What’s Your Top Gardening Resolution for the Coming Year?

[Shades-of-Oregon]

In my neck of the woods literally, there have been 2 natural thinning out procedural networks for the must haves and the have nots.

I . Every ground critter in the county has enjoyed the acres of salad bars set up just for their enjoyment. Naturally sorting out the florals vs the trees and shrubs in the garden.

2 . The climate change has introduced a summer so hot I have had to change garden ‘Wants’ to ‘Only’ needs.
Water is a precious commodity where I live. My water well is 250’ deep and in summer the water table drops. Less water available to feed those thirsty garden plants. During the exploding summers temps is extremely hot and in the 3 digits . The shade trees and shrubs have become the masters at keeping the home cool . Since the electricity has been turned off occasionally, the trees and shrubs have been instrumental in cooling the house not requiring the use of air conditioning.
When trees cool homes, this process is called evapotranspiration refers to the release of water vapor from tree leaves, which absorbs heat from the surrounding air, creating a cooling effect. Works great .

 

[ducks4you]

" I'll toss the seeds into the wildlife garden area and let them grow as they please.'
SO smart!
I have learned that wildflower and wildlife gardens also need some tending and the weeds LOOOOOVVVVVEEEE to crash the party there!

 

[akroberts]

I've always tried to be organic when gardening. I'm also working on making my garden not just with raised beds but I am going to try the hugelkultre system for the beds. I'm also going to start an herb garden plus I am going to get some flower beds done. I'm thinking about making some type of a garden on the fence. Oh yeah I am going to plant an area just for my Fennel.

 

[Carol Dee]

To keep ahead of the weeds! Wish me luck.

 

[akroberts]

To keep ahead of the weeds! Wish me luck.

Yes the nasty weeds that keep us busier than anything else. Mine is mostly crabgrass.

 

[flowerbug]

Yes the nasty weeds that keep us busier than anything else. Mine is mostly crabgrass.

it takes a lot of persistent effort to get rid of it, but it can be done.

 

[Shades-of-Oregon]

In my many years of gardening it’s my experience weeds are just a fact of gardening life. They come from all directions. Wind currents, shoes carry on weed seeds, animals, birds , feed for stock and disturbing the soil can turn up weed seeds that have been waiting to sprout for years.
Some times it helps to put down an organic pre emergent product. Even horticulture vinegar that is 20%more acetic acid, making it much more potent for weed control and than house hold vinegar. Some smother weeds.
So many books available with homemade weed killer recipes that claim to help control some weeds. Pulling by hand and a combination of different techniques help gardeners control weeds. Even the commercial products. So whatever direction chosen that works allows a gardener a bit of peace I’m all for it.

 

[Debbie292d]

To try to grow tomatoes in the house, totally.

We can't beat blight in the 10 years we've been out here, so this year, a few days ago, my grow light arrived. I'm going to try growing tomatoes solely indoors. Do not even try suggesting anything for blight, as we did it all. Even the disease and blight-resistant tomatoes get blight. I'm told it's just bad where we are, as farmers in our area have the same issues.

So this was my goal for 2026: to try to grow tomatoes here.

Three Rutgers and a Tiny Tim. (A wheat and oats pot was made since, for the cats.) The trays on the back wall are for growing wheat for the chickens.

 

[flowerbug]

To try to grow tomatoes in the house, totally.

We can't beat blight in the 10 years we've been out here, so this year, a few days ago, my grow light arrived. I'm going to try growing tomatoes solely indoors. Do not even try suggesting anything for blight, as we did it all. Even the disease and blight-resistant tomatoes get blight. I'm told it's just bad where we are, as farmers in our area have the same issues.

yes, whatever it is that gets the tomatoes here i did try all sorts of things and nothing made much difference other than giving the plants a lot more space, but in the end it does still take them out eventually. my continued growing of them works because by the time the blight gets way too bad the plants are mostly done anyways. that is all i need for them to do, provide a harvest even if they look rather beat up by the end.

it is sad though because the plants look so good the first half of the season.

when i stop being able to get a harvest of tomatoes will be the time that i worry about it because so far even with the blight we do well. we normally grow beefsteak type tomatoes and have plenty enough for canning.

 

[SPedigrees]

To try to grow tomatoes in the house, totally.

We can't beat blight in the 10 years we've been out here, so this year, a few days ago, my grow light arrived. I'm going to try growing tomatoes solely indoors. Do not even try suggesting anything for blight, as we did it all. Even the disease and blight-resistant tomatoes get blight. I'm told it's just bad where we are, as farmers in our area have the same issues.

So this was my goal for 2026: to try to grow tomatoes here.

Three Rutgers and a Tiny Tim. (A wheat and oats pot was made since, for the cats.) The trays on the back wall are for growing wheat for the chickens.

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Good luck to you. I hope your indoor tomatoes will grow strong and prosper.

Late blight is so discouraging. When it hit my area, I stopped growing tomatoes altogether for a number of years. When I installed raised beds I gave them another try, and so far, so good.