Thanks so much for your support! Cheers & Thanks, Gary! Visit My Seed and Garden Shop The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD Popular Items from My Seed and Garden Shop... The Rusted Garden T-Shirts: bit.ly/4cSTuVA Seed Starting, Growing, and Pest Management Neem Oil: bit.ly/43IJl9C Peppermint Oil: bit.ly/43IJl9C Rosemary Oil: bit.ly/43IJl9C 100 Gallon Fabric Pots (approximately 100 Gallons): bit.ly/3PMoZ9S #20 Gallon Fabric Pots (21.32 Gallons): bit.ly/43Hz9OA #10 Gallon Fabric Pots (10.44 Gallons): bit.ly/3J5lEyK #5 Gallon Fabric Pots (4.3 Gallons): bit.ly/3J5lEyK 1 Quart Seed Starting Fabric Pots: bit.ly/43HQE1c Seed Starting Standard Plastic Flats: bit.ly/4cF326m Seed Starting Cells/Containers:bit.ly/3PMaCT1 2 1/2" Square Seed Starting Containers: bit.ly/43GOQWv 3" x 4" Round Seed Starting Containers: bit.ly/3TYckD7 Seed Starting Flats with Drainage Holes: Coming Soon 'No Potting Up' Large 6 Cells for Seed Starting: bit.ly/3xiLBIK Seed Collections and Packs The Rusted Garden 'Scan and Grow' Collection Scan the QR Code for Planting Instructions: bit.ly/43HYBDQ 10 Cool Weather Garden Crops for Spring & Fall: bit.ly/3xw3Ji5 10 Leafy 'Greens' Varieties for an Easy Greens Garden: bit.ly/4akuHIl The Rusted Garden Heirloom Tomato Seed Selections: bit.ly/49towQK The Rusted Garden Pepper Seed Selections: bit.ly/3U1G1TM My Amazon Garden Store Front As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Just use my... The Rusted Garden Amazon Influencer's Storefront link at www.amazon.com/shop/garypilarchiktherustedgarden anytime you shop. I put the products I use and discuss, in videos, there and have gardening products set up by categories. Such as Grow Lights, Fertilizers, Pest Control, and More. My 2nd TH-cam Channel Geared Towards Brand New Gardeners My First Vegetable Garden: bit.ly/3POOjMq My Podcasts The Rusted Garden Homestead... All About Growing, Cooking and Sharing Food: bit.ly/443SSGL My Blogs The Rusted Garden Journal: bit.ly/3vznpBl Join this channel to get access to Perk Memberships which focus on providing small live garden mentoring Q & A sessions, classes, and member influenced videos: th-cam.com/channels/ptL6_qMImyW_yZwiMjQdpg.htmljo My Books: The Modern Homestead Garden: Growing Self-Sufficiency in Any Size Backyard Available Now amzn.to/40rfkIb Growing An Edible Landscape: How to Transform Your Outdoor Space Into a Food Garden Available November 2023 amzn.to/41tfno2 Products I Use and Recommend and I have an affiliation with them: GreenStalk Vertical Gardening Towers Use the Discount Code THERUSTEDGARDEN on GreenStalk 'Vertical Tier Systems'. Use this link and enter my code for the discount greenstalkgarden.com/?rstr=therustedgarden AgroThrive Organic Bio-Fertilizers Use my affiliate link and my code TRG10 to save 10% on your first order: agrothrive.com/?ref=M5o6fjdAruq_S Vegega Metal Raised Beds Check out all the metal bed design & colors (dozens) at Vegega. Here is my affiliate link use my code TRG to save 10%: www.vegega.com/?ref=le64f3gm30 There is often free shipping and my code does NOT stack when current sales are active and equal to or above 10% off. Follow The Rusted Garden on Instagram: bit.ly/4aiMQ9l Follow The Rusted Garden on Meta/Facebook: bit.ly/49tP2cF Follow The Rusted Garden on Threads: bit.ly/49tPesp Follow The Rusted Garden on TikTok: bit.ly/4cFGQZR Join me in my Private Meta/FB Group: The Rusted Garden Homestead: bit.ly/3xlvSbH Contact Me at therustedgardenmerch@gmail.com for questions or if you are interested in collaborations, affiliations or advertising. #gardening #gardeningtips #garden #gardentips @THERUSTEDGARDEN
Thanks for a realistic view of time rquired to make leaf compost/soil. Too many Y-tubers give the impression that it can be done in a couple or so months. My experience is almost exactly as outlined here. I have found that mowing the leaves helps decomposition just a little.
If you turn weekly you can speed it up to but I figured I would start with the time line with minimal work. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com Join this channel ($3.99 a month) to get access to Live Chat Garden Mentoring Q&A Perks: th-cam.com/channels/ptL6_qMImyW_yZwiMjQdpg.htmljoin
I have PUH-lenty of access to leaves and have loved using this method. I now have (2) 4x4X4 bins goings and it works great. Snow is a fabulous "moisture -add" during the winter.
Gardening on a budget. Yes!! Last year I started collecting my neighbors bagged leaves for my own leaf bins. I am anxious to learn more ways to save money. Thanks so much, Gary.
Composting is the biggest way. So great start. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I like to use diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to speed up the breakdown of leaves. By law it is 32.5% pure urea and the rest distilled water. It's available everywhere and cheap. I mix 4 oz in 2 gallons of water, put it on top and then water it in.
Interesting. I never heard of that. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
That mixed pile, if you dump that pile out of there, and just layer it back up, soaking each layer as you go, (about 6 inch layer)and if you turn it one time in the beginning of march you will have some pretty good compost by may, but you have to keep that pile from becoming hydrophobic it should be a little wetter then a damp sponge all the time. also, if you do the same thing except chop the whole pile up with your mower first, all of that would be mixed together so well, it won't need any extra N. My pile i just add whatever i have to it all summer and into the fall, the last part in the fall is basically just oak leaves , but they are well chopped up and each layer soaked down, the walls are piles of logs about 5" high, the logs keep it from drying out , it's about 6' x6' and 5 ' high, if i don't turn it in march i'll just use the top foot of it to start the new pile in spring or use it as mulch....... and remember, composting can turn into a hobby all by itself...lol
Lol it can be a hobby for sure. You tips really increase the speed of breakdown but like you said it becomes work. This is more of the way to do it without overly turning it. But anytime you turn a pile it really helps. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I agree, moisture and oxygen are critical for the fungal breakdown of leaves. I have a 5' X 5' X 5' jumping worm proof leaf mold bin I start every fall in zone 5a. A couple years ago I dumped an entire worm bin of at least 5 thousand worms to see what would happen. When I started using the partially broken down leaves for worm bedding that early summer, I realized I created a very large worm bin, lol. Last year I only added about a thousand worms, same result. This year I am going to bury a couple pumpkins in the center with another thousand worms or so. One thing I discovered with large volume leaf mold bins is it helps to turn them a couple times, once in the spring, then about mid to late summer. The bottom 3 or 4 inches get compressed and can go anaerobic. Adding the composting worms adds the benefit of worm castings in the finished leaf mold, which contains a lot of beneficial enzymes to promote plant growth. Stay Well Gary!!!!
Pumpkin in the middle is a great idea. I have done that. Turning is good for sure. Cheers. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Just made 10 big trash bags of pulverized leaves. Set them on north side of tree saturate tie shut poke a few holes near the tie walk away. Next September 1 I have wonderful black gold. Right now you jump start my dreaming and scheming about 2025 gardens. Your voice is therapeutic. Thanks
Ah glad to help and nice on the 10 bags. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Appreciated. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Thanks it is handy. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Any nitrogen source helps. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Coffee grounds are terrific for the leaf composting process! The local coffee shops would be happy for you to take the spent grounds off of their hands! When I put my raised beds to rest in fall, I add a couple of inches of leaves, a layer of coffee grounds, and another layer of leaves, finished compost and topped with leaves. My garden beds are absolutely beautiful next spring. Urine works very well as well!
You can invest in another hose, add one to the other for length to reach the other side. Connect and disconnect as needed. That's what I do. Thanks for the compost info, I needed to know some of this.
True. Thats how I get it out as far as it goes but another 20 feet would help. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Its great to get started. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I have used old compost bins to pile up woodchips and leaves. I wish I had put bricks on the edges to lift the bottom of the bin up so I could continually havest more easily. Great vids thanks
Glad to share. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I have a big pile about 4x the size of the one you are showing in the video where I pile all my oaks. After I add a layer I dump around 4 gallons of water so I'm hoping it has moisture all the way through. My big problem has been the tree roots but I did put some boards down first this year from a recommendation I heard from you recently. Hopefully that will help.
Oak leaves are thick. So moisture and a nitrogen jumpstart can help. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I built a new raised bed for strawberries next spring. Waiting on my compost pile to finish working of. Lots of leafs, straw that was covering cover crop seeds until they sprouted. Cleanings from the garden and a ton of horse manure. I built a rack on on top of my compost bin that has a container with several small holes drilled in in for water to drizzle on to the compost bin and it’s is running at 140.
Nice heat and watering method. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Thanks. Good luck in 2025. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com Join this channel ($3.99 a month) to get access to Live Chat Garden Mentoring Q&A Perks: th-cam.com/channels/ptL6_qMImyW_yZwiMjQdpg.htmljoin
Glad to help. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Glad to share. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
What helps to get a big pile to break down even faster is to create a void in the center. I would make a screen tube down the center to get air and water through more easily. Saw it on a channel from a gardener in the UK.
I run my leaves over once, or twice, with my mower, before I dump them into the compost bin. They break down faster that way, and I get some grass clippings mixed in for nitrogen, as well. Mowing them gets me dirt in a year.
That works well. Mine are picked up in a tractor mower. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Gary, have you experimented with some type of pipe like pvc to get oxygen and water to the center of the pile. Maybe move the pipe system around the pile. I plan to that this year.
No but that would be interesting. I have a tube with holes it in from very old composting gardening hole videos. Thats a good idea. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I live in the low desert, my compost is kept damp and I turn my compost almost every day. It is in city garbage bins given from the city with holes drilled all around it and no bottom. I am amazed how fast I am getting beautiful compost. Within a few months I have my second batch just about ready and the next one a couple of weeks and that will be done also. Besides garden and kitchen scraps I have added bags of leaves from a friend's yard and coffee grinds from Starbucks. I have added a little fertilizer from time to time along with some finished compost added. Hope this helps you!
Glad to help. Moisture is the key to life in the pile. Maybe soak your and then tarp the top. Good luck Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
@cynthiafisher9907 / In highland deserts, water is more important than compost. Already, there are microorganisms that gave birth to more than compost in 1g of soil. Moisture maintenance is more important. Leaf mold microorganisms. Various insects are difficult to reproduce without moisture. That's why it provides moisture when composting is made. Dig holes & pits more than 50cm deep to fill organic matter, or fill them with sand and gravel except fine particles so that the holes are not filled, and let water permeate into the pits well to store a lot of water in the ground. Please search for images on TH-cam + Google below Half-moons greening =It is recommended by the United Nations as a way to farm by storing water in the ground in desertified areas where there is less precipitation Rather than collecting the leftover crop waste separately to make compost, it is a similar farming method to an no-till cover crop using grass roots by covering it on the spot and maintaining moisture + preventing temperature rise + warming effect one rock dam = It is a way to slow the flow of water by building low piles of stones on high elevations with low precipitation. You can dig a hole in the path of the water and fill it with small stones so that it can seep more into the ground ธนาคารน้ำบาดาล =It's a way for Thai farmers to store water in the ground during the rainy season, and waste tires + glass bottles should never be used. Just keep in mind that foreign countries have this way. Never copy. Even if you copy, just dig small pits and fill them with sand gravel or something, as explained in the beginning
My kids trampoline broke and I didn't have a way to take it to metal recycling took the mesh off and enclosed the metal bottom with chicken wire left an opening for me to get in putting all my leaves in it also going to over winter some of my pots in it too. Lots of mature trees in my yard. Zone 7b
@godisnotmocked1345 thank you I have 2 layers of cardboard as I use it all up I plan on moving it around different spots in my yard wherever it works best at.
@@lauriehall7841 Even though all my raised beds and containers have wood or plastic bottoms, I discovered tree roots had grown halfway up on all of them if not more. They came in through the drainage holes. SO ANNOYING. Same with all my compost bins. But now that I know, next year's harvest will be that much better :)
Great repurpose! Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Glad to share and let me know if you have questions. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Good point. Very high in nitrogen. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com Please visit my seed and garden shop www.therustedgarden.com Join this channel ($3.99 a month) to get access to Live Chat Garden Mentoring Q&A Perks: th-cam.com/channels/ptL6_qMImyW_yZwiMjQdpg.htmljoin
Thanks for this! I love making compost! I like to sprinkle some urea on my leaves, 46-0-0, it’s the cheapest nitrogen you can buy! I like to leave the grass clippings on the lawn to break down and feed the soil there, my wife won’t let me use pee on the compost😊!
That works for sure. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Glad to share Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Glad to share Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
That should help. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
One thing I've been doing is using drip irrigation on a timer and connecting a plastic sprayer designed to connect to a hose with my nitrogen solution. That seems to be working out well so far.
Very cool. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I find making the compost pile in any kind of enclosure causes turning it to be much more time and work. Just piling ingredients on the ground works great for me, allowing unrestricted turning, and then keep it covered with a plastic sheet to keep in the moisture, keep out the rain - too much moisture, and help keep in a little more heat.
That works. The entire front of my pens open so it makes it a bit easier in general. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Thats a good idea. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
So nice and that is the key. Get started. And soon you'll have so much. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
It is a bit expensive and only a 5 nitrogen. It would work and help but not as much of a jumpstart compared to 10+ nitrogen. But still helps! Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
It doesn't require anywhere close to two years to compost leaves. Skip the wire cage and containers. Get a pitchfork. The containers will limit the benefit of the pitchfork. Add water from a hose and add nitrogen of your choice. Turn the pile weekly with the pitchfork. Add nitrogen and water with each weekly toss. The leaves will break down rather fast. Smoke will come off the compost as you turn it. I eventually tired of turning the leaves. Instead, I simply tilled them directly into the garden. I added three hundred bags annually. Still added water and nitrogen. By the end of the gardening season the leaves disappeared.
Yeah turning is the key for faster compost. If you let it sit it takes longer. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Yes you can. The nitrogen will all ge used up. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Thankful I have Chickens to add that waste as “urine” for the breakdown process! I have 4 compost bins of which 1 is in the chicken yard. Plus the chicken yard itself I’m discovering is a compost yard too!
With limited space to compost leaves, I shred leaves on a concrete pad with a mower and stuff them into 55 gallon contractor bags. The contractor bags fit neatly under the deck--style points from neighbors who view life through Better Homes and Gardens. A concrete pad, because if you shred on the lawn, you'll never recover all the leaf residue. It comes out to about four 30 gal paper bags per contractor bag. I water the shredded leaves as I load them into the bags. There is some decomposition over the winter, but it's not complete. No worries, because as they're used for mulch over the summer, they break down quickly enough. For 300 sq ft of garden bed, I find that 12 contractor bags will cover the soil until September, when they're all used up. Note that if you go this route, the leaves will stain the concrete pad, but oh well, you can't have everything...
Great technique. I have a friend that does that. The tiny little leaf particles really break down quick. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Not really good or bad. Just a nuisance indoors. They dont speed things up. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Sunflower actually dries and becomes brittle so I break it up an compost it . Okra goes in a berm I make for birds in my wood line. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I started making leaf mold in a wire enclosure on the ground. it broke down pretty well after a year but when I started to use some I found tons of very small roots all in the leaf mold. I believe it's coming from a Large dog fur about 10 ft away. after screening it all out and moving it to a different location, I'm wondering what to do with this year's leaves. should I lay a tarp down to keep the roots from coming up into it? it's on a slight slope and I think the water will drain okay.
I have boards down under some pens. But a tarp works. Worms will climb in from the sides. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
When using weed killers on lawns, ive seen some sites say you can use grass on plants and for compose anywhere crom 6-10 wks after applying. Ive also seen where it says it takes up to 7 or more yrs. Is it for certain chemicals?
Good point. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I have a leaf vacuum I pull behind my mower it really mulches the leaves but it also sucks up the grass with it because I have to run the mower blades. My question is do the piles have to be layered or can I use the mixture.
A mix with grass through it is best. If it's not a lot of grass, a layer can help with speeding it up. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Does it matter if it is in sun or shade? I have 3 chickens and I clean their droppings out of their coop every mornning and put it in my leaf/pine needle pile. We have an acre and have a pretty big amount of leaves and pine needles. I also add their hemp bedding when I clean out the coop--probably a 5 gallon bucket amount every couple of months. It's just 3 chickens and just their manure from the night while they are in the coop, so not a ton--probably about a cup a day. They free range during the day so that manure is just spread all around the yard. They get into the leaves and scratch them down--I rake them back into a pile every couple of days. I am hoping for something good to come from it--just leaves, pine needles, and manure and chickens scratching through it fairly regularly. I am hoping the manure will speed things up. The chickens are eating the earthworms, though. No odor, but I think that is because it is being scratched down and piled back up again all the time. I realize I need one new pile and one for older stuff. This is my first attempt at anything. That is really about all I can manage to do at this point. I am older and have health limitations. I do have a pile for garden waste and it is slow-poke breaking down. But, that's ok. Thanks so much!
Not really. The key is if it is lots of sun, make sure it stays moist. The chicken manure is good stuff. Good luck. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I have made my first leaf bin. It is half full. The weather is still up and down. Its 70 degrees today and we will have low of 35 in 3 days. My problem is ants are building a mound at the bottom of leaves. Any ideas on getting rid of ant problem. I am in zone 8
I have videos on ants using borax to kill them. That should help. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I just do this for start up. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Sawdust is good if it is broken down well. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com Join this channel ($3.99 a month) to get access to Live Chat Garden Mentoring Q&A Perks: th-cam.com/channels/ptL6_qMImyW_yZwiMjQdpg.htmljoin
Perfect. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Hi Gary, thanks so much. I have a couple questions. I live in a very wet area (Vancouver, BC). If the leaves are wet when deposited (they do get packed a bit too much), but will a lot of overhead rain impede the process? what if they are deposited dry, but get all that rain? no turning required, just leave them to rot...?
If they are matted a lot they do need to buy fluffed up. I dont think the rain will overly mat them on a regularly basis. It's the initial deposit that might need fluffing. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I forgot to mention, If you have jumping worms in your area, the leaf mold WILL get infested with jumping worms if the bins have contact with the soil. I found out the hard way, had to cook the leaf mold in a pellet grill for my seed starter that fall and solarize the rest the following spring to kill the cocoons.
Bio char is a good option for when you have that happen. Dig a conical pit add that to the fire bits at a time so you don't smother the fire completely but you cook out the cocoons
Yeah that we be bad. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
What is the PH of leaf compost? Idea for a new video soil sample People say it's acidic. Been doing this for years and every year my garden gets better.
Well I never checked but they say between 6-8 and long it was composting and what leaves are used. But I figure it sits around 6.5. I need had issues with high pH. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Good stuff. Even though brown in color they have a good amount of nitrogen so will help with decay. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Shredding speeds up the process too for sure. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I do a similar thing…only quite differently. I purchased a leaf shredder years ago and shred my leaves until they are 1/4” or smaller (I shred the leaves, then sift then with a 1/4” mesh sifter into a huge bin that I saturate with water). I transport these to the garden and leave them to breakdown over the winter. My theories are: 1) I’m massively increasing the breaking down process by shredding them to “leaf bits/dust” and 2) the saturated leaf bits are not going to dry out like whole leaves are. My only concern is the potential for an anaerobic environment if they compact too much (but that should be an easy fix if it becomes a problem - turning the pile or, better yet, add tubing).
I do not rake my leaves. I mow my grass with the leaves into the mower bag. Dump it into a pile and use the mower without the bag to mulch it down to small bits. Then I use the mower with bag to suck it up and put it into my compost pile. It breaks down much quicker with the fine particles.
You can for sure. You can even turn the pile. I tend to just let it do its thing. But the turning will also speed up the process. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I turn my compost almost every day and the amount of compost being made is wonderful. I used to just let it sit but now I need much more for my garden. My compost is in used garbage bins without bottoms and half inch holes all around it. They are big bins from my city sanitation dept
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Do not need so much separation between the piles. You see the difference when you turn and move the piles. Ideally...start in one end and turn the piles one step to the side. Soil ready to use is at the end. Separate the piles just makes it more job to turn it.
Nope, as close as you wish. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
If the pile gets hot enough or if the critters break everything down so it's indistinguishable, then they'll be fine. Be sure to turn the stuff from the top and outside to the middle at some point.
I would worry about it. Very easy to pull. I have a large maple tree and seeds drop way early. I never had issue. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Im pretty sure concentrations dont remain and sitting in a pile for months would negate any residual. And then the plants would have to absorb a concentration of the medication left beyond, and you would have to eat quantity to get it to a level in your body. I dont worry about it but I have to add check with your doctor. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Glad to share Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Yes. Free is good. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
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Dec 2019. Goes so quick. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I built my first leaf mold pile 2 years ago like yours with fencing. At one year old I found it broken down but full of roots! Last year I built another next to it but placed a large piece of plywood on the bottom. Again this year, it looks great but is again full of roots!! What can I do to make make it useable?2
@ ah, likely the source of the roots. Do you have another location where shrubs or trees won’t spread their roots into your compost? I would think the compost is usable with the roots, though will be more work as you will want to chop the roots up. Hopefully Gary will chime in.
same problem! I have a large Doug Fir tree about 10ft away. I had no idea this would happen! Took me a lot of effort to clear all the roots out and move the pile. I laid a tarp down and hope this will both drain the water and prevent the roots. So, the roots came up through the plywood?!
You can really stop roots but you can break them up and use them in the garden. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Just once typically in the fall when the pile is full. However, You could do it again early spring and that would further speed things up. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Just throw a couple fish carcasses in the pile and add another one if you need to heat it back up again and you'll have a finished compost from shredded leaves in a couple months. I can produce five batches of 50 gallons of finished compost per year in my DIY compost tumbler.
Nice. Use what works for you. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
For sure Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
No. It can happen faster and rain counts. The initial pile benefits from a good soaking. After that rain works. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Turning is the ultimate speed up process. Ill be talking more about pure speed and the need to work and turn the pile. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com Join this channel ($3.99 a month) to get access to Live Chat Garden Mentoring Q&A Perks: th-cam.com/channels/ptL6_qMImyW_yZwiMjQdpg.htmljoin
I have. That works too. That is for another video and it does help. Lots of little jumpstart tricks. Maybe I'll do a video on just alfalfa. The key is to do layers or a core but... really soak them. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Good idea. I have old videos on that. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Not it's not bad. The nitrogen is was bacteria and microbes feed on and multiply. So N helps feed them generally speaking. P and K will just add to the totals. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Very True Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Its a great place. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I'm always interested in hearing about using urine in gardening/composting because I think about how many people, even gardeners, have health issues of one kind or another. The medications people take can't be copacetic for either growing or composting in my opinion.
It's a choice. Urine is sterile once to the bladder. But you would have to research medications and diseases to decide. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Cheers Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
As long as its not windy in your are, true. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
He said he can't water the compost pile with the welded wire because the hose doesn't reach . Can someone tell him that hoses can be connected together to make them longer ?😂😂
Lol, I have them together to get so far. But water pressure dies to a trickle with the well beyond. But you are right. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Human. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
I have never had an issue with it. We do have hawks and snakes around. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
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Most medicines are metabolized. Im not sure what remain if any in a compost pile. I dont worry about it but I never researched it. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com The Rusted Garden Vegetable Seeds & Home Garden Supplies: www.therustedgarden.com Earn 15% and become a TRG Affiliate for our seed & garden shop Sign Up Here: bit.ly/4aarkDD
Thanks so much for your support! Cheers & Thanks, Gary!
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Thanks for a realistic view of time rquired to make leaf compost/soil. Too many Y-tubers give the impression that it can be done in a couple or so months. My experience is almost exactly as outlined here. I have found that mowing the leaves helps decomposition just a little.
If you turn weekly you can speed it up to but I figured I would start with the time line with minimal work.
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I have PUH-lenty of access to leaves and have loved using this method. I now have (2) 4x4X4 bins goings and it works great. Snow is a fabulous "moisture -add" during the winter.
Snow also insulates.
Gardening on a budget. Yes!! Last year I started collecting my neighbors bagged leaves for my own leaf bins. I am anxious to learn more ways to save money. Thanks so much, Gary.
Composting is the biggest way. So great start.
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I like to use diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to speed up the breakdown of leaves. By law it is 32.5% pure urea and the rest distilled water. It's available everywhere and cheap. I mix 4 oz in 2 gallons of water, put it on top and then water it in.
Interesting. I never heard of that.
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Just using urea fertilizer is much cheaper - same ingridient without the need of being mixed with distilled water at the factory
@@nathanliteroy9835 cheapest is your own urea
Cheaper still, is actual urine. Can go full strength on compost piles, or dilute ten to one with water for fertilizing plants directly
That mixed pile, if you dump that pile out of there, and just layer it back up, soaking each layer as you go, (about 6 inch layer)and if you turn it one time in the beginning of march you will have some pretty good compost by may, but you have to keep that pile from becoming hydrophobic it should be a little wetter then a damp sponge all the time. also, if you do the same thing except chop the whole pile up with your mower first, all of that would be mixed together so well, it won't need any extra N.
My pile i just add whatever i have to it all summer and into the fall, the last part in the fall is basically just oak leaves , but they are well chopped up and each layer soaked down, the walls are piles of logs about 5" high, the logs keep it from drying out , it's about 6' x6' and 5 ' high, if i don't turn it in march i'll just use the top foot of it to start the new pile in spring or use it as mulch....... and remember, composting can turn into a hobby all by itself...lol
Lol it can be a hobby for sure. You tips really increase the speed of breakdown but like you said it becomes work. This is more of the way to do it without overly turning it. But anytime you turn a pile it really helps.
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I agree, moisture and oxygen are critical for the fungal breakdown of leaves.
I have a 5' X 5' X 5' jumping worm proof leaf mold bin I start every fall in zone 5a. A couple years ago I dumped an entire worm bin of at least 5 thousand worms to see what would happen. When I started using the partially broken down leaves for worm bedding that early summer, I realized I created a very large worm bin, lol. Last year I only added about a thousand worms, same result. This year I am going to bury a couple pumpkins in the center with another thousand worms or so.
One thing I discovered with large volume leaf mold bins is it helps to turn them a couple times, once in the spring, then about mid to late summer. The bottom 3 or 4 inches get compressed and can go anaerobic.
Adding the composting worms adds the benefit of worm castings in the finished leaf mold, which contains a lot of beneficial enzymes to promote plant growth.
Stay Well Gary!!!!
Pumpkin in the middle is a great idea. I have done that. Turning is good for sure. Cheers.
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Just made 10 big trash bags of pulverized leaves. Set them on north side of tree saturate tie shut poke a few holes near the tie walk away. Next September 1 I have wonderful black gold. Right now you jump start my dreaming and scheming about 2025 gardens. Your voice is therapeutic. Thanks
Ah glad to help and nice on the 10 bags.
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You always have great ideas to make gardening more fun and efficient. Thanks Gary!
Appreciated.
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Love the design of your leaf mould bins with the wooden slats down the front 👍
Thanks it is handy.
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I believe you can use 12 cups of coffee grounds to substitute blood meal. It carries a 1-0-0 ratio
Any nitrogen source helps.
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Coffee grounds are terrific for the leaf composting process! The local coffee shops would be happy for you to take the spent grounds off of their hands!
When I put my raised beds to rest in fall, I add a couple of inches of leaves, a layer of coffee grounds, and another layer of leaves, finished compost and topped with leaves. My garden beds are absolutely beautiful next spring. Urine works very well as well!
You can invest in another hose, add one to the other for length to reach the other side. Connect and disconnect as needed. That's what I do. Thanks for the compost info, I needed to know some of this.
Quick connect fixtures on all your garden hoses and hose attachments (sprinklers, spray nozzles, drip lines, etc.). I couldn't live without them.
True. Thats how I get it out as far as it goes but another 20 feet would help.
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I built my leaf pile last year, like yours using the post. It is going well. 🍃
Nice on getting started. You will like the finished compost.
Love the video. I am a back yard garden with limited space, I want to try the leaf mould. Thank you
Its great to get started.
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I have used old compost bins to pile up woodchips and leaves. I wish I had put bricks on the edges to lift the bottom of the bin up so I could continually havest more easily. Great vids thanks
Glad to share.
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I have a big pile about 4x the size of the one you are showing in the video where I pile all my oaks. After I add a layer I dump around 4 gallons of water so I'm hoping it has moisture all the way through. My big problem has been the tree roots but I did put some boards down first this year from a recommendation I heard from you recently. Hopefully that will help.
Oak leaves are thick. So moisture and a nitrogen jumpstart can help.
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I built a new raised bed for strawberries next spring. Waiting on my compost pile to finish working of. Lots of leafs, straw that was covering cover crop seeds until they sprouted. Cleanings from the garden and a ton of horse manure. I built a rack on on top of my compost bin that has a container with several small holes drilled in in for water to drizzle on to the compost bin and it’s is running at 140.
Nice heat and watering method.
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Elaborate is good, this is the compost station setup id absolutely love to set up.
Thanks. Good luck in 2025.
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I always learn something from you videos, Thanks!😊
Glad to help.
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Thank you, Gary!
Glad to share.
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What helps to get a big pile to break down even faster is to create a void in the center. I would make a screen tube down the center to get air and water through more easily. Saw it on a channel from a gardener in the UK.
That’s a great tip. Thank you for sharing
I have a compost tumbler and it has an air tube down the center. Wish I was clever enough to have added an air tube to my leaf bins.
Thanks for the tip.
I run my leaves over once, or twice, with my mower, before I dump them into the compost bin. They break down faster that way, and I get some grass clippings mixed in for nitrogen, as well. Mowing them gets me dirt in a year.
That works well. Mine are picked up in a tractor mower.
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Gary, have you experimented with some type of pipe like pvc to get oxygen and water to the center of the pile. Maybe move the pipe system around the pile. I plan to that this year.
No but that would be interesting. I have a tube with holes it in from very old composting gardening hole videos. Thats a good idea.
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Thanks for the info about the water in the compost pile. I live in a high desert and I’ve never been able to get my compost pile to break down much.
I live in the low desert, my compost is kept damp and I turn my compost almost every day. It is in city garbage bins given from the city with holes drilled all around it and no bottom. I am amazed how fast I am getting beautiful compost. Within a few months I have my second batch just about ready and the next one a couple of weeks and that will be done also. Besides garden and kitchen scraps I have added bags of leaves from a friend's yard and coffee grinds from Starbucks. I have added a little fertilizer from time to time along with some finished compost added. Hope this helps you!
Glad to help. Moisture is the key to life in the pile. Maybe soak your and then tarp the top. Good luck
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@ Thanks!
@cynthiafisher9907 / In highland deserts, water is more important than compost.
Already, there are microorganisms that gave birth to more than compost in 1g of soil. Moisture maintenance is more important. Leaf mold microorganisms. Various insects are difficult to reproduce without moisture. That's why it provides moisture when composting is made.
Dig holes & pits more than 50cm deep to fill organic matter, or fill them with sand and gravel except fine particles so that the holes are not filled, and let water permeate into the pits well to store a lot of water in the ground.
Please search for images on TH-cam + Google below
Half-moons greening
=It is recommended by the United Nations as a way to farm by storing water in the ground in desertified areas where there is less precipitation
Rather than collecting the leftover crop waste separately to make compost, it is a similar farming method to an no-till cover crop using grass roots by covering it on the spot and maintaining moisture + preventing temperature rise + warming effect
one rock dam
= It is a way to slow the flow of water by building low piles of stones on high elevations with low precipitation. You can dig a hole in the path of the water and fill it with small stones so that it can seep more into the ground
ธนาคารน้ำบาดาล
=It's a way for Thai farmers to store water in the ground during the rainy season, and waste tires + glass bottles should never be used. Just keep in mind that foreign countries have this way. Never copy. Even if you copy, just dig small pits and fill them with sand gravel or something, as explained in the beginning
My kids trampoline broke and I didn't have a way to take it to metal recycling took the mesh off and enclosed the metal bottom with chicken wire left an opening for me to get in putting all my leaves in it also going to over winter some of my pots in it too. Lots of mature trees in my yard. Zone 7b
Make sure you put wood or thick plastic on the bottom or those trees are going to grow roots all through it. I know.
@godisnotmocked1345 thank you I have 2 layers of cardboard as I use it all up I plan on moving it around different spots in my yard wherever it works best at.
@@lauriehall7841 Even though all my raised beds and containers have wood or plastic bottoms, I discovered tree roots had grown halfway up on all of them if not more. They came in through the drainage holes. SO ANNOYING. Same with all my compost bins. But now that I know, next year's harvest will be that much better :)
Great repurpose!
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@@godisnotmocked1345 prayers for you to have an abundant harvest.
I learned a lot today, thanks so much!
Glad to share and let me know if you have questions.
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I find that lawn fertiliser works great to kick start a leaf pile
4 table spoons as discussed works for me
Good point. Very high in nitrogen.
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Thanks for this! I love making compost! I like to sprinkle some urea on my leaves, 46-0-0, it’s the cheapest nitrogen you can buy! I like to leave the grass clippings on the lawn to break down and feed the soil there, my wife won’t let me use pee on the compost😊!
That works for sure.
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Excellent!
Glad to share
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Thank you for the great information 😊!
Glad to share
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Gary I am going to experiment with my leave bin and wrap layers of cardboard to keep sides from drying out
That should help.
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One thing I've been doing is using drip irrigation on a timer and connecting a plastic sprayer designed to connect to a hose with my nitrogen solution. That seems to be working out well so far.
Very cool.
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I find making the compost pile in any kind of enclosure causes turning it to be much more time and work.
Just piling ingredients on the ground works great for me, allowing unrestricted turning, and then keep it covered with a plastic sheet to keep in the moisture, keep out the rain - too much moisture, and help keep in a little more heat.
That works. The entire front of my pens open so it makes it a bit easier in general.
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How about making the centre bowl-like, and collect more rainfall?
Thats a good idea.
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I started 4yrs ago so now have lots of compost each year. Endless amounts of material as we live in a 100 acre woodlot
So nice and that is the key. Get started. And soon you'll have so much.
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Could you use liquid fish fertilizer?
It is a bit expensive and only a 5 nitrogen. It would work and help but not as much of a jumpstart compared to 10+ nitrogen. But still helps!
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It doesn't require anywhere close to two years to compost leaves. Skip the wire cage and containers. Get a pitchfork. The containers will limit the benefit of the pitchfork. Add water from a hose and add nitrogen of your choice. Turn the pile weekly with the pitchfork. Add nitrogen and water with each weekly toss. The leaves will break down rather fast. Smoke will come off the compost as you turn it. I eventually tired of turning the leaves. Instead, I simply tilled them directly into the garden. I added three hundred bags annually. Still added water and nitrogen. By the end of the gardening season the leaves disappeared.
Yeah turning is the key for faster compost. If you let it sit it takes longer.
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Can I put some Scotts fall lawn fertilizer which is 32-0-10 into mulched leaves for the nitrogen, or is that too strong?
Good question
Yes you can. The nitrogen will all ge used up.
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Do you ever turn your compost piles? Good video, thanks a lot.
I do. Leaves I mostly let them be. When I am doing grass and browns, I turn it.
Thankful I have Chickens to add that waste as “urine” for the breakdown process! I have 4 compost bins of which 1 is in the chicken yard. Plus the chicken yard itself I’m discovering is a compost yard too!
Thats great nitrogen for compost piles
Just started my first garden and compost system. I appreciate the knowledge.
With limited space to compost leaves, I shred leaves on a concrete pad with a mower and stuff them into 55 gallon contractor bags. The contractor bags fit neatly under the deck--style points from neighbors who view life through Better Homes and Gardens. A concrete pad, because if you shred on the lawn, you'll never recover all the leaf residue. It comes out to about four 30 gal paper bags per contractor bag. I water the shredded leaves as I load them into the bags. There is some decomposition over the winter, but it's not complete. No worries, because as they're used for mulch over the summer, they break down quickly enough. For 300 sq ft of garden bed, I find that 12 contractor bags will cover the soil until September, when they're all used up. Note that if you go this route, the leaves will stain the concrete pad, but oh well, you can't have everything...
Great technique. I have a friend that does that. The tiny little leaf particles really break down quick.
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My kitchen compost tumbler has a lot of bugs inside. When I open must be careful not to get bugged eyed. Are bugs good?
Not really good or bad. Just a nuisance indoors. They dont speed things up.
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Gary, how do you manage big hard stalks of garden waste like okra and sunflower?
Sunflower actually dries and becomes brittle so I break it up an compost it . Okra goes in a berm I make for birds in my wood line.
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Thanks so much
I started making leaf mold in a wire enclosure on the ground. it broke down pretty well after a year but when I started to use some I found tons of very small roots all in the leaf mold. I believe it's coming from a Large dog fur about 10 ft away. after screening it all out and moving it to a different location, I'm wondering what to do with this year's leaves. should I lay a tarp down to keep the roots from coming up into it? it's on a slight slope and I think the water will drain okay.
I have boards down under some pens. But a tarp works. Worms will climb in from the sides.
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I’m using black plastic weed barrier on the bottom of my compost bins. I’ll see how it works out come Spring/Summer.
When using weed killers on lawns, ive seen some sites say you can use grass on plants and for compose anywhere crom 6-10 wks after applying. Ive also seen where it says it takes up to 7 or more yrs. Is it for certain chemicals?
Good point.
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I have a leaf vacuum I pull behind my mower it really mulches the leaves but it also sucks up the grass with it because I have to run the mower blades. My question is do the piles have to be layered or can I use the mixture.
A mix with grass through it is best. If it's not a lot of grass, a layer can help with speeding it up.
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Does it matter if it is in sun or shade?
I have 3 chickens and I clean their droppings out of their coop every mornning and put it in my leaf/pine needle pile. We have an acre and have a pretty big amount of leaves and pine needles. I also add their hemp bedding when I clean out the coop--probably a 5 gallon bucket amount every couple of months. It's just 3 chickens and just their manure from the night while they are in the coop, so not a ton--probably about a cup a day. They free range during the day so that manure is just spread all around the yard. They get into the leaves and scratch them down--I rake them back into a pile every couple of days. I am hoping for something good to come from it--just leaves, pine needles, and manure and chickens scratching through it fairly regularly. I am hoping the manure will speed things up. The chickens are eating the earthworms, though. No odor, but I think that is because it is being scratched down and piled back up again all the time. I realize I need one new pile and one for older stuff. This is my first attempt at anything. That is really about all I can manage to do at this point. I am older and have health limitations. I do have a pile for garden waste and it is slow-poke breaking down. But, that's ok.
Thanks so much!
Not really. The key is if it is lots of sun, make sure it stays moist. The chicken manure is good stuff. Good luck.
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I have made my first leaf bin. It is half full. The weather is still up and down. Its 70 degrees today and we will have low of 35 in 3 days. My problem is ants are building a mound at the bottom of leaves. Any ideas on getting rid of ant problem. I am in zone 8
I have videos on ants using borax to kill them. That should help.
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How often would you add urine or is it just a start-up thing?
I just do this for start up.
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Im using sawdust , leaveas and chop banana trunk , it only take a month to brake down , mixing it once a week
Sawdust is good if it is broken down well.
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i keep a koi pond with a good matala mat filter so i can get my nitrogen fertilizer pretty easy.
Perfect.
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Hi Gary, thanks so much. I have a couple questions. I live in a very wet area (Vancouver, BC). If the leaves are wet when deposited (they do get packed a bit too much), but will a lot of overhead rain impede the process? what if they are deposited dry, but get all that rain? no turning required, just leave them to rot...?
If they are matted a lot they do need to buy fluffed up. I dont think the rain will overly mat them on a regularly basis. It's the initial deposit that might need fluffing.
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How about an updated indoor winter garden video? Watching an old one now. 😊🐓
Ill work on it.
I forgot to mention, If you have jumping worms in your area, the leaf mold WILL get infested with jumping worms if the bins have contact with the soil. I found out the hard way, had to cook the leaf mold in a pellet grill for my seed starter that fall and solarize the rest the following spring to kill the cocoons.
Bio char is a good option for when you have that happen. Dig a conical pit add that to the fire bits at a time so you don't smother the fire completely but you cook out the cocoons
Yeah that we be bad.
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What is the PH of leaf compost? Idea for a new video soil sample
People say it's acidic. Been doing this for years and every year my garden gets better.
Well I never checked but they say between 6-8 and long it was composting and what leaves are used. But I figure it sits around 6.5. I need had issues with high pH.
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Gary, I've been adding coffee grounds to my leaves. I get them for free from a local coffee shop. What's your take on coffee grounds?
Good stuff. Even though brown in color they have a good amount of nitrogen so will help with decay.
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I put my leaves in a trash can and then go at them with my weed wacker before putting them in a chicken wire cage to speed things up.
Shredding speeds up the process too for sure.
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I do a similar thing…only quite differently. I purchased a leaf shredder years ago and shred my leaves until they are 1/4” or smaller (I shred the leaves, then sift then with a 1/4” mesh sifter into a huge bin that I saturate with water). I transport these to the garden and leave them to breakdown over the winter. My theories are: 1) I’m massively increasing the breaking down process by shredding them to “leaf bits/dust” and 2) the saturated leaf bits are not going to dry out like whole leaves are. My only concern is the potential for an anaerobic environment if they compact too much (but that should be an easy fix if it becomes a problem - turning the pile or, better yet, add tubing).
I do not rake my leaves. I mow my grass with the leaves into the mower bag.
Dump it into a pile and use the mower without the bag to mulch it down to small bits.
Then I use the mower with bag to suck it up and put it into my compost pile.
It breaks down much quicker with the fine particles.
As the center breaks down do you push the outer edges into the center? Assuming you have nothing else to add to the pile!
You can for sure. You can even turn the pile. I tend to just let it do its thing. But the turning will also speed up the process.
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I turn my compost almost every day and the amount of compost being made is wonderful. I used to just let it sit but now I need much more for my garden. My compost is in used garbage bins without bottoms and half inch holes all around it. They are big bins from my city sanitation dept
Hi,Im having problem with garden slugs this year. I'm afraid to build any compost? 🤔
Sluggo Plus
Check out my video on snail and slugs. Just use baits with iron phosphate or sulfur. It takes care of them.
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Do not need so much separation between the piles. You see the difference when you turn and move the piles. Ideally...start in one end and turn the piles one step to the side. Soil ready to use is at the end. Separate the piles just makes it more job to turn it.
Nope, as close as you wish.
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Our neighborhood has LOTS of Maple leaves but my concern is the maple seeds that fall with the leaves will they break down as well or sprout?
If the pile gets hot enough or if the critters break everything down so it's indistinguishable, then they'll be fine. Be sure to turn the stuff from the top and outside to the middle at some point.
I would worry about it. Very easy to pull. I have a large maple tree and seeds drop way early. I never had issue.
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@@THERUSTEDGARDEN I’m pretty sure you meant would NOT…😉
1:35
I take heart meds, would urine still be good?
Im pretty sure concentrations dont remain and sitting in a pile for months would negate any residual. And then the plants would have to absorb a concentration of the medication left beyond, and you would have to eat quantity to get it to a level in your body. I dont worry about it but I have to add check with your doctor.
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Can't you add another garden hose so you can reach all your compost piles?
I can. I have several additions to get out there but hasn't been an issue till this drought. We used to get so much rain. Thanks.
Thanks
Glad to share
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Most importantly, it's free AND you know what's in it.
Yes. Free is good.
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thanks!
Thanks for watching.
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I can't believe it's been 5 years since you moved there. It feels to me like it was 2 or 3 years ago.
Dec 2019. Goes so quick.
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I built my first leaf mold pile 2 years ago like yours with fencing. At one year old I found it broken down but full of roots! Last year I built another next to it but placed a large piece of plywood on the bottom. Again this year, it looks great but is again full of roots!! What can I do to make make it useable?2
Is your bin close to trees?
@ Yes. There are small trees on neighbors property on the outside of my fence..
@ ah, likely the source of the roots. Do you have another location where shrubs or trees won’t spread their roots into your compost? I would think the compost is usable with the roots, though will be more work as you will want to chop the roots up. Hopefully Gary will chime in.
same problem! I have a large Doug Fir tree about 10ft away. I had no idea this would happen! Took me a lot of effort to clear all the roots out and move the pile. I laid a tarp down and hope this will both drain the water and prevent the roots. So, the roots came up through the plywood?!
You can really stop roots but you can break them up and use them in the garden.
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How often do you add the nitrogen? Just once?
Just once typically in the fall when the pile is full. However, You could do it again early spring and that would further speed things up.
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Just throw a couple fish carcasses in the pile and add another one if you need to heat it back up again and you'll have a finished compost from shredded leaves in a couple months.
I can produce five batches of 50 gallons of finished compost per year in my DIY compost tumbler.
But does it smell and draw animals?
Nice. Use what works for you.
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Black gold.
For sure
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I have to water leaves for 2 years?
No. It can happen faster and rain counts. The initial pile benefits from a good soaking. After that rain works.
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Why topped with pine needles?
Pine needles were just last to be picked up. No reason.
I turn my pile, so fall leaves are gone by May. 1 or 2 years takes a lot of space
Turning is the ultimate speed up process. Ill be talking more about pure speed and the need to work and turn the pile. Please visit my new blog www.therustedgardenblog.com
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Do you ever use alfalfa as a source of nitrogen for leaf composting?
I have. That works too. That is for another video and it does help. Lots of little jumpstart tricks. Maybe I'll do a video on just alfalfa. The key is to do layers or a core but... really soak them.
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I use Starbucks coffee grounds to add nitrogen to leaf compost? Good or bad idea?
I spread it out to 1/4 inch wet granular size pieces vice urine
Good idea. I have old videos on that.
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Is P K bad?:I got some water soluable 20-20-20 that needs a purpose
Not it's not bad. The nitrogen is was bacteria and microbes feed on and multiply. So N helps feed them generally speaking. P and K will just add to the totals.
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Starbucks has “grounds for the garden” at most locations for free.
Easy source of N :)
Very True
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This looks like my garden..
Its a great place.
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I'm always interested in hearing about using urine in gardening/composting because I think about how many people, even gardeners, have health issues of one kind or another. The medications people take can't be copacetic for either growing or composting in my opinion.
It's a choice. Urine is sterile once to the bladder. But you would have to research medications and diseases to decide.
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Hello Gary
Cheers
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Or better still, don't use containers. Just build a pile. More oxygen, easier to turn. And free.
As long as its not windy in your are, true.
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He said he can't water the compost pile with the welded wire because the hose doesn't reach . Can someone tell him that hoses can be connected together to make them longer ?😂😂
Lol, I have them together to get so far. But water pressure dies to a trickle with the well beyond. But you are right.
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What type of urine? Human, animal?
Human.
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Do rodents make homes in these, especially the blood meal bin?
I have never had an issue with it. We do have hawks and snakes around.
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Be sur yiu use rain water not city water nor well water
Thanks.
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Water is essential but adding worms andcseaweedcactivate very much dorsure molassesxand honey stimulate bacte4is
Thanks.
Hunh. I thought I was going to have to chase the pups around the yard with pee cups to collect the urine. ;>)
Nope. Human. A lot of people use it.
what about people that are on medications? Want it come out in your urine.
Most medicines are metabolized. Im not sure what remain if any in a compost pile. I dont worry about it but I never researched it.
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