ markets or area nurseries. Most offer gift certificates that can be used for the next growing season.
For more great gift ideas:
