Well, folks. It’s the end of the year! And as short as these winter days are, for us die-hard gardener / grower types, they can sure feel long … as we gaze longingly out at our snow-blanketed planter boxes like a lonely puppy, counting down the weeks till spring with every can or jar of harvest-time goodies we finish …
But wait a minute! What better time than as we wave goodbye to 2015 could there be to start planning our 2016 yards and gardens? Not only does getting a jump on it now help you hit the ground running (or raking …), it gives you a really great thing to get excited about when people ask you your New Year’s resolution!
So leave the vows for fad diets and garage clean-ups to your Facebook friends. Read on for our favorite 8 New Year’s resolutions for gardeners and growers — ones sure to make it a truly Happy New Year for you and your plants!
FOR NEW GARDENERS!
1. Start a Garden!
If you don’t have a garden yet … start one! No matter what style of gardening / planting / growing you want to do, get things off to an amazing beginning with a healthy dose of KICK and other beyond organic Full Circle compost products … so your plants can go from zero to hero in one season.
If you’re new to the region, let us warn you that gardening in Nevada can be tough … but NOT if you have the right soil. Since most Nevada properties don’t start off with nice, developed, mature soil, you’ll just have to nurture it on up to the right conditions.
(Find out more about bad compost versus good compost for Nevada growing here; learn more about Nevada soil here.)
FOR YOUR GARDEN!
2. Start a Gardening Journal
Not only will this will motivate you to make plans–and stick to them!–but it can help you keep track of planting schedules, successes & failures, and other experience that’ll get those thumbs looking greener in no time.
3. Make a Planting Calendar!
Like your journal, having a dedicated gardening calendar helps you remember when to START projects, buy seeds or seedlings, prep soil, plant, harvest, and all the other fun steps that lead to delicious homegrown veggies and beautiful yards.
4. Build Raised Garden Beds!
You know, like the ones you see in yards around your neighborhood and wish you had. Well this year’s your year and you can get started BEFORE the planting season. Whether you want small front-yard herb-and-veggie boxes or a full-on greenhouse operation like Gary’s, all it takes is a trip to the hardware store, some dedication, and our plant-loving KICK to get things growing BIG! Learn how to build raised garden beds with guides from Sunset, Lowe’s and Eartheasy as inspiration. (You can always buy planter boxes and raised garden beds, but what’s the fun in that!)
5. Build a Compost System!
Wanna get serious about composting? Make your own! One of our favorite composting systems is the 3 pile backyard compost system. It’s a little labor-intensive, and is definitely a commitment. But if you’re up for the challenge, the payoff is (bio)massive. Go here for our instructions, tips and advice!
FOR YOUR YARD / PROPERTY!
6. Re-seed Your Lawn!
Love your lawn? This spring, get your turf to come back lusher and plusher than ever before with this way-too-easy 4-step turf reseed plan. Lasting results in as quick as 2 weeks! Check out photos of some real-life success stories from Reno, David in South Lake Tahoe, and University of Nevada.
7. Xeriscape Nevada Style!
Don’t love your lawn? Rip it out! Save water, defend against drought, cut costs, improve the value of your home, AND make your neighbors jealous by converting your yard to a natural landscape that requires minimal maintenance. Just get it started and let Nature do the hard work, season after season! Learn more about the benefits and see the payoffs in our Xeriscape Nevada articles.
8. Go Native!
Grow more natural, local, native species of plants and flowers! Not only have they been living and growing successfully in our region for a long, long time; they’re beautiful. And trust us, it ain’t all sagebrush! See our list of dozens of drought-tolerant plants that LOVE Nevada here: Xeriscape Reno – Improve Your Home’s Value) and learn how to incorporate them into your own personal ecosystem.
For more great tips, advice and professional secrets to growing in Nevada & Beyond in 2016, sign up for The Planter’s Post, a goody-packed monthly newsletter!
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