Ecologist helping North American growers use their yards to help fight the climate crisis 🌻
Is this something to worry about in your garden?
Hi friend,Galls! What are they? Should you be concerned if you see something like this on your plants? A gall is an abnormal growth on exterior plant tissue (leaves, branches, flowers, etc.). They may look like tumors, warts, balls, or lumps, and vary widely in shape, size, color, etc. They’re complex and highly organized structures, and science still has a lot to learn about them. Most galls are caused by insects and other invertebrates like wasps, midges, aphids, mites, etc. either feeding on the plant or laying eggs in the plant. Many have larvae inside of them that are getting their nutrition from the plant before emerging as adults. Some are caused by fungi, bacteria, or nematodes. It can be difficult to tell exactly what caused a gall without seeing the insects firsthand, and insect galls vs. microbe galls are hard to differentiate. The good news? Galls are generally benign, and your plant will be okay!They’re feeding the insects that the plant hosts and helping them reproduce. That’s exactly what we want to happen in an eco-garden. It’s a natural process that mainly affects aesthetics, and it’s not something to worry about. Remember, if nothing is eating your plants, then your garden isn’t a part of an ecosystem!Many species of plants are susceptible to galls, like the wild grape shown in the images above. They can affect herbaceous plants and woody plants like trees. Oaks are especially susceptible because of how many different insect species they host. Galls might look scary or concerning, but they’re not! So don’t panic if you see this in your garden. It’s just nature doing her thing. Need some help with your garden?Check out the Natural Gardener Workbook Bundle!
|
Native Yardening
Ecologist helping North American growers use their yards to help fight the climate crisis 🌻
Hi friend, As I post more on social media about the problems caused by invasive plants, I realize how much misunderstanding there is around these issues. I always get a little discouraged when I see firsthand how misinformed the general public is about how nature works. But I also understand that it's a systemic issue. We aren't taught about these things. I recently made this post on Facebook and Instagram, showing a handful of common invasive species in North America. For some reason, people...
Hi friend, Something that I don’t think is talked about enough is the fact that we’re living through one of the largest mass extinction events to ever happen on Earth. Our planet has lost 73% of wildlife biodiversity between 1970 and 2020, according to the World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Report Right now, 40% of all insect species globally are in decline. And up to 1/3 of all insects are in the range to be endangered. Insects are the foundation of the food chain for both human and...
Hi friend, Feeling overwhelmed by the idea of turning your whole yard into an eco-garden? Well, you don’t need to do everything at once! It’s okay to go at your own pace. Adding a few native plants at a time to slowly replace your lawn is so much better than not doing it at all. Personally, I have chronic health problems that have made it hard over the past few years to garden for extended periods of time. So I converted my front lawn into a native garden just a patch at a time If everyone...