GRASS to GARDEN | A No-Dig Transformation Story (Inspired by Charles Dowding and Paul Gautschi)

[@marthawhitehouse9838]

Always wet the cardboard before the mulch is dumped on top of it. Charles Dowding lives in England where the ground is wetter.

[@pampilgrim2274]

Hi, Benj! Thanks for putting this video together. You can not only grow plants. You can grow a nice healthy thick crop of hair.

[@gardenguychannel]

Haha well thank you Mrs. Pam. I was definitely blessed with that. :)

[@marcellusaaron7221]

sorry to be so off topic but does anybody know of a way to log back into an Instagram account?? I was stupid forgot the account password. I would appreciate any help you can offer me!

[@jimmydylan4793]

@Marcellus Aaron Instablaster =)

[@marcellusaaron7221]

@Jimmy Dylan i really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and Im trying it out now. Takes a while so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@marcellusaaron7221]

@Jimmy Dylan it worked and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy:D Thank you so much, you saved my ass :D

[@user-pw7qk7ol9d]

The best start to finish "no dig garden" video I've seen to date. Thanks for taking the time to show us step-by-step how it's done.

[@anasazirose]

Just make sure to clean the cardboard. All labels, all tape and all glue must come off. Sometimes cutting around labels with a razor knife and peeling off the top layer of paper is necessary to get the entire label. If flaps are glued instead of taped, it saves time to rip the pieces off and not use them. If you miss any tape, glue or labels, you'll be finding them for years to come as they do not biodegrade nor are they eaten by worms.

[@amandasosebee4412]

Thanks so much for this video! My husband and I are just starting out by using this method. We are excited to start,learn and grow ❤

[@DebRoo11]

How did it go? Anything you would do differently?

[@jorgemach___2162]

good job and looks great . If you can cover everything with a tarp to prevent wash outs with heavy rains and it will germinate any seeds that all ready blew in.plus it will keep new weed seeds from blowing on to the soil. remember you don't have roots in the soil to prevent wash outs. good for another video Humm. ..

[@emmanuellebeaucart1908]

i m so happy to see you and your garden....no dig......and good fiture vegetable for your health...marvellous... good journey!!!!

[@savethebee8561]

Except for the fact cardboard is full of harmful chemicals that get into your body though the vegetables. I wouldn't eat anything from that garden.

[@barbaralee915]

A muck rake works really great too. The angle of it is really helpful.

[@johnrogerssr.7060]

Really nice job. I believe that you could have planted white clover at this point for a green winter mulch. I do walkways with wood chips and then plant the clover. After a couple of seasons the clover really is nice to my knees when I am maintaining the plants and the beds (it's heck getting old 😁).

[@KimmieAbbasServant]

I'm a new subscriber I had to subscribe you are just as excited about doing your garden as I am I dug up my whole backyard and planted vegetables

[@ryandrossopoulos8059]

Im trying my first garden now and the more i get into it, the more i realize I have no idea what im doing but you gotta start somewhere

[@gardenguychannel]

You got this Ryan! keep it up

[@beccawallon9900]

Don't get discouraged, not everyone has a dump truck and hundreds of dollars worth of materials. There's a lot that can be done with a few feet of outdoor space and some seeds from the dollar store.

[@BadGalMarie]

Dude same 🎉

[@ryandrossopoulos8059]

Man you guys arent going to believe this. First 5x20 garden went great but i had about 5 times to many plants for the area. Turned our kids old raised clubhouse into a green house, got 5 banana trees from a friend, from 1ft to 7ft tall, they are planted and growing new growth. Just started the next bed for next year, gonna be no till for a try. Had drip system ready to go... Gotta sell dream house and start whole life over....fuckin lifes a bitch😢 But hey i didnt install drip system so theres that..😂

[@BadGalMarie]

But you have that Knowledge and experience now, it might be a gift having to start again. I believe in you, and that new drip set up. Forget about the house, at least you have your body. Si se puede !

[@marshallsuber3346]

Blessed Sunday. Thanks for the look back. Friend from New Orleans.

[@gardenguychannel]

Thanks Marshall!

[@maeicatertoyou7829]

Nola ⚜️

[@dachsymom5232]

You got a thumb and sub when you said our body's are gifts we need to take of...🤗. One suggestion...get a dump cart for your lawn mower. Would have made the spreading of your second layer of mulch easier.

[@darinbennett3638]

Ben, you did.a great job of getting your garden prepped! Like you, I have watched Charles Dowding and Huw Richards about no-dig gardening and I have my first 20x20 plot going in the back yard as well as several new flower garden areas using the same method. I'm excited to see how the first fruits of both of our labors turn out. Keep gardening!

[@angelasbusybeesgardenandho4627]

I truly enjoyed watching this video! Thanks for sharing new friend.

[@gardenguychannel]

Thanks for visiting, Angela! Glad it was a blessing.

[@Anuksonamun]

Just came across this video and it is brilliant! I will use the methods mentioned because I want to grow an array of food for the winter and I like the idea of no digging expecially when there is 60 x 20 feet piece of plot to grow food on. Thank you once again!

[@gardenguychannel]

@@Anuksonamun thank you so much! Did not see your comment till now :-)

[@leroydennis867]

Accidentally came across your video on KZbin. It did not take very long to know I want to watch you develop your garden!

[@pattyprice2644]

Awesome awesome awesomeness

[@bethanyfields4706]

Thanks for the recap!♥️

[@gardenguychannel]

No problem!!

[@EdwinPSaldanha]

Nice video Benj.

[@gardenguychannel]

Thanks Edwin!

[@cgraham6461]

I have totally enjoyed your garden teaching.

[@sleeplessinthecarolinas8118]

Great job! Thanks for sharing.

[@gardenguychannel]

You bet!

[@hollyfish5645]

I just moved to South Dakota and got my cardboard and just got soil/ manure..the neighbors didnt know what to think from this Pittsburgh Pa girl!!!

[@rosebud6522]

Good video Benji

[@pepguardiola1537]

Ultra motivational video I know what you went trough cause made as well last week a couple no dig beds

[@gardenguychannel]

You got this! And thank you it motivates me too. :)

[@GardensforLife]

Looking great! Keep up the good work! :D

[@gardenguychannel]

Thanks, will do!

[@2000rpascual]

Greetings from Chile, thanks!

[@gardenguychannel]

@@2000rpascual greetings back to you!! God bless

[@peterw7512]

Big up the no dig! 🤙

[@DavidJarrold-e7j]

That involved a hell of a lot of digging

[@donnachaobrien90]

Omg. Looks so good. And the garden is nice too 😅

[@kimwilliams7051]

Good video 👍😊

[@janellepuckett2538]

Thank you for this video, I didnt see where you mentioned the depth of the soil. Can you let me know how much soil you used in your rows? I like this layout

[@Ragamuffin777]

How do you keep the grass out. It loves the edges and comes creeping right back in.

[@tygrallure6895]

Looks really good! 👍🏾👍🏾

[@susannicholson9899]

Cardboard is not meant to have any print, writing, tape or stickers on it. I've just started my first ever no dig garden, I also watch Charles Dowding. Good luck to you with your no dig garden.

[@neverendingharvest6413]

Is there anything you would do differently after the first time? Nice video

[@AL-rs3wm]

Awesome 😊👍😁😂...& Familiar feeling to see cardboard & wood chips!!!....BTW...I got my wood chips delivered to me for free by our Electric Company !

[@gardenguychannel]

Yes I got mine free too! It's a great deal in my book.

[@AL-rs3wm]

? Do you also watch James Prigioni's videos

[@royfulk3255]

I just love plastics in my garden! All the tape, labels etc. just makes my plants grow so well. In turn, I consume those plastics and I just love it! Makes me feel so healthy. And yes, put that weed barrier plastic! I just love Petro chemicals in my garden!

[@rachelo0423]

I just love people who need attention so badly that they feel the need to put others and their ideas down on social media. So obnoxious

[@dianewebb5865]

What exactly is in the wood chips ...does it have to be certain wood ??

[@christineosborne3155]

Loved this video!! I would love to know your source for the mushroom compost as I'm not far from you. Thanks

[@gardenguychannel]

Yes! I get it from Monterey Mushroom in Loudon TN

How are the woodchips pathways holding up against the weeds 2 years later?

[@gardenguychannel]

They did great! We had to move though sadly so I passed the garden on to my brother.

[@BuhayProbinsya-ru2ft]

nice thanks! i got an idea

[@barbaralee915]

Hey!!! Look at you!! Im going along watching Charles Dowding for onions & here you are!! Listen to this guy people. I know him personally & he knows what he's talking about! I garden his way!!

[@aharri381]

I think I would have tilled the sod/grass only because the depth of the garden is shallow. Once you want to plant tomatoes, celery, cabbage, broccoli etc. you will want the roots to run deep, about 18 inches or more.

[@gdb812]

I think u need to clarify what kind of wood are those wood chips made of. Some trees are acidic to plants like mahogany tree

[@godisincontrol32]

Great Video 🎉 I subscribed to your channel 🙏

[@Maker_shaker51]

how to get the neighborhood involved ?

[@WholeFoodPlantPeople]

Cool. I like this guy. New Subscriber here !

[@gardenguychannel]

Thank you! It's always an adventure around here. :)

[@losnos79]

man i wish there was compost available near me like that. did you have to rent that truck to move the compost and wood chips

[@Carlene-o7u]

Thanks for your video please keep them posted I really appreciate them. I only have to keep out the kangaroos 😅

[@run2pray]

Where did you source your border wood from?

[@painchaud2000]

I subbed after this awesome video because I want to see what happened after all this time...

[@susannielsen8688]

How long does the cardboard take to break down?

[@coolbeansgetyahigh]

6-8 months as far as I’m aware. Love

[@steveroberts3713]

Approximately 2months with compost on top

[@anasazirose]

Depends on how many layers, how much moisture, if it's covered, and how many animals are using it for dinner. I used 4 layers and 6-8" of chips. In 4 years it was beautiful dirt. I planted in it, then did 2 layers and more chips around the plants.

[@natalie_tn]

You were able to get free greenwaste compost in the Knoxville area? Where? We were so frustrated that we have to take brush to a private facility and pay to dump it that we bought a chipper. However that doesn't make enough to create this much compost quickly.

[@gardenguychannel]

I don't think they have it available to just anyone. It was someone I knew. I hope you can find some!

[@savethebee8561]

I just read about cardboard. Loaded with chemicals harmful to humans and animals. It also contains " forever chemicals" which are designed to not break down. They will get into your food.

[@dianewebb5865]

Why did you put that other layer of cardboard only in the last 1/4 of the compost and not all over it.?

[@alxxxx70]

clover idea

[@OrganikSecrets]

Can someone explain to me the reasoning behind the cardboard? I tilled up the ground under my 12" tall raised bed then added compost/amendments and tilled them in, then filled my raised bed on top of that. Then a did a long strip by tilling the ground, adding potting soil, compost, other amendments, and then tilled them into it. It made kind of a mound. I don't see a reason to lay down cardboard???

[@jasonbowman7190]

When you till, you kill microbes. Conventional farmers are losing around 1 thousand pounds of topsoil per year due to tiling. They are turning organic healthy soil into sand. Healthy soil holds onto nutrients, and sand does not. Each year, farmers have to spend increasing quantities of chemical fertilizers because they don't amend the soil and build up the soil life.

[@bsdnfraje]

Weed suppression, mostly. And worm food. Worms love cardboard.

[@chocalatekid8024]

Good hard work but even if you put boards around, i wouldnt be so confident yet if you are leaving rhizome based grasses around your garden..it will be a constant battle

[@nymeriagloves3957]

To me it looks like spring already you aint got a foot of snow lol

[@gardenguychannel]

Haha yes. Where do you live?

[@johnmcook1]

imma plow and till lot to plant

[@marthawhitehouse9838]

Also remove all stickers from the cardboard before using and minimize the use of cardboard with dyes on it. Plain brown cardboard is best.

[@chimoinu]

As I understand it, don’t use cardboard with anything else then black paint. No glue, no stickers, pref no a lot of black ink. Also this is mandatory for an organic/biological certification

[@williambock1821]

Welp,looks like he wasted all his compost,mulch and even a big part of his yard. Oh well

[@Idontwantone950]

Did he say he was looking to sell his produce with an organic certification? I thought he said he was gardening to have fresh produce for himself and his friends/family.

[@DebRoo11]

If it kills the weeds who gives a rip? It's pretty hard to make garden produce worse than even 'certified organic' store produce. Even the compost you buy has junk in it. Looks like clean enough cardboard to me. 😅

[@karen1866]

If I’m not mistaken, cardboard is printed with ink, not paint. Soy ink is most common. Probably not GMO but way better than using roundup or other poisonous toxins to kill weeds.

[@barryc9115]

In six months…… who is going to know?

[@ransome22]

Did you ever end up putting a fence around this? Wondering if your veggies ever got pilfered by Bambi, bunnies, and other woodland creatures!

[@Amina-o5k3s]

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[@kathyscott4671]

Advice from an old wise person, please wear a hat that covers your ears/neck/nose!

[@KCMOBankFishing]

Contractors paper works better and is easier to manage.

[@amandaphillips9134]

He's a little bored 😆

[@gardenguychannel]

Just a little. ;)

[@ГалинаМалина-е4и]

Как много болтавни! И не дождёшся результата.

[@StayDownComeUp512]

I seen all them stickers, dont do that.

[@GeorgymonF]

Hate the idea of growing plants on cardboard. Also did you make sure all yohr wood chips and compost are pesticide free? Pesticides contain high levels of PFA forever chemicals which you will be putting into your food if the compost and/or mulch is contaminated. Always be super careful with sourcing!

[@jaystanley5417]

Cardboard is full of chemicals

[@xyzsame4081]

Brown cardboard is O.K.

[@tomatito3824]

More like $$$ and fuel to garden. And how much plastic did you bury? Jesus. I feel like humanity has completely forgotten how to farm. That lawn was already perfect for growing food. You just needed a sharp shovel and a bunch of seeds. I didn't want to make a negative comment but please be open to trying other methods in the future. Tilling isn't necessarily "le bad", especially if you only do it once. It's certainly better than using who knows how much fossil fuel for such a tiny plot, holy cow.

[@eyesofthecervino3366]

It wasn't perfect, but I'd prefer trying it his way than how you're describing. I know my lawn soil can't support a garden without some serious amendments, and if he has bermuda in that lawn then trying to dig it up and garden without killing it off is going to be a serious ongoing nightmare.

[@tomatito3824]

@@eyesofthecervino3366 That grass is everywhere in the world, for a lot of people it's just "common grass". You just have to give your plants a headstart. For example you can do a light tilling and/or mulch with hay. Or you can do an "instant garden" (cardboard + hay) to dominate the situation easily. Hay can be your own grass clippings, or pick them up from the street. You can also develop your own landrace seeds that just outgrow the weeds. A sustainable farmer has to work with what he has, and make the work as easy and energy-efficient as possible.

[@eyesofthecervino3366]

@@tomatito3824 Wait, so if you're fine with cardboard + hay, then what's your complaint about cardboard + wood chips and compost? It's the same thing, just with whatever organic material he had easiest access to.

[@tomatito3824]

​@@eyesofthecervino3366 You can review my first comment for the complaint. The only essential thing in farming is the seed. What the guy in the video did was absolutely wasteful, energy-inefficient, and not ecological.

[@eyesofthecervino3366]

@@tomatito3824 So to be clear, your complaint is that we should sent organic waste like wood chips from tree trimming companies and spent mushroom substrate -- your complaint is that all that should be dumped in a landfill, and he should instead try to rebuild damaged, depleted soil by planting and harvesting the nutrients he needs for that soil . . . off of that soil. Am I missing something here?

[@Timeline.History.D]

If you have 112k views in 3 years. One smart thing you should learn. Avoid lecturing about your topic. Just show what you are doing. We can understand your voice while your are working. It is not necessary to lecture specially. I need to search this topic. Just skipping due to your unnecessary lecture

[@rhauser7731]

Whn the really low brow (close to just noise) AND is so loud it absolutely swamps the hosts mouth; I can not get out of the site soon enough. What a waste of time.Another low value site to block.

[@Connor-w9y]

Sprouts not gonna find it easy to come through that wood chip, chip is meant to be used as mulch on top