When to Trust, When to Act
Six weeks ago I found an aphid infestation and chose to do nothing about it. This week I found out whether that was a mistake. Issue 24: the end of the semester, a packed garden update, and a Thought of the Week on knowing when to trust the system — and when to step in.
Assume It's a Good Guy
Most of the insects in your garden aren't pests — they're allies. This week we're meeting the beneficial bugs that keep things in balance in the Southern California garden, from the ladybugs you can buy at the nursery to the assassin bugs hiding in plain sight. Plus a thought on what it means to assume the best of something before you know it.
Everything Comes Back Around
This week's newsletter has a meaty deep-dive on drip irrigation math (with a worked example from my hugelkultur bed), a heads-up on spider mite season, and a recommendation for the green lacewings I use to keep tomatoes pest-free. I also share a beautiful afternoon spent at Manju Kumar's regenerative food forest — one of the most inspiring gardens in our area — and a Thought of the Week about kinship, gratitude, and serendipity that I didn't expect to write but couldn't put down.