I love this method of nutrient cycling. Having the paths working for you instead of being dead spaces is such a great idea. It also means you don't have to drag all of that material to the compost and wait for it to decompose. It'll be right where you need it for next year. So impressed with your set up and grateful for your videos showing us how to do it too.
Thanks Siobhan having had so much success with my trial paths it makes sense to keep going with this . The organic material across the entire garden space will just keep building!!
Think of all those nasturtiums as comfrey mulch substitutes with benefits! I wish they would grow like that at my place, I can get killing frosts in any month of the year. However my wonderful selfsown calendulas create a thick tall colourful display throughout the worst of winter, and plenty of organic chop n drop too.
In the US, it’s recommended to leave twiggy plants like zinnias for the insects in which to over winter. Is this appropriate there? I leave catnip, milkweed and some other hollow stemmed plants until late spring. In fact, last year, I left everything standing until late spring. Several brassicas over wintered (frightening lack of winter in New England) and are now producing seed. Everything else had weathered down nicely and the cut stems of things were carried off by birds for nests. I think that the vegetation helped cover the soil against the rains we are now having instead of snow. Everything went either directly back onto the bed or in the paths. No digging. Whatever root crops that hadn’t fully decomposed, I just left. How lazy can I get, at 59.? In the past, I have mulched all with wood chips. I used to chip the paths regularly after scooping the previous year’s chips onto the bed. Will have to sell the house soon so i haven’t been investing in the garden as of late. Hence the abandonment last winter - which worked out nicely in the end. Now to integrate kitchen scraps directly into the garden. 10 years ago, I started a system where I chad a single long bed that I added everything to with the intention of letting it sit a year when full before planting. But then I moved from there. It’s something that I will experiment with again. I farmed dry beans on a small scale so I had a lot of good material to cover kitchen waste. Bagged leaves would do in the suburbs. Thanks for taking the time to detail your method.
Thanks for sharing all of that - really interesting to hear how others manage their gardens and the organic materials. The winters here are fairly mild compared to areas of the US and our native trees are evergreen rather than deciduous so I think there is plenty more shelter here during the cooler months and probably less extreme temperatures to shelter from, so not much is said about the insects. I am very mindful to leave clearing debris out in my swale areas until it's warmer to look after the lizards but am afraid I have not thought about insects. They seem to do ok! A shame to have to leave gardens that you've worked so long to improve but using your kitchen scrap idea should get new ones started in your new place soon enough. I'm also 59 so appreciate easy ways of doing things! My efforts to add lots of organic material to my whole garden space will hopefully mean in the years to come more and more will grow easily in place and I'll have to bring in very little from elsewhere - that's the plan anyway! Thanks for watching (and your comment) Cheers Linda
Looking good!!!! Can't wait to dig up my paths when I get a good day but I need to get the chipper out first. Step by step it will get done. Take care Linda =-)
9:56 i’m really about doing less work and leaving things in place and having things happen in situ. And so I won’t be harvesting pathways just continue to add to them. My plan has always been to try to cultivate mushrooms in my pathways I also have a few spots around the property that are specific for growing mushrooms already. The mushrooms have the ability to help break things down even faster.
If the beds themselves had plenty of organic material I probably wouldn’t harvest the paths but they still need more. Maybe just lots of mulch added while growing would help. Still trying to work out what’s best but agree less work is the ideal!
Very nice. The compost is looking great . Nasturtiums are my friends here , they are loved by chooks on days when i dont have as many greens for them , they grow far better than comfrey for me , they bulk up my compost with greens when im short and theyre now plentiful enough that my girl can pick flowers daily and it wont bother them. Haha. I really need to get loads of comfrey going. Yay for a wood chip pile . Thank you for sharing Linda ❤❤
Ooh, this is an idea! I presently have woodchip paths around the garden, but haven't been shovelling them onto the beds, just adding to them. I'm a bit worried about the couch grass which just picks up everywhere. *sigh* But this is a great idea, and I'm due for a delivery of woodchips this week, so I might dig out my paths (or get my gardening assistant) to dig them out and set things down for compost. Thanks for the video!
It works well! Check out my other video in compost paths in which I followed the progress of my path through a year. The summer growth around it was amazing!! Thanks for watching and good luck with your compost paths!!
I love this method of nutrient cycling. Having the paths working for you instead of being dead spaces is such a great idea. It also means you don't have to drag all of that material to the compost and wait for it to decompose. It'll be right where you need it for next year.
So impressed with your set up and grateful for your videos showing us how to do it too.
Thanks Siobhan having had so much success with my trial paths it makes sense to keep going with this . The organic material across the entire garden space will just keep building!!
very neatly done, bravo Linda! 😃
Thank you! 😊
Think of all those nasturtiums as comfrey mulch substitutes with benefits! I wish they would grow like that at my place, I can get killing frosts in any month of the year.
However my wonderful selfsown calendulas create a thick tall colourful display throughout the worst of winter, and plenty of organic chop n drop too.
There’s always a plant willing to take over in any climate - we can certainly make the most of them 😊🌱
Very interesting. I'm sure your hard work will have rewarding results.
I had huge success with my trial compost path so putting in the effort to get all the paths made this way!!
Love watching your videos and being inspired. My veggie patch is on a sloping section of our property so a bit tricky but i think it can still work!
Thanks Jackie for letting me know!! Perhaps you could do a little terracing - the compost path , along the contour, would work great in that!
Really loving these compost paths, Linda. Hopefully, all work as well as the initial trial as it seems to reduce efforts, always a good thing 😂
I also loved how it reduced the need for watering during dry times. Lots more paths to go but getting there!!
In the US, it’s recommended to leave twiggy plants like zinnias for the insects in which to over winter. Is this appropriate there? I leave catnip, milkweed and some other hollow stemmed plants until late spring.
In fact, last year, I left everything standing until late spring. Several brassicas over wintered (frightening lack of winter in New England) and are now producing seed.
Everything else had weathered down nicely and the cut stems of things were carried off by birds for nests. I think that the vegetation helped cover the soil against the rains we are now having instead of snow.
Everything went either directly back onto the bed or in the paths. No digging. Whatever root crops that hadn’t fully decomposed, I just left.
How lazy can I get, at 59.?
In the past, I have mulched all with wood chips. I used to chip the paths regularly after scooping the previous year’s chips onto the bed. Will have to sell the house soon so i haven’t been investing in the garden as of late. Hence the abandonment last winter - which worked out nicely in the end.
Now to integrate kitchen scraps directly into the garden. 10 years ago, I started a system where I chad a single long bed that I added everything to with the intention of letting it sit a year when full before planting. But then I moved from there. It’s something that I will experiment with again. I farmed dry beans on a small scale so I had a lot of good material to cover kitchen waste. Bagged leaves would do in the suburbs.
Thanks for taking the time to detail your method.
Thanks for sharing all of that - really interesting to hear how others manage their gardens and the organic materials.
The winters here are fairly mild compared to areas of the US and our native trees are evergreen rather than deciduous so I think there is plenty more shelter here during the cooler months and probably less extreme temperatures to shelter from, so not much is said about the insects. I am very mindful to leave clearing debris out in my swale areas until it's warmer to look after the lizards but am afraid I have not thought about insects. They seem to do ok!
A shame to have to leave gardens that you've worked so long to improve but using your kitchen scrap idea should get new ones started in your new place soon enough.
I'm also 59 so appreciate easy ways of doing things!
My efforts to add lots of organic material to my whole garden space will hopefully mean in the years to come more and more will grow easily in place and I'll have to bring in very little from elsewhere - that's the plan anyway!
Thanks for watching (and your comment) Cheers Linda
Looking good!!!! Can't wait to dig up my paths when I get a good day but I need to get the chipper out first. Step by step it will get done. Take care Linda =-)
Yep one foot at a time haha! Enjoy your week Lorraine!
I got my compost pathways installed over the last few weeks! Loving it all ready, much nicer to walk on and reducing compaction.
9:56 i’m really about doing less work and leaving things in place and having things happen in situ. And so I won’t be harvesting pathways just continue to add to them. My plan has always been to try to cultivate mushrooms in my pathways I also have a few spots around the property that are specific for growing mushrooms already. The mushrooms have the ability to help break things down even faster.
If the beds themselves had plenty of organic material I probably wouldn’t harvest the paths but they still need more. Maybe just lots of mulch added while growing would help. Still trying to work out what’s best but agree less work is the ideal!
Yes they are great to walk on!
Very nice. The compost is looking great . Nasturtiums are my friends here , they are loved by chooks on days when i dont have as many greens for them , they grow far better than comfrey for me , they bulk up my compost with greens when im short and theyre now plentiful enough that my girl can pick flowers daily and it wont bother them. Haha. I really need to get loads of comfrey going. Yay for a wood chip pile . Thank you for sharing Linda ❤❤
I love that there are always flowers for your daughter 🥰 . Enjoy your week Naomi xx
Well done Linda!
Lots more paths to do but a couple more complete 👍
Ooh, this is an idea! I presently have woodchip paths around the garden, but haven't been shovelling them onto the beds, just adding to them. I'm a bit worried about the couch grass which just picks up everywhere. *sigh* But this is a great idea, and I'm due for a delivery of woodchips this week, so I might dig out my paths (or get my gardening assistant) to dig them out and set things down for compost. Thanks for the video!
It works well! Check out my other video in compost paths in which I followed the progress of my path through a year. The summer growth around it was amazing!!
Thanks for watching and good luck with your compost paths!!
Nasturtium pesto!
Will have to try that one day!
That's great, friend. (new subscriber)
Welcome and thanks for subscribing 😊