I read a gardening book recently about hands-off gardening which intrigues me. As you know, I love experimenting with my garden. I believe if you find a plant that thrives in your garden and it is useful for your needs, then by all means let it grow there, even if most people consider it to be a weed.
Last year, I let carrots go to seed and was inundated with all types of pollinators. The carrot blossoms are so sweet smelling and beautiful. It definitely was an invitation to a party and pollinators attended in droves.
I have so many carrot seeds now. I plan on planting most of them as a border around my garden and since they are dog safe, I can plant them in the backyard, as well. Some I will plant as starts and re-pot, but in most areas I plan on just scattering seeds to see what will come up.
It is exciting to see what happens over time in a garden left to its own devices. Of course, I water, mulch, fertilize and oversee the whole operation, but sometimes just leaving it be can give amazing results.
A few years ago, I envisioned a strawberry patch, set amidst a scattering of stones. It has been a slow endeavor mainly due to stolons being uprooted by the wind. It is in a protected area, but when those seldom south winds come, they sweep up through the area, ripping and uprooting.
Last year, I planted garlic bulbs, carrots and radishes among the strawberry plants and they seemed to enjoy the company. The strawberries grew bushier and proceeded to madly send out runners. I am looking forward to seeing what happens this year. My main goal is wild strawberries, which are smaller but much sweeter than the norm and apparently are nutrient dense.
Most people do traditional gardening, tilling the soil, pulling weeds, and planting in neat rows, which can be a lot of work — and can be detrimental to the soil. If we do a little more hands-off gardening and let nature work her magic for us, while setting new and different expectations, we may be surprised at the beneficial results.
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