Back to Eden

[MrOldBoy]

I have been gardening organically since the Carter Days and was first influenced by my neighbor who gave me two books -

Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening Amazon product ASIN 1594869170

and the second by Ruth Strout https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Stout

And now the Back to Eden film ....... if your serious about Organics and Growing the Best take some time to view - here is the link

 

[GW417]

Any advice and getting over the hump the first few years? The family that started this garden did not seem super impressed with it.

 

[MrOldBoy]

Any advice and getting over the hump the first few years? The family that started this garden did not seem super impressed with it.

Just help prepare a lasagna garden with my friend - Search YouTube for lasagna garden and you will see ideas ..... but the key to mulch, mulch and more mulch ........

My first plant in the new house a few years ago involved digging holes and replacing soil with mix of 50% peat moss and the cheapest bag top soil I could buy ..... then I mulched - laid down cardboard first to kill the weeds, two layers and overlapped to prevent weeds .... mulched with lawn clippings, straw and shredded leaves ......

the garden was good but since then every year it gets better and better .... Zero fertilize.

 

[GW417]

I like your style man.

Have you seen any soil tests of wood chips gardens after 3-5 years? What kind of long term minerals do the chips add when they are broken down?

 

[MrOldBoy]

I like your style man.

Have you seen any soil tests of wood chips gardens after 3-5 years? What kind of long term minerals do the chips add when they are broken down?

In the movie, Back to Eden, they talk about soil tests and for years none were performed but then they did numerous soil test and the results were off the charts, everything needed to grow beautiful plants was in there - If you take a look at Nature there isn’t anyone fertilizing or tilling and it’s all so beautiful .....

Minerals comes from several sources but not from the wood chip itself - rather you need the branches PLUS the leaves - tree roots go deep into the soil and harvest minerals that show up in the leaves - also clay soils are rich in minerals .....

The KEY is to have a variety of mulch for your soil - example sawdust by itself will rob soil of nitrogen while breaking down but sawdust (brown material) with grass clippings (green material) would compost nicely ..... Not that I suggest sawdust and clippings - it’s just and example as you also need different sizes of materials as well but sawdust and grass clippings spread evenly and lightly would be a start ....

If you haven’t watch the movie can I suggest you take a look at the last 4-5 minutes - start at the hour 38 minute mark where the movie is summarized ..... Peace - MOB

 

[GW417]

I have watched it through a few times. I am a big fan. I was just curious if you had any experience or other sources outside of the film.

 

[MrOldBoy]

Charles Downing and the Rusted Gardener and a guy called I am Organic are a few I follow on YouTube ....

in the Carter Days neighbor gave me two books that strongly influenced me ..... Ruth Stout No Work Garden which basically said make mine mulch, mulch and more mulch - early adaption of no till method ..... and the other book was The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening- those two books along with a few issues of Mother Earth News and I was full blown no till guy - for one is was easier than tilling and i noticed big increase in worms - Worms are the World’s Best Gardener’s after all ....

And after three years of nothing but wood chips in this corner, and these are cedar - the results are amazing - had I layer some green in with these I can only imagine the results .....

If I have one piece of advise, variety beats a single source and different sizes and types if possible - it boils down to what Ruth Stout said, Make Mine Mulch Mulch and more Mulch!

 

[hecno]

Back to Eden I have watched a number of times , I also like Paul Stamets .

 

[MrOldBoy]

Some much info, thanks for posting - About an hour and 30 minutes into the video I have have an understanding as to the how Back to Eden method is so powerful ......

“The reality is not limited to the perception that we have traditionally used.”

 

[hecno]

Mr Old mate , that is what I have found with the journey I am on with organics . In this picture is a tree that is only feet away from my veggie garden . I was sitting looking at it one day and thought , how the hell do the get so big . Now I know and it is not from me watering it .