Gardening for Wildlife

Gardening for Wildlife-Why?

• Ever since we discovered chemicals we have been using them to increase yield or to kill insects which eat away leaves of plants.

• We have now reached a stage where no amount of washing and cleaning can take away the chemicals we eat with our food. The flowers we see are beautiful but have mostly lost their smell

Gardening for Wildlife-Why?

• The soil is so degraded that only a constant infusion of chemicals will ensure that plants survive well.

• We can test the freshness of a fruit by holding it, smelling it, giving it a soft squeeze, checking for bumps and spots and bruises, but how do we check the level of pesticides contained in it?

• As per an average diet of daily intake of various foods, we will be exceeding the ADI (Acceptable Daily Intake) of pesticides by approximately 400%! (CSE)

Gardening for Wildlife-How?

• No pesticides. Many of the insects that live in our gardens are beneficial. They creep around our plants and gobble up aphids and caterpillars and the like. Therefore, it stands to reason that if we increase the number of beneficial insects in our gardens, then we will decrease the pests. Plus, pesticides pollute and can get on your food and into your body.

• Ant Control. Ants can run off other predators. Use vinegar to keep their armies in check.

• Mulch. Mulch provides creeping space for crawling animals. It also locks in moisture.

Gardening for Wildlife-How?

• Planting native shrubs and trees is the easiest way to provide the foliage, nectar, pollen, berries, seeds and nuts that many species of wildlife require to survive and thrive.

• Wildlife require places to hide in order to feel safe from people, predators and inclement weather. Use things like native vegetation, shrubs, thickets and fenced areas or even dead trees.

Gardening for Wildlife-How?

• Use organic manure. There are a number of organic manures like farmyard manure, green manures, compost prepared from crop residues and other farm wastes, vermi compost, oil cakes, and biological wastes - animal bones, bone meal.

• Replace external inputs with local knowledge. Organic manures have low nutrient content and therefore need to be applied in larger quantities. The nutrient content of organic manures is highly variable from place to place, lot to lot, and method of preparation.

Gardening for Wildlife-How?

• Green manure crops /rotation crops. Plant different crops being alternately grown on the same land in a specific order to have more effective control of weeds, pests, diseases, and more economical utilization of soil fertility. In India, leguminous crops are grown alternately with wheat, barley, and mustard.

• Crops like cowpea or lobia or any dal variety can improve the nitrogen cycle of the soil.

Simple joys of nature • The simple joys of nature bring with them immense pleasure;

they sooth our frayed nerves, all the while teaching us the ways of life.

• For those interested in attracting butterflies to their windows or gardens, you can grow plants like Ixora, Marigold, Petunia, Sadaphuli, Jatropha, Aster, Lemon grass, lime trees —Kalanchoe, Curry Leaf, Passiflora, Bryophyllum or Calotropis and watch as various varieties of butterflies arrive to suck their nectar and breed their young.

Watch birds in your backyard!

• Birds will munch pests. You can attract birds with a bird bath or some berry-producing trees.

• Do not feed birds. But keep some water for the birds always.

• Go ahead and observe the miracle of nature — it will humble you for sure; albeit delightfully.

Gardening for Wildlife

Thank You