Ghost Gardener: A Revolution Disguised as Gardening or The Deluxe Container
May 24, 2013
By Ghost Gardener
Columbia, SC
May 24, 2013
I planned for this article to be about container gardening, and I will work this in, but recent personal experiences have converged with natural occurrences and I am compelled to widen my focus.
A few days ago, the New York Times featured the latest alarming study that shows more carbon dioxide in our atmosphere since before mankind walked our planet. This week, multiple monster tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma laying waste to entire neighborhoods. Hurricane Sandy’s devastation in the Northeast remains evident. Last summer’s severe drought conditions throughout much of the Midwest was the evil twin of record snowfall and flooding . I’m sure you can think of other examples of extreme weather during the past 12 months alone.
The friend who posted the Times article on Facebook added a personal comment that bemoaned the diverted gaze of our governmental powers-that-be, which leads me to conclude: Why wait for our elected officials to proclaim the validity of what we know is true? Weather patterns are changing, and we can’t count on a return to normal. We cannot expect any outside agency, public or private, to shield us from devastation, nor can we expect our debt-riddled governments to continue shelling out emergency funds to those who lose everything.
Environmental chaos is upon us. Not an apocalyptic happening, mind you, just a slow but steady shift that can very possibly—no, probably—-render our industrial agricultural and food processing systems ineffective. Witness the property devastation each time wind and water rip through a highly populated area and notice the impact on food availability and price. Also, we cannot count on an abundance of cheap fossil fuels to forever maintain the national transportation from mega-farm to processing plant to grocery chain distribution warehouse and finally to our local food store. And can we really count on plentiful fresh water spouting forth forever whenever we turn on our faucets? What is one to do when Mother Nature compels us all to be producers, not merely a nation of consumers?
It’s time for a revolution in this country, and it goes by the name of Permaculture. Bill Mollison, co-founder of this movement along with David Holmgren , states the prime directive of permaculture is to make the decision to take responsibility for your own existence and that of your children. Permaculture is a solutions-oriented environmental movement….a grassroots movement to build sustainable world cultures….a design strategy using general and universally applicable principles of design grounded in an ethical foundation…a system for engaging individuals, communities, existing infrastructure and energy resources for the mission of Earth repair. Ironically, the practices and principles of Permaculture hark back to life before mega-farms, trucked-in produce, and suburban sprawl development.
I am currently taking an Intro to Permaculture class with Columbia’s own expert practitioner, Matthew Kip. My eyes have been opened, and during the second class meeting it dawned on me that Permaculture is not simply a set of directives. Rather, it is a philosophy for living in harmony with nature—a mindful approach that shapes one’s own daily actions involving food production, energy consumption, and the issue of waste. An accessible entry point into the Permaculture mentality is through gardening, hence the descriptive a revolution disguised as gardening. A few informative links to check out:
This article explains the principles:
Wikipedia gives an overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture
Bill Mollison, co-founder of Permaculture, has a Global Gardener series on youtube. This segment is set in New York City: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF9IgvjCv84
Here are some other videos that may be helpful: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF8176E1CB893405F
And do visit Matt’s site—his class has changed my life, and I highly recommend his class next time it is offered: http://www.matthewkip.com
You can join the Permaculture movement NOW by taking baby steps towards making your own living space more self-sustaining. Here’s where containers come in! Plant an herb garden this year. You can start now or weeks from now since our growing season runs clear through to October. This is your first step towards taking charge of your own existence—growing herbs to eat while feasting on their
beauty for months. It’s simple and 1-2-3…
- Get a container at least 12 across and 6 deep with one or several drainage holes in the bottom. Place the container in the sunniest spot you have where you will see it daily. Herbs can grow in some shade, but need lots of direct sun to thrive. No super sunny spot? Try it anyway in any condition save full shade. Make sure a water source is nearby or get a watering can.
- Purchase at least 3 herbs you like from a local nursery or market (they’re all over the place now!) You can mix and match or just plant a boatload of basil if you love pesto. Buy some potting soil that has compost or other slow-release fertilizer mixed in.
- Fill your container 2/3 full and place the herb plants (usually sold in 2 – 4 plastic containers) so that they are angled slightly out from center of the pot so as not to grow up into each other. Add soil up to the crown of each plant, which is where the main stalk becomes roots, making sure the crown is at or slightly above finished soil level. Water in thoroughly with a gentle spray, and water in once a day for the first week unless it rains. Rule of thumb for watering: if you stick your index finger down into the container soil, and the tip of your finger comes up dry, it’s time to water. And do water the pot until water comes out the bottom. Better to do deeper, less frequent watering than a daily sprinkle….you want to encourage deep root growth.
Now, sit back and watch your mini-herb garden grow! Feel good knowing that you have planted a DELUXE container because it’s your first step towards a more sustainable life.
Sign up here to receive MidlandsLife weekly email magazine.
