By Bethiny Stark
(HCP has no affiliations with links that we provide)
It’s always fun and happy when this time of year rolls around. So much love and growth. So cozy and special. Feelings of anticipation and excitement. And of course with all this, I’m referring to…seed starting! If you were thinking more along the lines of Valentine’s 💘 Day, then you are still in luck, so read on for a good old-fashioned dreamy combo!
The two magical seasons of seed-starting and V-day just happen to coincide with each other, and happily, I believe. Of course, not everyone on your Heart Day gift list has a garden space, or has the interest to start one this year, but they still may enjoy green friends as a token of affection AND maybe some confidence in raising houseplants can STEM (get it?) confidence for garden-growing in the future. Here are a couple ways to extend love to others with an actual gift of life, or at least the possibility of it. Planting seeds of love in hearts AND the garden. It’s time to grow some love guys!
Low Maintenance Houseplant LOVE
The best plants to give for general gift-giving are going to be the least maintenance. We want it to be a pleasant experience for both the plant and the recipient. Most outdoor, home or grocery stores have great and affordable selections and options - some of my favorite types to collect and give are pothos, philodendrons and arrowhead plants. Here is a list of some of the simplest and rewarding plants to have in your home, which would also make great gifts and alternatives to cut flowers.
Propagate Your Own Plants for Giving
On that same note… a few years ago, I was in a place where my few house plants were all doing very well and I felt confident in my continued care for them. Around that time, Covid hit, and I went from having like 10 indoor plants to about 40. HA!! A handful were bought, but a lot of them came about from delving into the world of propagation.
You can use cuttings of your own mother plants to grow new baby plants and give them as gifts. And even better, at no cost to you! One thing to remember is that propagating takes time, as most cuttings need weeks to grow decent roots to be considered stable and able to root once planted. If you want to use this option for gift-giving, it’s best to start the process of propagating about 4-6 weeks before the time of exchanging gifts. Here is a more extensive guide to propagating, if you’re down for fun and a bit of a green adventure. This whole process can also be a great way to involve kids in a green activity and teach them about the ever-magical capabilities of plants!
Seed-starting Valentine Gifts
Another great way to share the love of the earth with others is to equip them with the small but mighty seed.
One sweet and easy way to incorporate seeds in your V-day gifting, is simply to include a packet of seeds in a Valentine’s Day card. You can accompany the card with other garden-related gift items as well if you want a more extensive gift, but just the seeds alone can be exciting to receive, especially if there is thought behind the types of seeds you get. For instance, seeds of the types of flowers that you know the recipient loves, or seeds of the plant a shared lost loved one used to grow can also harken nostalgic heart-feels as well.
I often like to give native plant or pollinator-friendly seeds as well to be as environmentally helpful as possible. Seed packets for this growing season can be found in various places, such as home and garden stores or online. There are sooooo many seed sales this time of year online, so be sure to shop around for the best deals (Etsy has many!) Here is a link to make your own Valentine’s seed packets as well, a super cute craft to make with the kiddos as well. If lack of time, space or resources may be an issues for the recipient, there are also a ton of amazing simple and affordable growing kits available that might also be a great gift option for them.
Craft Your Own Seed Paper!
Lastly, but not least, a fun idea is to craft on your own or with the kiddos are DIY seed-starting paper. This special paper is made by actually embedding seeds within the paper, which can be planted easily with many possibilities for growth. Once prepared, this paper can be cut into fun shapes and used as part of decoration on cards, tags, bookmarks… the opitons are endless. Here are some that are already pre-made into V-day cards. If you’re feeling partly crafty, you can order pre-cut seed paper and use them to make your own cards or whatever craft you’d like to incorporate these into. If you’re feeling really craft-savvy, The Spruce Crafts offers a great how-to on making your own seed paper. This is a great option in many ways, as you can pick the exact type of seed you want to use, and beyond the cost of seeds (unless you have harvested your own), it’s free!
Regardless of how you share your green love, it will be clear to your loved ones how much thought and heart you put into your gift. Don't forget, it’s also a way to show your love for the earth as well, so it’s a win-win for love all around. Happy Green Hearts Day everyone!
Bethiny Stark is an author with HCP and a lover of all trees and plants! Her love of family gardens, cooking with fresh vegetables, and nature crafts inspired her to write A Day in the Garden - A Nostalgic and Sensory Adventure available as a children's ebook and coming soon in print!
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