My balcony veggie patch, future home to new raised beds.

Happy New Year! Here’s to 2009 being good to all of us.

Every year, I make resolutions for my garden. Sometimes they’re lofty, sometimes precise, and sometimes, like last year’s, general and acheivable.

This year, everything revolves around growing more edibles. How much (more) can I grow in one little city garden? I’m looking forward to finding out.

1. Build raised beds in the back alley. Inspired by Cait and Owen‘s back alley raised beds, which are home to potatoes and other root vegetables, I’m determined to create some more space for edibles by appropriating some alley space. Strata approval pending.

2. Redo my containers. After three years of just mild refreshing (a bit o’ new dirt, an annual or two) they desperately need an overhaul. This year, I’m challenging myself to incorporate edibles in my decorative container plantings, which have traditionally been home to only ornamental plants.

3. Add more raised beds. My third-floor deck is home to two raised beds totaling 16 sq.ft. and a motley assortment of containers. The containers are good in a pinch, but the raised beds are way better for intensive veggie growing. I’ll invest in a couple more.

4. Lastly, I’d like to garden with Lila. She’ll be a year old at the end of April, and I’m hoping she’ll enjoy spending some time outdoors in the dirt with her mom.

What are your garden-related resolutions for ’09?

Every year, I make resolutions for the garden – and for myself as a gardener. Sometimes, like last year, they’re pretty straightforward (1. finish design for backyard. 2. Implement). Or, like my 2006 resolutions, pretty lofty (i.e. doomed to fail).

This year, I’m going easy on myself. A baby on the way, plus good foundations laid over the previous two years I’ve been in my home, allow me to do this.

I’m not going to make any SMART goals, just broad generalizations. (Sorry, Robin!) So, without further ado, here are my 2008 resolutions:

1. I’m aiming to keep gardening, as much as my health and sanity and the new baby allow. And if it all goes to hell, I’m going to be gentle with myself, too.

2. I’m aiming to keep blogging, as much as my health and sanity and the
new baby allow. Or at least three times a week. And if it all goes to hell, I’m going to be gentle with myself, too. Or at least try.

3. On a more specific note, I read another garden blogger’s resolution that they weren’t going to grow any vegetables they didn’t like to eat. (I apologize, I can’t remember who that was! Do you?) I thought that was funny and totally appropriate – I love to grow veggies with unusual names, or because they look pretty. Then I don’t eat them. Enough already!

Happy 2007, friends, and brightest wishes for the new year. I hope it will be full of joy, good health, and good times in the garden.

Time to take a look at last year’s resolutions for the garden and see how I’ve done.

Last year I resolved to be patient, getting to know my garden before planting. I resolved to be highly selective with the plants allowed into my garden. I said every plant had to work hard to earn its place. With these two resolutions, I’ve done well, not necessarily through patience but through lack of funds. A mortgage, a wedding, and the garden design program all put a damper on my gardening budget. So last year I basically ignored the backyard, my main garden space, because it needs so much work. Those are my primary resolutions for this year:

1. Finish the design for the back garden
2. Implement

I’m happy with what I’ve done in my front patio area with the containers and the raised bed. This year:

3. I’ll make improvements. I’ll remove the escallonia the developer planted. I’ll see how my bulbs do, and I’m sure I’ll try to squeeze a few more perennials in. I’ll definitely buy more Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’ to replace last year’s. I loved that plant. Too bad it’s not hardy.

Last year, I resolved to test my soil and amend as necessary. Umm… … well, I bought the testing kit! This year:

4. Test the bloody soil.

Last year, I resolved to “apply for an allotment, now that I won’t have enough room to grow my veggies anymore.” Actually, I did. Have room, that is. I applied for an allotment, got one, and then passed on it because I realized I wouldn’t have the time to properly devote to it. With the demand for allotment space, I thought someone else would benefit more than me. And because I didn’t redo the backyard, I had plenty of space to plant my veggies! This year, I won’t apply for an allotment – I’m going to focus on what I’ve got here.

Last year, I resolved to visit Vancouver’s public gardens more often. Done! I did a lot of garden tours and visits with my garden design program.

Last year, I resolved to take on a boulevard planting in our new neighbourhood. Done! This year:

5. I resolve to spend more time on my boulevard section.

Last year, I resolved to “get out and enjoy the garden – without feeling the need to suddenly start pruning or weeding.” Sigh. That’s always tough. I don’t know if I can say this is accomplished. It’s more like an ongoing project. I guess I’ll carry it forward.

More of my resolutions are at 43 Things.

I think that’s about it for now. What are your garden resolutions?

¹ We are scheduled to move in to our new home on January 30. Yay!