How to Set Up Core Garden Bed - Core Gardening Method
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- čas přidán 28. 09. 2016
- In this episode, I will show you how to set up a core garden bed using the core gardening method. It is easy, fast, and truly a great way to grow a garden!
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Big fan here in Toronto, Canada! We tried this method with leaves from the previous fall (we mulched them before putting into the core) and it worked wonders! We didn't have to water the garden bed once all season as we also did high density planting. We just dug into the garden bed this week (April) to add our new core and the old core has completely disappeared and the soil is nice and rich! Thanks!
Same here im overwatering everything cos the leaf compost retains water so well.
Hey guys! Just wanted to give you a result of my core method experience. I live in the inland valley of Southern California so I can plant my brassica crop in mid November. Prepped the beds and charged the core. Watered the new sets a few times by hand because the roots were so shallow. Then never watered again. I just pulled the plants today (last week of March) getting ready for the spring crops. The plants grew waist high and had HUGE roots. I'm a believer now! Cant wait to see how it works in our 100+ temps this summer.
I live in the same area as you. I got to try this method.
I need to try this. San Fernando valley Southern California
if it doesn't work 100%. make it bigger. bigger core = more water retention underground
@@Ericidryfly it works in oregon in pots and you can almost get away with never watering at all
@@benjamingrezik373 how do you do it in pots? Can you do it in smart bags? My tomatoes are suffering from over watering, the pots just never dry out and they poor plants are miserable!
Wow! 5 years ago?! How times flies when we're having fun in the garden with Luke!
Also goes to show that people might want to binge-watch All your videos!😁
Love and blessings! 🤗💜
Middle of Kansas here. We dig about 2 and a half feet down and bury straw bales down so there is between 6 and 8 inches of soil on top, then we plant between the rows of bales that are spaced about 4 foot apart. Before covering with soil we pour either blood or sour milk onto the bales. Our tomatoes are MASSIVE.
I am part of an Elementary School garden design team where watering is a critical element. This will help us immensely in solving this issue. Thank you for sharing this technique with us.
Donald Cowick what a cool thing to be a part of. Thanks for giving your time.
Hi- I have used leaves in the bottom of my containers when I grow things that way. It makes things lighter, but it also saves $$ and the plants seem to love it. The type of leaves matter. I really feel that it is best that they are a combo of leaves. Oak seems to tough by itself.
Absolutely one of the best ways to grow for older people.
Upfront not so much work, then ALMOST no work.
I'm using it, I'm loving it. I added several things in my 'core' to save money. FREE stuff.... Shredded paper, crushed leaves from last year, small sticks from the edge of the woods, single layer of cardboard at bottom. Then added a generous amount of straw, but less than Luke said cause I couldn't afford to buy a lot. Then leaf mulch, FREE from city recycling plant was the major component by volume.
Then compost and miracle gro. It's working like I found the magic ring. First garden for me, getting produce!!! I'm happy. 😊
Like you mentioned in the previous video, don't forget to really drench it with water once you've buried it, and make sure it stays moist. In the Australian subsoil manuring field trials they saw little benefit during drought, as moisture is needed to keep the microbes that break it down happy.
Thanks for this info. I was wondering about the water component
How long did that rogue potato bug you before I finally discovered it?
lol. I thought you were aware of it just hanging out there. :)
MIgardener | Simple Organic Gardening & Sustainable Living I will have to watch the video twice more, once while I consciously ignore the potato and once while I get the information. 🤓
the potatos on the bottom left for those of you who still havent found it
Drove me nuts.
Didn't mind the potato. Didn't like that music!
I love it! Like you said last video kind of similar to the hugelkultur method, but this really seems like it does great for annual vegetables while huglekultur is good for growing trees.
Awww my two favourite CZcams gardeners in one video chat! Nice to see you here James!!!
Thanks for sharing that comparison, James and Tuck! It helps me understand core gardening better.
I live in Northern Calif where we have temps in the 100's most of the summer. Here is my method which is simular. Cover garden in fall with a 3 to 4 inch layer of straw. For get until spring. Come back in March and dump Chicken Manure on top of the weather straw that sat all winter. Water well and deep. In April add a layer of any soil. I have clay so I add composter or amendment. Water deep and plant in May. Garden grows like on steriods. No fertilizer needed, no pests at all, and abundance of everything, from tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers ect. Under soil wicks water to everything. Chicken Manure fertilize's everything, amendments keeps clay lose for planting. All I do is harvest like crazy. Have fun, with no trenches.
It is a little something I want to use. This being said Luke, I had in mind to use my straw into compost HOWEVER, I viewed a couple of videos from folks who used straw and hay on their gardens . They got the nastiest possible surprise from their plants. The straw they were using turned out to have been contaminated with picloram a type of herbicide used against broad leaf weeds in hay fields and barley and other plants for straw bails. The channel I viewed it on was Black Gumbo .Hoss Tools talked about it as well.The product when sold goes by the names of Grazon or Tordon depending on where it is sold. This product is murder in the end on broad leaf garden plants you grow if this product gets in soils .One truly needs to be sure these dried plants were not grown on a field pre sprayed with that stuff .......or any other herbicide for that matter. Black Gumbo I think has a testing method to detect it to make sure what we get in TRULY natural.
I saw another channel talking about 'Grazon-ed' straw or hay. Sounded like another brand label for glyphosate (sp?)/ Round Up. That's why I am not even bothering with that. Guy thought he was getting it from a trusted source, too. Since many out there are out to just make a buck, I am not bothering with acquiring straw for anything. The fact that it takes a long while to work it out of your gardening system once you're contaminated is another reason. Feed it to your animals and any manure that is produced gets affected and you're in that same cycle. Ain't nobody got time for that.
Tomorrow I will adopt this system using a mix of roughly chopped last season Garlic Stalks, Dry Leaves, Grass clippings and Seasoned Straw from Horse Stables.
Dan.
Israel.
Thank you for the new idea! I've been gardening for a looong time but had never heard of "core gardening". Living in a hot inland area of Southern Cal I just planted my brassica beds a few weeks ago. They are growing great without any watering other than the 1/4 inch of rain we had a couple weeks ago. The raised beds normally need daily water in summer and at least a weekly water in cooler weather. Not anymore!
This is awesome I use straw for my chickens and ducks bedding and I just had a big bale get rained on numerous times and it got moldy. So since I can’t use it for bedding anymore I’m going to lay it in a thick layer at the bottom of my raised beds when I set them up. And since I live in South Texas and it gets above 95° constantly and into the triple digits for weeks on end on the bad summers this is going to be so helpful! I’m also using your compost method where it’s just the tarp and you use the sun to heat it up in our sun gets pretty powerful and it gets pretty hot so I’m gonna be making compost in no time and I really appreciate your channel because I’ve learned so much from you!
I wish there was a love button for this :)
I tried my garden this year with a lot of experimentations.... I had my husband make me 4x4 squares and created my own compost soil. I started by placing either card board, landscapers felt, or tar paper on the bottoms of the boxes. My next step was to water each down then add straw, I used the green stuff and made it about 5-6 inches deep. We then added 1-2 large black trash bags full of last year's leaves and then added a layer of manure, watering it really good. The last layer was bagged soil, about 1- 1 1/2 bags then watered that well. It is similar to the lasagna method only varied some. I planted my babies the next day and let them be. Everything has grown awesomely, and I am so amazed to see how rich the soils have become in each of the squares. We will be adding more mixture this fall when we clean them up and get ready for more gardens. We lived in zone 8b and have had an exciting year....
Thats awesome Sara!!!!
Some call that lasagna gardening. ;)
This would not be organic though if you used tar paper. The chemicals from the tar paper will leach into your soil and your vegetables.
Love this Luke. Thanks for sharing. I have a 4×24' bed built last year that I lined with landscape fabric and filled with organic top soil (mistake), and nothing grew. In the fall, I added out mulched leaves front the yard and compost from our small composter. This week, I'm in zone 7, I'm adding strawbales to the core. In 2 weeks, I will add the Trifeca +, humic acids, worm casring, and azamite. Now praying we can grow some food this year. I also built a bigger composter last weekend. Thanks for the great tips and all you share with us, Luke.
@julianelson7813 im interested to know some more on the lack of growth. I did some lasagna beds this year. Our soil is poor on our property so I used organic top soil and organic manure compost with Peat and straw as the layers. Literally nothing grew at all. Very disappointed but don't really know what we did wrong.
I used a technique similar to this. The only difference is that I spread some decomposing water lilies at the bottom of the bed because I saw how water lilies keep the moisture, it almost took forever to dry out.
Oh Wow! We may have to try that too, thanks for letting us know!
With our VERY limited space and the worst soil I've ever seen in my life, I'm doing a raised bed made of pallets with bunny manure mixed with a few fallen leaves and the wood chips from their nests. Im really hoping it works out. But if i ever get enough space to actually do a garden I'll be trying this method out. Thanks Luke.
Hello Luke. Thanks for your videos. I really do enjoy them and when I have a chance, I do try some of your methods. This spring I made a core garden bed for my cucumbers using some branches and wood from the floor of the woods in my back yard. I also added in some leaves and unfinished compost. I did dig a few inches deeper than yours as my wood took up more room than your straw and I don't have raised beds. That was about 6/7 weeks ago but I planted my cucumber seeds on May 19th and they were up within 72 hours. This is my first attempt at the core gardening and I do hope that I will be able to water less this year. I live very close to the North Carolina/South Carolina border and we normally have hot and humid weather sometimes going weeks without rain and I have to water. Thanks for the info that you give and keep up the good work! I will update you as things progress. Thanks again and I am growing big at home!!
Hello Luke.
Been watching for a while. Thanks for all the info.
Started with all sandy soil.
I have made a lot of flower bed by amending with only natural wood chips for 20 years now and this has really given me nice loom so I plant some vegetables sparingly in those beds with good results.
Now retired and started raised beds using the rotting wood method about 24 inches below top of raised bed and layering browns and greens until top to decompose over Ohio winter.
Next year I will amend the top 6 inches with a peat mix. Did not have way to get topsoil so used scraps of vegitation, cardboard, walkway and flower bed sod to fill. Very pleased and lost a few pounds doing three beds this year. Have plans for more once I see these results.
The core method is one more I will include later as a maintenance process. Thank you for sharing to my beginner process.
Have watched your progress, learned from you, enjoyed the presentation, and hope to implement what I learn because I love being in the yard messing around. My wife calls the yard a forest of nothing ( hint, not good at it)but I love it. She does like the veggies though.
Wow, this is awesome! I know I'm years late to this video, but it's amazing to see how excited you are about this discovery! Will try it this year!
Thanks for the info. Will try it in one or two of my beds. Applaud your attitude about try many methods and use those you like. Here at Valhalla Project we train our veteran participants to come into gardening and growing with an open mind and use several methods and avoid listening to "advice" that starts out "you're doing it the wrong way." Since we like to display as many methods as possible to expose them to options we'll definitely include the core method in our training.
I loved this! thanks for "how-to" start using the Core Gardening Method! I learned something "new" as I do each time I watch you teach! I am committed to Grow Big! or go home! thanks a million Luke! You are an amazing teacher!
Luke, I just ordered your gardening book - I’m so excited! I don’t yet have land to grow so learning all the detail about core gardening just doesn’t make sense right now, but with your book as a resource I know that when I’m ready, I can read up on the subject and check out your videos at that time. Thank you for all that you do and all that you share.
I was going to ask how often you replace/invigorate the core but you answered it here. Every year. I've been reading your book and didn't see how often core material needed to be added. Thanks! You are extremely helpful!
Yeah, this is the way to go! I will be adding a cedar edge, then adding organic planting materials on top of the straw that's already in my garden. Right now, I have about a four feet raised mounded border around the perimeter and a keyhole garden in the center. my garden is about 20 feet wide by 16 feet long. My strawberry garden is as wide as my 15 feet wide and about 10 feet long. I think the wooden edge, would make the garden look much neater and be easier to plant and maintain. Your videos are just wonderfully educating!
Thank you for this and the beds I did do this with are doing AMAZING!!!! Keep it up and thank you!
Trying this year with used straw from the chicken coop, old leaves, and some rotting tree trunks. Excited to see how it does with our hot GA summers! Thanks for all the videos - you've almost solely been my gardening guru the last few years. Also just bought a bunch of your seeds and use Trifecta on everything! Thank you!!
Luke I love this. It seem like a mini hugelkultur with a twist using straw instead of wood. I like it.
I did this last season and am again this year and from now on!! Ir REALLY does cut down SO much work! Use leaves to feed nitrogen and straw to wick too.. PERFECT balance... I ran over my leaves a bunch of times with the mower and put it in my beds before my compost and soil. Lay a tarp next to your bed and empty your soil on it..
Great video- we are new to North AZ, closing on a 2 ac property soon- we are definitely trying this method! Thank you for sharing and all the work in putting this video together for everyone. Mr & Mrs Gardner 🏆
I really like this method, it’s simple and readily available cheap materials. Im in Ohio 6 b and you’re zone is 5 so I use your guidelines since we are so close in weather conditions. Trying this method for first time in Spring 2022.
I have always enjoyed your videos and I continue to pray for the success of your family and your garden!
thankyou for all of ur doing ...... i appreciate every single video have a blessing weekend with ur lil family.
Thanks for watching!! I am glad you enjoy the videos!! :D
I live in zone 9b, central Florida and grow food in my urban garden all year. Due to space restrictions my eight beds are 3' wide and 10' long each. I feel I can still incorporate this method. I will just make a narrower trench. Thanks for your dedication to teaching us about the wonderful world of growing your own.
You are welcome Ronald, I am excited for you to try this method!! Keep us posted on the progress :)
I have been working on cleaning out my beds so now would be a great time for me to try this thank you .
My dad put in two raised beds this year using the core method. He watered twice during the heat of summer. I on the other hand was watering every other day during the weeks when it was 90 plus degrees with no rain. After the first good frost we’ll be transitioning my 3 existing beds to the core method.
I'm very excited about this method! It's my first time hearing about it. I'm in Texas (zone 8a) and our summer heat is BRUTAL...many days in the 100s. This is perfect for my garden and can't wait to try it! 💚🌱💚
Robyn, I am in Texas too, and wondered how you liked the Core gardening method?
I had alot of success last year with saving on watering using grass clippings as mulch. It kept the weeds down, kept the top soil damp for days after a rain, kept the ground warmer longer, and it totally broke down over the winter. Hopefully this comment will help out a fellow lazy gardener hahaha.
I have been using your video on core gardening to slowly transition my raised beds over to this style (great use of old straw from my old straw bale garden wing.). I added in a large olla to the center of my 4x4 core beds to help get even water down in my beds and the straw that is buried. So far my green beans have been thriving in this setup. Thanks for the video and would love to get your thoughts/video on use of Ollas in the garden.
I like it my raised beds have already made life easier this summer.
Hi Luke, this is great, especially for our beds here in Las Vegas, NV. I wish more gardeners would do vids for very hot summer conditions like our's here in Vegas.
Unintentionally did something similar. Built a couple 8x4 beds and didn’t have quite enough compost to fill ‘Er up. I filled the base with a couple inches of hardwood tree bark that was breaking down and some punky sticks/branches leftover from some trees I took down a previous season. Topped it off with compost and by the 2nd year were my more productive and most worry free beds. Kind of like a poor mans hugelkuktur bed. In function seems quite similar to core... unless I’m totally missing something
What you did was really essentially hugelkulture.
the main difference is hugelkultur uses more bigger denser pieces or carbon (wood). and is generally larger and designed as a hill.
Yours is technically a better longer lasting and more effective technique.
straw is just faster and easier.
In nature carbon sources like wood will be eventually buried in soil. creating natural hugelkultur.
you are just speeding that up buy burying the carbon sources.
if you use a lot of carbon be sure to add some nitrogen source!
@@benjamingrezik373 I don't trust the crapshoot of getting straw bales that could have been sprayed with chemicals, so I am not going that route.
There is, however, a big & long rotting log that I do have ready access to. I am not all too sure if it's technically punky, but I tried stepping on it one day and my foot went clear through it straight into the ground in one area.
Would something like this be a good substitute in it's current form of advanced decay?
And your thoughts on taking a pile of sawdust or compressed bale of Alder (not cedar or pine) pet shavings and giving it the urine and sit treatment as straw replacement?
MIgardener detailed he let his bales sit / decay for a year before use in this Core method in another video.
I do this. When first starting a bed i fill the trench with wood chops and chicken coop bedding (aged). Add straw/hay during winter.
This is interesting. I have grown greens in 8 in clear bins for years. I add about 3 inches of leaves to the bottom before adding soil thinking it would keep it from getting too wet and rotting if I over watered. I have had great success with it. I will try this in my next bed. Thanks!
Thank you for the content. I don't find a lot of people familiar with this method, and Ive implemented it in zone 5 in my raised beds. Results pending!
And... how did it work in zone 5? Results?
We Floridians are starting our growing season, yes, like the Australians ! So I will try this too!
Love this and apply it to my 5 -7 gallon grow bags. I start with a layer of straw and then compost that has a bit of leafy greens. My potatoes were huge and never over or under watered.
I will definitely be trying this next Autumn, when everyone is tossing their Halloween straw bales in the trash. Great idea for adding free compost to the garden, without having a giant compost pile. Thanks for making the video and sharing this great idea.
I did something a bit different than what you suggested this last spring. My raised bed is about 22 inches wide and 12 high. I threw dead raspberry twigs, dried leaves, stuff left over in the compost pile from last fall like squash stems and pea vines, arborvitae twigs and blue spruce cones. I spread it all over the bottom. That stuff was about 4 inches high. I covered that up with compost and soil to the top. I planted 1 row each of cukes, corn and carrots and 3 sunflowers in it. The cukes corn and sunflowers grew faster and larger and much healthier looking than what I had planted elsewhere in the garden and the carrots are not ready yet. I had to water it however as we had several weeks of 90+ temps here (E. Wa Zone 6b). The straw around here is sprayed before harvest (wheat country) so I will forgo the straw idea but the other stuff really helped and it was all organic.
Lori Eldridge I’m in Spokane and am planning to try this in my beds and the bottom of my pots with some of last years straw from a friends garden. Your comment about straw being sprayed in this area of the state makes me a little nervous. Is there anyway of knowing if the straw is sprayed? What would the “spray” consist of? Any help you can give me is very appreciated. Thank you
I'm setting up a new garden soon, and I want to try this! Of course, I'll have to use soaked peat moss this first year while my straw is rotting, but it looks like a fantastic idea!
I treasure the information you provide.I will be trying this method this fall and spring.
Keep us posted in how it does, and am glad you are enjoying the content!
Awesome Luke, can't wait to try this method. Just moved to Cali I know this method will be super beneficial!
I will try this next season. My gardening season is coming to a end. I have a lot of old hay I can put to use. Thank you for sharing.
Keep up with the great episodes . Always good to try change and new methods
Thank you!
:)
we just stuffed a core down the center of our raised bed. a good rain storm is coming tomorrow, so we should be good to go! can't wait to see results!
I just put one of these in and am going to put a few more. Thanks for sharing
Looking forward to seeing more of your tip in the future.
I cannotttt wait to try this next season!!! Thank you!
wow I love this idea, we really will use it in our new place. old straw is so easy to come by for free around Saskatchewan, and it will save so much watering!
You make some of the most helpful gardening vids around, buddy! If I cant use my sq ft experience and combine that with what I've learned from watching you to make 3 acres of garden thrive I'm gonna sell my tractor and buy an apt 😂
Thanks for doing everything you do.
I am excited to try this! Thank you for the informative video!
Very interesting! So, I'm wondering what you do at the end of the season, or the following year? Do you dig the trench again and add more straw or whatever? Or will this last for multiple years?...I guess this depends how long it takes for the straw, or other substance, to decompose? Thanks!
I would add stuff every year.
Thank you for making this video! (Apparently searching for 'core' in the channel works, who knew? ;) ) Haven't tried this with a deep trench like that, not sure if I'm up to that anymore, but maybe done in small parts I can trial something like this.
What I usually do with a new bed (or a sucked down low bed) is lay down a 6" or more layer of woody plant debris, trimmings, along with plant bulk matter, like broad leaf plants/weeds that don't grow from the parts used. Then top with 6 plus inches compost, etc for planting. After various annual plants are done for the year, I sort of tuck them into any empty spaces just under the soil-like surface, often clipping them down small to fit. Hadn't really thought about it as anything other than clean up, but it likely helps with watering; so I'm interested to try this on purpose more often, and deeper!
How did I miss this gem of a watering technique in the master gardening class book? Maybe too many years ago. I hear the classes are less hostile to organic gardening these days too, so progress is happening.
Super excited to try this. Thank you so much
Tx young brother. I have learnt sooo much from you. Will try it here in South Africa
Thanks! I am learning a lot from your channel!
Glad you are finding the content helpful :)
Hi Luke am gardener from long time ago love your choice of dress too cargoshorts I wear them too brings good luck to my gardening love you and your show.
Excellent simple video ( I need 'em simple). I will be trying this in one of my year-old beds. They only produced so-so this summer since they were new. Hopefully the Core Method will speed up the aging process on my soil and grow some awesome veggies.
Heck yes! L:)
Mi Gardener(Luke) you rock… I’m excited about all my rotten straw that wreaks … a good place to put it!(probably on the top of woody debris when I make my hügel bed)… 🐸 … James- love your zest and gardening know-how. I plant my annual vegs closer to the ground level of my hügel bed.
Your garden look so perfect 👌🏻👌🏻
Thanks for your videos! I've learned a lot.
awesome update thank you for sharing have a blessed day
My experiment 2015
In spring 2015 (zone 4) I lay 5 raised beds and as a mix I laid about 3 inches of loose hay mixed with rabbit manure on top of existing soil, I did cover it with Additonal 3 inches of leaf mold compost and wood chips. This is second year and I found out the soil underneath was as solid as rock but everything on top have been composted and it is very fluffy. Luckily I have access to good amount of straws and I will be able to (before snow fall any day) lay at least 6 inches of hay underneath and dig the soil for last time ever (practicing no dig garden from now on)
VOTE4TAJ Thumbs up! It works great for me.
Just like at the gym, got to work on your core. ;)
hahaha indeed indeed
Core-ny
I started to garden about 5 years ago and would like to try this core method this year.
Thanks, it looks like a beginner could do it and will keep one from forgetting how often to water once established. You explain things very well thank you.
Hi from Australia! I love your videos! I tried this with sugar cane mulch this year and it's great. I have a tiny yard cut in half by a path. I have two raised beds and one larger garden and because I live near the beach the soil is very sandy. I've only just gotten a compost bin and a worm farm which is yet to have worms put in it... they're expensive here! I've also got heaps of veg and fruit trees in buckets and pots. I use the sugar cane mulch on top of the garden as well and have used heaps of organic compost from the local landscaper. Thank you for all your work, it helps heaps!
Hi. What time of the year did u start your core Garden? I live in Canberra
If you live near the beach, why not add seaweed to the mix? I live in NH, zone 5b, and I haul seaweed from our coastline (a 2 hour drive for me!) to my compost, but also to my garden beds as a mulch and fertilizer. I can't do without it! The tastiest tomatoes every year!
Oh my goodness LUKE!!! This would an ahhhhmazing way for me to set up beds! If it works for me as you have shown it would help so much! I'm retired now, a little early (not a whole lot) due to having MS. It's hard for me to keep up sometimes because of pain but I refuse to quit! I actually feel better eating healthier NON PROCESSED foods! This is such a blessing. I'm gonna stash my straw bails and try it! Ty! Ty! THANK YOU! 😆 God Bless!
Hiya Lisa!! That is awesome, we really do hope that you try it out!! Keep us posted on your progress!!
will do!
I use a similar method in my potted patio plants. about 1/2 inch of dirt on bottom then a layer of straw. fill rest with dirt and plant. i have found that it really helps out on the weekends when i am out of town. i also use straw as a mulch cover where my plants get direct sunlight all day.
Thanks, Im from Australia, gonna give it a go today, will keep you updated
Let us know how it works for you!
HF TL updates?
I wish I'd watched this before putting my beds together this year! I'll definitely be prepping twigs and leaves over this next winter so I can do this in the spring.. I have a question though - does this end up affecting the microbes in the soil like tilling does? Since you probably have to do this every spring right?
Thank you for this Great information..can't wait to use this technique..Wow!!!
Karyn B Koop This is an appropriate concern. I personally would stick with no doc Permaculture.
my dad tells of how a lady would do this with water from the laundry mat in town when he was a young child (early 1940's). this was in New Mexico and she had a bunch of kids and the best garden he ever saw. I couldn't figure out what he meant until now.
I've been looking for a better way to water. I was considering Ollas and/or soaker hoses. I'm really excited about this and will give it a try this year. Thank you.
Thank you for making this video been wondering how this is done every time you mention it. I'm in Australia and I will give this method a try for our summer crops. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼😊😊😊🇦🇺
yummycherrys I'm in Sydney, I done this the one of my garden beds last week using sugar cane mulch
Hooray!!!
Luke Andrews Thanks Luke! I have soaked my sugar cane for a couple of days so hopefully it will work out the same.
I totally LOVE your videos!! ♡♡♡ Thanks very much, I sure will try this! :)
If I want to use this method when setting up a new raised bed should I just make the core on the bottom layer right against the lawn or a couple of layers of dirt above the sod?
Very cool! I’m going to try it with leaves!
Great video! Loved the info.
I think this is new thing learn about garden now I m going to do the same thank u
from Knysna, Western Cape in South Africa - gone try this, thanks
in Jan this year i put a 4" packed bottom layer of straw across bottom of 27 gal. totes, then 2" leaves.. compost with soil. Undid those starting early March .. transferring into first raised beds. Yard worms gathered in the leaf area.
Awesome! Thank You!
thanks. will try this. I have 4 ft of garden along my fences, about 1000 sq ft worth. Just getting ready to prepare my beds for spring gardening
Great!
My grandsons came dug the first 500 feet of furrow and filled it with old straw for me. Now they have 500 more feet to dig. Excited about this because my water bill was outrageous this year. My grandson is also going to try this on his garden in the country.
starting a garden from scratch this year in Central PA and am using oriental grass instead of straw....then put mulch from my township building and will put about 8 inches of dirt on top...fingers crossed about the grass part lol
I am setting this up today. I already did my first 16 foot row and later I need to do another bed which doesn't get much watering. Hope it works. I just found this video again and am needing to see if I missed anything. I dug the middle out and filled the trench with twigs I was saving to one day when I get an area to build a fire pit for winter.
Everybody.. City recycling is a great resource for leaf mulch.
Furniture stores great place to get huge boxes to
A. Make pathways which kill the grass, no weeding
B. Cardboard to start the core (whether in ground, raised bed,or container) its like a WELCOME. sign to worms!!!
C. Shredded cardboard for core, as well as mulching.
Cardboard mixed with straw is an excellent mulch which keeps out weeds, retains moisture and sends an INVITATION to any neighborhood worms that theres a party over here. 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
Happy gardening, I have some more cardboard to shred.