Gardening is supposed to be fun, but when it involves bags of synthetic fertilizer, weekend-long weeding sessions, and constant watering, it just feels like a third job that pays little with a boss you hate (until they finally give you a bonus in the form of veggies).
If that’s how you’ve been gardening, SageSmokeSurvival on TikTok wants a word. He’s fronting regenerative gardening, which has flipped the gardening script for him and his friends. Instead of dumping chemicals into the soil and using pesticides, this method works with nature to grow richer, healthier soil every single year. You get better output and fewer weeds trying to ruin your zen every time you plan a garden walk.
Here’s how to start a back-to-Eden team-effort gardening with nature.
1. Clear the Grass and Lay Compost
First, say goodbye to the lawn in your planting area. Grass is fine for Sunday afternoon picnics, but it hogs space and drinks up nutrients your garden needs. Rip out the sod where you want to grow. Once the grass is gone, start layering. They used compost and spread it about three inches over the planting rows.
If you have no compost, don’t throw your hands up yet. Use what’s on hand—grass clippings, hay, or straw. Lay it down about six inches deep. It might look excessive, but it’ll shrink down as it breaks down into compost.
2. Cover Everything in Mulch
Next is the mulch blanket. Spread a six-inch layer of wood chips across the entire garden—planting rows, walkways, all of it. This layer smothers weeds before they get ideas and keeps moisture locked in, so you won’t have to water nearly as much.
Bare soil is a party invite for weeds, and they all arrive with their plus ones. Mulch blocks the light, keeps things cool, and slowly breaks down into rich, living soil.
3. Loosen the Soil
Once the mulch has broken down, it’s time to break up the soil under it. You don’t need a plow pulled by three oxen to prep your soil. Instead of tilling, grab a broad fork—or a regular pitchfork if your garden’s small—and gently work it into the ground to loosen things up.
This makes it easier for roots to spread and microbes to multiply. You’ll end up with healthier plants and way less work later on.
4. Know How to Plant in Mulch
Mulch is great at stopping weeds, but it’ll also stop your seeds if you don’t plant them right. To plant seeds, he recommended digging little trenches in the mulch down to the soil. Tuck your seeds into the soil itself and cover them up. Once they sprout, bring the mulch back in around them to keep the soil moist and the weeds away.
For things like potatoes, dig a trench in the soil, drop them in, and pile mulch on top. They’ll push through when they’re ready.
5. Keep a Compost System Going
One of the best things you can do for your garden is keep feeding it. Set up a compost bin and toss in grass clippings, weeds, kitchen scraps, and anything from the fridge that got a little too enthusiastic about ripening. This breaks down into nutrient-rich compost you can reuse in the next growing season.
Sometimes, he says, plants even sprout right in the compost, and they let them grow. That’s nature’s way of giving you a head start.
Watch It Thrive
Once your garden’s set up, nature starts showing up to lend a hand. In their case, frogs and toads moved in. That’s a win as they snack on the bugs that would’ve snacked on your plants. Worms start tunneling through the soil, feeding the microbes that keep everything thriving.
And because your garden isn’t bare, weeds don’t get a chance to take over. And once you get going, the garden kind of runs itself, and you reap the benefits of eating food that’s better than organic.