Welcome to 2025! It is the time of year that we often hear the saying, “New year, new me.” Everyone is setting New Year’s resolutions. Now is a great time for gardeners to reflect on the past growing season and set their resolutions for this year’s growing season.

First, if you keep a garden journal or make notes about your garden review the notes, as that will be a great starting place for setting goals. If you are like me and don’t keep notes, think back to your garden and what worked, what didn’t, what was successful and where there were struggles.

When it comes to setting New Year’s goals, there are many ways to achieve them. Tips that I believe work well for setting goals are: keep them small, be realistic, revisit the goals throughout the year as a check-in and share your goals with others. Sharing your goals with others helps keep you accountable.

For me, 2024 gardening was simply an overall struggle with grassy weeds. I actually put my garden to bed very early as I couldn’t keep up with the weeds. I covered my garden completely with landscaping fabric sometime in early July. That was when I made my first goal for this year, I am moving to a no-till garden and will cut holes in the fabric for planting.

The next struggle I had was weeds in my flower bed, again I had grassy weeds but I also had thistle and other troublesome weeds. Goal number two: spray my flower bed with glyphosate as the young weeds start to emerge this spring and add in a good layer of organic mulch. Goal number three: expand my perennial bed. My grandma saved some larkspur and Shasta daisy so I have seed for that goal.

These are simple goals that are small and realistic. The last goal I have for my garden is to add in a hardy rose bush. I have a friend who inspired me with the beautiful roses he has in his yard. I have visited with him about the care he provides for his roses, and along with my own research, I’m willing to give it a try!

Goals that you may try this year could include a new vegetable variety, a new plant, a healthier turf, less pesticide use, more pollinator-friendly plants, minimal/no-till gardening or composting.

You may have seen previous Dakota Gardener columns that inspire you and if you have any questions about your New Year’s goals for your garden or landscape, NDSU Extension is a great resource.