As a backyard fruit grower, I find that the best gifts are practical tools from people who know at least a little bit about my passion for pomology. If you’re shopping for someone like me this year, take a few cues from my 2016 wish list to really knock this year’s gift exchange out of the park.
1. Grafting & Budding Knife
I have one of these, and most backyard orchardists do, too. However, as with most small tools, you can’t go wrong with having two in case one is lost or damaged. With any sort of knife, a nice personal touch is buying one with a wooden handle and getting it engraved with the name of the recipient or with a personal message.
2. Secateurs & Orchard Loppers
Secateurs are “pruners” or “clippers,” and orchard loppers are long-handled versions of the same thing. As with a pruning and budding knife, I already have both of these tools. The problem is I have had them for years and they are looking a little worse for wear. Even the most well-supplied gardener will always appreciate a good, new set of clippers.
3. Pruning Saw
It’s nigh-on-impossible to maintain a beautiful fruit tree without one of these curved saws and also a hell of a job keeping one sharp and rust-free. Efficient and easy to use while climbing, these tools saws can manage to hack through most limbs that are too big for the loppers to handle.
4. Telescopic Fruit Picker
A telescopic fruit picker can save a lot of time spent climbing and balancing on ladders. It’s basically a wire basket on a long, extending pole that allows anyone to harvest fruit from a few meters up while standing on the ground.
