Perfect Imperfection

Still Life with fruit and pumpkin - Luis Egidio Meléndez (1716–1780)

With a fruit season of more losses than gains, I am reflecting on the wisdom of organic gardening more and more often. With most organic pest-control products on the market being more expensive than general pesticides, it seems that somebody is making money off the back of the organic ‘trend’. Is organic gardening seen as a luxury pastime or practise?

We have lost most of the fruit to fruit-fly infestation. I have taken some drastic measures to reduce their numbers, like picking all the fruit from a tree when I notice any infestation, just to break the life-cycle of the fruit-flies.  The organic traps did not seem to help much, even though I put one in each tree.  One trap should have been enough for the whole orchard based on coverage data.

I have discovered that fruit-fly management must happen throughout the year. After studying the life-cycle of the fruit-fly, to the point where I can write a thesis on it, it is time to put my annual fruit-fly management plan into practice.

I do not want to use chemicals in our garden. For us, gardening is more about biology than chemistry. If gardens could produce fruit 300 years ago without chemical intervention I need to find out how.

Still life with figs and bread - Luis Egidio Meléndez (1716–1780)

I love beautiful vegetables but this year my harvests have resembled Luis Egidio Meléndez‘s paintings. I had to ask myself to what extent we have been brain-washed into believing that fruit and vegetables must be without blemish to be enjoyed.

I love Luis Egidio Meléndez’s still life paintings for their honesty and reality. I decided to embrace our less than perfect fruit and vegetables and discovered that they taste delicious, even in their imperfection. It only takes a bit more time to ‘prep’ because of the insect bites and blemishes.

I am still aspiring to bowls and baskets of beautiful fruit and vegetables gracing the tables in the house. I am searching for the holy grail of healthy gardens but will always try to live in harmony with nature. I believe that nature tells us exactly what she needs. We need only to learn the art of listening again.

I am putting new battle plans in place to fight garden pests and diseases. My book on South African garden pests and diseases is dog-eared from frequent use. It has become my trusted companion for identifying and fighting the myriad of pests and diseases eating away at my gardening spirit.

I can still be creative with meals. Instead of using five zucchinis I now have to use ten. I am an exhausted gardener working towards perfection but for now I am embracing our garden’s perfect imperfection. 

Still life with pears and bread - Luis Egidio Meléndez (1716–1780)