Back to Eden Gardening Method

[Nenuphar]

I recently watched the documentary Back to Eden, which outlines a gardening method that sounds similar to lasagna gardening. The main idea is layering good quality compost on the soil and then topping that with a layer of untreated wood chips. The key is *not* to till the garden in the Spring and/or Fall, but to continue to add a layer of compost and a layer of wood chips at the end of the growing season. By maintaining a "cover" on the soil, it becomes soft (without tilling), nutrient rich, keeps weeds down, and maintains its moisture (thus having to be watered far less).

I hope to experiment with this method starting this summer. Has anyone here gardened successfully this way?

The film (1 hour 43 mins) can be watched free here:
http://backtoedenfilm.com/#movie

The film has a bit of a religious overtone, so if you are bothered by that sort of thing, this is fair warning.

There is a video FAQ section on the Back to Eden site here:
http://backtoedenfilm.com/faqs/index.html

[Lifebringer]

yes i've been doing it for the last 12 years and adding my own natural nutrient mixture. It can turn the crappiest sand, clay, or dust soil to nutrient rich, and sweet smelling spring rain smelling soil year round.

[Arrowwind]

Ditto here. Im heading for my 4th season. Im very pleased with the outcome. I haven't used wood chips though. Next time I make a lasagna bed I will put logs on the bottom, about 3 to 4 inches in diameter

[Arrowwind]

Well I guess I do add wood chips, I forgot. I gather buckets of pine needles and dead fallen wood when Im in the forest and I put it on my garden. I gather it everytime we go to get wood for the woodstove. Im watching the movie now and it reminded me.

[Arrowwind]

I finished watching this film which was sheer drudgery as no matter what I did it didn't play smoothely...
but they conivnced me. If you've never gardened before I highly recommend this video even when it doesn't play right... and the Christian slant... I found that interesting as few christians get an environmental slant from the bible. I'll start using a lot more woodchips..

[Nenuphar]

Thanks for your feedback! I also found a YouTube channel by a fellow who has posted many of his conversations with Paul Gautschi, the gardener featured in Back to Eden.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA3DFF63E16876307

[Annajalayah]

Thanks for posting this! I'm not a very experienced gardener yet but I have big plans! The kids & I want to do a garden this spring to grow some veggies and such perhaps we can integrate some of these ideas!

[778 neighbour of some guy]

Bump............

[transiten]

Thankyou Nenuphar for posting this! I've been gardening for many years but on a small level. Went to a school learning sustainable ecological lifestyle where we touched upon a similar way of gardening by only adding grass and not tilling. But this took it all yo another level. Very inspiring and uplifting in spite of the naive approach of Paul. But what counts is his good heart

[lunaflare]

Thanks for your post nenu. I appreciate your clear, no-tilling writing style.
I will apply method if/when i have my own plot of land.
Hey, transiten, a "naive approach" may also be a key to a life of gratitude, love and fulfillment...

[Ron Mauer Sr]

Found this video FAQ with Paul Gautschi's Answers to gardening. Paul is best known for his approach to gardening using (free) wood chips and his video “Back To Eden”.

These mini videos have much of the religious stuff removed, so I found the videos packed with useable information and a pleasure to watch.

I need to make an appointment with the people who cut and chip tree hazards along the roadsides and get some free chips delivered.

In another interview (not included here), Paul was asked if his wood chip method would work with container gardening. His answer was that he expected it would.

Back To Eden FAQ mini videos

Paul answers these questions:

THE COVERING

• What materials do you recommend as a “covering?”
• What type of wood chips do you suggest NOT to use?
• Do you recommend using cedar for wood chips?
• What have you learned about using hay and straw?
• How do you pick out a good source of wood chips?
• How do you recommend preparing the ground?
• How thick do you apply the “covering?”
• How do you recommend eliminating grass and weeds?
• When do you recommend applying a “covering?”
• What if I do not have enough space for a garden?
• What if I do not have enough sunlight for a garden?

SOIL PREPARATION

• Do you suggest tilling to prepare the soil?
• Where do you suggest planting in the wood chips?
• How often do you apply a new layer of wood chips?
• Do you thin your vegetables that grow in wood chips?
• Do the wood chips provide good insulation?

FERTILIZATION

• Do wood chips tie up nitrogen?
• Do you recommend animal manures as fertilizer?
• What types of organic fertilizers do you recommend?

IRRIGATION

• How much do you water?
• Is moisture a problem with other “coverings?”
• Is mold a problem in wood chips?

WEED CONTROL

• How do you recommend eliminating grass and weeds?
• How do you manage tenacious weeds like thistles?

PEST CONTROL

• How do you safely deal with insect problems?
• How do you protect your fruit trees from bird damage?

CROP ROTATION

• Why do you not rotate your crops?

PH ISSUES

• How do you view pH issues?

Paul Gautschi | Gardener

Paul Gautschi has been a gardener for over 55 years and is known locally as a master arborist. In 1979 Paul and his family moved to the Northern Peninsula of Washington from California. As a father to 7 children, he has raised food for his family and friends – never to sell. Paul has given lively tours of his orchards and gardens to international groups from 1 to 450 who have also enjoyed the fruits of his labor. Published articles featuring Paul and his gardens include Sunset magazine, Mother Earth News, Organic New Zealand magazine, and the Peninsula Daily News newspaper. Back to Eden has been broadcast on Amazing Discoveries TV and CapeTown TV (South Africa) and was an official selection in the Awareness Festival and Green Unplugged Film Festival.

Paul’s generosity, passion and enthusiastic outlook has changed the lives of people in the local region and travelers from afar. If you would like to schedule a tour of Paul's home garden, please contact Paul.