We all know that one person who seems to have everything, making them impossible to shop for. It’s easy to feel nervous about receiving a gift when you have nothing to give in return, and everyone loves a thoughtful present that looks more expensive than it actually is. The perfect solution? Potted plants! By potting up plants now, you’ll give them time to settle in and thrive, ensuring they look their best when it’s time to gift them.
Start with a nice pot, this doesn’t have to be big or expensive, it could even be a $5 terracotta pot that you paint and personalise with the kids for a bit of individual character. Aged second hand terracotta can be found cheaply online or White washing new terracotta helps to elevate it and give it a sense of opulence.
Ideally the pot will be small as no doubt you’ll have to transport it somewhere or give it to someone when they drop in. When choosing a plant for your pot you need a drought hardy plant as small pots of soil dry out quickly and with the busy festive period watering is low on the priority list.
Succulents and herbs are great plants to use as gifts as they can handle the dry conditions of a small pot, and everybody loves them too! If you have the time, you can save some money by purchasing a punnet of annuals such as petunias and separating them out using a single plant per pot and growing it on to fill out the space.
House plants such as Pothos, Philodendron and Monstera also make for great presents and can be gifted to those that don’t have any outside space. If propagating from your own to save some money start them off in a jar of clean water and they will quickly put out roots ready to be potted up in a couple of weeks.
Remember to use the best quality potting mix you can afford as this will prolong the life of the plant once it has been gifted. I only ever use potting mix with the Australian standard red tick symbol. This red tick ensures good quality ingredients have been used, the mix has a balanced PH and the plants get nutrients from added fertilisers. If you wanted to add some water storage crystals to potting mix you can as these will help the plant with extra water if you or the new owner forgets to give them a drink.
To really give your pot a festive finishing touch there are a few things you can do, a layer of fine gravel as a mulch will give the look of a high-end boutique and keep the potting mix from spilling out. A nice ribbon or hessian tied as bow will take your gift to the next level. You could even add in some instructions on how to care for the plant offering information on sun and water requirements. If you have extra plants for unexpected guests painting these pots with chalkboard paint is easy to do and you can simply scribble the recipient’s name on the pot in no time – making you look thoughtful and generous!
When storing your plants before gifting ensure you choose a semi shade position as keeping them in full sun and forgetting a day of water will leave the whole exercise as a waste of time. It’s a good idea to soak them the night before they are gifted so they look their best but don’t make a mess from excess water dripping out the bottom.
