When I was a kid my neighbour across the street always trench composted. He didn't compost kitchen waste but all of his flowers, autumn leaves and grass clippings were trenched. He grew the nicest flowers in the neighbourhood
Thank you so much, finally someone admits that trench composting is easier! For years I tried composting with so much issues and I just finally gave up and so glad I did. Now I ONLY trench compost (any organic matter) and boy is the result satisfying. Again, this just shows that there’s no one size fits all and there are many ways to reach the destination. Choose what works for you. For me composting is just a bad experience: it is extremely labor intensive, it attracts so much pests and insects, and it looks ugly! That’s why I trench compost which is technically composting underground hidden away from sight and pests. Good luck :)
You are the first person who has admitted that composting attracts a lot of pests . I didn’t want that headache so, in spite of having collected the materials to start, I decided against it. I have 3 new holes filled with kitchen scraps and will dig my fourth soon. I’m excited to see the outcome.
@@myrafrancois6582 it can! And conventional piles attract more than trench composting, since soil masks scent more than other compost! And it is easy to have stinky compost 😂, so that part is inevitable! Best of luck on your composting adventures, and thanks for commenting!
Have done this for years. And in some areas, where the mulch is heaviest, I sometimes just tuck some compost under the mulch. Breaks down fast that way, too.
This is what my parents did. Ive tried container and bag gardening with less results. Going back to in ground with compost trench buried in the rows and walk ways. Looking forward to much better yields
... I add in one or garden shovel of compost starter for them to be happier along the way. My garden is happy giving me more food to eat; then, I'm happy.
@@coolbeansgardening oh absolutely it’s very informative and I just put in my new plot so the soil is a bit sad and it can use all the help it can get especially cause what’s on it are heavy feeders and the under the top soil it is shit ground a lot of gravel (person that lived here b4 me ruined the soil by mixing in a ton of gravel )
Sir, please invest in a pair of gardening shoes, you will be much more comfortable working in your garden! They will also help protect your feet from getting injured!
My pile feeds my larch and it's growing well. My other pile feeds my other veg patch. but not bad. Has anyone seen the potato in pallets video where he composts food scraps directly into a large bottle in-between? he then waters via this bottle.
Compost piles are not any more work than this. Plus I mulch my paths with lots of wood chips, which is a no dig version of what you are doing here. Digging where you plant still requires the soil to have to establish itself since you are breaking worm pathways and destroying fungal networks and more. Nutrients in compost piles are in water insoluble forms and then the soil life extracts those nutrients for plants. Not saying this is bad. Just doesn't seem like it would work in my context.
I also have used this method in the past. Now I am more focused on the microbial web and trying to not disturb it. HOWEVER, if you are using your pathways in this manner seems like your walking on this area would compress the microbials anyways. Lesson? Be very aware of soil disturbance AND of keeping off of soil generally to not compress it.
Yes, you sometimes do, which is why I usually stick to the walkways, which is harder compacted soil, where there are way less roots. Also, the walkways don't have the water, so roots are usually not there, at they stick mostly to the water source
Have you tried netting the trench so that it stays without roots for compost while allowing the roots to take the fertilizer of it? Also what’s your favorite seed starting trays? And last what do you call those slippers where you are? Here in Dominican Republic we call the samurai and they’re a classic!
Haven't needed to net compost, it gets decomposed super quick. My favorite starting trays are the Ferry Morse 18 cell trays. They give a lot more space for seedlings to grow without having to re-pot. And they're often called many things: chanclas, slides, flip-flops, sandals. Haven't heard samurai used but I like it!
Sure thing!! And most people may disagree with throwing old rubber mats on their garden, but I've found if you can find some old semi mud flaps, they have a good weight in them and do as good as a piece of plywood! Good luck keeping up with those clever foxes!
I need a little help explaining this. Is there a more detailed video. I know there are tons of reading material but I’m more photographic person. “Regular” compost pile is how different than what you put in the bucket? How do I know if what I put in the ground will cause mold or not? What can I get to help it break down. Just started my first garden ever(unless one counts some “gardening “ I did when I was toddler, I know nothing lol I do seem to have some memories of pulling weeds and such but the ground here in much more clay, so needs a bit more help. And What’s the brown or green material? Thank you for your time!!
Great questions! I don't have a longer video, but here's the rundown. The bucket is just a holding place, lots of food have an indoor compost bucket, i just have mine outside. It is easier than buying every bit of compost every time i have some. This method is generally useful for people who don't have a ton of space available. You simply collect a few days of compost, then dig a hold and bury it. It will probably not cause mold, and will deteriorate rapidly in small quantities. Green” materials are new, recently died materials that still have some green or other life colors in them (fresh grass clippings, veggie and fruit scraps, manure, etc). “Brown” materials are older, woodier, long dead materials (wood chips, straw, twigs, etc) You want both because the compost needs them both to decompose quicker. Generally you have them in an open air compost pile that you can't aerate easily. But in small quantities as shown in the video. Directly burying compost is quick, easy, and efficient composting method. Let me know if I missed something there.
Such a cool idea. Would fresh chicken poo in the walkways burn the plants in the rows.... and by switch your walkway to your rows, wouldn't the ground be really packed from walking on them or do you till the walkways before planting?
@@montage1555 you could absolutely compost chicken manure in small quantities, but I'd suggest composting it separately still. Then incorporating once it's partially or fully composted. Mostly because bird poo has a lot more potential disease than most kitchen compost. And yes. Soil is compacted from walking. The trench composting keeps it loose, and you can always loosen with a digging fork later if it's still too hard, prior to planting. Great questions!!
@@coolbeansgardening Thank you so much!! Have been doing that since my initial question! Have a third of a bucket full…. I’m going to mix it with the brown (dried leaves, branches, and my store bought compost). I think I’m as exited not to fill landfills as I am about having a nutritious soil😂! Thank you again
Convenience! I can quickly throw sandals on and head outside. I also don't like bug bites or showing off toes, so I've enjoyed years of bliss with socks and sandals. If you haven't yet, give it a tey
So the following year you put your plants where the walkways / trenches have been the year before? Or how do nutrients reach the plants that are at the side of where you bury your stuff? Interesting idea
That's correct! Walkways become the plant rows the next year, or every other year! You can also till the whole garden and that would mix it sufficiently.
@@coolbeansgardening tilling the garden defeats the purpose of improving soil condition (leaving it undisturbed ought to be better according to the no-till no-dig ideology) and of extra work ('though once a year shouldn't be that much of a issue).
@@coolbeansgardening If you do it every other year you might be able to combine it with the idea of a path way of wood chips that will break down over time and contribute to your composting.
Thanks for asking! That's part of my watering system! Each row has a shut off, so I can water whichever series of rows I want. and holes are drilled 12-18 inches apart to water each plant at the base. I can switch the PVC out with soaker hoses switching on what I plant.
Yes, and no. I truly believe no dig gardening lacks deep soil penetration with nutrients after a couple years. Nutrient settling from top dressing is not as fast or deep as people might hope.
This it the best if you have a walled garden. Dont try in open gardens as dogs and other animals will dig those food scraps and will damage the plants.
don’t it take a long while for em to actually be useful for plant nutrients. You got worms under your plants? The roots cant take much from em if they don’t decompose.
Convenience is often why gardening gets done. Putting on shoes for every visit to the garden would mean a lot less maintenance. But all the same, don't knock it till you try it! ;)
@@agdayem Is that comment to me? I'd say I'm fairly open minded, and always open to new techniques, but as in all things, one has to believe in something, and defend that belief. Polarizing opinions are human nature. Gardening, is no different.
@@agdayem ah, I may not be the best at understanding sarcasm from text, but giving him the benefit of the doubt, it felt like a fun jab. And we never want to discourage folks from gardening! In fact, I'd say, most grumpy people don't get enough gardening!
Bet the rats and mice and raccoons love you ! A compost should be contained in a bin or garbage can for that reason. Maybe you don’t have garbage loving critters but it attracts them for your neighbors. For people watching please keep scraps contained. My neighbor did it this way and we had a rat problem and I didn’t even have a vegetable garden. Errrr!!
Nope! And you contradicted yourself..a classic compost pile is in fact, easier access to rodents! I do have a raccoon, but he eats tomatoes, never diga up scraps!
When I was a kid my neighbour across the street always trench composted. He didn't compost kitchen waste but all of his flowers, autumn leaves and grass clippings were trenched. He grew the nicest flowers in the neighbourhood
Sounds like he knew what was up! Thanks for sharing!
I did this over the winter into my dormant beds and the results have been amazing in what has been growing so far.
That's awesome!!! Thanks for sharing!
I do this all the time. It doesn't take long for it to break down. I also get volunteer edibles through this method too. My plants love it too.
Thank you!! That's awesome!
❤😊
😊🎉
Not true, once a week is way too much, can take a month for it to degrade and fully maybe bit longer , it’ll just rot and mould before
Oh my goodness. Rotating trenches is such a brilliant idea.
My father used to do this very same way, and his garden was fabulous,, good on you!
Thank you so much, finally someone admits that trench composting is easier! For years I tried composting with so much issues and I just finally gave up and so glad I did. Now I ONLY trench compost (any organic matter) and boy is the result satisfying. Again, this just shows that there’s no one size fits all and there are many ways to reach the destination. Choose what works for you. For me composting is just a bad experience: it is extremely labor intensive, it attracts so much pests and insects, and it looks ugly! That’s why I trench compost which is technically composting underground hidden away from sight and pests. Good luck :)
Yes!! All of gardening is experimentation and just have to adjust to what works for you! Thanks for commenting, and watching!
You are the first person who has admitted that composting attracts a lot of pests . I didn’t want that headache so, in spite of having collected the materials to start, I decided against it. I have 3 new holes filled with kitchen scraps and will dig my fourth soon. I’m excited to see the outcome.
@@myrafrancois6582 it can! And conventional piles attract more than trench composting, since soil masks scent more than other compost! And it is easy to have stinky compost 😂, so that part is inevitable! Best of luck on your composting adventures, and thanks for commenting!
This is my second year tench composting the beds and this is the only way I’ll go! I loved watching your garden. Soil looks so healthy 😊
Thank you!! Long time getting it here, and trench composting has been the cause!
Freaking BRILLIANT .... Pple like you truly makes me more inspired 😊
Thanks!!! And thanks for watching!!
Dude, sold! Thank you.
Awesome! It certainly has worked for me!
It's low dig, that's not much of a disturbance, especially since it's a small plot. Thank you for showing this, I can't wait to try it.
I absolutely agree! And thanks for watching and commenting!
I love this!
Thanks! It's worked pretty well for me! Thanks for watching!
Looks good. Is there a way to save shorts to a playlist? I want to come back to this later
Hit share, then the keep notes option, and save a note with it, or send to yourself somehow.
u can press the like button then it'll be in your library under liked
@@krystaleyezdchaosciousness that is also very true!
I agree with you but, where I live the animals would not allow it.😢 They have dug out tunnels to get to it. Glad it worked for you❤😊
Brilliant!
Thanks!! And thanks for watching!
Cool beans dude thanks for sharing I’m tuned in
GRoovy man! Thanks for watching!
Have done this for years. And in some areas, where the mulch is heaviest, I sometimes just tuck some compost under the mulch. Breaks down fast that way, too.
Absolutely!! Thanks for commenting!
Dude! That's brilliant. Thanks for sharing! 👍
Thank you! I'm pretty partial to it!
Thanks! It has worked for me for years now!
This is what my parents did. Ive tried container and bag gardening with less results. Going back to in ground with compost trench buried in the rows and walk ways. Looking forward to much better yields
Same! I've never been able to do bags, at best, wide raised bed gardens, but there's something about planting in the ground. So much better.
... I add in one or garden shovel of compost starter for them to be happier along the way. My garden is happy giving me more food to eat; then, I'm happy.
This works great! ❤
Gonna try it... thanks for sharing.
This is so stinking clever !!!! ❤
Why thank you!
@@coolbeansgardening no! Thank you 😊 I’m so gonna “steal” this !! Awesome way to use my food waste instead of chucking it in the containers
@@pixi8690 absolutely! Best no waste process there is! Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@coolbeansgardening oh absolutely it’s very informative and I just put in my new plot so the soil is a bit sad and it can use all the help it can get especially cause what’s on it are heavy feeders and the under the top soil it is shit ground a lot of gravel (person that lived here b4 me ruined the soil by mixing in a ton of gravel )
@@pixi8690 oh man. I absolutely HATE when people use gravel, rocks and such. You can never reclaim that without intense work. I applaud your efforts!!
i’ve found the same worked for me game changer
Absolutely!!
Thank you! Awesome
Yay 🎉 Thank you!😊
Thank you!
Gotta dig!!
Every time!
Ive been doing this for years
That's awesome! And it works!
Sir, please invest in a pair of gardening shoes, you will be much more comfortable working in your garden! They will also help protect your feet from getting injured!
Great system.
My pile feeds my larch and it's growing well. My other pile feeds my other veg patch. but not bad. Has anyone seen the potato in pallets video where he composts food scraps directly into a large bottle in-between? he then waters via this bottle.
nice.
Compost piles are not any more work than this. Plus I mulch my paths with lots of wood chips, which is a no dig version of what you are doing here. Digging where you plant still requires the soil to have to establish itself since you are breaking worm pathways and destroying fungal networks and more. Nutrients in compost piles are in water insoluble forms and then the soil life extracts those nutrients for plants. Not saying this is bad. Just doesn't seem like it would work in my context.
Not every manner of gardening works for everyone, but that's what it's all about! Experimenting is everything!
I also have used this method in the past.
Now I am more focused on the microbial web and trying to not disturb it.
HOWEVER, if you are using your pathways in this manner seems like your walking on this area would compress the microbials anyways.
Lesson? Be very aware of soil disturbance AND of keeping off of soil generally to not compress it.
I started with bokashi and now I just trench compost
That's awesome! Simple and effective
Do you hit any roots?
Yes, you sometimes do, which is why I usually stick to the walkways, which is harder compacted soil, where there are way less roots. Also, the walkways don't have the water, so roots are usually not there, at they stick mostly to the water source
Have you tried netting the trench so that it stays without roots for compost while allowing the roots to take the fertilizer of it? Also what’s your favorite seed starting trays? And last what do you call those slippers where you are? Here in Dominican Republic we call the samurai and they’re a classic!
Haven't needed to net compost, it gets decomposed super quick.
My favorite starting trays are the Ferry Morse 18 cell trays. They give a lot more space for seedlings to grow without having to re-pot.
And they're often called many things: chanclas, slides, flip-flops, sandals. Haven't heard samurai used but I like it!
Yo can everyone just peep the sandals and socks what a garden Gandhi gangster!😂
😂 it's the "i want to go into the garden but I don't want to put on shoes" look. Very dashing. Convenient ;) you should totally give it a try.
Lol I totally do but with my michigan moccasins always thanks for the good vibes and content
@@userdontgetmad sweeeeet! And thanks for watching!
I struggle to keep the foxes out wow dont I feel like a plonker.....weight it down 😂 so obvious no more hurdles, thank you 🎉
Sure thing!! And most people may disagree with throwing old rubber mats on their garden, but I've found if you can find some old semi mud flaps, they have a good weight in them and do as good as a piece of plywood!
Good luck keeping up with those clever foxes!
question - why would u wanna cover it if you dont dig it? Does it help it break down by keeping some of its moisture in?
I do dig it, and covering keeps rodents out.
I need a little help explaining this. Is there a more detailed video. I know there are tons of reading material but I’m more photographic person. “Regular” compost pile is how different than what you put in the bucket? How do I know if what I put in the ground will cause mold or not? What can I get to help it break down. Just started my first garden ever(unless one counts some “gardening “ I did when I was toddler, I know nothing lol I do seem to have some memories of pulling weeds and such but the ground here in much more clay, so needs a bit more help. And What’s the brown or green material? Thank you for your time!!
Great questions! I don't have a longer video, but here's the rundown.
The bucket is just a holding place, lots of food have an indoor compost bucket, i just have mine outside. It is easier than buying every bit of compost every time i have some.
This method is generally useful for people who don't have a ton of space available. You simply collect a few days of compost, then dig a hold and bury it.
It will probably not cause mold, and will deteriorate rapidly in small quantities.
Green” materials are new, recently died materials that still have some green or other life colors in them (fresh grass clippings, veggie and fruit scraps, manure, etc). “Brown” materials are older, woodier, long dead materials (wood chips, straw, twigs, etc)
You want both because the compost needs them both to decompose quicker.
Generally you have them in an open air compost pile that you can't aerate easily. But in small quantities as shown in the video. Directly burying compost is quick, easy, and efficient composting method.
Let me know if I missed something there.
Such a cool idea. Would fresh chicken poo in the walkways burn the plants in the rows.... and by switch your walkway to your rows, wouldn't the ground be really packed from walking on them or do you till the walkways before planting?
@@montage1555 you could absolutely compost chicken manure in small quantities, but I'd suggest composting it separately still. Then incorporating once it's partially or fully composted. Mostly because bird poo has a lot more potential disease than most kitchen compost. And yes. Soil is compacted from walking. The trench composting keeps it loose, and you can always loosen with a digging fork later if it's still too hard, prior to planting. Great questions!!
@@coolbeansgardening Thank you so much!! Have been doing that since my initial question! Have a third of a bucket full…. I’m going to mix it with the brown (dried leaves, branches, and my store bought compost). I think I’m as exited not to fill landfills as I am about having a nutritious soil😂!
Thank you again
whats with the socks and sandals, mate ? Good method seems :-)
-
Convenience! I can quickly throw sandals on and head outside. I also don't like bug bites or showing off toes, so I've enjoyed years of bliss with socks and sandals. If you haven't yet, give it a tey
I just burry the harvested plant when it grew. Or with bean bushes. Cut, harvest, mow and mulch.
So the following year you put your plants where the walkways / trenches have been the year before? Or how do nutrients reach the plants that are at the side of where you bury your stuff? Interesting idea
That's correct! Walkways become the plant rows the next year, or every other year! You can also till the whole garden and that would mix it sufficiently.
@@coolbeansgardening tilling the garden defeats the purpose of improving soil condition (leaving it undisturbed ought to be better according to the no-till no-dig ideology) and of extra work ('though once a year shouldn't be that much of a issue).
@@coolbeansgardening If you do it every other year you might be able to combine it with the idea of a path way of wood chips that will break down over time and contribute to your composting.
I'm confused, how do you stop the animals from getting to it
Just put something on top of where you dig. A board, or a weighted tray, and something to mask any smell, like grass clippings
Is that PVC pipe to the right and left? Why?
Thanks for asking! That's part of my watering system! Each row has a shut off, so I can water whichever series of rows I want. and holes are drilled 12-18 inches apart to water each plant at the base. I can switch the PVC out with soaker hoses switching on what I plant.
Turn it all to liquid. And dilute. Feed once’s a week to soil
I have! Check it out here!!
ua-cam.com/users/shortsuZuiJrNXcSQ?feature=share3
Maybe and perhaps in order to put into practice no dig gardening you must dig once using trench composting.......
Yes, and no. I truly believe no dig gardening lacks deep soil penetration with nutrients after a couple years. Nutrient settling from top dressing is not as fast or deep as people might hope.
COVER WITH LIME AND SOUR MILK WATER
You're supposed to grind up eggshells
You're right, but I find that they decompose all the same. It would spread out the nutrients better
Sadly, our ground is mostly rock.
Same. That's why I have bordered gardens. Had to haul in fifteen yards of soil
This it the best if you have a walled garden. Dont try in open gardens as dogs and other animals will dig those food scraps and will damage the plants.
don’t it take a long while for em to actually be useful for plant nutrients. You got worms under your plants? The roots cant take much from em if they don’t decompose.
Absolutely got worms! But it only takes a few weeks for almost everything to be decomposed! It's very quick!
it will take the nitrogen from the soil to ferment
It puts wayyy more back in than take out I assure tou
@@coolbeansgardening i suppose 🤔
Nice trash yard, man.
Assuming that's an insult, because well, internet, Yea I neglect my Bermuda, I find it's main life purpose is for mulch :)
can’t do this, definitely too much mice 🐭 around here
Do mice baits work on them?
@@IluvinortheIneffable Unfortunately not yet
bears
Probably raccoons first, but I haven't had that issue yet
Clever techniques but coming from a guy using a shovel with socks and sandals makes me rethink the value of the whole thing.... ;)
Convenience is often why gardening gets done. Putting on shoes for every visit to the garden would mean a lot less maintenance. But all the same, don't knock it till you try it! ;)
Sorry but the way you think makes me advise you to pursue something other than gardening. To be a good gardener you can’t be that judge mental!
@@agdayem Is that comment to me? I'd say I'm fairly open minded, and always open to new techniques, but as in all things, one has to believe in something, and defend that belief. Polarizing opinions are human nature. Gardening, is no different.
@@coolbeansgardening No sir it’s not to you. It’s to @stephm69mtl. Sorry for the confusion 🙏🏻
@@agdayem ah, I may not be the best at understanding sarcasm from text, but giving him the benefit of the doubt, it felt like a fun jab. And we never want to discourage folks from gardening! In fact, I'd say, most grumpy people don't get enough gardening!
I don't dig a trench every week or so and have huge tomato harvests , who digs trenches lol
Lmao how's this low maintenance when you have to dig a trench once a week or more, get real
Bet the rats and mice and raccoons love you ! A compost should be contained in a bin or garbage can for that reason. Maybe you don’t have garbage loving critters but it attracts them for your neighbors. For people watching please keep scraps contained. My neighbor did it this way and we had a rat problem and I didn’t even have a vegetable garden. Errrr!!
Nope! And you contradicted yourself..a classic compost pile is in fact, easier access to rodents!
I do have a raccoon, but he eats tomatoes, never diga up scraps!
Once a week is too much, it needs time to fully degrade
It finishes decomposing in the ground.