That's pretty much what the Back to Eden method espouses. They get ground-up clippings from landscapers - trees/leaves and bushes as well as grass.
What you're saying then is to start with healthy soil by using compost and grass before you start adding in the ground up tree (wood) chips. Or are you saying that wood chips should pretty much be avoided?
The BtE video is set in the Pacific Northwest, I believe, the gardener/farmer featured originally from California. For those who haven't yet seen it, here's the video. It's long (1:44), but worth the watch if you have time
Ideally if I am start a garden from scratch with ample time I would use a weed wacker and take the grass down as low as I could. Use a silage tarp to cover the area, it takes less time to kill of grass in heat of summer. When the grass is all killed off and incorporated and you're left with bare soil, you can then add your compost. If you like you can layer in other organic matter, but I find it best until you have built the biology to stick with finished compost. If you are doing no dig, you can plant into these composted beds and mulch with grass clippings or leaf mulch for best incorporation of organic materials.
If you have no time and need a garden. The lasagna method is a good way. Cardboard, compost, some kind of mulch all right on top of the existing soil.
I like a guy Richard Perkins who is a great market farmer, he uses wood chips strictly in his walking paths.
The main factor is creating your beds, and keeping those beds established. Many say avoid walking on these beds but Charles walks in his. He has a lot of trial gardens with different tillage methods and soil compositions.
We personally do what I call minimal tillage. We create permanent raised beds using a BCS walk behind tiller (after the tarp and composting). Using the tiller I will loosen the soil, then using the rotary plow I will form raised beds. To these beds I add more compost before planting or sowing seeds. For new garden plots where the area is too large for organic mulch we use woven ground cover, a reusable plastic that lets water through enough while keeping your beds weed free.
I also really like Jim Kovaleski, he is all about using a scythe and feeding your garden grass.
Whatever method your gardening is, it will always improve with time so don't get frustrated. If you have weeds, the most important thing is to remove them before they go to seed. Otherwise I consider weeds soil re-mediators. They pull nutrients from different depths and I like to chop and drop my weeds when I can.
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and links to others. I checked out your link, took a brief look at a Charles Dowding video and he seems really good. He definitely has an educational demeanor and his showing examples, comparisons, etc has got to be a time-saver in the end as he's not just telling you about great methods, but he's showing you clearly marked versions of what he's tried, what works, what didn't. Your information is greatly appreciated. I'll check out the others you suggested as well.
That's pretty much what the Back to Eden method espouses. They get ground-up clippings from landscapers - trees/leaves and bushes as well as grass.
What you're saying then is to start with healthy soil by using compost and grass before you start adding in the ground up tree (wood) chips. Or are you saying that wood chips should pretty much be avoided?
The BtE video is set in the Pacific Northwest, I believe, the gardener/farmer featured originally from California. For those who haven't yet seen it, here's the video. It's long (1:44), but worth the watch if you have time
https://youtu.be/6rPPUmStKQ4
I would advise aged wood chips. I like this guy Charles Dowding for no dig info.
https://www.youtube.com/@CharlesDowding1nodig
Ideally if I am start a garden from scratch with ample time I would use a weed wacker and take the grass down as low as I could. Use a silage tarp to cover the area, it takes less time to kill of grass in heat of summer. When the grass is all killed off and incorporated and you're left with bare soil, you can then add your compost. If you like you can layer in other organic matter, but I find it best until you have built the biology to stick with finished compost. If you are doing no dig, you can plant into these composted beds and mulch with grass clippings or leaf mulch for best incorporation of organic materials.
If you have no time and need a garden. The lasagna method is a good way. Cardboard, compost, some kind of mulch all right on top of the existing soil.
I like a guy Richard Perkins who is a great market farmer, he uses wood chips strictly in his walking paths.
The main factor is creating your beds, and keeping those beds established. Many say avoid walking on these beds but Charles walks in his. He has a lot of trial gardens with different tillage methods and soil compositions.
We personally do what I call minimal tillage. We create permanent raised beds using a BCS walk behind tiller (after the tarp and composting). Using the tiller I will loosen the soil, then using the rotary plow I will form raised beds. To these beds I add more compost before planting or sowing seeds. For new garden plots where the area is too large for organic mulch we use woven ground cover, a reusable plastic that lets water through enough while keeping your beds weed free.
I also really like Jim Kovaleski, he is all about using a scythe and feeding your garden grass.
Whatever method your gardening is, it will always improve with time so don't get frustrated. If you have weeds, the most important thing is to remove them before they go to seed. Otherwise I consider weeds soil re-mediators. They pull nutrients from different depths and I like to chop and drop my weeds when I can.
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise and links to others. I checked out your link, took a brief look at a Charles Dowding video and he seems really good. He definitely has an educational demeanor and his showing examples, comparisons, etc has got to be a time-saver in the end as he's not just telling you about great methods, but he's showing you clearly marked versions of what he's tried, what works, what didn't. Your information is greatly appreciated. I'll check out the others you suggested as well.