Sharon Hull, This Week in the Garden: New Year’s resolutions in the garden

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I don’t usually, but for 2013 I want to make some changes in how I garden, so a few resolutions seem in order. Perhaps you, too, can think of ways you could become a better gardener. First a caution, however. In Dave’s Garden Weekly Newsletter (http://davesgarden.com/), I found this excellent advice in a posting by Lori Geistlinger: “When composing next year’s resolutions, it behooves one to remember the Rule. There is only one Rule, but it is vital: Next year’s goals must be achievable and realistic.” Let’s all take that rule to heart! So here is my (hopefully realistic and achievable) list:

1. Keep up with the constantly needed pinching back in spring and summer. Don’t wait until drastic pruning is necessary to reshape a plant. This is especially true of fuchsias which bloom on the tips of branches; to get full plants with many flowers, the gardener cannot skip repeatedly removing the tips to encourage better branching.

2. Have my pruners professionally sharpened at long last. Dull tools mangle plant tissues rather than give sharp cuts. This is not good for the plant and certainly doesn’t create a well-groomed look. (My shovels and saws could use some badly-overdue attention as well.)

3. Add more butterfly bird-friendly plants and use natives whenever possible. A big part of the joy of a garden for me is the parade of critters

it attracts. The movement and color of birds and butterflies satisfies my craving for beauty around me. Two excellent links offer help: http://www.laspilitas.com/bird.htm and http://www.laspilitas.com/garden/wildlife.htm.

4. Further my education. Read more, certainly, but also attend local talks and workshops. Such as: