New Years Resolutions

It's a beautiful, sunny day, but like most winter days, it takes it until afternoon to warm up enough to be able to get one self outside.  So I sit among my newly arrived seed catalogs with a Joe Walsh cd getting me somewhat motivated, which leads me to my New Years resolutions.  My resolutions are strictly garden related.  I don't even entertain the idea of "normal" resolutions because I know upfront I'll never stick to them.  Heck, I have enough of a problem sticking to the gardening ones....and I love gardening.  I'll do what I usually do and overload the resolution list, but the first ones that come to mind are these.....

Companion planting is up there right at the top.  Yea, I know the basics...marigolds for nematodes, basil for tomatoes, onions/garlic for roses.  But this year, for example,  I want to plant pot marigolds, or other wise known as calendula, just generally around here and there.  They are suppose to improve the vigor of a lot of plants, asparagus for one, so we will see.  There are many, many more experiments with companion planting I want to try, but my resolution isn't just to try them, but to actually take the time and observe and record if they are working or not.

I have more trees up here on this hill that produces more leaves than I know what to do with, so I am going to invest in a blower/vacuum/shredder and use the leaves I shred on all the garden beds as mulch.  I'm tired of buying and hauling mulch and am going to try and attain another resolution, being more sustainable and using what I have available.  The earthworms should be happy with this decision, as they like leafmold.  We shall see if it's enough to make the plants happy as well.  I'm figuring the shredded leaves won't take as much to break down, so therefore shouldn't rob the soil of as much nitrogen as mulch would.  I shall record these results as well!

I have alot of gardening books that have "home remedies" or "old timey" gardening tips in them but I generally, after reading them, think it's a great idea than proceed to forgetting to implement them.  One that comes to mind is using corn meal as a fungicide.  Regular corn meal from the grocery.  Supposedly it is suppose to help with many of the tomato funguses.  Experts disagree with the notion, but gardeners swear it works.  Being a skeptical type, I want to try it for myself and not take either's word for it.  Some gardeners say that planting squash in the 3 sisters method also helps with the fungus on squash plants because of the corn.  Corn gluten, which is different from the meal, is suppose to work at keeping seeds, notably weed seeds, from germinating.  So if anyone tries this, pick the right corn product!  Milk mixed with water as a preventative/ cure for powdery mildew is another I'm going to try on my beebalm and hollyhocks.  I hope these work for the fact that I garden organically and it sure would be beneficial to the plants.

Now, Joe Walsh has played out and I'm on to the Doobie Brothers, and while the music is playing in the background, my mind is consumed with dreams of this years gardening season.  The seed catalogs have got some of the most beautiful and different Zinnias this year.  Must be a good year for them!  There are a few I want to try.  I have an empty place picked out in the garden for borage.  It's near a birdbath that I placed a blue saucer on and the blue of the borage flowers should be pretty next to it.  There are different varieties of basil I see, and while I might try a new one, I will also not forget my old friends and plant them too.  I try to purchase mostly seeds if I can.  It is more economical and I actually have paid attention and noticed I get healthier plants in the long run if they start from seed.  Excluding shrubs or trees, of course.

The weather has warmed up, so I think I'll take myself for a stroll around the garden and do some more daydreaming out where I can picture it more clearly.  Hopefully I will stick to at least a few of this years resolutions...with one being to stick to my resolutions!