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How little we know about the natural world! New species are being discovered even as others face extinction. The great naturalist, Edward O. Wilson, estimated that there are many times more kinds of insects than there are varieties of all larger animals. Varieties of fungi, moulds and algae are even more numerous. Science is nowhere close to cataloguing all these different species.
Many people enjoy gardening because it helps them connect with nature. By using native plants and avoiding chemicals, we can encourage wildlife into even the smallest city garden. Many gardeners enjoy watching birds almost as much as they enjoy flowers.
These days, we often feel helpless in the face of environmental challenges, like pollution and climate change. Only in our own backyard can we sink our hands into the earth and hope to make a positive difference. But that is where we come face to face with our ignorance. What kind of bird just visited the feeder? What is eating my beebalm? And why is my pond turning green?
Identification is only the first small step towards understanding. I now know my beebalm was eaten by the larvae of the moth, Pyrausta signatalis, but I know almost nothing of its habits and life cycle. Consequently, my choices for control are (a) use a pesticide or (b) hand pick the little nasties off my flowers. Because I value the butterflies that also visit my beebalm, it's down to option B.
Nature is vastly more complicated than any one species. Even if I knew everything there is to know about Pyrausta signatalis, I might still never know why it chose my beebalm in my garden at this time.
The interrelationships of all its various parts are what make the natural world so fascinating! The concept of companion planting relies on beneficial relationships between different plants. For example, tall plants shelter smaller, more delicate ones. Plants with long tap roots break up hard soil, making it easier for their neighbours to grow. Some plants deter pests and diseases. Roses do well near members of the allium (onion) family, which provide protection against aphids, blackspot and mildew. (See www.attra.org/attra-pub/complant.html for other companions.)
ECOSYSTEM IN BALANCE
Last spring was mild, so I put the fish out in the pond before the end of April. There were no leaves yet on the maples that normally shade my pond. The pond got too much sun and algae rapidly formed, threatening the fish's oxygen supply. The solution was simple. I put up a sun umbrella. The algae subsided as the fish munched away on them. My little ecosystem was back in balance.
So before you reach for chemical sprays or other quick fixes, take a few minutes to study your garden and the way its different parts work together. Doing so will make you a better gardener and a better steward of the environment.