A Gift Guide for the Hydroponic Grower

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

Here in windy Wyoming, anticipation for the season of pine boughs and silver bells is rising in spite of the weather. What snow we have has been blown away and we’re all chapped from the cold, dry air. We’re cool with it, though, because chapped skin and frozen ground means that Christmas is right around the corner!

In preparation for the gift giving season, we’re all picking the brains of our siblings, friends, and partners to find the perfect gift.

What a relief it is to find a gift that you know will make it’s receiver smile! (I can picture the look on my brother-in-law’s face when he gets his very own Grumpy Cat calendar.)

That’s why we thought we’d give you some gift ideas for the hydroponic grower in your life. No more agonizing! We’ve even provided links, so you can buy your gift right now and get the stress off your chest.

Gift #1: Hydroponic Food Production by Howard Resh, $70

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Howard Resh has written our favorite (and most often recommended) hydroponic farming book. This monster (2.5 pound) book is a great guidebook for those looking to get serious about the hydroponic growing.
 

 

Gift #2: Water Testing Meters, $329

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pH and EC Meters from Bluelab allow hydroponic growers to keep a close eye on their nutrient levels, ultimately equipping them to grow healthier, higher quality crops. You can get a set of meters for $329.

 

Gift #3: Tubing Hole Punch, $33

tubing-hole-punch.jpgIf you’ve ever tried to punch holes in 1-inch polytubing with a standard hole punch, you know that it is not fun. One of these make’s it much easier and faster. For $33, you could brighten someone’s day.

Gift #4: DIY Seedling Grow Cart Basic Kit, $749

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This kit gives all the essentials to building a seed-starting system. (It’s also great for microgreens!) There’s even an accompanying video and post to help DIY’ers build their system with no hiccups. You can buy it here for $749.

Gift #5: Shear Sharpener, $15

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A few months of grappling with untidy vines and bushes wears down even the sturdiest of shears. Sharpen your shears with this shear sharpener, which runs about $15.

Gift #6: Hydroponic Grower’s Starter Kit, $365

Seedling kit

Every grower needs to start seeds somewhere, but most home and garden stores only carry the supplies in season. That just doesn’t work out well for the year-round grower! Enable your friend to grow fresh produce in the middle of winter with Hydroponic Grower’s Starter Kit.

Gift #7: Full-face Respirator, $140

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Many pesticides require a mask and respirator by law to keep you safe. But the little things like respirators can really add up and cost a new grower a lot of money. Save that grower that you love some stress by getting the respirator for them. (Bonus: Do I even need to go into the costume possibilities on this one?)
While the full face respirator is more pricey at $140, there are cheaper mouth-only options available.

Gift #8: Gardening Shears, $15

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Every gardener knows how easy it is to misplace shears, which are a non-negotiable gardening must-have! And what gardener doesn’t love hearing the clean click of sharp new shears?
Shears are easy to find at any gardening store, hardware store, or online and typically range from $10-30.

Gift #9: Plastic Crates, $5

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Crates are deceiptively useful to have in the greenhouse. We use crates for harvesting, weeding, distributing CSA shares, and holding miscellaneous junk that we procrastinate on putting away. In a pinch you can even stack them up for a temporary desk. You can get crates online, but we recommend checking out your Lowes or Home Depot, which will probably have them for cheaper.

Gift #10: ZipGarden $1399

Looking to splurge this holiday season? The ZipGarden is the perfect at-home hydroponic unit to grow your favourite crops right from your kitchen! The ZipGarden is easy to use- even the most beginner hydroponic grower can start growing at home this holiday season!

 

Gift #11: Gardening Gloves, $8

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Like shears, gardening gloves are always being misplaced, torn, and worn out. Grab a pair or two for your hydroponicist friend at only $7 or $8 each.

Gift #12: Garden Boots, $30-60

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We don’t know about you, but we think that there’s nothing worse than having wet feet, especially in cold weather. A pair of waterproof garden boots are easy to pull on when you step into a greenhouse or fish house, and allow a grower to navigate their system with ease.

Gift #13: Tyvec Suit, $10

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There are several safe sprays that a hydroponics lover can use in their growing area, but that doesn’t mean that those sprays are safe to breathe in and get on your skin. Many safety protocols call for a Tyvec safety suit, which are handy to have around.
(Also, you’ll feel like a ghostbuster.)
These will cost you about $10.

Gift #14: Heirloom Seeds, $14

Baker Creek Heirloom Gus

If you’ve read our geek-out post on why Baker Creek is so great, you know that they’re the company to get seeds from. Even Gus loves Baker Creek seeds. We’ve put together a pack of our favorite seeds.

Gift #15: Backpack Sprayer, $35

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Spraying isn’t the most enjoyable job. Help out a gardening friend by making the chore quicker for them with this backpack sprayer. No stopping to pick up and set down a jug sprayer. You can get a comfortable backpack sprayer for about $35.

Gift #16: ZipGrow Farm Wall, $400

Delight your hydroponicist with a small hydroponics system. The 2-tower Farm Wall comes with a small tank and two of the tried-and-true ZipGrow Towers, so that you can grow 10-16 plants in less space than ever before ( square feet). All you need is an outlet, some water, and some TLC.


We’ve tried and tested each of the items on this list and can tell you personally that they are each useful and valuable! We hope that we’ve filled your head with ideas to make your hydro-geek friend happy.

Whether you spend five dollars or five hundred, we here at Bright Agrotech have your back.


Want to really get into the season?

Whether you spend five dollars or five hundred, it’s the thoughtfulness that makes a great gift. That’s why we put a ton of thought into every ZipGrow Tower, DIY Kit, and helpful guide that we make

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