| Ruth Stout, who passed on in 2006 at a grand old age, | | | | positioned twice as densely as normally |
| left behind a rich legacy for gardeners. Ruth’s study | | | | recommended. |
| highlighted aspects found in the world of nature, like the | | | | - Even so, those plants will actually produce more than |
| presence of a layer of mulch, as well as leaving the | | | | non-mulched plants. In real terms the combination of |
| ground unbroken (in effect, letting the inhabitants of the | | | | denser spacing and higher production means a fourfold |
| soil do the “turning” - earthworms, microbes, and | | | | increase overall. |
| such). Through her observation of various natural | | | | In addition, leaving the soil unbroken saves the laborious |
| settings, followed by strategic implementation of these | | | | task of turning the soil, while the soil’s compactness |
| features, gardening was shown to become more | | | | allows the “wicking” action of moisture and |
| productive, while reducing the work load. | | | | nutrients to flow. |
| Application of organic plant waste material directly | | | | I have had the pleasure of proving these results in my |
| onto the soil to a depth of an inch or more generates | | | | own garden, as have countless other practitioners of |
| the following results: | | | | mulch gardening. |
| - The bottom layer of mulch will gradually rot into the | | | | Gardeners and farmers are advised to study the finer |
| soil, providing a constant supply of nutrients, while | | | | points of the system before implementation. |
| eliminating the need for maintaining a compost pile. | | | | See the links below, which expand on this system of |
| - Moisture retention due to the mulch layer means | | | | applying nature-wisdom for increased productivity while |
| reduced need for watering - saving on both resources | | | | saving on resources and labor. |
| and labor. | | | | The foregoing article was written by Josef Graf, |
| - Mulch effectively prevents weeds from growing, thus | | | | coordinator of the Earth Vision project and Insight21 - |
| reducing another laborious chore. | | | | presenting nature in the light of spiritual ecology, and |
| - Because of greater nutrient levels, plants can be | | | | answers for the 21st Century. |