5 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Yard & Garden

As spring inches closer and the temperatures gradually increase, your yard and garden re-emerge from winter’s blanket. Once the winter blues have passed and the New Year’s champagne glasses have been toasted, it’s time to start thinking about getting your yard and garden in shape.

Yards and gardens bring bright colors and beauty to our warmer months, and if you’ve been neglecting those weeds or have been thinking about growing your own vegetables for a healthier you this year, make a few resolutions to whip your earthy environment into shape.

Waging War on Your Water Bill

If last year’s water costs kept you from taking full advantage of your yard, then make a resolution to cut down your watering needs and also increase the aesthetic quality of your landscape.

Watering can become a dull and time-consuming chore for those yards and gardens without built-in irrigation systems. But don’t think of buying an irrigation system as taking a hard hit to your pocketbook in the name of laziness. Irrigation systems can keep your yard flourishing while cutting down on water waste.

Scheduled watering can help you get the most out of it by allowing you to water your yard at key times of the day. Scheduling irrigation at dawn and dusk offers you a chance to water your lawn without losing precious H₂O to evaporation. Automatic watering systems can also keep you from over- or under-watering your yard, allowing you to enjoy a greener landscape and a lower water bill.

Creating Sustainable Surroundings

You don’t have to cover your lawn with grass to create a beautiful landscape. Many homeowners these days are turning to more sustainable solutions for their homes. Creating rock and gravel gardens and planting low-need plants like succulents can offer you a beautiful solution without breaking the bank.

Opting for a rock garden cuts down on weeding and watering responsibilities, and creates less organic waste. It also takes less work to revive after the colder winter months. 

Veg Out

As the availability of on-the-go meals and high fat foods rises in the US, the temptation to leave out leafy greens is growing as well. If you’re looking for a way to bring a healthy resolution into your kitchen this year, then creating your own vegetable garden may be your key to success.

Growing your own garden is as easy as tilling up a square of soil in your back yard, planting your seeds, and watering consistently. This is also a great family activity that allows your children to appreciate the amazing taste of homegrown vegetables.

Create Compost

Composting is one of the easiest ways to make a difference in your yard. It is one of the simplest ways to speed up decomposition and also turn yard waste and kitchen scraps into fertilizer. Using a compost bin is an easy process. Simply throw in organic kitchen scraps and yard clippings, and let natural organisms do the work. You can even add in some worms to speed up the process. In a short amount of time, that pile of organic waste will turn into rich soil. This is a great way to feed your own yard and garden.

Plan out a Patio

If you had trouble keeping up your back yard last year, don’t blame yourself entirely. It’s hard to keep up an area of your home that you don’t spend much time in. This year, consider giving your outside area a makeover by adding a patio or a deck. Adding a social area to your home’s exterior is a great way to bring the indoors out and help you make a conscious effort to keep up your landscape. This simple addition of wood or stone tiles also reduces the amount of lawn upkeep necessary. Patios are easily maintained, and create a functional social space in your yard. 

Whether you’re looking to spruce up your spring a little or reinvent your backyard paradise, resolve to re-engage in your home’s landscape this year with a few reachable resolutions. Get your family into the eco-friendly habit of composting, and add a little elbow grease into your dinner salad to enjoy the fruits of your labor through a home-grown vegetable garden. Outfitting your yard with more water-wise plants and investing in an irrigation system will not only save you money over time but growing your own food can save you some cash this season as well.

"Costs Water to Have Green" Photo Credit: micklpickl