Herbal Events at Madison Earth Care
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“The mindful gardener knows that every challenge will come and go but the joy of nature sustains the soul.” -Anonymous
Stop. Just stop. Stop measuring time by the passing of the blooms. For so long now, I have been doing this but I’m beginning to realize that it’s not a good thing. But it’s hard not to notice the changes of the seasons. The happy bulbs of spring are a distant memory. The Peonies are long gone and Sunflower, and even Corn, mazes are in full swing. The Lavender blooms are waning and the fall Anemones are blooming. The Maples have a slight tinge of fall color already peeking through. And Pumpkins and Mums have already begun arriving at stores. Before we know it, the autumn harvest will bring it all full circle and the process of closing the gardens will begin.
While all of this makes me a little sad, I’ve decided the best way to pull myself out of this rut is to practice mindful gardening. The noun form of mindful, mindfulness, is defined as “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.” Expanding on this definition of mindfulness by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, I’d like to suggest that mindfulness also comes with intentional practice, compassion and gratitude. The phrase “moment to moment basis,” means living in the moment; a common expression these days. Another trendy expression is “enjoy the moment”. And so, while I love the change of seasons here in New England, even as I may feel melancholy bidding farewell to another season, I must discipline myself to enjoy each day in the garden, without thinking of what is past or what is next. Just live for today, noticing what mother nature has offered this day and practicing mindful gardening.
Today, I noticed the Monarch caterpillars, who have been feeding on the milkweed that I planted, have disappeared and I happily assume they have become the beautiful butterflies that are flying freely about my garden. The sound of bees, birds and cicadas at work calmed me. I counted almost a dozen pollinators on the Salvia that I planted earlier and a smile spread across my face. The hot summer sun soaked deep into my bones and felt nourished by the vitamin D. The colors of the garden reminded me of a Monet painting. I pulled a few weeds until I didn’t feel like it anymore, I’d get them later. Life is good in the moment. It does not mean there will be no more weeds or lily beetles or voles or powdery mildew or on and on the challenges go. It does not mean I will not face challenges and difficulties in the upcoming days. Indeed, I am sure I will be facing some big ones in the future, but for today, in my garden, life is OH SO GOOD!
Melissa Blundon, CANP, AOLCP
Madison Earth Care | Phone: 203-421-4358
“In the wild, where all things live free, the weeds may overcome the flower, but, when tamed in the garden, they can live side by side.”
-Anonymous
This year, because of the abundance of rain and hot July temperatures, the weeds are absolutely thriving. This has made it very difficult to keep up with them. I’ve tried but, in the end, I have decided that the best thing to do is to make peace with the weeds. I have accepted that they will always be a part of the garden. I understand that, while weeds do need attention to keep from becoming overwhelming, we can learn to live with them.
The first step to living with them is knowing your plants and weeds. This knowledge and the ability to recognize a variety of different plants in different stages of growth, is helpful and prevents pulling out desirable ones. The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a weed as “a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth, especially: one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants.” This means that differentiating between weeds and plants comes down to what the “eyes of the beholder” considers desirable.
While some weeds can be invasive and overbearing, some can actually be valued and have beneficial qualities. For this reason, being able to identify different types and knowing which are serious trouble makers and which can be tamed is important. And, even if certain weeds are allowed to stay in the garden, they need close attention and monitoring. You will need to referee in order to ensure the weeds do not overcome other more desirable plants. In this way, the weeds can be tamed and even enjoyed in the garden. Some examples of plants that I sometimes allow in the garden are Violets (Viola), Wood Asters (Eurybia divaricate), Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota), and Mullein (Mullein verbascum).
Unfortunately, there are certain weeds and situations when eradication is best or an absolute necessity. If possible, my favorite removal technique is to hand pull in these cases. I use herbicide as a last resort and, if I use it at all, I use an organic herbicide option. Another effective method is to spray vinegar, directly onto weeds at full strength on a sunny day. Other techniques that can be useful in eliminating weeds, without using chemicals, are boiling water, smothering and flame torching.
Just like the garden, in life the weeds are constant; unwanted problems or challenges, negative energies, unhealthy relationships or habits. These weeds can feel overwhelming at times, but just as in the garden, the first step in dealing with your weeds is knowing and making peace with them. You must learn to recognize which you can live with and which will choke you if not kept in check.
Melissa Blundon, CANP, AOLCP
Madison Earth Care | Phone: 203-421-4358
“When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
On a clear night, as I look up to the night sky and count my blessings, I take for granted the hundreds of stars twinkling above me. When I get away to Vermont, I am even more amazed by the night sky. Why is it that in Vermont the stars are so much brighter and bountiful? Perhaps you know the answer, it is simple. The sky is darker and so the stars show up better. And the reason the sky is darker is because there is less artificial light in Vermont. This phenomenon describes what is known as light pollution. According to the Oxford dictionary, light pollution is “the brightening of the night sky caused by street lights and other man-made sources, which has a disruptive effect on natural cycles and inhibits the observation of stars and planet.
Think about it… Plants and animals have lived on earth for millions of years before the introduction of artificial light. The first light bulb was invented in 1802 and Thomas Edison patented his light bulb in 1879 which led to commercial manufacturing of the common light bulb. A mere 140 years ago. Before that, light and dark revolved around the 24 hour cycle of day and night. The circadian rhythm is based on this 24 hour cycle which all plants and animals use to maintain health and regulate their sleep/wake cycle.
New research suggests that light at night may interfere with normal circadian rhythms resulting in health and mental health problems. Lack of sleep is a well-known cause of many poor health issues. While research is still ongoing, it is becoming apparent that both light days and dark nights are necessary to maintain healthy hormone production, cell function, and brain activity, as well as normal feeding, mating, and migratory behavior for humans and other species as well. Wildlife is negatively impacted by light pollution, from newly hatched sea turtles to migrating birds, fish, frogs, salamanders, and lightning bugs, artificial night lighting disrupts the cycles of nocturnal creatures in potentially devastating ways.
The good news is that we can make a difference in the proliferation of light pollution. The first step is to acknowledge the problem and bring awareness. Of course we live in the reality of an industrial civilization. I am not suggesting we all turn our lights out at night. But there are things we can do to help. I myself am just beginning to learn more about light pollution. Below are some great resources that I have personally found to be very helpful in understanding the dangers of light pollution.
International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) – “IDA is the recognized authority on light pollution. Founded in 1988, IDA is the first organization to call attention to the hazards of light pollution, and in 22 years of operation our accomplishments have been tremendous. We promote one simple idea: light what you need, when you need it.”
Starry Night Lights – “Starry Night Lights is committed to fighting light pollution and restoring our heritage of star-filled skies. We offer the widest selection of night sky friendly outdoor lighting for your home or business.”
GLOBE at Night – “The GLOBE at Night program is an international citizen-science campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure their night sky brightness and submit their observations to a website from a computer or smart phone.”
Melissa Blundon, CANP, AOLCP
Madison Earth Care | Phone: 203-421-4358