Ok, this will be a simple entry.
Recently I became aware of a new gardening technique that requires minimal weeding and no water except after seeding. No joke, and I'm sure I know what you are thinking. That's impossible unless your garden is covered in rocks and who can till that! Well here's the bonus, it doesn't involve covering your garden in rocks and you will also never have to till it either! Seriously!
I recently came across a documentary that shows this method. Simply put, you design your garden like nature. You don't till the soil for a multitude of reasons, but also you don't have to water. Leaving the soil alone keeps moisture in the ground and prevents weeds from germinating. The solution to all those problems and soil erosion? Woodchips!
Now these aren't "bark nuggets" but legitimate chippings from entire branches of trees bushes and shrubs.
We have a half acre in the back that we are considering gardening in this method, its the field that we used to have our goats in. We miss our goats, but this may be a good way of utilizing the field.
The field has been fallow as long as we know of. The house is about twelve years old. And we know that the field was certainly left alone for the two years before we moved in, and aside from the goats being in there, it has still been left alone. The field has a mix of meadow grasses, pesky weeds, and the typical wild herbs you would expect to see in any southern field.
I'm pretty certain we are going to do this. So watch our journey, it is going to be interesting.
I apologize for the odd fish-eye-lens effect, but this was the best panorama I could take with an IPhone.
So what you are looking at is the gate we have that separates our back yard from the back field.
The odd box object to the left of the gate is what used to be the housing for the goats. It was a dog house prior to that.
Here are some before pictures to give you an idea of what we are starting with. Now the theory is that you are not supposed to begin this program until fall, because that is when the leaves naturally fall from the trees. We'll see if we make it that long before we can't help ourselves. The underlying theme of this method is this. It's not supposed to be alot of work once the garden is established. That can take three years or more depending on where you liv and what materials you are relying on.
The most of this grass is about knee high, I think it's still growing from where the goats ate it. Other grass is up to my hip.
I'm not sure what this shrub is but it looks like it will be simple to deal with. It'll probably become a blogpost of it's own.........
This is a grain that grows in the field. I'm not familiar enough with the various grains to know what this is.
Here's our little dog Trixie next to a semi-common weed we have back there.
What is certain is this. If you follow this method aggressively and fulfill all of it's tenants, you will have the best garden you have ever had-growing the best produce you have ever tasted and you will not have to weed (as you currently know it) except with a rake, you will not have to water, and you will not have to till. Just plant your favorite seeds, and eat. Those are the steps, albeit, only after the garden is fully established.
Our soil in the back field seems to be very nice already since it's been left alone and has alot of diversity, so I am hoping that helps with the decomposition of the wood chips.
So our back field can be a test plot for you if you are on the fence about it. It will be alot of work upfront, but that's normal. It will all be worth it. I'm excited and eager. That is......if we move forward with it.
Here is the link to the documentary, watch it now! It will change the way you look at everything!
God Bless!
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