We all do it.

Promise ourselves that next year will be different. Perhaps this year will be the year when we follow through with the resolutions.

I decided to ask some local gardeners what their 2015 garden resolutions are, and this is what I came up with.

• Weeding came up a lot. Many gardeners, including myself, hope to stay ahead of the weeds.
• Water plants on time, before they get too dry, or not to overwater.
• Be more efficient when watering. Water in the mornings and use a soaker hose. Group plants together. Plant drought plants in areas where the irrigation does not get to. Get a rain barrel to catch the water, and use that water for the plants.
• Build up the soil. Add compost and old manure to the soil as this will help in growing healthier plants and will help in the soils water absorption.
• Attract pollinators such as birds, bees, and butterflies to the yard, by planting flowers, herbs, and flowering shrubs that attract them.
• Plant a vegetable garden, or enlarge the vegetable garden and share the produce with those less fortunate.
• Start more plants from seed. Purchase seeds early in the season. Seed racks begin to arrive in the garden centre in January.
• Become a gardener, even if you only have a patio or balcony. Container gardening whether it is edibles, or flowers, is something that everyone can do, even if space is limited.
• Start composting. Composting saves the landfill as kitchen scraps, plant debris, etc are added to the compost and the finished compost is mixed into the soil and amends it.
• Take out some of the lawn and add a flower/shrub bed. A well-kept lawn is a lot of work especially keeping the weeds out. A landscaped bed with shrubs and trees and the use of landscape fabric and mulch requires less maintenance.
• Look after gardening tools. Good quality tools are an investment and will last for years if looked after properly. Tools should be cleaned regularly, kept dry, and oiled periodically, pruners need to be sharpened.
• Keep tools in one place so that they can be found when you need them. A garden tool bag is ideal for small hand tools. Trowels seem to disappear easily, perhaps painting the handle with bright colours will help locate them.
• Roll up the garden hose, after using it. Hose reels are an easy way to keep hoses rolled up so people don’t trip over the hose!
• Make a plan and follow it. This is the perfect time of year to look at the landscape and see what changes you would like to do. Staff at the garden centre have the time now to answer any questions you may have. Also newly available is the ‘Art Knapp’s Plantland, Plant and Garden Guide’ book. The book has over 350 pages of pictures and information about cold climate gardening for the Prince George area.
• Start a garden journal and keep it up. Keep track of what worked and didn’t work well. Add pictures, and notes of upcoming chores etc.
• Put a piece of wire with a hook around the pot of pond plants so that they are easy to get out of the pond in the spring when it is time to fertilize them. In the fall, pond plants are sunk to the bottom of the pond to overwinter, and in the spring they can be hard to find, without draining out the pond. Placing the wire around the pot will allow you to use a rake to scoop up the plant by the wire hook.
• Take time to smell the roses. Sit back and enjoy the yard. Have fun.

Have a Happy New Year! And may 2015 start off with an early spring, be filled with warm sunny summer days with the occasional evening rain shower and a warm late fall!

 -Jos 

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George:

• Highway 16 West at Kimball Road
• Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road ( closed for the season)