2024-01-07 04:00:00
You can have a small garden on the balcony of an apartment or another very large one full of trees. Both options serve today in a world that needs more green, more diversity, more color, more perfume. When considering the biodiversity crisis the planet is facing, Ecology researchers from the Biodiversity and Environment Research Institute (INIBIOMA), which depends on Conicet and the National University of Comahue, developed and published the “Practical guide for a nature-friendly garden.”
“Gardens are a place to relax, enjoy and connect with nature. They lead us to observe the great seasonal changes, but also the more subtle ones, such as the opening of a flower during the day, the song of a dove or thrush in the morning. It also puts us in contact with the earth, something that is not easy in cities, but is so necessary,” they stated,” wrote scientists Luciana Elizalde and Sergio Lambertucci.
Taking care of a garden also has benefits for the community. “They benefit many other species, which are also seeking their connection with nature in cities,” they highlighted.
First, the authors recommend planting a diversity of species, especially native ones. “A more diverse garden will attract beneficial insects and insect-eating birds that will control pests on our plants,” they explain. For example, for hummingbirds or some butterflies to approach a garden in Western Patagonia, it is important that the flowers be colorful and elongated, like those of the quintral, the notro and the chilco.
It should be considered that if long-flowering annual plants are grown, they will provide nectar throughout the year. Something that is beneficial for birds and insects. For example, the mutisia or pañil flower are key for beneficial insects. They advise reducing the area of short grass in gardens and limiting it only for recreation. In the rest of the space you can let the grass grow, and the flowers and seeds produced there become food for the fauna. That action has other benefits, such as reducing energy consumption and the noise of the mower that can disturb neighbors.
It must be taken into account that “Broad-spectrum insecticides kill all insects, including beneficial ones.” For this reason, they propose eliminating the use of insecticides and herbicides in gardens.
Sometimes, “weeds” may appear that are considered annoying, but it should be found out if they are not native plant species that have inhabited the area since before humans existed. Which is why they are just looking for their place in the garden.
The guide comes with multiple recommendations on composting, responsible pet ownership, and preventing bird strikes. It is free and can be downloaded from the INIBIOMA website (https://inibioma.conicet.gov.ar/)
1704600118
#naturefriendly #garden #science
