The Seed 16: Beneficial Organisms

No Plant is an Island

The garden is a truly magical place. For every gift of the garden that we can see, taste, or feel there’s a million hidden gifts that we may never be able to perceive except in our imaginations. Imagine the micro-cosmic universe of the soil. Tiny soil fungi called Mycorrhizae live partially in the soil, and partially in the root hairs of the plants. These soil fungi aren’t free loaders though as they live symbiotically feeding and watering the plant roots in return for carbohydrates given by the grateful host. These fascinating fungi are only the final step in a process of turning nitrogen in our atmosphere into nitrates that our garden plants can easily absorb to help them grow. This nitrogen fixing process is a story involving a host of characters from the friendly mycorrhizae, to the soil detrivores like worms and millipedes, to the nitrogen fixing roots of legumes like beans and peas. This incredible, complex tale of converting nitrogen in the air into food for the creatures of this planet is just one of the hidden, magical stories our gardens can tell if only we learn to listen.

I’ve heard it said that all of the problems on earth could be solved in the garden. Yep… I think that’s pretty well put. I see that much magic and potential in gardens, but I also believe that the inverse is equally true. Most of the problems in the garden can be solved by looking to the earth. After all the beauty of a garden is but a small reflection of the magic of the whole earth. In this newsletter we’ll explore a few of the magic solutions that wise old Mother Earth has presented for all gardeners to learn from.

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