The organic philosophy
Various organic processes, including natural farming, biodynamics and permaculture, not only aim to lessen and preferably do away with toxic chemicals that are detrimental for the health of plants, animals (including humans) and the planet, but also to comprehend the nature's own processes so that we may participate in them and not, in any way, cause a hindrance for them. In other words, organic philosophy is basically an alteration in the way we usually think. Rather than thinking of large scale monoculture, we need to consider them as an element of the natural system by keeping the insects that harm plants in control by using predators, and not synthetic chemicals. At the same time, we should not expect all edible and ornamental plants to be free from blemishes, because nature is not impelled by glossy advertisements. Therefore, we should always think of the different ways that the plants survive by without human intrusion.
- Food for resistance
- Feeding your hibiscus with superior quality and balanced compost will help the plant to thrive as well as resist diseases. On the contrary, providing chemical fertilizers to the plants can make them have too much, which can, in turn, kill all types of micro organisms. For instance, providing too much to edible plants may result in nitrites that promote cancer. Similarly, any imbalance due to excessive feeding using chemical fertilizers may lead to diseases and infestation by pests. Using nitrogenous fertilizers is especially harmful, as these encourage speedy soft growth, which draws sucking insects. The situation is very similar to the mammalian predators that choose to attack the weakest in a herd. Insects too infest or invade the weakest plants. In case you are not certain if particular compost is resistance food, you may undertake an experiment by employing organic as well as inorganic fertilizers at the same time for two different lots of cabbage or carrots. Provide one of these lots with the best quality compost you can avail, while providing the other lot with a nitrogenous fertilizer, for instance sulfate of ammonia. You will be surprised to note that the pests will consume the nitrogenous fertilizer more quickly. Stress is another comparison. When humans are under stress, they become susceptible to common colds, flu and other contagious diseases. Similarly the plants also become vulnerable to various diseases when they are in stress. It is always advisable to use a soil containing high levels of organic substances, as it provides necessary nutrients. At the same time, it also slows down occurrence of various diseases caused by fungi and bacteria, for instance phytophthora, as this kind of soil promotes antibiotic actions of mycorrhizal fungi. Most importantly, the texture of organic-rich soil is an excellent growing medium for hibiscus, because it provides the plants with the most essential air-filled porosity. Your favourite hibiscus will grow excellently and resist all onslaughts from pests and avoid harm provided they are fed properly.
- Stability in the garden
- While gardening, you should aim to give the most conducive conditions to all the plants. Try to match each of the plants with the best condition for them at all levels, right from the creepers that cover the ground to medium height shrubs to the large plants that form a canopy in your garden. Having a stable garden means that it will not have any plant that is extremely difficult or almost impossible to grow in the climate and conditions prevailing in your region. It should also not contain a large number of same types of plants that are different from the remaining plants in your garden. Besides the processes involved in planting as well as transplanting the plants, a stable garden is neither dug or hoed regularly. Instead, you should allow the different layers of soil to accumulate in a manner akin to the floor of a rainforest. In fact, layering and mulching replicate the nature's processes. Moreover, when we talk about a stable garden we refer to a garden when one practices natural pest control methods and the garden is always a steady, but manageable pest supply, which serves as natural foods for an unvarying number of predators. A perfect ecosystem has place for both. In fact, all insects are not harmful. There are a number of predators that never harm any plant, while there are others who will increase their numbers all the time.
- Companion planting for insect control
- A stable garden should also comprise companion planting to control pests. Although companion planting is essential, it does not solve all your problems related to pest control. Solitarily, companion gardening is not all that effective in eliminating the harmful pests from your garden, but it does contribute to the stability and diversity of the garden. In fact, companion gardening can help to fend off or even draw specific pests by releasing various different aromas, making use of different soil levels and inhabiting special spaces in specific combinations in your garden. For instance, coriander, feverfew, hyssop and nasturtium are some of the plants that draw aphids and are excellent as companion plants for hibiscus.
