Urban gardening is a great way to enjoy fresh produce, save money, and add greenery to your world, but it also has unique challenges.
One urban gardener who was dealing with pests in their space found a solution that benefited them and their plants.
The scoop
On TikTok, Kia Jade (@kia_urbangardener) revealed that their "biggest lesson" as an urban gardener came from battling pests that were eating their plants.
@kia_urbangardener Here is the secret sauce for helping fight against pests in the garden! Its changed my whole view of urban gardening. #urbangarden #urbangardening #gardening #gardeninghack #gardeninglesson #gardentok #gardendesign #smallgarden ♬ Little Things - Adrian Berenguer
They explained that when they started, they planted only vegetables that they wanted to eat, but those plants kept getting eaten by pests.
That's when Kia learned that if you have pests such as slugs and aphids, "it's usually because you don't have a lot of beneficial insects or birds that are there to eat" them. The TikToker adjusted their planting strategy to include flowers, which drew in beneficial insects and "balanced out" the pests.
"[It's] changed my whole view of urban gardening," Kia said in the video caption.
How it's working
What Kia pulled off in their garden is often known as "companion planting," or planting one plant to help another grow successfully.
The Old Farmer's Almanac explains, "Fruits, vegetables, and herbs are noticeably more resilient and productive when each member supports the next. The benefits can be one-way, such as when nectar-rich flowers planted around fruiting crops, like tomatoes, improve insect pollination, or reciprocal, such as when the famous Three Sisters of corn, pole beans, and squash are grown together for mutual benefit."
By adding flowering plants, Kia also encouraged pollinators such as birds and bees to stop by her garden. Pollinators are key to plants' growth cycles, and a study showed that wildflowers in an urban environment can support pollinators as much as an open meadow.
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Not enough time ⏳ Gardening is beneficial not only financially and environmentally but also mentally. According to Mayo Clinic Health System, gardening reduces stress and anxiety, while community gardens provide much-needed connection with fellow planters.
What people are saying
Kia's followers were happy to share additional tips and suggestions.
"I love companion planting, it's prettier than monoculture and the pests can't find the plants they like among the plants they hate," one person wrote.
Another added: "Love it! Great video! I love my marigolds they host lots of insects." Marigolds were a popular companion plant suggestion, along with tulsi basil.
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