Back to Eden

"Back to Eden" refers to a popular regenerative gardening method based on a documentary by Jethro Kloss. This gardening method involves covering soil with wood chips to improve it. Jethro Kloss also has an influential book on natural health and herbal medicine. The book is a comprehensive guide to natural health, covering topics such as natural foods, herbal remedies, and a holistic lifestyle. First published in 1935, it is considered a classic text in the natural foods and health movement.

Concept

This is a regenerative, no-till, organic gardening technique that focuses on using wood chips to build healthy soil.

The Garden of Eden, as referred to in the Bible, didn't have commercially made chemical fertilizers. It regenerated itself. The leaves fall, compost in place, and put nutrients back into the soil.

Technique

The core principle of this gardening method is to cover the ground with a thick layer of wood chips, which decompose to create nutrient-rich soil, suppress weeds, and retain moisture. By not tilling the ground in the more modern method, microbes and decomposers live in their natural habitat to build the soil to it's natural state.

Benefits

Growers who have used this method to regenerate their soil say it leads to higher yields, greater biodiversity, and carbon sequestration, while reducing the need for tilling and external inputs. This isn't an overnight fix, but it is a long-term fix.