Hey everyone! With the holidays just around the corner (I know, I know, way early!), I want to create homemade gifts for my family using the plants I've grown. I think it adds a personal touch! I have a variety of plants in my garden, and while I have a few ideas, I'm looking for suggestions on what to make that includes these plants. Here's what I have:
**Flowers:** violas, pansies, bidens, snapdragons, lobelias, alyssum, kalanchoe, petunias, marigolds, calendulas (which are about to bloom!), and three types of osteospermum.
**Herbs:** basil, thyme, rosemary, mint (both regular and chocolate), and dill (though it might have powdery mildew, sadly).
**Fruit and Veg:** I'm currently harvesting lettuce, rocket, and green onion. I also have strawberry, mini capsicum, and chili plants that are flowering but haven't produced fruit yet.
So far, I've thought about making jams and infused oils, but I'm concerned about the proper preservation techniques to avoid any food safety issues. Any advice or cool ideas on what to make would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
How about pressing some of your flowers? It's a lovely way to preserve them! You could turn the pressed flowers into coasters or bookmarks using resin, which could be really special!
One idea is to dry the herbs from your garden and package them in pretty jars as gifts. You could also consider harvesting seeds from your flowers and giving those out. They can be a great way for friends and family to start their own gardens!
Mixing dried herbs with some salt sounds awesome! And yeah, giving seeds is a nice touch, although I think some people might just admire them rather than plant them haha.
Flavored oils sound great, but I totally get your worries about food safety. It's important to be cautious because I’ve read about botulism in infused oils too. Just make sure to research the proper methods!
I love that idea! I have a ton of flowers blooming, but I'm not exactly sure how to use resin yet. It would be fun to try making coasters or bookmarks!