3 Gardening New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home

If you’re like most, you’re reflecting on last year and thinking about how to get the most from 2022. One of the most common ways to keep accountable is through New Year’s resolutions. A New Year’s resolution is a promise to ourselves – one we are more likely to keep if we tell others. Home improvement is a popular resolution, and gardening projects often top the list. Whether you’re wanting to boost curb appeal or looking for fun ways to spend your weekend afternoons, keep reading. This article covers three gardening New Year’s resolutions for your home you should consider.

Gardening New Year’s Resolutions #1: Create a New Flower Garden

If you’ve considered a new garden, this might be your year! Start making decisions and plans before the planting season begins in your zone. Gardens can be any size, from an eighth of an acre in the field out back to flower beds on either side of the front entrance. The size will depend on the space available and what you want to grow.

If you are thinking of harvesting summer vegetables like tomatoes, summer squash, and corn, you’ll have to think in terms of how many rows your space can handle. If beautiful flowers are your goal, even a small strip can be a start, although larger clusters of flowers tend to be very striking. While successful gardening takes work, it’s also fun and satisfying to see progress. 

There are several things to consider when starting a new garden. Will you be solely responsible for preparing the soil, fertilizing, planting, watering, weeding, and fall clean-up? Will you hire a landscaper? How much sun does your area get? Is it morning sun, or afternoon?

If your yard is particularly shady, there are shade plants, of course. But, at least four hours a day of sunlight gives you far more options. Easy access to a spigot to hook up a hose is mandatory.

To get started, you can use a rototiller or turn over the lawn with a spade, use a hoe to break up the clumps, and then rake out the grass or hay. Once you have cut the garden, hand tools should be fine for annual spring soil preparation.

You probably will want a combination of seeds and seedlings. The more plants, the faster the start of the garden. But there is magic, especially for kids, in dropping a tiny seed into the earth and watching a six-foot corn stalk grow. Starting a new area is a great gardening resolution for the New Year.

Gardening New Year’s Resolution #2: Add A Water Feature

Adding a water feature is a popular gardening New Year’s resolution for many homeowners. A water feature comes in all shapes and sizes. People love the soothing sounds of moving water and calming reflections. 

When adding a water feature, you must consider available space, intended uses, commitment to upkeep, and budget. 

A pond will require excavation, placement of a liner, landscaping, and possibly plumbing. That means an initial investment and potentially a lot of work. If you want to install underground pipes, it will require some plumbing skills. If possible, locate your pond where it gets lots of sunlight. And where (you hope) trees won’t shed too many autumn leaves. Most planting (water lilies, lotuses) should be in containers.

Moving on to fish is a relatively easy step. Many people select various goldfish and koi for their ponds. All can be purchased online and successfully shipped.

Just remember that in your water garden, many plants, desirable or not, grow super fast, and all “weeding” is underwater. Underwater weeding could be a deterrent for some people. But if not, adding a water feature is a great gardening resolution.

Gardening New Year’s Resolution #3: Grow Your Lawn 

Friends and neighbors alike admire a beautiful lawn. 

Proper lawn care can be a daunting task. We all aspire to have that flawless, healthy green carpet, but getting there takes work. Many lawn problems can arise, despite how much you fertilize, water, and mow. 

The first source of lawn concerns is sunlight. Generally speaking, the deeper the shade, the more grass problems. Your options include reseeding the lawn with shade-tolerant grass seed or reducing the shade by cutting away the lower limbs of your trees to admit more sunlight. You might have noticed that areas of grass that seem fine in early spring but gradually become dirt patches as the leaves thicken and shade creeps in.

Soil chemistry – and PH – is the second biggest factor impacting lawns. For example, if you have lots of oak trees, your yard can become intensely acidic with the annual downpour of acorns. Acidic soil agrees with many plants, but not grasses. Moss grows well in acidic soil. You can change the pH of your lawn soil by applying lime or certain fertilizers.

The third source of lawn problems is water. Few areas of the country regularly get the rainfall needed for robust, bright green, beautiful lawns. Watering by hand is rarely consistent enough to do the trick. A sprinkler is better for consistency. Getting your lawn in tip-top shape is one of the best ways to boost curb appeal, making it a great gardening New Year’s resolution.

New Year’s Resolutions – PlantTAGG Can Help

As you’re getting your year off to a new start, let PlantTAGG help! If you’re planting a new flower bed, looking for landscaping plans, or hoping to plant a new summer harvest, PlantTAGG makes planning and caring for your yard and garden a breeze.

Text “PLANTS” to 46376 to get started today!

Happy New Year!