Everything You Need to Consider When Giving a Plant as a Gift
Whether it’s for a housewarming, a graduation, or a birthday, we’ve all struggled to find the perfect gift at one point or another. Contrary to what you might think, plants can make a great gift provided you give some thought to how it will grow in its new home. In this article, we will discuss different points to consider when giving a plant as a gift.
The first thing to consider is the amount of light that the recipient has in their home. If you’re not certain that your friend has a free window ledge that they’re looking to house some plants on, low light plants are the way to go! Snake plants make a great gift option as they are tolerant of lower lighting. They also don’t have any special care requirements, so they make a great gift for a new plant parent. Because we care about the long-term health of the plants that we sell, our snake plants are all potted in terra cotta pots. This helps to ensure that they dry out evenly between waterings. Pothos and ZZ plants are also great options when it comes to low-light, beginner-friendly plants.
Do you know if the recipient has a pet? If they do, it’s important to gift a plant that won’t make their furry friend sick if it decides to have a snack. Fear not! Many popular plants are pet-friendly. Ferns and orchids are great options because they can handle lower lighting; however, your friend would have to be able to water them regularly so that their medium doesn’t dry out too much. Hoyas and string of hearts are also ideal provided that the recipient has an open spot on their window ledge - they require lots of light.
If you know that the person has bright light in their home and is interested in becoming a plant parent, a ficus tree is a great option to build their skills! While they do require bright light, they like to dry out thoroughly between waterings so their care isn’t particularly demanding. String of pearls (variegated or not) is another great option when gifting to a burgeoning plant parent. Similar to ficus trees, they will thrive in bright light and like to be watered only when their medium is fully dry.
Don’t forget to complete your gift with a nice ceramic pot from our shop! We stock a range of ceramics to complement our plants. If you’d like a picture of what the plant will look like in the pot before you commit, please feel free to contact us at cultivateguelph@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
One important tip for those starting out on their plant journey is to always provide your plants with drainage so that they don’t retain too much water. All of our plants come in pots with drainage. Because some of our ceramics do not have drainage holes, it is recommended that you keep your plant in the pot it is planted in and not plant it directly into the ceramic pot. This will make it easier to care for your plant and ensure its long-term health.
Please keep in mind that we are here for you throughout your plant journey and are happy to answer any questions related to your purchase. Our contact information can be provided to your gift’s recipient and we can assist them in confidently caring for their plant. If you have any general questions about plant care, please feel free to submit them below. We may use them for topics for future articles, so check back with us!
