Daily News-Record, May 6, 2022
“Green” gardening means growing plants for beauty and food in a manner that works with, rather than against, Mother Nature. My yard teems with numerous kinds of plants, but best of all, it’s alive with a fascinating array of critters. Contrary to common “wisdom,” a landscape full of wildlife is a landscape that is healthy — and that’s why it’s smart to model our landscapes upon Mother Nature’s example.
Thanks to natural controls instead of pesticides, my former 2,000-square-foot garden (I can no longer tend such a large garden due to rheumatoid arthritis) always produced enough fruits and veggies each year to personally use fresh and to share with friends and neighbors, and I was able to preserve the extra bounty by canning and freezing. My half-acre yard still blooms from spring to fall with hundreds of kinds of flowers, vines and wild grasses, as well as flowering shrubs and trees instead of lawn.
Establishing a nature-friendly garden is easy. Follow my tips this month and next if you wish to be led down the proper garden path!
Minimize lawn to minimize resource (oil) depletion and to lessen the amount of air, water, soil, and noise pollution. Retain only the amount you will use for socializing and/or for children to play upon.
Replace unnecessary lawn with nectar- and pollen-producing plants that attract a variety of critters, and research which plants provide good cover and nesting sites for birds and other animals. Visit a natural area where you can observe and identify plants being used by wildlife.
If your area is overpopulated by deer, you’ll need to include some nonnative plants that these hoofed mammals won’t eat. Choose alien plants that can feed and/or shelter wildlife.
Plan to grow three levels of plants, if possible: a short level of herbaceous flowers and grasses; a mid-level of shrubs and small trees; and a tall level of very large shrubs and trees.
Site plants properly. Plants provide wildlife habitat, but to do this well, they must be situated in an appropriate location. Be certain the criteria (amount of sunlight, water, and soil texture) for a plant are met where you want to grow it.
Plan to grow “weeds.” This terminology disparages perfectly good plants that aid wildlife and can be quite attractive in the homeowner’s garden. Consider them “volunteers” and allow them to remain in your garden where they can mature so you can identify them and observe the critters that use them. I discovered that the caterpillar of the Red Admiral butterfly made use of False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica) when other people (including entomologists) were still thinking you needed to grow Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) for it. [American Butterflies, Winter 1995]
Don’t sweat the inconsequential stuff. Natural gardens do not look like plastic perfection. Expect small holes in leaves (plants are not harmed by this), insects wandering around on your plants (many are looking to feed upon other insects), and even some curled leaves (some insects wrap themselves up for protection from predators).
(To be continued June 4)
Marlene A. Condon is the author/photographer of The Nature-friendly Garden: Creating a Backyard Haven for Plants, Wildlife, and People (Stackpole Books; information at www.marlenecondon.com). You can read her blog at https://InDefenseofNature.blogspot.com