Page 18 - Barefoot guide

STORY

NATURE KNOWS BEST

Ruth smiled so warmly that Martha found the courage to ask her why she had so many plants all growing
in what seemed a higgledy-piggledy way, and not in neat rows.
Ruth laughed again (she did laugh a lot!).

“Nature doesn’t come in rows, my dear. Look at how the fields and the forests grow. Plants like to
grow all different ones together, like friends at a party, not like soldiers in line. We follow nature’s ways,
for nature knows best. It may seem higgledy-piggledy to you, but the plants are arranged carefully to
use natural processes to make them stronger.

“These herbs growing here help to repel pests from these ones, the wide leaves of these cowpeas are
keeping the soil cool for the others, these beans are making nitrogen for the other plants, and so on.”
Martha followed Ruth around the garden, as she eagerly pointed out her honey-coloured butternuts,
dark leafy spinach, spider weed plants, okra and glowing red tomatoes. The vegetables looked so
good. She couldn’t believe that you could get this food with just seeds, healthy living soil, sunshine
and rain, and good careful attention. There must be more to it.

WHY DOES A MIXTURE OF PLANTS GROW GOOD MEDICINE?

There are many reasons why growing a mixture of plants creates nutritious food.
These are a few of them:
• It produces more variety of healthy microbes in the soil, which will help turn organic
matter in the soil into food for worms, good insects, and for the plants; and will make
the plants more nutritious.
• Growing a mixture makes the plants less vulnerable to pests and diseases.
• Plants use different nutrients in the soil, so they balance each other.

• Mixing ground creepers with tall plants helps to protect the soil from the sun.

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