Gardening The Natural Way





		Your Path to Healthy Living and a Healthy Life

By Beth Yim

Gardening season is upon us. The snowdrops are in bloom and green crocus spears are pushing their way through the soil. Brightly coloured primroses decorate grocery store fronts and seed stands display their wares. Spring is nearly here and on the island we welcome it with trowel and hoe in hand. After all, we have a reputation to uphold!

Our passionate enjoyment of gardening is world renowned. Tourists come from all over to witness the island in bloom. So whether it’s wild flowers, carefully cultivated flower beds, fruits or vegetables, it’s time for us to break out the hoes and shovels, wipe off the trowels and forks, put on gardening gloves and get growing.

Gardening and sustainability go hand in hand. One of the most important steps you can take to ensure a sustainable world for your children is through gardening and growing some of your own vegetables and fruits. Of course for gardening to be sustainable it means doing it naturally, without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers.

A chemical free garden encourages healthier soil and an environment that is safe for indigenous wildlife, pets and humans. It fosters a healthy balance between pests and your growing plants without sacrificing safety and sustainability. No pesticides means birds, frogs, toads, bats, butterflies, bees and other beneficial wildlife species flourish keeping the pest population under control. This safe method of gardening cannot be overemphasized.

Children and pets are vulnerable to pesticides as both are more likely to be exposed to these chemicals on the lawn and in the garden. Statistics from the National Research Council and the National Cancer Institute have shown that children, living in homes using either indoor or outdoor pesticides, are at a higher risk of developing brain cancer, childhood leukemia, lymphoma and asthma. Dogs, whose owners use 2-4-D four or more times a season, have double the risk of developing lymphoma. In addition, pesticides are easily tracked indoors increasing risks to all members of the family.

Alternatives to chemically altering your garden abound. All it takes is a little extra time and care in planning and preparing. It’s like tending a living organism. Keep it healthy and like any organism it becomes more resistant to problems from pests. Disturb the balance and pests take over.

A healthy, well-balanced and sustainable garden is a joy to work in and wander through. Here are a few suggestions for creating your own paradise.

Track growing conditions and map out specific regions in your garden from shady to partially shady to full sun. Do the same for moisture levels and soil type. Invest in a simple soil test kit and analyze the different regions. Plant accordingly. Hostas and fuchsias do well in shade, rhododendrons enjoy a slightly acidic soil, rhubarb needs a rich, composted soil and blueberries do well in peat moss. Once you have the regions of your yard mapped out you can designate specific plants to specific areas. Matching plants to their favourite conditions avoids a stressed plant that is more vulnerable to pests.
Go native and focus on indigenous plants. Native plants have adapted to local conditions and are resistant to local pests. Exotic, non-native plants have not and are more vulnerable to disease and pests.
Treat your soil to a regular dose of compost or well-rotted manure. Not only does this add nutrients, but it also supplies organic material that improves the texture of both sand and clay soils, increases microbial activity and improves water-holding capacity.
Nip problems in the bud. Regularly wander your garden looking for signs of trouble. A few aphids today may mean a tree full tomorrow. In other words take care of problems while they are still manageable. Once you have identified the problem use natural methods like insect traps, hand picking, companion planting, etc. or ask your local nursery for nonchemical alternatives.
Use nature to fight your battles. Many species of wildlife feed on the pests in your garden. Ladybugs love aphids, bats consume 30-40 percent of their body weight in insects in one night, dragonflies eat wasps and birds chow down on pesky worms and other dirt bound pests. Encourage beneficial wildlife to take up residence in your backyard. You can attract ladybugs with pheromones, bats with specially constructed houses, dragonflies with small amounts of water and birds with an array of feeders, water and nesting spots.
Play matchmaker with your plants. Companion planting is one of the most effective nonchemical tools you have at your disposal. Many pests avoid certain plants due to strong smells or natural chemical repellants. Matching these companion plants with more delicate ones is an effective, nonchemical method that enhances and protects your garden. Herbs are especially useful as companion plants. Not only do their essential oils repel pests but in some cases they attract insects to them rather than the more delicate plant they are protecting.
Rotate your crops. If you grow vegetables make sure you change the location from one year to the next. Many pests focus on specific plant species and lie dormant until next year’s crop. By rotating your crops not only do you fool pests you also prevent soil nutrients from being depleted.

With thousands of avid gardeners heading out to their patch of paradise, it makes sense to take a moment to reflect on gardening in the safest, most effective ways possible. The natural, sustainable garden brings years of pleasure not only through working the soil, but also in the visual display of life and the gastronomic pleasures of consuming your own produce. Growing without the use of pesticides and fertilizers is an avid gardener’s preferred method of working with the land because it requires such a close connection to the environment. It also demands an understanding of the natural processes and cycles of life. Gardening the natural way creates sustainability through working with nature not against it, because after all, “Nature does nothing uselessly.” Aristotle

Website of Interest:

www.wildaboutgardening.org – information on gardening without chemicals.

www.earthfuture.com – information on the sustainability movement on Vancouver Island.