Welcome to the fresh new year of 2012, just waiting for you to define it and give it character and memories. This is a special season as we recover from the excitement and intensity of the holidays while getting back in rhythm for a new year.
This is the season when we traditionally reflect on our life, the year gone by and plan or think about the year ahead as we set new goals and plot new directions. This process of review and planning can also be beneficial when you are thinking about your yard, landscaping, and gardening efforts. Do you want to create a new flowerbed, do you want to plant more trees or shrubs? Do you want to add an automatic drip or sprinkler watering system? Do you want to grow your own fresh vegetables? Do you want to add and landscape a porch, patio or outdoor living area? Do you want to add a hobby greenhouse? Do you need to prune and shape your trees and shrubs? Do you want to add a water garden, a butterfly or wildlife garden? Do you want to add more garden benches in your yard, start an orchard or vineyard, plant an herb or kitchen garden? There are so many fun things you can do to improve the appearance and add value to your home or property while getting healthy exercise and enjoying time outside that your yard deserves consideration as you set your goals for the New Year.
We humans are tempted to want to do all these things but if you will focus on a couple of garden or horticultural projects you want to tackle this year, you are more likely to get them accomplished. Winter weather keeps us inside a lot more and that gives us a little extra time to research your projects in newspaper or magazine stories, in books, seed and garden catalogs, or over the internet. You can attend classes or workshops at your local OSU County extension office, Oklahoma Horticulture Society or participate in local garden clubs and plant societies. Don’t forget that one of your best resources is often a good visit with your local nursery or garden center. Their local knowledge, experience and input can dramatically increase your chances to be successful in your landscaping and gardening efforts.
2011 was one of the most difficult years of my lifetime, for those raising crops or plants. We had an exceptionally cold winter last year that set all kinds of record lows followed by a summer drought and heat that tested the very will to live of many trees and plants. Hopefully we got those extreme weather challenges out of the way last year! We hope and pray that we can all relax and enjoy a more “normal” year ahead and give all our plants from tomatoes to trees a chance to really perform and enrich our life experiences. We hope that 2012 is your best year yet and produces great satisfaction and happiness as you become more engaged with nature in your very own yard.
Rodd's Seeds of Wisdom 