I have been thinking lately of the circle of life. Before rushing out and singing to Elton John's soundtrack to Lion King in the depths of cartoon Africa something of wildlife and nature happens right here in our backyards.
Permaculture Principle 5: Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services
Let nature take its course
As it's nearing autumn and many herbs are going to seed, many fruits are ripening to harvest. I have found I don't really need to buy chive plants as Woodside chives had already gone to seed all I had to do was chop the seed heads off and scatter them to my garden border. The borage was also going to seed so I just snipped them too to put in my border, along with calendula. Thanks nature!
Dad has filled the compost bin with more grass clippings from the lawn so I put a few clippings on my pumpkin/melon/corn bed. I hope I haven't inadvertently returned weed seeds to the soil. Generally I bin the invasive ones that may go to seed but some of them I just uproot and leave on the ground as mulch. Karyn's also showing me how to make fish fertiliser from fish guts.
Carbon Sequestration is another thing I'm learning which basically means a fancy name for putting charcoal/ashes on the soil to improve mineral uptake. Greenies have called it 'biochar' but to me it just looks like charcoal. This is going to help with creating and mantaining soils by adding these natural amendments. I can also burning weeds and use the ashes.
My natural pollination and pest control is basically bees, bunnies, cats and chickens. Atmospheric regulation and local climate means although I have no way of controlling the weather I do pray God who made everything, will blow wind and send rain when it's needed. I am working on purifying water..haven't yet come up with a foolproof rain harvesting plan other than setting some glass jars out to catch the rain, and my production of raw materials so far has been an abundant harvest of mugwort. Everything is looking biologically productive and diverse - it would be anathema for me to even consider gardening for money. If I do that, all I would be growing would be one type of crop after the other for the market and that's no fun.
We take these services for granted because they are provided free of charge by nature - NZ biodiversity strategy
Speaking of being free of charge Myra's horror story was aired on TV3 Newshub the other night about this conman landscape gardener who charged her a $2500 deposit, failed to show up for six months and then hacked her plum tree. Which is why me and Louise are gardening her place for love, because the silly man who just got out of prison (obviously, he didn't learn anything, like how to be honest) promised to refund her money but she only got half back. And he's been cheating 16 other people to the tune of $40,000. Crikey!
