In the lull after the holidays, take a few minutes to assess the successes, challenges, and disappointments of the past growing season.

By looking at photographs or referring to your garden journal, you can jog your memory of the past season. Evaluating your garden now will save you time, money and frustration in spring.

Take notes as you consider the following questions:

- Did family members like specific varieties of vegetables?

- Did certain vegetable varieties take up too much space?

- What vegetables failed and why? Insects? Diseases?

- Which flowers did well, which failed? Did some flowers require more watering?

- Which plants need to be divided or moved to a better spot?

- What task was too time-consuming?

- Is the lawn too much to maintain in time and cost?

- Have some shrubs or trees grown too close together?

- Plan to make changes next spring based on your answers.

Vegetables:

Plant those vegetables with flavor, disease resistance, and performance as noted in your evaluation.

See where problems like insects, diseases and weeds occurred and make sure to plant next year’s crop in different locations.

In a small garden, finding a different spot for the nightshade family plants (tomatoes and eggplants) can be tricky but is essential.

Crop rotation can reduce many of your vegetable troubles.

Flowerbeds:

Plants fail or die when they lack two key essentials: suitable growing requirements and the right growing conditions.

If one type of plant had a problem, it may be because of the wrong growing requirements causing insects or diseases to attack.

The plant may be in the wrong spot. If most of the plants in a flowerbed were affected, they probably did not have the correct growing conditions. Growing conditions include soil, available light, watering, and the weather.

Often, flowers and vegetable fail because they don’t have enough sun. Choose shade-tolerant plants instead. Flowers are as particular about their water needs as they are about sun exposure.

Read your plant’s care tag to learn about watering requirements. Plant flowers with similar needs together.

Shrubs and trees:

Shrubs and trees that are planted too close to each other may have grown together. If that has happened, you may need to remove some or cut them out. This often occurs with foundation plantings that obscure windows.

If some shrubs have grown too large, you can prune them back to the ground, or remove a third of the older branches each year. You may want to thin out tree branches to create more light, or you may want to replace the plants under them with shade lovers.

Lawn:

If you want to mow less, consider removing some of your lawn. Use massed plantings of groundcovers, especially under trees.

Pests and diseases:

If powdery mildew affected plants, plan to thin them in the spring to increase air circulation. Proper spacing reduces the risk of disease and increases your plants’ health and beauty.

Move struggling plants to a location that better meets their needs. Placing the right plant in the right place goes a long way to ensuring success.

The gardener:

As you evaluate your garden, you may feel the need to cut back because of a busy work schedule or less physical energy as you age.

Focus on main interests and key areas. Choose low-maintenance plants like shrubs, quality spring bulbs, and native plants.

Emphasize foliage to cut down on blooms that need deadheading.

Try container gardening or raised beds that are usually easier to maintain than large gardens.

The environment:

Look for ways to improve the environment by decreasing water and pesticide use. Add a rain barrel to collect rainwater. Resolve not to burn your young transplants with excessive fertilizers.

“Growing Green” is contributed by Diane Dorn, Lehigh County Extension Office Staff, and Master Gardeners. Information: Lehigh County Extension Office, 610-391-9840; Northampton County Extension Office, 610-813-6613.