It’s time to shop for holiday gifts.

Given that gardening is one of the most popular hobbies nationwide, there is sure to be a gardener or two on your list.

Your friends and family may not share their likes and dislikes with you, but here are a few helpful tips:

Serious gardeners tend to be practical, so practical gifts are great.

A gardener can always use gift certificates to local garden centers so in the spring when they want to try out every new plant they see, they can afford them.

Gift certificates to bookstores are wonderful, too, so they can buy the gardening books they want.

Good quality plant markers and plant supports are often in short supply in many gardens and some online garden suppliers have a wide selection.

Good quality gardening gloves are good if you know the person’s size, since many gloves tend to wear out.

Most gardeners will splurge on good garden tools and probably already have what they need. So, unless you know what they need, you might want to stay away from things like pruners and trowels, especially the cheaper ones that break after a few uses.

A great tool is the soil knife, which is handy for many purposes, from planting bulbs, to slicing through sod, to digging out and dividing perennials. Most gardeners say they don’t know what they did without one before, so that could be a great gift is someone doesn’t already have one.

Gardeners do spend a great deal of time out in the sun, so comfortable gardening hats, sunscreen, and lightweight long-sleeved shirts are useful.

Other items that can help with those aches and pains include kneepads or garden kneelers.

Gardening soap, nailbrushes and hand creams to help with dirty or dry cracked hands are always appreciated.

If your gardener is also a bird lover, winter is a great time to get suet feeders and cakes, birdseed or feeders.

A small heater for a birdbath will allow them to provide water all season long without worrying about cracking their birdbath when the water freezes.

Some gardeners like to get those cutesy shirts with gardening sayings on them, gardening crafty things to set around, and mugs that look like pots.

There are so many useful, practical or whimsical garden gadgets.

If you know the person you are buying for, you can certainly give them a gift that they will use and think of you throughout the gardening season.

“Growing Green” is contributed by Diane Dorn, Lehigh County Extension Office Staff, and Master Gardeners. Information: Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-813-6613