2011 New Year's Gardening Resolutions

Congratulations to Tiffin Shewmake of Rockville, MD, is our December Reader Contest winner of a handcrafted necklace by Foster Hall Design. Tiffin was chosen at random from among the entries received. Be sure to enter our next monthly contest. Upcoming prizes include garden tools, passes to Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, VA, orchid plants, deer repellant, and much more.

Contest entrants this month were asked to share their 2011 New Year's Gardening Resolution. Here are some of the entrees:

"My New Year's gardening resolution is to USE the seeds I've saved and start them in time so I can stay out of the garden centers with their many temptations! This is really a resolution to keep my budget in line."
 ~ Lucy Goszkowski, Annapolis, MD

"My 2011 New Year's Gardening Resolution is to engage and inspire people to see ourselves as stewards of a common legacy whose every-day gardening practices can either enhance or injure both our land and our lives." ~ Ruth H. Axelrod, Frederick, MD
(Ruth is the new Chair of the Frederick County Master Gardeners Bay-Wise Committee, which is dedicated to educating people about conservation gardening and, thus, improving the condition of the Bay.)

"Here are my 2011 garden resolutions:

(a) In 2011 I resolve to weed more conscientiously--especially in early Spring.
(b) In 2011 I resolve to do a better job of planning my annual garden (instead of just jumping into it.)
(c) In 2011 I resolve to try 3 new things (plant a new and different heirloom vegetable, plant a new ornamental plant, try tp grow something vertically)."
~ Madeline C., Washington, DC

"New Year's gardening resolution:

Be mindful of when my native plants and veggies are seeding, and collect and preserve my own seeds. I'll have to teach myself to do that, but it's worth it -- for the planet and for my wallet!"
~ Lena Rotenberg, Keedysville, MD
"My major Gardening resolutions are:

1 - I will NOT over-plant the vegetable garden. No matter how lonely the tomato plants look when first planted, they will grow and unlike school children, don't need to be surrounded by friends.
2- Stop thinking about creating a bed for asparagus and actually put one it.
3-Do not leave seed packets out where they get rained on."
~ Tiffin Shewmake, Rockville, MD
My own gardening resolution is to actually harvest and consume (or give away) the edible I grow instead of letting them languish and rot for lack of time and pre-planning. Shame on me.
So what is YOUR 2011 New Year's Gardening Resolution?