Back to Eden Garden – My Favorite Method

  1. Victoria says:

    This is so interesting! So you don’t use any type of soil, fertilizer, etc? Also, do you buy your plants already growing I’m assuming? Or do you seed your own first?

  2. Elizabeth says:

    I did some reading and have seen many add compost on top of newspapers then wood chips.. You don’t do this step.. My ground is rather hard.. How do you get your plants into the soil… isn’t it compacted esp. w/ the grass ?

    • Danelle Harvey says:

      I have done it both ways and have had success. And, we dig right into the newspaper and the grass and plant. And then scoot the wood chips back around it.

  3. Alexis says:

    I moved into a rental last fall. It’s been a difficult transition. Your post have given me so much hope that I can make the backyard what I want on a reasonable budget. I’m having trouble finding the stone you used in the shed and grill area. Where did you get your packing stone? I’m planning on using your garden method also! Thank you!

  4. Marie says:

    Oh my goodness I’m so excited to see this process!!! I think I’m going to have to try this w my plants!!! They have been struggling for a couple of years!!!

  5. Siciley says:

    I am so excited to try this! I have a garden bed in my yard that I’ve been wanting to try and do a garden but felt so overwhelmed to try and this is soooooo doable???? so I can’t wait to try it ???? Thanks y’all are the best!

    • Danelle Harvey says:

      Yay… keep me posted. It is so easy.. and takes so little work during the season.

  6. Lisa says:

    Some of the new plants are only 5 inches or less. Its not a problem if the wood chips go up to the top of the plant?

    • Danelle Harvey says:

      I pull the chips away a little bit from the plants until they grow a bit. I will be adding several pictures during the process.

  7. Joan says:

    Where do you purchase your wood chips?

  8. Courtney says:

    I have some type of ground covering vine that I can’t seem to remove or kill, because it’s so stubborn. Can I do this method right over a ground-covering plant, rather than a grass?

    • Jenni says:

      I was thinking this same thing! I have flower beds that are completely overtaken by daylilies and they’re just starting to sprout now…. maybe I’ll just cover the sucker’s with newspaper and chips and hope they don’t pop through!!! Should have tried years ago!

    • Danelle Harvey says:

      It really works for grass… I’m unsure about daylilies because they have bulbs.

    • Danelle Harvey says:

      Oh… I have no clue. If you do this, I would use the cardboard… they will compost slower.

  9. Scott says:

    Very interesting! Although, I could never do that to beautiful grass.

    Thanks for writing about this!

  10. lori says:

    I’m giving this a go too! Want the fresh veg but know i dont have the time for all the ‘proper’ garden prep everyone keeps telling me i need to do. This seems dummy proof that I can’t screw it up. We shall see!!

    • Danelle Harvey says:

      Oh you can’t screw it up. You may have to modify it a bit depending on your climate. I’ve heard from people in Texas who use this very method and LOVE it. They may have to water it once or twice, but it is totally worth the upfront work.

  11. Kimberlyj says:

    I’m going to do this with herbs in an empty spot in my perennial garden. I’ll do the layer of compost since the soil would need to be amended, a lot, in that area. I have chips saved from chipping branches last week. Excited to give it a try. Thanks

  12. Nancy says:

    I’m going to try your method, I just need to gather up some newspaper, and find some actual woodchips. Thanks for the idea.

  13. Any says:

    I love the idea and I remember your gardens from before…always amazing! My husband and I just built 3-16×4 raised garden beds because where we live has sand for soil. I turned over all the grass so roots are facing up. Since you are the experienced g gardner, what is your recommendation on how we proceed? We have 16” to fill! Add topsoil? Compost? Newspapers? Obviously wood chips on top. ????????????????????

  14. Carrie says:

    Hello!
    Do you ever fertilize your vegetable garden?

  15. Michele says:

    Would this work for Container garden, like the old washtubs? Just add newspaper and wood chips on top of dirt? Would a wash tub need drainage holes? Or maybe rock in bottom?

  16. Ellen Cousar says:

    Cardboard is fantastic, but should be done in the Fall as things die. Can’t wait to your garden! <3

    • Danelle Harvey says:

      YES… I’ve used cardboard before, too. I’m so excited about my garden.

  17. Rita says:

    Where we live now, we have a very hard clay. Can’t plant anything in it. Next year, raised beds. Years ago when we lived on the other side of the county, the soil was entirely different. Our first garden there was amazing. I miss digging in the dirt, all the fresh vegetables, and canning.

  18. […] fire pit  a makeover and made a sidewalk from lime stones out the back door.   And, even have our vegetable garden all ready to plant.  Come on, Indiana weather.  […]

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