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New (Gardening) Year Resolutions

SYinUSASYinUSA Posts: 243
in The potting shed
As the growing season is starting to dwindle, I like to take stock of where the garden stands and what I need to do for next year. Next year I resolve to: 

- Grow more from seed - and start early! (Leave time to start again when the seedlings die from too much water. Or not enough water. Whichever.)
- Use more plants in pots and tuck them into the borders where needed. (Sidestep my constant indecision and analysis paralysis with temporary plant placements.)
- Use more supports. I have access to some bamboo that would be good for this. (Just about the time I'm happy with a grouping, we get a good hard rain that flattens it all.)
- Chelsea chop/Hampton hack. (Once I figure out what that means.)
- Pull/dig weeds early (Easiest to spot in winter when they're the only green things about.)
- Grow more veg. (Why pay $1.75/lb at the store when I can pay $50 for compost, seed, mulch, and fertilizer to grow my very own glorious singular blossom-end-rotted tomato?)
- Use plant labels. (Seriously, what did I just plant?)
- Build and use obelisks for height. (Draw the eye up and away from the weeds.)

Most of you have gardens far beyond mine, but what's on your list of things to improve on for next year?

Posts

  • coccinellacoccinella Posts: 1,428
    After the recent dry summers here I am going to make the garden more "spring" oriented. So I will saw stuff that will bloom between march and June, I am going to increase the draught resistant plants. Unlike you I am going to grow less in pots as too much watering is needed. But I agree a pot can be such a help in between other garden plants. Of course we will probably have the wettest summer yet in 2023. Gardening keeps us humble, and that is a good thing.

    Luxembourg
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    3 heatwaves and a 6 month drought here plus a new knee have restricted gardening and growth this year so my plan is to get weeding as soon as wev'e had enough rain to make the soil workable and then get planting as many of the trees, shrubs and perennials in my "nursery" as possible so they can get their roots down all thru winter.

    I'll then get OH to empty compost heaps onto the beds, saving the best stuff to feed and mulch the ornamental beds and using the rest for deep bedding in the veg plot.

    Seeds will be sown this autumn and early next spring to get ahead of heat and drought and there will be more seephoses for veggies tho I wouldn't mind a wetter summer after the last three scorchers.    Hoping to make a new island bed for plants for pollinators but that depends on OH who does the heavy lifting in the garden. 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • SYinUSASYinUSA Posts: 243
    @coccinella Yes, I need to do more for spring color as well. Bulbs don't seem to do well in my area, but I've chucked in some daffodils, tulips, and alliums and crossed my fingers. I should buy another batch to put in pots. Maybe if I get those seeds started now, I'll have something flowering by early spring. My heavy clay gives even native plants a hard time at it, so I unfortunately can't just plant everything in the ground immediately. I'll just have to drag around a hose or watering can for pots until I can improve the soil a bit.

    @Obelixx It was a dry summer here, too. It was hard especially for newly established gardens like mine. I think I lost a lot of plants, though I still hold out hope that they're just resting for now and will return next year. Hopefully next year is rainier and the new knee helps your mobility enough to get gardening again! At age 16 I was told I'd probably need knee replacements by the time I was 30. I'm a few years overdue now so I understand completely how your knees can wipe out your ability to do much of anything in the garden.

    Your mention of compost reminds me I need to turn mine and start a new pile. The old one has newly added stuff to it that hasn't rotted at all, but I suppose that can't be helped.
  • ChezNousChezNous Posts: 40
    Simply to get more organised now that I'm a few years in. I know what I like and want, what works (not much due to heavy clay soil and aspect) and to be less wasteful (the plants I've killed and those that could never thrive in my garden) and to be more patient while trying things out. This basically means keep learning which is a joy in and of itself.
    I am guilty of not labelling everything and want to be more on top of gardening tasks on a regular basis so that I don't get overwhelmed during the busy times.
    Late to gardening .... @cheznousgarden
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    @SYinUSA the new knee is doing well but I can't yet kneel on it which hampers weeding for me as I like to get close and check for seedlings of treasures.   The other will bedone in early July next year, all being well, so I have a while to get the preps done.

    One thing I'm planning is a dry bed which will need plenty of work preparing the soil and then mulching after planting so it can all cope.  Lots of mulching to go on the existing beds too so OH will be busy with his chipping machine and we'll buy some in from a tree surgeon and get it all on before spring.

    We have recently planted shrubs and trees here too but OH had a strict watering schedule to keep those going thru our drought.  Three are looking a bit dodgy but we're finally having some rain this weekend so fingers crossed they'll do better next year.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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