Any enthusiastic gardener will tell you that gardening is food for the soul, as well as the body. Gardening stirs your imagination to be creative. It provides some fun along with physical exercise, fresh air, and sunlight. In addition, there is the delight of seeing the seedlings sprout, flowers bloom, picking fresh fruit, harvesting vegetables and having fresh herbs at your disposal, any time you want them. An added bonus is seeing a variety of butterflies, birds, and frogs you
attract to your garden. These are just some of the joys of gardening and creating a well-balanced ecosystem around you.
With the price of fresh produce sharply increasing and concerns everywhere about food safety, wouldn’t it be worth your while to grow some of your own produce and herbs at home? If space is limited, plant your tomatoes in a hanging basket and your cucumbers, strawberries, and lettuce in a vertical garden using an upright trellis or fence. With a little research, you will find an abundance of ideas that are fun, creative and very attractive.
Don‘t worry too much about making your garden look professional, you can‘t get it wrong; every garden is an individual expression of creativity. So! You think you‘re not creative. Well, plant a garden and you may find out that you are far more creative than you thought.
ANTS
Here are two ways to combat ant problems in your garden. Depending on the type of ants you have, you may have to experiment to determine which is more effective.
Combine equal amounts of borax, caster sugar and alum (available at grocery stores),
and sprinkle it along the ants‘ path.
or mix a solution of the following:
- 10 drops of any citrus essential oil
- 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 cup of warm water
- Shake well and spray in all affected areas
BEES
Bees are an extremely important part of the ecosystem. Approximately 1/3 of crops are pollinated by bees. Help to do your part by planting flowers, bushes, and shrubs that will attract bees to your garden, e.g. Borage, Aster, Buttercup, Cilantro, Crocus, Fennel, Hollyhock, Lavender, Sage, Thyme, Calendula, Poppies, Zinnia, Sunflowers, Eucalyptus, Cosmos, and Verbena, to name just a few.
There are a vast amount of bushes and trees that you can plant in order to attract bees. If you are busy laying out a new garden, do a little research before planting to see which plants are most suitable. If you have an already exiting garden, add some colourful flowers which bring joy to your heart every time you look at them and at the same time helps our environment.
What can you GROW?
If you don’t try,
YOU WILL NEVER KNOW!
