There is
something soothing and magical about the symphony of crickets in a garden.
This summer I marveled at the dance of
fireflies and the music of crickets.
The lights of fireflies sweeten the charm of
our summer nights in ways that words cannot describe.
When
people asked Mr. Tallamy about the decline in crickets and fireflies in gardens
his response was that those who use lawn-treatments to kill insects and
fertilize lawns will not have these insects in their yards. On the other hand, when we do not
apply synthetic chemicals we support the development of healthy ecosystems,
we avoid polluting our waterways and we help sustain the lives of pollinators.
The
autumn season is just beginning to decorate our grounds with the majesty of
dead leaves. These leaves shelter the larvae of fireflies. It is important to
“leave the leaves” and accept them for what they are: nutrition for the soil
and homes for the life of several creatures. Besides, these dead leaves on
the ground harbor insects that are a crucial source of food for various
birds.
The “leave the leaves” advice is an important
reminder in the fall. Don’t take my word for it and visit the site of the Xerces society to learn more.
Douglas Tallamy also reminds us that removing the leaves under the trees starves the trees, because those leaves need to be broken down by decomposers to nourish the soil from which those trees obtain their nutrients. The crickets also play an important role in this process of breaking down the leaves; they help to recycle organic material to enrich the soil. Everything is interconnected.
You can
learn more about this from Tallamy’s book: How Can I Help? Saving Nature
with Your Yard. He answers 499 questions on the topic on how we can help Nature
restore herself.
Who is
Douglas Tallamy?
Douglas W.
Tallamy is a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at
the University of Delaware, where he has taught insect- related courses for 44
years. Douglas Tallamy has published several research articles as well.
The
reason I like this book is that it provides relevant information and tips that
I have not found in other books. It is more specific in terms of giving
practical advice and information.
Why is this important? His introduction
states it clearly:
“In the United States alone, 133 million
acres are now in residential landscapes, and those landscapes are controlled by
hundreds of millions of people. With a little education, we can all come to
realize that sustainable Earth stewardship is not something we can ignore or
practice only if we feel like it, or something that happens in ‘natural areas.’
It is essential, and it is essential everywhere. Moreover, caring for the life
around us is a responsibility we all hold. I say that with certainty,
because each of us depends entirely on the quality of local ecosystems for our
continued well-being.”
It is amazing to think about how much one
person can do. Reading his book will empower you in various ways…
Even if you do not own a garden, you can still
do your part. Mr. Tallamy emphasizes that many native plants do well in patio
pots.
Fascinating
facts that will guide you to be a better steward of mother Earth
You may
encounter people who believe that they care about birds, but their behaviors
show the opposite. The facts in this book will guide people to make simple choices
that can make a world of difference.
Spider webs
Did you know that spider webs are important
resources for various birds? Spider webs are used as a source of material
for nest building. Small birds such as humming birds, Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers, kinglets and Bushtits need them, so his advice is to avoid
brushing off spider webs from outdoor structures. Also, spiders feed on the
mosquitoes that pester us, so why would anybody with common sense destroy
their webs?
Mosquito
fogging is toxic and ineffective
Mr.
Tallamy explains that mosquito fogging is not an effective way of getting rid
of mosquitoes. Besides, mosquito fogging kills butterflies, bees, moths,
earthworms, caterpillars, and other insects that are essential to healthy
ecosystems. To learn more about the toxic effects of mosquito fogging, feel
free to visit this site provided by Purdue University.
Did you know that blue Jays plant most oak
trees? And some of them are planted by squirrels. How does this happen? Blue
Jays bury their acorns to feed on them later, but they end up eating one out of
four acorns they bury, so the three they don’t eat have the potential to grow
into oak trees.
Plant
native trees and plants
Be
consistent and plant something every year. There is detailed information on the
need to plant native plants and to avoid planting invasive plants. Every year
nurseries sell thousands of invasive plants that harm ecosystems, so people
should choose to avoid purchasing these plants and ask for the native ones. If
the nursery does not sell native plants, feel free to walk away. Actions speak
louder than words.
Planting clover instead of using synthetic
fertilizers
It is better to use clover for several
reasons. You will nourish the soil without polluting the water with the runoff
of synthetic fertilizers. You will require less water because clover is drought-resistant.
You will provide nutrition for several pollinators including butterflies and
bees, and you will decrease the emission of greenhouse gases that worsen the
climate crisis. Synthetic fertilizers use releases nitrous oxide, a greenhouse
gas. What is not to like about all the benefits of using clover instead of
synthetic fertilizers for your lawn?
It is
also important to remove some of the grass and to plant more native plants. Avoid spraying herbicides and pesticides; these chemicals poison the water, the air
and the sources of food for birds. And don’t worry about those dandelions. They
may not be a native plant but they still provide nutrition for pollinators.
Supporting clean energy initiatives and
policies
The development of clean energy infrastructure
keeps the air and water clean and is part of the action to address climate
change. It provides jobs and boosts the economy in multiple ways.
Unfortunately, the trump regime is doing just the opposite.
I previously wrote about how the trump regime is leading to a rise in our utility bills.
There is a lot to learn from his book, so
feel free to go to your nearest library and find out more. My only criticism is
that he is very biased against deer in a way that spreads misinformation. For
example, he blames deer for the abundance of ticks when experts know that
climate change is responsible for the increase of various kinds of ticks in the
environment. You can read about this in an article published by Binghamton University.
Moreover, Tallamy complains that deer do not eat the non-native plants and that they prefer the native ones. Again, he scapegoats deer when he knows that thousands of non-native invasive plants are introduced into the environment by humans who purchase their plants from irresponsible nurseries. Instead of scapegoating deer, we should take responsibility and make the right choices when purchasing plants from nurseries.
I strongly encourage Mr. Tallamy to educate himself on the topic.
Update on
my gardening experience this year
In a post
from June 2025, I mentioned my goal to produce food while supporting the health
of pollinators in my own garden, and I want to write about how everything
turned out. I am also sharing some helpful tips and ideas for other
gardeners.
I never use pesticides and herbicides and I have done my part in planting more native plants in our yard. I communicated my ideas to other people in my neighborhood. It was heartwarming to see people leaving patches of wildflowers on their lawn. The results have been encouraging. This year we’ve had many more bees, crickets, fireflies and monarch butterflies compared to the previous year.
Helpful tips and ideas
When my seedlings are attacked by ants, I do
not use any kind of poison. I only spray the plants with cayenne pepper. It works. The spice deters the ants from eating my seedlings, and then the sprouts
continue to grow and thrive without any problems. Squirrels do not like the
cayenne pepper either. I sometimes add coffee grounds. Coffee grounds help to
fertilize the soil and ants don’t like them.
I grow sage and mint on the borders of the
fenced vegetable patches because I know mice and other pests don’t like them.
They stay away from them. I do pay a lot of attention to companion planting. For
example, I planted some zinnias and purple coneflowers along with some of my tomato
plants. I have used an effective organic fertilizer with excellent results.
Rabbits are effective workers in my garden.
They devour a variety of weeds so they help with garden maintenance in natural
ways. Due to the interesting variety of weeds we offer, they do not even try to
get into my vegetable garden. The same idea applies to chipmunks.
My goal
of producing more food in less space also came to fruition. We produced over
fifty pounds of tomatoes this season as well as a steady supply of green beans,
collards, Swiss chard, cucumbers, arugula, basil, and other herbs. Add to the
list a harvest of sweet peas in early summer. (And there is another one that will
hopefully be ready for the fall).
We are also proud supporters of a small family
farm (CSA) from where we obtain healthful delicious vegetables and fruit every
two weeks. They grow organic food in
sustainable ways, respecting the environment and nourishing the soil. We will continue to support them next year,
Future plans:
I would like to enlarge our vegetable patches
next year to increase our food production; we will continue to plant more
native plants. We may add a tree or two. It is inspiring and uplifting to see
the celebration of life in our “forest of hope.”
The
gentle music of crickets, the daily visit of monarch butterflies and the steady
company of bees are reminders that we are doing something right...
If you enjoyed this post, feel free to check my writing on the following books:
The Permaculture Transition Manual
Relevant
links:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-utility-bills-are-rapidly-rising-in-some-states/
https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/issues/food-system/
