Gardening Resolutions For The New Year

From Pinecrest Gardens:

December 31, 2020

2020 was..... not great, and we all know that. We're not even going to rehash the past year in this post. Instead we are going to talk about a silver lining of 2020 that was GARDENING!

It turns out that during quarantine, more than half of the American population turned to gardening in one form or another. More than HALF! According to data shared by Brecks gardening supply, there was an uptick of 8.6% in revenues of garden supply in comparison to previous years. As we well know, many retail industries did suffer an economic hit due to the pandemic. Gardening and garden supply (along with grocery and alcohol) however, experienced growth, and that my friends is a silver lining.

So, since so many of us are finally crossing over to the green side, I thought it fitting to continue our our new found love of gardening into 2021. Every year it seems that I have garden goals or resolutions that are almost always overwhelming and unachievable. This year is different though, because if I've learned anything from 2020, it's to relinquish some control and adapt. Now that there's an army of new gardeners jumping in, together we can make an impact on our communities. So, I'm sharing a few of my easy-going gardening resolutions for my work at Pinecrest Gardens and beyond, in hopes that it inspires you in your gardens for the new year. Oh and in case 2021 is anything like 2020, our goals can still be met.

1. Focus on edible native species: Native plants are my favorite. I love them, and I love to use them in a landscape, but there is always room for more! My first season as educational coordinator at the garden, I taught a workshop titled "Natives for your Neighborhood- Florida's native edibles". In the class we tasted native plants that grow here, and that are often overlooked. For some reason we don't usually put the words native and edible next to each other. One of my goals for 2021 is to incorporate more of those native plants into my diet. Some examples of overlooked yummy natives: Sea grape, beauty berry, bidens, peppergrass, etc! Have you ever had beauty berry jam? There's an abundance of native plants that are ready for the eating, and this year, I intend to eat.

Beauty Berry: Callicarpa americana - make jelly with the berries!

2. Use more of what you grow: I typically grow a lot of vegetables and flowers throughout the year. Many of those things I grow just for the pollinators, or for display at the garden. This year, I want to make it a point to start using my harvests in different ways. This may include creating new teas or learning herbalistic recipes for balms and salves. It could mean drying more flowers and using them in candle making, or flower presses. The garden presents so many opportunities, and in the new year, I hope to explore those options a bit more deeply. If you have any beloved recipes for salves or teas you like, please share them!

3. Compost more wisely: Anybody else guilty of getting lazy with their compost? Soil health is the MOST IMPORTANT thing for your garden. I do actively compost, and always add new material to my compost, but I know it could use a bit more attention. It should be turned more often. It should be watered more often, too. I'd also love to add a separate bin for vermicomposting (yay, worms!). So, included in my goals is to make a schedule for composting, and one that I can stick to.

4. Save and share more seed: I have so many seeds from previous seasons both saved and wild collected. If I'm honest, I don't have space to grow them all. Saving and sharing seed is a great way to connect with neighbors and build community. Chances are one of my friends or neighbors could benefit from some of the seeds that I have. In 2021 I will finally realize my inevitable destiny as a seed fairy.

5. Enjoy my garden more: I have many feelings towards my garden, but the two that stand out to me the most are daunting and exciting. I am ALWAYS wanting to do more in my garden. I want to grow everything, all of the time, and the reality is that I can't. So, in 2021, one of my resolutions is to create time in my garden that's just for relaxing and enjoying it. There's only so much that can be done each season, so instead of thinking about the garden in terms of my next harvest or the next season, my goal is to slow down and be present there. Its time to reap what we've sown.

In the spirit of slowing down, I'm putting a cap on my garden resolutions at 5. These are all things that I think are achievable, and that's what I'm focusing on this year. What are some of your garden goals for 2021?

Happy Digging into the new year!

This press release was produced by the Pinecrest Gardens. The views expressed are the author's own.