WIRED's updated 2026 gift guide for plant lovers makes the case that the best present is not necessarily another plant. The author, a longtime plant parent and reviewer of indoor hydroponic gardens, recommends gifts that work with the greenery recipients already own—or that help them care for it. The guide was updated in September 2026 with self-watering planters, a self-watering raised garden bed, gift boxes, candy, water-storing crystals, and an all-purpose garden tool.
Products span a wide price range. At the top end, the Modern Sprout Smart Landscape Growframe is a 32-inch metal grow-light frame priced at $299 (currently $249) that can be controlled via an app or a manual switch. At the lower end, Happy Happy Houseplant's care collection starts at $30, and Sol Soils sells specialty potting mixes and amendment bundles from $70 to $107.
Other notable picks include a $48 handmade glass watering can from Modern Sprout and the $36 Planta Premium app, which sets watering and fertilizing schedules based on more than 30 parameters, including local weather, and can turn a phone into a light meter. The author says the app's diagnoses are 'surprisingly close' but not perfectly accurate. The guide also notes that the grow frame's mounting hardware lacks drywall anchors, and the glass watering can is fragile in homes with small children or pets.