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The Spruce / Lecia Landis
If you're looking to buy a gardening gift for your green-thumbed loved one, you can never go wrong with some new gear.
First, determine the size and type of garden that your recipient has to determine the tools and attire they need that would double as great gifts. But, remember, you don’t need sprawling outdoor space to become a gardener. “Houseplants always make a great gift,” Stefanie Moody, senior associate of brand communications for Lowe’s says. “Or if they have some outdoor space, they can start their own patio garden with a raised garden bed.”
No matter the garden's size or scale, we researched the best gardening gifts for him, considering categories like practicality, ergonomics, sustainability, and more.
Uncommon Goods Gardener's Seed Saving Kit
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Uncommon Goods
Though they’re small, the cost of seeds can add up over time. Help your gardener save some green with this kit that helps them harvest and preserve seeds to plant in the future. Each kit contains envelopes, seed tins, and date or variety labels to keep things organized, as well as seed-saving directions and charts to get the process started.
Price at time of publish: $28
Dramm Revolution 9-Pattern Spray Gun
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Amazon
A great hose nozzle makes watering your garden quick and easy. We tested and love the Revolution spray gun from Dramm for its nine clearly labeled water settings, one-touch thumb throttle, and lifetime warranty. Unlike other models, Dramm uses a single piece of molded metal, so it can withstand dropping over and over again. Plus, it comes in six bright and attractive colors.
Price at time of publish: $21
L. L. Bean Men’s Wellie Sport Shoes, Slip-On
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L.L. Bean
When spending hours in the garden, switching between standing, crouching, and kneeling, you need a durable, waterproof shoe that keeps you comfortable and clean. We love the Wellie sports shoes for male gardeners for their large size range, foolproof slip-on style, and attractive design. During testing, we found that the shoes bend easily and keep moisture and dirt out with ease.
Price at time of publish: $89
Plants.com Butterfly Garden Grow Kit
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Plants.com
A gorgeous garden that attracts beautiful butterflies is a win-win that comes from this gardening kit. Filled with everything you need to grow butterfly-attracting flowers in a small space, the has extremely easy-to-follow instructions. The best part is that it can be used by even the youngest of green thumbs in training.
Price at time of publish: $20
Gorilla Aluminum Zero Rust Premium Mobile Hose Reel
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Amazon
Instead of lugging a heavy hose around your backyard, use a hose reel to easily store and transport your hose, up to 200 feet with this option we tested and love from Gorilla. We love the durable frame that was easy to put together and easily maneuvered on different surfaces. The rubber grips on the handle make it simple to steer and handle and threading the hose into the reel was effortless.
Price at time of publish: $149
Esschert Design Garden Tool Belt
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Courtesy of Amazon
Once your gardener has all their tools, they’ll need an easy way to carry them. The sturdy material of this Esschert tool belt makes it easy to tote around the heaviest of tools but doesn’t weigh you down while you work.
Price at time of publish: $13
Kinfield Golden Hour Bug Repellent
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Kinfield
Help your guy keep mosquitoes at bay with this effective repellent that doesn’t smell like chemicals. Made with clean ingredients, the repellent uses a unique strain of Indonesian citronella to effectively keep bugs at bay. This is more expensive than the drugstore variety, but the non-greasy formula and refreshing smell make it worth it.
Price at time of publish: $22
Masterclass Ron Finley's Gardening Lessons
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Masterclass
Gardening books are a great gift, but nothing can beat classes with an expert. Led by Ron Finley, the self-proclaimed Gangsta Gardener who has revolutionized urban gardening, this video series will teach your gardener how to keep plants alive in any environment and create a beautiful garden in any size of space. Finley also focuses on growing your own produce, which can give back to the environment and community.
Price at time of publish: $15 monthly
Etsy Custom Garden Stake
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Etsy
This stake highlights the pride he takes in his gardening. Reviewers rave about the completely customizable stake, which they say is beautiful and of the best quality. And they aren’t wrong—it’s made of 14 gauge steel for durability and powder coated for weather resistance, so it will last for years of pruning, weeding, and more.
Price at time of publish: $55 for 17x14 1/2 inches
Allsop WheelEasy Foldable Garden Cart
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Amazon
Take the heavy lifting out of your gardener’s day with this compact, collapsible yard cart. The vinyl-coated denier nylon canvas keeps it lightweight. At the same time, the UV-resistant, industrial-strength seams make it durable enough to support up to 150 pounds of leaves, manure, rocks, or whatever you can imagine. Plus, storing is as simple as removing a pin and folding it up.
Price at time of publish: $153
Fiskars Ergo Garden Tool Set
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Fiskars
This basic tool set is all you need. Made of cast aluminum, the tools—a trowel, transplanter, and cultivator—cut through the toughest turf and also resist rust, which is good if you’re the type to leave your tools outside. But what makes this set stand out from the others is the ergonomic design of the handles, which reduces hand and wrist fatigue to allow you to work for hours without pain.
Price at time of publish: $36
SoilKit Soil Test Kit
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SoilKit
Before you start a garden, it’s important to find out the composition of your soil so you'll know the best items to plant. “SoilKit provides the supplies needed for a quick and easy soil collection, and delivers recommendations on the soil treatment products and quantities needed to keep your lawn and garden healthy,” Stefanie Moody, senior associate of brand communications for Lowe’s tells The Spruce. All you have to do is send a sample of your soil to their pre-approved lab, and within days you’ll know the levels of PH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic matter, and micro-nutrients that you’re working with.
Price at time of publish: $30
Atlas Gloves NT370A6M Medium Atlas Nitrile Touch Gloves
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If the gardener in your life is just starting out, then a solid pair of gloves is the way to go. Deemed the “standard for gardeners, growers, greenhouses, and landscapers for years,” the machine-washable gloves protect gardeners’ hands from thorny plants, thanks to its Nitrile coating. And yet, the material is light enough to allow for the dexterity needed to work with plants.
These gloves are available in four sizes and five colors to fit every gardener. The wrist is elasticized, so the gloves will stay on easily without being too tight or uncomfortable. When working in wet soil or dirt, these gloves offer an excellent grip for wet and slippery plants or seeds.
Price at time of publish: $10
Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller
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Amazon
Take the guesswork out of caring for your lawn with Rachio. The smart sprinkler system allows you to set schedules, track your water usage, and control your hose right from your smartphone with the compatible app. Installation takes just 30 minutes and it's compatible with 99 percent of existing sprinklers, so you can start watering right away. Rachio will even help you plan the perfect watering schedule for your space depending on your plant type, soil type, sun exposure, and more.
Price at time of publish: $230
Field Guide to Urban Gardening
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Kevin Espiritu
If your gardener-to-be has shied away from growing plants because they don’t have yard space, this gardening book is a must-buy. Written by Kevin Espiritu, founder of Epic Gardening, this book helps you choose the gardening method that works for your environment and provides tips for making your plants thrive. But you don’t have to limit this book to urban gardeners: everyone can benefit from the tips and tricks inside.
Price at time of publish: $28
The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening
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Amazon
If your gardener likes to take an eco-friendly approach to gardening, then they need the guidance of Monty Don. Deemed the UK’s leading garden writer and broadcaster, Don’s methods are based on organic gardening and providing habitats for local wildlife. This book is hefty, which may be intimidating to beginners, but rest assured that half of the pages are filled with stunning photos.
Price at time of publish: $30
Black Duck Brand Set of 25 Premium Vegetable & Herb Seeds
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Black Duck Brand
For the gardener who prefers to eat their final product, this vegetable and herb seed set is the way to go. Each GMO-free seed packet includes planting instructions that are unique to each plant, as well as guidance that tells you when each plant is ready to be harvested. Previous customers rave about the variety of healthy germination of the plants.
Price at time of publish: $17
Seeding Square Planting Tool
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Seeding Square
Gardening 101: Seeds need room to sprout. Rather than resorting to rulers and guesses, this tool helps gardeners plant seeds in a perfect grid, at the correct depth, and with the proper amount of space. It's extremely easy to use, simply press, plant, and move on.
Price at time of publish: $30
Professional EZ Travel Collection Adjustable Telescopic Folding Rake
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Professional EZ Travel Collection
Cleaning debris from the garden just got easier. This lightweight rake is made from long-lasting aluminum alloy and has an easy-grip, rubberized handle to reduce hand and wrist fatigue while working. Plus, the easy-to-adjust head and handle allow gardeners to clean debris from any size of space.
Price at time of publish: $36
Ohuhu Garden Kneeler and Seat
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Amazon
The Ohuhu’s foldable kneeling pad and stool keeps gardeners comfortable while they tend to their work. Made from a steel frame and EVA for added toughness, the foam-based elevated kneeling pad takes pressure off the limbs while tending to low-to-the-ground plants. Flip it over, and you have a comfortable chair that allows you to tend to long-stemmed plants and bigger shrubs. As an added bonus, the two tool pouches keep everything by your side to reduce bending over.
Price at time of publish: $55
FELCO F-2 One-Hand Pruning Shear
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Amazon
The price may be intimidating, but the F2 model is considered the industry standard for pruners, making it well worth the money. The blades are made of high-quality hardened steel that can cut through anything, while the revolving, rubber-cushioned handle provides extra comfort. And if the gardener in your life is left-handed, Felco has lefty pruners available, too.
Price at time of publish: $74
FCMP Outdoor Dual Chamber Tumbling Composter
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Amazon
Every gardener should have a compost bin to conveniently get rid of clippings, while also putting nutrients back into the garden’s soil. This compost tumbler allows anyone—even beginners—to start a compost pile easily. Gardeners typically have to get out a shovel and turn materials for decomposition. With this gift, they just need to turn the tumbler five to six times every two to three days. Two different chambers allow one side to hold finished compost while the other stays open to fresh scraps.
Price at time of publish: $100
AeroGarden Harvest Indoor Garden
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Amazon
AeroGarden’s innovative planter takes the guesswork out of growing and harvesting herbs, vegetables, or flowers. First, there’s the lighting. The hood provides 20 watts of white, red, and blue LED lights that give your plants the full spectrum of sunlight needed to grow, while the automatic timer ensures that plants get just the right amount of light. And when it comes to nourishing them, a light-up reminder tells you when it's time to refill the water and plant food.
Price at time of publish: $120
GoPlus Plant Stand
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GoPlus
Sleeker than your average garden bed, this piece from Goplus actually makes plant care easier. The height and slope of each shelf can be adjusted easily, ensuring that plants get the best light and have enough room to grow. Additionally, holes in the bottom of each shelf allow excess water to flow down and be repurposed. It's also built to last. The bed is made of solid fir, which is durable enough to bear a lot of weight and withstand the elements.
Price at time of publish: $169
XLUX Soil Moisture Meter
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Amazon
The best moisture meter we tested from XLUX makes the perfect gift for plant lovers and master gardeners of all skill levels. The device constantly measures the moisture in your soil, displaying a number from 1 to 10 and a color to correlate with the wetness level. During testing, we loved the no-nonsense design that's extremely easy to use and comes at an affordable price point.
Price at time of publish: $13
Uncommon Goods Cocktail Grow Kit
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Uncommon Goods
For the cocktail and gardening lover, this cocktail grow kit is the best of both worlds. The recycled egg carton comes with six seed packets that pair perfectly in mixed drinks and mocktails: thyme, lavender, Thai basil, mint, lemon balm, and blue borage. Your recipient also receives a starter soil, plant stakes, growing instructions, and a 2pencil to track their plants' progress and start drinking.
Price at time of publish: $12
Other Great Gift Options
Passionate gardeners are often keen to learn more so they can become better gardeners. Check out whether there is a new highly acclaimed gardening book he might be interested in. Give him a magazine subscription or a gift voucher for a hands-on gardening workshop or class nearby.
Gardeners who are mindful of green gardening benefit from gifts for composting (bin, tumbler, turner, thermometer), water-wise gardening, water-saving, and water recycling (rainwater barrel and peripheral equipment). To help a yard become a haven for pollinators, consider giving him an insect hotel kit or plants that attract beneficial native insects.
For a no-cost gift that he'll definitely appreciate, offer a few hours of your time to help out with his garden, whether that means weeding, planting seeds, digging holes, or harvesting vegetables. Or offer to make a delicious meal or a beautiful bouquet from the fruits of his labor.
Tips on Choosing a Gardening Gift for Him
The gardener in your life might already have everything he needs, but there is no harm in giving him something that helps him get better organized, whether it’s for permanent tool storage or to carry tools around in a belt or a toolbox, a gardening or planting calendar to keep track of the gardening year, labels for plants or seedlings, or a seed-keeping and -storage system.
If they have limited outdoor space—or none at all—Moody suggests gifting them an indoor plant stand and house plants to start their indoor garden, like the AeroGarden Harvest.
Gardening is a hobby that does a lot for one’s well-being and health, but it is not without danger. “Depending on your project, you should always be sure to have the right work gloves, eye protection, and hearing protection to keep you safe,” Moody tells The Spruce. And since protective gear such as gloves wear out quickly, often within one season, gardeners appreciate backups even if they won’t use them immediately. For men especially, look for wearables that come in an extended size range, like our pick from Atlas.
And protective gear doesn’t have to be limited to attire. Things like sunscreen and bug spray will keep your gardener safe from the many elements of being outdoors. Moody says that comfortable clothes that adequately cover the skin without providing too much heat are another option.
For a gardener who likes to explore new things, you cannot go wrong with a seed kit or a collection of unusual seeds, both edibles such as vegetable or herb seeds, or ornamentals such as wildflower seeds. Just make sure you know the zone where your gardener is located, in order to pick suitable seeds for the climate.
Why Trust The Spruce?
For this article, Leah Rocketto, a writer who has spent years covering home care for various publications, performed hours of research on products and consulted Stefanie Moody, senior associate of brand communications for Lowe’s. In her role, Moody has become an expert in gardening equipment and care.