The Plant Whisperer

She squatted and listened for a few minutes, then softly mumbled something, but not to me. “They are asking you to prune them back,” said Emma as she crouched down in my garden one sunny June morning. She was speaking about my vegetable garden, and my reluctance to break away portions of my plants.  She told me that my garden’s plants want to thrive by concentrating their energy on producing edible fruits and vegetables.

Emmanuela Mujica is an Ecology Biologist, who studied in the University of Arizona, and is now a resident of Montclair, New Jersey. She recently moved from Texas, where she was committed to the sustainable food movement there.  She had a vegetable farm with roaming chickens and she held educational food events. Now she plans to share her extensive knowledge in sustainable food growing and preparation here in the Montclair area. Emma will hold workshops for sustainable planting, cooking and teaching how to ferment foods for building health. She worked with me to make a mango kimchee that was amazingly delicious and healthful.

As a child, Emma was drawn by the tide pools near her grandfather’s home in her native Puerto Rico. She loved to connect with the fine details as the tides would recede, mesmerized by the tiny fish, sea urchins, crabs, crawfish, and algae all living together. She was fascinated by this world that came into view, only when the tides moved out. It touched her deeply. Today when she crouches down with plants she goes back to that time of curiosity. She likes to feel like she is on their level. She listens to them and what they are undergoing and she feels a sense of spirituality in the symbiosis with the natural word.

In her studies in Arizona she was truck by the fact that much of her work was intellectual theory and rigorous experimental research, but not enough explorations into nature. She considers herself a naturalist and her passion is observing and connecting with nature.  Her fascination with animals led her to zoology, and later to study primatology where she met Jane Goodall volunteering for the Chimpanzoo Foundation at the University.

Today some of Emma’s local work includes climate change and sustainability education. She works with children from the Essex County 4H, Miller St. Youth Farm, and the Maplewood Community Gardens. She likes to go into gardens to inspire and to show others how to become a better observer. To those who lament “I don’t have green thumb” she says, “That kind of negativity will not help plants to grow.” In her eyes, gardening is an ongoing, joyous experiment. She wants to inspire others to celebrate sustainability by “seeding a love for nature” everywhere she goes.

In my garden, I have a honeybee hive and Emmanuela showed me ways to look at bees. She advised me that my fig tree would be much happier in another side of my garden. Her advice to those who are open to learning is to get quiet and aware, and “observe like a child.” Of course, Emmanuela’s extensive knowledge in biology helps. 

Emmanuela is available for consultations in your garden and home. She can be contacted for an appointment at 817-739-6381. She writes about her experiences and gardening at www.wordsprout.com. Her email is emmanuela.mujica@gm