[diospyros]

If this is allowed

Back to Eden

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This video does contain frequent Bible quotations and seeking guidance from the Lord but that is not why I am posting it!  It is by a bloke in the USA who practises a no-dig method which involves huge quantities of woodchip and compost.  I am a bit  about his method of apple pruning but the rest all looks very burgeoning!

[mumofstig]

This was discussed last year - please note Aunt Sally's comment here

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=108571.msg1221829#msg1221829

[diospyros]

Yep I would have found that if I'd searched for the title, sorry!

[mumofstig]

No problem - it's a good vid - I just wanted folks to see Aunty's comment 

[Beekissed]

I was incredibly impressed with this video and am going to implement this way of gardening starting this spring.  I'm already doing a deep litter system in my coop, so it was easy to understand the concept and results from using the wood chip gardening. 

I really like this man's approach to gardening and orchard care as well...full of common sense.  Thanks for posting this thread and link to the video!!! 

[Yana]

I have a question....
I thought that if you put woodchip on the soil it takes nitrogen as it decomposes.

[mumofstig]

The woodchip used in the vids has been used in his chicken area, so has a lot of chicken manure in the mix, and has decomposed to compost, by the time he spreads it on his soil

[Beekissed]

I have a question....
I thought that if you put woodchip on the soil it takes nitrogen as it decomposes.

The vid is a long one but if you watch it all the way through those questions are answered.  I've found out this on my own, so I can answer it for you as well....if you mix them into the soil, they can temporarily deplete the soil of nitrogen(made that mistake once), but if they lay on top of it, it won't, or very minimally at the surface.  He recommends side dressing with manure/fertilize the first year for this purpose but by the second year you won't have to.

He does use some small amounts from his chicken yard, but most of what he has used is just plain ol' wood chips hauled in via the truck. 

[LotuSeed]

I don't think I'm in the "target audience" for this one. Started to watch it a year ago and only got a few minutes in before I turned it off.

[Beekissed]

 I can understand that.  Since I loved all aspects of the vid, including the faith aspect, it was easier for me to watch and absorb.   It mimics the way that I raise chickens and live my life and I've said many of the same things he is saying, so this was right down my alley!   

[Beekissed]

Made a call to tree services located at the next town, about 20 mi. away.  Found a guy who will deliver wood chips to my place for free when his service works out in my direction.  I'm thrilled!!!     So, check that....wood chips to be delivered....for free...all he has.   

It's a great start to an exciting new gardening season! 

[New shoot]

I haven't got time to watch the full video this morning, but I use a deep mulch of wood shavings, recycled from the chicken coop, around my soft fruit on the plot.  It is already full of chicken poop, but I did top dress the soil with fertiliser before applying the initial layer.  Now I just empty the fresh stuff on top of the older semi-composted mulch and spread it around.

It works brilliantly - this was the crop from 2 gooseberry bushes last year 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=101081.msg1331844#msg1331844

Fresh wood chip, if stacked, can heat up pretty fast and rot into a really good mulch.  I used to work on a plant nursery where we often got a big load in and it used to steam so much, we joked you could boil an egg in there.  Once it cools down, you get a great crumbly, dark brown mulch and customers used to ask to buy bags of it.

I know you have room to do this Beekissed and what a result to get a free supply, delivered to you 

[Beekissed]

I know!!!  I'm completely psyched to do the garden this year and feeling blessed all over about the wood chips.  We are going to do it in our orchard also and I'm also going to start using it in my coop as well, instead of just using the leaves every winter...I think I'll mix both things and get some of that heat of which you speak.  I'll just open up some good ventilation there and let it do its thing! 

[m1ckz]

well i really enjoyed that video...canada here i come lol   thank you

[Comfr3y]

Thanks for the post about the film.  I did come away thinking that he is possibly underestimating the impact of the many years he spent improving the plot & didnt seem to do much companion planting. but an engaging speaker, (mostly). There are some Q&A's with him on you tube in which he does a lot less erm how shall i put it preaching. his pruning technique was interesting! I've not seen it done like that before where all the top growth is taken off. any thoughts on that?