Colorado garden resolutions for the new year

New Year’s resolutions are seldom kept, at least in the long term — not that a person shouldn’t give it a go.

Instead of working on self-improvement, then, how about making some garden resolutions?

My No. 1 intention for the New Year is to try super hard not to start my indoor tomato seeds too early, you know, like in February. When I do that, they tend to look more like stretched-out, spindly green sticks with gaps of lonely sparse leaves. This growth pattern is appropriately called “leggy tomatoes.” I call it sad for the plant and silly for me to jump the gun. Wait until April … wait until April … wait until April.

Here are some other New Year’s garden goals, must-dos or don’t-dos. They’ll get you started on thinking about landscape enhancements and a new garden beginning.

Maybe my list will encourage you in the New Year.

Indoor houseplants need more color (not ones that refuse to die and won’t dull me to death).

Although good choices, we know that ZZ plant (Zamiolculcus zamiifolia), Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) and Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) check the boxes of being hardy and mostly fuss-free. Isn’t it time to add some lively interest to our indoor plant palette? How about some glam plants that say “come and sit closer and admire my good looks”?

Variegated leaves on houseplants make a statement. Look for plants that have assorted marbling, and colorations of green, cream, pink and burgundy to red leaves. Plants with spotted leaves are impressive and fun, too. Cconsider unique leaf colors like neon green, head turners in any room.

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) with solid green leaves is a commonly grown houseplant with pretty heart-shaped leaves and trailing growth habit. Pothos are fast growers and super easy to propagate from cuttings, so share or start new plants of your own. Take pothos up a notch by trying one of the many striped or patterned cultivars such as Marble Queen, with white/cream variegation.

Drakaina (Greek, for “female dragon”) are durable and easy plants to grow indoors. Their palm-like appearance will let you dream of warmer climates, so enhance your digs with one or more dracaenas to chase away the winter blues. One of my favorites is Dracaena deremensis Lemon Lime, with its sword-shaped, wide leaves and distinctive greenish-yellow, cream and lime stripes.