Great Ideas from the National Garden Bureau!

The National Garden Bureau has just released their 5 New Year's Resolutions for 2011. I thought I would share it with you (with their permission!).. I particularly love their ideas about sharing the harvest (or seeds or divided perennials), as well as resolving to stretch the harvest season by growing cool season veggies.. if I may be so bold, I would encourage you to go even further and plant some cold season veggies for winter - carrots, parsnips, kale, arugula, mache, claytonia and more!

2011 New Year's Resolutions for Gardeners!

1) I will explore new horizons and try some of the many new varieties and new gardening techniques presented in all those beautifully informative catalogs, books and advertisements I'm seeing. Maybe I'll try my hand at some more sustainable methods of gardening? Or try some organic products? Or buy some earthworm-produced fertilizer?

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2) I will "pay it forward" and share some of the weath/excess of my garden. Possibly a local food pantry can accept fresh produce? Or my neighbors would appreciate some divisions when I divide my perennials? Or I could share my best gardening tips with neighbors?

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3) I will show that gardening is more than a hobby to enjoy for just a few months in the summer. I will try some cool season veggies, like super-food spinach, in the spring. I will plant some (or some more!) cool season annuals in the fall. Many products are available to assist in those efforts so why not?

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4) I will make time to enjoy my garden and share it with friends and family. All this beauty I've created should be shared with others. There's little more relaxing than sitting in a beautiful garden sharing a nice cold herbal lemonade, made with my homegrown herbs.

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5) I will support the current fight against childhood obesity through the glory of gardening. Maybe I'll volunteer to teach school children the basics of vegetable gardening? Maybe I'll share some of my extra seeds with my relative's children? Or, use the intriguing uniquely colored vegetables to pique the interest and tastebuds of novice young edible gardeners?

Happy Gardening!