Build the Environment

Ladybugs Loving the Chamomile

When issues in the garden arise, avoid focusing on trying to solve a single problem.  Instead, step back, view it from an eagle eye view and focus on building the environment as a whole.  Provide nature with everything it needs to thrive and it will be able to take care of itself.

When you try to solve problems individually, you end up bouncing from issue to issue playing whac-a-mole as you try to contort and control the environment to your will.  If the environment has everything it needs, everything will stay in balance and issues will sort themselves out on their own.

Aphids are a great example.  If you notice aphids in your garden, which is probably a pretty normal problem to have.  Instead of going, "What can I spray on these plants to kill the aphids?"  Shift that mindset to, "What eats aphids and how can I get them in the garden?"

After a visit to professor Google you'll find that ladybugs and wasps are two of many bugs that eat aphids.  So plant flowers and plants that ladybugs love (which is most flowers) then in the future plan on diversifying your veggies with flowers so there's a healthy ladybug population throughout the entire garden which will keep your aphids at bay and everyone will be happy!

Most people have an aversion to wasps so instead of trying to attract wasps - maybe just don't try and kill every single wasp you see.  Some of them can be a good thing, and if they have food, such as aphids they will leave you alone.

This type of mindset is a long term game.  Planting flowers and letting them grow then waiting for the ladybugs to find them just takes time, there's no way around that.  But when you're constantly in that mindset of just focusing on having a really healthy environment as a whole then you'll find yourself constantly making improvements for the long term and before you know it everything is balanced, in order, you have minimal problems and an extremely diverse garden.

Slugs are another common problem.  Garter snakes love to eat slugs.  So instead of freaking out and trying to get rid of garter snakes, focus on having an environment they like and get used to being around them - they're really friendly creatures and they're just as scared of you as you are of them.  This is coming from someone who historically, has been absolutely terrified of all snakes.

Don't focus on single problems, relinquish control and focus on building a healthy environment as a whole that takes care of itself and your life will be immensely better for it.