9 Thoughtful Gifts for Vegetable Gardeners (That They’ll Actually Use)
Inside: How to show for the green-thumbed friend in your life.
Some people are hard to shop for. They either have everything they want, or they are one of those non-materialistic types that you canโt think of anything for.
Gardeners can be like thatโฆ they tend to live a little more simply than some people, and itโs hard to think of what they might want for themselves.ย Luckily, they would love to have many gardening tools and accessories. Here are some of the best.
1. The CobraHead Weeder
Well, no one likes to weed, but it can be less irritating with the right tools.ย If your gardening friend doesnโt have one, they will love it. Itโs basically a special tool that glides through the ground easily so you can get the whole weed, roots, and all.ย Maybe you think a weeding tool doesnโt make a great gift. But I think gardeners are practical, and it will be much appreciated.
2. Long Gardening Gloves
Gloves are always an appropriate gift for the gardener because they are always getting lost, stained, or torn. These long ones are perfect for dealing with thorny weeds or plants, and they are harder to lose out in the yard because they are big. I have a pair of these, and they truly hold up, even when pruning roses. I also like to use them while harvesting prickly cucumbers.
Little kidsโ gardening gloves make great stocking stuffers paired with little tools if you have a garden-loving child.
3. Something for Seed Starting
Grow lights lose power after a few years, and the new LED panels are inexpensive and very powerful. These little flat-panel ones are on clips that can be attached anywhere.
If your gardening friend has never started seed indoors, a beginner seed start kit would probably be very welcome. To get started, they will need a heat mat, trays, seed starting mix, and a cover. A nice kit like this one has everything covered.
4. A Paper Pot Maker
If the gardener in your life is a seed starter, they know the annoyance of having a million little plastic pots for seedlings. This pot maker turns newspaper into seed-starting pots that can be tossed in the compost or planted in the garden. It makes slightly larger pots than you would want to start seeds directly in, so it’s best to use a tray to start and then transfer them into these paper pots once theyโve grown a little. This one would make a great stocking stuffer.ย
5. Squirrel Buster Bird Feeder
Gardeners love birds. They eat bugs, sound cheerful, and make the garden a happier place. Gardeners hate squirrels. They dig things up and eat the bird seed. Enter the only squirrel-proof bird feeder that lives up to its promises. It’s the perfect gift for vegetable gardeners. I have two of these and love them both. When something heavy climbs onto the feeder, they pull it shut and canโt get any seed.
6. A Gift Card for Plants or Seeds (Plus One Thing That is NOT A Good Gift for Vegetable Gardeners)
Unless you know this person very well and know they want a specific seed variety, never EVER buy seeds for a gardener. The most fun part of vegetable gardening is planning your seed order, and itโs very personal. So let them pick.
But if you feel like your gardening friend would want more seeds, a gift card would be very nice, especially with some other times on this list. My favorite suppliers for vegetable seeds are Johnny’s, Park Seed, and Renee’s Garden.
You could also give a gift card for plants like fruit trees, dahlias, or onions. These tend to be offered by specialty places, so much certain that your gardener wants fruit trees before you give them a gift card that can only buy fruit trees!
7. Nice Quality Tomato Cages
Anyone who has grown tomatoes has bought cheap tomato cages and lived to regret it.ย They’re often flimsy and bend easily,ย struggling to support the weight of growing tomato plants.ย Their lack of height can be problematic for taller varieties,ย and they tend to collapse or tip over, leaving your precious tomatoes to sprawl on the ground.
But the nice quality ones are very expensive and seem like an indulgence. This makes them the perfect gift! These tomato cages are not cheap, but they have lasted multiple seasons for me, and I hope they will last many more.
Your tomato grower will think of you fondly as they unfold these every spring.
8. A Gardening Book
But not something dry and dull. Those โbasics of vegetable gardeningโ books are super boring. I have a few favorites that any gardener will like because they are informative and interesting to read. Some that will make a great gift for a vegetable gardener are:
Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series, 5)Vegetables Love Flowers: Companion Planting for Beauty and Bounty
Jerry Baker’s Old-Time Gardening Wisdom (Jerry Baker’s Good Gardening)
- Gardening When it Counts by Steve Solomon. I love this one. Itโs about gardening without fancy tools and expensive raised beds.
- Vegetables Love Flowers by Lisa Mason Zeigler. Another favorite, this is very readable and details how to use cutting flowers to improve your garden.
- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Okay, so itโs not just a gardening book, but if your gardening friend has never read it, they will love it. Itโs a beautifully written memoir about the joy of gardening (among other things).
- Betty Crocker’s Kitchen Gardens. An absolutely charming gardening book illustrated by Tasha Tudor, this one has classic gardening advice, sample gardening plans, and extensive information on herbs. Itโs out of print but can be found used.
9. An Outdoor Rinsing Table Or Basket
Now, here is something for the serious vegetable grower. An outdoor table paired with a hose or an actual faucet to rinse your harvest in the garden without bringing a mess into the house.
For the more casual harvester, you can get them a garden hod that they can pile up with veggies and then rinse outside.
More Gift Ideas:
- Bakers will love these beautiful and practical baking gifts inspired by the Great British Baking Show.
- Books are always a good idea, and the right person will appreciate these homemaking books.
Now,ย I’d love to hear from you!ย What are your favorite gifts to give (or receive) as a vegetable gardener?ย Let’s share ideas and inspire each other in the comments below!

By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.