2010 has chances for new growth
It seems most everyone has a list of things they want to accomplish with the dawning of each new year, and many gardeners have their own list of new year's resolutions as 2010 is ushered in.
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For many gardeners, the new year signals another opportunity to clear out the storage shed, organize tools and prepare for another growing season. But for several area gardeners, their list goes a little deeper.
Harlem gardener Tom Blalock has a short list of things he wants to accomplish in 2010.
"I've got three resolutions as of now," he said. "One is to prune early, and carefully, my grapevines and my blueberries. Another is to get mulch incorporated early into my vegetable garden. Now is a good time for getting leaves delivered by the city."
Finally, Blalock wants to be sure to use the right kind and amounts of lime on his lawn, following University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service guidelines. He also hopes to ensure the best growth of his plants by putting them in sunny locations, remembering that the sun moves from winter to spring to summer to fall, so each season will present its own challenges.
Gardener Ann Leonard wonders "where to start" when compiling her new year's resolutions, but she has been able to come up with two she is going to work toward.
"My two biggest gardening resolutions are to record all of my plantings in my plant journal with notations on how they grew so I can remember the following year what went right and what went wrong, and secondly, to save every plant label so that I'm not wondering what the heck that plant is when someone asks," she said.
Mary Louise Hagler said she's had more time than usual to think about her resolutions, as her son has been sick and she has been "grounded."
Hagler hopes to grow more food for her family and share her passion for gardening with children. She also wants to join a community-supported agriculture group and start two "lasagna" garden beds.
Perhaps Hagler's biggest resolution will be to prepare her "little" garden for the 2010 garden tour.
The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service offers information for those just starting out and can help professional gardeners with any questions. Visit their Web site at www.caes.uga.edu/extension.