PRESERVE, EDUCATE
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At the Butterfly Haven, our mission is to support the health of the natural world, so that it can support the health of humanity.
Butterflies are important not only for our enjoyment but also for pollination of many of our foods and flowers. But butterflies are under threat worldwide for two primary reasons. The first is loss of land which is causing the loss of the plants that the caterpillars and adults eat. This is due to expanding farmland and development. The second threat is from the use of agricultural chemicals which not only kill damaging insects but beneficial ones such as butterflies, as well.
At the Butterfly Haven, El Valle, we are committed to the education of farmers and gardeners as to ways to grow plants highly productively, yet with less labor and with little or no chemicals through the use of sustainable farming practices. Secondly, we provide education to visitors on how to establish their own beautiful butterfly sanctuaries. These actions can have an enormous impact of the health of butterflies and other beneficial species.
The easiest and possibly the most powerful thing you can do in your garden is to stop getting rid of leaves, vegetable and fruit scraps. Just put them on top of your garden soil. Don't bother creating a compost pile because that involves extra work and rain will wash the nutrients away. If you are worried about the smell, etc. of your fruit and vegetable scraps, just cover them with leaves and spray some water on the leaves. The water will help mat the topping down anyway and keep it from blowing away. At first, the appearance may take some adjustment but quickly you will appreciate how healthy your plants have become because the topping will feed the plants, conserve water, and prevent erosion. You won't want to go back to bare soil. And healthy plants need little or no pesticides because they will actually resist pests!
Other powerful, labor saving strategies are growing some tall, shading plants (for instance in the tropics, try bananas which also feed potassium to the soil) The shade will reduce the need to weed and provide a living pole for food vines to climb. Plant sun lovers farther from the bananas. Beans will provide extra nitrogen to the soil
Healthy plants begin with healthy, "living" soil. Living soil contains beneficial bacteria, worms, and fungus. And all agricultural chemicals kill these beneficial elements. Once you start growing with nature instead of against nature, you will need no chemicals, or very limited and selective use of chemicals.
Butterflies are important not only for our enjoyment but also for pollination of many of our foods and flowers. But butterflies are under threat worldwide for two primary reasons. The first is loss of land which is causing the loss of the plants that the caterpillars and adults eat. This is due to expanding farmland and development. The second threat is from the use of agricultural chemicals which not only kill damaging insects but beneficial ones such as butterflies, as well.
At the Butterfly Haven, El Valle, we are committed to the education of farmers and gardeners as to ways to grow plants highly productively, yet with less labor and with little or no chemicals through the use of sustainable farming practices. Secondly, we provide education to visitors on how to establish their own beautiful butterfly sanctuaries. These actions can have an enormous impact of the health of butterflies and other beneficial species.
The easiest and possibly the most powerful thing you can do in your garden is to stop getting rid of leaves, vegetable and fruit scraps. Just put them on top of your garden soil. Don't bother creating a compost pile because that involves extra work and rain will wash the nutrients away. If you are worried about the smell, etc. of your fruit and vegetable scraps, just cover them with leaves and spray some water on the leaves. The water will help mat the topping down anyway and keep it from blowing away. At first, the appearance may take some adjustment but quickly you will appreciate how healthy your plants have become because the topping will feed the plants, conserve water, and prevent erosion. You won't want to go back to bare soil. And healthy plants need little or no pesticides because they will actually resist pests!
Other powerful, labor saving strategies are growing some tall, shading plants (for instance in the tropics, try bananas which also feed potassium to the soil) The shade will reduce the need to weed and provide a living pole for food vines to climb. Plant sun lovers farther from the bananas. Beans will provide extra nitrogen to the soil
Healthy plants begin with healthy, "living" soil. Living soil contains beneficial bacteria, worms, and fungus. And all agricultural chemicals kill these beneficial elements. Once you start growing with nature instead of against nature, you will need no chemicals, or very limited and selective use of chemicals.
Related Information:
http://www.organicpanamapermaculture.com/ Be sure to turn auto-translate off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TZZ4J8iDWpg
http://www.organicpanamapermaculture.com/ Be sure to turn auto-translate off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=TZZ4J8iDWpg
You can create a beautiful butterfly sanctuary be growing plants that feed and attract butterflies. Most adult butterflies feed on flower nectar-good ones are Lantana, Zinnia, and Cosmos. In North America you can add Butterfly Bush, and Purple Coneflower.
Host plants are the ones that butterflies lay eggs on, and the larvae feed on. To find out which ones you need, see below:
North America:
http://www.thebutterflysite.com/create-butterfly-garden.shtml/C
Southern US and Central Americal:
http://www.dallasbutterflies.com/Butterfly%20Gardening/Host%20Plants%20by%20Butterfly%20Species.htm
Host plants are the ones that butterflies lay eggs on, and the larvae feed on. To find out which ones you need, see below:
North America:
http://www.thebutterflysite.com/create-butterfly-garden.shtml/C
Southern US and Central Americal:
http://www.dallasbutterflies.com/Butterfly%20Gardening/Host%20Plants%20by%20Butterfly%20Species.htm
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If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. ~Author Unknown
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