Gardening for Good

Support Our Native Ecology By Growing The Good Stuff

By Brittany Archibald

Kat Stanely is an Organic Farmer, certified through the Rogue Farm Corps. She has traveled throughout the western United States with the WOOFing program (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), and most recently has acted as the head gardener and farm manager at the Hedges Family Estate for their 2022 season farmto-table program. Kat walked me through her vibrant farm and answered all of my questions about creating a garden that does good in the world.

What are some main Ways a home gardener can make their garden more respectful of the native ecology?

Implementing some organic gardening practices — even if you can’t commit to strict organic gardening! — growing native flowers, and seed saving are all great ways to garden for good.

What is the benefit of seed saving?

Well SO many! First of all, who doesn’t want free seeds? You will have seeds that are already adapted to your local climate. You will have a hardier crop for next year that understands just how hot our summers are, that maybe grew shorter because the wind would topple a tall plant. You get to choose your tastiest crops and make sure those flavor genetics get passed down to your successions. You also save so much money on seeds next year!

What is organic gardening and Why is it important?

Organic gardening or farming has many rules and regulations but primarily the bare bones of it is that you are avoiding use of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals. While many in current use might not be harmful to humans they cause a large impact on bees, butterflies, moths and more. Pesticides and synthetic fertilizers can frequently run off and harm our local ecosystem and cause harmful algae blooms.

In lieu of using those you can look into some really cool organic methods of dealing with imbalances of the plants.

Seed Saving

Did you know you can save the seeds of your favorite plants? Seed saving is a great option to save yourself some money, and make sure the most optimal plant genetics get passed along. Seed saving is usually quite simple, but varies greatly from plant to plant. Look online to find how to save your favorite flowers, fruits, and veggies, or ask your local Master Gardener chapter.

What are some common roadblocks to organic gardening and how do you solve them?

One of the toughest road blocks is that your garden is not an island. Your garden or farm could be doing everything perfectly, but you could have a neighbor who monocrops and/ or is susceptible to pests and disease and consequently overuses pesticides or herbicides in response. All of that can easily transfer on the wind to your crops. I think the best thing you can do in these cases is try your best to implement organic practices and diversity in your own garden in addition to having conversations with your neighbors.

You can also educate folks in your community about how important organic farming is and how detrimental traditional farming is impacting our native insects and plants. I think starting these conversations with folks can help establish a more respect for the local ecology surrounding us, and encourage a better understanding of WHY we used harmful practices in the past. Communication and empathy for our neighbors helps remove judgment and creates a space for understanding your mutual struggles and joys in the world of gardening and farming.

Gardeners can benefit from sharing ideas. I learned from traveling to various farms around the US, I’ve seen in person that what might work on one farm won’t work on another. The land is unique to your area. So, get to know your community. I ask myself often: How can we work together to have beautiful abundant crops, in addition to healthy soil and thriving native pollinators?

How can a gardener transition to using more organic practices?

One of the ways I am able to use less organic fertilizers is by focusing more on soil health at my farm. Soil is composed of many microorganisms and beneficial bacterias. Keeping that balance is important to me and the plants. I see myself as a steward of the land, attempting to use regenerative practices so that the land is in better condition.

One step in building up that organic material in the topsoil is to compost, this helps create less waste that would head to landfills and helps to save the farmer on expensive soil purchases. You can compost food scraps and your leaves in the fall. You are also helping out the planet by not sending food scraps to a landfill, where instead of decomposing, your scraps turn anaerobic and add more CO2 and methane into the atmosphere.

Another way to improve soil health is crop rotations so that you are not depleting too many nutrients in one area. I also like to incorporate companion planting as some crops complement each other’s nutrient uptake and may also deter pests.

What are some common companion plant pairings?

Some of my favorite companion plants are: tomatoes with pole beans and basil. I enjoy the traditional three sisters planting of corn, beans and squash. Or zucchini with beans, dill, and nasturtiums. I like sunflowers and corn together. Some crops really don’t do well together, like beans and alliums, so if your crops are struggling, maybe check what is planted nearby!

The most important skill of the farmer is observation. Do you see how many bees are in your yard? Do you notice any munches on your crops and find the pest early? Do you see when your crops are ripe?

Why should gardeners focus on native plants?

The nice thing about planting more native species is that you will find that you need to use less pesticides because of increased diversity.

Using native flowers could mean more pollinators and beneficial insects to protect plants and also less water use, as these plants are already adapted for our specific desert-like climate. Because of this adaptation your plants require less maintenance. Having a diverse garden is also going to give you a leg up in preventing disease outbreaks or pestiferous bugs, as natives are already adapted to a strong resistance to such problems.

Natives have so many benefits, they will help support your local pollinators and encourage pollination in your own garden. Since we all rely on pollinators, especially our fragile native bee species, it's important that we help support them in any way we can. One of those ways is planting more native flowers, and another is practicing organic methods in your garden or farm.

Farming and gardening is rewarding but also a lot of physical work. I personally enjoy it but it’s not for everyone. If you’d like to support local pollinators and farmers, consider volunteering at local community gardens. You might not be ready to dive headfirst into organic gardening but maybe try composting, or adding a couple native plants here and there to diversify and improve the resilience of your garden. You can also support your local farmers by buying from our wonderful farmers markets and maybe even consider getting a CSA so that you can regularly eat fresh veggies and support your local community.

Want to learn more about plants native to the Tri-Cities? Check out the WSU Extension Office at extension.wsu.edu.

This feature appears in our Lifestyle section which is generously sponsored by Mirage Pool n Spa.