Well, lockdown, Covid-19 and a worldwide pandemic have got everyone feeling on edge – and rightly so.
While we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, the only constant, for now, is our surrounding environment. At Unfound Africa, we take pride in giving back to nature. While we’re under lockdown, we’re turning our focus to our own garden.
Garden Tip 1
Plant something you can eat
Yes, flowers are beautiful and are helpful to insects, however, plants you can eat have flowers too. As we’re in the dark about the future of food security, having access to fresh vegetables and other produce is the best way forward.
Be sure to check out the planting and harvesting seasons of seeds, before you put in all the work.
We have planted spinach, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumber, pumpkins, squash, onions, beetroot and an assortment of herbs at many of our retreats, which will be a real treat for the kitchen.
Garden Tip 2
Plant grass and hedges to help with erosion
If you live by the coast, you’ll know all too well the impact that sand and wind can have on your soil.
When soil gets eroded to the point of no return, it becomes almost impossible for anything to grow. So, by planting grass and shrubs, you can protect the ground from damage.
Roots hold the soil together, making it harder for it to erode with rain, wind and sand (especially good for those of us who live near the ocean).
Garden Tip 3
Relieve stress with gardening
Even if it means just putting your hands in the soil – whether it’s a pot plant or a veg box, nature is a natural stress reliever. While we’re making necessary improvements to both The Monarch Villa and Loggerhead Beach Villa during this time, we can certainly admit that the process itself is also fun.
Garden Tip 4
Plant flowers for bees
One of a bee’s primary functions is to pollinate plants – and a plant’s primary function is to be pollinated to produce flowers, nuts, berries etc. See where this is going?
Aside from the plants, bees also make honey which is a food source for hundreds of animals.
If you want to know what to plant for bees, see this guide here.
Share your gardening adventures on our Facebook page.
