New year, new garden: What are your planting plans for 2018?
Published 1:30 am Saturday, January 6, 2018
A new gardening season is upon us, and with it comes an opportunity to review what worked and what failed in our gardens in 2017.
What’s on your list to grow in the vegetable garden this year?
Every year my wife insists on planting butternut squash in my (oops, I mean “our”) raised beds and, by the middle of August, I can’t even walk between the beds. It drives me absolutely nuts (maybe that is her plan), so this year I am going to again try to persuade my neighbor to the south to let me turn his side yard into a winter squash patch.
It’s a lovely hot, sunny spot and all he does is mow the grass there, so why not make it productive by putting in a squash/pumpkin patch that he can enjoy, too? If you are short on space, maybe you can convince your neighbor to share a little ground.
Speaking of veggie gardens, this would be a great year for all of us gardeners to get involved in a community vegetable garden to support our local food banks. Lots of local churches and service organizations already have programs going and that need volunteers to help out.
I have been pushing this idea at my local church for a while now, and I have a good feeling that this is the year we are going to make it happen. Think about getting involved.
For several years now, I have been covering an open lot that I own with chips from the tree trimmers to keep the weeds down so I don’t have to mow. It occurred to me last year that perhaps I was being too selfish and it would be better for the environment and the local pollinator community if I planted a “pollinator garden” on this half acre to help out the birds and the bees.
A “pollinator garden” is essentially a glorified wild-flower garden that is designed to attract pollinators. Anyone can plant this type of garden — you certainly don’t need a half acre — so if you have an area that is just a pain in the neck to maintain or is grass that you do nothing with, then consider a pollinator garden this year.
My wife and I are always fighting over her shrubs and my perennials, so this year I plan to sneak in as many more perennials as I can get away with before she relegates me to the dog house. I am going to use the “poor bees” as my rational. Surely, she can’t argue with that logic. Either way, though, this year I am going to fill every single square inch of ground with some kind of plant that will benefit not only the bees, but also bring me tons of pleasure and enjoyment all summer long.
Hopefully you also have grandiose plans that will come to fruition in 2018. Don’t hesitate to dream big and remember that every new plant you put into your garden will benefit someone or something.
Steve Smith is the owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached at info@sunnysidenursery.net.
Spring pruning
Attend a free class on pruning to get ready for spring at 10 a.m. Jan. 13 at Sunnyside Nursery, 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., Marysville. For more information or to sign up, visit www.sunnysidenursery.net.
