“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.” Bill Vaughan. “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” Carl Bard.

Yesterday is history and tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that is why it is called the present. Sunday was Christmas Day with many presents being unwrapped all morning. We are so thankful for the Christ child gift and the many blessings we receive at Christmas and throughout the year. Merry Christmas!

Time is so very valuable and we should enjoy each and every moment that we are given. Another year has almost passed us by. However, there’s a brand new year coming! And with this new year, comes many challenges, opportunities, and responsibilities. We ponder how we might convincingly change ourselves throughout the new year and identify with this new person we aspire to be.

Many people develop new year resolutions to exercise more and lose weight, maintain better family relations, go to church more, help people more, agree to do more in the community, travel more, plan a healthy and cleansing diet to rid their bodies of toxic substances, smile more, and so on. Many of these resolutions will fall by the wayside after the first few weeks or so of the new year because of the repetition, time restraints or simply the lack of commitment.

Do you make new year resolutions? Do you keep any of those resolutions? Are you looking for new ideas in developing your new year resolutions? Well, look no more! Think about a different new year resolution this year! You can find solace in plants and the environment. Either “adopt a plant” for yourself or “give a plant” as a gift to someone else as part of your new year resolution.

A whole new type of resolution that you should consider involves nature and the environment by considering the adoption of a plant or the gift of a plant which requires responsibility and further demonstrates your concern for the environment. Your greenscape can benefit from the same type of consideration that you give other classical resolutions if you are really serious about sustainability, stewardship and environmental awareness.

Consider such activities as new plant purchases for either the indoors or outdoors, flushing or changing the soil media in existing containers (re-potting), root pruning, upsizing the plant into a larger container, adding beneficial microbes to the soil media, hand cleaning the leaves on potted plants where dust has collected, and so on.

Start the new year with an optimistic and positive attitude by beckoning your wishes for a happy new year with a gift of life that grows every month of the year. The new year is a very appropriate time for an attractive plant gift but with it comes the realization of responsibility for care and maintenance. Get away from the irresponsible perception, “if it dies I’ll just buy another one.”

Maybe giving a plant for such an occasion will bring others to committing to new gardening resolutions for the new year. Welcome the new year with gifts of nature by helping your friends and family become more aware of plants and plant care. A display of color represented in plants such as a white peace lily, white gardenia, calamondin orange, red hibiscus, pink crown of thorns, or yellow ixora will work wonders that you never thought possible. Or choose from a juniper bonsai, braided money tree, areca palm silk plant, ficus, rubber plant, dumb cane, dragon tree, corn plant, or a variety of other lovely house plants as your choices are unlimited.

Even though it is winter and it may be somewhat cooler outside, these plant gifts make wonderful indoor gardens and arrangements which add a warm and comfortable feeling to an otherwise dreary time of year. From the emotionally high peaks of December to the lowly valleys of January, this is an awesome way to remind your loved ones how much you care by giving such a beautiful plant to start the new year.

Most house plant enthusiasts reduce fertilization in the winter, thus making it a good time to flush salt and fertilizer residues from the plant root zone. Soil flushes are available at your local garden center to dissolve the salts and leach them from the container. If this process is completed correctly, the treatment will cleanse the roots and make them more healthy. After which, they will more effectively absorb nutrients for growth and development as growth begins and the year passes. Also, this treatment will effectively remove excess salts from the potting medium.

Mix the flush product according to directions, and apply slowly to allow infiltration until the percolation flow exits the bottom of the container. This activity should be conducted in a sink or outside for proper drainage. Do not allow the plant to soak in the effluent or drainage water. This flushing process should be conducted twice per year when not changing the soil completely.

Dedicated gardeners with indoor plants in poor potting soil should consider repotting the plant with fresh, healthy soil. Choose the best potting available within your budget. Clean the existing container to remove any fertilizer, hard water deposits, and old soil. Larger plants are more difficult to repot. Make every effort to protect and not harm the plants, as well as maintaining such work posture to protect your body (esp. back) in the process. A newly repotted plant will exhibit better vigor and a more healthy appearance than before the process.

Check your plant and container for size proportion and potential root-bound conditions which will lead to slower growth and a less healthy plant. Upon inspection, if the plant is root-bound, then the roots will be growing in circular pattern around in the inside of the container. If so, repotting is a must and the existing root pattern must be pruned away before placing in new media in a larger container.

Remember to feed and water the songbirds. Give your pets the care they need. Do not leave them unattended in a hot car or tied to a tree all day long. Do not leave them out at night when the temperature drops very low. Also, be on lookout for children playing along the streets and roadways throughout our communities during this long holiday season. Don’t drive distracted or impaired, and don’t text while driving. Let’s keep everyone safe!

May your horticultural efforts provide you with an atmosphere filled with ornamental appeal, spiritual contentment, and personal safety and happiness throughout the new year. Also, enjoy some football from the many bowl games being played. Merry Christmas 2016 and Happy New Year 2017! Blessings and good cheer to all!

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1.

Seagle is a Sustainability Associate, Golf Environment Organization (Scotland), Agronomist and Horticulturalist, CSI: Seagle (Consulting Services International), Professor Emeritus and Honorary Alumnus (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College), Associate Editor of The Golf Course (International Journal of Golf Science), and Short Term Missionary (Heritage Church, Moultrie). Direct inquiries to csi_seagle@yahoo.com.