Another Layer of Wood Chips

Many years ago we implemented an "easier" way to garden.  It involves no tilling, minimal watering, and minimal weeding.  It's called The Back To Eden gardening method and is patterned after the way that soil is created naturally (by God) in the forests.  A brief summary is that the soil is never exposed.  The forest continually rains down leaves that decay, trees that rot and other organic matter that decomposes on the forest floor, creating topsoil and a haven for fungi, earthworms and other critters.  

We do the same by seeking out wood chips from crews clearing power line right-of-ways in the area.  They drop off load after load of wood chips at our house.  The price is right.  It's FREE!  Over the years, we've gotten between 50-100 loads.  The wood chip piles sit and decompose and shrink.  By the third year, it becomes rich topsoil.

With the newest mulch that hasn't turned to topsoil, Russ helped me and we began moving it to the garden.  In late August/early September, we plant the fall crop of vegetables.  We use a rock rake to pull back a minimal amount of existing wood chips, leaving maybe 6 inches of soil exposed.  We plant our seeds into a very narrow seed bed we've furrowed and then we cover with topsoil from totally decomposed wood chips we've run through our garden riddle. 

When those plants are about 5 or 6 inches tall, we move wagon loads of wood chip mulch and completely cover the existing chips and 6 inch strip of exposed soil around the young plants.  We aim for a 4 inch layer, ensuring that the wood chips completely surround the plants.  By doing so, the soil retains moisture, needing minimal irrigation.  The wood chips crowd out any weeds that might want to grow because the soil is covered by 4 inches of mulch and no sunlight can reach the soil where any weed seed might be.  Finally, the layer of mulch decomposes and by the next year, the mulch has become part of the topsoil in the garden, adding nutrients, organic matter and fertility.

Here's a peak at a portion of the garden that is completely mulched.

I have more wood chips to move, but the carrots and spinach is not tall enough yet, and I still need to plant radishes, turnips, and mustard greens.  I highly recommend Back to Eden gardening for anyone!