A Gardener’s Goals for 2009

We’ve come up with a gardener’s list of things to do in 2009:

1. Return to childhood. Grow peas or beans in a plastic cup on the windowsill. Relive the magic of seeing your first sprout.

2. Volunteer. Help clean up a park or wild area. Look for opportunities at a botanic garden or historic site. Adopt a traffic island. Make bouquets for local nursing homes or the senior center. Start a garden team at your church, school or workplace.

3. Go through old materials (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, etc.). Look for expiration dates and safely dispose of expired goods. (Check with your city or town for guidelines; many have several special “hazardous material” trash dates.)

4. Share knowledge with fellow gardeners. Experienced gardeners, lead a class or demonstration, offer advice to newer gardeners, propagate plants and share them with friends. Newer gardeners, take a class, ask questions at the garden center, reach out to more experienced neighbors. Connect with gardeners near and far on the Co-Horts Forum.

5. Grow food, whether it’s a full veggie garden or a single pot of herbs.

6. Look for inspiration in art. Visit an art museum or the art section of your local library. What colors, shapes, textures draw you in? Can you interpret these details into a new section of your garden or a new container combination?

7. Lighten up. Don’t look down on the “common” plants your less-gardenerly neighbors are using. Appreciate their efforts.

8. Start a garden journal. Use it to track what works and what didn't. Jot down ideas or tips from other gardeners. Even doodle/draw a bit. Let your garden inspire your creativity.

9. Discover public gardens wherever you travel. Visit them and see what gardeners are doing outside your hometown.

10. Take a risk—grow something you've never grown before. Share your story with your Co-Horts or just use that garden journal to document your efforts.

What are your gardening goals in 2009? Post them in the Co-Horts Forum.

Happy New Year!