Good morning, It is quite interesting how things do not necessarily get discovered but renamed so as to keep them current. Case in point French Intensive Gardening versus Biointensive Gardening.
These gardening techniques are the same thing it is that French Intensive was practiced during the 1800's up until the advent of the internal combustion engine at the beginning of the 1900's.
Biointensive is what John Jaevons renamed French intensive in the later part of the 1900's.
Both of these methods depends on organic compost as the food for the soil. They both focused on wider densely planted beds with minimal paths to maximize veggie productions in the smallest amount of area.
Frost protection for French Intensive had glass cloches and glass windows mounted in wooden frames that could be easily moved to perform bed work.
Some of these cold frame "lights" are still used but with the advent of floating row covers they are becoming less common.
John Jaevons has introduced Biointensive to many places around the globe and especially in third world countries. He has shown and proven that these methods can produce an abundance of food in a very small amount of area.
John is a proponent of producing all of your fertility on the farm. His method is very self sustaining . And with only using Open Pollinated veggies makes this technique even more sustainable.
French Intensive Gardening fertility was derived from the many livery stables that were located around Paris. Once the internal combustion engine did away with horses and wagons so went the means that these gardens received their fertility. No means to fertilize no garden.
The garden is doing quite well. What a huge welcome sight to see Tomato blossoms! It will not be long before I can offer snow peas. Lettuce has bolted but new crop is on the way.
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