We have a song thrush here on the Big Island of Hawaii that came from China. There was a terrible fire on Oahu in Chinatown and people who had the thrushes in cages released them when they were fleeing for their lives. Some made their way to most of the islands. Their songs are truly lovely
I’m just learning about growing my own food I’m 4 weeks in and I’m blown away I’ve started growing Carrots Spuds Onions Peppers Tomatoes All from seeds and supermarket vegetables They are coming on amazing My mini greenhouse comes next week Making my own compost too You have inspired me Chris Bless you x
Dear Mr. Kris. 👍👌👏 Very well done again. The willow hedges will be fantastic. Great channel way out west blog uses poplar for a lot of things and does a lot of gardening too (greenhouse, strawberries in pipes hanging of the ceiling etc.p.p.). If you don't know this channel already I highly suggest that you watch some videos from this great couple. 2) Uuuuh, what a pity and a shame because of that weed killer after all that work/effort/energy you two put in the vegetable gardening. It's really strange that the horses weren't affected. 3) I can hardly wait to watch the greenhouse build. 4) Thanks a lot for making teaching recording editing uploading and sharing. Best regards, luck and health to all of you.
Absolutely love the willow weaving hedge you've started. It's gonna take off and be a really beautiful asset there, I'm betting. Also be a nice windbreak for tender spring plants low to the ground. That's a real bummer concerning the weed killer. They're industrial shortcuts, made to push carrying capacity of land beyond anything possible without a huge amount of manual labor. Little thought was given to their effects a decade or two ago. I am hopeful that changes. Frankly, you're doing your part here in that struggle. It may have been a sour note to end on, but it's good to get the word out. Keep on living and working. I'm loving what you do.
For anyone whos interested: a good substitute for those garden sieves is to use those plastic crates you see fruit and veg shops throwing away all the time. Picked up a stack of them from a grocer on the high street. works a treat for getting stones and rubble out of out garden beds.
Love the idea of a greenhouse built with timber frame. Don't feel like you have to explain yourself too much about not doing other large projects. You've been going strong for so long, and now that you have a comfortable setup, it's time to decompress and enjoy life a little more.
Hi Kris, A tip on filling seed trays. Use the bottom of a spare tray to compact the compost down on the tray you are filling, one push will do the lot. Nice Vlog. Keep safe
It's brilliant what you have achieved and such a lovely Home.Bliss the birds and sheep noise real calming and relaxing instead where I live traffic noise.Keep up the great work your both doing. ☺
Hey Kris I don't live in the UK I live in the states but have been gardening for about 30 to 40 years off and on and have had laying hens a great deal of the time and that's all I used was the chicken manure and it does a fantastic job. And also I had some neighbors that breed rabbits and I had really good luck with the rabbit poo as well so with you having hens you should be all set. Keep up the great work !!!!
Kris so sad to hear about the garden So a while back my neighbor told me about wood chips. My soil has a lot of clay and in the summer it turns to concrete. So I had the local tree guy dump a load of wood chips in driveway for free. I spread them out in a couple of places. the next year in the summer I move the chips to one side and I could push my finger right down into the grown. Trees roots go deep in the grown and pull up minerals that plants need. So as they decompose they make these nutrients available for your plants. I have been doing this for 5 years now and I have lush fertile black soil. My vegetables are the envy of the neighborhood. I would be happy to send you pictures of the garden and the soil. James has been doing this garden channel as long as you have been building and has a lot of great info. Good luck. So I also am a wood worker and all my wood chips saw dust and such go right in the compost pile along with all my garden and tree trimmings. I have 2 6 ft in diameter piles, at the end of the year I take the oldest pile and spread around my garden. then repeat each year. th-cam.com/users/ThePermaculturGarden
I just love watching you and your lady it really has been helping with my depression and the stress of potentially losing a job I've been at for 11 years. Edited to add ..I am sorry to hear about the weedkiller affecting your crop I can't beileve they sell that crap and I wonder does that stuff affect horses as well?.
So hard to get the purity we want in in what we put in our gardens. Hope that compost works out. All the best . You are a great gardener. Hello from Canada 😉🌱🇨🇦
In most apprenticeships your goal is to get red seal certified. In your gardening apprenticeship your goal is to get green thumb certified. Love the idea of the hedgerow. Hopefully it will all take root.
I’m so sorry about the poison in your garden. What a low blow. Sending good thoughts your way, and hoping you’ll still be able to eat some of the produce.
The other thing I heard of was what they worm horses with, which can also affect our compost! Keep up gardening Kris and Dot, awesome what you're doing in the garden, doing the same downunder going into winter but doing the prep work for spring.
Kris - so sorry to hear about the weedkiller after all your work. On the other hand better to find out about it now and be able to devise a way (perhaps) of ensuring that you do not get caught out again. So interesting to see your work on the garden (another side of you). Not all your work is lost - the fences - layout etc will still be there for the future.
Re the weed killer... your crop should be okay to eat... try aerating the soil as often as possible over the Summer. Put the rest of the manure on flowers and maybe trees. If my memory serves me well Charles Dowding did a vlog about it a few years back. Charles n Huw are fantastic ... Huw especially should be helpful re sowing and planting times as he is near your area. PS. The slugs n snails will find you soon.... save wild BlackBerry sticks and place them along side your seedlings. The pesky varmints won't want to slide over the prickles. Have fun. xx
Weed killer. How gutted would you be mate. All that work. Damn. We’ve started a garden about the same time as you and have used the neighbours horse manure. It could happen to us also. So many toxic chemicals around in agriculture. If you need to start again, so be it. You’re an encouragement. A year from now, this setback will be forgotten. I once had a toxic battery leak and had to remove 100 tonnes of soil in a tip truck. It almost broke me, but it’s only a memory now.
I realize this is a bit after the fact and you probably know this now, but when i was young we had a garden and always planted the squash and pumpkins in hills about 3 to 4 feet apart. These were the kind that grew with vines. I guess the seeds need good drainage-susceptible to rot, hence the hills. I do miss getting good soil under my fingernails. Good relaxing and stress relief the natural way. Good job.
Bad news about the beans and peas but it seems the majority of your garden is doing well. If the compost has been sitting that long hopefully there is enough weed killer to hurt it, but not kill it and as the plant gets more mature and hardy it might adapt to its environment. I would just double check the food grown from is still safe to eat. He probably also gets the horse feed from multiple sources and possibly you were lucky enough to end up with a portion of it that had the weed killer for that bed. Good luck man and thanks for sharing!
What a bummer about the insecticide. I feel bad after all the hard work you guys put into it. But looking on the bright side, it’s better than you found out now. Lesson learned. Best of luck, you’re doing a great job
Oh Kris, I know how disappointed you and Dot must be, it’s not just the hard work, or the damaged/lost plants, it’s another real world example of how humans continue to damage the environment. Finally, it’s the ever present concern that goes through your head continuously, worrying if you should even risk eating anything. For that reason alone, I encourage you to roll up your sleeves like you have done so many times in the past, fire up the tractor, and remove all contaminated compost, and replant. In the long run you will be glad you did. Wish I was there to help and provide encouragement!
Your garden is really coming along nicely. I especially love the idea of a willow hedge / fence surrounding the garden. Looking forward to the greenhouse build. Stay safe and hugs from South Africa
Unless you eat a lot of radishes or are selling them, plant about 50 cm of radishes every couple of weeks. They can be planted in between other plants quite well also. Sucks about the compost. Love the willow fence. Something to consider in the short term is set some beds along the fence to grow your peas and beans! Best of luck!
Not a boring video... Just relaxing to play while I work on a new project.🙂 And I'm so sorry about the compost issue. I honestly believe weed killers and pesticides in our food chain have created health problems that didn't exist decades ago... Like maybe celiac disease? Even those of us who don't have that disease can be extremely sensitive to wheat flour that hasn't been organically grown. I wish we humans could take better care of the planet, working with it instead of against it.
Everything is looking good and coming on great. I am gutted for you both as well, I can only imagine the feeling after weeks of labour on it all. Fingers crossed the plants pull through. Thank for the content.
Hi Kris, loved video. It’s great to see that you’re able to take time during these times to enjoy the gardening and work on the smaller projects. Sounds like a good idea to hit pause on the top workshop. I’d love to hear your plans about the new house if you’re considering a ‘just talk at the camera’ video. All the best to you and Dot.
Hi Kris, so sorry about the fertilizer issue ... didn't see that coming and I'm sure, neither did you. Well, now we know. I would think you're going to have to get it out of there ... that will put a stop to the consent thinking about it. The fence is serene to look at even if it didn't grow ... I hope it grows though, can't wait to see what it looks like. Willow is a wonderful plant. Thanks for bring us along ... all my best to you both.
I worked in the pesticide industry, I grow organic on my 5 acre plot. I also used to do small beds, but the use of mechanical weed control (rotavator) now means I use one large ploughed area, with plenty of space between crop. Its a lot less time consuming, the plants get masses of space, and so less intensive, with less of an input requirement. Between row with rotavator, in row with hoe/hand fork or mini rake. Be aware of the wind when you construct your greenhouse, it takes one gust in a storm to destroy, i used twin wall polycarbonate. Doesn't break when it gets blown out! Just have to find it again. No rabbit issues? Crows have had 2 of my chicks so far this year..
Sorry to hear about the weedkiller Kris! Mankind has used and abused the earth for millennia.. but it is quite surprising how quickly it can bounce back given a little helping hand, which is what you are doing! Just doing your bit, and reaping the edible benefits in the process. 🍇🍊🍋🍅🍄🌽🍏🍓🥒🥕🥔👏 Well done mate!
Awwww that's such a disaster for you. You're doing amazing things on your land. I cant wait to buy some land and do something similar on a much smaller scale
kris; i think i have similar soil structure like yourself and have even had similar problems with horse manure. i have since used pine/fir tree mulch in my garden and the acidity has helped even out the soil. helped get rid of some of the garden issues including for my fruit trees which had spots on the leaves and unhealthy fruit. this year im looking at a bumper crop of fruit and veggies...
Hi Kris, have you considered Hugelkultur beds for your garden? I'd have thought it ideal with all the wood / organic material available to you. On the weed killer thing, I believe from watching some other gardening channels that this is a problem even with a lot of commercially available compost. Hope the plants come through OK and you're able to enjoy all your hard work. Thanks for all the videos.
sorry about your mishap Kris! that sucks. hopefully your plants pull through. usually heating these compounds causes them to decompose or at least significantly reduce their effectiveness (kinda like drugs). since compost piles can get really hot it might be partially neutralized. in the future if continue using your neighbors compost - which is a great source for free, you might want to figure out a way to test for the compound in the compost or even find a way to disable it. maybe by laying compost in the thin layer in the son, or covered by black tarp to increase heat. IDK, could be a solvable problem. i hope it works out for you best way possible
I had a similar problem with broad beans and thought it was me not doing something right so that is for sharing - I reckon your video helped me recognize a problem I didn’t even think about. I bought an organic compost for container gardening on my balcony and had some produce but really mixed results and the plants really struggled to grow. Unfortunately I ate everything I could 😐 I watched a video by Charles Downing after yours about how to remedy this and contact with actual soil and the organisms that live in soil heals the compost with some time. That’s not an option for my balcony veg containers though so I guess I’ll have to get rid of it completely 🙁 but again thank you for sharing your bad news because without it I don’t think I would have even considered it because I bought flipping organic compost! Crazy world we live in.
Yes priorities Kris and have some down time in the garden, Mr Dowding great very easy guy to follow, works from the soil (no dig, well amended soil) right through seedlings (multi sowing), thermal heat from compost to aid germination ........... just watch his channel you'll get it, so very satisfying when you start to harvest your own produce, so tasty. It has been problem for a lot of gardeners the weed killer issue we have had some commercial bagged compost which Im sure has been affected by it, but oddly not all my plants have been stunted just some areas totally agree should never have been allowed and now we have to deal with it, so we just pull the plants damaged, mark the areas affected leave them till next season, hopefully you won't lose to much. Im just loving watching your Homestead take shape, you have achieved so much when you think back to when you first started living on site, keep up the good work.
The bean curling could also be a virus, rather than a persistent biocide. Are there aphids on beans in past years when the beans thrived (aphids are vectors for Bean Common Mosaic Virus)? Is there a mix of yellow mottled leaves and healthy green leaves, which is a symptom of that virus? The curled and elongated leaves is another symptom of that virus. Beautiful to see your garden and hedgelaying, and helpful to learn the techniques. Happy and healthy spring!
Plant some yarrow in your contaminated bed. Cut off all the flowers before they open to protect your pollinators. Pull the plants out roots and all at the end of the season and dispose of them. Yarrow is used to clean out even heavy metals (like cobalt and lead). I suppose as PA breaks down within 18 months you could compost the yarrow in a spot downhill from your food gardens/orchard.
Yay, a greenhouse build, looking forward to seeing your design come to life! Compost issue is a nightmare, but don’t dwell on it. I hear you though it’s a terrible situation humans are producing and as always comes down to money and greed! Making your own will resolve the issue moving forward so your on course! Please give us an update on your findings and solution.
I'm glad you started your veggie plot and keep chickens, I believe you should've done this long time ago. I just can't see any point in living on a land yet you buy your food from the dreadful supermarket! I know you had other projects to do but for me having your own food is number one priority. 👏
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about that dreadful weedkiller. Another vloger had same issue few, she documented that on her vlog, it's called fye nest, check it out or contact her. Terrible stuff.😢
That was real bad news right at the end the way the weed killer found its way to you in such a round about fashion, hopefully it won't be too bad and things will grow and be edible. Great video yet again.
So sorry about the weed-killer. Humans eh? Love the garden. Hope maybe you will consider putting up a water tank at some stage. in case the summers get drier. If anyone can sort the garden, you can Kris. At least you discovered the problem early.
Use coir peat expandable bricks. It is a bi-product of coconut processing. Wonderful water retaining product and protects our precious natural peat bogs.
Love all your videos. Thanks for producing and sharing them. One note, in the world of companion planting, peas and most legumes are mortal enemies (opposite of companions) of Onions, most alliums including leeks. Keep them apart for best results. Peas are friendly to most things because the add nitrogen, and are good for heavy feeders like corn, curbits, tomatoes and peppers.
Societies currently very interested in gardening as someone who has been gardening for a few years I have noticed this year a much bigger demand for seeds and equipment.
I never thought of that kind of process poisoning. That sucks guys. Yes it should be bloody band from this world .maybe all of us on line xxx an do a partition on your channel to have this weed killer band and others that pose such a threat to your world and animals. I will be the first one to sign it Chris! The hedge looks amazing. You could also add loops on top of the hedge if you want it higher. Do you get dear there where you are? They can jump very high. What about rabbits? Could also add an electric fence around it with an old solor battery? Just some thoughts o love what your doing . Can't wait to see the greenhouse guys. Sending love and good health ❣️ from Australia ❤️💙
Somewhere in the middle of the video I started picking at dry skin on my hand from chemicals I had come in contact with and wondered if you had noticed any improvements to your skin and body after moving away from the city. Then you talked about the weed killer in the horse hay and my heart sank. Best of luck there - you've put in a lot of work on the garden.
Looks like the UK put a hold on that herbicide back in 2004 I think because of the issue of it being found in manure and ruining vegetable gardens. Then they decided to remove the hold around 2009 so it's back in use again. I was thinking about using someone's horse manure for my own garden but have decided against it because I can't be sure of what the horse may have been eating and how that would affect my garden. So I will just stick with my own compost. Watch your potatoes, tomatoes and beans. They would be the things affected. Good luck. Enjoy watching your videos.
I was so enjoying you planting and how wonderful everything was growing. The you came back on with this devastating news about the poison. I hope most of the plants can survive and are eatable
Broadbeans and Dill are as I've heard good companions against blackfly. Marigolds are helpful too against something.... don't know the English word. And onions and carrots love eachother, both in the ground and in the pan. (Look up the recipes for hutspot, kale stamp pot and more of those 😀)
Because of my electronic engineering background I cant stop thinking about your electrical system. Could you explain a little bit more "detailed" about your power generation and consumption? About how much power comes from solar, from wind, Is it enough for your needs or do you have to shut down something to leave the batteries charging up again? Or are they 99% of the time fully charged up and wasting the incoming power? Do you schedule your work because of the electric power available? Would love to know a bit more of that. For now Ill keep enjoying your gardening vids! Amazing job
Don't quote me on this, but I thought he has previously mentioned that he had more than enough for his daily needs. At least, that's the impression I got from watching his videos for more than a year. I do agree that a video about his electrical system would be pretty interesting to watch!
@Totial Jesse is 100% right. Only recently is his Q&A under the porch iirc. Kris gave verbal answers to pretty much exactly your Q's. Go watch that - and _all_ his other great content.
cats do not like to scratch in soil that has chunks of bark in it. If you can get chunky pine bark, put it down as a mulch in your beds. You will have to wait until your seedlings are up before putting down the mulch. Also, you can also use pine cones. If those are not available, place rows and rows of twigs, about 6" sticking up out of the soil. It makes it impossible for the cat to walk through. If none of these work, dig a small area of soil for her to have for her own. They like soft soil.
Lovely to see the garden again, and the hedge looks great! There is definately more than one cause for curling leaves like that, so I've got my fingers crossed that you find out its not weedkiller after all and you can still get a good crop.
Thanks for highlighting this. We had to stop growing tomatoes an potatoes a couple of years ago due to what we thought was blight but looking at the pictures of aminopyralid damage I fear that we may have brought in contaminated compost. It was banned for a period but how they were able to get their licence to sell the stuff reinstated is near criminal.
Ive not been a sub of ur channel for long, but i want to say i love what ur doing and wat u have done! To me its the perfect life! Working to better urself and ur life, not making someone else rich!
Understand your frustration about the weedkiller, I have to believe the world is changing for the better. More countries and communities are banning it. Most annoying after feeling so enthused over things growing only to discover the unknown evil lurking. However, well impressed with the willow hedge fence! Looks fab, I previously made fences as wind protectors for veg out of twigs I found lying around my old garden. Totally jealous of your patch and lifestyle. 😁
A great trick to get the „crossing points“ in the willow fence to grow together. skrew a skrew at the cross point... this will damage the cabium starting of the process and soon it will be grown together... making the hedge alot stronger...like super basik grafting!
From experience, the leaf curling in broad beans is often down to herbicides. Did you put manure on the bed, or compost that has come from another (as in outside) source? If so, it could contain herbicides. The leaf curl is a classic sign of herbicide contamination. I would strongly suggest ditching the entire contents of the bed and leaving it fallow for a year. Start the broad beans again from scratch and plant them in another bed.
Hi Kris. Charles Dowding did a video about aminopyralids. If I remember rightly, it only affects some species like beans and tomatoes and potatoes, but is broke down by soil organisms in a year.
Your loud bird is a song thrush. You also have robin, wren, blackbird and chiffchaff in the background in case you were wondering.
Is the movie ‘The Big Year’ about Thomas Mansfield!? Nice work sir!
@Marcell Nagy And how the F is your brain so small?
We have a song thrush here on the Big Island of Hawaii that came from China. There was a terrible fire on Oahu in Chinatown and people who had the thrushes in cages released them when they were fleeing for their lives. Some made their way to most of the islands. Their songs are truly lovely
Kris, your videos are never boring. Thanks
I’m just learning about growing my own food
I’m 4 weeks in and I’m blown away
I’ve started growing
Carrots
Spuds
Onions
Peppers
Tomatoes
All from seeds and supermarket vegetables
They are coming on amazing
My mini greenhouse comes next week
Making my own compost too
You have inspired me Chris
Bless you x
Happy gardening!
Hi Kris - I’m sorry 😐 about the weed killer . Everything looks so beautiful and tranquil. Thank you again for sharing . You’ve done an incredible job.
Dear Mr. Kris.
👍👌👏 Very well done again. The willow hedges will be fantastic. Great channel way out west blog uses poplar for a lot of things and does a lot of gardening too (greenhouse, strawberries in pipes hanging of the ceiling etc.p.p.). If you don't know this channel already I highly suggest that you watch some videos from this great couple.
2) Uuuuh, what a pity and a shame because of that weed killer after all that work/effort/energy you two put in the vegetable gardening. It's really strange that the horses weren't affected.
3) I can hardly wait to watch the greenhouse build.
4) Thanks a lot for making teaching recording editing uploading and sharing.
Best regards, luck and health to all of you.
Absolutely love the willow weaving hedge you've started. It's gonna take off and be a really beautiful asset there, I'm betting. Also be a nice windbreak for tender spring plants low to the ground.
That's a real bummer concerning the weed killer. They're industrial shortcuts, made to push carrying capacity of land beyond anything possible without a huge amount of manual labor. Little thought was given to their effects a decade or two ago. I am hopeful that changes. Frankly, you're doing your part here in that struggle. It may have been a sour note to end on, but it's good to get the word out.
Keep on living and working. I'm loving what you do.
For anyone whos interested: a good substitute for those garden sieves is to use those plastic crates you see fruit and veg shops throwing away all the time. Picked up a stack of them from a grocer on the high street. works a treat for getting stones and rubble out of out garden beds.
I just found some of those left in a pile next to some garages today, so I grabbed a couple. Had to come back to say thanks for the advice.
Good thinking Batman :)
I agree. The use of toxic chemicals is out of control. Keep us posted on the outcome.
Love the idea of a greenhouse built with timber frame. Don't feel like you have to explain yourself too much about not doing other large projects. You've been going strong for so long, and now that you have a comfortable setup, it's time to decompress and enjoy life a little more.
Hi Kris, A tip on filling seed trays. Use the bottom of a spare tray to compact the compost down on the tray you are filling, one push will do the lot.
Nice Vlog. Keep safe
Not boring at all. Love this video. Very relaxing
It's brilliant what you have achieved and such a lovely Home.Bliss the birds and sheep noise real calming and relaxing instead where I live traffic noise.Keep up the great work your both doing. ☺
Hey Kris I don't live in the UK I live in the states but have been gardening for about 30 to 40 years off and on and have had laying hens a great deal of the time and that's all I used was the chicken manure and it does a fantastic job. And also I had some neighbors that breed rabbits and I had really good luck with the rabbit poo as well so with you having hens you should be all set. Keep up the great work !!!!
Kris so sad to hear about the garden So a while back my neighbor told me about wood chips. My soil has a lot of clay and in the summer it turns to concrete. So I had the local tree guy dump a load of wood chips in driveway for free. I spread them out in a couple of places. the next year in the summer I move the chips to one side and I could push my finger right down into the grown. Trees roots go deep in the grown and pull up minerals that plants need. So as they decompose they make these nutrients available for your plants. I have been doing this for 5 years now and I have lush fertile black soil. My vegetables are the envy of the neighborhood. I would be happy to send you pictures of the garden and the soil. James has been doing this garden channel as long as you have been building and has a lot of great info. Good luck. So I also am a wood worker and all my wood chips saw dust and such go right in the compost pile along with all my garden and tree trimmings. I have 2 6 ft in diameter piles, at the end of the year I take the oldest pile and spread around my garden. then repeat each year. th-cam.com/users/ThePermaculturGarden
I just love watching you and your lady it really has been helping with my depression and the stress of potentially losing a job I've been at for 11 years.
Edited to add ..I am sorry to hear about the weedkiller affecting your crop I can't beileve they sell that crap and I wonder does that stuff affect horses as well?.
So hard to get the purity we want in in what we put in our gardens. Hope that compost works out. All the best . You are a great gardener. Hello from Canada 😉🌱🇨🇦
My new favorite channel
I like how you're prioritizing your projects to maintain sanity and focus on what's more valuable.
In most apprenticeships your goal is to get red seal certified.
In your gardening apprenticeship your goal is to get green thumb certified.
Love the idea of the hedgerow. Hopefully it will all take root.
I’m so sorry about the poison in your garden. What a low blow. Sending good thoughts your way, and hoping you’ll still be able to eat some of the produce.
Really enjoying watching the gardening video.
The other thing I heard of was what they worm horses with, which can also affect our compost! Keep up gardening Kris and Dot, awesome what you're doing in the garden, doing the same downunder going into winter but doing the prep work for spring.
Kris - so sorry to hear about the weedkiller after all your work. On the other hand better to find out about it now and be able to devise a way (perhaps) of ensuring that you do not get caught out again. So interesting to see your work on the garden (another side of you). Not all your work is lost - the fences - layout etc will still be there for the future.
Re the weed killer... your crop should be okay to eat... try aerating the soil as often as possible over the Summer. Put the rest of the manure on flowers and maybe trees. If my memory serves me well Charles Dowding did a vlog about it a few years back. Charles n Huw are fantastic ... Huw especially should be helpful re sowing and planting times as he is near your area. PS. The slugs n snails will find you soon.... save wild BlackBerry sticks and place them along side your seedlings. The pesky varmints won't want to slide over the prickles. Have fun. xx
This is a very nice relaxing video. Love watching your work.
Don’t beat yourself up mate, nothing you could have done. Lesson learnt and it won’t happen again now 👍🏻
Weed killer. How gutted would you be mate. All that work. Damn. We’ve started a garden about the same time as you and have used the neighbours horse manure. It could happen to us also. So many toxic chemicals around in agriculture. If you need to start again, so be it. You’re an encouragement. A year from now, this setback will be forgotten. I once had a toxic battery leak and had to remove 100 tonnes of soil in a tip truck. It almost broke me, but it’s only a memory now.
I realize this is a bit after the fact and you probably know this now, but when i was young we had a garden and always planted the squash and pumpkins in hills about 3 to 4 feet apart. These were the kind that grew with vines. I guess the seeds need good drainage-susceptible to rot, hence the hills. I do miss getting good soil under my fingernails. Good relaxing and stress relief the natural way. Good job.
This video is everything I needed today. Thank you Kris for bringing us along on your gardening venture. This is what makes my soul happy. 🌱💚
Bad news about the beans and peas but it seems the majority of your garden is doing well. If the compost has been sitting that long hopefully there is enough weed killer to hurt it, but not kill it and as the plant gets more mature and hardy it might adapt to its environment. I would just double check the food grown from is still safe to eat. He probably also gets the horse feed from multiple sources and possibly you were lucky enough to end up with a portion of it that had the weed killer for that bed. Good luck man and thanks for sharing!
What a bummer about the insecticide. I feel bad after all the hard work you guys put into it. But looking on the bright side, it’s better than you found out now. Lesson learned. Best of luck, you’re doing a great job
Oh Kris, I know how disappointed you and Dot must be, it’s not just the hard work, or the damaged/lost plants, it’s another real world example of how humans continue to damage the environment. Finally, it’s the ever present concern that goes through your head continuously, worrying if you should even risk eating anything. For that reason alone, I encourage you to roll up your sleeves like you have done so many times in the past, fire up the tractor, and remove all contaminated compost, and replant. In the long run you will be glad you did. Wish I was there to help and provide encouragement!
Your garden is really coming along nicely. I especially love the idea of a willow hedge / fence surrounding the garden. Looking forward to the greenhouse build. Stay safe and hugs from South Africa
Unless you eat a lot of radishes or are selling them, plant about 50 cm of radishes every couple of weeks. They can be planted in between other plants quite well also. Sucks about the compost. Love the willow fence. Something to consider in the short term is set some beds along the fence to grow your peas and beans! Best of luck!
Not a boring video... Just relaxing to play while I work on a new project.🙂 And I'm so sorry about the compost issue. I honestly believe weed killers and pesticides in our food chain have created health problems that didn't exist decades ago... Like maybe celiac disease? Even those of us who don't have that disease can be extremely sensitive to wheat flour that hasn't been organically grown. I wish we humans could take better care of the planet, working with it instead of against it.
Definitely not boring content mate. really enjoy these types of videos
I’m so sorry for y’all. You’ve both worked so hard. Fingers crossed it will all work out. Beds and hedge fence look amazing.
Everything is looking good and coming on great. I am gutted for you both as well, I can only imagine the feeling after weeks of labour on it all. Fingers crossed the plants pull through.
Thank for the content.
If everyone (farmer, builder...) took so much effort to protect and make new diverse ecosystems, world would be a better place.
Another lovely video. Sorry about the weedkiller! However garden looking good. So enjoy seeing how your living the dream nice to see. 👍
happy with the gardening content. My own garden got very ambitious this year, and I too am an apprentice. Be well, stay safe.
Hi Kris, loved video. It’s great to see that you’re able to take time during these times to enjoy the gardening and work on the smaller projects. Sounds like a good idea to hit pause on the top workshop. I’d love to hear your plans about the new house if you’re considering a ‘just talk at the camera’ video. All the best to you and Dot.
So sorry about your compost , all that hard work , hope it works out , sending positive vibes .
Hi Kris, so sorry about the fertilizer issue ... didn't see that coming and I'm sure, neither did you. Well, now we know. I would think you're going to have to get it out of there ... that will put a stop to the consent thinking about it.
The fence is serene to look at even if it didn't grow ... I hope it grows though, can't wait to see what it looks like. Willow is a wonderful plant.
Thanks for bring us along ... all my best to you both.
I worked in the pesticide industry, I grow organic on my 5 acre plot. I also used to do small beds, but the use of mechanical weed control (rotavator) now means I use one large ploughed area, with plenty of space between crop. Its a lot less time consuming, the plants get masses of space, and so less intensive, with less of an input requirement. Between row with rotavator, in row with hoe/hand fork or mini rake. Be aware of the wind when you construct your greenhouse, it takes one gust in a storm to destroy, i used twin wall polycarbonate. Doesn't break when it gets blown out! Just have to find it again. No rabbit issues? Crows have had 2 of my chicks so far this year..
I’m a Charles Dowding fan too. My garden is doing really great due to him. Btw, love your channel and enjoying all your brilliant woodworking.
love this channel , you have the best life. you created it . its beautiful
Sorry to hear about the weedkiller Kris! Mankind has used and abused the earth for millennia.. but it is quite surprising how quickly it can bounce back given a little helping hand, which is what you are doing! Just doing your bit, and reaping the edible benefits in the process. 🍇🍊🍋🍅🍄🌽🍏🍓🥒🥕🥔👏 Well done mate!
Awwww that's such a disaster for you. You're doing amazing things on your land. I cant wait to buy some land and do something similar on a much smaller scale
Leave boards down near the beds. Slugs will sleep under them and just chuck the board on the chicken coop in the mornings!
Love the garden and willow fence. You may have to dig out the contaminated soil and replace it. I feel for you.
kris; i think i have similar soil structure like yourself and have even had similar problems with horse manure. i have since used pine/fir tree mulch in my garden and the acidity has helped even out the soil. helped get rid of some of the garden issues including for my fruit trees which had spots on the leaves and unhealthy fruit. this year im looking at a bumper crop of fruit and veggies...
Hi Kris, have you considered Hugelkultur beds for your garden?
I'd have thought it ideal with all the wood / organic material available to you.
On the weed killer thing, I believe from watching some other gardening channels that this is a problem even with a lot of commercially available compost. Hope the plants come through OK and you're able to enjoy all your hard work.
Thanks for all the videos.
It looks like he already put some logs at the bottom of the raised beds
sorry about your mishap Kris! that sucks. hopefully your plants pull through. usually heating these compounds causes them to decompose or at least significantly reduce their effectiveness (kinda like drugs). since compost piles can get really hot it might be partially neutralized. in the future if continue using your neighbors compost - which is a great source for free, you might want to figure out a way to test for the compound in the compost or even find a way to disable it. maybe by laying compost in the thin layer in the son, or covered by black tarp to increase heat. IDK, could be a solvable problem. i hope it works out for you best way possible
I had a similar problem with broad beans and thought it was me not doing something right so that is for sharing - I reckon your video helped me recognize a problem I didn’t even think about. I bought an organic compost for container gardening on my balcony and had some produce but really mixed results and the plants really struggled to grow. Unfortunately I ate everything I could 😐 I watched a video by Charles Downing after yours about how to remedy this and contact with actual soil and the organisms that live in soil heals the compost with some time. That’s not an option for my balcony veg containers though so I guess I’ll have to get rid of it completely 🙁 but again thank you for sharing your bad news because without it I don’t think I would have even considered it because I bought flipping organic compost! Crazy world we live in.
Love how you weaved the willows, thanks Kris! 👍👍💯💯
This video was not boring. It was relaxing. Thank you!
Yes priorities Kris and have some down time in the garden, Mr Dowding great very easy guy to follow, works from the soil (no dig, well amended soil) right through seedlings (multi sowing), thermal heat from compost to aid germination ........... just watch his channel you'll get it, so very satisfying when you start to harvest your own produce, so tasty. It has been problem for a lot of gardeners the weed killer issue we have had some commercial bagged compost which Im sure has been affected by it, but oddly not all my plants have been stunted just some areas totally agree should never have been allowed and now we have to deal with it, so we just pull the plants damaged, mark the areas affected leave them till next season, hopefully you won't lose to much. Im just loving watching your Homestead take shape, you have achieved so much when you think back to when you first started living on site, keep up the good work.
once that hedge fills in its going to look incredible!, well done!
The bean curling could also be a virus, rather than a persistent biocide. Are there aphids on beans in past years when the beans thrived (aphids are vectors for Bean Common Mosaic Virus)? Is there a mix of yellow mottled leaves and healthy green leaves, which is a symptom of that virus? The curled and elongated leaves is another symptom of that virus.
Beautiful to see your garden and hedgelaying, and helpful to learn the techniques. Happy and healthy spring!
Kris a good root veg to grow is Jerusalem artichoke....easy to grow low maintenance.....and are really good for you...
Plant some yarrow in your contaminated bed. Cut off all the flowers before they open to protect your pollinators. Pull the plants out roots and all at the end of the season and dispose of them. Yarrow is used to clean out even heavy metals (like cobalt and lead). I suppose as PA breaks down within 18 months you could compost the yarrow in a spot downhill from your food gardens/orchard.
Yay, a greenhouse build, looking forward to seeing your design come to life! Compost issue is a nightmare, but don’t dwell on it. I hear you though it’s a terrible situation humans are producing and as always comes down to money and greed! Making your own will resolve the issue moving forward so your on course! Please give us an update on your findings and solution.
You guys have a lot to be proud of, you are right about the weed killer, take it easy and God Bless ❤️
I'm glad you started your veggie plot and keep chickens, I believe you should've done this long time ago. I just can't see any point in living on a land yet you buy your food from the dreadful supermarket! I know you had other projects to do but for me having your own food is number one priority. 👏
Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about that dreadful weedkiller. Another vloger had same issue few, she documented that on her vlog, it's called fye nest, check it out or contact her. Terrible stuff.😢
That was real bad news right at the end the way the weed killer found its way to you in such a round about fashion, hopefully it won't be too bad and things will grow and be edible. Great video yet again.
So sorry about the weed-killer. Humans eh? Love the garden. Hope maybe you will consider putting up a water tank at some stage.
in case the summers get drier.
If anyone can sort the garden, you can Kris. At least you discovered the problem early.
Use coir peat expandable bricks. It is a bi-product of coconut processing. Wonderful water retaining product and protects our precious natural peat bogs.
Love all your videos. Thanks for producing and sharing them. One note, in the world of companion planting, peas and most legumes are mortal enemies (opposite of companions) of Onions, most alliums including leeks. Keep them apart for best results. Peas are friendly to most things because the add nitrogen, and are good for heavy feeders like corn, curbits, tomatoes and peppers.
Societies currently very interested in gardening as someone who has been gardening for a few years I have noticed this year a much bigger demand for seeds and equipment.
I never thought of that kind of process poisoning. That sucks guys. Yes it should be bloody band from this world .maybe all of us on line xxx an do a partition on your channel to have this weed killer band and others that pose such a threat to your world and animals. I will be the first one to sign it Chris! The hedge looks amazing. You could also add loops on top of the hedge if you want it higher. Do you get dear there where you are? They can jump very high. What about rabbits? Could also add an electric fence around it with an old solor battery? Just some thoughts o love what your doing . Can't wait to see the greenhouse guys. Sending love and good health ❣️ from Australia ❤️💙
Somewhere in the middle of the video I started picking at dry skin on my hand from chemicals I had come in contact with and wondered if you had noticed any improvements to your skin and body after moving away from the city. Then you talked about the weed killer in the horse hay and my heart sank. Best of luck there - you've put in a lot of work on the garden.
"Got to build a greenhouse for the tomatoes! " I'm crying lol ;-) if anyone can Kris can.
Looks like the UK put a hold on that herbicide back in 2004 I think because of the issue of it being found in manure and ruining vegetable gardens. Then they decided to remove the hold around 2009 so it's back in use again. I was thinking about using someone's horse manure for my own garden but have decided against it because I can't be sure of what the horse may have been eating and how that would affect my garden. So I will just stick with my own compost. Watch your potatoes, tomatoes and beans. They would be the things affected. Good luck. Enjoy watching your videos.
I was so enjoying you planting and how wonderful everything was growing. The you came back on with this devastating news about the poison. I hope most of the plants can survive and are eatable
Lovely fence, Kris.
Broadbeans and Dill are as I've heard good companions against blackfly. Marigolds are helpful too against something.... don't know the English word. And onions and carrots love eachother, both in the ground and in the pan. (Look up the recipes for hutspot, kale stamp pot and more of those 😀)
I am excited to see the greenhouse build
Because of my electronic engineering background I cant stop thinking about your electrical system. Could you explain a little bit more "detailed" about your power generation and consumption? About how much power comes from solar, from wind, Is it enough for your needs or do you have to shut down something to leave the batteries charging up again? Or are they 99% of the time fully charged up and wasting the incoming power? Do you schedule your work because of the electric power available? Would love to know a bit more of that. For now Ill keep enjoying your gardening vids! Amazing job
Have you been through his back catalogue at all? He has covered this stuff in quite a lot of detail already.
Don't quote me on this, but I thought he has previously mentioned that he had more than enough for his daily needs.
At least, that's the impression I got from watching his videos for more than a year.
I do agree that a video about his electrical system would be pretty interesting to watch!
@Totial Jesse is 100% right. Only recently is his Q&A under the porch iirc. Kris gave verbal answers to pretty much exactly your Q's. Go watch that - and _all_ his other great content.
YOUR ARE A HARD WORKING MAN AND LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
perfect timing - was just binge watching ur channel 😂
Love the chill videos mate 👍 sorry to hear about the chemical crap
I really enjoyed this video. Sorry to hear about the weed killer. That totally sucks. Great work on the planting and willow hedge!
Nice Kris , ciao alex from Milan italy. 👏 👍🌳🌲🌻🌼🌷
I'm so sorry about your weedkiller discovery. Let's hope the effects are not too severe, after all your hard work.
Love the gardening videos mate not boring at all. I've just planted some corn, moneymakers tomatoes, san marzano tomatoes and a variety of peppers. 👍
The willow windbreak is charming and the hedgerow a lovely boundary.
So sorry to hear that crap all I could say is that the soil association should be able to give us all a bit of positive support
I need to replace my fence and your fence is giving me ideas...
cats do not like to scratch in soil that has chunks of bark in it. If you can get chunky pine bark, put it down as a mulch in your beds. You will have to wait until your seedlings are up before putting down the mulch. Also, you can also use pine cones. If those are not available, place rows and rows of twigs, about 6" sticking up out of the soil. It makes it impossible for the cat to walk through. If none of these work, dig a small area of soil for her to have for her own. They like soft soil.
Lovely to see the garden again, and the hedge looks great! There is definately more than one cause for curling leaves like that, so I've got my fingers crossed that you find out its not weedkiller after all and you can still get a good crop.
Thanks for highlighting this. We had to stop growing tomatoes an potatoes a couple of years ago due to what we thought was blight but looking at the pictures of aminopyralid damage I fear that we may have brought in contaminated compost.
It was banned for a period but how they were able to get their licence to sell the stuff reinstated is near criminal.
Good plan! With the workshop. Use this year to get the little jobs and enjoyable things done. We’ll be watching all the same :)
Ive not been a sub of ur channel for long, but i want to say i love what ur doing and wat u have done!
To me its the perfect life!
Working to better urself and ur life, not making someone else rich!
Understand your frustration about the weedkiller, I have to believe the world is changing for the better. More countries and communities are banning it. Most annoying after feeling so enthused over things growing only to discover the unknown evil lurking. However, well impressed with the willow hedge fence! Looks fab, I previously made fences as wind protectors for veg out of twigs I found lying around my old garden. Totally jealous of your patch and lifestyle. 😁
Always a pleasure to watch you work, very motivating for me to get off my arse! 👍🌱💚
A great trick to get the „crossing points“ in the willow fence to grow together. skrew a skrew at the cross point... this will damage the cabium starting of the process and soon it will be grown together... making the hedge alot stronger...like super basik grafting!
From experience, the leaf curling in broad beans is often down to herbicides. Did you put manure on the bed, or compost that has come from another (as in outside) source? If so, it could contain herbicides. The leaf curl is a classic sign of herbicide contamination. I would strongly suggest ditching the entire contents of the bed and leaving it fallow for a year. Start the broad beans again from scratch and plant them in another bed.
Did you actually watch the video?
Hi Kris. Charles Dowding did a video about aminopyralids. If I remember rightly, it only affects some species like beans and tomatoes and potatoes, but is broke down by soil organisms in a year.
Just found your channel. Really like it so far.