Last August, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Kat Tancock of the Globe and Mail about gardening for climate change.
Her initial email was a total surprise to me, and I was excited to speak with her. We met over Zoom, and I spoke at length about the importance of water management in drought-prone landscapes: mulching garden beds, planting native plants for pollinators, and choosing heirloom seeds for preserving locally adapted food crops. In my excitement, I forgot some important points. Next time I’ll be sure to bring notes!
The piece Kat focused on in the article is one of my favourite garden hacks: making your own leaf mulch. It is simple to set up a leaf collection bin next to your compost bin (or pile) and collect the leaves for the winter. Using deciduous leaves, such as maple, means they break down fairly easily returning their nutrients to the soil; this keeps weeds down and the soil cool in summer heat, and best of all, it’s free! Every fall, I go around my neighbourhood, raking up leaves from neighbours’ lawns (with their permission, of course) or from roadsides down dead-end roads with little traffic.
After the interview, I thought of a few more things I would have liked to speak about: planting for the long-term (e.g.. fruit trees, perennial crops), grouping plants by watering requirements, addressing water issues (e.g. water harvesting, rain gardens, and irrigation), and some organic gardening tips.
If you’re interested in learning about these topics, I offer a variety of talks on Gardening for Climate Change, Drought Tolerant Gardening, and Ecological Gardening. Please check out my workshops for a full list of my talks and all the details!
Please enjoy reading the Globe and Mail article online, or as it was printed, below.
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