"Back to Eden" gardening is the long-term goal for our garden (my perspective). The purported benefits of the gardening method almost seem too good to be true. Eight inches of wood chips topping off a garden space associated with back to Eden gardening "supposedly" provides the following benefits: hardly any weeds (they can't grow under eight inches of cover), no need to fertilize (the composting chips provide all the nutrients needed), natural pest control, eliminates need to water once seeds germinate (water is held by the chips), soft spongy growing medium (especially over time), one can plant seeds directly into the chips, no tilling, and the heat provided by the composting chips (beneficial in the spring time when temperatures aren't necessarily all that warm - especially in Wisconsin).
While proponents of back to Eden gardening make it sound easy; they don't take into account how a normal gardener is supposed to get all those wood chips (our experience - maybe it's easy for some).
We just got lucky! While reading the local "Shopping News" newspaper last week, I saw two ads for tree services. I called and left a message for each. I noted where we live and said I'd be willing to take any and all wood chips at anytime and that we had easy access to our garden for drop-off. Finally - I said we'd be willing to pay for them.
One of the companies called me back and said they'd be in my area this week and that they'd like to drop off the chips. No mention of price... This seemed too good to be true...
This afternoon, we got our drop off. I met the driver in our driveway, thanked him profusely and asked him how much I owed him. He said "nothing" - they were just happy to have a drop off site. I said - I'm definately going to give you $100. Told him I'll pay every time we can get a drop... We may just get lucky and get a couple more drops... not exactly sure but he did seem to suggest "yes".
Even though there was a cost to the chips, I'm comparing the cost in my mind to some other quotes I've gotten whereby my cost would have been anywhere between $400-$1,000 per dump load.
I'm also comparing the sheer volume of chips I was able to get delivered in close proximity to my garden versus Ed and I going to the dump with our much smaller pick up truck and manually shoveling in (and then out again) wood chips or compost...
So grateful!
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