Thinking about your garden can be as important as doing the work. Every year is a potential fresh beginning, and now is the time to reflect on last year to plan for the one coming up.
Even if you didn't keep a garden journal, you probably have vivid memories of the high points and low points. For many avid gardeners, the low points will be the same -- the invasion of pests.
Thoughtful gardeners want to preserve their lawns and plantings, but not at the expense of the wider environment. Particularly in the area of the Chesapeake Bay, gardeners want to do their part to keep harmful chemicals out of bay waters.
It may take a little more thought and maybe a little more searching to find environmentally friendly materials, but if you start early and plan properly, you can have a garden that is pest free and full of thriving, blooming, buzzing, twittering, fluttering life from spring into fall.
There is a rapidly growing list of natural panaceas for the garden and landscape, a fix for everything from poor soil and weeds to insects and disease. Environmentally friendly materials are being developed from seaweed, soap, sand, gravel, garlic, corn, castor beans, canola oil, marigolds, trees, fish, eggs, coffee, expanded slate, landscape waste and many other substances.
Before you apply any material to the garden, apply some common sense to the process. A healthy environment is the best protection your plants can have. There are a lot of things you can do that are amazingly simple that will help your plants fend off pests and diseases.
Start with healthy soil. Good drainage, aeration and lots of nutrients are the goals. Use soil amendments, especially in heavy clay. Think seriously of composting, if you're not already doing it. Compost probably has a greater positive impact on plant health than any other single factor. I praise compost because when dug in widely and deeply enough, it will condition the least hospitable clay soils and help them bind nutrients so they are delivered to the plants instead of running off into the Chesapeake Bay.
Composting is not that difficult, and there are all kinds of bins and devices available that make it more convenient. Most garden centers sell compost and equipment. Books and Web sites can teach you how to make it. A great site that will provide you with everything you need to know about this process is www.compostguide.com.Healthy soil is not all it takes to have a successful growing season. You need to start with plants that are going to thrive in the conditions you have. Think about using more native plants, plants that already like the growing conditions in your area. If you live in a dry area, use drought-tolerant species. If you have hot, humid summers, as in the Washington area, use plants that enjoy heat and moisture.
There are thousands of plants that grow where you live. You just have to identify the ones that you want. The more care and maintenance you are willing to give them, the more exotic you can go. For example, you could bring your plants in for winter or simply install them freshly grown every year.
Once you have the right plants, you need to put them where they will be happiest. A shade-loving plant wilting in the sun is an invitation for pests to attack. Plants also are happier when they don't have to compete with weeds for water and nutrients. Mulch and landscape fabric can help reduce weed problems. So can paying attention. Pull weeds early, before they produce seeds.
