Quote of the Day: John Muir
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature,
he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
The more I read about insects, soil, plants, and microorganisms, I realize we know little about the complex web that they all form. We’re often so quick to categorize something as a pest or a disease without thinking about the reason that it’s happening and how this problem is related to not only, our small gardens, but also nature as a whole.
The longer I garden, the less I step in and try to “fix” things, I try to let nature run it’s course. I started by simply doing away with any chemicals in my garden, then I moved on to not using any organic options either for pests or diseases. I now focus on feeding the soil, along with encouraging insects and birds. I do this by growing a wide variety of plants, many native and trying to grow the soil slowly and naturally without adding a lot extra amendments. This has made a HUGE impact my little garden, I have found that the less I step in, the more vibrant my garden becomes, the wider variety of native plants, insects and birds I see and the fewer problems I encounter. Tugging at or nurturing one part of nature really does affect everything else.
In what ways have you noticed the complex system of the natural world in your garden?
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to Tweets that mention Quote of the Day: John Muir | Chiot’s Run — Topsy.com's comment
We have had a plague of grasshoppers the last several summers, I have to screen seedlings until they are large enough to handle them a bit and some things I just can’t save. One ornamental flowering tree looked dead all summer because the grasshoppers kept eating every bud it put out. This summer though I notice a huge increase in spiders. Golden Orb weavers, plain brown garden spiders and webs that I never even saw the occupant. Some mornings I’d go outside and the grass would be covered in webs sparkling with dew. I’ve never seen that before. I finally realize they were after the grasshoppers. Go get ’em!
Not exactly a natural system but it is funny to watch the birds chasing grasshoppers behind the tractor that mows the empty lot next to us. Its like he’s a pied piper with a following!
to Seren Dippity's comment
Interesting.. I have always lived in the country until i went to college. Now i live in the city and i can’t stand it. All the chemicals that everyone uses on thier lawns, the terrible soil contitions and the absolute lack of animals. I mean the rabbits of course are there and so are squrriels but nothing else. The lack of variety is stifeling, i miss the noise and constant business of the country. I can’t wait until i can move back out in the counrty!
to Shannon's comment
What a beautiful post! Wonderful picture and quote. :)
Blessings,
Val
to Val's comment