With the new year upcoming, most people are thinking of the resolutions they want to make. When you are considering your resolutions, do not leave out your garden. Here are some ways you can improve your garden in 2006 if you make it a priority (or make time for it if it is your hobby).
One possible resolution is to start your garden! I once worked with a woman who did not cook. She spent her time reading cookbooks to "learn" how to cook. The problem was that she never actually cooked, so her family only knew restaurant cooking. It is easy to get that way with your garden, too. You spend the time researching and learning and never actually get around to the doing. So make it your resolution to start your garden.
Start a compost pile in an effort to go organic. If you have been thinking about going organic, then this year is the time to start! Your first job can be to start a compost bin. A large bin will take about a year before the materials are ready to be used in your garden, but if you start now, you will have a small amount ready by next year.
Make it a point to weed your garden weekly. If you are like me, my few feeble attempts at growing plants have turned out badly because I do not work them into my schedule. Instead of putting them on my daily to do list, I say, "oh, I'll get to it." If you are the same way, then you can try to put them on the list. You can make it a point to add watering that kitchen plant to your morning routine or add weeding the garden to your list of Saturday chores.
Add a new plant to your garden. Whether it is a herb, vegetable, or flower garden, it could always use more citizens. Make it your goal to have one more type of plant in your garden this year. Take some time in January and February to research the possible types of plants you can add. Make it something fun, challenging, and maybe a little different from your normal gardening decisions.
Get some garden decorations to add this year. You can add these decorations one at a time or all at once. Just make it your goal this year to spice up the garden's appearance. Whether you have a vegetable or flower garden does not matter, there are a number of types of garden ornaments you can add.
A few options are iridescent bulbs that will catch the light and sparkle in your garden. While there are sun catchers that children make, there also are more adult versions of sun catchers that you could try. Paving stones or walking stones are good choices, too, as they will help you to walk through the garden.
If you want to add garden decor that is a bit more exciting, then you may want to think about a fountain. They are beautiful and can make something really beautiful in your garden. If you have a colorful garden that is a joy to see, then consider adding in some benches. At the very least, you can try putting in some small garden stones or small statues. You can get small statues for little money, and they really will give your garden character.
Another possibility for your gardening resolution for this year is to put up a border. While you may love your garden, it will seem more like a sanctuary if you put a border around it. Depending on the border, this project can get pricey, so you may want to consider doing this project in pieces. If you live in a cold area, then you will have to wait until the ground thaws, but that does not mean that you cannot plan before then.
There are a number of ways you can add improving your gardening, and your state of mind with it, this year. Just think about your garden. What bothers you? What would you like to improve about your garden? Make whatever improvements you need your New Year's Resolution for this year so that your garden will be better by next year!
By Julia Mercer
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