Xmas gifts with things you grow or make

[NewWestGardener]

Thought I would start a thread here for everyone to share ideas.
I absolutely hate gift shopping and am always behind getting stuff.
This year I am proactive and will plan ahead....starting now!

Do you have some ideas on home canned goodies? How do you package them?
Potted plants you grow?
Crafts you made,or will make?

Please share!

[NewWestGardener]

I am planning to grow some dwarf sunflowers as a side gift in a basket. Jonny's selected, Sunny Smile. Ant recommendations when to start them, in what size containers ? For table top display.

[NewWestGardener]

I'm going to test grow some nice microgreens(not very successful in the past), I need to order seeds. A colorful combo would be nice. Any ideas?

[NewWestGardener]

My knitting.

[NewWestGardener]

MlLis Norwegian. So I made her those mittens.

[NewWestGardener]

Felted wool.

[oakley]

Gorgeous knitting!
I posted sunflower advice in the other thread.

I've been successful growing micro greens all year. Some trial and
error at first. Johnny's has the best seed. I tried a few other
suppliers for testing small amounts. Cheaper but you get what you
pay for...one mix was filthy like bird seed scraped off a barn floor
and only one seed in the mix sprouted.

Johnny's spicy mix is fantastic, and not really 'spicy', just meaty.
I should try the mild mix next order.
Dwarf grey sugar pea is a must grow to go with the spicy/mild mix
Other supplier peas were slow growing and had woody stems.
DwarfGS from Johnny's is tall tender and crunchy.
I added beet and chard to my spicy mix last batch.

Just need to test and experiment. Bottom water, sunny window,
or lights. Needs to be moist/damp but not wet and a fan is a must.

[NewWestGardener]

Thanks again, Oakley. Ordered dwarf grey peas from a Canadian source that also offers several arugula varieties I want to try, "wildfire", "voyager" and "speedy", along with a couple of radishes and a red mizuna. Johnny's shipping to Canada is too expensive for small orders, I will make 1 big order later once I get a master list.
I bought Salanova, red and greeen, lettuce seeds from Johnny's, after reading some of your posts. I'm going to try to grow them under lights for winter salads.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience, very helpful!

[imp]

NewWest, those are lovely, you are sure talented!

[bower]

Yes indeed, lovely knitting and felting!

[guruofgardens]

NewWest - I love those mittens, you are a truly talented knitter.

I make lots of jams and pickled stuff for gifts. Cookies, too. Family likes gingerbread.

[brownrexx]

Last year I gave out some clear cellophane bags with a mixture of my colorful dried beans and a recipe for making soup with them.

I also give honey from our beehives.

[Salsacharley]

My wife and I canned a bunch of our peaches as ginger-peach jam to be gifted. Then my wife canned blackberry and strawberry jam from bought fruit, so we will give three-packs of peach, blackberry and strawberry jam in 8 oz jars.

[carolyn137]

On the farm where I grew up there were lots of wild grapevines, so in the fall when the leaves were off them I'd start pulling them off the trees,sometimes that didn't work so I'd have to get a ladder and climb up with some shears to cut them off.

Then I'd drag them back to a covered shed and weave them into a wreath, add red berries and pine cones and a bow.

My mom taught me how to gather what is called ground pine, bend a metal hanger into a circle,sit and weave ground pine around and around and then also add pine cones and bows and winter redberries.

She would take some of both to several craft fairs which were usually held in schools, and give them to the ladies to sell for Xmas as well as to our church.

And of course we kept some home for ourselves as well as for neighbors who looked forward to them every year.

For Xmas now I give fancy soaps and chocolates to many and I don't make either.

Carolyn, who almost forgot to mention that mom used to make lots of Xmas cookies,some with that tube thingie and some by cutting them out of the rolled out dough and pack them in boxes, wrap them up and give to personal friends and relatives.

[Nan_PA_6b]

This year I've started Hardin's Miniature tomato plants. The idea is to give a couple small fruiting tomato plants at Christmas. (Not sure I have the timing right for that, though.)

Nan