Part of the joy of gardening is sharing gifts you know other gardeners will love, especially at Christmastime. Here are a few gift ideas your green thumb friends will enjoy unwrapping.

Sun Hat: Since we’re almost a mile closer to the sun at our elevation, protection against those UV rays is important. A hat with at least a 2.5-inch brim provides enough shade for your face, and hats made from nylon or linen have better breathability.

Weeding Tools: Despite our best efforts, weeds are inevitable, but a collinear hoe with a long ergonomic handle makes the job easier. It allows gardeners to get underneath the soil and slice weeds below the crown so they can’t grow back. A 7-inch replaceable blade is great because it can be removed, sharpened and reattached for years of use. (My recommended model is at JohnnySeeds.com.)

Needle-Nose Pruners: These pruners, sometimes called long-reach harvesting snips, make great stocking stuffers. They are sleeker than standard hand pruners, and their thin blades make smoother cuts that do less damage to the plants, allowing them to heal quicker. Look for pruners with stainless or carbon steel blades so they won’t rust. Pruners with a quality self-opening spring and clasp that’s easy to use while wearing gloves make them more functional.

Fingerless Gloves: Gloves originally designed for fishing, with leather inserts in the palms, work well for gardening. They provide a better grip on hand tools, are UV-treated, lightweight and breathable.

Natural Sunscreen: Look for sunscreens with naturally derived ingredients and minerals that offer UV protection plus moisturizing ingredients for the skin.

Hardpan Broadfork: This is the ideal tool for Colorado soil. It’s important to note that harvest broadforks have rounded tines for root crops, while hardpan broadforks have stronger, angular tines for doing tough soil work. A well-made broadfork lets you stand on the crossbar and use your body weight to sink the tines into the garden soil. It penetrates deeper into the soil than a rototiller, opening fissures for water to reach plant roots easier and fracturing the surrounding soil without disturbing organic matter or soil microbes. JohnnySeeds.com has a 20-inch broadfork (model 520) that works well in heavy clay soils. Model 727 would be fine for well-developed garden soil.

Greenhouse Kits: Durable greenhouse kits allow gardeners to grow food all year long! Something in the 12 feet by 40 feet range would fit most yards. Boot strapFarmer.com offers affordable, quality greenhouse kits, along with helpful guides for designing a greenhouse that fits your space.

Gardening Books: Gardeners enjoy resources that sharpen their skills. Books on climate-resilient gardening, indoor vegetable growing, waterwise gardening and cultivating soil microbes are popular choices.

DIY Gifts: Handmade items like painted pots, custom seed packets or engraved hand tools share a part of yourself and add a special touch.

Sharing the joy of gardening through holiday gifts can spark interest for beginners or remind a fellow green thumb what they have to look forward to when the ground thaws.