Why not create a new forum? Back to Eden methods

Eden is about piling wood chips, etc to help a garden.  Then separate would to plant seedlings apparently, I wonder how long the wood chips will be in bed, I see them breaking down in pathways.

This is where most "Back to Eden" style wood chip discussions would be found: https://permies.com/f/119/mulch  

If I remember correctly, Paul hates wood chips, and since wood chips and Back to Eden gardening have become nearly synonymous, he may not want a forum devoted to it.

It takes about 50 existing related threads to make a new forum. Does that exist?

Mike Barkley wrote:It takes about 50 existing related threads to make a new forum. Does that exist?

I did a search and found 268 records the had "back to eden" in the title, but of course that is total with everyone's comments. I don't know how to find the number of separate threads about it. That isn't counting the threads where people just talk about using wood chips in gardening. I would think there are 50 easily.

I don't know how to find the number of separate threads about it.

You can click the button labeled "message subject only" below where the search criteria text is entered to find that. I counted 31. So it's a bit short.

Mike Barkley wrote:

I don't know how to find the number of separate threads about it.

You can click the button labeled "message subject only" below where the search criteria text is entered to find that. I counted 31. So it's a bit short.

Not sure what we are doing differently, but that is how I did my search. I just did it again, and got 271,due to the additional posts to this thread. Were you searching "all available" forums?

Yes, I just double checked to be sure. It shows 31 threads.

"31 threads containing 293 posts " it takes 50 threads to make a new forum, no matter how many posts are in each one.

Post = one person's reply
Thread = a titled group of posts on a question.
This is a Post by Pearl, in the Thread "Why not create a new forum? Back to Eden methods"

So there are 31 threads with "Back to Eden" in their name, with a total of 293 posts (294 when I hit submit)

I searched "wood chip" and got "972 threads containing 1743 posts" not all of those would be relevant, but there certainly might be 50 threads that wood chips are the main subject. I don't know what exactly is being called "Back to Eden" not something I am up on, but it might be worth considering a forum for it all. Let me ask some questions.
:D

If you can list the threads about "Back to Eden," and there's 50+, then we should be able to make the forum.

I believe Paul's stance on Back to Eden is that it helps spread permaculture. There's lots of philosophies and techniques under the permaculture umbrella. Paul doesn't care for all of them, but he's happy to have people discussing and learning about them, and learning about a whole lot of other stuff here on permies.

Trace Oswald wrote:

Mike Barkley wrote:

I don't know how to find the number of separate threads about it.

You can click the button labeled "message subject only" below where the search criteria text is entered to find that. I counted 31. So it's a bit short.

Not sure what we are doing differently, but that is how I did my search. I just did it again, and got 271,due to the additional posts to this thread. Were you searching "all available" forums?

I think the difference here is also clicking on the "Match the exact phrase entered"?  Otherwise the search is for all of the words individually even though it's just searching for 'message subject only'.

I got 29 searching all available with both of those boxes checked and 277 without the 'exact phrase entered' checked.

Ah, mystery solved. I'm using mobile view on my phone. Mobile view only shows number of posts when you search, not number of threads. I switched to desktop view, and I can see both. In mobile, it just says "number of records" and the larger number.

I’d support a forum for this. I agree that “mulch” kind of works, but this seems specific enough and with enough depth, to merit it’s own section. I base some of my garden on this method. It has advantages and disadvantages.

I'm confused how Back to Eden method is different than other mulching methods.  

When I look at the back end, I can see that the Mulch forum isn't all that big.  https://permies.com/f/119/mulch
It has low to the mid-low amount of content.

I admit I live somewhere where mulch without irrigation doesn't work.  (nature builds soil differently here) So I'm not much interested in mulch so I don't know if there's enough content and if it would add SEO value to make a new forum just for this one method.  


Can we change the add a description and links to the top of the Mulch forum?  

Maybe someone can dig up some threads that cover "what is...method of mulch" and a staff member can put the links up there?  

r ranson wrote:I'm confused how Back to Eden method is different than other mulching methods.  

I believe it was coined by Paul Gautschi to describe his method of gardening. I've watched hours of his videos, and it looks like he has a very good system--for him. I've also watched many videos of people who have had very different results with his methods. I find the name "Back to Eden" confusing. He also covers many ideas other than heavy mulching, like how to prune trees and how to plant things with regards to symbiosis. If a person was referring to putting down 12" of wood chips, I would call it mulching; if a person was referring to using Gautschi's entire system, then a forum may not be a bad idea just for that system.

Nicole Alderman wrote:If you can list the threads about "Back to Eden," and there's 50+, then we should be able to make the forum.

I believe Paul's stance on Back to Eden is that it helps spread permaculture. There's lots of philosophies and techniques under the permaculture umbrella. Paul doesn't care for all of them, but he's happy to have people discussing and learning about them, and learning about a whole lot of other stuff here on permies.

So would creating a forum with this topic add significant search traffic? back to eden    Value demand 14033 real supply 5224 profitability 2686 Most profitability scores are in low hundreds.

r ranson wrote:I'm confused how Back to Eden method is different than other mulching methods.  

When I look at the back end, I can see that the Mulch forum isn't all that big.  https://permies.com/f/119/mulch
It has low to the mid-low amount of content.

I admit I live somewhere where mulch without irrigation doesn't work.  (nature builds soil differently here) So I'm not much interested in mulch so I don't know if there's enough content and if it would add SEO value to make a new forum just for this one method.  


Can we change the add a description and links to the top of the Mulch forum?  

Maybe someone can dig up some threads that cover "what is...method of mulch" and a staff member can put the links up there?  

 From what I learned about the Eden concept, to improve gardening, fill beds with a layer of wood chips ~3-4 inches deep.  It suppresses weeds, and apparently absorbs water to help it break down.

I have a forum already going on MeWe if you are interested stop by and check it out, over 700 members on it.

FYI ->


https://mewe.com/join/deep_mulch_-_back_to_eden__gardening

Be sure to also check out Jean Pain, and Ruth Stout.  

https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/ruth-stouts-system-zmaz04fmzsel

https://www.goveganic.net/article182.html

Cheers

I remember old videos of the Back to Eden method talking about how he'd put down cardboard and manure. In these newer videos he says he only puts down freshly chipped wood chips. Has his method changed? Can someone confirm?

If the back to eden title is historically accurate Adam must’ve had one hell of a chipper! I like using chips in conjunction with grass clippings and shredded leaves. To start some gardens I simply piled them together in fall and planted in spring. That combo attracted so many worms I stopped vermicomposting. Like others, I watched several of his videos. It all looked terrific. Planting straight into chips seemed like a revolution similar to permaculture. Upon closer inspection I realized he was actually planting into well broken down soil-like chips below the fresh stuff. Everyone I know personally gave up on his system pretty quickly. For me, there was a decent amount of good that came out of trying it. Potatoes don’t grow well in clay but do in wood chips! Go figure. I also had an out of the way pile that started growing Elegant Stinkhorn mushrooms. The pile broke down so fast that I started inoculating all fresh wood chips with them. I’m sure many folks had great success with his system so I’m not trying to discourage anyone from trying.

A good place to start is to make sure we have a media-rich and informative "What is Back to Eden Gardening?" thread.

That would make it easier to make a new forum gaing googlelove.

You would think that years of leaves would be an alternative to wood chips. For me, this is not the case. Maybe if I fluffed them all up?

Are there any primitive alternatives to this method that doesn't require heavy equipment to begin? No one wants to dump their chips where I'm at. Suggestions?

I had the same question years ago Nathaniel. I made a coral eight feet wide and eighteen inches deep. I piled all of my shredded leaves in the fall and waited. The next May I made three inch wide holes, stuck sweet potato slips in and filled with compost. The potatoes grew large and healthy while the leaves broke down. By the next spring I had a wonderful new garden spot.