Wondering if any members are gardening with a "Back to Eden Garden"
We started using wood chips this year on our raised beds and found out that we did not have to water our gardens more then a couple times during the hottest part of the year.
Our tomatoes went 3 months with out having to water and they grew big and wonderful. So did our squash.

We have been spreading "FREE" wood chips in a big area on the west side of our house and going to have a big Back To Eden Garden there where we plan on growing annuals.

In most places you can get "FREE" wood chips by calling local tree services. They love to have a place to drop the wood chips off so it does not cost them extra to dispose of them.
We give the drivers a few bucks to get a soda or beverage of their choice. That way they like coming back to drop the chips off to us best *giggle*

We were unable to get wood chips this year so I am experimenting with leaves. tons and tons of leaves. I only got about 2/3 of our yard covered before it snowed. I was planning on spreading out the rest after the snow melted but it has been so cold here lately that we still have the snow. Yesterday we got at least 12 inches so I will have to wait a bit longer. Hopefully the leaves are composting in the bags they are in. I will try to plant a cover crop of clover and alfalfa directly into the leaves in the spring. Wish me luck!

"We were unable to get wood chips this year so I am experimenting with leaves. tons and tons of leaves. I only got about 2/3 of our yard covered before it snowed. I was planning on spreading out the rest after the snow melted but it has been so cold here lately that we still have the snow. Yesterday we got at least 12 inches so I will have to wait a bit longer. Hopefully the leaves are composting in the bags they are in. I will try to plant a cover crop of clover and alfalfa directly into the leaves in the spring. Wish me luck!"

Leaves are an excellent source of food for anything that grows. Just look at a forest and learn. No one tills a forest but insects, worms and microbes! The leaves drop in the fall, and decompose during the winter, and in the spring feeds all that new growth.! Mother Nature is very smart. Watch her and learn. You are on the right track! My Hugelkultur Garden now has 4" on shredded leaves on it.

I have about 6-8 inches on mine. It is so interesting to me to have all the "traditional" gardeners who know everything tell me that it wont work and that it is going to tie up the nitrogen. I just nod and say well, it is just an experiment.

rdesomer wrote:
Good and meek answer:) Do it 1st then you will have a way to help them.

Hi Frank here,


I am in Staten island New York and I have decided that I will be doing nothing but the back to Eden method. It's been a little bit over a year since I had 12 truck loads of wood chips delivered to my property. These chips never stop amazing me. It was last October when they were delivered and then hurrican sandy came down on us. With all that sandy did, these chips never moved an inch!!! We didn't have any flooding or pooling of water, it was amazing how much water these chips can absorb. I did not do much planting in the chips because I have so many projects going but I did plant some tomatoes plants this past march given to me by a neighbor. And a again with all the projects I had going I neglected this tomatoe plants. Not once did I water them, nor did I ferttilize them nor did I give them any kind of support to keep them off the ground. They were in the soil cover by 4 inch layer of wood chips. I can tell you first hand how amazed I was when thes tomatoes plants exploded with growth and flowers and fruit. The tomatoes were perfect even the ones that touched the ground. Thes wood chips kept them clean. I still had flowers and fruit until the first week of December 2013! Yes you read that right just two weeks ago, from plants that where put in the ground in wood hips in march of this year. And by the way to my amazment it seemed that the lettuce reseed its self and their is currently lettuce growing in the woodchips in the snow! I have the picture to prove it! I can't seem to up load it here....but I do want to post it because it really amazing.

Oh man Frank I love the fact that the veggies were not all gritty from the soil. The lettuce just needed to be rinsed off a lil and the tomatoes were nice and clean. Thanks for sharing about your tomatoes and lettuce. I really am looking forward to spring

Panda,

The photo of the lettuce was taken today, it looks that way because the snow has just started to really melt today. I haven't pulled it out because I am pushing the limits on this back to eden garden. The temps have droped down to the teens in the last few days it has snowed giving us about 5 inch of snow and ice, but as of yesturday it has warmed up and the melt down has begun. Yet this lettuce plant seems to be unaffected by the weather conditions it just keeps on going. If this is the kind of results I am going to get by growing in woodchips then I am all in. Which mean I can grow more leafy greens towards the end of the year even in the winter! Can you imagine pullIng lettuce out of your garden for Christmas dinner! Well now I think it's possible. But I am watching and waiting to see how far this little lettuce plant can go, I will keep you posted.

Frank5921 wrote:

Wow!! That is so awesome:) Loving the lettuce photo next to the snow. Wood chips are amazing and they really can hold lots of water so you don't have to water as often.

Try to upload the photo of the tomatoes again and see if it says anything that may point out a site issue.