Coming in all shapes, sizes and prices, fruit baskets are wonderful options for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and even as corporate gifts. Plus, these fruit baskets can be dressed up to include a number of other items for more personalized gifts.
Pick a fruit, any fruit and there can be a gift basket made from it. Whether it's tropical fruits such as bananas, pineapples, mangos and papaya or northern fruits like cherries, blueberries and apples, these seasonal favorites are loved in particular as gifts by those who don't live in the climates where the fruits are common.
Orange and citrus fruit baskets, for example, are loved by Northerners during the winter months. Apples, cherries and even blackberries would be greatly appreciated by Southerners who generally only get their hands on these fruits waxed at grocery stores.
For those who want gift baskets that are more personal than just fruit, there are companies who will build fruit baskets to suit a particular client. They will include items requested or even those sent in and make sure the delivery is speedy enough to ensure the fruit is in its perfect eating form upon arrival.
Here are some ideas for more personalized fruit baskets either for friends, family or even business relations:
* Golf lover's fruit basket. This basket can include some great fruits to eat on the go while on the course such as apples and pears plus golf balls, towels, golf passes and more can be included to round out the gift. * Baby showers. Fresh fruits and preserves can be arranged tastefully around items the mother-to-be will most certainly need - rattles, baby food items, clothing, towels, receiving blankets and more. Make sure to choose fruit the mommy craves while picking items that will particularly useful for the new little one. * Fruit and wine baskets. Nothing compliments a great wine selection like fresh fruit, cheese, crackers and even gourmet breads if delivery is imminent. * Strawberries and chocolates go together as well as peanut butter and jelly. If you want to create a strawberry basket that includes gourmet chocolates, that's more than doable. * Holiday baskets. Send Florida fresh citrus at the holidays to friends and family and tuck other small, wrapped gifts into the basket. Nothing makes a cold morning's breakfast more special than a slice of fresh orange or fresh lemon for tea. * Corporate gifts. These baskets tend to be the real eye catchers. Make sure to include something with your company's logo - a small box of chocolates, specialty card - and go to town. * Valentine's Day. Fruit baskets here can be a real hit. These can include fresh strawberries, citrus, apples and more. Many companies will even have a selection of chocolates, wines or teddy bears and more to include in the basket and will offer personalization options as well.
No matter the occasion and no matter the recipient, fruit baskets are appropriate. Choose the fruits according to what you know people like and if possible get gift companies to include other items as well. Fruit baskets can be anything but ordinary if you use your imagination.
Copyright (c) 2006
It is a lot of fun to try growing fruit indoors year round. This is a great hobby if you live in an area that receives severe winter weather that would not support the growth of certain warm-weather fruit, such as citrus trees. With indoor gardening, you can provide everything you fruit plants need to thrive and produce fresh fruit year round.
Dwarf fruit trees can successfully be grown indoors. Citrus such as lemon and lime, as well as fruits such as apple, avocado, nectarine, banana, fig, pomegranate and kiwi provide a lovely fruit. A self-pollinating tree is best, because otherwise you will need another tree of the same type to pollinate your desired tree in order for it to fruit. Happily, dwarf fruit trees produce regular-sized fruit, just not as much as on a standard-sized tree.
Lemon and lime dwarf trees in an indoor situation bloom throughout the year. They will produce three to four crops a year. They appreciate the warm temperatures that reign in your home. You will need much light for your citrus to be happy indoors.Grow lights and Grow lamps such as HID lights, which are used along with electronic ballasts or digital ballasts that control the flow of electrical current, produce light that is most similar to sunlight than other types of chrome dome light bulbs, and they are a great choice for indoor citrus.
There are other tropical trees that will bear fruit indoors. A Natal plum has white fragrant flowers that bear bright red fruit. Surinam cherry has white flowers that have fruit that starts green, moves to red and ends up dark purple. The stunning Barbados cherry starts with lavender or pink flowers that form bright-red berries. Dwarf pomegranate will get to three feet tall indoors, and can actually be used for bonsai because they are evergreen. The fruit is a bit smaller than what you might find at a supermarket, but the taste is wonderful.
Because we don't have birds or bees indoors to pollinate our fruit, we have to help our plants along by transferring pollen from flower to flower by using a small paintbrush or a cotton swab. You will want to water your fruit plants thoroughly, and then let them dry out a little between the times you water. Any good-quality potting soil will work well, and you can apply an organic blooming houseplant food to give them the nutrition they need. Increase the indoor humidity by putting a tray with pebbles and water in the bottom near the plant, or running a humidifier in the room with the plants.
You will be happy for your indoor fruit when you pick a fresh lemon in the middle of winter.
Both Jessica Deets & Susan Slobac are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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