If you’re like me and procrastinated in preparing your garden beds this fall, this post is for you! Starting a garden in late spring is not impossible, I will show you how to create a Back to Eden Garden in no time!
‘Back to Eden’ Origins
I originally heard about Paul Gautschi and his gardening method three years ago. In his documentary, Back to Eden Film, Paul recommends preparing your garden soil in the fall, when nature prepares the soil.
As the leaves fall, they decompose over winter, creating an environment teeming with life. It’s a warm, safe place for all the critters including mycelium. You want to see the white fungus network in the soil, as a sign of good soil health.
However, starting a garden in Spring is still possible and I will walk you through it.
Disclaimer: This will be my second attempt at vegetable gardening in my entire life. That said, I want to clarify that I am not an expert in this field, but merely a student sharing my learned knowledge.
Benefits of ‘BTE’ Method
Mr. Gautschi, the sage gardener, listens to God’s promptings on how to garden according to nature and her design. There is no digging, no tilling, no striving in nature. Therefore, we can also mimic these ways for the best soil and food production.
There are many benefits to no-till/no-dig gardening:
- Maintains soil integrity
- Leaves living organisms undisturbed
- Not difficult
- Inexpensive
- Natural and Organic
- Restful
Downside to ‘BTE’ Method
I tried out my first Back-to-Eden Garden prep two years ago in the fall, check out the video here! Ultimately, I learned that you cannot skimp out on the compost! My plants lacked nitrogen and it created a weak harvest.
This method is not quick which discourages many people in the beginning. I know I was bummed to see little harvest in my first year.
- It takes years to improve the native soil without any additional inputs like fertilizers or bags of soil
- Wood Chips may be contaminated, so sourcing good chips is essential
- Wood chips take a long time to break down
- I found a lot of termites in this medium of mulch
- Hauling wood chips is heavy, and can be tiresome
- The carbon in the wood chips ties up nitrogen. Extra nitrogen inputs are needed when this happens
Don’t Give Up on ‘BTE’
This method is not for everyone, but if you have tried it before and it didn’t work for you the first time, be patient and try it again! I can say this from experience, it does get better.
The Foundation for a ‘Back to Eden’ Garden
The creator of the ‘Back to Eden’ Method, describes this as a restful approach to gardening that only requires a few supplies mostly found in nature.
How To Create a 'Back to Eden' Garden in Late Spring
If you're like me and procrastinated in preparing your garden beds this fall, this post is for you! Starting a garden in late spring is not impossible, I will show you how to create a Back to Eden Garden in no time!
Materials
- Brown Kraft Paper ($13)
- Compost ($10)
- Wood Chips (free)
- Seeds or Plants ($30)
Tools
- Water
- Rake
- Shovel
- Wheelbarrow
- Gardening Gloves
Instructions
- Clear the area by mowing grass and weeds down
- Lay down brown kraft paper on the area you want to plant
- Sprinkle the paper with water (not too much or it will tear where you don't want it torn).
- Pour compost on the paper and spread for a 2 inches layer
- Add wood chips on top of the compost and spread for a 3-inch layer
- To plant the plant, move away the wood chips and compost layer
- Poke a hole through the paper and dig a spot in the native soil for the plant or seed
- Cover the area back up with the compost, then wood chips
- Water the plant
Notes
This will not work without a nitrogen source. By adding compost to the garden bed, you feed the plants nitrogen so the carbon in the wood chips doesn't steal all the nitrogen.
How to Create a ‘Back to Eden’ Garden in Late Spring
- Clear the area by mowing grass and weeds down.
2. Lay down brown kraft paper on the area you want to plant
3. Sprinkle the paper with water (not too much or it will tear where you don’t want it torn).
4. Pour compost on the paper and spread for a 3-4 inch layer. Add wood chips on top of the compost and spread for a 2-3 inch layer
5. To plant, move away the wood chips and compost layer. Poke a hole through the paper and dig a spot in the native soil for the plant or seed.
The Importance of Wood Chips
I have seen so many useful benefits to using wood chips around my property. I have piles everywhere and am always finding ways to use them, not only in my garden but for my animals too. Check out my video on how to use wood chips.
Paul Gautschi mentioned the different mulches including straw, hay, and wood chips. He prefers wood chips because they:
- Absorb water and retain moisture
- Help balance the pH of the soil
- They are excellent for keeping the earth covered
- Regulates temperature
- Builds a healthy environment for living organisms, like worms!
You can find free wood chips from companies that chop down trees. They will deliver truckloads… just be ready to haul them to where you need them. These wood chips from tree services, according to Paul Gautschi, are the best because they have leaves, bark, twigs, etc.
Paul uses the fine, sifted wood chips that look like soil for his garden which works well so that he doesn’t have to move huge chunks of wood chips aside to plant.
Most importantly, when I chatted with him on the phone, he emphasized this type of gardening as restful, and easy. There is no striving in nature, it all just works together, uncomplicated and natural.
Zones and Weather
Depending on where you live, you might have to buy starts to create your ‘Back to Eden’ Garden in late spring. If you sowed seeds on April 1st, and have a long window of growing time, you will be fine working with seeds only.
I bought plant starts from a local nursery to start the season on April 19th which is a little too late for sowing summer-time seeds. However, I did sow pumpkin seeds for a fall harvest.
Super interesting! Makes me wish even more I had a yard to garden in! What are your thoughts on this system for those of us that don’t have yards or patios? https://mygardyn.com/ Would it be worth it for more nutrient dense veggies?
Yes, I would say this form of growing vegetables is up to you! What are you trying to grow? If you’re comfortable with having worms for vermicompost in your home then that would add a lot of nutrients to it.