How much, how little compost do you need to grow great vegetables?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ค. 2024
- This video is relevant to all gardeners, whether or not you dig/till the soil. There is no right / wrong amount of compost.
My explanations are from 40 years of an organic approach, using no synthetic or artificially manufactured fertilisers or feeds. All fertility is from compost, with best results from leaving it on the surface, as in no dig.
Compost enhances life in no dig soil. Whereas in dug/tilled soil, plants obtain less value from the compost, because of the disruption to the fertility network of mycelia for example.
I answer many questions about this topic. I relate to your uncertainties, such as feeling daunted at the beginning by imagining the huge amount of compost you think you might need to start no dig!
You can use a lot, and it's a great investment in long term fertility.
Or you can use less.
Filmed and edited by Edward Dowding, freelance filmmaker edowdingfilms.onfabrik.com/po...
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Clarification of meaning of compost
01:39 One of my comparisons, the Three-Strip Trial, which started in 2013, and the 2013 results, which persuaded me to modify the trial.
03:02 Modifications to the trial in 2014, and subsequent results
04:23 Results from the third year, 2015
04:31 Amount of compost added to the trial beds each year
05:03 Another ongoing trial, comparing dig and no dig beds, that I have been running since 2012
05:52 Results of this trial over nine years
07:32 The value of compost, and how it’s so worthwhile for growing great veg
07:48 Easy succession planting in the dig/no dig beds
08:41 The watering advantages of no dig, partly from adding compost on top of beds
09:05 The simplicity of the no dig method, and having to add compost only once a year
09:27 The overall benefits of using compost
10:29 Some info on my new No Dig book
The book is available to pre-order geni.us/NoDig
See this web page for more details of the trials I mention: charlesdowding.co.uk/category...
And my 'Trials' playlist: • Trials (including the ...
See also the 'Get Started' page on my website which includes a beginner's guide, explaining how to start no dig: charlesdowding.co.uk/start-here/
And the 'Compost - Using and Making' page: charlesdowding.co.uk/compost-...
You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members:
/ @charlesdowding1nodig - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I am so grateful to you for sharing your knowledge. I live in the Central Australian desert and grow fabulous vegetables using your methods. Food is incredibly expensive here, and food insecurity a real hardship for many on limited incomes. In remote Aboriginal communities they can pay up to $30 for a cabbage. This week I did a workshop with Aboriginal women from across the desert and part of it was teaching them what I know about no dig vegetable growing. We talked about camel manure instead of cow or chicken though! LOL I am on a mission to try and support people to be food secure, and Charles you are a big part of that because of your generous sharing of knowledge. So thanks.
Would you know the strength of camel manure, compared to horse, cow, chicken, and other manure? My limited understanding is that horse manure is one of the weakest, as you can apply it right to the garden like compost, but manure like a chicken, rabbit,...etc is stronger so you want to apply it sparingly. Cow manure would be medium, as it's stronger than the horse manure.
@@02markcal I am nobody's expert but I can tell you that rabbit manure is a cold manure meaning you can apply it right away without any problems. The others need to compost. Also weed seeds don't die going through the horses digestion like they do with cows. Just an FYI with a little of what I know. Thank you for helping those people. Though it's hard to believe they were already growing food with those prices. Yikes!!
Hi Walbira, this is exciting to hear and well done you for making a difference. I love that you are using camel manure! And using these methods to grow fresh produce is surely helping everybody's health.
I don't understand what's going on in Australia with these crazy prices which I hear about a lot.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Hi, the prices in remote Aboriginal communities have always been horrific, but now made worse by floods destroying much of our commercial crops, supply chain issues, diesel prices climbing and COVID have all contributed to making the prices even worse. Aboriginal communities have very low incomes but some of the highest food prices, which contributes to the terrible health problems many Aboriginal people live with. Access to fresh, organic and cheap fruit and vegetables is important to improve health outcomes. Hence my passion to share what I have learnt. Thanks again!
@bina nocht Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and wise advice.
I so appreciate you doing these trials, Charles! By doing so and sharing it with us, you have made us all better and more productive gardeners.
Lovely to hear Min!
I agree!
cool beans Kam ! You bout ready for some cooler weather ? I know I am . with my copd its hard to breath in this heat , so i work in the early mornin and either find me a shady spot or grab my biggest fan and chill maybe take me a nap then bout an hour before dark i start back and work till im to tired ta work and watch some videos and rest Im tryin to get mark to buy this house its 6 bed rooms and 9 fire places built during the civil war i found some cool bottles while turning in compost and pulling rocks and bricks out of the ground a couple o blue ball jars and medicne bottles and two old coke bottles one dated 1916 the year they chose their logo brand and one was a 1924 bottle from Elberton where I'm at . well lil bro I'm glad your ok and that allways a good thing . Attitude is 99 % of the happy trail so dont be too hard on others and on yourself . Just put your best foot in front of the other and show what yer made of ! Love you ...*
Thanks Charles. Respect from Africa 🇿🇦
While I bought compost the first year then first winter between my household compost and now I have chickens and compost it in another spot I will have more than enough to grow in my 20 X20 ft garden. My yield are higher the plants are healthier. We have such a short growing season here in Ontario Canada (may to Oct). Watching you has given me the confidence to try new things. Started all my own plants this year. Saved a bundle with inflation this has reduced my grocery bill a lot. I spend less if I need to buy any compost it is cheaper than trying to "fix" my clay type soil. 10 LBs of raspberries just from 2 spots on my small plot. I would never go back. In fact the tiller I once used is up for sale. You channel is just the best. Anyone any where can do no dig. Not to mention less weeds easier to get rid of it, and less time spent doing it. Win Win for me. While we do need to water not nearly as much when I was tilling and digging. Rain water only with just 2 rain barrels.
I had to bring in compost the first year too, it wasn't very good compared to the home made stuff. And I agree, the compost from a home and yard can be enough to supply a veg garden (unless your whole property is veg and you have no lawn or ornamentals 😋)
So good to read this and well done
No dig is the reason my crops have survived the complete lack of rain this season, I've watered them once during the dry spell and they have flourished. The lack of tilling has prevented water loss and not overwatering in the first place has forced them to grow strong, healthy, and deep roots. Anyone considering 'no dig' should just do it, you will not be disappointed!
I know the use of compost combined with a thick layer of mulch, has saved me water and time through multiple weeks of heatwaves.
Thanks for your encouraging feedback
I feel like I’ve already learned SO much from you via your videos, but I cannot WAIT to purchase the book both in support of you/what you’re doing and to dig a little deeper (pun intended) into the concepts! 📖 🌱
That is lovely to hear and thanks Krista, I'm sure you will enjoy the book
Not only have you proven that no dig works, you continue to inspire. Thank you.
😀 thanks Marc
I've learned so much from you and other You Tubers Charles. Gardeners are incredibly generous sharing their knowledge and I'm so grateful to you all.
That is nice thanks
Always love your videos Charles. This is my year 3, I have been Journaling with pictures each year. This year I looked at July pictures of this and last year and my plants are approximately 3x the size and much more harvest! So very grateful for your help! Hagd.
Thanks for sharing!, yes what a difference, good to keep records like that Lisa
Thank you, for all these years of trial and error! Difficult to find substantiated feedback that can actually show results not only in yearly growth but also in kilo’s on average. Much appreciated!! Love watching your content and hope you make many more videos!
Many thanks Michael
Hi Charles; I am in the midst of canning and saw your compost video so I had to watch. Last fall I placed grass cuttings and chopped leaves over lawn and covered with a tarp + bought a truckload of compost. As soon as spring came, I put about 6 inches of compost on (it was my exercise program) and covered with the tarp again until I rolled back each row when I was ready to plant. Wow, what a difference. I have a gazillion tomatoes with some 2 pounders, giving a bunch away to family and friends, and canning a few times a week to stay caught up. I was not scientific about the numbers, but my yield is 3-4x more than other years. Everything is bigger. One main variable different than other years... COMPOST, COMPOST, COMPOST. A couple of inches per year hereafter makes sense.
Nice to hear of such abundance Ken!
10% at face value doesn’t sound all that great. But when you pair that with saving hours of back-breaking work, it really does sound great!
Exactly!! And earlier cropping
One thing that surprised me this year that two new patches with no dig really had almost no weeds, just perfect healthy plants. I am thankful for finding this channel
👍
Besides having 6 compost bins (most the dalek kind) we have a donkey sanctuary just up the road from where I live, so since the spring, I have been hauling bags of donkey poo to my allotment and allowing it to rot down. She uses no pesticides on her grass, so I know it is free of any weed killers. It has saved me a fortune as I have purchased in spent mushroom compost the last 2 years. I am away for 6 weeks from the beginning of November so compost spreading probably wont get started until mid December at the earliest. I've had my allotment for 10 years. I moved to completely no dig 2 years ago because of a bad back and being unable to dig. The results have been outstanding. I remember a previous hot summer we had when my sprouts were weak, covered in white fly because of stress and the sprouts themselves grew no bigger than peas, even though I watered as much as I could. Both last year and this year, my sprouts are standing proud, really healthy plants, no whitefly. I have done much less watering than my fellow plot holders but have way healthier looking plants. I always recommend no dig to anyone new who joins our allotments.
That is brilliant Sharon! Hope you catch up in December :)
I don't turn my compost. It just takes longer. The unfinished material from the top and sides goes into the new pile. I used to screen my compost. Then I did an experiment comparing the screened compost to planting in the tailings. The plants grew equally well in the coarse tailings.
I gave up turning mine a couple years ago too. I rake off the coarse stuff on the outside of the heap and use it around bushes or add to the next heap. I’ve noticed more worms and mycelium threads without turning and it’s is WAY less work
Charles through watching & learning from you I am becoming a much more productive gardener, your videos are hugely beneficial to us Gardeners. Thank You. Cheers Denise- Australia
Glad to help Denise!
Charles is spot on with his compost knowledge. Because of him i exclusively plant in 100% compost. I buy my compost from a friend in bulk. This spring i created a 40’x30’ garden and piled the compost 6” high. No matter what I grow all the plants are super hearty and healthy. I can consistently grow french marigold (bushes) for example. That is how nutrition compost is.
In the city im living compost is hard to find, im making it by composting coffee grinds and home residues in homemade bockashi bins ( i have like 10) and the final composting right over the ground ( i double dig it first) and i covered later with cardboard and mulch, i got very good results until now, but its all an experiment, great video, im learning a lot, greatings from Argentina
It's great that you are improvising Federico and I hope that continues to go well for you 😎
Trying to follow your footsteps all the way in Brisbane. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience 🙏
Charles your ideas have changed so many Life's around the world!
My 9 month old compost is ready, and It is soooo nice. I have completely fill another 2 bins with Monsoon rain foliage, which seems to grow centimeters daily. I am really on a compost kick these days :) Wonderful video Charles.
Sounds great and thanks
I've been on a compost kick too! just got mine turned recently. It looks so good!
I'm glad you posted this, I have 9 month compost and it is wonderful stuff. I do need to figure out how to keep from spreading slugs from the compost pile to the garden beds.
ASMR stream.....
If you can use more compost and have sufficient raw materials, you might want to find a good resource for making hot compost properly... It should take you only about 90 days to process a 1 cubic yard(or meter) pile, not 9 mths. Or, if you want to learn vermiculture (worms), you can process most table scraps within 2 weeks at about equal to a worm's weight each day.
I tend to remove the top layer of grass, trying to keep as much soil from under the sod layer as possible in the bed. Then I derock the area as best possible. Then I add in all my amendments and compost, fork it and level it out. Water it in and start planting. Add mulch or just keep adding more compost throughout the season to keep down weeds. Another helpful hit for gardening is to keep your inground beds away from high pressure weed areas on the borders of properties.
Much love💗
Thank you. For anyone reading this, I would avoid most of that work but if you want to do it, fair enough. We are running a trial where the beds which we thought once a year crop around 5% less, and that's happened every year since 2014. Forking hurricane breaks up the beneficial mycelial structure of soil, and removing grass takes away fertility, so it's easier and better to leave it there
Not saying it’s the best method., just the one I use. But I have my reasons., those being: Not enough cardboard and compost initially to cover the grassy weed mass. Thus my need to remove the sod then add amendments for my first till in. Also., I have a ton of rocks in my mountain side soil. Forking wouldn’t even be an option without first removing stones.
But after this initial bed prep., I have numerous beds that I just continually build up and can fork quite easily.
In my garden there also several plants got damaged by a few nights at -11 °C. Some flowers died, the leeks got damaged and some kohlrabis and winter kale did. Unfortunately there‘s been no snow to protect these.
But I enjoy the most beautiful lambs lettuce, postelein (some kind of winter portulac) and the first spinach in my unheated Greenhouse.
Thank you fot this video, it encourages me to try by myself using more compost.
The first salads I‘d sown out in the cold are coming to the light and also do the first leek seedlings😍
Well done Daniela, sounds encouraging!
Such important work Charles. You are the godfather of no-dig :-) Greets from an American in 🇮🇪!
Cheers Bob!
ALL WE KNOW IS THAT AFTER ONLY ONE YEAR OF APPLYING OUR OWN HOMEMADE COMPOST, OUR GARDEN IS SO OVERLOADED WITH ABUNDANCE THAT WE TRAMPLE HALF OF OUR HARVEST JUST TRYING TO TREK AROUND AND GET THE RIPE VEGETABLES !!!!!!!!!! AND WE STILL CAN’T EAT EVERYTHING THAT NO DIG HAS GIVEN US !!!!!! IT’S A GLORIOUS THING !!!!!!!!!!!!
So cool, thanks.
I have been following the channel for about 18 months (Thanks Charles). I did not grow any veggies for the first 12 months, just made a huge pile of compost from greens and browns from the garden. Starting to harvest the first lot and the results are great. I plan to make a couple of new beds each year and see how much I can grow. I enjoy the alchemy of making compost more than gardening.
" I enjoy the alchemy of making compost more than gardening" absolutely agree
Thanks. Great job and it's cool you convert it to food
@@zambrocca I know what you are saying! 🤣👍
@@FloridaGirl- do you mean you make a lot of compost and not much veggies? 🤔😂
@@zambrocca No 🤣 But growing veggies in the summer HERE. Not a bunch. Too hot for MOST things. My planting season is basically Labor Day-Mayish. So during summer I am busy making hot compost and amending my beds.
I will never stop doing no dig. I have chickens too and with that manure and my veg peelings/garden waste etc, its enough. My back is playing up at the moment and no dig makes its so much easier. I'm happy with my harvest this year. Thankyou Charles for all your advice.
Good to hear Jenny except about your back, I hope it eases
Our winters have been getting warmer over the last 40 years.
Thank you Charles...
Your garden is sooooo organised....lovely.!!!
I have also noticed that for the past 4 years, year on year my harvests are improving, now I am more confident in mixing what I am growing with flowers and different veg and that seems to really help with pollination and pest control on my allotment. I really appreciate that you keep revisiting the basics of no dig organic gardening and keeping things simple, it really works!
How wonderful and thanks for sharing!
I have solid 'make-a-brick' type clay, full of rocks too. I've dug over areas, adding gypsum, picking out rocks, breaking up the clay clods by hand, adding in compost, did each area 2-3 times and now that soil is just BEAUTIFUL - so from now on it's 100% no-dig in those beds. I don't have a huge area so for me this was a quicker way to get to great soil. It's spring here in Australia and so far everything is growing really well. I'm looking forward to less work and more harvests!!
I love your enthusiasm, have a good spring and summer
@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank-You Charles!! I have learned so much from you!!
I've had good success converting some of our make-a-brick clay by adding biochar and bokashi solids & liquids to activate it, and covered with horse manure and seaweed. I had previously used gypsum in other beds and found it didn't do much and over time the clay base was really hard again. I have roses & ornamentals growing well in that bed now so am using those methods elsewhere. And i did another bed using similar (lots of bokashi solids) which is doing great with a lime, mandarin, self seeded tomatoes coming up each year and chillis etc.
In other areas we simply dug the clay out and just left a base but back filled with mainly compost & bagged soils because we wanted a productive veggie season. It's all going great now but I am keen to use the native soil where possible.
Brilliant. Thank you so much.
I asked my wife to buy one of your books for my birthday which is coming up at the end of August, so I don't know which book it is yet. But I have no doubt that I will want this latest book you wrote. My garden has really improved since I took your advice and applied it. Thanks, Charles!
Lovely to hear this James
So inspiring. Amazing work.
Fascinating. Really amazing results. Thank you for all of your hard work for all gardeners!
Thank you Charles.
Other than the extreme heat (mid-south US) decreasing pollinators, I'm still considering my no-dig beds a success, as now that they are made, its just adding a bit each year now. Bless you for the work you've done in this Charles, and for sharing it with us.
The decrease in butterflies and bees was extremely noticeable here in Western WI this year.
Thank you for sharing this, I'm glad to have helped.
Also I notice both of you commenting on the decline of insect population and it's exactly the same here, I'm worried. The only things not declining are crop pests!
I don't know if this would be for everyone, but this is the 3rd year of letting my yard next to the garden go a little wild, with many big Thistle plants that really bring in many different pollinators, so every year it seems like I'm getting more and more Honey bees, Bumble bees, Butterflies (many types), Ladybugs, ... etc. I do especially LOVE watching the American Gold Finch eating the Thistle seeds with their bright yellow color, always makes me happy.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig after some good rain and cooling down, they have come back, to a degree. Will report back if it's makes a difference to my late season of cucumbers.
@@02markcal we've started letting milkweed grow in our flower gardens. Unfortunately we have something called home owner associations in many of the sub divisions in the Midwest that require plants identified as weeds to be mowed or removed. Although many are starting to allow clover to grow in their lawns without putting down the 4AD herbicides which I no longer allow use or allow to be used on our lawns.
Excellent video, compost is essential. I use a lot of composted horse manure. Thanks for all the teachings. Love from Argentina.
Thanks Maria
Great information for us all 👍 Still need to improve my soil so I’m making as much compost as I can 😳 but it’s never enough. Also need to get second showings organised 🤔 With your videos I’m getting there 👍🇬🇧
Good to hear Glynis
Thanks for sharing your experiments and experience Charles.
Fan for years… excited for new book!
Very interesting, thank you! I'm new to gardening so it's great to learn from your experience. I'd have started years ago if I knew I didn't have to dig!😂
Wonderful!
I really appreciate your work Mr. Dowding and i am so grateful to You by sharing it with us. Un gran abrazo desde Chile!
Gracias 💚 Patricia
Well done Charles....we have 2 6'x6' x5' high bins. We spent more time making compost than we did mulching and harvesting. We had had a run on chipmunks and squirels. They number close to 30 in the compost. Our garden is ~ 150' x 200'. We have draft horses which produce an abundant amount of green feed for compost. We have a wood chipper we use on the farm hedgerows, so our woood chips are available. I try to run some of the chip through the chipper a second time, but it doesn't work all that easily. We have a large worm growing opp in the cellar. We certanly have the base material components to create compost. You 'da man!
Sounds amazing Dave, what an operation!
Would love someday to have a worm bin and use the castings to supplement the compost.
I can not wait till I have a huge garden like yours. I wish I was able to learn from you and many other's, from doing hands on work with y'all. I feel I would learn sa much more, and retain it all better.
Great videos! I love your videos so much! Thank you!
All the trials you do have made my husband a believer in no dig. He's an engineer and he appreciates seeing these trials. We started no dig this year and have had an amazing garden. I still have a lot to learn but you've made gardening a delight again. My garden has never looked so good!
Thanks for sharing, lovely to hear
Your garden is so beautiful . Thank you for sharing.
You got me at "that's your gym work" 💪 😉
😅
The results speak for themselves. Compost is key for the ground your using to grow any plant.
Just absolutely beautiful ❤️
I am trying something new this year. I have a small electric wood chipper. The kind that will take up too 5 cm-2 inch diameter of sticks, mostly used for leaves. I am putting most things through the chipper this year. Like corn stalks, potato plants etc. The smaller size helps the break down of plants. Even put corn cobs through the chipper which do take forever to break down.
Great idea, your compost will soon be ready :)
As always such great practical information!! Thank you so much 😊
Really amazing……..your trials are always a fascinating watch. Keep no digging……and carry on! ( t - shirt logo perhaps).
When starting my first garden, I had truckload of compost delivered to my house. I grew my garden for 15 years in straight compost, and my garden was beautiful!
Well organised!
I've learned so much from your book and videos. Thank you!
Nice to hear Jeff
I have to thank you for the great work you do over and over again! When I started to garden again I have adopted no dig completely and I have great results... and I had alot of areas where I had to revive the soild because it had been abused/neglected for decades
Great job Sascha and thanks for your interest and support 😀
Hi Charles, it's ok, no swearing or drunken blackbird tales. I'm 71, and I have been a keen veg grower for 49 of those years. I have had more useful and fruitful info from you since finding you six months ago, than from more "normal/usual" sources in the rest of that time. EG just by multi sowing a second crop of follow on onions following an over wintering crop, I have quadrupled my yield in no dig and of a thin necked medium sized onions that my good lady prefers to use. Thanks Charles, I spread your name far and wide in gratitude. .
Wonderful to hear Ian, thanks
Great tip tanks Im trying to make as much compost as possible for my veggies and i know that they love itxx
Thank you! I can’t wait to get your book! I’m sitting in my garden looking at all I’ve achieved with your guidance and excited in another month to be starting a fig tree bed where cucumbers now reside.
Nice to hear Charlie!
i'm a big fan of no dig. these days I don't dig any of vegetables beds anymore. now i just need to get my vegetables to grow.
😀 go you, come spring!
Thank you, Charles! I have been practicing your methods on my garden for 2 years now and the reults are fantastic! For me, the hard work of gardening is composting, but it is soooo worth doing!!! I find it ironic that to grow well, one must decompose well. Thank you for running all your trials, sharing your results and wisdom and for making my life better - you are my inspiration!
This is wonderful Thom and I'm so happy to hear about your success, and decomposition!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig I (bought) read/studied your organic gardening book and can't wait to read "No Dig!" The only thing I do a little differently is mulching. I foynd mulching with just compost dried out too quicky due to the wind. (We get lots of wind in the Spring!!!!)
Man I would love to work hands on in your garden. Just watch and learn then adapt and apply to my climate. Very awesome experiment. I have two plots I am doing one no dig and one tilled but adding compost to both. 2023 will be my third year. Inspired by this channel.
Good to hear Benjamin, sounds fascinating!
I live in Missouri, and like probably many other parts of the world, when we dig/till/rototill/plow/disturb (lol, pick whatever word you like) it actually feels like we are harvesting rocks. So much so, that many of the old settlement homes, were made from rocks that were either found at the creek or dug up on the farm from the tilling. I am so glad that I found you earlier in my gardening journey Charles, because I don't have to harvest rocks every spring. I mean, you can't really eat rocks, and the digging is so much more work! People often look at me puzzled when I say that I only put on a inch or two of compost each year, not dug in, just on top. It is just so simple.
Cool comment!
It's a human weakness, it seems, that when something is really simple, people struggle to believe it!
In many spheres of life, we are labouring under misapprehensions to do with needing extra time and effort to do things which could be done more simply. Like how we make bread!
Another super and reassuring video. And remember folks, if you have to buy compost, there are usually deals on multiple bags. I used New Horizon this year and got a great price on 5+ bags.
Nice advice, especially with "season ending`" soon
Fabulous testimonial, thank you! Looking forward to getting the new book!
Glad you enjoyed it!
THANKS, Charles, I linked your video on how to start a no-dig garden on a forum I belong to and a person responded to my link as being skeptical, but after trying it they were glad I posted the link to your video, we all never stop learning as gardeners.
Fantastic, that is really well done
Well said Charles and you were mentioned on gardeners world again 👍🏻
Thanks Vanessa, and I did not know 👍
@@CharlesDowding1nodig yes I saw that, a family who practised no dig were holding up one of your books ☺
Thank you for helping us to be better gardeners and eat healthier foods and of course healthy exercise too!
💚 great!
Covered an area of 10*25 ft with cardboard now I need to cover with limited amount of compost for now. Plan on two 4*25 ft beds with path in the middle.. very excited! Thank you Charles for the inspiration and direction to go with NoDig!
Sounds promising Wayne, and adding more compost later is fine
Beautiful knowledge & video, top notch, thank you so much for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it Ted
Thank you so much. I've just started a new garden with three small beds, because that was how much compost I had. Having done lots of clearing I now have a big compost heap cooking away in the corner, so I hope to expand them a bit in the new year. Praise is due to your camera person for keeping up with you as you leap around, they keep it interesting and engaging without making me seasick, nice work. Very much enjoying the journey!
Best of luck, thanks and that is Edward my son
Just started my first compost pile last week!
Following your recommendations, thanks for everything I'm so excited 👍
Wonderful Jamie
Thank you!
Over 45yrs. Gardening and I'm just now realizing that I really don't no much at all.......but I'm putting things together thanks to you sir 🙌
Great video,a timely one as i finish my composting area made from palettes with a cardboard lining. I'm more than happy to follow your method after using the salad picking technique to great sucess.👍
💚
È sempre un piacere guardare un video del grande maestro Charles 🌟🙏👍👍💪
Grazie Mauro 💚
Thank you
Listen to Charles. Succeed in the garden! 👍🏼😎
Thanks
Charles, if this video doesn't convert people, well I guess they just like more work. Plus, not nearly as much weeding, score. Hope all of you at Homeacres have a wonderful weekend. As well as everyone reading the comments.
Nice to hear Wende. I hope that new people see this, who have not tried no dig before. I'm finding it a little hard to reach new audiences.
@@CharlesDowding1nodig We are finding you. I learned about you in another gardener's YT videos several months ago. Thankfully soaking up the knowledge and putting it to work!
@@CharlesDowding1nodig
I watched gardeners world this morning, i have to on here. One home gardener they shared was all about a no dig front garden, they said they had to research it, showed them reading one of your books, hope that got peoples attention.
Buying compost in individual bags can be pretty expensive, but if you've got a way to have it delivered in bulk, a couple of cubic metres of mushroom compost from a garden centre can be a much better way to go costwise..
Delightful video, fascinating content.
In my 1st year and am as excited about my pallet created compost area than my tomatoes!! Thank you Charles for your invaluable experience that you share so willingly, priceless!
Sounds great Anne!
How nice to hear your compost recommendations and then realise we did exactly that! we started the new no-dig area here with 80 tons of bought compost, spread out over 450 m2, thats a 25 cm thick layer, to kickstart the degraded soil. Harvests have already been huge in our first year, looking forward to seeing the soil regenerate these next few years. this is at the Woldtuin, in the netherlands.
Great to hear Sam and thanks for your newsletter contribution
15 cm thick compost layer - is it not "overkill' ?? I though 10-15 cm is enough
Чарльз, спасибо за такое вдохновляющее видео!
Спасибо большое
Awesome trials
FELICITACIONES, SIN PALABRAS.
💚 gracias
Hi Charles loved your video! I’m starting a new plot saving my kitchen waste it’s in bags at back of garage can’t wait to get my compost going & cardboard in the garage! Loads of paper too mix it all up lovely lv Irene 😘 xx
Best of luck Irene!
I would say for a home you can probably make enough compost to cover your veg garden but maybe not all your ornamental beds too. I just made a compost video as well and you can see I have a fair amount in there. It’s about 9 months of collecting from our home and leaves from the neighbourhood.
PS, I based my compost structure on yours so have a peak if you’d like to see a mini one 😋
And as you say, I brought in compost to get started and fill beds but it’s nowhere near as good as the homemade stuff
That is so right and thanks for sharing. I simply do not have time to see your video but it's great you are helping people to see the benefits. Best of luck going forward.
Yeah, gym work 😁 I have just made a no dig flower bed in my front garden not allotment this time (I have to stay home due to covid - the easy version 😉). Took me an hour. I used 3 barrels of my own homemade compost. Gym it was 😁 Thanks for this video and No Dig Course. I am soooo proud to have obtained the Certificate of Completion ✌️
This is great to hear Hanna and I'm happy you enjoyed the course. You asked later about spinach and this is a top time of year to sow it, as soon as possible, for picking in autumn and even survive in the winter to grow next spring.
sounds great so little amounts of compost
Cheers Steven
me encanta!podre desarrollar mejor mis vegetales futuros..se ven tan hermosas esas flores! me gusta poner en toda la casa y faroles de colores en el jardin..
Ogrom wiedzy dziękuję 👍💚♥️
There really is no argument here, to say it is worth it is the understatement of the year!
Why is it we are so afraid of change ?
This method is tried proven and true. There is NOTHING to lose here, only tremendous GAIN!
A delightful learning curve!
Goooooo No Dig!
Thankyou Charles and company for your tremendous effort!
Nice to hear Connie. And yet it feels to me like the majority of people still haven't heard this so I keep plugging away! It is such a great message.
Yes Charles absolutely , I have been learning so much over the last couple of years about vegetable gardening. I tested my top soil in my raised beds to find it deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus! No wonder the leaves on my potatoes and nasturtiums were turning yellow. I added mushroom compost to the top and also some organic seaweed powder - what a difference the nasturtiums have gone nuts now and lovely and green now. ( potatoes I harvested , I was amazed they even produced anything !)
Now I am trying to make my own compost. I got it nice a hot but that only lasted a couple of days after I had turned it. It’s now gone cold again 😔. I bought a compost aerator but still no temperature increase and it got plenty of air and it’s damp. I have a cover on it so not sure why I can’t get the temp up ?
This is good Sarah and do not worry about your compost. It's a misunderstanding that it has to be hot all the time and it's also a misunderstanding that regular turning it will cause heat. The only time I ever tried repeat turning, the heat diminished and the compost was less good. Best leave it alone, apart from adding material and eventually perhaps one month after your final additions to the heap, give it one turn, then use it maybe 2 to 3 months later.
very wonderful idea about compost great yeald I will follow your advice thank you,
🌱 grow well!
Thanks, this is helpful! I definitely go with no dig, it's less work!
Cool, thanks
I've been an obsessive composter for years & struggle to get enough from piles & bins etc. A couple of months ago I watched a video from a guy in UK who composts on the ground, covering it with black bags & turning daily. I followed his method of what is effectively "open cast" composting & it works surprising well. I cleared weeds by hoeing & composting over small areas ( about 6-8' x 3-4') & the results are very promising. On two heaps within a fortnight I grew French Beans with some success. I've now expanded the operation & am experimenting with the turning periods, but am still building heaps & bins everywhere. I use visqueen membrane which I have left over to cover the piles & they reach 60-70 deg C within a day.
When I use the right percentage of green (nitrogen) to brown (carbon) it makes all the difference in speeding up the decomposition, as well as the right moisture content, and I find being in a shady location helps too.
@@02markcal I try to balance the green with the brown which usually means that green is easier come by until this summer when all saved bags of weeds etc have gone brown in minutes. Also I found that shredded wood is a great source of brown. The guy on TH-cam waters his with molasses in the water. I didn't have any so used a small amount of sugar & so far so good. I'm still torn on the turning question though.
@@lostinfens I have been making “hot compost” these last 2 summers in the summer heat down here. (Because fall and winter is best time to grow for me.) Gardened and composted forever! Florida is sandy. So here , yes I NEED alot of compost. I collect all my grass clippings. I purposely push mow for this reason, and use no herbicides. After using all my leaves I saved from last fall, (which is hard to collect being we don’t have all the maples etc the north does). I come to this part of summer when having enough brown material is hard. So I have more grass clipping then carbon. It’s then that I am flipping it more. Yes I tarp it, add shredded paper. But grass clippings especially will get gummy and clumpy if it’s not aerated like every other day. When it’s between other layers it’s not so bad. But I found, at least with clippings. They will get gummy and anaerobic (all white and stick together) without frequent aerating. So that I flip regularly. It all depends on what the pile is made up of. If that helps. I have several different piles. But when there’s alot more green. I wet and flip it more often
Having half of a 4’x4’x4’ heap currently. Still adding a little bit. Hoping next season I’ll be able to use a little bit of it.
For sure :)
Convincing! Thank you for the video. I’m going to add to my garden area this year. I was considering a dig for the first year (I have clay that is super hard in some areas) I might try a no dig straightaway.
Go for it Jason
Hola! Saludos desde Argentina. En nuestro huerto cultivamos hace 60 años y la tierra se mantiene fértil gracias al compost. Antiguamente mis padres utilizaron estiércol de caballo y de conejo para mantener la fertilidad del suelo y luego cuando los caballos dejaron de transitar por la ciudad y cuando dejaron de criar conejos seguimos manteniendo la fertilidad gracias al compost que fabricamos en casa. No hace falta demasiado, solo lo necesario.
¡Es maravilloso escuchar a Claudia y es una buena historia de las fuentes cambiantes de la fertilidad!
Hey Charles! I like the idea of making an investment for the future by using compost. I bought an older house and garden just for that reason, there were already a few perennial fruit trees and I have been gradually adding no dig compost garden beds so I can pay it forward to future generations of this house and garden to enjoy. Cheers!
That is so cool Craig!
We found mushroon cospost and added it to the garden boxes, they went wild this summer. It's the best gardens we've even grown.
💚 bravo