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[canesisters]

I'm going to ask what is probably the dumbest question ever... but here goes.
In every picture and video that I've watched about BTE gardening, the garden is surrounded by a fence - the mulch goes right up to the fence lines/gate. Does the fence serve any purpose to the garden itself?

 

[ninnymary]

I'm going to ask what is probably the dumbest question ever... but here goes.
In every picture and video that I've watched about BTE gardening, the garden is surrounded by a fence - the mulch goes right up to the fence lines/gate. Does the fence serve any purpose to the garden itself?

I would guess it's just to hold the mulch or chips in.

Mary

 

[canesisters]

Thanks @ninnymary . That's what I was wondering - if it served some purpose to the garden or was just to keep critters out.
If I set one up inside my fenced in yard, I'm not worried about deer (rabbits maybe...?) but if a fence makes the garden "work" better then a fence there will be.

 

[ninnymary]

Thanks @ninnymary . That's what I was wondering - if it served some purpose to the garden or was just to keep critters out.
If I set one up inside my fenced in yard, I'm not worried about deer (rabbits maybe...?) but if a fence makes the garden "work" better then a fence there will be.

I imagine it really helps in windy weather to keep piles of leaves in too. My leaves were blowing all over the place when I used them.

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Thanks @ninnymary . That's what I was wondering - if it served some purpose to the garden or was just to keep critters out.
If I set one up inside my fenced in yard, I'm not worried about deer (rabbits maybe...?) but if a fence makes the garden "work" better then a fence there will be.

Paul doesn't have one around his garden but I think he does have a barrier of some kind around the garden to separate the chips from lawn. I use landscaping timbers at the base of my fence~the fence is to keep out dogs and chickens~but the timbers are to keep the lawn from encroaching into the chips.

Folks with Bermuda grass and other invasive grasses in their lawns have found the importance of keeping these separate...they LOVE the nutrients to be found in the wood chips. It also keeps the chips contained to your garden so your mower won't be hitting them as you mow around the edges. Gives you a clear border there.

 

[flowerbug]

that's one reason why i often end up burying leaves here when i get enough of them. so the wind doesn't move them around - we get some pretty strong winds. after a year or two they become leaf mold which is a lot like peat moss.

the only reason i fence things in here is for deer/rabbit/etc control. on the north side of the garden, on that part of the fence i grow some climbing beans. secondary use.

 

[Beekissed]

 

[canesisters]

.. another question - and I apologize that I'm not following the correct plan by trying to rush the process

If I'm short on 'green', can I add fertilizer? The reason I ask - with a straw bale garden, you start with a bale of straw (brown) and add fertilizer + water. In a month or so it's breaking down enough to be showing some nice, dark compost and you can start planting. I have lots of leaves, lots of sawdust heavy manure mix, lots of spoiled hay/straw, and lots of wood chips. I've got almost no grass clippings, straight manure (without sawdust), kitchen scraps.

 

[Beekissed]

.. another question - and I apologize that I'm not following the correct plan by trying to rush the process

If I'm short on 'green', can I add fertilizer? The reason I ask - with a straw bale garden, you start with a bale of straw (brown) and add fertilizer + water. In a month or so it's breaking down enough to be showing some nice, dark compost and you can start planting. I have lots of leaves, lots of sawdust heavy manure mix, lots of spoiled hay/straw, and lots of wood chips. I've got almost no grass clippings, straight manure (without sawdust), kitchen scraps.

With this BTE garden lore, the first year it's advised to add nitrogen of some kind to all that carbon, so I'm guessing fertilizer is okay. Most organic gardeners eschew fertilizer as it contains heavy metals and such they don't want in the soils, but if you aren't trying to stay organic or all natural, fertilizer has worked for folks for a long time.

 

[baymule]

What about fresh chicken poop for nitrogen?