Released December 14, 2009
URBANA, Ill. -- To all those New Year's resolutions of losing weight, getting more exercise, and spending less money, gardeners might want to add another category, said a University of Illinois Extension unit horticulture educator.
"With the start of a new year we get to take a little time and reflect on the changes we want to make in our lives. Often, we make New Year's resolutions that are oriented to changes we want to make in our personal lives. They are often hard to keep because patterns of behaviors are hard to change," Jeff Rugg said.
"Many of us are gardeners because we enjoy the seasonal changes in the landscape and because we can make changes to our gardens. Even in the middle of winter we are thinking about gardening and planning on making changes as we get each new garden catalog in the mail."
Resolutions
One of the ways to make garden changes a fun project is to resolve to keep a photographic journal of your garden.
"Writing things down is often too hard to do as we never seem to have a pencil and the notebook when we are out looking at the garden," Rugg said. "Use your cell phone camera or other digital camera to take pictures of the areas that need changing. You can print the pictures at your leisure and add notes to a note card about what you did in the garden that goes with the picture in an album.
"The next time you are at the garden center pull up the pictures on your phone and have the attendant help you in choosing new plants for that spot," he added.
Another fun resolution to keep is to learn more about gardening.
"Resolve to take a gardening class with your local Extension office that is part of your state university," Rugg said. "All year long they offer local classes on many gardening subjects.
"Another aspect of the learning process is to go and see what others are doing. If you can't plan your vacation around a garden show, at least visit arboretums and gardens near your destination."
Resolve to try new plants in your garden. Don't just replant red geraniums in the flower pot on the patio. Skip the Dracenea spike and asparagus ferns by the front door and try mixing up the flowers in new combinations.
"In the vegetable garden try at least one new vegetable that you have never grown before," Rugg said. "Not that adventurous? Then try at least one new variety of tomato that you haven't grown before. You may be surprised at how much your family likes the new vegetables and you will be prepared for some year in the future when the old standard tomato variety that you have always grown in the past is no longer available."
To help your garden and landscape grow better and healthier this year, Rugg has a few more suggested resolutions:
-- I resolve to add more mulch to my flower beds where it will decrease weeds, saving me money on weed killers and protecting the environment from useless applications.
-- I resolve to remove the mulch from around the trunks of my trees. Mulch piled on a tree trunk doesn't help the tree, but kills it.
-- I resolve to save time and money by pruning my trees and shrubs in their natural shapes, not goofy squares and balls.
-- I resolve to find out what disease or insect is affecting my plant before I treat my yard with incorrect and ineffective poisons. Saying "it can't hurt" isn't really true.
-- I resolve to mow my grass at a higher height. The longer leaves support a better root system, so the grass needs less water and fights weeds better.
-- I resolve to start a compost pile and add to it regularly so that I don't waste money buying compost to add to my garden.
-- I resolve to take my power tools and lawnmower to the appropriate outlet for servicing and sharpening. Properly adjusted tools pollute less and sharp tools work better, making them safer.
-- I resolve to order more catalogs from http://www.mailordergardening.com, as it is the most comprehensive list of gardening catalogs.
-- And lastly, I resolve to enjoy my garden by eating outside more often, strolling through the yard to smell the flowers without pulling any weeds, and having at least one party with family and friends so they can enjoy the garden too.
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http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/news/stories/news4975.html
Source: Jeff Rugg, 630-553-5823, jrugg@illinois.edu
Writer: Gary Beaumont, (217) 333-9440, beaumont@illinois.edu
