In the Garden:
New Year's Resolutions

By Bonnie Orr, Master Gardener

Several years ago, I resolved that I wouldn't garden if it wasn't fun, so I changed my gardening habits.

I eliminated the plants that were driving me crazy. Many times they were the wrong plant in the wrong place, so they failed to thrive despite my devoted care. They either had too much sun and wilted and burned or were puny and reaching for the light.

The more difficult culling was ridding my garden of plants that had a high maintenance-to-pleasure ratio. The day lilies, which only looked good for a month but took up lots of space and spent months in shaggy decline each year, got composted. The replacement salvias bloom carefree from May to October and attract butterflies, hummingbirds and beneficial insects.

I gave away all the dahlias and gladiolus because I hated having to plant in spring, stake, debud the dahlias, dig the corms/tubers, check them every other week while they rested in the basement without getting too cold, too hot, too dry, too wet, too mildewy. Whew!

I also decided not to tolerate plants I did not like, even if Martha Stewart said it was the hottest plant that year. I tore out the Jostaberry because I did not like the taste of the fruit and put in an additional black currant whose taste and aroma I adore.

My next year's resolution was to be a pro-active gardener. This goal enhanced my quality of life and the health of my garden.

During the heart of summer, I would rise early and, with a coffee mug in my left hand and a spray bottle of soapy water in my right hand, I would walk my little green retreat at sunrise to appreciate the smells, the colors and the quiet. I also spied the beginnings of insect attacks — and sprayed the little devils with soapy water (insecticidal soap), which killed them and their eggs before the bugs could grow a flourishing colony. I have never had to use pesticides again.

Some days, I strolled slowly about the garden in the early evening, unwinding from work and sipping a nice red wine. As I wandered, I admired that day's new blooms. I also had a chance to keep an eye out for irrigation problems — a washout caused by a broken or leaking head or a languishing dry spot. Then I assessed how effectively my irrigation regime was working and adjusted it as the days warmed and then cooled.

Another year I resolved not to be held hostage by the lawn. My first promise was to eliminate the lawn in places it did not thrive.

I had areas near the sidewalk that were too dry. This was the place to amend the soil and plant Xeric plants that would provide color all season and not keep me toiling in the garden.

Then the dry shade of the evergreens was defeating even the Fescue, so I put in starts of ground covers, a variegated aluminum plant and a Vinca, and the weak, spotty lawn under the trees just gave up the ghost.

Lawns cannot compete with shallow water-hungry tree roots. Ground covers are not as thirsty as grass.

Lawns are not environmentally friendly because we do live in a desert and grass needs lots of water and chemicals, and the excess fertilizers seep into the groundwater.

I vowed to have a smaller lawn with both annual and perennial grasses so I would not have to use pre-emergents and only fertilize once in the spring to get the lawn growing vigorously enough to be deeply rooted by the time of the summer heat.

Because I changed the mower height to 2 inches, the grass roots stayed cooler with less evaporation, and I did not have burned spots and watered less. I used four empty tuna fish cans all season to monitor the distribution of the irrigation water so I could make adjustments before I discovered desiccated plants or drowned spots full of spurge and sedges.

This year, I plan to work on my health: I will always, always wear a sun hat, sunscreen, Chapstick and gloves. Then I will look as good as my garden. At least that is my resolution.