My Imagination

January gardening is mostly in my imagination. I relish this time to learn more about gardening techniques. This year ecological gardening and regenerative techniques take center stage. Books, podcasts and webinars are keeping me busy and I’m so delighted that my “easy” way of gardening is becoming popular. Thank you Ruth Stout for showing me the way.

I’ve talked a lot about “leaving the leaves” and soil health. I’ve definitely had to endure plenty of eye rolls and head shaking which I now find entertaining. Honestly, who wants to break their back turning over soil when it’s not necessary and is actually harmful. I sure don’t. And raking all of those leaves in the fall. That’s no fun. The piles kids jump in are fun, but then the leaves can get mowed and dumped in the garden. Why should I stuff a bag to haul to my curb only for a truck to come by, pick it up and haul it away only to be dumped in another pile, decompose and then get hauled somewhere else? Seems silly to me now.

How I garden has evolved over the years. I find that I ask myself often, "why do we do that?" For example, I've wondered where "clearing out all of the leaf litter came from" when the litter is actually food for the plants and all of the microbes and fungi in the soil. When I see a garden in the winter that has been chopped down and cleaned out I now feel like it’s naked. There is nowhere for the insects to overwinter and nothing to protect the plants or ground from winter cold and snow.

There is a lot of science behind it all but I’m happy knowing that reducing gardening chores while still having a beautiful, healthy garden is a positive result of benign neglect. I’m not saying I want a messy garden. I’ve found that keeping the edges somewhat tidy gives the impression of a well-kept garden.

One of the key things with ecological gardening is that healthy plants and undisturbed soil captures carbon and stores it deep in the ground. My soil is the “healthy gut” that plant roots thrive in which enables the plants to tolerate stress from insects, disease and weather changes. I’ve learned to tolerate some pests while their predators make their way to my garden for lunch. And I may lose some leaves, but a healthy plant will recover. That healthy plant will eventually get divided since I know it thrives in my yard.

I hope you’ll take some time this winter to learn more about ecological gardening and regenerative gardening. There is a wealth of information out there.