Ultimate No Till Method Of Fall Fertilizing And Re-Mineralizing Your Garden Beds - Ancient Wisdom

[@mobypicks2435]

I can attest to this method working as my stepfather's father did this every year and his garden was amazing. He had learned it from his own father and I've utilized it successfully as well.

[@thegreengagardener]

Good morning from Uruguay! I found your channel, and I'm binging like a Netflix special! 😅 I have very very very sandy soil, but, I've found a lovely stand of mature maples that are rapidly donating their goodness to my cause. I woke up excited to go rake leaves and haul them home in my wheelbarrow (car free here). There's nothing I love more than making dirt and growing my own food (ok, my cat is right up there). Yesterday I made some calcium acetate - you inspire. Grateful for your deep wisdom and generosity of knowlege. Thank you.

[@finnroohomebrewing]

My fermented fish fertilizer is really doing a great job, I've never grown plants like it. I'm even bottling it and selling it as a fundraiser for the Buddhist centre I belong to. As well as growing seedling to sell for the fundraiser as well. Cheers mate 😎🙏

[@gardenlikeaviking]

this is awesome to hear my friend I'm so happy its working wonders for you!.. I knew it would because of how passionately I saw you brewing it!!... have you made any videos about it lately?... I'll have to check out your channel again!

[@brucehitchcock3869]

Ima try THAT for sure. THANKS 😊 FINROO

[@finnroohomebrewing]

@@brucehitchcock3869 top man Bruce, get into it. 😎🙏

[@Midiman54]

What do you use for a barrier for your beds to contain the Leaves ? My raised beds are wooden I would be afraid of them catching fire

[@childrenofthegoddess]

I’ll be doing this in the fall this year to establish my garden. Thanks ❤

[@ForestToFarm]

I can attest to this. I have a raspberry patch. For several years I was busy and let it go. It would get an orange type of rust looking stuff on the berries from June through August. Basically while hot out. These are everberring plants which produce all summer long. Last year I finally put about 3 feet of leaves covering that patch of raspberries. Guess what, no more issues and we had a bumper crop despite a very dry summer. Those leaves also help greatly with developing a water retention effect as well as fertilize.

[@SC-xg1kl]

I would love to have that kind of space and understanding Neighbors. Mine would have a fit with the smoke. Another great video Nate! Way to go! Thankyou.

[@williambrown190]

Once I get land I will be doing this to all new garden beds for sure love yiur teachings.

[@pocciofam]

No need to burn but definitely worth the time and effort to make a grow bed

[@osmondokafor7946]

Watching from Enugu nigeria and very happy about the development and the knowledge acquired.

[@patriot2195]

Thank you Viking. Very informative.👍

[@luckymike3065]

Nice work Nate.. really appreciate the content. Using the natural resources around us really steps us in the direction of self reliance. Aiming to never purchase any amendments again. Many thanks 🙏

[@angelofbeth8515]

My thoughts exactly. I appreciate your content!

[@londonpickering8675]

Another dynamite video! Once again, thank you for taking the time to share this information.

[@mattbarker4921]

Just gotta say been trying the jadam using scraps and weeds. Grew some of the best tasting watermellon from it I've ever had. So sweet

[@Successfulgardendesign]

Thanks as always for sharing your wisdom, Nate... but man oh man you're keeping me busy this autumn!

[@michaellockwood4237]

Will try this next month or two. Thanks

[@davemccormickmusic]

rock on brother nate....i love your no-nonsense approach to everything!

[@mareeploetz5194]

I was wondering how to set up my next no- till start up bed this autumn for next spring as I have no ready compost…. This is a very interesting method as so may autumn leaves are about to fall!

[@danielacrespo8837]

How clever! I really liked this vídeo

[@shawneegrows]

This is such a great way to start a large garden from scratch.

[@gordonhogg4675]

Thanks Nate!

[@bammittwitharthurbutler]

Really enjoyed the video, thanks so much !!!!

[@smas3256]

Our garden is much to close to our goldfish pond to do the burn. Hot Lips and Streak and the bunch might not like it. The smoke would not bother them but If ash got into the pond the water would cloud up. The pond has plants with a good eco system. BTW. They jump for joy when pests fly over. Great video Nate and your friend.

[@southpost1224]

I do something similar but your method is much more refined, I like it. I cannot wait to try this!! A section of my land is in rough shape because it used to be a big ag corn/soy field until I bought it 2 years ago and I think I'm going to try your exact method on those spots and then actually follow with a cover crop in the spring just to give that section more time to heal. I currently have clover growing there but that section just struggles to grow anything and the energy is just all wrong there. I think applying your method will fix things up. Thank you for another awesome video Viking! Very inspiring and informative!

[@georgekahn3313]

Great idea. Looking forward to implementing it in my garden. 🙏

[@MrM0saic]

Your top notch brother 🙏

[@tommywright7196]

Hey Nate this video came at the right time I raked up my leaves in a pile the other day and haven't done anything with them yet

[@jerrybates5766]

I'm ready to start a new area and will give this a shot. Very timely!

[@gardenlikeaviking]

this is ideal for you!.... be sure to leave them nice and thick 2 feet or more then come spring you'll have the ideal mulched garden plot that will not need any watering or weeding and only minimal fertilizing if any!... if you really want to amp it up put a layer of cow manure after the burnt leaves and under the new pile

[@brucehitchcock3869]

So zen to watch leaves fly and land perfectly 😎

[@georgehinestrosa6274]

Excellent man! Thank you!

[@tooshieg2059]

I've never seen this done before. So awesome. The whole fire thing is new to me. Thanks for the video.

[@garthwunsch]

Fire is a natural regenerator! Part of what built the Great Plains soil. In 2012 my brother’s cabin was destroyed in a massive forest fire. It’s been so instructive watching the forest regenerate… started almost as soon as the embers cooled off! BTW, I wish you all could see the cabin we rebuilt! Northern Ontario at its finest!

[@dougreynolds2813]

brilliant! i had about 10,000 sq ft of garden last year, i planned to expand that by 50%; this is a perfect way to turn that lawn to garden space.

[@pampotgieter7611]

Oh Wow! Thumps up! Looks like I am the first to be watching! Hello Nate. 👍

[@sammyreyes1527]

Great info. Tnx

[@soulslikebirds]

I love it. Now all I have to go is to find leaves. 😊

[@jessessears4515]

Thanks

[@stonerubber]

Great video. I just put in a similar, smaller bed with a similar method, minus the burn. Added thin layers of broadcast soil and seeded the top with winter rye. It all really has me looking forward to spring,

[@martinjones6762]

Another great video 👍 I have 2 huge dumpy bags of completely rotted down leaf mould 🍁which I have been accumulating over the years 🍁and so far this year I have tipped 40 + wheelbarrow’s of fallen leaves in the same area🍁 with more leaves to fall I am digging an area 20’x10’ over with a long handled shovel I will put some of the rotted down leaf mould on top after I have dug it all over 😀got lots of potash from my wood burning stove which I will mix in with it🐓and each time I clean the chickens run out I put that on top as well👍

[@johnfitbyfaithnet]

Cool thanks

[@brianw8751]

got some garden beds attached to my house. going to burn and shovel into my beds and see what happens. thanks for info.

[@garytucker6485]

This guy got great gardening vids. Thx for all the info...cheers

[@garytucker6485]

Got a quick question for ya?? So we recently moved across the country. Now ready...for the most part...to start new garden. It'll be located in the forest area of Nova scotia. Have a mix of hard and soft woods. LOTS of leaf mold everywhere as it was a logging cut over 30 years ago. I suspect the soil is rich..as there's mushrooms everywhere here when they're in season. So...my idea or thoughts are: - Scrape topsoil off and screen to build and top-up raised beds. Will this be ok? Or is it too much of a good thing bad? Soil is like 8-10" of topsoil/leaf mold, and then it's clay for like 20+ feet. Plan on going with jadam style with the garden...so no till..just keep top up as needed and the jadam fertilizers Any info is greatly appreciated! Cheers and have a great week! Loving the vids BTW...keep em coming! 👌

[@garytucker6485]

Oh..and live in a 5b zone

[@MegaCrystalWater]

Brilliant video Nate, thank you. It's difficult getting dry leaves here in Eire, it's raining every second or third day keeping them damp. I'm bagging them for leaf mold. I'm amazed at the size of your spread.

[@FloSunny]

Awesome

[@ronnyvbk]

Or start with a first layer of leaves you work over with the grass mower and mix coffee grounds through, than add the thick layer of leaves

[@jpdlnation2023]

I’m eager to see the spring update

[@valthatcher1235]

Quite the process, unfortunately AZ doesn't care for burning leaves. Interesting stuff, I learn a lot from you Nate!

[@shanemillard608]

Very cool. I ususlly don't like burning leaves but this is a good exception.

[@cjwensley3423]

I just found your channel and I'm so excited I can get a hold of tons of leaves and I'm going to definitely start a new garden bed with this method. I'm so thankful because it's going to be a big bed and I can't get a hold of a lot of other mulches. Thanks so much for what you're doing! ❤️

[@gardenlikeaviking]

best of luck my friend you'll have great success with this method!

[@sweepingpage1845]

Hello Nate!

[@Shinehead3]

Nice Vid Brother !!! Please Make a Vid of your Crops Grown there come next Spring 😁

[@bevsurbangarden]

Interesting, had not thought of burning the leaves. Nice work!

[@amalasyamadas9259]

Interesting

[@beedillon55]

Keep up the good work

[@Freakazooll]

Thank you very much 🙏

[@weberanderson9806]

very cool. I would love hear some safety tips for those of us living in drier climates or gardening near our neighbor’s houses.

[@Frog13799]

Great content will try this, one warning DO NOT use walnut leaves

[@glassbackdiy3949]

good stuff, cheers Nate.

[@sc5748]

100% Great Video!

[@nobleenchantpbkc8082]

looks good!

[@FredLippe-co3fd]

LOVE your vids! Due to sedgegrass probs, I am starting to build hugel beds above billboard banner tarp material in my Cattle panel low tunnel - I have old oak wood, hay, yard clippings, oak sawdust, old wood chips, rotten kitchen waste, red wigglers, leaves - all I great abundance! - I plan to layer carbon/nitrogen, finishing with finished compost to plant into. Question: any suggestions on order of insertion from bottom up?

[@pamalamala100]

Your videos are awesome, helping me incredibly, and im sooooo looking forward to trying out every bit of info you give in my garden. Ive had the wirst most inbalanced soil challenges for the past 8 years. Clay soil, too much nitrogen = aphids and ants and s climate that is cold till end of july and then desert like scorching for august. Poor precip or too much precip. The natural fertilizer recipes are really great! I did put leaves and lime on my garden yo break up the clay and old sheep poop. Trying yo get it yo be a no-till garden. Hope my “putting to bed” garden efforts helped, once snow is gone,. Definitely doing the fast fish recipe snd then start making more for the following year! Planting lupins to correct the high imballance of nitrogen.

[@BrandiH2024]

What would be a good alternative to leaves? I am in an area where I am surrounded by evergreen firs, spruce, hemlock, etc. I don’t have leaf drop, but we do have lots of dry grass from mowing the acres of field grass and hay. Would that be as beneficial to use?

[@DavidMartin-ym2te]

What a great idea! Thank you for showing us this method. I love it.

[@nicknack9398]

Bueno

[@jimmiller6704]

Burning leaves have a smell. Which means that as the smoke rises within it is fertilizer that isn't staying in the soil where you had the leaves. Cover the area with a layer of grass clippings for nitrogen, then a layer of cardboard to prevent weeds then add your layers of leaves to the top. Let that rot over the winter and keep the nutrients in the ground instead of sending it up in smoke.

[@gardenlikeaviking]

yes but we didn't have lots of cardboard and grass clippings all we had was dump truck loads of leaves and in this circumstance burning them really helped us deal with them and also works great as fertilizer... and then of course we added more to rot after burning... I'm just showing an option that has been really effective for a long time..

[@B30pt87]

I live in the redwoods, and on the back side of my property is about an acre of redwood trees that have been dropping needles for at least 15 years with no disturbance. There are very few shrubs or other trees, and walking on the ground there is like walking on a mattress- it's springy from having well over a foot of redwood duff all over it. There's no way I'm going to set it on fire because there's no way I could put it out, but i need to remove a lot of it (in case a fire comes in from the outside). Can I use the duff the way you used the leaves? That would be a big win/win for me. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

[@slaplapdog]

I have entire raised beds where the soil is basically decayed leaves. If you build it in the fall and add urine to it all winter, you will have plant ready soil in the spring.

[@rumyanakoprinkova3295]

What about for liquid nettel fermented? Thanks!

[@joannmcculley8253]

I need more leaves, been on the lookout for them on the side of the road

[@tomatito3824]

You can also change the fire for repeated applications of the microbial solution. Interesting to know some people are using fire though!

[@gardenlikeaviking]

yes thats a great alternative if you cannot burn... actually either way its best to add multiple application of JMS!... thank you

[@sharonhochberg3671]

@@gardenlikeaviking hello. JMS needs to be used rather quickly I unless there is a way to preserve it. The microbes slow down in colder temps. Can JMS be made in the cold weather so it is available to put on the leaves? Alternatively is LAB useful for the laid down leaves? Thanks.

[@markbackus1449]

Can you cover the upper layer of leaves with card board to keep the wind and winter moisture from blowing them off the garden. I live in central Arkansas.

[@gardenlikeaviking]

if need be yes... generally once they get wet and settle into place they will not blow away... you want them to be as moist as possible... but yes if you cover with cardboard then place weights on top of the cardboard that would create a nice environment for the decomposition to happen

[@Matt-rv2qc]

Great video! Do you have to water the leaf pile often to keep the leaves from blowing away?

[@roverinosnarkman7240]

Thank you for this video. I’m not sure I understand why the fire is important? Wouldn’t the same minerals be released by the breakdown of the leaves into leaf-mold soil? Does the fire somehow chemically alter the natural compounds or something? So far, all the JADAM stuff seems to want to mimic nature- but fire doesn’t happen every year in the forest or plains, so I’m a bit confused by this. I chopped up the leaves with a lawn mower like you suggested, but I also got a lot of horse manure from some Amish farmers living next door to me. I put that down first over my lawn, then the chopped leaves. In one of your other videos you mentioned using a tarp or plastic sheeting over top until spring. Is that a different technique, or just an optional extra. Should I tarp over my new beds (prepared with a couple of inches of horse manure and about 1 foot of chopped leaves (equivalent to more than 3 feet thick of intact leaves)? Or should I just leave it open to the elements (we will soon have a couple of feet of snow cover). Thanks in advance for your thoughts… -Rov

[@gardenlikeaviking]

this is just showing another option for some people that have an abundance of leaves and want to start a fresh bed... this is great for eliminating existing vegetation and also provides a very nice layer of mulch for everything to be planted into come spring... the method you described is also wonderful and very ideal... the combo of horse manure and leaves is hard to beet!... I would just leave it open to the elements especially if snow cover is on the way... you'll have fantastic garden bed by spring!!

[@johnjude2685]

QUESTION? I Have clay base soil should I first mound my soil to raise my in ground beds. I'm not allowed to burn leaves as I'm in city and I'm already did mostly leaves 2/3 of total then mixture of gardening waste- my compose is about half complete by May should be ready. Ran all above into my 8 hp mulcher/chipper and 4 inches on my pepper bed and 3 inches on my tomato raise in ground bed also the fish fertilizer as you taught me to use before heavy freezing busting it before spring time. Thanks Nathan Wish your live chat wasn't on Saturday same as college football but understand something happens for reasons. I'm planning to catch them Saturday chats on Sundays Thanks for the teaching Sir

[@bryanrawls4794]

How much humic acid do you mix to a gallon? I saw a video saying one drop per gallon?

[@dylantkl]

Thank you so much for the video. Wonderful technique. If we can't burn the leave on the ground like what you did, can we burned it in a tank and then use the ash to to spread?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

yes that will also be beneficial if that is your only option... burn lots of leaves but also sticks and wood then use all of that ash...

[@reidogarimpo1691]

Muito bom

[@rcg7262]

How do you measure what needs enriching before you decide on a particular strategy or method?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

many factors come into play... this method is ideal if enriching a large area where leaves are your only resource... or when starting a fresh bed that is currently all grass and weeds.... the previous video I made using the green material and the lawn mower is actually more ideal for enriching smaller garden beds if you have all the supplies needed...

[@robbsykesman7689]

Yeah man

[@garthwunsch]

I know leaves and wood chips have different composition, so I’m guessing the leaf ash has more minerals than firewood ash, which is basically ash of pure lignin?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

both have very different compositions but also both produce ash that is rich in nutrients... wood ash itself is a fantastic fertilizer full of many minerals... especially if using smaller pieces of wood with bark and leaves on it...

[@garthwunsch]

@@gardenlikeaviking yes, I’ve made the potassium extract from my wood ash and spread some ash on the gardens! with two wood burners, I have lots! What you describe using smaller wood and leaves is the heart of creating ramial wood chips. I bought a shredder this fall to chip small branches (

[@rosaarias7128]

excellent 🤍🕊

[@originalwoolydragon8387]

If you have ash from a fireplace, could you use that instead of burning leaves (spread the ashes on the ground, then cover with the leaves)?

[@dianak726]

I want to know this as well.

[@dianak726]

Is it alright to put cardboard over the leaves to keep them from blowing away?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

yes you can do that... also if you have access to manure of any kind you can lay that down and then the leaves on top of it... now is the time to add all that kind of stuff so it can begin breaking down over the winter... then also if not doing the burning add multiple rounds of JMS

[@gardenlikeaviking]

yes Diana you can place cardboard over the leaves and then something over the cardboard like logs or bricks if need be... also a tarp can work well

[@dianak726]

@@gardenlikeaviking Thank you. 😁

[@jerrybennett6034]

Does it matter your ground-soil type? I have ground that is hard to dig in to. Thx for all the info.

[@gardenlikeaviking]

if you can use the native soil that's best just be sure to keep it well covered with organic matter like manure and leaves to keep the soil nice and moist and prevent from drying out

[@jerrybennett6034]

@@gardenlikeaviking Have you created a composting video yet. I don't see one in your channel. I am particularly interested in trying to create a large volume of compost.

[@myfrenchytrader]

Amazing video thanks so much, In the event of compacted soil would you till before doing this.? what would you recomment or planting some radishes and burn on top of them?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

if you have very compacted soil then a one time initial tillage is very beneficial... I would first burn the leaves... then till in some leaves or possibly manure if you have it available... then once its all broken up deeply I would plant a deep rooted cover crop like winter rye and clover to break up the soil even more.... if a cover crop is not an option then once its tilled just cover with lots of leaves like this....

[@myfrenchytrader]

@@gardenlikeaviking amazing thanks a lot for your time answering me in detail may what you give come back ten fold to you :) all the best :)

[@welcometothetruth6651]

If,we do this,can you still plant cover crop in the burned leaves,or is that over kill

[@gardenlikeaviking]

yes that works great and I show this method in the recent video I made about cover crops and green manure

[@thelittlelearningfarm622]

Will this work even for raised rows formed with clay soil? My family and I just moved and had to leave a ton of beautiful soil at out old property. I am desperate to get this new garden up and rolling so we can be successful with our garden this year.

[@gardenlikeaviking]

that depends on many factors... raised rows of clay soil probably need a good vigorous cover crop to get the roots into the ground... at this point though yes you can do this method and just keep it all covered with thick layers of leaf mulch and the clay will remain soft and use additional microbial solution and natural fertilizers

[@dctarrant5]

So can we do the same steps to and existing garden?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

yes you can!!

[@crystaljones13]

🍃 🍁 ☀️ 🌧️ 🌸

[@Ziimon]

Y que pasa con los microorganismos que alimentan el suelo 😔🥲

[@tarawilliams6375]

So question. Putting the leaves on top of the burnt leaves don’t have to be ground up to small pieces? Just throw them on whole?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

yes you throw them on whole because over the winter they become matted down and in the spring they act as a nice thick layer of mulch you can just plant right into

[@michyoung644]

Wonderful presentation! The beneficial effects of controlled burns of organic material on soil are immense. Thank you for helping spread the word about this natural, ancient and effective method. 🙏🏼

[@gameenders5017]

I do no til, and often add weed tea and sometimes supplement with some organic fertilizer. I'm curious though I feel like the high nitrogen things like weed tea create too much green growth later in the season once the plants are well established. What do you all tend to fertilize with starting mid to late june? Do you change it up to have more PK and less N type fertilizers to help the plant prefer fruiting?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

with this style of farming we don't typically separate the growth period of plants because nature never does that... nature always provides a balanced nutrition all the way through the plants life cycle and so that is what we try to mimic is a complete balance... so long as the microorganisms are very healthy, diverse and plentiful there'll be no issues and the plant will get whatever it needs exactly when it needs it

[@gameenders5017]

@@gardenlikeaviking thanks, appreciate the response

[@Anurag1697]

If you put fire it will kill becteria of soil or not 🧐

[@TSis76]

If you get lotsa wind, would you recommend chopping leaves or 6 mil plastic, or both or other?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

the plastic would keep them situated long enough for them to compact down and then they would not move

[@larrygillogly5264]

Could you use hay for this? And could you use hay in the spring?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

yes if its nice and dry and yes you can burn it in the spring then apply a thick layer of it as mulch... works great!

[@larrygillogly5264]

Thanks

[@michaeladamkiewicz8942]

Wow,very interesting. Is there a way to do it on a smaller scale. Living in outer borough of NYC, Setting a fire in my yard,I wouldn't be to popular with my neighbors before they started complaining or calling FDNY.

[@gardenlikeaviking]

lol I understand... you can do similar by just piling up leaves 2ft thick and applying JMS and various natural fertilizers (from this channel) several times and then you'll have a very thriving garden plot come spring time just plant right into the soil under the leaves

[@michaeladamkiewicz8942]

I was asking about burning leaves on a smaller scale. Would burning them in a burn drum or a fire pit and then spreading the ash on beds be acceptable or would it be a slow process.?

[@RhinoStompper]

I enjoy your videos and get a ton of good info. I have a question about starting a small orchard (pears, apples, cherry, peach, etc.) in and area that has an abundance of black walnut trees near by. They are within 30 feet of the new to be orchard. Is this location advisable or should I pick another location? Thanks in advance and keep the vids coming.

[@shanewaters592]

Black walnut can be an issue for seed germination, but should have no effect on already growing plants. So shouldn't be an issue for planting trees.

[@gardenlikeaviking]

if you have another option I would use that instead... my experience is that the black walnut will inhibit the growth of pretty much any plant to some degree... others will claim it only affects seed germination or certain species but I say nothing likes to thrive in the proximity of Black Walnuts... if you have no other option then you can go ahead and try and you may have success in particular the peach and cherry should do ok...

[@christasmicroflowerfarm2695]

🍁

[@irunamuk]

hmmm, ok so Im not comfortable setting the garden bed on fire (I back up to a forest of the biggest/richest landowner in my area, if I accidentally set that on fire with a stray ember theres no coming back from that...ever) but I do have a ton of ash from my wood stove. If I put that down under a pile of leaves in the beds will that do the same thing?

[@gardenlikeaviking]

sort of yes... this technique is ideal for clearing fresh ground and that is primarily what the fire is for is killing off the grass and weeds... yes you can add ash directly to all your garden beds at about 1 liter per square meter over the winter

[@jasonslade1253]

Can leaf mulch cause potato virus? I covered my potato garden last year with shredded leaves and this year 80% of my crop was infected with potato virus. The seed were my own saved from last year that had no sign of virus.

[@gardenlikeaviking]

it is extremely unlikely the leaves carried this disease it might have come from the potatoes being too wet for too long if you had lots of leaves piled up.... to remedy this just apply JMS at least 5 times before planting and once every other week while growing and you will have no issues

[@ponytaclub5539]

How come your leaves can decompose in just several months without hot composting? I’d love to do so and I have actually done this this fall but don’t think I’ll get a ready to plant soil in the spring, it will be just a half decomposed leaf mulch and I will need to move it away, add soil, plant and cover with this mulch again😞

[@gardenlikeaviking]

the leaves won't be completely broken down but thats ok the bottom layers will be and the earthworms and microorganisms will be well nourished so you pull the leaves apart and plant directly into the soil below and use the leaves as a heavy mulch/fertilizer