posted 9 years ago
In addition to what Bryant said, in order for your "Back to Eden" garden to work best, it needs to have the small branches and leaves chipped in with the wood. The wood chips with no leaves or green matter will break down, but very slowly. I have done it both ways, and if you just used chipped wood with no green matter, you will have to use some sort of fertilizer, whether it's manure, green plant matter, compost, urine, or whatever. I have areas that I left for several years and mushrooms did take over and they are breaking down, but very slowly. If you inoculate as Bryant said, it will speed the process.
You may want to try Bryant's methods, or do as you said and just spread the wood chips. I would continue making compost and add it on top of the wood chips as it becomes available, and plant in pockets of it as Bryant said in the meantime.
"People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do."