Can I garden in harmony with the earth?
Gardening is rewarding and growing your own produce is a sustainable way to put food on the table. Modify your practices, writes Ellen Tout, and let wildlife reap the benefits too
GARDENS OCCUPY more land across the UK than nature reserves. They are, therefore, vital homes for wildlife. Imagine them as a patchwork of beneficial areas for species to travel through to find food and safety, and in which to thrive.
When talking about what we perceive as pests, think about how to reduce damage, rather than erase it – because pollinators are essential for growing. For example, I had a wasps’ nest on my allotment plot. The wasps caused no harm and were advantageous for produce such as courgettes, squash and cucumbers. Spraying or treating crops is an outdated practice: it isn’t selective, kills everything and damages nutrients in the soil.
Cover vulnerable crops, such as brassicas, with protective enviromesh as soon as you plant them out. You could also try raised beds and cages for berries. Everyday items can be upcycled to safeguard crops. I plant French beans directly into the ground, but cover each plant with an old plastic bottle with the top cut off to protect it until it is established.
Nature often does the hard work for you. Lacewings, ladybirds, hoverflies, bees and wasps eat aphids, so attempt to attract them. Surprisingly, stinging nettles are one of the plants that draw these creatures. Flowers will attract pollinators, but also mow your lawn less and leave weeds to develop flowers. Birds, frogs, toads, ground beetles and hedgehogs eat slugs. Consider a bird table, hedgehog house, bug hotel and pond to encourage these species.
Try a no-dig approach, so nutrients can flourish in the soil, and leave beds uncovered in winter to give access to wildlife. Experiment with making compost from green waste and fertiliser from nettles, and choose peat-free compost. Try to rotate your crops, mimicking nature with mixed and companion planting.
There is joy in growing your own produce – it’s as local as can be, organic and food produced with love. Work with nature, rather than trying to control it, and share a little of your harvest.
Resilient growing