Look to Mother Nature
Several years ago, while transforming our sand dune into an organic garden, I introduced my husband to the concept of “beneficial detritus.” “This,” I said, pointing to decimated tumbleweeds and puncture vine. “You don’t want this in the garden. The seed heads will sprout. But this …” I gestured at poplar and mulberry leaves that had blown into our fenced garden from neighbors’ unfenced yards. “It’s beneficial. The leaves will decompose to be some of the best fertilizer, and it won’t burn any plants.” That “beneficial detritus” now composes part of our yearly soil amendments, alongside goat manure, decomposed hay, kitchen compost, and the whey from my cheese making projects. We layer it on, avoiding soil disturbance if we can, then allow the whey and irrigation to boost the microbes and water…
