Compost for Spring: Leaves, Used Coffee Grounds, & Garden Waste (Leaf Compost)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 พ.ย. 2014
- We'll need a lot of compost in the spring. Thankfully, free compost ingredients, like leaves, are abundant this time of year!
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OYR is all about growing a lot of food on a little land using sustainable organic methods, while keeping costs and labor at a minimum. Emphasis is placed on improving soil quality with compost, mulch, and compost tea. No store-bought fertilizers, soil amendments, pesticides, compost activators, etc. are used.
Featured Video:
"Turning the Fall/Winter Compost Pile & the Worms are Alright!"
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Please do more composting videos! I'm obsessed with compost and I can only get so much action from mine alone
TheJackOf AllVideos I know the feeling! I may make another compost video this fall. I hope to use a hot compost pile to help "heat" a hoop house.
Omg I'm obsessed to, I thought I was the only one. ❤️😊❤️
+Sun shine I'm right there with you. ;-)
It’s weird how something so simple can make you so enthusiastic. I can’t stop checking my compost either.
🍁🍂
My dad's been cold composting for four years, so since I work in the produce department of Ingles I have access to waste products - what I get, per his needs, are cabbage leaves, asparagus trimmings, corn husks, and cardboard (which I cut up into 2" squares). There's a Starbucks about a mile down from his house, so I frequent them every few weeks for coffee grounds. And since where we live is in the mountains of North Carolina, there's always a surplus of leaves if/when he needs extra carbon. I also mow his lawn, so he uses the grass clippings for either mulch, or I mow over leaves to collect and toss into his bins. I think he's gone to Tractor Supply a few times for wood chips for the compost, and I know he's done that a few times for between the beds.
Once again thanks for the informational video. I did compost some leaves this year. I was surprised on the loss of mass after the leaves were done composting. To help the leaves with air flow I placed some pine combs inside the pile. It really helped.
You have the most detailed demonstration. I am immensely inspired.
Im so glad I found this update. Cant wait to see how things turn out. 9 degees this morning here.
Thanks, preparedchipmunk ! When I checked the pile yesterday it was still cooking along at 140 degrees!
I really like the idea of composting where you are planning the bed!!
Thanks, Poppy B. ! It will definitely save some time and effort in the spring!
Good stuff, Patrick! I'm working on my compost pile for next year myself. I like to use my mower with a mulching blade, and bagger. Great way to get them off of the grass, and make great compost at the same time!
Thanks, keyplayr61 ! I agree. that's a great approach!
OneYardRevolution What a genius idea to put your compost pile where the raised bed will be! Thank you!
Thanks, carriellbee ! It will definitely save time in the spring!
OneYardRevolution
Yes!! For you, me and anyone else paying attention! [took me several minutes to type this response.LOLOLOLOLOL];-)
Great mix, Patrick. I do the same with stalks to help provide aeration. I don't build a hoophouse but do cover the bin well with plastic.
Thanks, ***** ! Yeah, the plastic helps a lot to help keep the pile from freezing.
Love it im happy i found your channel before i mixed up my soil for this springs outdoor grow. I was gonna get rock dust and biochar but after watching your other vids ima have to introduce leaves to my soil mix instead.
Thanks! That's great to hear. Make sure to only use composted leaves in your soil mix, since leaves that haven't broken down yet can tie up nitrogen in your soil. Alternatively, you could use uncomposted leaves as a mulch on top of the soil. Best wishes with your garden!
Great video Patrick. Finally I`m getting back to catching up on videos.
Thanks, Mark!
Another great video. In October I found out I could get leaves from our borough for composting. For the last 10-12 years I had no source for brown material. This year I got 18 cubic yards of leaves placed close to my garden. I now have a 8' diameter, 4' high compost pile. Previous to this, I planted a cover crop in all my beds. Because I didn't want to cover my beds now and kill my cover crop, I only had two places I could put my leaves. I put them in the walk ways (2' wide) about a foot high and the rest (a lot!) on the end of my garage. I'm planning to terminate the cover crop in the spring. Plant my crops (sq. ft. method) in my beds with a healthy dose of compost and then rake the leaves that are in my walk ways onto my beds after the veggies have grown a bit. Then I will re-fill in the walk ways with the extra leaves I have.
I remember a video you did that you aerated your compost pile using a piece of rebar punched to the bottom of your compost pile and drilling in a circular pattern to get air into your compost pile. I've been doing that all around my 8' wide compost pile (about 1' apart) and reaching into the middle of the pile and drilling also.
I live in central Pa. and for the last week we have had temperatures in the single digits. The compost pile has been cooking well with your methods - 140 degrees.
I used to use strictly wood chips for mulch in my garden. Now I only use chips in my walk ways. It's so much easier on my 71 year old body to move leaves than wood chips. Thanks so much for sharing your methods and wisdom with us. You are a blessing Patrick!
I like your system (especially the geo bin). Sometimes I use a weed wacker to mulch the leaves a bit. I have even stuck the weed wacker inside a plastic bag. You can reduce a pile of leaves by about 1/3 by doing this. I keep this tool pretty close to the centre to avoid damaging the bag.
Thanks, Kelli Nigh ! Yes, I've done the same thing with a weed wacker. It really works great! If I was going to harvest the compost sooner, I'd probably break out the old weed wacker.
Nice looking pile Patrick..
Cheers..
Thanks, Rob!
Interesting video, I only started last Autumn collecting leaves for compost but this year I'm fully committed,I have around a dozen large trees in my front garden that produce a huge amount of leaves. I reckon this year I will have collected well over a 100 wheelbarrow loads of wet compressed leaves. It is just too big a job to turn them but I find they all break down fine and I end up with some fantastic compost.
Michael Collinson Thanks, Michael! Wow, I wish we had that many leaves on our property! You're absolutely right. Turning can speed up the process, but it isn't absolutely necessary, and, like you said, you'll have some great compost in the end.. Thanks for watching!
Nice! This is exactly how i did my fall/winter compost pile.
Thans, High Desert Garden !
It is my goal to someday heat a greenhouse with hot compost through the winter. Right now I have 2 piles, one of which is 4x5x3.5, the other is 4x8x4, so I am making A LOT of compost. But every year it seems like I could use more which is why I built the new bigger box this year. It makes THE BEST soil amendment ever. The bigger pile I am trying to keep cooking hot compost through the winter and the second smaller pile I am trying to keep red wiggler worms alive through the winter. I insulate both piles with bags of leaves all around. I collect leaves in the fall enough to compost all year long. Rock on you guys keep gardening and sustainable living!!!
That's great, David! I definitely know the feeling of not being able to make enough compost.
Next year I plan to build a walk-in hoop house and heat it with compost too. I just checked on this pile yesterday and it was still cooking along at 140F (60 C), even though the pile is uncovered and it's very cold here. So, it's definitely a viable approach.
Best wishes with your compost and future greenhouse!
I am planning spiral swales on my property and will be building compost piles of salt grass, rubber rabbit bush, date fronds and goat manure using 3 foot by 6 foot wire mesh pieces that I tie into hoops. This video is great for helping me decide how to layer everything. Thank you so much.
DonnaldaSmolens That sounds great, Donnalda! Wow, you really have different materials to work with than we do.
It's the desert so I have to use what is here.
DonnaldaSmolens Absolutely!
Brilliant ideas ,thank you
Thank you for your videos. I find your videos very usefu and inspiringl.
Good information. I am much simpler in my approach. Since the acreage is available, I picked a spot well away from the house and just pile all the random yard waste there. No particular order, I don't water it or anything fancy. Usually produces decent compost the next season. Mostly compost hedge clippings, grass, leaves and that's about it.
That's a great approach, Kevin! We've also moved toward less composting and more mulching.
If you lay it out flat with a couple bricks on each end, the curl will come in a couple hours. I love my geobin. It’s cooking at 140° today.
As usual, great information Patrick!. I put in two new raised beds since I have returned home and I plan on doing one more in the spring. I should do something similar and place the compost pile where I plan to put the third raised bed.
dakotabob10 Thanks, Bob! Yeah, you might as well build the compost where you'll need it. Contrary to how it might appear in some of my videos, I don't really enjoy lugging hundreds of pounds of compost around. ;-)
OneYardRevolution I thought you did that in order to skip working out at the gym. : > )
dakotabob10 It definitely does help!
aweosome vids! cant wait for the result!
Thanks, UtopianDr3ams !
*Thank you! That was very informative and didn't waste my time with a lot of chatter. New subber, here!*
He hasn't posted a video in so long 😭
Delight to watch. As usual. Thanks!
Thanks, Mumbai Balcony Gardener!
Great video! I will definitely try this. Thanks.
Thanks, Professor Bones
You're welcome.
Excellent episode my friend! Your pile looks a lot nicer then mine :) I have had to add an additional 3 bags to my pile already as its been cooking nicely!
***** Thanks, Stephen! Your compost pile looks great! Yeah, the leaves lose a lot of volume very quickly. We'll just keep adding more greens and browns as the pile cooks down and in the end hope to get about a cubic yard of compost.
I need to fill a 3' by 4' by 18" deep. I hope something similar.
I'll likely continue to rotate the location every year for fun :)
Alberta Urban Garden Simple Organic and Sustainable how long does it take for a new pile to heat up?
Doing the same thing here. New raised bed in the spring, where the compose pile is now. I don't turn mine or cover it and it worked well last year, even with our cold, cold winter.
That's great to hear! I'll turn ours once in early spring, just in case there are some unfinished leaves on the outer edges of the pile.
Should I say first lol.
Like the compost bin Like the idea of putting it in the place for the next bed. Nice pile.
Thanks, Dave! How's the book so far?
Must say I have been sort of flicking through till now. I will have an hour or two on Sunday to sit down and get stuck in.
Thanks for sharing. Very informative.
I was pretty impressed with the geo-bin too. My little plastic garden bins (36 letres) have to be stirred way too often for my liking.
I'm glad to hear that, Andy! I really like being able to set them up in the fall and then take them down and store them in the spring. It really helps me make a lot more compost without losing space in the garden!
I dont know how many times I've watched ALL your videos waiting for spring! lol its only December. I've made a leaf/coffee grounds compost bin (5x6 feet). I do not own a thermometer yet so I'm unsure of the temp, but when I dig into it just a little bit I see and feel the heat! Thank you for posting videos!
+stoutnat You're very welcome! I know the feeling. It sure is a long wait for spring.
On December 28th, I rebuilt my two Geobins, the huge city recycle bin, and two 35 gallon trash cans (holes drilled all over), with leaves and coffee grinds.
The highest temp I've reached is 90°. No access to grass. Can get lots more grinds and shredder paper.
Need advice.
Thanks!
+Linda Arceneaux maybe more water or nitrogen? my pile has been at 140° for weeks now and I have a feeling I might have to turn. Every morning I drop my daughter off at school I get a 20-30lb bag of spent grounds from Starbucks on my way home. I used about a 1:1 ratio in weight or 1:3 ratio in volume (grounds:leaves). If your ratio of nitrogen to carbon is good then add snow or water.This is my 1st fall in gardening so im not an expert but Patrick's videos are really helpful. Im still unsure if I should turn my pile I wasn't planning on it and im dreading it if I do turn it being 7 months pregnant right now. :)
+stoutnat Thanks, Stoutnat!
Patrick recommends trying at 150°-160°. Plugging your pile like he does would be much easier than turning it.
My pile is moist enough. I'll add more grinds and see if that gets it going.
+Linda Arceneaux "...recommends turning it..."
Hooray! I've started a fall/winter compost pile too! Unfortunately, I don't have materials to build a hoop house, but I will cultivate compost!
That's great, LilNaruto9tails !
Thank you. Not the easiest work, but I can do it when I can remember. Also, I'm taking your advice and adding crumbled eggshells when I can. Best advice yet! :)
You're very welcome, LilNaruto9tails ! Eggshells make a great addition to the compost pile!
great idea hoop h over the pile, smart
Amazing technic ,thank u for sharing !
+Kaho Fotyfar Thanks!
Great video!
Thanks.
Thanks, SpreadnLuv !
Nice one Patrick. I have to admit that one of my failings is not watering compost sufficiently, thanks for the reminder to make sure its moist enough. I hate to impose seed lists on other gardeners but another plant I grew successfully many years ago and continues to flourish in my father's garden is dioscorea batatas (the Japanese of hardy yam). I'm frustrated that I remain full of cold when there's so much to do in the garden. Who says it's a Summer activity?
+Michael Ball Thanks Michael! I hope you feel better soon.
Awesome as usual
Thanks, UtahPrepper1 !
Funny time of year for youtube to bring this one up. Although I did pick up three bags of leaves somebody had put out at the curb today. How did they know?
Hi Patrick! Great videos! I'm watching them obsessively. One question: In a zone 5a area, is this hot compost something I can start now (October). If so, will it be ready in the Spring? We get very cold winters and a lot of snow here NB Canada!
Nice video and compost bins...I've been unhappy with the results from my wood pallet bins. It may be time for an upgrade.
Thanks, Paul D ! We like the Geobins because we have such limited space and its great to be able put up a temporary bin in the fall and take it down in the spring.
I would have added a few handfulls of soil with each layer to add some of those critters that help break stuff down faster.
Can I put this on top of an old stump that had or has termites? Will it kill the termites or will it over populate it?
What about shredded boxes? Could you use that instead of leaves?
Does anyone know where I might be able to buy a bag of leaves like this?
Can I take leaves in the spring, from the woods and compost it for the garden.
How much yield do you get per bin once it’s cooked down? I just filled 3 of them with leaves and grass clippings today.
How many butternut squash to you get per plant?
Very good video but where can buy those composter I am Raymond from California
I love the compost thingy you have there Patrick. Is that pvc pipes you are using for the hoop house? What would be a cheaper alternative to use for the hoop houses?
Thanks, Mary. Yeah, the Geobin works great! I think PVC is probably the cheapest alternative. It is very inexpensive.
Thanks for the videos! Could I use aged dried cow manure in the compost bin? It is from grass fed cows.
My pleasure, Jan! Yes, you could.
Great job Patrick! Those Geobins sure are cool are they expensive?
Thanks, ***** ! The Geobins are less than $30 on Amazon, which is pretty good!
What do you say to coffee shops to encourage them to save the grounds for you? Most probably just toss it out so even though its not a big deal, the boss would need to get everyone on the same page to remember to save them. Thanks Patrick.
Starbucks has a corporate policy of saving grounds for gardeners. I found one Starbucks in my area that has been very helpful. I just call them on Saturday morning and ask if they'll save all their grounds for the day. I then pick them up in the evening before they close. I've also seen Caribou Coffee shops saving grounds for customers.
As far as smaller local coffee shops go, I think if you find an owner who is like minded and would rather see the grounds put to good use instead of being sent to a landfill, it won't be too hard to convince them to save them for you.
Best wishes finding some grounds!
Thanks so much Patrick for all you share! Last week I amended my front garden bed with compost and then covered it with leaves from a neighbor's house, he was sweet enough to let me have his leaves, in return we cleared is yard....lol. I moistened the leaves as you recommended in a video. Do you think I should cover the bed or leave it to the weather? Appreciate any advice you can give. Thanks.
You're very welcome, Anna! I usually cover the beds with leaves in December when we can expect snow to be on the ground for the next few months. That way the snow will keep them from blowing away. If it's not snowing yet where you live, keeping them moist will help a lot.
Thanks so much. I'll do that. I learn something new everyday. I'll keep that in mind for my other beds, save time and water, too!. Although I use my saved rainwater so as to not be so wasteful. Thanks again for all your videos.
Anna Ashby You're welcome, Anna!
I've watched this one but see I had not commented. Great stuff Patrick. Whats the little tree to the right of the screen? Also, I bet you get some healthy volunteer squash next year.
Thanks, Nicole! That's our little Asian pear tree that we planted this spring. So far, she's doing well. Would you believe we grew volunteer acorn squash in the shadiest part of the yard this summer (maybe 2 to 3 hours of direct sun)? We couldn't believe how well they produced considering.
That's great about the squash and really good to know. Yum! Asian pears are crisp and juicy.
Question do I have to turn it around at a certain temperature or can I just leave it and turn it maybe 1or 2 times a week I’ve seen other videos where they leave their compost for almost 4 days undisturbed then mixed it on the 5th day . What’s the better way to approach when it comes to making your own compost ?
Yes, you can turn it that often if you don't mind doing it. I prefer a lower effort approach in which I only turn when when the compost hits 150 f.
Do you continue to water the pile time to time to keep the "wet sponge" dampness of just when you build the pile or add to it? My pile is about 140 degrees and with that heat I'm concerned with it drying out over time.
Great! It's cooking along nicely. We don't usually have to water our piles because we get a good amount of rain, but yes you'll want to water them if they start to get dry.
Hi , what the bin you used to compost and where do get it from?
It's a Geobin. I have 2 of them and like them a lot. We bought them on Amazon: amzn.to/2jMxGPY
Help! My main source of compost was an aging pile of grass clippings which had been there for years. The gardeners that cut the grass on our property have been piling it up on the empty lot next door. I used it for mulching on top of my cardboard layer. Did I do the right thing? It was a very hot pile and had a lot of gray/white powdery layers. I asked some friends about it and they said it was not a problem, that it was just a sign of the grass breaking down. As I am digging out my beds ready for sifting and planting, I am seeing a lot of worms, which I did not see last summer. The ground was so hard and dry and I saw only one worm when I did some digging to even out the terrain. The soil looks nice and brown and rich, but is full of stones and half decomposed potatoes ( a farmer friend offered me topsoil which was from his potato fields and is full of potatoes so I may get some volunteers!) Could that hay pile cause problems with bacteria? I'm now understanding composting better but it is all rather scientific with the thermometers etc for little old me. Please advise. Thank you. DEB
Deb Fryer Deb, it sounds like you are on the right track. The bacteria on the decomposing grass should be good for the soil, so I wouldn't worry about it at all. Just sift out some of the rocks from the topsoil and you'll be in great shape.
OH! THANK YOU!!!
3:1 ratio of leaves to coffee grounds by VOLUME!! That is what I've been looking for for a long time!
But, what is the condition of the leaves when you measure them for the compost pile? Are they whole or chopped into fine pieces? Are they packed hard or fluffy bags?
Should I be able to "store" coffee grounds by dumping many 5 gallon buckets of them on top of my large compost pile that needs a lot more coffee grounds? That would be the easiest way for me to store and stir them in when the compost stops "cooking". It has gotten up to 140 degrees.
I started an 8' x 4' x 3.3' (40") foot compost pile (made with pallets) with just leaves and coffee grounds. I started with a goal of 3:1 ratio by dry weight, not volume. That is very different than by volume. I may need a LOT more coffee grounds! 5 gallons of damp coffee grounds weighs 40 pounds. A large paper bag of mostly whole leaves can weigh between 10 and 30 pounds depending on how they are packed.
Approximately 7.5 gallons fit in a cubic foot.
My 8 x 4 x x 3.3' foot compost pile holds 107 cubic feet.
107 cf = 802 gallons.
So a ratio of 3:1 will require 200 gallons (40 five gallon buckets) of coffee grounds.
I hope people keep drinking a lot of coffee at my favorite coffee shop that gives me all of their grounds for free.
You're welcome, Mark! The 3 to 1 ratio is an approximation. We use both shredded and whole leaves. If the bags are very packed, you can cut back a bit on the leaves. If they're fluffy, you can add more. You can also add more leaves or grounds later if needed. Happy composting!
Thank you ^°^
You're very welcome, PeachBlossom ! Thanks for watching!
Hey Patrick, when you fill a new raised bed with compost like that, are you able to plant right in the composted material without doing anything else or do you add anything to complete the soil before planting? Thanks!
My beds are very shallow, and I've filled many of them with 100% compost/vermicompost. Even though I filled them with 100% organic matter, my soil test showed my soil is "only" 20% organic matter. This is because the beds are shallow and soil organisms have mixed the compost in with the native soil. To bring the organic matter down a bit, I now add coarse builder's sand. With deeper beds, I'd definitely include top soil/ sand instead of using 100% compost. You could also add perlite or horticultural vermiculite.
Thanks! That makes sense.
Where did you get the geo bin, please?
+knitnpaint This is where we got ours: www.amazon.com/1-X-Geobin-Compost-Bin/dp/B0085O6NXQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459134478&sr=8-1&keywords=geobin
Do you think only leaves, grass clippings and coffee grounds (probably a helping of lime too) would produce a decent compost in a tumbler only, with no worms? The vinegar flies that food scraps attract weren't much fun.
I also need to break up or even sieve the coffee before putting it in next year, because there are still puck-sized clumps visible 7 months later. I'm thinking of emptying out the tumbler on a tarp, breaking it up and mixing it up, then putting it back in the tumbler to finish off. Then again all beds are full right now so I don't really need the compost until after the growing season.
My lawn gets pretty bare looking over winter. There's probably no reason, other than the visual aspect, I couldn't put an open compost like this on it over winter. But I'd want it ready by spring. We don't get -18C here or snow like you, we have generally cold nights and many clear sunny (but far from warm) days. A layer of clear plastic would really make it cook.
+Darkfalz79 Yes, I think that would make a great compost, though I wouldn't use lime unless I knew the soil had a calcium deficiency. I sometimes break up some of the coffee pucks by hand as I add them. I usually don't find too many of them intact in the finished compost. I'm surprised a tumbler doesn't help break them up.
Hi Patrick, do you get your leaves for free from somewhere offsite? Thanks
+Brian Liang Hi Brian. We get our leaves free from our neighbors. Rather than pay the city to pick up their leaves, they bag them and we pick them up.
Where you purchase the geo bins?
Hi Arnulfo. We purchased the Geobins from Amazon.com. They were less than $30 each, which is a pretty good price.
What was in the other compost bin in the background? Was it also filled with composting materials?
The geobin I should say.
Yes, we had enough materials at the time to have both of our geobins in action.
Do you cover compost pile before a rain?
Hi Linda! I would only cover it if it was getting too soggy.
A perhaps very naive question, as I’ve never done this before: how’s the smell? I’m thinking about starting a compost pile this fall, but I also don’t want my neighbors to hate me.
Excellent question, Christy! A well managed compost pile won't smell bad at all and finished compost smells very good. As long as the pile has enough brown materials like autumn leaves, is covered with brown materials, and isn't too wet, the pile won't smell bad. I hope this helps!
Thanks Patrick,
You may have mentioned but do you put paper waste in your compost, Newspaper or magazines type stuff?
You're welcome! We add shredded non-glossy black & white news print, brown paper bags, and brown corrugated cardboard to our worm bins. I'd also feel comfortable adding it to outdoor compost, but I prefer leaves and woody material.
Thanks Patrick!
We just moved to a house with a great potential backyard garden and we have lots of packing paper products looking for a use.
You're welcome! Yeah, I'd use it as long as it's not glossy or waxy.
Looking for your input here, I started my first compost bin last spring with a geobin, put in roughly 75% brown to 25% green in layers as I filled it up to the top. I did not put any cover over the bin to keep water out, however, I did sprinkle water over the layers as I built it. I also did not turn the pile. I just dug into the pile yesterday, and to my surprise there was absolutely no decomposition from top to bottom, everything still was recognizable that I put into the pile, only that the pile had settled and compacted much more and was very soggy and matted together. I just now turned the pile into second new geobin and cut a piece of plywood to cover the bin, because I'm thinking that maybe the pile was just too wet and compacted with no air infiltration. Very disappointed because I was really looking forward to using some new compost this spring. What is your diagnosis?
Hi John! Compost breaks down slowly because of one or more of the following: 1) the pile is too small; 2) there isn't enough nitrogen; 2) there isn't enough air in the pile; 3) the pile is too dry or wet. To get yours cooking, make sure the pile is big enough (3 cubic feet is a good size), turn the pile, add more green composting ingredients while turning the pile, and cover it when it's going to rain. I hope this helps!
Thanks Patrick! The pile was definitely large enough, so most likely it was lacking more nitrogen materials or it was too wet, or both, and I'm sure it would have helped if I would have turned it once or twice.
Nice composting? Do you know of any non-plastic options? My body is full of toxic chemicals from plastics. Thanks
Thanks! A glass greenhouse would have the same effect. Some people build compost piles in greenhouses as a heat source.
are real necessary the coofee grains or not ?
No, coffee grounds aren't necessary. For me, they're a free nitrogen source for compost. You can also use manure, grass clippings, and food scraps.
Patrick, I'm thinking about purchasing a few geo-bins. I've noticed the older versions come with stakes to hold their shape, but the stakes look like a burden to install. Did you have a problem keeping your bins working without stakes? It's my impression from the product reviews I read that some folks may have left them half full.
+Paul D Hi Paul. I've had no problem filling them all the way up without the stakes. There are a couple tricks to make it work. First, make sure the pile is on level ground. Second, be careful to distribute the material evenly around the circumference of the circle as you fill it. If you don't maintain a circle shape as the bin is filled, the bin won't be as sound structurally. I hope this helps!
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Thank you! I think I'll go with that model. It should seem simple enough, but there was some debate on amazon over which geo-bin model was more user-friendly.
+Paul D You're welcome! I'm happy with this model.
I purchased 3. These are hands down superior to the pallet bin set up I have. Easy to use. Thanks again the for suggestion.
+Paul D I'm glad you like them! Thanks for letting me know.
what is the black matt that you use to put your compost? any links?
+MIGUEl Martinez It's a Geobin. We have 2 of them and really like them. Here's a link: www.amazon.com/1-X-Geobin-Compost-Bin/dp/B0085O6NXQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453856330&sr=8-1&keywords=geobin
thank you :) love your youtube channel. im a chicagoan too. so it makes me feel good knowing that i can grow a garden in such harsh winters.
+MIGUEl Martinez You're very welcome! Please let me know if you end up trying to have a winter garden next winter. I'd be happy to help. My Facebook page is a great place to ask questions, if you have any. Best wishes! facebook.com/oneyardrevolution
What can I do about lady bugs eating all my Swiss Chard. They almost cleaned me out. I don't want to spray anything.
Andrew du Toit Are you sure they're ladybugs? Ladybugs usually eat aphids and other garden pests.
OneYardRevolution Well they are Orange with black spots. Over here we call them Lady Birds as far as my knowledge reaches.
Andrew du Toit Hi Andrew. Ladybugs are beneficial insects that prey on other garden pests. One possibility is that there are aphids on the plants and the ladybugs are eating them (not the plant). Another possibility is that they're some other kind of insect that looks similar to a ladybug. Check the underside of the leaves for aphids. If you find aphids there, that will explain the damage and the presence of ladybugs. I hope this helps!
Where do you live and how cold does it get in the winter? Thanks!
Hi Dana! We live in the Chicago area (zone 5b). Our winter lows average between -15 to -10 Fahrenheit (-26 to -23 c).
Those bins sure look very practical, but they seem a bit hard to unravel :-)
suburban homestead Yes! The first time you unravel them is a challenge. ;-) After that it isn't so bad. Thanks for watching!
I have 5 of the Geo bins when you first get them and when re-use them lay them out flat hopefully in the sun. It has worked every time. The hard thing is getting the clips out when you take them down. So far I think they will last for years
when u say 3 to 1 ratio of leaves per coffee does that literally mean three inches leaves and 1 inch of coffee grounds on top? appreciate an answer thanks
+kenneth Russo Hi Kenneth. Yes, that's a rough volume estimate, so 3 inches of leaves to 1 inch of grounds is a great starting point. If the pile heats up, you know you're on the right track. If it doesn't, you can mix in more grounds. I hope this helps!
+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Based on that 3:1 volume ratio in inches, I see that I DEFINITELY need to add all the grounds I already have, and MORE!!
Best part is, I can get all the grounds I need, EZ.
+Linda Arceneaux That's okay. I frequently have to make adjustments after building a pile too. I've made piles that didn't heat up. I've made piles that heated up too much! You can always make adjustments later by adding more greens or browns.
Believe me I'm not techie at all. I'm trying to order the Geobin and some other things from Amazon but I don't know how to use your link. Can you give me better instructions on how to do that?
Hi Michele! If you click on the link I provided, it will bring you to my Amazon store. Place your order and a percentage of the sale will go to OYR. You'll remain in my store until you close the window. Amazon will look just like it always does. Thanks for your support!
Can you use pine needles in your compost? Is there anything to worry about the acidic nature of pine needles in a raised bed garden?
Hi Josh. Yes, you can compost pine needles, though they take a while to break down. Pine needles don't transfer their acidity to the soil because by the time they break down, their pH is close to neutral. You can use pine needles as a mulch, but I wouldn't mix them into the soil because they might tie up nitrogen as they decompose. I hope this helps!
OneYardRevolution Thank you for the response. I have several giant pine trees and hate the pine needles with a passion. I am just getting into gardening and while taking babysteps I've come to enjoy your channel and the information you pass along. Thanks again. For all the work I have to do to clean up the mountain of pine needles I have I will make them suffer in my vacuum/mulcher.
Josh Apple You're very welcome, Josh!
How many pounds of coffee grounds do you average in a one day pickup?
TheJackOf AllVideos We'd usually get about 40 lbs in a single pickup and we picked it up once per week.
Thank you
Have you seen the Ted talk about composting? I think you would find it very interesting.
Samy Ismael Yes, I'm pretty sure I've seen the one you are referring to. Doesn't he recommend composting mostly leaves?
That's right. Being the science minded individual that you are, would a field trial with conventional compost vs leaf only compost be something you might try doing?
Samy Ismael That would be an interesting trial! I might try something like that after the current trials are finished.
Great idea building the compost pile where you are placing a raised bed. The less work the better! I didn't see you mixing any rock dust into the mix????(-:
Thanks, Eco Oasis ! Nope, no rock dust. Let's just say I remain a skeptic when it comes to rock dust. ***** is working on a video that will shed some more light on why he and I remain skeptical.
I am working hard to have it out in the next week or two. Please stay tuned
***** I'm looking forward to it!
After our last conversations about rock dust I do think you are probable right about it mostly benefiting poor soils. If I lived where there was soil like yours I wouldn't use it in my mix either. I look forward to the video you and Alberta Urban Garden release!
Eco Oasis It'll be interesting to see what ***** thinks about rock dust's use in poor soils after he releases the latest information.
Did you turn this pile? If so how often?
Hi Robert! I only turned it once - in the spring when I moved the pile to a different location.
OYR Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Thank you for the quick reply! In your opinion was the fall to spring composting long enough too fully compost the material? I have a mixture if food scraps, grass clippings and leaves. When you turn it in the spring could you add a nitrogen source, like coffee grounds, to get it cooking again or just leave it alone?
Would "green", fresh cut grass work as a green? Many of the coffee shops around me will NOT share coffee grounds. Since my wife is pregnant and i don't drink coffee, i don't really have a source for coffee grounds.
Yes, fresh cut grass is a great green ingredient for compost. Just make sure to not use grass that has been sprayed with pesticides/herbicides.
Thank you. I don't use any chemicals in my grass, to be honest I don't want it to grow to much, then I have to cut it more. A large swath of my backyard is covered in clover, which the bunnies love to eat (and keeps them from wanting to eat my veggies). Does adding clover to compost increase nitrogen more than grass? Is no, because all the nitrogen "fixing" in underground on the roots?
Did you pick out some garbage around 2:55 only to put it back into the pile seconds later? I love composting but wtf was that? Lol
You should write a book
Thanks for the encouragement!
Patrick, love your videos. I've started my first compost pile ever, using a lot of info you provided. But now I have a question; My kids just finished carving their pumkins for Halloween, and I was wondering if I could add the guts, including the pumkin seeds to my compost? I'm worried if I do do the seeds may actually germinate? I live in Zone 8A. I know it's a strange question but we have started using most of our scraps from the kitchen and our garden. Thanks in advance, Mark N.
+Mark Netteler Thanks, Mark! Yes, you can add the pumpkin guts and seeds to the compost pile, but many of the seeds will probably germinate. As a rule this isn't a problem unless you're trying to plant other pumpkin or squash varieties. This can make it difficult to distinguish between the volunteer pumpkins and the ones you're trying to plant.
It's really a judgement call. I always add pumpkin guts to compost. I hope this helps!
The Geobin is so expensive nowadays, they sell it for $80 plus tax on amazon.ca
Hi Mike! I'm sorry to hear it's so expensive in Canada. It's still under $40 in the US - amzn.to/2PXml0x
Any Update? pictures?
I'll be turning the pile in the next few weeks and will likely show it in a video. Thank you for your interest!
OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening We have ridicilous high temperatues here in Los Angeles. in 90's at noon. I got a steal deal on a Lifetime Compost Tumbler - 65 Gallon. After 24 hours I have 100 fahrenait. Fist time doing it. I am a Vermicompost guy. I used a website to calculate the mix ratio. I think you should do a video on it. It makes "guess the mix job" absolute. Thanks for inspiring me to garden. Between you and John I learned a lot.
link is here. compostingtechnology.com/resources/compost-calculator-tool/
KALSINFILMS Wow, that's hot! We've been happy to get into the low 50's lately. Thanks for the link to the compost calculator tool. I'm glad you've found my videos helpful and appreciate hearing from you.
OYR Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening
- Nice video and all.
But have you noticed the incoherence?
At 0:33 you pile up the leaves and trow away the paper bag... LOL ;-)
Just add everything to the pile, it´s compost raw material anyway. No need to waste.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers
We don't throw away the bags. We reuse them until they start falling apart. Then we compost them.
@@OneYardRevolution - Now it makes sense. LOL :-)
Happy composting.
Cheers
Good video, but the pile seems way too dry. I recommend hosing the leaves more as you add them to the pile. I add about four to five inches, then hose, stir, hose again, stir, add more leaves and green material, hose, stir, hose, etc. so everything is evenly moist, but not too wet. Actually, I use sprinkling cans now, with rainwater because city water (as you know) with chlorine in it kills microbes, bacteria, and fungi in the compost. Mixing is key, as water just runs off of leaves no matter how ground up they are.
Another tip to speed things up dramatically:
I pick my leaves up with my lawnmower, which has a mulching blade. Then I empty all the bags out on the grass and spread them out, about 3" deep, and run the mower over them again a second time, bagging them up. This is much faster than putting them through a chipper/shredder or using one of those hand-held, noisy, vac-and-sacks, and the result is the same, or better. I use my chipper/shredder for branches only. Amazingly, about 10 bags of leaves fits into three bags when ground up a second time. The smaller particles will break down much faster in your compost pile. Another technique is to blow all the leaves onto the driveway and run the mulching mower over them repeatedly with a mulching plug in the mower discharge shoot.
alan30189 Keep in mind that my goal is not to make compost as fast as possible and I prefer a less labor intensive approach. I'll be harvesting this compost in April or May, and I know from experience that I don't have to go to the extra trouble of chopping up the leaves to make that happen. After the first week, I added some water and coffee grounds into the pile and its cooking very nicely. I'll make a video in the spring showing how good the finished compost looks using this approach. Thanks for watching!
Those are good idea's for getting the compost quicker for sure. I can't argue with the less work thing though lol. Shut up I'm not lazy lol. I think you may end up with more compost Alan's way. Both good points. Thanks guys. Janice
jksatte Thanks, Janice. I agree. Both approaches work great. It all depends on what your goals are. My "lazy" approach is consistent with my goals because I won't need the compost for another 5 or 6 months. Thanks for watching!
I totally understand you wanting to do it fast, less labor intensive. But I just think hosing the pile wastes water because a lot of it runs through and out the bottom. When I use horse manure and leaves I fill up a 5 gallon bucket about 2/3 with water and then add manure/leaves. I let them soak overnight and then add to the bigger pile. I have 10 buckets I do this with and it takes me about a week to make a pile. Sometimes I add molasses and some different types of bat guano to the water in which I add the leaves.
David Livingston
Too wet! Holy crap! Where do you think all that water goes once you add it to the pile? Into the ground! You never want the material to be damper than a rung-out sponge. Sorry, but 2/3 water in the bucket with 1/3 material is ridiculous.
Do you worry about what people put in their grass?
***** I avoid grass clippings if I don't know the source.
U
Patrick,
Yesterday, I moved some wet cardboard I had thrown on top of my Geobin Composter, and it was full of red ants!!! With a nest underneath...
HELP!!!
I've NEVER had ants in any of the Compost bins. I'm currently rebuilding all the compost bins and don't have any idea what to do to get these ants out. They're right on top..
P.S. I got some unfinished chicken poo for the first time, and rebuilt Geobin #2 with alternating layers of leaves, chicken poo, and some veggie peels. As the pile starts shrinking I'll keep topping it with leaves, coffee grounds and peels. I'll give a report when something happens.
I'm sorry to hear about this ants, Linda. I've never had to deal with them in compost, but it sounds like keeping the pile moist and hot will help deter them: That's what this article recommends: homeguides.sfgate.com/control-ants-compost-pile-39969.html
First :)
***** Well played, Joe!
Why not set everything up in the fall? why not copy nature? Chop an drop your seasonals, put your materials in a lasagna style beds and walk away for the whole 6 months?