Great Video....some of those rocks look like real ball busters! :) I use a lot if used building materials (I am in the construction business) and it was all pretty much free. And very contractor is happy to give you their twisted junk lumber after a build. I also use pallets...lots of those are free and if you go to a counter top place they usually get really long pallets with some nice heavy timbers as well...and of course free is awesome! :)
SOOO excited we finally bought our 4acre microfarmstead on the southshore and cant wait to get our gardens started. We move into it from ON by Oct and have been binge rewatching your videos. Ive learned so much about growing in NS's climate thanks to you. Also learned how to make my own mayonaise from you too! LOL Thanks for what you do!
That's great - thanks and good luck! Should have slightly better growing conditions there than here so I hope it works out well for you - keep me posted with your progress :)
Thank you for sharing. The garden I have is at grade. Seems to work. This is my first year for no till. In the past I was slugging around a tiller. Looking forward to using this method. 🇨🇦😎. I live in Bracebridge Ontario.
I have raised beds in 2 by 6 wood frames and they work great but you don't really need the wood if you dont want to spend money. I just made mounds of compost 3 feet wide by whatever length you can fit in your garden and at least 8 to 10 inches deep. With no border they might degrade around the edges but that won't bother the plants. If you put wood chips walking paths in between these beds it will help support the raised beds. I'd also recommend putting as weed barrier under the compost like thick card board or killing the vegitation with straw or black plastic first and then making compost raised beds. The reason I recommend start off with a good home made compost is because you'll get grade results without having to wait 1 or more years for your soil to become a good growing medium. Departing on your soil it could take multiple years to get it just right. If it's clay or sandy it might never be a good growing medium. Buying organic compost is expensive but using grass clippings or horse manure or hay and kitchen scraps, coffee grounds mskes great compost whivh is the best growing medium.
@@maritimegardening4887 I just got back from dropping my daughter off in Halifax, just in time for the hurricane. Actually we stayed at ketch harbour , sambro area for a few days and they are expecting a direct hit, hope it's not too hard for everyone in NS. We visited the valley and it was very nice as well. Blomiden to digby and the best seafood I've ever had. Hope everyone is safe.
Good to see a local gardener on YT. I'm going "no till" (in the process now) I'm inland a bit (Enfield). Thanks for the video. (My strawberries grow like crazy here, they're out of control)
Hey friend-- please be safe-- looks like left overs of Dorian is coming your way. You work so hard and I learn so much from your videos. I use a lot of the same practices as you. Keep up the great work and be safe
Very good advice. I was hoping you would have showed your blue hubbard squash. I have seeds but I didn't plant them this year because I have a big problem with squash bugs. Maybe next year. Catch you later.
I'm talking about people laying out hundreds of dollar when they don't have to spend a thing. It just makes no sense to me. Even if I had lots of money I'd rather donate it to those that need it rather than blow it on unnecessary expenses.
Greg, I appreciate the ideas. 😉A bed is in my future, as soon as the 100+ temps go away. I put a small narrow bed last fall for flowers to bring pollinators (it is needed when you live in a concrete jungle), the fall bed will be for garlic and kale and whatever else. Thank you!!😊✌🏼
Whole garden is a Ruth Stout garden. Nothing is tilled and I mulch everything. Don'y have to use hay for it to be a Ruth Stout garden - use what you can source. My source of easy to gather hay has dried up somewhat - so I'm using leaves and grass clippings. The worms don't care, and as long as they are doing the work breaking it down - the soil continues to improve. Hope that answers your question :)
Stance on compost tumbler? Pro:more visually appealing for food scraps in city setting and pest avoidant. Con: $, Can't do much volume and no volunteer plants :/
Garrett Zuzik never had much luck with tumbling compost. Small. Don’t get the mass to get heat. For food scraps I use worms in nesting buckets. Got to make a TH-cam about that.
Garrett Zuzik buckets that will fit one within the other. I look for a bucket that when placed one in the other has a space between the bottom of the inner and outer bucket.
Hi Greg, what type of dirt is your natural soil? I'm dealing with "carolina red" heavy clay and I'm thinking I need to work it a little more, at least in the first year. I imagine if you have an existing loamy or sandy soil that you better get away with not working the soil initially and just sheet mulching.
Mine is heavy clay for the most part. Agree that working in some organic matter in year one will get things happening am lot faster. In fact, I did a podcast on this once: maritimegardening.com/057-its-ok-to-till/
Mostly clay. Agree that it makes sense to work in some organic matter initially.... in fact, I did a podcast once on this very topic: maritimegardening.com/057-its-ok-to-till/
I have access to unlimited seaweed, but isnt there too much salt on it? Do I need to rinse it before putting it on beds in the fall? Thanks so much for any replies.
I noticed you said something about horse manure ... I didn't realize that was OK to use. Most just use cow or sheep manure. Is horse manure OK? I have a neighbour with horses and might be able to get it cheap. Any special precautions I need to take about sourcing local horse manure?
Horses don't digest seeds as well as cows and sheep. Therefore, horse manure has a higher amount of "weed" seeds. Compost it well or bury it (for compost in place)
Talk to the stablemaster about the source, but no. Yes it has weed seeds - but there's weeds in most manures. You can bury it about 4" deep to prevent them from germinating, or just cover with paper/cardboard. I have lots of vids on this topic if you do a search on my channel.
It's sand. I get the odd weed, but it stays so dry due to the natural drainage of sand (like a desert) that few weeds germinate. Look back to late May - I have a few vids talking about my sand pathways.
I love your thriftyness, attitude, and delivery! So glad I've come across youre channel! You have a new subscriber
Thanks that's great :)
Love that the question in the title of this video is answered with the thumbnail. Anti-clickbait Level: Master.
I never even thought of that - perhaps I should use that formula more often! Thanks :)
Great Video....some of those rocks look like real ball busters! :) I use a lot if used building materials (I am in the construction business) and it was all pretty much free. And very contractor is happy to give you their twisted junk lumber after a build. I also use pallets...lots of those are free and if you go to a counter top place they usually get really long pallets with some nice heavy timbers as well...and of course free is awesome! :)
The really big ones were strategically rolled down the hill and into place. Had to get my neighbors to help with a couple though.
SOOO excited we finally bought our 4acre microfarmstead on the southshore and cant wait to get our gardens started. We move into it from ON by Oct and have been binge rewatching your videos. Ive learned so much about growing in NS's climate thanks to you. Also learned how to make my own mayonaise from you too! LOL Thanks for what you do!
That's great - thanks and good luck! Should have slightly better growing conditions there than here so I hope it works out well for you - keep me posted with your progress :)
@@maritimegardening4887 ty will do!
So to sum up : free rocks , free sticks and logs , free dirt , free mulch , free labour ……...FREE FOOD! 😎
That's the short version :)
Thank you for sharing. The garden I have is at grade. Seems to work. This is my first year for no till. In the past I was slugging around a tiller. Looking forward to using this method. 🇨🇦😎. I live in Bracebridge Ontario.
Awesome! Good luck!
I understand that, to make wood last longer, you can char the surface. It could be done with a torch or by sliding it over a fire.
I've though about doing that - maybe for the next project I'll give it a go !
Thanks Greg! I'm with you! Treated lumber is toxic to the soil and crop and does not belong in the garden! The more natural the better! ❤
Your garden looks so beautiful in this video Greg
I have raised beds in 2 by 6 wood frames and they work great but you don't really need the wood if you dont want to spend money. I just made mounds of compost 3 feet wide by whatever length you can fit in your garden and at least 8 to 10 inches deep. With no border they might degrade around the edges but that won't bother the plants. If you put wood chips walking paths in between these beds it will help support the raised beds. I'd also recommend putting as weed barrier under the compost like thick card board or killing the vegitation with straw or black plastic first and then making compost raised beds. The reason I recommend start off with a good home made compost is because you'll get grade results without having to wait 1 or more years for your soil to become a good growing medium. Departing on your soil it could take multiple years to get it just right. If it's clay or sandy it might never be a good growing medium. Buying organic compost is expensive but using grass clippings or horse manure or hay and kitchen scraps, coffee grounds mskes great compost whivh is the best growing medium.
I agree with all those points :)
@@maritimegardening4887 I just got back from dropping my daughter off in Halifax, just in time for the hurricane. Actually we stayed at ketch harbour , sambro area for a few days and they are expecting a direct hit, hope it's not too hard for everyone in NS. We visited the valley and it was very nice as well. Blomiden to digby and the best seafood I've ever had. Hope everyone is safe.
Good to see a local gardener on YT. I'm going "no till" (in the process now) I'm inland a bit (Enfield). Thanks for the video. (My strawberries grow like crazy here, they're out of control)
Great to hear man! You'll love how much simpler this gets when you take the tilling out of the equation :)
Hey friend-- please be safe-- looks like left overs of Dorian is coming your way. You work so hard and I learn so much from your videos. I use a lot of the same practices as you. Keep up the great work and be safe
Thanks Brandi. Yes I think my apples are doomed, but we'll see what happens and how this plays out.
Very good advice. I was hoping you would have showed your blue hubbard squash. I have seeds but I didn't plant them this year because I have a big problem with squash bugs. Maybe next year. Catch you later.
Biggest one is the size of a basketball :)
I like cheap too, but really, a garden at any price is worth it. They always give you way more for your life, than food.
I'm talking about people laying out hundreds of dollar when they don't have to spend a thing. It just makes no sense to me. Even if I had lots of money I'd rather donate it to those that need it rather than blow it on unnecessary expenses.
@@maritimegardening4887Good ethos.
Greg, I appreciate the ideas. 😉A bed is in my future, as soon as the 100+ temps go away. I put a small narrow bed last fall for flowers to bring pollinators (it is needed when you live in a concrete jungle), the fall bed will be for garlic and kale and whatever else. Thank you!!😊✌🏼
Good luck :)
Excellent videos...where are y'all located.
Thanks :) I'm in Nova Scotia, Canada
I noticed you don't do Ruth Stout method w/hay anymore. Could you add your ideas (maybe in a video) for why that doesn't work for you now?
Whole garden is a Ruth Stout garden. Nothing is tilled and I mulch everything. Don'y have to use hay for it to be a Ruth Stout garden - use what you can source. My source of easy to gather hay has dried up somewhat - so I'm using leaves and grass clippings. The worms don't care, and as long as they are doing the work breaking it down - the soil continues to improve. Hope that answers your question :)
Stance on compost tumbler?
Pro:more visually appealing for food scraps in city setting and pest avoidant.
Con: $, Can't do much volume and no volunteer plants :/
Garrett Zuzik never had much luck with tumbling compost. Small. Don’t get the mass to get heat. For food scraps I use worms in nesting buckets. Got to make a TH-cam about that.
Never heard of nesting buckets
Garrett Zuzik buckets that will fit one within the other. I look for a bucket that when placed one in the other has a space between the bottom of the inner and outer bucket.
Hi Greg, what type of dirt is your natural soil? I'm dealing with "carolina red" heavy clay and I'm thinking I need to work it a little more, at least in the first year. I imagine if you have an existing loamy or sandy soil that you better get away with not working the soil initially and just sheet mulching.
Mine is heavy clay for the most part. Agree that working in some organic matter in year one will get things happening am lot faster. In fact, I did a podcast on this once:
maritimegardening.com/057-its-ok-to-till/
Mostly clay. Agree that it makes sense to work in some organic matter initially.... in fact, I did a podcast once on this very topic:
maritimegardening.com/057-its-ok-to-till/
I have access to unlimited seaweed, but isnt there too much salt on it? Do I need to rinse it before putting it on beds in the fall?
Thanks so much for any replies.
Check this out:
th-cam.com/video/DbOjNtoHlds/w-d-xo.html
At the end of the growing season, do you add manure or compost? Or do you just add more mulch like leaves?
Just add more mulch (leaves etc.). It becomes compost and feeds the soil.
How do you use the seaweed? I live on an island and always go to the beach I never thought about collecting the washed up seaweed .
th-cam.com/video/DbOjNtoHlds/w-d-xo.html
I noticed you said something about horse manure ... I didn't realize that was OK to use. Most just use cow or sheep manure. Is horse manure OK? I have a neighbour with horses and might be able to get it cheap. Any special precautions I need to take about sourcing local horse manure?
Horses don't digest seeds as well as cows and sheep. Therefore, horse manure has a higher amount of "weed" seeds. Compost it well or bury it (for compost in place)
Talk to the stablemaster about the source, but no. Yes it has weed seeds - but there's weeds in most manures. You can bury it about 4" deep to prevent them from germinating, or just cover with paper/cardboard. I have lots of vids on this topic if you do a search on my channel.
I flood irrigate, is that a problem for this type of gardening?
What is flood irrigation?
what are you using for the pathways? it sounds like gravel when you walk on it. How do you suppress the weeds in the pathways ?
It's sand. I get the odd weed, but it stays so dry due to the natural drainage of sand (like a desert) that few weeds germinate. Look back to late May - I have a few vids talking about my sand pathways.
@@maritimegardening4887 thank you so much. The Pathway video was extremely helpful.
Do you find ants gather under rocks? I don't use anything no rocks or wood.
There are ants yes, but they are everywhere anyway and not a problem for me.