We know you love houseplants - but it’s important to share the love to outdoor plants too. Bring your love of plants to the outside world with these excellent resolutions to focus on improving your local ecosystem. 

Resolve to plant native plants: Research which plants are invasive or native to your local area and plant native species in your garden for 2020. Invasive plants like honeysuckle and ivy can upset the balance of the natural ecosystem and can get overgrown quickly, causing harm to native plants. 

Resolve to support pollinators: A simple bee and butterfly seed mix can help plant wildflowers to provide important support for pollinating insects and birds. Bees and butterflies are extremely important to the natural ecosystem. Great options are allium, bee balm, cosmos, crocus, poppy, salvia, and sedum - but you can get a wildflower mix with several varieties of flower. Double check that the seeds or starts you buy aren’t treated with neonic pesticides. 

Resolve to treat pests naturally: Harsh pesticides can harm important pollinators and can even travel up the food chain and harm pets and local wildlife. Switch to natural and organic pesticides as often as possible. 

Resolve to leave the dandelions: People think they’re useless weeds, but dandelions are some of the first food for bees in the spring! Leave the dandelions in your lawn as long as you can to help support our bumblebee friends. 

Resolve to give up your lawn: If your city’s regulations allow it, turn your front yard into a beautiful garden of flowers, veggies, and fruits. You’ll be able to skip the endless mowing all summer long and enjoy the literal fruits of your labors instead.

Resolve to compost: Composting allows you to reduce your landfill waste and also produce amazing fertilizer for your garden! You can compost most food waste (fruit, vegetables, eggshells, coffee grounds) and even things like pet hair, paper towels, and newspaper. Rich compost will help replenish soil nutrients and support healthy growth of your garden. 

What’s your New Year’s Resolution? Share in the comments!