Q: I need some new gardening New Year’s resolutions. I’m tired of resolving to keep the beds free of weeds.
A: Fortunately, the best resolutions for the garden are also what’s best for the gardener.
I think the most important resolution is to get in touch with your ecosystem. Most plant requirements are quite simple: good soil, sunshine and the right level of moisture. Just as the philosophers say to know thyself, you should know your plants.
In the best possible world, every garden would be planted in the perfect type of soil for the plants, so find out what that is for your plants and garden. Once you have chosen or created the right soil, water and sunshine are the next issues.
Evaluate your garden carefully. You can lighten the workload of gardening by making sure you have the right plant in the right place. Make a list, and move the shade lovers to shade, the moisture lovers to wet spots and the rampant growers to any hard-to-fill spaces.