EDITOR – We're a strange species, you know. Case in point: Here in Durban, we live in what was formerly mostly lush sub-tropical forest; nature knows what she wants, and here she'd like to revert back to forest. As quickly as possible, thank you! That's what the climate, soil, and sunshine dictate.
But us? We want our manicured lawns, and our plants that were not created for this climate. So we fight an ongoing battle against nature, but we've got as much chance of winning as beating gravity. Figuratively, the plane goes up but it's always going to come down again.
Does the following sound familiar? You plant a lovely lawn but within weeks it's covered in what we consider weeds. But we should rather see them as nature bringing back the forest. Bare ground or ground covered in low-growing species like groundcovers is like an open wound, and she's only trying to cover it with a healing plaster called plants.
Here's another scenario that might make you grimace or smile – or both. You spend hours each month raking leaves, and bagging twigs, branches, and lawnmower cuttings. You lug them out of your yard, at risk of putting your back out. Then you wash off the sweat and grime, get in your car and drive to the garden centre to buy the same things, just rotted and nicely packaged with 'compost' written on the outside, and haul them back into your yard.
Want some valuable advice? Rather learn to compost your garden refuse, or spread it as a mulch on the surface around your plants and veggies. It will turn to compost faster than you can say 'Why didn't I do this a lot earlier?' Or if you want to get rid of even more plant matter, learn the technique of hugelkultur and use your cut tree stumps, branches, twigs, and leaves right where you process them, and grow new veggies on top of the soil you lay over that base.
I've gone from a weed fighter and a blue bag filler to seeing plant 'waste' in a totally different light since seeing what other gardeners around the world do. They see their garden 'refuse' as green gold, and so should every Durban household. The fuel, effort and time that DSW puts into moving it from our homes to the dumpsites is totally unnecessary and a monumental waste of human energy. Try turning your garden into a green gold factory, and you'll see what I mean. Build your soil, don't deplete it by throwing away what nature is trying to give you as a gift.
Deon Braun
Glenmore
