I started using your soil layering technique this year including the soaked top layer of straw and talk about healthy plants. Even in pots no matter their size, I always start with a small layer of straw followed by a potting mix I made using ingredients similar to yours. I enjoy watching your daily videos even if it's something I don't or ever have any intention of growing. Your wisdom is worthy of heeding and importantly down to earth (pun intended)...Cheers
I garden with what I've got and very successfully, I don't use synthetic stuff nor do I use all the expensive crap you promote. Plain dirt and cowshit works for me. No plastic bags to trash either
there is a difference between aerobic ( good ) and anaerobic ( bad ) microbes , if something smells bad you can assume that smell is from anaerobic microbes , we don't want this in the garden because this is where pathogens generally come from , if something smells pleasant ( earthy ) this is generally aerobic microbes , this is what we want our plants growing in , the good news is , given normal conditions the bad microbes struggle in an environment with air , so the good microbes can out compete the bad easily , but exclude the air & now the good microbes will struggle & the bad will out compete the good letting pathogens flourish , in a no dig garden it's the worms & other soil dwellers that make pathways or tunnels in the soil keeping it aerated ( healthy ) , a side note on worms , they want to eat microbes & the microbes are on organic matter so they eat organic matter to get the microbes , the organic matter consumption is sort of a byproduct so to speak , the microbes are the real food focus for worms
@@brucejensen3081 yep over watering plants is the main problem for most people imo , no air in the soil will alter PH , lockout nutrients & cause a plants leaves to go yellow , things can go anaerobic very quickly , like filling a wheelbarrow with mulch & water & letting it sit for weeks , that'll go anaerobic & start to stink
@@1959jskin Hi Julia , no worms don't eat my plants , worms like to eat decaying matter like old roots from plants that have been harvested or things you add to a mulch layer , in fact worms are eating the microbes on the decaying matter , worms are actually feeding plants , worm poo or castings are plant available nutrients , any organic matter left in soil like old roots or on soil like mulch are nutrients plants can not consume until a worm or other composting critters eat it & poo it out as castings
@@1959jskin I'm in Australia Julia so not sure about what happens in the UK but I'm pretty sure you would have earthworms like we do , when you say let loose worms on your allotment I'll assume your talking about buying composting worms that people buy when starting worm farms , although an earthworm & composting worm will eat the same thing they are slightly different , a composting worm you buy likes to spend it's time closer to the soil surface & the main thing they need to do that is of cause food but more importantly , moisture , if the soil surface drys out to much they will leave & look for a more inhabitable place , as far as i can see sitting here in Australia the UK doesn't have any issue with lack of rain so moisture shouldn't be a problem , if you add mulch ( like barley straw for instance or fallen leaves from a deciduous tree ) to your garden , it should keep the soil surface moist & earthworms should turn up on there own in numbers to start eating the mulch layer , something you could add to your garden beds are worm towers , basically they can be home made out of largish PVC pipe that you need to drill multiple holes in then bury vertically in the ground leaving a small amount above ground , the idea here is to continually fill the pipe with vegetable kitchen scrapes like fruit or veg peals , the scrapes will attract worms to feed , now you will need a lid for the top of the pipe to keep out any other critters that might find the kitchen scrapes appealing to , anyway you can search youtube I'm sure you'll find plenty of DIY video's of worm towers
Nah - sorry Craig, I believe "no dig" gardens are complete BS! The worms won't care. Just don't dig the hell out of your garden and yes - be adding all the good composting stuff to keep feeding the worms. And don't forget the Black Grit!
What should I put at the Bottoms of my garden bed to stop tree roots from surrounding areas goin into the garden bed sucking the nutrients away from the bed? Any tips would be much appreciated
I started using your soil layering technique this year including the soaked top layer of straw and talk about healthy plants. Even in pots no matter their size, I always start with a small layer of straw followed by a potting mix I made using ingredients similar to yours.
I enjoy watching your daily videos even if it's something I don't or ever have any intention of growing. Your wisdom is worthy of heeding and importantly down to earth (pun intended)...Cheers
I garden with what I've got and very successfully, I don't use synthetic stuff nor do I use all the expensive crap you promote.
Plain dirt and cowshit works for me. No plastic bags to trash either
Nice healthy soil! I don’t have a garden yet, I am taking notes for when I do. Thanks for these tips!
I have a small garden and am also taking down notes for when I can grow more produce 🍇 🍉 🍈 🍓 🥬 🌿 🪴 🥒
there is a difference between aerobic ( good ) and anaerobic ( bad ) microbes , if something smells bad you can assume that smell is from anaerobic microbes , we don't want this in the garden because this is where pathogens generally come from , if something smells pleasant ( earthy ) this is generally aerobic microbes , this is what we want our plants growing in , the good news is , given normal conditions the bad microbes struggle in an environment with air , so the good microbes can out compete the bad easily , but exclude the air & now the good microbes will struggle & the bad will out compete the good letting pathogens flourish , in a no dig garden it's the worms & other soil dwellers that make pathways or tunnels in the soil keeping it aerated ( healthy ) , a side note on worms , they want to eat microbes & the microbes are on organic matter so they eat organic matter to get the microbes , the organic matter consumption is sort of a byproduct so to speak , the microbes are the real food focus for worms
Most anaerobic issues arise from poor drainage or over watering. The water couldn't get away here in many places, I had to dig.
@@brucejensen3081 yep over watering plants is the main problem for most people imo , no air in the soil will alter PH , lockout nutrients & cause a plants leaves to go yellow , things can go anaerobic very quickly , like filling a wheelbarrow with mulch & water & letting it sit for weeks , that'll go anaerobic & start to stink
@@1959jskin Hi Julia , no worms don't eat my plants , worms like to eat decaying matter like old roots from plants that have been harvested or things you add to a mulch layer , in fact worms are eating the microbes on the decaying matter , worms are actually feeding plants , worm poo or castings are plant available nutrients , any organic matter left in soil like old roots or on soil like mulch are nutrients plants can not consume until a worm or other composting critters eat it & poo it out as castings
@@1959jskin I'm in Australia Julia so not sure about what happens in the UK but I'm pretty sure you would have earthworms like we do , when you say let loose worms on your allotment I'll assume your talking about buying composting worms that people buy when starting worm farms , although an earthworm & composting worm will eat the same thing they are slightly different , a composting worm you buy likes to spend it's time closer to the soil surface & the main thing they need to do that is of cause food but more importantly , moisture , if the soil surface drys out to much they will leave & look for a more inhabitable place , as far as i can see sitting here in Australia the UK doesn't have any issue with lack of rain so moisture shouldn't be a problem , if you add mulch ( like barley straw for instance or fallen leaves from a deciduous tree ) to your garden , it should keep the soil surface moist & earthworms should turn up on there own in numbers to start eating the mulch layer , something you could add to your garden beds are worm towers , basically they can be home made out of largish PVC pipe that you need to drill multiple holes in then bury vertically in the ground leaving a small amount above ground , the idea here is to continually fill the pipe with vegetable kitchen scrapes like fruit or veg peals , the scrapes will attract worms to feed , now you will need a lid for the top of the pipe to keep out any other critters that might find the kitchen scrapes appealing to , anyway you can search youtube I'm sure you'll find plenty of DIY video's of worm towers
Nah - sorry Craig, I believe "no dig" gardens are complete BS! The worms won't care. Just don't dig the hell out of your garden and yes - be adding all the good composting stuff to keep feeding the worms. And don't forget the Black Grit!
What should I put at the
Bottoms of my garden bed to stop tree roots from surrounding areas goin into the garden bed sucking the nutrients away from the bed? Any tips would be much appreciated