Learning to read your garden is an ancient practice that is a critical factor in your ability to have a successful garden. 

Reading the land, environment, plants, and animals is a practice that transcends time, space, and cultures. Having all the gardening,  permaculture, and ecological information will absolutely support your understanding of how to tend to the gardens—however, without application that knowledge is unpractical. The old ways of reading nature allow you to work with the natural world with a practical relational lens. Reading the environment can lead you to understand more about the world around you and how to harness the power of an ecosystem. Leaning into reading your garden, will take your ability to grow to a whole new level. Being able to read a garden is learning to read the environment— it’s learning to read how the plants are responding to their environment or a lack of proper environment. 

HOW TO BEGIN TO READ YOUR GARDEN

Study the ecosystem you are a part of and how the ecosystem supports itself. Learn about the gardening zone you live in, what plants do well in this zone, and what season these plants do best in. Learn about each plant's nutrient requirements, the pests that the plant attracts, the diseases the plants are prone to, etc. 

QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN READING YOUR GARDEN

How does the soil look? 

How dry is the soil? 

How wet is the soil? 

How happy or distressed do the plants look? 

Are the plants showing signs of overwatering or under-watering? 

Are there signs of lacking nutrients? 

Are there signs of pests? 

Does the plant need more sun?

Does the plant need less sun?

When you learn to read your garden and environment you can tune into the natural world and the spirits that inhabit it—you can nurture the world based on what the world is showing and communicating to you.