DIY Gifts for Gardeners: 17 Cheap Handmade Christmas Ideas That Look Like a Fancy Garden Shop Find

DIY Gifts for Gardeners are the presents that never end up in a closet, because a gardener will use them every single week once spring arrives. Think about the plant lover on your list. They have muddy gloves by the door, seed packets in every drawer and big plans for next year. This list turns cheap supplies into gifts that look like they came from a pretty garden shop. You will find painted pots, spoon plant markers, a canvas tool apron, seed balls, a boot planter and a little bee hotel. Most take one afternoon and use thrift store finds. Each idea has a short supply list and three easy steps, so you can start tonight and wrap it by the weekend..

DIY Gifts for Gardeners Start With a Potting Bench Basket

Imagine a gardener lifting the lid on a basket that smells like pine and fresh soil. Painted pots peek out. Spoon markers stand up like little flags. A jar of hand scrub sits next to new gloves and a ball of twine. That is the feeling you want. You do not need to make everything at once. Pick three projects below, add a pack of seeds, and tuck it all into a basket. Our easy gift basket ideas show more ways to fill one. Swipe on and choose your favorites..

You will need: a sturdy woven basket, crinkle paper, a wide red ribbon, fresh pine sprigs, a few seed packets and three or four handmade gifts from this list.

How to make it: 1. Line the basket with crinkle paper and set the tallest gifts at the back. 2. Fill the front with small items like markers, twine and seed packets. 3. Tuck pine sprigs around the edges and tie a big bow on the handle.

Hand Painted Terra Cotta Pot Set

Plain clay pots cost less than a cup of coffee, and a little paint turns them into one of the prettiest DIY gifts for gardeners. Stripes and dots feel cheerful on any windowsill. Stack three pots, tuck seed packets inside, and tie them with ribbon. The gardener gets pots and seeds in one sweet bundle. If you love working with clay pots, our clay pot Christmas crafts have even more painting ideas for the holidays.

You will need: three small terra cotta pots, outdoor acrylic paint in cream, sage and red, a flat brush, a round sponge dauber, clear outdoor sealer and two seed packets.

How to make it: 1. Paint each pot with a base coat and let it dry for one hour. 2. Add stripes with painter’s tape and dots with the sponge dauber. 3. Seal the outside, let it cure overnight, then stack the pots with seed packets inside.

DIY Gifts for Gardeners: Wooden Spoon Plant Markers

Wooden spoons from the dollar store make the cutest plant markers you will ever see. The bowl of the spoon becomes a tiny canvas. Paint a tomato, a carrot or a strawberry, then dip the handle in a bright color. Gardeners love them because they are easy to spot in a busy bed. Old spoons and forks also shine in our junk garden art ideas.

You will need: six wooden spoons, acrylic paint, small detail brushes, painter’s tape, a paper cup for dipping and clear outdoor spray sealer.

How to make it: 1. Tape off the bottom of each handle and paint it a bright color. 2. Paint a simple vegetable or flower in each spoon bowl. 3. Let dry, spray with two coats of sealer and bundle them with twine.

Coffee Ground Hand Scrub in a Jar

After a long day of weeding, a gardener’s hands are covered in soil. A jar of coffee ground hand scrub is a little treat for the potting bench. It smells like a cozy morning cafe. Add a wooden scoop and a sprig of rosemary, and it looks like something from a fancy shop. For more jar recipes, see our homemade scrub gifts for every hand on your list.

You will need: one cup of used coffee grounds, half a cup of sugar, half a cup of coconut oil, a clean glass jar with a lid, a small wooden scoop, twine and a rosemary sprig.

How to make it: 1. Dry the coffee grounds on a tray overnight. 2. Mix the grounds, sugar and softened coconut oil in a bowl until it looks like wet sand. 3. Spoon it into the jar, add the scoop and tie twine with rosemary around the lid.

Wildflower Seed Balls in a Kraft Box

Seed balls are little rounds of clay, soil and seeds. You toss them on bare ground in spring and let the rain do the rest. They are also called seed bombs, and they have been used for years to bring flowers to empty lots. A dozen in a kraft box is one of the cheapest DIY gifts for gardeners, so it fits our gifts under five dollars list too.

You will need: one cup of air dry clay or powdered craft clay, two cups of potting soil, a quarter cup of native wildflower seeds, water, a tray and a kraft gift box with crinkle paper.

How to make it: 1. Mix the clay, soil and seeds in a bowl, then add water a little at a time. 2. Roll the mix into balls the size of a walnut and dry them on a tray for two days. 3. Nest a dozen balls in the box and add a blank kraft tag.

DIY Gifts for Gardeners: Canvas Tool Apron

Every gardener knows the dance of putting down the trowel and losing it in the grass. A canvas apron with deep pockets solves that. The trowel, shears, twine and gloves all ride along. It only needs straight seams, so it is a great first sewing project. Our easy Christmas sewing projects have more simple patterns.

You will need: one yard of heavy natural canvas, two yards of cotton webbing for ties, matching thread, a sewing machine, pins, scissors and an iron.

How to make it: 1. Cut a 20 by 24 inch body piece and a 20 by 10 inch pocket strip. 2. Hem all edges, then sew the pocket strip to the front and stitch lines to make four pockets. 3. Sew webbing ties to the top corners and press the apron flat.

Hand Stamped Copper Plant Labels

Copper labels look elegant in a pot of herbs, and they turn a soft rosy brown over time. Use metal stamps to add leaf shapes and the plant names your gardener grows most. A set of five feels like a high end gift. If you enjoy stamping, our handmade gift tags use the same simple tools.

You will need: a thin copper craft sheet, tin snips, a metal letter and leaf stamp set, a small hammer, a steel bench block, sanding paper and heavy copper wire.

How to make it: 1. Cut the copper into five small rounds or ovals and sand the edges smooth. 2. Stamp leaf shapes and plant names on each one with firm taps. 3. Punch a small opening at the bottom with an awl and twist on a wire stake.

Grain Sack Style Kneeling Pad

Kneeling on cold ground is the part of gardening nobody loves, so a padded pad is one of the kindest DIY gifts for gardeners. Striped grain sack style fabric gives it a sweet farmhouse look. Add a sturdy handle so it can hang in the shed. This one is so practical it lands near the top of our DIY gifts for friends favorites too.

You will need: half a yard of striped cotton duck or grain sack style fabric, a 12 by 18 inch piece of thick foam, a strip of cotton webbing, thread and a sewing machine.

How to make it: 1. Cut two fabric pieces one inch larger than the foam on every side. 2. Sew the pieces right sides together on three sides, catching the webbing handle in one seam. 3. Turn it, slide in the foam and stitch the last side closed.

DIY Gifts for Gardeners: Seed Saving Recipe Box

Serious gardeners save their own seeds from the best tomatoes and beans. A painted recipe box keeps all those little envelopes tidy. Fold the envelopes from kraft paper and add dividers for each month. It looks like a vintage find from a country store. Thrifted boxes are perfect here, and our upcycled storage ideas show how to make old boxes feel new.

You will need: a small thrifted wooden recipe box, sage green chalk paint, a brush, sanding paper, kraft paper, a glue stick, a bone folder and plain index cards for dividers.

How to make it: 1. Sand the box lightly and paint it with two coats of sage green. 2. Fold twenty small envelopes from kraft paper and glue the side flaps. 3. Trim index cards into dividers and stand the envelopes upright inside.

Mason Jar Herb Kit for the Windowsill

Winter is long for anyone who loves to grow things, so DIY gifts for gardeners that grow indoors are a treat. A mason jar herb kit brings green to the kitchen until spring. Basil, parsley and thyme are easy starters. A layer of pebbles under the soil helps water drain. Tie a blank wooden tag on each jar and add a tiny bag of seeds. Our indoor kitchen garden ideas have more tips for growing herbs inside.

You will need: three wide mouth glass jars, small pebbles, potting soil, herb seedlings or seeds, jute twine and three small wooden tags.

How to make it: 1. Add one inch of pebbles to the bottom of each jar. 2. Fill with soil and plant one herb per jar, then water lightly. 3. Tie twine and a wooden tag around each neck and set them in a sunny spot.

Thrifted Plate Bird Bath Topper

A china plate and a glass vase from the thrift store become a charming bird bath, and these DIY gifts for gardeners look like antique garden pieces. Blue and white plates look lovely among flowers. Our vintage china ideas show more ways to reuse those lovely old dishes.

You will need: a thrifted dinner plate with a gentle dip, a heavy glass vase or candlestick, clear outdoor waterproof glue, rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth.

How to make it: 1. Clean the plate bottom and vase rim with rubbing alcohol. 2. Run a thick bead of glue around the rim and center the plate on top. 3. Let it cure for 72 hours, then wrap it with a note to fill it with fresh water.

DIY Gifts for Gardeners: Upcycled Boot Planter

An old work boot full of flowers has a cheerful, storybook look on a porch step. Red cyclamen and trailing ivy feel festive at Christmas and keep growing into spring. You will find more clever container ideas in our front porch planters roundup.

You will need: one old leather boot, a craft drill or awl, small gravel, potting soil, a small cyclamen and a trailing ivy plant.

How to make it: 1. With adult help, make two small drainage openings in the sole. 2. Add gravel to the toe, then fill the boot with soil. 3. Plant the cyclamen and ivy, water well and let it drain before wrapping.

Pressed Leaf Garden Journal

Gardeners love to write down what worked, what bloomed and what the rabbits ate. A handmade journal with a pressed leaf cover makes that habit feel special. Ferns and maple leaves look beautiful under clear film. If you want more ideas with dried plants, our pressed flower crafts are full of them.

You will need: a plain kraft cover notebook, pressed ferns and leaves, clear self adhesive laminating film, a craft knife, a ruler and jute twine.

How to make it: 1. Arrange the pressed leaves on the front cover until you like the layout. 2. Smooth clear film over the leaves and trim the edges with the craft knife. 3. Wrap the journal with twine and tuck in a pencil.

Mini Greenhouse From a Clear Storage Tote

A clear tote turned on its side becomes a tiny greenhouse, one of the most useful DIY gifts for gardeners. It keeps seedlings warm in early spring. Gardeners will be thrilled to start seeds weeks ahead. Pair it with a seed starting tray and a bag of good soil. For more ways to prep the garden in the cold months, our fallen leaf ideas turn yard leftovers into garden gold.

You will need: one large clear plastic storage tote with a lid, a seedling tray, seed starting mix, a small spray bottle and a few seed packets.

How to make it: 1. Wash the tote and turn it on its side so the lid becomes a front door. 2. Set the seedling tray inside and fill it with seed starting mix. 3. Tuck the spray bottle and seeds inside and tie a ribbon around the tote.

DIY Gifts for Gardeners: Clay Pot Twine Dispenser

Twine is always tangled at the bottom of a garden bag. A clay pot twine dispenser keeps the ball neat and ready. The twine feeds up through the small opening in the bottom of the pot. A painted band makes it look like a potting shed treasure. Our jute twine Christmas decor shows more cozy ways to use this humble string.

You will need: a small terra cotta pot and matching saucer, sage green outdoor paint, painter’s tape, a brush and a large ball of jute twine.

How to make it: 1. Tape off a band near the rim of the pot and paint it sage green. 2. Set the twine ball on the saucer and thread the loose end up through the opening in the pot. 3. Flip the pot over the ball so it rests on the saucer.

Garden Glove Bundle With Beeswax Balm

Pretty gloves are a gardener’s favorite little luxury. Bundle a pair with a wooden nail brush, a tiny pot and a tin of homemade beeswax balm for dry hands after a day outside. It looks like a fancy shop gift set. If you want a box to hold it, our DIY Christmas gift boxes are easy to make.

You will need: a pair of floral canvas gloves, a wooden nail brush, a small clay pot, two tablespoons of beeswax pellets, a quarter cup of coconut oil, a small tin with a lid and baker’s twine.

How to make it: 1. With adult help, melt the beeswax and coconut oil together in a double boiler. 2. Pour the balm into the tin and let it set for two hours. 3. Stack the gloves, brush, pot and tin, then tie them together with twine.

Bamboo Bee Hotel in a Wooden Box

A bee hotel is one of the sweetest DIY gifts for gardeners, because bees help flowers and vegetables grow. It gives gentle solitary bees a cozy place to rest. Short bamboo tubes packed into a little wooden box do the job. The slanted roof keeps the rain out. Pair it with our DIY bird feeders for a full backyard wildlife gift.

You will need: a small wooden box about 6 by 8 inches, a scrap board for the roof, bamboo garden canes, a fine saw, sanding paper, wood glue, small nails and a hanging hook.

How to make it: 1. With adult help, cut the bamboo into pieces the depth of the box and sand the ends smooth. 2. Glue the roof board on at a slant, then pack the tubes in tightly. 3. Add the hook to the back and tie on a note to hang it facing the morning sun.