It’s that time of year when I look through the rear view mirror of the year and do a performance review of sorts. Based on that, I look ahead to the new year and accordingly make plans. In the interest of this blog, I shall focus on the garden.
The underlying factor that unquestionably impacted the garden in 2024 was the unpredictable weather. From a very mild winter that coughed up a single snowfall to an early spring that oscillated between cold and wet to mild and dry to a summer that got way too hot and had too much rain to a fall that was long, mild and very dry. We’ve been so dry that we’re under a burn ban of all categories as well as a water restriction warning till Dec 31. Naturally, it followed that leafing out, flowering and fruiting times of many plants were hastened or delayed. I can only imagine how much these uncertain conditions affected all other life forms that coexist with the plants. While most gardeners took it in stride, the writing is on the wall or more appropriately in this case, on the earth. Climate change is well underway.
In order to come to terms with it and be a responsible gardener, I’m giving the matter a great deal of thought and doing a fair amount of research. It can no longer be gardening as usual. New understanding, new attitudes and new ways are in order. Gardens and gardeners must change together with the climate. That is a tall order because change is not easy especially when it requires a lot to happen in a short amount of time. And time, for many things, is no longer unlimited. We must act now even as we adjust and adapt by the seat of our pants. There’s no how-to manual for the situation we’re in. However, gardeners are resilient, resourceful and always ready to learn and do what it takes to serve their piece of Paradise well.
So, come 2025, I intend to share my findings, thoughts and plans on how I intend to garden in this climate challenged world. I hope you too will give the matter your due consideration and communicate back to me. We are stronger together and together we can do our part to nurture our gardens and the world at large. That will be our legacy to the future.
I will not post next week. I will see you in the New Year!
Happy, healthy holidays to all!
Note: Scenes from my home and garden right now –
I am so proud of this wreath! Made entirely from materials from my garden, it is 3 feet in diameter and celebrates itself loud and proud!!Abutilon blooming in the greenhouseAmaryllis at homeGrowth from past spring’s bulbs had started emerging in early November. Will they bloom next spring? Fingers crossed.Beauty in senescence.
October – the month of strange and spooky sights culminating in the grand finale that is Halloween. But this year, the weather has decided to go all in and turned positively weird. And I’m a bit rattled. The month began typically enough with temperatures dipping as the days got distinctly shorter. That signaled to me to get cracking with the Fall chores in the garden. Having been away a while, I was behind in tasks like getting the greenhouse cleaned and its winter residents prepared for the move in. So I hustled. A few plants were already showing some stress from having been kept outdoors a tad too long. Finally, this past weekend the whole project got done. Whew!
However, by aforementioned weekend, the temperature had climbed to suggest we were back to summer. Sunny and warm felt great personally but not for this time of October in the garden. Positively unsettling. While most plants are retiring for the season and many have gone to seed, some, emboldened by the weather, have begun reblooming completely out of turn. It’s a confused state of affairs alright.
Meanwhile, weirdly, there was no sign of the shipment of bulbs that usually arrives by early October and I was getting a wee bit concerned. What a relief when it was finally delivered late Saturday evening. But now, we were looking ahead at a whole week of daytime temperatures in the 70s going down to late 50s at night. Way too warm! For bulb planting, the soil temperature needs to be below 55 degrees. I’m hoping to plant over the first weekend in November. All my under-gardeners (okay family) have been told to be ready. I hate to consider postponing the great planting marathon. It’s a quandary that might be a foretelling of future gardening practices as the climate changes.
Until a few years ago, I planted bulbs in early October. That has been slowly delayed into November. To think of doing the job closer to Thanksgiving and beyond is weird. And there is also concern about the winter itself. Many bulbs require weeks of solid cold to bloom in Spring. Will we have that? And for how long? Worrisome for sure.
Other Fall chores like emptying, cleaning and putting away pots, winter-pruning hedges and shrubs, cutting back certain plants, draining and shutting off outdoor taps were also accomplished. Felt mighty odd to be doing the work in summer like weather. It’s been very dry here so the lack of rain is an additional bummer. What on earth is going on?!
But one thing I’m certain of – we gardeners are resilient and will figure out how to pivot and learn what needs to be changed, adjusted and adapted. Till then, we shall commiserate, complain and carry on gardening.
Scenes from the garden today – senescence, renaissance in the nonce!
We have been talking about Climate Change for many years now. From the days of hearing about the hole in the ozone layer (remember that?), global warming (old term) has been on the radar pretty much consistently. Those of us who work in/with Nature are the canaries of Climate Change. We notice any anomaly that occurs in the environment.
Over the last few years, I’ve observed a diminished number of butterflies in the garden. My organically maintained garden full of butterfly magnets for plants used to see a diverse range of butterflies but now hosts fewer and fewer of them and that is cause for concern. Grave concern. I’ve spent countless hours trying to understand what’s happening. Was it something I said to put off the beloved visitors? Frivolity aside, I really have agonized over the situation. I’ve questioned every action taken and have failed to find an explanation. But, there are distinct possibilities.
Two things seem plausible. They are not really separate but rather belong to a cause and effect scenario. The first, is that a few years ago, a neighbor began using a landscaping service to spray their property with an ‘organic’ chemical to kill whatever ticks might be around. Now, any spray of any kind, from simple vinegar solutions to aforementioned organic solutions to synthetic inorganic compounds is never specific. They kill any vulnerable bug – good and bad. They are not bug specific. And while a property is being treated, the wind carries the spray well beyond the property lines. I have no doubt that over the years my garden has received its fair share of that organic application every two months during the growth seasons. Hence, adults, larvae or eggs of good insects have possibly been killed. A crying shame of a terrible loss.
Additionally, these neighbors actually do not garden at all. It’s all mostly closely cropped grass lawns. Nothing would want to or could live there! The way to keep the tick population down is to have lots of plants attractive to birds and other pollinators which would control those darn ticks. This logic completely eludes the neighbors. I also have great concern for the long term health consequences for their young children and dogs who play on the sprayed grass. It’s all very frustrating.
The other factor is of course the climate that is indeed changing. We’re all contending with milder winters, too much rain, too little rain, unprecedented heat, frequent and more fierce storms – all wildly alarming. As a result, the native flora and fauna that have co-evolved are thrown out of sync. Spring arrives ahead of schedule because of the warmer winter preceding it. Flowers bloom but they are earlier than expected and their specific pollinator are not present. They either have yet to return from their winter retreats or are still to awaken from their seasonal sleep.
This year, the milkweeds and several other plants bloomed too early – no doubt because of the very hot temperatures in June and July. Well before many butterflies show up. I have, to date, this season, noted only a couple of swallowtails and exactly one Monarch. Really sad.
Other plants are late to bloom. So the eternal optimist in me is hoping the butterflies will show up when those tardy flowers decide to perform.
And then, there is the sad fact that because of the prolonged heat wave(s), lack of timely rain followed by too much rain, all the nicely developing fruits such as apples, pears and persimmons have dropped off. Nary a fruit remains. I’m trying to understand how, if at all, to handle the shifting climate which, in truth, is a moving target. Any thoughts?
Meanwhile, the dreaded Spotted Lantern fly has reached my part of world. Ugh. Unsurprisingly, they were first seen on the Concord grapevine and were ruthlessly crushed right away. The bugs not the grapes. If the grape harvest will happen at all remains to be seen. The pests have been seen elsewhere in the garden as well. Again, vinegar or soap sprays are recommended but I’m not sure they will actually work because they must come in direct contact with the bugs. In which case, if I can actually see them, I might as well crush them and thereby prevent spraying any beneficial critters hanging around.
On inquiring how a couple of public gardens in my area are dealing with this particular pest, I’m told they vacuum them when they’re seen. Beyond that, they’ve noticed some predation but are awaiting for some sort of natural balance to occur. In my garden, we’re counting on the birds to come feast on the pests! So, we are back to saying that we must plant to support the beneficial wildlife!
Tried and true old fashioned knowledge and practices are going to have to be revived and made de rigueur.
Just when the summer garden is hitting its peak and one is tempted to sit back a bit for extended hours of basking in the glow of job well done, comes along a project that can no longer be ignored or put off. In a couple of weeks the two perennials beds in the front garden and most of the length of the side path are going to be dug up to get some drainage problems resolved.
For years now, every time we experienced a really ferocious bout of rain, where the rate of falling water outpaced the rate of drainage, water seeped into the basement through those aforementioned foundation walls. A French drain in the unfinished basement could not cope with the water at such times so there’d be pools of water in various parts of the basement floor. Things would dry eventually and because the floor was built at a slight slope and opens out to the terrace, there is never a possibility of flooding. However, as we all know, letting damp linger around is not a good thing. For a good while I put off getting the situation remedied. Creating chaos in the garden made me procrastinate. However, with climate change, thunderstorms are happening more fiercely and frequently. The drainage problem simply had to be solved.
Out will come a large portion of perennials to make room for digging trenches 6 feet deep. Corrugated irrigation pipes placed at the bottom of the trenches after waterproofing the foundation walls that meets the garden, will allow rain water to be diverted to a dry well in the herb garden. A part of the herb garden will be temporarily dismantled to create that dry well. After all that work has been accomplished, the trenches will be filled back in and herb garden reestablished. Path and front beds replanted and order restored.
I chose August for this project because that meant the project would be completed well before bulb planting season. As much as I’m loathe to have my garden dug up, I’m using this opportunity to seriously and ruthlessly review the plantings. For some time now I’ve been thinking about redoing the front beds but its daunting to deal with established areas. Now however, with plants dug up anyway, one might as well execute the ideas and plant the plants that were just items on a wish list till now.
My initial resistance to starting this project is making way for creativity and the joy of new experiments with design and plants. I’d like to keep it simple but exciting. Not everything will be new. Some beloved longtime residents such as Baptisia, Joe Pye, phlox paniculata and such will be grandfathered in. I must find my wish-list of plants-to-try and make my selections. Source those plants preferably at my local nursery. No horticultural divas allowed of course. The human ones are bad enough.
My immediate challenge will be keeping the plants set aside for replanting safe and healthy till the whole project is completed. Fingers crossed no heat wave will occur. Plants evicted from the beds will be given new residences elsewhere in the garden. Some will be re homed in a friend’s new garden. No one will be cast away. The tenets of humanism will prevail. Always.
Note: In keeping with the theme of creating some disorder, here are some images of (mostly) the front beds in random order –
It’s a heat wave – all week long. We’ve had such a gloriously beautiful and long spring that it’s really hard to switch gears and confront the soaring temperatures with accompanying humidity. I shouldn’t complain but I know I will. Particularly about not spending enough time in the garden. However, it’s best not to fight common sense guidelines on how to cope in a heat wave.
First and foremost, do only the bare minimum in the garden. That really comes down to light weeding, watering as necessary and general deadheading and tidying. Do these chores in the early morning or later in the evening when the heat is somewhat tolerable. If you’re not up to doing anything at all, that’s okay. Your health is priority number one. The garden can wait – plants are resilient. When the heat wave passes, you will tend to the chores.
Lets see what useful things we can accomplish –
A non-negotiable for me are the hummingbird feeders which must be refilled more frequently. The sugar water will begin to ferment when the days are very hot and that can be very harmful to the tiny birds. Under circumstances like the present, I take the feeders down every other day to empty and wash out thoroughly. I replenish with fresh sugar water (1:4 sugar to water ratio) but I do not fill up the whole feeder. Instead, I add only a third of the volume which is about how much the birds typically consume before the next fill-up. That way, I’m not wasting too much of the nectar.
Similarly, the birdbath is kept filled with clean water for other thirsty avian friends. While you’re at it, remember to keep yourself hydrated!
This is a good time to do some simple propagation and it can be done indoors or in the shade. Lavender, rosemary, dianthus and such are prime candidates. Take 2-3 inch cuttings of non-flowering shoots from the parent plant. Strip away all lower leaves and poke the stems around the edge of a pot of gritty compost. Water and place in sheltered but still bright area. Monitor. When you can see strong, new growth, gently lift and check for good root development. Transplant each new ‘baby’ to its own appropriately sized pot.
Begonia, African violets and succulents can be multiplied from just a leaf. Stick a healthy leaf of the plant into a pot of free-draining compost or sphagnum moss. Water well. Create a greenhouse for each pot by placing it in a sealable, clear plastic bag. Close the seal properly. In a few weeks, new growth will emerge. At that time, cut off the original leaf and repot the new plant.
In the cool of the indoors, examine your wish list of plants for fall planting. Source them. Preferably from your local nurseries. Otherwise, place your orders online. Schedule delivery in time for planting.
On a similar vein, start selecting your bulbs for fall planting. It’s not too early! Popular choices get sold out fast. The orders get shipped out only at the right time for planting in your temperature zone. You also get charged only at that time. I find it hugely freeing to place my bulb order well ahead. Then I can go about the business of enjoying the season, go on vacation, harvest flowers and fruit without worrying about the likelihood of forgetting the bulb order or missing out on my favorite selections.
The heat wave is by no means a blessing but one can certainly find the silver lining in the thick of it.
I’ve just returned from a long weekend to Ithaca, NY. That’s well north-west of where I live. In 2012, this region was firmly in USDA Hardiness Zone 5. But in 2023, it was moved up to Zone 6. Given that my own zone has shifted from 6a to 6b to now 7a, I’m not surprised and yet, seeing the landscape completely bare of any snow and its famous waterfalls gushing and flowing in the depth of winter was somewhat of a shock. The stamp of climate change felt so definitive and progressive.
Already we are witnessing the ‘migration’ of some native plants. They’re moving north! Slowly buy surely. While it means that we can indulge in some plants that were not possible to grow before, it also takes away some cold loving plants from our gardens. When we must plant things like bulbs and other spring bloomers must be adjusted. The growing season will be longer now and accordingly, plans for flowers, vegetables and fruits require due consideration.
This also brings up the conundrum of what we can now include as native to the region. Similarly, some current natives will not stay so much longer if the climate continues to change. Native pollinators and other native creatures will also be affected. All of life will be impacted.
In our home gardens, it indicates that we must stay vigilant, resilient and responsible. Observe the changes, adapt to the loss of certain cherished garden members and welcome new ones, be careful to take on only non-invasive new natives because only time will tell if this was a good inclusion or not. We must act with caution and open minds. Not easy but, we gardeners are a tough, tenacious lot and we learn well. Our future gardens will reflect that I’m certain.
On my return from Ithaca, a warming up had occurred and the thick layer of snow had been reduced to patches here and there. A perfect moment to re-identify the micro-climates within the garden. Exposure to light, sheltering shade, grade of the land, heat retaining walls/stones can all be viewed clearly by observing the pattern of the melting snow. Don’t dismiss the smaller patches as they too show the timeline of how the snow recedes.
Where the snowdrops are up and where they’re yet to awaken says much. Similarly, observe not only what trees and shrubs are beginning to show buds but examine how much those buds have plumped up and the location of the plants. Depending on those micro-climates, shrubs of the same kind will flower earlier or later. Changing climates, trees spreading more shade over time, loss of trees opening up areas to light, alterations in the lay of the land due to erosion or build up, new constructions nearby are all factors that affect the garden.
I’m taking notes more seriously this time – it’ll be a record for future plans as we go about the business of adapting to the changing environment. Our collective experiences will matter greatly as we educate ourselves and the world at large.
Here are some images from my garden with the melting snow –
Meanwhile, at the Cornell Botanical Gardens, Ithaca –
It’s a chaotic time across the globe. Too much happening to ignore. While I escape into the garden, a book, a movie or the brushstrokes on paper, I cannot avoid being affected by what’s going on near or far. The climate, political chaos, living conditions, religious and racial disputes, wars… so much discord. No living being is untouched. As humans, we have to care, feel and respond. In ways big or small, we are each beholden to do something.Anything to make the world better.
I know I’m not alone in how overwhelming it feels. But we cannot, must not despair. I’m opting to bring out the compassionate warrior in me and fight for what I know to be right – for myself, my near and dear ones, my community, country and planet.
To start, lets just resolve to be kind to each other. Smile at people known or unknown, hold open a door for someone, pick up litter, plant a native tree or shrub, help a neighbor, pay an honest compliment, apologize without reservation, listen without judgment to an opposing viewpoint. The ripples of kindness will spread wide. We are not helpless – our humanity must triumph.
In the garden this week, I’m simply going to enjoy the season such as it is. A little clean up but mostly, appreciating this garden that gives me so much joy. In the face of so much disturbance, it cannot be taken for granted.
Seasonal Disturbance
The trees seem reluctant
to disrobe this year
Even the leaves are reticent
to reveal veins coursing
colors borne of the earth
Clouds shepherded
by the wayward wind
Gather in formations
akin to adversarial regiments
Threaten violent outcomes.
Perforce some leaves
will fall prematurely
Others sentenced to
languish and wither
On limbs too tired to care.
This moment in flux.
Feeds the uneasy heart
Anxious and uncertain
of changing climates
And changed live.
—Shobha Vanchiswar
Autumn vibes in the garden – not as dramatic as in the past but still beautiful –
Having thought about how every gardener or anyone who manages a piece of property must commit to doing their part in safeguarding the land and all who inhabits it, we arrive at what we can do and how to do it.
Typically, a gardener is advised to start with the soil. “ Get it tested!” is a commonly heard imperative. So lets begin with the soil in ones plot. In general, it’s good to know the state of the soil. Poor/rich, acidic/alkaline, clay/sandy, microbial content, are all factors that will affect what we choose to grow in it. Amending the soil to get it to be more supportive and nurturing of our desired plant selections is certainly a step to take. I however, and perhaps it is partially because I have a small garden area that is well delineated into smaller spaces, have never tested my soil. In the early years, I had the good intention of testing but never did. Then, over time I decided not to do so. Let me explain.
I believe the character of the soil in an area is a result of the general conditions it is in as well as how it has been managed. Management of the soil implies how it has been treated by humans – over fertilizing, use of pesticides, not providing mulch or groundcover, allowing soil erosion and/or mineral depletion etc., Hence, the basic soil will be what it is and sound practices can preserve and/or restore it to its natural state. I have observed that the general type of soil if amended say with clay to make it less sandy and slow water drainage, eventually, over time, reverts to its original state. Same with pH levels. Constant amending is needed. I would much rather grow plants that inherently thrive in those actual conditions. Adding a first round of top soil and a good measure of compost before getting started on the planting is a happy compromise.
Once planted up, mulch by way of something natural such as my preferred bark chips is commonly spread to keep the soil from drying up, protect against temperature extremes, suppress weeds and eventually break down to add to the soils nutrient content. I have since found that adding groundcover by way of low growing plants, reduces the amount of bark mulch required whilst still keeping weeds at bay and preventing rapid evaporation from the soil. Ground cover looks pretty and organically connects all the plantings so it looks less contrived. Soil erosion is also minimized. As a result of this practice, I have little need to keep feeding the beds with compost or water. The selected plants flourish when they’re well matched with the growing conditions.
This leads us to plant selection. As mentioned, they must be appropriate to the location. Soil, light exposure and whether they fit into the gardeners personal design vision are the main factors. However, the most important point here is that in order for a garden to support the ecosystem, at least 70% of the plants must be native to the region. The remaining 30% should not be invasive and should be beneficial to the native pollinators – think peonies, lilacs, spring bulbs, certain clematis, day lily, hosta. They’re non-native plants that have done well in that they enhance the garden and also provide food and shelter to the good insects.
Native plants are hardy, resilient and unfussy. However, some can be over-enthusiastic and take over the space by pushing out the meeker natives. Select wisely!
I’m going to say it upfront – I have never understood the need for large properties if it was not going to be used fully. I see time and time again, home buyers seeking substantial acreage but never utilizing most of the space. It’s one thing to buy land to preserve woodlands, natural water features, specimen trees or extensive gardens that they intend to care for. But that’s hardly ever the case. Most of the property is swathes of lawn with possibly a few trees and any garden or plantings to speak of is kept small and close to the house. I look at the vast, bland lawns and think “what a waste!”.
Large, pristine lawns are passé. Get over those golf course inspired ambitions. They guzzle water, demand copious fertilizers, pesticides and energy. They’re resource and time consuming features. And expensive. Instead, cut the lawns out drastically and whatever is left, let it be a mix of pollinator friendly, environment supporting diminutive workhorses. Plant native trees. Create new beds, Consider growing a meadow instead of lawn. Meadows enrich both the environment as well as our lives. They’re so full of life and movement – never boring!
Despite everything we know today that lawns are unsustainable, there is a deep seated reluctance to shrink those spaces and turn them into lively, thriving eco-friendly spaces. Originally inspired by English gardening trends, lawns became an ‘American’ must-have. There’s really nothing indigenous about them. Even the types of grass we use is not native. So what are we trying to prove? We can do better. Be better.
In general, plant native and pollinator friendly perennials. Keep things simple by staying away from plant divas. Add nesting boxes, bug motels and shelters such as dead wood and bramble. Let fallen leaves remain wherever possible.
Water has been slated to be a major problem in the climate change crisis. Globally. We’re already witnessing it. Too much or too little – it is causing significant damage. A gardener must work to lower the demand for water. By choosing those undemanding native plants and applying mulch and groundcovers one then simply relies on rain to do the necessary watering. This will inform you of the truly hardy plants and the better choices for a sustainable, environment supporting garden.
For plants in pots, watering frequently is required – so collect rain water. Water used to boil eggs and vegetables, once cooled, can also be used.
On the subject of water, immediately reusing that boiling hot water on hard-to-get-at weeds that show up between bricks and stones is a very effective way to kill them off. I’ve been doing this for years – it’s immensely simple and satisfying!
What weeds that show up despite everything ( and they will) are best taken care of manually and regularly. While not particularly a task I enjoy, it keeps me much more aware of how the garden is doing. I notice things that I could easily miss otherwise. The Columbines that pop up wherever they choose and make the place that much more charming. I see where the garden snakes likes to sunbathe. I observe the birds looking for worms ind other protein rich bugs to feed their young, the hidden flowers like lily-of-the-valley waft their perfume and give me pause to enjoy. See? Weeding has its positive points.
Instead of gas powered tools, use electric or manually operated ones. Cuts down on gas and minimizes noise pollution. A little more physical effort on our part will only keep us in better shape.
You get the idea, there is much each of us can do. Must do. This call of the climate cannot be ignored. In the final analysis, we custodians of our unique, sacred spaces must be able to say – “I did my best”.
Note: In the following weeks, I’ll get into things like those plastic pots we accumulate when buying plants and other actionable items towards gardening smarter.
A few environmentally friendly features in my garden –
Meadow in springSpring bulbsGroundcover melangeMeadow in summery tiny , unpristine lawnFront beds running wild in summer. The native plants are pollinator magnetsRain barrelBee houseHummingbird at feeder
Following up on my thoughts about how we can become better gardeners. As custodians of our precious parcels of earth, how can we best serve the environment as well as ourselves in a responsible, caring, kind manner and still express our creativity and personal style?
There is plenty out there that preaches about dire consequences if we don’t wholeheartedly embrace everything suggested by the extreme activists. It’s all or nothing for them. Personally, I find this aggressive approach unnecessary and somewhat bullying. It fosters guilt and resentment and frankly sucks the joy out of gardening.
On the other hand, the climate change deniers are at the other extreme and their attitude of not caring at all about the clear evidence on the climate crisis is maddening and can generate a feeling of ‘Why bother doing my part if others are not doing anything at all?’. This results in total inaction.
I believe there is a happy compromise. We can have our own unique gardens along with implementing good environmentally correct, eco-friendly, sustainable practices. But first, we gardeners must ask ourselves a few key questions.
The foremost thing is to ask ourselves why we garden at all. One gardens because one enjoys the outdoors, immersed in nature. Where, creating a beautiful, healthy garden to nurture both body and soul is vital. A space that soothes, inspires, informs and invigorates and also serves the greater good. Where artistic visions are expressed and simultaneously, the needs of flora and fauna supported. I garden because I must.
By its very nature, a garden is mans attempt at controlling the immediate environment. That area that we ‘own’ to do as we will. However, this cannot, must not, be at the cost of causing any negative impact. Do No Harm is not an oath restricted to physicians. It applies to every one of us. In the garden, it means we work in a manner that is useful, helpful, mindful and joyful. Creating any garden is hard work but by being thoughtful and caring, the labor is worthwhile, noble. A gardener worth her salt knows and embraces the fact that she does not own the garden at all. She is merely the custodian. This is a high honor and a great responsibility. The Earth is counting on us to do right. After all, a garden is not just about plants and their pretty flowers or tempting fruits. It’s about all the creatures who inhabit the garden and live in the ecosystem. This includes the gardener herself.
And that brings us to how we garden. If you believe that the gardener is a part of the garden itself, then surely the idea of best practice is implied. Nothing one implements can be harmful to the gardener and consequently, to any of the living beings in the garden. The solution then, is to go organic. It’s that simple.
As one who has always gardened organically, I know this method is not easy. Instead of spraying chemical pesticides and/or fertilizers and get instant results, organic applications take more diligence and vigilance. Organic products are to be used with prudence because even they, are broad in their action. If it is used to kill one kind of pest, say a tick, the product will affect a whole bunch of other bugs including the good ones. Organic or plant based does not automatically mean safe. Remember, tobacco is a plant product and grown organically or not it harms and can kill humans who smoke or consume it. In the context of the garden, think Round-Up and you’ll see what I mean. That powerful plant-derived chemical which acts swiftly and very effectively, is pure evil. There is plenty of data that proves my point. So, organic is our answer to the how.
Organic gardening comprises a number of aspects. It’s about the types of plants, the soil and how it is amended, water and how it is sourced and used, the tools we use, the wildlife and how everything is connected.
I will go into all those factors next week. For now, lets ponder over how we’re doing in the How department and what we can do better and what we can stop doing altogether.
Keep in mind, we’re trying to do our best but we’re only human. We make mistakes. So self-flagellation of any sort is not allowed. We’re growing better together.
It’s the simple truth that plants don’t observe months and our passage of time and seasons; they sense the fluctuations in the environment and respond accordingly. Despite everything gardener do, they know in their hearts they are not in control of their horticultural realm. Nature is the ultimate commander-in-chief and the gardener adapts, adjusts and acquiesces.
This past weekend, while a large portion of the country got blasted by tornadoes, storms, ice and snow, here in my neck of the woods, we enjoyed spring-like temperatures of 65-68 degrees and glorious sunshine. By now, we typically have severe cold and snow accumulations on the ground so a normal January thaw is only a rise in temperature just enough to give some relief where a spike to just 50 degrees feels positively balmy.
Thus far this winter has been relatively harmless. So the 60+ temperatures is kinda alarming. Yet, what can we do about it? Enjoy it! So I did. Sitting outdoors and letting the sun hit my skin felt delicious. The landscape was stark but the atmosphere was joyous. The parks and trails were busy with hikers and bikers. Nary a glum face was to be seen. Admittedly, every now and then I felt a twinge of apprehension as though waiting for the other show to drop. Though in general, I made the most of this unexpected reprieve. Taking time to examine the leaves and grasses made iridescent in the sunshine. How they glowed in tints of ocher and russet! Basking in the warm caress of sunlight did this body and soul a lot of good.
Similarly, the ice-storm we experienced early last December was unseasonal. Too cold too early. We worried about damage to trees and other plants. Yet, in the light of day, the ice coated limbs sparkled in brilliant celebration. It was beautiful. I was filled with wonder and marveled at the icicles hanging from branches and eaves, the sculptural shapes of shrubs encased in ice, the general radiance and refraction of the sunlight on ice. Instagram abounded with Insta-worthy images of beauty bound in ice. Clearly, we were all struck by this alluring danger. For a brief period we were able to stop worrying and be present to the artistry of nature.
Last summer, we went through a hot, dry period. Desperately needed rain was not happening. The lawn started browning and the leaves of many plants began drooping. In fact, my apple trees shed much of their leaves in panic. I was torn between copiously watering in the immediacy of the situation and restraining that instinct by looking at the bigger picture of climate-change and the global shortage of water. In that pathetic scene of a raggedy looking plants, the native plants stepped up and bloomed and filled my heart. Their stoic hardiness was admirable. I had a perfect opportunity to not just take note of the flowers but to actually stop and observe their bold beauty and designs. It left me with a resolve to not only add even more natives to the gardens but to give them their due in gratitude.
While we wrestle with the climate-change happening at present and do our duty in slowing/halting its progress, it helps to find the moments that uplift and understand that nature is asking us to be attentive and appreciative no matter what. Even in adversity there is grace to be gleaned. Then perhaps, we will be in a position to rise with that phoenix as it emerges from the ashes of the global climate crisis.
From the ice-storm last December:
I didn’t take any photographs over last weekend’s Spring in January. Instead I did two quick watercolor sketches. Imagine, I got to paint outdoors in January!
