Composting At Home | How To Start A Compost Pile
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- Check out my new book that you can pre-order now. Simplify Vegetable Gardening will be available on 16th Feb 2024. Pre-order now to be the first to get a copy of this book that has all my personal tips. geni.us/SimplifyVegGardening Want to go in-depth on composting? Check out my book Composting Masterclass. www.amazon.com/Tony-ONeill/e/...
Being a gardener, you know exactly how important compost is to your soil. Knowing how to compost is one of the fundamental skills that every gardener should know how to do. It can mean the difference between success or failure when growing in your garden.
Whether you build your compost heap or compost pile lose in the garden on even in a dedicated bought, or DIY compost bin is totally up to you. Knowing how to make compost at home puts you into the driving seat. It means you are in charge of your own soil fertility.
When you have control over your own soil structure you can ensure you feed your soil with natural nutrient-dense compost all made at home. It has many benefits that you may not necessarily realise.
1. It adds organic matter which improves fertility and water
retention
2. Stops the ground drying out and cracking
3. Adding homemade compost makes it easier for roots to
penetrate soils
4. Compost cuts down weeds growth by blocking out the light
and acting as a mulch.
In this episode I am going to take you through step by step on how to compost, you will learn how to build a compost pile or compost heap in a DIY compost bin that I built for this very reason. And I am going to show you in a very easy to understand way. It doesn’t have to be rocket science to get your very own homemade compost in your very own garden.
Learning what to compost from your garden and where to make your compost heap will allow you to not only recycle the garden waste but also get something out at the other end that will allow you to build soil fertility, aid in water retention and to improve the structure of your garden soil. Remember feed your soil not your plants and by learning how to make compost you get to reap what you sow.
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Want to go in-depth on composting? Check out my book Composting Masterclass. www.amazon.com/Tony-ONeill/e/B09Z79VFRB/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk
I'm a new homeschooler & we are preparing to make our own compost. I really appreciate all of the info on your channel. You have amazing educational content for gardening.
Glad it was helpful!
That compost looks amazing! The amount it breaks down & reduces in size is the stuff nerd dreams are made of.
Tony you are always so very helpful to me. I needed info on composting. Never done it before and want to. Your video makes it understandable and sensible. Thank you. You are a great teacher.
Heather this video might also be very useful to you too. Thanks for viewing th-cam.com/video/n1cVCkCfwi0/w-d-xo.html
thank you we have watched 4 of your videos so far and will re do our compost bins because of them and be growing advocados. we will watch them all now thanks again
I learn so much from you & I have been at this gardening game for many years. Thank you. I would like to say thank you for replying to my post to you. ..My son will never get better, so the allotment means the world to me.
Julie. I do my very best to respond to all comments, It isnt always possible but I do try
Tony thank you for all of this info. Because we are stuck more at home due to Covid, I got on the compost kick this fall . I followed your ideas , shredded my ton of fall leaves with the lawn mower, two or three times, until the leaves were as small as the size of a quarter. I added some horse manure, and grass clippings , remembered to water between layers. My piles are steaming! I’ve been turning them often because pur snow comes early. Two piles will be done within a month for sure. I’ll only use them in the spring, but at least I’m sure I’ll have nice black compost as early as I’ll need it. My missing link was not watering my layers before , now that I do I see the difference. Thanks again.
Without that moisture, they cant heat up. So glad its working for you now Meghan :)
I often put the big stuff in a heap and run the lawnmower over it to help speed things up. It’s amazing the difference it makes to heating up the pile.
Great video Tony, packed with good info! I really need to get the shredder out and chop up the stems I've got hanging about waiting to go into the compost bays. 😃
Get it done Liz. perfect way to utilize them
My Husband and I enjoy composting, we even 🗑compost the coffee grounds at our office. ☕ Thank you for the tips, great In depth video Tony
Thanks Suzy. I am glad your both getting the benefits from the compost process, Gardens are totally different when your using it all the time
@@simplifygardening Tony, We Love going to the yard and grabbing tomatoes, lettuce, onions & bell peppers for our salad. Then reuse food scraps for compost. This year we got a Roma Volunteer in our compost, it's now over 7 feet tall!
@@SuzyTopAgent Dont you just love Volunteer plants, They usually give so much more than ones you have nurtured all year
Definitely something I’m going to try, thanks for the tips 👍🏻 cheers Tony.
Hope you enjoy Sorry for the late reply
Great how to video! I really enjoy watching your channel. Thanks for sharing Tony!
Thanks Sir John. I really appreciate it and glad the content is of value to you :)
I'm making a compost system soon with fence posts and roofing sheets.great video.keep it up
Look forward to seeing Spensor
Great video. Just about to start and needed some guidance. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
my fav part of gardening is composting Tony, i get wonderful results doing the berkley composting method, i had a great crop of spuds useing this compost in continers, good luck Tony and thanks. Frank
Yeah the potatoes in containers do so well with home made compost Frank.
If you can get seaweed, it makes for great compost with lots of minerals and micronutrients. It heats up nicely too.
SMASHING series of videos, great enthusiasm, lots of useful tips. Thanks for sharing mate.
Hey thanks. I am glad you enjoyed the content. I am glad that you find then informative as I try to pack each video with tips to help others
Nice one Tony! Nothing better than homemade compost!
Steve
Its perfect stuff Steve and you know exactly what is in it
Compost rules!
Greetings Tony! Glad you're back!
Hey Sanches, me too and yes Compost rules
I have a pile on the ground now. Put recently built a 3 bin system and going to try this method.
Thanks for the video Tony I mix leaves with mown grass and add chicken manure to it .
Yeah Florie, I use the leaves to make leaf mould a video for that will be forthcoming but I do have two videos on it already
Fantastic video Tony- I also use old soil ( nothing contaminated) & my compost bed is fantastic & shows in the vegetables that I am growing. Cheers Denise - Australia
Yeah you cant beat home made compost Denise,
Thanx tony, for more excellent content. I find making compost one of the most enjoyable parts of gardening. Looking at the quality of your compost, I cant see why you'd need to do anything differently x.
Good stuff
Thanks for the video awesome 👌 I don't have a machine to chop up my scrap to make mulch, but I've been using 2 large blenders I have to chop up my scraps to help the process of composting, its a big helper and I have some great compost. Love your videos🥰😍
That is awesome!
That scarecrow creeped me out
Lol sorry Anne. Thats my Worzel Gummidge
Beautiful Video !! Great job and keep it going !! Thank you for Sharing !!
Thanks I am glad you enjoyed the video :)
You are Welcome !! Definitely !! I have my garden and compost bins in a Small suburban backyard in Melbourne !
@@JyjusHomeVideos Oh what a great place. I love Australia
@@simplifygardening True !!
Your videos are so helpful, but please consider not putting music in the background. It is a distraction and makes it harder for people with hearing difficulties to listen. Thanks 🌳
I have 3 plastic compost bins that at this time of year will start to fill up ready to use next year.
Brill Wayne and nows the time to fill them
Great Video Thanks Pal
Thanks mate :)
Thanks from your teach.
It's a very good job.
I see you from IRAN (Persia).
I love you.you're taught very well with practical topics.👍👌✋
Hey welcome to the channel
Great video!
Thanks Aaron
I Compost using worms and collect the juices via a Collection system, yes it takes 12 months, but I get lots from it including 200ltrs of liquid that I can use where I want to instead of it draining away. Great video Tony.
🥕Happy Gardening........♻️Terry King 🌞
Yes Terry I do that as well. This is just for compost
I use a geo bin. It works marvelously. I crank out one big batch per year. Leaves, grass, food scraps and coffee/tea grounds get it to really fire up. I use a cork screw tool about every 5 days to oxygenate. I cover it so that I control the moisture. EZ peasy to make garden gold.
Great stuff Robin. As long as we get good nutrient dense compost who cares how its done right?
I add pages of old paper backs along with the inside of loo rolls as well as all the organic material from my plot
Yes I placed shredded paper in this one Lizzie and also egg cartons
Love your videos Tony!
I add egg shells mixed in there also.
Hi Randy, yes I speak about all the different stuff in the other video mate
Hey Tony, we have a plastic compost bin in our little garden, and we throw in our foodscraps, garden clippings and chicken manure. We started out not shredding it all enough, but now we only add stuff in small pieces. Every time I think it's full, next time we throw in something, the level is lower again, so there is definitely something going on there ;) And no smells.
Thats exactly what it should be doing. No smells and shrinking all the time. Brilliant seems like you guys have it nailed. Well done
Thank you :D
Our gardening journey started with that first step, and it seems to be working indeed. Our chickens are almost grown up, the first egg has not been laid yet... Next summer-season will be our next planting adventure... Exciting!
Now you know how to build your compost, Why not learn how to really understand how the composting process works, and finally really get to know the ratios of carbon and nitrogen your ingredients have. Check out this video for my in-depth how to make compost video th-cam.com/video/n1cVCkCfwi0/w-d-xo.html
For those that want compost that looks like rich dirt pulverizing the material before combining is a good idea. On my case I want to maintain a heated pile and to do so I heap green leaves and weeds some cut grass but mostly field grass that may be 2 or three feet tall . K can still have composted in 8 months that looks like soil but I will have to remove and sifted out the tall grass stalks and stalks of weeds. Maybe dried it out and grind it up . I'm in a bit of a rush in mid Sept to create as many piles of green material so when the autumn leaves come in Nov. And Dec I can combine and maintain some heat in the piles
I add shredded paper, cardboard cut into small pieces and coffee grounds as well
If you ever get flies around the box use little bits of vinegar around the box or just a fee drops on the top if there are too many flies.
Good point Sorry for the late reply
I start my compost 10days ago and i hope i`m doing well...thank u
Time will tell. Im sure it will be perfect
I’m going to be making my first compost bin today with the help of my 4 year old 😅 just started to get my green fingers in the last couple of weeks. Had a bad motorcycle crash because of some idiot and now found something to help me get moving about again
Yes Worzel @ 3:01
:) glad u like him
Another great video =)
Thanks CJ, hope you learned something that can be of use
I haven't done anything to my compost bins other than let them be open and let them get on with it. This was the way my did did it "don't mess around with it Jules, it wants to do it anyway so just let it get on with it" His way has never let me down :)
As I said in the compost tips video compost will break down without our input but by following this it will just be quicker
I had two issues with my compost. While I had a great amount of leaves in autumn, I also had a huge amount of pine needles. Pine needles need to be shredded up before composting or they take ages to breakdown, rather like magnolia leaves. Where possible I collect them now and use them as a mulch around the vegetable beds, my size 12's stomping around seems to do a number on them. Another issue was getting browns during summer, so I started using brown paper bags for my shopping. Shredding those gives me a huge stash of browns to use while composting in summer months. White and printed material goes into my weekly recycle pick up.
thats great Sorry about the late reply, YT didn't let me know this comment was here and I just found it
I use a spade to mash it up works very well
Great tip thanks Mao
@@simplifygardening Thanks, I've also taken your advice on the nematodes I purchased some but I will be giving to lettuce method a try next time!
So glad I found your channel I have a compost heap that's about 3 months old hss full up of horse manure cardboard leafs coffee grounds food scraps and wood chips he got hot really quickly that carried on for about a week or so now though its about 20°c is that to cold for a pile should I add more nitrogen to heat it up I built it willing to wait until next year
So there are a few things that cause it too cool 1. Not enough moisture or too much grab a handful squeeze if more than 1 drop comes it it’s too wet if none come but it balls up and breaks apart it’s perfect. If it don’t ball it’s too dry. 2. Not enough food if you see organic stuff then it has food. The last thing to check is air. Turn it if it doesn’t heat then the compost is ready to go through the maturing process that will be cold and when the fungi worms and stuff move in
Great video, I put duck manure in my compost piles
A great manure to use Mark. I used to use the muck from the bottom of my duck pond too
Oh my goodness ! The size of that mans corguette!
😀👍 glad u like it
But can he handle it well? :P
He's from Wales, they always have big ones!!!
Nice one Tony 👍🏻
Thanks pal. Hope your doing ok
Yep, doing a bit of clearing old vegetation today, should be doing a lot more 🤣
Hi Tony. have been watching many of your videos, several times. I have just bought a new square compost bin & trying to get it right. However, I have a dalek bin that has compost in it but halfway down is thick layered grass that is slimy but don’t smell. can I rejuvenate that layer by remixing in some browns or do i use it or need to get rid? I didn’t realise that one can mulch up in a shredder. I only ever used it to shred wood, but i’ve shredded all the pruning off my trees now & it works a treat! (I got it at a boot sale for £4, what a result all round. Love your content, easy straight to the point!! & will continue to watch. Thank you so much
Hi guys I only have room for a plastic compost bin and it's full so far ..i have only just started my allotment 4 months ago so not managed to grow a lot yet but next year will be full of good veg 😀
Thats great Neil. If you shred it up you will get 3 times the amount in it and it will compost 10 times quicker
I have only got my allotment this year, so I am planning to build a shed greenhouse combination & build and prepare the plant beds and the compost area between now and January then digging or forking the beds for planting the fruit plants and sowing seeds from February onwards.
I’ve been hitting the leaves in the fall with the lawnmower. It seems to help things go a bit faster when composting. I like the bin idea. I’ve been using heaps, but the bins are neater and probably a bit more efficient. I’ll have to try that.
Since our gardening area is only 600m2, I don't wanna use the most precious space for composting piles. I put leaves...right in or on the soil and it works too. Greetings from central Portugal
Hi Tony, thank you a lot for your video's. Your previous video about composting was the first one where I could see what the compost looks like when it's too wet. All hard, clumpy and flacky. That's what mine always looks like! So now I know why. I also have a question: I am hesitant to store greens in plastic bags until I need it, because won't the greens start to decompose and become very smelly in those bags?
While they are in the bags they do smell a little and storing greens wont be for everyone, but what I suggest in that case is load them on top of the heap in a layer and put browns with it straight away. so shredded paper or cardboard keep it on hand ready to mix
Hi I'm just poping in to support your channel
Thank you Tania. I very much appreciate your support 😀👍
Nice & Smart work 👍👌🌹😊
Thanks
Look at putting a PVC Pipe with holes the full length of the pipe in the middle of the pile to help get more air inside the pile it may help to speed up the compost. I help out at a Not for Profit and we use all our Office paper shredded, great layer to have but it needs to be a thin layer or it sticks together.
Yes i ised paper making this too
cracking video
Cheers Steven. Hows your garden pal
@@simplifygardening had a good year this year after a slow start
Brill
Tony, I make my own compost but i have never been able to get it to heat up to a temperature where it will kill pathogens and weed seeds. I see from your video what I'm doing wrong and will follow your method from now on. My compost doesn't smell and there are a lot of worms in it! I mean a LOT! This makes for a very nice finished compost, but I do want to get rid of those pesky weed seeds.
Andrea build the heat initially then allow the worms to move in
I'm changing the time that I release new videos. On Thursday and Saturday, look for my videos in the morning in the US and in late afternoon and the evening in Europe and other parts of the world.
Hi Tony. Just wow! Ten weeks to finished compost is fantastic in my experience!
I do compost at home but I've been a bit lazy on chopping for quicker breakdown and it shows in my results taking much longer.
I recently began vermicomposting at home as well. It's a lot of fun to watch the worms at work.
Do you happen to have a link you could share, for the chart you show with the ratios of carbon to nitrogen for the different materials? Thanks for sharing this.
Hi Kevin, I made that up for the video only mate, So there is no link its only in the video
Could you make it available as it's own video?
How warm does it have to be outside to start a hot compost? It’s still frozen here in Wyoming, and our last frost date isn’t until the end of May. I have a couple of piles of greens from cleaning up the garden last fall and have been saving kitchen compostables all winter and I have a huge pile of leaves from last fall. BTW, last summer, thanks to your composting video, I made 3 batches of hot compost and it was amazing for my garden! Thanks for the excellent videos!
Sounds great!
Hello Mr. Tony! Rescued the shed from where the hurricane sent it. I am interested in how you built the compost bins in this video. Do you have a video where you can show us how to do this? I am still struggling with trying to compost in a store bought bin but having no luck. Went to turn the compost 2 days ago and there was a fire ant mound in it. Ugg. Keep the videos coming Mr. Tony.
Hi Ann i am working on a video for you as ive been asked my loads
Me looking at my unwatered non insulated unlayered pile of peels leaves and grass cuttings 🙃 excellent video for a beginner! Thanks
Glad it was of interest :)
@@simplifygardening Your advice has officially been put to use! Thank you.
@@teamtruth Awesome. you're on your way
Watched this 3 times. Its sinking in.
Great video. I make quite a bit of compost in large bays, but never really get it layered effectively. It does breakdown though and make great compost! I would like to know about hot composting. These so called 'hot bins' cost a fortune. I can't see the difference between those and a normal black bin? What am I missing? Just asking this because I kept reading you can compost all food waste (as in cooked stuff as well) in a hot bin.
Its because they hold the heat being made of polystyrene but if you get the temps it will keep building. You just need plenty of nitrogen and air
I have been gardening for years and have not had much success with the compost pile. Last year I started 4 bins using wire, and did the lasagna method and covered them, However, I live in Canada zone 4 and have just made my first no-dig bed. I went to use my compost if it was ready, only to find it was ice in the middle. I don't know if because of our winters this was normal or that the bins just didn't get hot enough I don't have a thermometer will have to see if I can get one here, but I won't give up, I live on a country property so have loads of leaves and plants and huge lawns so lots to put in the bins. I already saw your other video first so I will have to work on understanding the chart to help me out? Our winters get down to -30C so that has to be a factor I guess.
Dorothy. If the core froze your not building your piles big enough. Get them high and wide, consider moving from wire to pallets like mine and this will insulate the core of the compost
Hey Tony. I have various composting systems. A large area made with pallets onto which I throw rabbit waste, horse manure, grass and leaves. I have stopped putting fruit/vegetable waste on the heap as I found it was attracting rats. As well as this I have old baths containing worms and I feed these with pre-composted vegetable matter, coffee grounds and rabbit waste etc which I throw into the dalek bins. I have wire netting around the base of the dalek bins to stop rats from going inside. So now I am wondering how best to use my old compost [from this year] along with the vegetation I am clearing from the growing areas. Historically I have made a pile of the old compost and layered it with worm castings, coffee grounds, grass, leaves, covered with a tarp and left to sit over winter. I see that in other videos that you have added old compost to the dalek bins. Also wondering whether to add the old compost onto my muck heap and dig it over for use next year. Interested to see your response. I grow on quite a large area with poor soil quality, but an area which is well away from people which works better for keeping bees.
Hey i covered what to do with old compost about 2 weeks ago, th-cam.com/video/3G9du1Bhlas/w-d-xo.html
What the best way to sort out 3 neglected compost bins all 3 are full but. Think they need a good turn. Any ideas how to restart a dead compost pile? Many Thanks and Great Videos!!
I would pull it all out and take the roughest stuff and place in the middle building out with grass clippings to get it hot again. make sure the moisture is right and then add the finer stuff as a cap and allow it to cook again
i need to make one now guess it better than putting it in a hole
So much better, you can place it anywhere you wish, use it as a seed starter or just mulch with it
Hi I m making compost in earthen pot from my kitchen waste and used in my small kitchen garden
Thats brill. How is it working for you ?
@@simplifygardening yes it is take time of two months for decompose black gold because earthen pot's surface have small tiny holes
Best video yet I find it so hard to turn in my bin tho
Take your time 1 spade at a time, turn it from one to another, or turn out to path then back in
Now that makes more sense thats not what i was doing i was just turning mixing with a fork
@@sarah140386 oh thats hard work then your not aerating it and your trying to move it all that way with one turn
ay advice for dealing with ants in my compost bin?
Heyyy thanks for this video! I have just started mine early july and it is almost ready because of the heat we have had in Suffolk...so excited! I have just started a second batch but I don't know if it will be as quick because the weather is cooling...has anyone tried in winter? Feedback will be very helpful!
I compost right through winter. It is a little slower but if I make compost in November its always ready by spring
@@simplifygardening thank you!!!
Hi Tony. My compost looks like dark soil, but not fluffy like the bought compost. As I don’t have much i layer it with green and brown, but I don’t have enough to fill a bin at once. I turn it every month or so. It takes me a bit longer than 10 weeks, but not as long as the first year I made compost. Eveline
Eveline as long as your making your own your in control
What's the practical effectiveness of actually growing a crop direct in a mature cool compost pile or bin, say squashes or whatever?
Yes they will grow fine if your not using it. But if its finished and its growing season it should be out on the ground so you can make more
Hi Tony, thank you for your great videos. I am new to composting and currently have 3 compost piles within pallets about a week old. My temp is 170F and I am a bit concerned that this is too hot and may kill the good microbes off. I have tried to turn it to get the temp down but this does not work. I read that you should turn compost on a weekly basis however, you seem to suggest that it should be turned when it starts to cool down, at what cooling temp would you turn? and do you think that it's necessary to turn on a weekly basis even when your compost is hot. Many thanks.
Turing introduces air and makes them hotter, cool it with water r just leave it to cooll as normal and the microbes will move back in when it cools
Hi Tony
Hi Dayan :)
Hi Tony, would you use compost made from gras clippings & brown (solely that) to fillup your potato containers (also including the slow release fertilizer ofc)? Would this kind of compost be OK for strawberry growing in pots of like 11L? Thanks a lot & good work! i enjoy watching your content, even if they're years old :)
Fully completed compost would be fine but not while its still decomposing as it will rob the nitrogen from the soil until finished
Hi Tony. I notice that you have lined your compost bins. Is that for thermal reasons? Is it the black protective sheets from wickes?
Yes to both questions mate. Ive been asked to make a video on how they were made which will be the next but one video so around the 18th October mate so keep your eyes peeled
Diolch , Tony xx
Creoso Susan :)
actually we are struggling to find them all can you help us how can we watch them all ?
I use a tumbler because I don’t have bins. I tried using a compost bag from smart pots but that didn’t work very well
and how do you find the tumbler working for you? Cordelia
UK Here We Grow much better. My compost looks like compost in much less time - weeks. The bag resulted in compost and tons of unfinished compost - but that took 14 months. So I’m pro tumbler at the moment.
I use homemade charcoal in my bins. This method turns the charcoal into biochar which adds tons of nutrients and minerals to the soil. Do you use biochar?
Eric I have looked at using it but up until recently not had a source of proper wood to make my own. It might be a video for next year
@@simplifygardening That would be pretty awesome. I just burn downed limbs and thicker wood yard waste in my cinderblock fire-pit.
@@ericburge9198 Well keep tuning in mate and Im sure I will get to it
I aways struggle to get sufficient brown material to match the amount of green material I have - any tips?
Go to a near by office and ask them if they would mind keeping their shredded paper for you, they usually have to pay to get rid of it. likewise with boxes from supermarkets. woodchips are always free from tree surgeons and straw is also good to get hold of
Hi Tony. Swansea here. I’ve got one of the plastic compost bins with the lid on top. I don’t produce enough material in my small garden to fill a bin in one go and then leave it do its thing, I’ve been adding material to my bin for about 4 months, this isn’t working very well. What do you suggest? Also I have some horses next to my garden, is it worth adding some of their waste into my compost to add bacteria?
Yes you can add manure to the compost its ideal green. But if its not breaking down its because its not big enough when you make it, Save all your products to one side and then make the pile in one go enough to fill the bin, it will then get hot
I found my black plastic bins got hot from the sun, dried out and ants had moved in. That doesn't kill the weed seed but looks good 'cos they break it down too. I suggest you lift the plastic bin off and refill it from the top of the revealed heap. Re wet and chop any big bits with your spade. You will probably find that the bottom foot of the heap is useable as compost. Best wishes from North Wales. 👩🏻🌾
Hi Tony can you tell me if you add all kinds of weeds to your compost
You can add anything if you do it right. the reason your told not to add perennial weeds is most people dont compost right and cannot get the temps up to kill the weed seeds
P.S:In my country you cover the compost in order to mentain moisture)
Yeah thats another reason. but covering either way is a good idea :)
wonderful video but have a consider about this you turned your compost one time but if you have enough bulk you could setup a static aerated pile leave it for say 6-9 months (Johnson su bio reactor) if you follow the process you will end up with very good end product. I think the reason is not disturbing the microbes fungus etc. So similar principle to no dig no fill of soil. Shop bought compost is turned using machines wind row technics now would you be happy if your home was turned upside down and keep having to reset everything? I tried shop and home huge difference. In the uk if you set up the summer greens let it set till April-May time open the pile and happy days. Good luck everyone happy planting.
Yes I agree, building and leaving with time makes great compost. However I go through so much that im making 4 tons worth every 10 weeks
UK Here We Grow that is ok the quantity needed that can be made using windrow but you could leave one pile set and not disturb it for 9 months maybe more and use that to inoculate. The seeds maybe use that as compost tea. Just a suggestion after all we learn by sharing and trying.
@@sweetvuvuzela4634 Totally agree with you and is the exact reason why I asked everyone to use the comments to share ideas. as I said in the video, I dont have all the answers but there is someone who will put comments and collectively we can rule the gardening world
My compost is rubbish but my worm bins are growing really well
Well louise try these tips out and let me know when you get your first great load 😀👍
I've got potato in bags. Ones harvest, will the soil be okay to plant more or not.im new to all this so any help would be good .I'm in uk (Swansea)
Yes Spencer but check out the other compost video I link to as it goes more into depth on it
Tony Hi. In your tubs, what you grow your tatties in. After you've done earthing them up, you can only go as high as the rim of the tub. How come you get so many spuds out of one size tub. Best regards Geoff Maddison
I grow in compost. either homemade which was the case this year with the compost made in this video. Or shop bought compost. They are 30 litres and its enough to feed and maintain the crop for the growing time. The tubs warm quickly and the root ball is condensed around the tub so it has no option but to take the feed and water up. this means great spuds, no damage in a small space. win win
I normally dispose of the slugs that appear on the inner lid of my dalek compost bins into my garden pond. Is that appropriate or are they useful where they are in the bins? I was surprised when Monty Don said millipedes are useful in the compost pile, isn't that creating a breeding colony for them to end up in the garden?
They all help to break down the compost, SLugs will move on to something else when it fully broken down to compost as there is nothing left to eat
@@simplifygardening OK I can see that's good if you always have another adjacent compost pile "on the go" for the slugs to move onto
That is a good idea to do with the waste from your garden, but am just curious when that is composting does it steams when you leave it, and does it produces lots of steam, like your darning out hot boiling water when you mix it up.? Thanks
Yes Randy when it heats up if you break the outer layers it will steam massively
UK Here We Grow okay I wasn't sure if it does or not if it was more like cold composting, but inerways I was just curious. Thanks for replying back.
Sorry I've just joined thus conversation so late. I've been adding all organic waste to my 2 compost heaps made from wire mesh and old pallet planks for the last 3 years. I knew nothing about layering or turning, so will the material be useful or have I left it too long? Or is there anything I can do to save and improve the compost?
Jim just get in there lift off the uncomposted, remove what is ready and build a new pile with the left over and some more green and brown. build it high as possible and you will be fine
@@simplifygardening Will do - many thanks, and just in time for the better weather! Cheers
Does air temp make a difference??
the warmer it is the quicker it breaks down, however the compost can still be active at its core when the outer layers are frozen
Hi Tony
You mention making the ingredients as small as possible to speed up the composting process.
Is there any issue with blitzing food waste (non-cooked) in a food processor or can this diminish the nutrient quality. If this is Ok would I need to add more brown materials as a ratio as the food waste is more concentrated?
P.S my wife has no idea that I am doing this, please don't tell her - Thanks
There is no problem but bare in mind you release all the moisture at once and it could turn compost anerobic. so you will need to balance the moisture with more carbon. otherwise its not an issue
Also remember air is important and if everything is blended then you wont have air
What’s the black stuff covering your pallets please
Proplex it’s floor covering there is lots of different makes
@@simplifygardening I think I’ve decided to by a garden shredder and some compost bins and go down the leaf compost route seems so much easier for me
hi there, what have you lined your compost bin with please.
Julie this is the plastic walled floor covering used when you do building works at home to protect the floor. Its relatively cheap and last well. I have been asked how they are built so will do a video covering it all
@@simplifygardening thanks for replying quickly. i shall look out at wickes, when were allowed back out !!.
Are there green plants that should not be shredded/added to a compost pile? I recently pulled out the exhausted tomato plants from my garden; should they be added? (I have read that Solanaceous plants can cause soil exhaustion; do they cause problems if added to a compost pile?) What if the tomato plants (or other green plants) are sick, or have some sort of blight -- should those be avoided completely?
Thanks for any insights.
dick deadeye dump it all no problems if you got a pile hot enough 60 degrees plus it will all cook pathogens seeds etc
Dick, a lot of people say that potato and tomato plants are known as dirty crops, However, There is no issue at all using it if you didnt get blight, but providing you can get your compost hot enough you would kill all blight spores anyway. I havent had blight in years, but I composted them even with blight and had no issues the years after
Hi Tony I have a compost pile going but it has been invaded by ants is that ok if not what can I do to rectify the problem ???
Scott if it has ants its almost too dry, turn it and moisten it down
@@simplifygardening hi Tony I have read and seen alot of different you tubers saying that its gd to have them in your compost pile is that true ?? As don't really want to be wasting it 😂