User avatar
klevelyn
Cool Member
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:23 pm
Location: Utah, USA

Back to Eden method of mulch

I wanted to make my vegetable garden easier to maintain. I have 3000 sq ft of space and keeping up with the weeds was not fun. I have read Ruth Stout's book and than this spring watched The documentary "Back to Eden". I Loved the way they used mulch and wood chips.

I thought I would give it a try. So far so good. It has been a very hot spring in my area. Here is a pic of my finished garden after laying the mulch. The vegetable are starting to come up.

Has anyone tried this method? How is it working at keeping in moisture?

DoubleDogFarm
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 6113
Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm

The Mods usually frown upon double posting. :wink:

My garden is just under 4000sqft. 54ft x 72ft. Last year was the first time I tried to keep all beds / aisle covered in heavy mulch. Mostly grass clippings. Several truck loads from my own property and several from the neighbors.

For extra insurance, I reccommend cardboard under the mulch in the aisle

If you have the resources just keep packing it in. Everytime a weed raises it's ugly head, cover with more mulch.


It not only helps with more even watering, it keeps the fruit clean and diseases down.


It's a lot work initially, but I believe its less work in the end. Your building soil, no longer rototill and conserving water.

Eric

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Absolutely! Mulch everything! I use whatever is at hand - last year's fall leaves, wood chips, grass clippings, shredded paper, pulled weeds....

Suppresses weeds, conserves water, keeps the soil cooler in summer, and then breaks down to feed the soil.

User avatar
webmaster
Site Admin
Posts: 9476
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 12:59 pm
Location: Amherst, MA USDA Zone 5a

Just wanted to note that the Back to Eden folks did not invent that kind of gardening. It's not Back to Eden style of gardening. ;) Here's an article from 2003 by Scott the Helpful Gardener about Bark Mulch and here is a long list discussions about wood chips in mulch found on HelpfulGardener.com. :)

User avatar
klevelyn
Cool Member
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:23 pm
Location: Utah, USA

I agree it has been around along time. I just had not seen it in action in my area. We have lots of trees so I will be saving all the fall leaves in the future.

I love your pictures. Thanks

I have already noticed a big difference in my garden. I take a stroll and pick a weed here and there and then I am done. When a bunch of weeds break through I throw some more mulch on top. I am looking forward to seeing my garden mature.

User avatar
klevelyn
Cool Member
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:23 pm
Location: Utah, USA

Well its Aug. and the temps are in the 90's. I am really pleased with the mulching and am so glad I did it this spring.

The Weeds are down and our secondary water is being shut off this month because of the drought. I will be able to keep the garden going until fall because of the mulch.

imafan26
Mod
Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

The back to eden video claimed that except for seedlings, the garden needed no additional water except rain. How much do you have to water? Do you water under the mulch? I had heavily mulched some plants in my garden for weed control but found I seemed to be watering the mulch more than the plants.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Don't sprinkle! Water the ground. In my climate, in non- bad drought years, I don't really have to water very much, especially with the mulch conserving water. In my small garden I do a lot of watering with watering can, carrying water from my rainbarrels to my gardens. You should have a small circle around the plants clear of mulch anyway, you don't want the mulch touching plant stems. So I just pour the water into that circle. You can do the same thing with a hose.



Return to “Permaculture Forum”