Leaves of Gold

People seem busy these days getting rid of the so called trash in their gardens. It is quite a paradox, because the trash is worth more than gold, you see. You do not ever have to get rid of biological material.

In this day and age, you should learn how to make use of this material, instead of fighting against nature trying to get rid of it, and consuming energy in the process.

These are typical new raised beds - directly placed on the soil with no bottom. Small woodwork, twigs, leaves and other biological material in the first layer. Forest soil on the top layer. Yes, all well and good, but this soil needs to rest, nourish and balance out. You should not leave it "naked". As in nature; have you ever seen dark soil "naked" out in untouched lands? No.

The only "naked" dark soil you naturally see, are the marks from a stag preparing for mating, signing his territory, leaving the soil scrathed open for a brief moment....

So, if you have new raised beds, or any other bed for that matter, that you have harvested and left "un-natural". Immitate nature again, and cover the soil with nourishment and biological matter. The so called trash from your garden is good as gold. Make use of it.

If you live close to the sea, you have abundance of biological material to use. Seaweed works perfect to cover naked soil, to nourish it and to keep it naturally moist and protected.

What you gradually will experience is that you are more in need of the so called trash, than the other way around. You will gradually develop dark, natural, healthy and balanced soil - with earth worms and billions of other creatures in the soil culture that will help you produce the best possible foods. You will not have a "problem" with weeds, because the only thing weeds do, is to balance out the naked soil again - because you have disturbed it.

When spring comes and the melting snow has watered the soil, you do not remove the layer of partly decomposed leaves or seaweed etc. You leave it there, but gently push it aside to make room for planting new seeds.

If you understand Norwegian, this extract from Norrøn Livskunst is highly recommended: Norrøn Livskunst - utdrag #1 (odelsarven.com)