You can certainly give a gift certificate to a favorite nursery, but here are some other suggestions for items readily available at local shops and nurseries.Whether you surprise your favorite gardener with something practical or fun, luxurious or a bargain, he or she will likely thank you later with something homegrown.

Nearly every gardener can use new gloves as these items wear out or get misplaced over time. A rose gardener might appreciate gauntlet-style thorn-proof gloves for working with thorny plants. Nice leather gloves are a small luxury for many garden tasks. Vegetable gardening calls for a flexible type, like neoprene-dipped bamboo fabric gloves. These come in a variety of fun colors and can be thrown into the washing machine for easy cleaning.

Many gardeners have designated gardening pants and shirts. This clothing is often a step or two away from the rag bin. Your favorite gardener might appreciate durable jeans with pockets, tool loops and reinforced knees. Add a sturdy, long-sleeved shirt with pockets and your gardener may be thanking you daily. Also consider other protective gear like knee pads or a new sun hat.

Cutting tools make good gifts. High-quality pruning shears can last a lifetime. Gardeners with fruit trees might appreciate a heavy-duty pair of loppers or a sharp new pruning saw. Many gardeners also appreciate lightweight snippers for collecting flowers and herbs.

I polled a dozen Napa County Master Gardeners about their favorite hand tools, and they were all enthusiastic about Hori Hori knives. Those who had them endorsed them, and those who didn’t have one wanted one. The Hori Hori knife is a Japanese tool that looks like a narrow trowel. It’s serrated on one side for cutting and is used for digging, planting and weeding. It can take the place of several other hand tools in the garden.

Plant pots come in endless variety. A vegetable gardener might appreciate small pots for seed starting. For a gardener who delights in containers on the patio or deck, consider giving a one-of-a-kind pot from a local artist or a set of glazed pots from a nursery. Include a bag of potting mix to make it easy for the gardener to put the containers to work immediately.

Gardeners also need containers for corralling tools and for gathering their harvest. These containers may be strictly functional, like five-gallon buckets, or handmade works of art. Think about baskets, trugs and totes. Whatever your budget or your recipient’s taste, there is a container to fit. Add a few seed packets and a bow and you’re done.

Consider a garden book. The New Sunset Western Garden Book, published in 2012, is certain to please any gardener who doesn’t already own it. Napa County Master Gardeners have written a helpful Month-By-Month Guide to Gardening in Napa County, available at the University of California Cooperative Extension office (address below). Or select a book on a specialty topic such as succulents, vertical gardens or art in the garden, or a book of gardening essays. Another option would be a blank book or a garden journal for record-keeping. Browse your local bookstore to see some possibilities.

Most gardeners keep an eye on the weather. Rain gauges and minimum-maximum thermometers are inexpensive devices that many experienced gardeners consider necessary tools. Some gardeners might appreciate more sophisticated electronic weather stations that track multiple aspects of the weather.

And what about the essential items that every garden needs: compost, fertilizer or other soil amendments? A gardener with a large garden might appreciate a truckload of a favorite soil amendment, such as compost from one of the county waste facilities. If you were to offer to help unload it or spread it as well, you would probably find yourself at the top of that gardener’s sharing list next season. For the gardener with less space, the nurseries sell packaged amendments of many kinds. Peek into your gardener’s storage area to get an idea of what he or she prefers.

Still can’t decide what to give your special gardener? Offer the gift of some time. Physical labor is almost always appreciated, as is technical support in setting up a new irrigation system or figuring out how the garden planning software works. And don’t forget to thank your gardener the next time he or she brings you that perfectly grown something from the garden.

Workshop: Join Napa County Master Gardeners for a workshop on “Rose Pruning” on Saturday, January 18, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the University of California Cooperative Extension (address below). January is the best time to prune your roses. Come learn pruning techniques from a certified rosarian. Bring your rose questions. Online registration (credit card only) Mail-in registration (cash or check only).

Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursday mornings, from 10:30 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.

Many gardeners have the same questions about caring for indoor plants. Why do the tips of the leaves turn brown? What’s the right amount of water? Why doesn’t my plant bloom? What’s that stuff on top of the soil, or crusted around the pot? Can I grow succulents indoors?

Indoor gardeners face many of the same issues as outdoor gardeners. They must choose their houseplants wisely and understand each plant’s requirements for light, water, temperature, humidity, soil and fertilizer. What’s more, indoor gardeners have to be actively involved in plant care.

Palms and spider plants, for example, benefit from bright light and even some direct sun. Succulents and cacti require fast-draining soil and infrequent watering, while the umbrella plant needs frequent watering to thrive indoors. Orchids placed in the sun will scorch. African violets prefer filtered light and even some fluorescent light in winter. The active indoor gardener takes time to learn about each plant’s ideal growing conditions.

The staff at local nurseries should be able to advise you about the houseplants you select. You may also want to purchase a comprehensive indoor-gardening guide to read more about the plants in your care. The University of California’s California Garden Web site (http://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/houseplants/) can answer many questions.

Houseplants need light to manufacture their food through photosynthesis. Most foliage houseplants are evergreen and native to tropical or subtropical climates. In their natural habitat, they typically live under a canopy of taller vegetation, receiving plenty of indirect bright light but no full sun. In our homes, however, walls and roofs diminish the amount of light and create dark corners with little bright light.

In addition, the angle of light changes seasonally. Some areas of your home may experience direct light in winter, while summer’s sun is too high to enter the room. The amount of light in a room can vary dramatically. Take time to study the available light in your home and notice how it changes over time. Light duration, intensity and quality all have an impact on indoor plants.

As for water, plants need it for many chemical processes. They take it up by their roots and distribute it via a network of water-conducting tissues. Alas, water—too little or too much—contributes to many plant problems. The houseplant novice has the same question as the outdoor gardener: How often should I water my plants?

Two key rules govern houseplant watering: Never permit the soil to dry out completely, and never allow plants to stand in water for an extended time. Roots may die in either situation. As a general rule, a plant in a pot six inches or less in diameter needs water when the top inch of soil is dry. For plants in larger pots, wait to water until the top two inches are dry. Use your index finger to check for moisture. If the soil feels damp, do not water.

Ordinary tap water is usually fine for indoor plants. However, if your water is artificially softened, do not use it on houseplants.  

Brown leaf tips may be an indication of inconsistent watering. Use a calendar or other reminder to track your watering schedule. Cacti and succulents do not need water as frequently as umbrella plants. Watering every houseplant every Saturday earns you points for consistency but may not be a good practice.  

Providing a comfortable temperature is also essential to your houseplants’ health. Most indoor plants tolerate normal indoor temperature fluctuations. Foliage plants grow best between 70°F and 80°F during the day and between 60°F and 68°F at night. Indoor flowering plants, such as bulbs, miniature cyclamen, African violet and primrose, prefer the same daytime temperatures as foliage plants but lower nighttime temperatures, 55°F to 60°F. These lower evening temperatures promote recovery from moisture loss, intensify flower color and prolong flower life. 

Avoid exposing houseplants to wide temperature fluctuations or to extremely high or low temperatures. These conditions may cause plant decline, evidenced by a spindly appearance, damaged foliage or flower drop. Be an active indoor gardener and move plants from windowsills and doorways when the temperature spikes or plummets.

In future columns, we’ll explore other houseplant requirements—for humidity and ventilation, fertilizer, soil, repotting, propagation and pest control. In the meantime, bring your houseplant questions or concerns to the Napa County Master Gardener help desk (address and hours below), or e-mail us your questions using the diagnosis form on our website.

Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursday mornings, from 10:30 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.

The Watershed Awareness Calendar for 2014 is back from the printer. Drop by the Napa County Resource Conservation District and pick one up. (Call the NRCD at 707-252-4188 for address and hours.)This year’s calendar includes information and ideas on how to manage and conserve storm-water runoff on your home property or business.  

This month-by-month guide strives to help Napa County residents keep watersheds and waterways healthy. A watershed is an area of land with a common water course. In other words, all the water the land receives drains to the same place. Napa is blessed with three watersheds: the Napa River, Putah Creek and Suisun Creek.

Even if you live in town, you live within a watershed.

Watersheds collect water from rain and snow melt, absorbing it into the soil to replenish the water table. Runoff finds its way into storm drains, creeks, rivers and eventually to the bay and ocean.  

These informative calendars are provided by the Napa County Resource Conservation District, The Watershed Information Center and Conservancy of Napa County and Friends of the River. All of these organizations are focused on protecting our natural resources and watersheds.

The calendar’s back cover offers a directory of local resources, including the Native Plant Society, The Land Trust, Carolyn Parr Nature Museum and the U.C. Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners. The list includes e-mail addresses, websites and phone numbers.

The document also provides contact information for other organizations with resources to help businesses, homeowners and property owners replace thirsty lawns with more water-efficient landscaping or install other water-conserving or storm water-diverting systems.

If harvesting rainwater to irrigate your garden and reduce your water bill sounds good to you, consider the rebate plan offered by the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. This plan provides a rebate for installing rain barrels and cisterns and even reimburses some residents for designing and installing a rain garden.

Each month of the calendar highlights a different technique to help gardeners and property owners slow, spread and sink fast-moving storm water. These techniques can be used singly or in combination on your property.

One impressive and inspiring project is part of the sustainability plan at New Technology High School in Napa. New Tech’s landscaping is drought resistant but still needs some water to thrive, so a 20,000-gallon cistern was installed to collect rainwater. This effort has reduced the amount of potable water used for landscaping by 63 percent.

Capturing 20,000 gallons may sound daunting, but Napa normally gets 20 to 60 inches of rainfall a year, providing plenty of opportunity for harvesting. One inch of rain on a 1500-square-foot roof generates close to 1,000 gallons of runoff. In one winter, your roof alone could shed 20,000 to 60,000 gallons of water.    

Sometimes the goal is not to capture water but to slow its race over hard surfaces to storm drains or creeks. Often, this fast-moving water dissolves and transports pollutants along the way.

As you drive by Oxbow Public Market in Napa, you can’t see the bio-retention basins under the raised beds. But they are there, carefully designed to hold and slowly release water into storm drains. Oxbow’s downspouts drain into the basin where the water is filtered before being released into storm drains. One rain chain leads the gutter water to a trench drain, watering a row of grass plantings, which also slows and filters the water before it enters storm drains.

The Yountville Community Center also showcases several best-management practices for storm-water runoff. Drain inlets along the side of the building are equipped with filters to keep debris from clogging pipes as runoff from the roof collects in a basin behind the parking lot. Landscaping takes advantage of swales, basins, drains and drought-resistant plants to maximize beauty while managing the large amount of runoff from the building roofs.

These are big projects, obviously, but even small projects can be effective. In this helpful calendar, you’ll read about permeable paving, swales and rolling dips. The many suggestions and photos will open your eyes to possibilities as you view sustainable residential developments and sustainably managed vineyards and hillsides. Even property owners with small gardens and yards can make changes that have a positive impact on our watersheds.  

Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursday mornings, from 10:30 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.

The process I use is called sheet composting, and it is simply a method of building a compost pile in place. You can not only use this procedure on well-turned vegetable beds but also on a lawn, or part of a lawn, that you would like to use differently.

I gather materials for sheet composting throughout the year so that by fall I have a big pile of clean cardboard. I avoid the type of cardboard with slick sides because it takes longer to break down and contains clay. I also gather dried leaves, newsprint, decaying plants without seeds, some compost and aged chicken manure. In short, I use the same materials you would use in a compost or worm bin.  

If you plan to sheet compost in an area that has never been dug, then turn the soil to a depth of two feet. This process aerates the soil so air and water will move through it more easily. If you are sheet composting in a grassy area, then loosen and turn the sod over so it will die. You will build your pile on top.

If I have old vegetable plants still in the beds, I cut them up and leave them in place. I may also put some kitchen waste on top of that. Then I build alternating layers, as if making lasagne. You can use whatever organic materials you have. I usually use cardboard, leaves and newsprint (laying them out in sheets – no need to cut up) or shredded paper. Then I repeat the layers. I top off the pile with aged compost and chicken manure. If my garden plot has diminished in height during the growing season, I may add more clean soil or compost when I construct the layers. I moisten each layer, then wet everything again. Then I cover with a plastic tarp, making sure it is secured on the sides so it does not go flying in the wind.

Watering each level is important because it encourages the microbes and other creatures to wake up and go to work. The red wigglers used in worm composting will start to move in and munch on the foods they love. They especially like cardboard and will move inside the corrugation. They enjoy the glue that keeps the cardboard together, and I often find that the cardboard layer disappears first.

Depending on the rain, you may not have to water the pile during the winter. However, it is a good idea to check the pile from time to time and water again if necessary to keep the layers moist.  

In late April or early May, remove the plastic and see what has happened to your compost pile. It should be full of red wigglers and other creatures, and you may see some little white bugs hopping around. These creatures worked the pile for you, so you don’t have to do spring digging. As they worked through the compost, they turned the soil for you.

Sometimes the cardboard or other items are not completely decomposed by spring. I plant in the bed anyway by cutting holes in the cardboard where I want my plants to grow. On other occasions, I have covered the soil with cardboard and cut holes for my plants. This cardboard layer helps conserve soil moisture.

I once sheet-composted a bed in July and covered it with plastic. In late September I removed the plastic and found no trace of the materials I had layered just a few weeks before—only a bed of wonderful soil.

The droppings that the worms leave behind (known as worm castings) are beneficial to plants. They are a mild natural fertilizer containing all the trace elements. Some call these castings “worm gold.” It sells for about $600 a yard. When I plant in the spring, I do dig in some more chicken manure and worm compost from my worm bins.

Napa County Master Gardeners welcome the public to visit their demonstration garden at Connolly Ranch on Thursday mornings, from 10:30 a.m. until noon, except the last Thursday of the month. Connolly Ranch is at 3141 Browns Valley Road at Thompson Avenue in Napa. Enter on Thompson Avenue.

Master Gardeners are volunteers who help the University of California reach the gardening public with home gardening information. Napa County Master Gardeners ( http://ucanr.org/ucmgnapa/) are available to answer gardening questions in person or by phone, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to Noon, at the U. C. Cooperative Extension office, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Suite 4, Napa, 707-253-4143, or from outside City of Napa toll-free at 877-279-3065. Or e-mail your garden questions by following the guidelines on our web site. Click on Napa, then on Have Garden Questions? Find us on Facebook under UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.