tips & tricks
" Though Paul ’ s technique might sound counterintuitive at first , his principles
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HARMONY with nature instead of against it ." nutrient-dense , sweet , and juicy . When he tested the nutrient levels in his soil , just to make sure , his results were off the charts . “ Listen to these numbers ,” Paul says . “ On the test , you get two lines : the desired level that you want and your lab results . The nitrates : the desired level was 40 ; my lab result was 120 . Phosphorous , the desired level is 174 ; mine is 2,345 . Potassium , the desired level is 167 ; mine is 1,154 . Coming down to the smaller numbers : Zinc , the desired level is 1.6 ; mine 21.5 . What I love about this is [ that ] I didn ’ t do anything .” These high nutrient levels may explain why he never has to deal with pests . Paul claims that most bugs only attack unhealthy plants .
Since his soil is healthy , he says , his plants are healthy . Paul ’ s garden is also a completely enclosed system . He doesn ’ t need to buy anything as everything he needs is free . The system begins at his soil manufacturing plant : the chicken coop . His chickens eat yard waste and scraps from the garden . They constantly scratch and mix the composting materials with their own droppings . The result is rich , truly organic compost for the garden . Plus , they give Paul plenty of eggs . In the fall , Paul will screen the compost over his wheelbarrow and then spread a layer over his garden . He does this in the fall so that a fresh layer of compost feeds and builds the soil over the winter months , just how nature likes to do it . Every time it rains or snows , the ground receives more compost tea . In the spring , the soil is ready to go . That ’ s not to say he doesn ’ t grow in the winter . He eats carrots , beets , kale , potatoes , rutabagas , and turnips from his garden throughout the winter months , without so much as a row cover . That ’ s another perk of woodchips : they keep the soil insulated . The frost doesn ’ t kill the root vegetables unless they are exposed , but it does draw out the plants ’ sugars . This is why Paul claims his winter carrots are sweeter than his summer carrots . Paul gets his woodchips from local tree companies who need to get rid of the chips from their jobs . Their trash is Paul ’ s treasure .
Radish grown in the author ’ s garden , which is also covered with woodchips . ( Photo by Monica Mansfield )
Starting a garden like Paul ’ s is simple to do . Cover your designated garden space with a few layers of newspaper to smother the grass . Spread out three to four inches of compost , and then layer two to four inches of woodchips on top of the compost . If you can ’ t get your hands on woodchips , don ’ t worry ; look around your yard to see what you have readily available . Fallen leaves can be shredded and used as mulch . You can even use rocks . “ Wherever you live , there ’ s something in nature that you can use to cover the ground with ,” Paul says . “ If you have nothing but rocks , they make a great cover . You can grow wonderful gardens in rocks because rocks are minerals and they hold moisture .” It ’ s best to build your garden in the fall and let it sit over the winter to use the following spring , but you can start the plot in the spring and plant by fall for a winter crop . When you do start growing , be sure not to plant directly in the woodchips . Move the chips aside and plant in the soil , then recover with the chips .
Remember that time is your friend with this type of garden . You may need to use a little blood meal or fish emulsion the first couple of years until your soil rebuilds ; however , as the years pass , you eventually won ’ t need to fertilize at all . Your soil will only get richer and your produce will only get sweeter .
112 grow cycle