Sorry you had to go through this nightmare. I had never heard of the salt problem in compost, let alone the grazon curse. I am very grateful that you bite the bullet and let all of us learn from your mistake. One of my martial arts instructors once said that a master of any disciplne is a student that has made every mistake and learned from them. You showed amaizing grace in turning this situation into a great teaching point. Thanks. I bought thee master compost book already and am using it inconjunction with your book to make my garden better.
🌿🐓 @Robert Johnson I couldn't understand how salt could get into a person's dirt. I wondered if it had to do with plant material from areas near the ocean, but that seemed far-fetched. And then during his video on free fertilizer, Brian mentioned that too much salt could be present in cow and horse manure. I guess that all mammals have a need for some salt in order to function well. Our tears and sweat testify to that. Wow! There's so much to learn. Good thing we're all so passionate about growing!
Grazon got me from hay used as mulch. Terrible. The corn remediation took care of it in one crop. Made lots of videos on this to get the word out, glad you are too.
Thank you for commenting on this about the corn. I have the lower end of my vegetable garden that has a couple of rows that still needs help. I will plant corn down there now after reading your comment.
Hey Scott! (I won a packet of seeds from you this spring) this year was the first time I ever used purchased composted manure....my tomatoes and peppers are all mangled and dying. Very discouraging after filling 3 new 8x4 beds, 2 old ones and 2 in ground rows....looks like I'll be planting corn.
This was so informative. The more I learn even at 35 years into gardening, the more I want to make my own compost and go back to the old ways of no chemicals and just weed myself, and grow healthy vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. All these chemicals are killing us slowly it seems. I’d love the book to learn more.
@@donaldduck830 Seriously? Who makes a comment like this? So what if she's never had her own compost pile. Gardening is a journey and open to all who dare to try to grow. How about a 'lil support or advice for her endeavors vs tearing her down? 🌿 (edited to correct pronouns). Xx
@@TDAEON thank you for your kind words. Much appreciated. I am an older woman now and I started out many years ago teaching myself and picking up advice as I could from others. I’ve always ended up with enough to eat, feed others in our family and church, and preserve hundreds of jars every year so negative comments are just that and I choose to throw them in my new compost pile. Lol God bless you for defending an old Grannie. I love our homestead community.👩🌾💙
This year I noticed the manure bags printed, "for lawn use only" and "not suitable for gardens". Last year I could not figure out, what on Earth was going on with my peppers.. I listened in on a class David the Good gave. When he became animated and described what the leaves do, I knew it was grazon immediately. Since then I've warned anyone who'd listen. This is such an important message. Its such a costly issue, especially if you do it to yourself by using "free compost" from a farm.
My garden struggled last year and it was my first year of gardening in my new raised bed. I had purchased a tri-mix from a local supplier. As it turns out it was fairly high in sodium and that’s why my garden struggled. This is likely more common than we know. I think new gardeners just think they’re doing something wrong. Thank you for the excellent information.
Brian, I know you are struggling but the garden looks lovely even before the plants. Soon, they will be beautiful and lush and I just know it will be a great success. You are generous with your honesty with us and I personally appreciate it. Blessings on your day! Have a great week!
This would be so horrific to deal with this year with upcoming food shortages and the fact that water is an issue in So Cal. A few years ago I got free compost from the county recycle and it was loaded with poison ivy. Needless to say , I will never do that again.
I did not know there could be a "salt:" issue and I am happy to learn about GRAZON , which I had never heard of. Thank you for sharing your expertise and time with us - it truly is invaluable and a special gift. I can't wait to see your garden once it gets going!
🌿🐓 @ Barbara Jo Danner I live in Michigan and wonder if salt is a problem only for folks using products from states that have an ocean shoreline. I never in 5 decades heard of a salt problem or this wretched Grazon, then I had always made my own compost and bought what little extra I needed from organic products. Brian has such broad shoulders; I think he was meant to have this problem so that he could impress on his many followers how very important it is to have soil tested. I'm so disgusted that this Grazon was developed that I'm going to write my Congresswoman, Debbie Stabenow who is very involved in Big AG. As soon as one product is banned, it seems another is made available, possibly very similar with a new name. I can't imagine the discomfort and health problems that Grazon must cause these animals and anyone else on the food chain!
I do not use animal manure in my compost system, especially local manure. If I can find rabbit manure in large enough amounts that would be the exception. I would love to have a source for "clean" horse manure, but too many ranchers use weed control chemicals that will kill garden plants. They don't care; they buy their vegetables at Safeway or Albertsons. I had a scare with free, well aged horse manure several years ago. It still had herbicide residues in it that would have wiped out my entire garden. It was free to haul, but I had to pay to dump it in the landfill. Beware, gardeners -- you may never know til it's too late.
🌿🐓 @Barbara Jo Danner I left the comment here saying I was puzzled about salt showing up in compost. Well, while watching Brian's video on free fertilizer, he mentioned how too much salt could be present in cow and horse manure. That makes sense since we humans have salty tears and sweat without dining on kelp from the ocean. I've really got to stay tuned in to Brian. He is not only up on all facets of gardening, but he's a magnet for all the good ideas experts that tune in send him! Happy gardening, Barbara Jo! 🌱🐝🌻🌾
@@diananutt1517 Please spare the government an uneducated knee-jerk reaction letter about Grazon. It's an amino acid combined with another product that targets destructive and noxious weeds that harm animals. It doesn't hurt grass, or animals, including dogs, cats and humans if injested in small amounts. Yes, it's not toxic to humans if you were to take a swig of it and No, it's not for your garden. Leave the amino acids alone, please. Do your research from professional educated sources before being disgusted and writing that letter. Thanks.
I'm 64 years old ... as of yesterday : ), and fairly new at vegetable gardening. I built three raised beds this year, and someone had given me "free" horse manure! I was so pleased to receive that truck load. But then, my green bean plants mysteriously began to wilt and die. After reading that green beans are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, I began feeling that I wasn't meant for this gardening task! Other plants (except for my squashes) aren't looking their best. So now I'm thinking my problem could be Grazon - or perhaps some other additives to the horse feed that contributed to what I thought was "wonderful" compost ; ( ... Live and learn! Thank you, Brian for another very informative video. Also, thanks for not being too proud to share your miss-giving. It helps us all!
Still having problem in beds I started about 2 years ago. Used Black Kow on those but ofcourse the company want admit any responsibility. So I also over wintered in rye grass but the compounded my mistake by tilling the rye back into the soil. Hopefully next year my third full season with this mess it will straighten out. Plus I'll use rye again and pull it out and burn or I'll plant corn in those beds. Good Luck.
Wow what a shock! Thats something I never considered when getting compost outside of your own home, like a dump that composts all wastes they get from peoples homes. That sure is something to consider. Thanks for sharing
I'm glad to hear that your garden issue was the more manageable problem. Also, thank you for the info on Grazon. I had no knowledge of this scary issue and your info will certainly help us keep a lookout for unwanted pesticides.
I never thought about salt being my potential problem. I'm dealing with struggling plants and all the signs point to salt. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. This is my first year solo gardening so it's been a ride.
This definitely happened to me my first year that I came to my new house. It’s a small HOA backyard and I fenced off half of it to garden and what ended up happening was every single plant in my garden started Simultaneously yellowing at the same rate and having weird leaf curl and stunted growth. Many blessings to you for sharing this in-depth information that will help countless gardeners on their pursuit to greatness. I removed a solid 3 1/2 inch layer of soil from my whole garden and then I watered it profusely for about three weeks and then I added new, clean compost and mulch and everything was fine after that.
Thank you, Brian. In the Northern Sacramento Valley we've been having even more days/ nights with High winds than usual (35 mph + since yesterday). I desperately want to work outside without "burning up" or being "blown down" 🥴! I guess it's lucky that I have no $ to buy Any soil amendments & have to wait til what little compost I can make is ready to use!
For all the mistakes I made on my way to gardening, I did the main thing right. My garden is small. Nevertheless, I have listened to the advice of many youtubers that if you have even a tiny chance, make your own home compost first. And I did. A big three-piece pallet covered composter and three more made of nets. I composted diligently for over a year, producing over two cubic metres of first-class compost, and then I put in the raised beds. Now I am doing Charles Dowding no dig gardening with autumn covering with compost. I could not be happier. I can't believe how much my little seven beds are producing. And I always know what's in my soil. This video is worth its weight in gold, big thumbs up.
Thanks for sharing the downsides of gardening, it’s most helpful! Once you get into working with plants be it landscaping or food producing plants, you quickly find out how complicated it can be because of how each plant has its own needs and weaknesses! But it’s worth it once you are able to dial it in! I do compost, but as with most things I’m sure I can learn new tips from his book!
This is so true. Many people really think they can throw seeds into any soil and then add water & maybe fertilize a little…and they’ll end up with a harvest. It’s NOT easy to produce your own food in any reliable & sizable quantity. Takes many years of experience, trials and errors. At the very least: some basic knowledge about every plant you’re growing, knowledge about NPK & minerals, soil pH, salts, pests, fungi…plus, when you inevitably run into problems, the knowledge of how to diagnose problems & also knowledge about how to fix it all. Those who can make gardening look easy & productive have paid their dues & are a fount of knowledge.
I've garden in the past mostly containers on an apartment porch. Finally got an actual garden this year and your videos have been so helpful keep up the good work
So happy you were able to fix your compost!!!! I was devastated for you if it had been grazon after all your hard work this past year building your new garden! Many blessings for a successful and bountiful season and good health!!!
I’m starting my own compost pile this year and reading up on all I can. I will be sure to double check on my manure source to make sure the animal feed is safe! Thanks for enlightening us about Grazon!
When we were in SD, we got their mushroom compost many times and never had problems. But it is good to know about the grazon situation. We produce our own compost and worm castings, but this last year we added some more wicking beds and needed to buy soil and compost. I guess we were lucky that it was clean! Thanks for the information and how you tested it.
It would be interesting to do a full analysis of the mushrooms compost. I did that for my raised beds this season and it was really informative and saved me on fertilizer because I didn’t have to use several that I would have if I just guessed.
I'm so sorry you're going through this, Brian. I am also happy to hear that it is not Grazon! Your new gardens and homestead are a huge inspiration to us. You remind us that even the "experts" can have struggles, and that helps me get through mine. I am excited to continue watching you on all platforms! Big things are in your future, and you WILL overcome this obstacle! On a side note, a signed book from Tony would be really cool! I'd keep it next to yours on the shelf when not in use!
I think your COMPOST TESTING idea is fantastic! We can't trust any of the commercial amendments to know whether or not their composts, straw or hay are impacted by pesticides that could harm our plants. We should DIY everything if we really want to KNOW what is in our garden. That is what I'm doing these days.
Having had a pesticide applicators license since 1976 I’ve seen a lot bad mistakes with pesticides. We would put out a herbicide as a pre-emergent herbicide to rid golf greens of annual bluegrass. Then before we applied the overseeding for winter play we would apply activated charcoal in a spray form (tough on pumps) to deactivate the herbicide that was applied as a pre emergent. This is a powered form. It’s very dirty to apply in dry form but just plan on taking several showers. We also used it to raise soil temperatures when cold weather was coming. We would have it blended with sand top dressing it tie up many toxins in the turf and soils.
So relieved that your problem is solvable! I had never heard of the salt issue with compost. Thank you for enlightening me about it, now I know what to look out for. Also, I would love to win the composting book as I was thinking of starting my own compost heap for the first time (it's the first time I actually own a garden!). Thank you again for all the great, instructive videos!
I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this mess with your new garden but I know with your knowledge you will overcome this and have a beautiful garden soon. Keep smiling, keep growing and happy gardening. God Bless!
I'm so glad to hear your results. I was on edge for you lol. Two years ago I had grazeon from horse manure. I was able to harvest some veggies, but my garden looked awful. Crime scene for sure. I started making my own compost. We don't have a lot of space for huge compost bins, but enough for 3 small totes. The totes have worked wonderfully.
Wow, what a relief it was not Grazon. I feel sorry for anyone who has to deal with that nightmare. Sorry you had to go through the salt damage. At least there was a quick fix for it. These are things I would have never have thought about. Thanks for sharing.
I had no idea this could be an issue with compost! I’m planning on starting a compost heap this season and start on raised bed gardening next year (hopefully) because I’m house poor and lumber is expensive. But at least homemade compost will be ready for me! Thanks for all the information you share.
I used mushroom compost several years ago and had same issues. I didn't fully know what the problem was... just knew I was never going to use mushroom compost again. This year I am determined to make my own compost. So much to learn!
I'd love to see a deep dive into what mushroom compost is, why it's different. Given grazon, it might be worth avoiding cow and horse manure composts (which of course I just filled a gigantic raised bed with many bags of...) Maybe chicken manure compost is safest for gardeners?
You could consider growing a legume on part of your plot to help you make your own compost, I also found a grass crop for soil cover that grows quite long and could be turned over. Your climate could be unsuitable for the "fallow" crop I used. I think that persistent herbicide is likely banned in Europe, getting manure is generally fine but results in weed seeds unless you hot compost with the manure to make good compost. IIRC mushroom compost can have metals and chicken manure tends to be over nitrogenous.
Wow didn’t know if the salt issue and Learn about GRAZON , which I never heard of, appreciate the videos and sharing your process in your garden, hope a speedy recovery of your soil so you can get it going
Excellent video, as always. I am just learning for garden. And your input is so full of useful information and advice, it is a real help to me. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us
I read up on Grazon and it's a safe and a great amino acid product. I'm buying some for my lawn and around the house. Since I container garden I'm not worried at all. Goodbye dandelions.
I also am on a new property, landed here in late summer, needed to get my composting started for spring. Free horse manure everywhere here in southern Oregon.Thankfully most all these ranchers do not use such pesticides, certified grasses and alfalfa and such. I was assured when I saw they had laid out horse manure all over their garden beds for spring prep. That Grazon is nasty stuff; I appreciate you giving folks some remedy for it, I know I would be devastated to not be able to feed my family from my garden. I did all hugelkultur beds on my 5 acres, work in progress, but your tips, pitfalls and honesty help us all, blessings be for you, your family and all of us people who love the soil and the sun and what it provides.
This is my first year growing a raised bed garden and composting and man have I learned a lot from your videos! My grandfather has been doing his own composting for his gardens for over 40 years now so he really knows his stuff but he will definitely be impressed when he sees what I've accomplished so far thanks to your knowledgeable videos.
So glad for you it wasn't the grazon issue. I now know to test the compost Im going to get before putting it in my garden beds. I can't wait to see what your garden looks like in the future when everything is growing well.
Whew! Glad it wasn’t Grazon. I recently learned of this problem of the Grazon making it through the digestive system of cows from David the Good on his channel. I had to check with my farmers to find out if they had used it in recent years because I have been using their cow manure in my compost piles.
I’m having a little trouble getting my compost system going. I am determined to get it figured out. I always have a lot of leaves in the fall and grass clippings throughout the summer. I want to turn that stuff into gold. 😉
Yup, must balance the 4 elements to quick composting: Browns, Greens, Air and Water! Which means you have to actively turn your compost. If you’re not in a hurry, then you can let it just sit, as long as you keep it moist. I love the BioStack system, but flipping Target bought the rights to it and then stopped production!!! 😡☹️
I have quite a lot of leaves that have been sitting in a pallet bin since last fall, and this spring I waited to mow the grass so I would have a lot of grass clippings. So many videos say how easy it is to compost these two things and I have to say, that finally, for once, I have hot compost! I alternated the leaves and grass in very thin layers, watered each layer then mixed it all up (I bought a manure fork last fall and don't know how I lived without one!). I've been turning every couple of days and am anxious to see what happens. My usual composting style is to throw everything in one pile and leave it for a year or more.
I've turned my compost pile over to the experts: my flock of hens, lol! How many years had I tried to get compost right and couldn't! Now I just throw everything I'm composting in an area and let the ladies scratch and peck through.
@@steph6337 I know what you mean! I rarely get mine above 100! It’s usually 80-90 degree range, but I let the worms go to town and do their thing! LOL Of course it doesn’t help that I keep adding to it since I don’t have a lot of material at one time, so that basically starts the process over. But like the instructors told us in the composting class I took many moons ago, “compost happens”! So just keep at it 😁
"Compost" a broad term that does not define the materials age and composition. I think the more accurate term for what you filled your beds with was mulch. Good luck with your new beds, you might think about potholing your new plantings with a more conducive material.
I am glad you are going to be able to plant soon without having to remove and replace the soil. I love the attitude that you present, I would be so frustrated and dissapointed. Keep it up. Thank you for sharing.
I'm here in Utah. We've been dealing with drought conditions for 8 years now. Still putting in a garden. My husband has been working on a mulch pile for 4 years it's not produced anything. I'm hoping to get the mulching book so we can figure out why and fix it.
If your pile is just sitting there you need to add moisture and then turn it for aeration. You need to get the temperature of the pile to at least 100 ° just reach a steady mark. Active is between 110° and 130° between 130° and 160° your pile is considered hot and that's when the weed seeds and pathogens are eliminated. But it does not get rid of salt and grazon. Thats just to get the pile going.
I'm a container gardener in 9b that struggles with heat and a short supply of water. I really try to make sure that I companion plant to keeps those that need shade shaded and those that need water, watered. I love your channel!
Nitrogen in one of its free form (accessable for plants) is a form of salt - nitrate salt. Plants need it, but too much burns thier system completly. I'd say anything above 2,2% in an organic mass is starting to become a problem for the rootsystem. The salts are water loving molecules that make it not possible for roots to get water thru the osmosis effect. I am not native english and I am not a scientist, but I hope u got the point.
I had such a horrible year last year with my raised garden beds, I had added plenty of compost and manure and the garden suffered. Thank you for your video...I had no idea. Really want to start my own compost pile now.
I am so sorry you and Emily have had to deal with this issue! Glad it was salt and NOT Grazon! So sorry for the viewers who have Grazon damage 👎 I hope you'll all be able to enjoy the rest of the season! 💚
Sigh, with the ever increasing prices of compost and garden soil (of everything these days!), you'd think the sellers of the products would test before they sold to unsuspecting customers.
@@shadytreez uh-oh! I re potted young trees & planted seeds in Miracle-Gro too > having enough trouble with the wild weather & wind as it is > Hope you have a good outcome & a bountiful harvest❣️
@@dkleath8697 I’m having so much trouble with our winds too! I’d love to see more videos about what wind can do to the garden and solutions to implement.
Great explanation of both issues! We had a problem with an entire dump truck load of three year old composted horse manure that had Grazon in it. It destroyed a gazillion of my plants! That’s when I did research and learned about grazon.
I’m glad your test results were not too bad and you have a solution to fix it. I only have a back yard to garden but I have two compost containers in it. I struggle getting it right. I would love to have the book!
Yep. Had a bout with Grazone coouple years ago, with hay purchased from a Tractor Supply big box. Was obvious damage on the plants. Thankfully it must have been a light dose, as my soil microbes and nurturing from me, it grew out of in by the next season. But I learned my lesson! Nothing external is added to my precious soil without verification of its source and tested. Thanks Brian for your continued on the spot problem solving for us. You saving a lot of us a lot of heartache buddy.
How devastating, so sorry you are having these issues. Thankyou for posting these videos. I love how determined you are to fix it. Many people would just give up.
Thank you for spreading the word about Grazon. We used goat manure from goats that had been fed "Grazoned" hay on our raised beds and flower beds. It did a number on everything we used that manure on. How frustrating that what you thought would help your garden, actually hindered your efforts.
When we lived in Colorado there was herbicide in a truckload of garden soil we bought. The tomato leaves curled under and the plants were stunted. We took a plant to the Extension Office. The agent told us what it was. He said to add a BUNCH of compost, manure, leaves, etc and they would bind up the herbicide by the next year. It worked. (As far as the damaged tomato plants, I replanted in some good uncontaminated soil. They came out of it and produced tomatoes that year.) Love your videos.
For my birthday, my husband gave me a compost bin (and yes, I ask for it!) We have one but unfortunately, critters use it as their grocery store.... So this one is a tumbler, and now we are getting serious on composting for our garden... not just tossing in scraps and garden clippings. So, I am looking for a comprehensive 'how to and not to do' book. I did watch Tony's video and plan on checking out his channel and books. Thanks for the info, glad you 'just' had a salt issue but also glad this led to info on composting and some issues related to getting it from an outside source.
Hi Brian, I completely understand what you are going through. I moved from New England (Massachusetts) to North Carolina. I was so excited to start a garden, dreaming of a those fruits and vegetables I could not grow in the North. Once I started I found the soil to be hard and very dry, unlike New England soil which is black and rich. As the season progressed, not much grew. This year I changed to containers and I am now finding success while still learning about composting. Best of gardening to you, I am positive you will bring this section of your property to life for all to learn from and enjoy.
Like so many others, I was not aware of "grazon ". Last year I decided to use some composted cow manure and my plants didn't do so well. Now I'm wondering if it could be that. Thanks for being such a wonderful teacher.
Thank you so much for sharing your frustrations in dealing with your garden. We all have a lot to learn. I am still striving and trying to cultivate potatoes. It’s so hot and humid, that no matter how hard I try, they dry up or the roots rot cause of the rain. But again I will not give up and try again in September when temperatures are suppose to drop a few degrees. Si thanks and keep it. God bless all who share their experiences and knowledge.
I have 2 large growing containers that I've been unable to grow anything in. I had put soil and compost we had around here in them. So now I'm going to be testing them for salt content. Thank you for this helpful video.
Thank you for sharing this with all of us. I can only imagine how discouraging this could be for anyone. It never occurred to me that compost or manure could be tainted so badly.
Brian, I am so sorry for you dealing with this issue. As another viewer mentioned, your garden is beautiful even without the plants. I can certainly appreciate all the hard work you put in to making your garden beds and walls. We have also started fresh with landscaping and remodeling our yard and home. We are just getting close to completion after 10 years! I also had a problem with my seedlings this year. They sprouted quickly, but didn't seem to grow, it took weeks for them to get their true set of leaves. I used good soil, watered and had them under grow lights. It wasn't until I purchased a viparspectra grow light that they started growing. Now they are planted in the garden and thriving after months of nursing them. Keep your chin up and proceed, I know it will all come through for you!
I'm sorry you are going through this delay,, watching your process is so interesting. Ive never composted successfully and now live in a rural area with no garbage pickup so I need this book!
Watching your post brought back a heart wrenching memory for me from last Spring. I too put in new gardens, completely moving my old garden area to the back of my property. Raised beds terraced down a hill. Bought great dirt and amended with healthy organic products. Grew my plants from seeds and planted in the new beautiful garden area. Then.... put hay on the top of my garden as mulch. I was told by the feed store that the hay had not been sprayed with Grazon. Wrong!! My garden went from fantastic to pitiful quickly. Removing the dirt was not an option because of the terrain. I removed the hay and started healing the soil. My plants lived and the garden did produce, but it struggled. I can't be sure but I think the biochar that I added really sped up the healing. This year, happily, I am seeing dramatic improvement in all the plants. TG Glad you were able to figure out how to fix your issue without too much hassle.
Thank you for this! I’m so glad your situation will get better without completely replacing all of your compost! I just planted my first raised bed garden 3 weeks ago and my seedlings are pale green and seem to not be growing or thriving. I made my own soil with perlite, buffered coconut coir and compost, half blackened cow and half mushroom. I’m beginning to think that there is something terribly wrong with my soil, but all components were bought from big box stores. Perhaps I’m just too impatient, but should maybe test my soil. I’m addicted to your channel! Thank you for all of your most excellent videos!!!
Glad you were able to find out what was the problem with your soil. Nothing more frustrating than putting seeds in and nothing grows. Great detective work.
I'd only just heard about grazon recently from another UA-cam gardening channel. Scary stuff. I bought a tumbler composter last year and love it. I'll be getting my first batch of compost out of it soon. It already looks great, and I'll be so happy to not have to rely on purchased compost. I'm glad your salt issue seems to be a fairly easy fix. As frustrating as it was, it was a great teaching moment for all of your viewers.
What a bummer; thank you for the information and your positive attitude! I had the same problem when I used mushroom compost...now I get my compost from the dump; it's inexpensive and wonderful.
Never occurred to me that I needed to be concerned about what was in the compost I buy. Just assumed it would be tested. Sorry you are having these issues but you are definitely helping educate us. Thank you for your ongoing wisdom, it really helps.
Yes Kathy…I have had problems 3 times…compost from a city recycling place.. ( they gathered grass clippings from this small town Lander,,people use WEED AND FEED) it killed my plants. 2nd time..grass hay..as mulch again a sprayed hay.. 3rd time horse manure ( I am in Wyoming)..so..lesson.. use my own compost..I keep chickens..and concentrate in gathering leaves..my trees, green ash, populars. And others in town..people GENERALLY don’t spray their trees.
I just filled my raised beds with compost… I think I will test for salt, and hope and pray there is no Grazon! Thanks for the heads up! I love your videos, and I have learned so much in a year!!
Thank you for another informative video. My first compost pile took forever to break down because I ignored it and didn’t turn it often enough. So I just got a large 2 sided spinning compost bin. But I am still feeling like a newbie!
Thank you for sharing such great information. I purchase manure and straw from local farmers and ranchers and didn't even think to ask if herbi ides had been used on the material. Thankfully I've been lucky and haven't had any negative results. In the future, though I will be asking what, if anything, has been applied. Thank you, again, for such useful information. I've also learned so much about growing tomatoes from your videos. And growing on the hot, windy, dry plains of Western Nebraska, I need all the help I can get!
HI Brian! Thanks for this video... and all of your others, too. We've learned so much watching your channel! I wanted to share something that happened to us when we first started gardening during the pandemic in 2020. We were COMPLETE gardening newbies and had zero idea what we were doing. And because it was the early days of the pandemic when everything was locked down, we were only able to pick up soil from our local Home Depot. Committed to organic processes from the outset, we picked up the same Kellogg's Soil (in the pink bag) that I saw briefly in this video. I have to tell you that the very same problems you had with your garden were the exact same ones we had using that Kellogg's soil. 90% of our seeds did not germinate that year and the ones that did were stunted, deformed, and never grew past the first or second set of true leaves. The entire season was an abject failure. We almost gave up gardening altogether because we thought the problem was us. But gratefully, we decided to try again in 2021. Same beds, same location, same seeds... the ONLY thing different was we used another brand of soil. And guess what? Everything germinated. Everything grew. Everything produced a harvest. The only thing that changed was we ditched the Kellogg's. Should have read the reviews on Home Depot's website before buying that stuff. The number of people who've had the same problems are staggering. So, when I saw your problems with your garden, I couldn't help but wonder if the Kellogg's might have something to do with it. The stuff is so toxic I wouldn't be surprised if you got a batch that contained salt. I know there are some people who have used this product successfully for years without any problems - and you may be one of them. But I share this with you and your viewers as a caution. There are enough people out there who have had similar experiences that I felt it important to share. Hoping you have a wildly successful gardening season and look forward to your future videos! Thanks for all you do and share with this online community.
So happy to hear that your issue with the salt is an easy fix. I am just getting started learning about making my own compost. So much better control of what goes in it. I watched Tony’s video that you had linked and would love to get a copy of his new book. I have so much to learn about compost and worry that I won’t get the percentages of brown and green and moisture right. But it’s all a learning experience right! Love your videos, I am learning so much, thank you.
So glad you’re able to remedy that rather quickly. I thinned out my cucs today and I think I killed them all. Instead of cutting the ones I didn’t want? I tried to save them all and relocate them. I started late and now I’m even more bummed.
Thanks for sharing your experience and I'm so sorry you had trouble with your new beds. Can't wait to see them once you move past this and they are all green and growing! I enjoyed your joint video on composting and am looking forward to seeing how you start your composting from the ground up at your new place - since this is my first real season composting!
Need This book!. Just began the first garden and next is building the compost bin. So glad you are building your new garden. I am following closely along.
Thanks for educating me about Grazon. I had no idea what it was and how to know if I had it. I will pay more attention to the quality of my soil from now on. Looking forward to seeing you build your compost system.
Glad to hear that it’s salt (& that it’s already dissipating) and not Grazon. Thank you for sharing your successes, your failures, and your learning. It’s such a help for us all!
Whew ,dodged a bullet. Thanks for the information about the salt in compost ,we use cow and horse manure,so very helpful. We are late getting our garden out ,so hope you have time for a beautiful garden ,for I know how important a garden is to a gardener, especially in a new home with so much more land (dirt to us gardeners ). You have put so much pressure on yourself to get EVERYTHING done in record time.When in reality it takes years in a new place ,and us normal , every day people can't keep up with you . Pray new Gardner's don't get discouraged that they can't keep up with you and just stop. Love the information you bring about different ways and products .I finally have the space for a big compost pile and your information is important to me. Happy. Growing!!
I had the same problem with my new raised beds last year when I ordered a 50/50 compost/soil mixture. But this year is awesome! So keep the faith! It will be better later.
So happy to hear it is just a salt problem, always my fear adding things into the garden. I’m trying my own compost but currently somewhat failing at it. ☹️
Sorry you had to go through this nightmare. I had never heard of the salt problem in compost, let alone the grazon curse. I am very grateful that you bite the bullet and let all of us learn from your mistake. One of my martial arts instructors once said that a master of any disciplne is a student that has made every mistake and learned from them. You showed amaizing grace in turning this situation into a great teaching point. Thanks. I bought thee master compost book already and am using it inconjunction with your book to make my garden better.
🌿🐓 @Robert Johnson
I couldn't understand how salt could get into a person's dirt.
I wondered if it had to do with plant material from areas near the ocean, but that seemed far-fetched. And then during his video on free fertilizer, Brian mentioned that too much salt could be present in cow and horse manure. I guess that all mammals have a need for some salt in order to function well.
Our tears and sweat testify to that.
Wow! There's so much to learn. Good thing we're all so passionate about growing!
Cattle and horses lick salt and mineral blocks. Hmmm, makes one wonder??
Grazon got me from hay used as mulch. Terrible. The corn remediation took care of it in one crop. Made lots of videos on this to get the word out, glad you are too.
Thank you for commenting on this about the corn. I have the lower end of my vegetable garden that has a couple of rows that still needs help. I will plant corn down there now after reading your comment.
Ooohhhh. So DON’T use that bale my friend gave me! Hey make good seating for friends I suppose. 🤷♀️
I almost bought hey for my mulch, I'm so glad I didnt.
@@MommaNoyce you can use to grow mushroom!
Hey Scott! (I won a packet of seeds from you this spring) this year was the first time I ever used purchased composted manure....my tomatoes and peppers are all mangled and dying. Very discouraging after filling 3 new 8x4 beds, 2 old ones and 2 in ground rows....looks like I'll be planting corn.
This was so informative. The more I learn even at 35 years into gardening, the more I want to make my own compost and go back to the old ways of no chemicals and just weed myself, and grow healthy vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. All these chemicals are killing us slowly it seems. I’d love the book to learn more.
Yes yes yes! 🙌
Seriously? A garden without a compost heap is no garden, if you did not have one in 35 years of gardening idk what you did, but it was not gardening.
@@donaldduck830 Seriously? Who makes a comment like this? So what if she's never had her own compost pile. Gardening is a journey and open to all who dare to try to grow. How about a 'lil support or advice for her endeavors vs tearing her down? 🌿 (edited to correct pronouns). Xx
@@TDAEON thank you for your kind words. Much appreciated. I am an older woman now and I started out many years ago teaching myself and picking up advice as I could from others. I’ve always ended up with enough to eat, feed others in our family and church, and preserve hundreds of jars every year so negative comments are just that and I choose to throw them in my new compost pile. Lol God bless you for defending an old Grannie. I love our homestead community.👩🌾💙
@@donaldduck830 God bless you and I hope you have a productive gardening year.👩🌾💙🙏
Wow! I know you’re happy to “only” have a salt issue! That grazon thing is so destructive! I’m surprised they can legally sell it for garden use! 😢
This year I noticed the manure bags printed, "for lawn use only" and "not suitable for gardens". Last year I could not figure out, what on Earth was going on with my peppers.. I listened in on a class David the Good gave. When he became animated and described what the leaves do, I knew it was grazon immediately. Since then I've warned anyone who'd listen. This is such an important message. Its such a costly issue, especially if you do it to yourself by using "free compost" from a farm.
My garden struggled last year and it was my first year of gardening in my new raised bed. I had purchased a tri-mix from a local supplier. As it turns out it was fairly high in sodium and that’s why my garden struggled. This is likely more common than we know. I think new gardeners just think they’re doing something wrong. Thank you for the excellent information.
Wow, thats a huge amount of salt in the compost Brian. But you can deal with that by flushing. At least it is not Grazon.
Brian, I know you are struggling but the garden looks lovely even before the plants. Soon, they will be beautiful and lush and I just know it will be a great success. You are generous with your honesty with us and I personally appreciate it. Blessings on your day! Have a great week!
This would be so horrific to deal with this year with upcoming food shortages and the fact that water is an issue in So Cal. A few years ago I got free compost from the county recycle and it was loaded with poison ivy. Needless to say , I will never do that again.
I am in SoCal, just got free compost from a horse farm. 🤞
I am glad you found a solution.🤠
I did not know there could be a "salt:" issue and I am happy to learn about GRAZON , which I had never heard of. Thank you for sharing your expertise and time with us - it truly is invaluable and a special gift. I can't wait to see your garden once it gets going!
🌿🐓 @ Barbara Jo Danner
I live in Michigan and wonder if salt is a problem only for folks using products from states that have an ocean shoreline. I never in 5 decades heard of a salt problem or this wretched Grazon, then I had always made my own compost and bought what little extra I needed from organic products. Brian has such broad shoulders; I think he was meant to have this problem so that he could impress on his many followers how very important it is to have soil tested. I'm so disgusted that this Grazon was developed that I'm going to write my Congresswoman, Debbie Stabenow who is very involved in Big AG. As soon as one product is banned, it seems another is made available, possibly very similar with a new name. I can't imagine the discomfort and health problems that Grazon must cause these animals and anyone else on the food chain!
I do not use animal manure in my compost system, especially local manure. If I can find rabbit manure in large enough amounts that would be the exception. I would love to have a source for "clean" horse manure, but too many ranchers use weed control chemicals that will kill garden plants. They don't care; they buy their vegetables at Safeway or Albertsons. I had a scare with free, well aged horse manure several years ago. It still had herbicide residues in it that would have wiped out my entire garden. It was free to haul, but I had to pay to dump it in the landfill. Beware, gardeners -- you may never know til it's too late.
🌿🐓 @Barbara Jo Danner
I left the comment here saying I was puzzled about salt showing up in compost. Well, while watching Brian's video on free fertilizer, he mentioned how too much salt could be present in cow and horse manure. That makes sense since we humans have salty tears and sweat without dining on kelp from the ocean. I've really got to stay tuned in to Brian. He is not only up on all facets of gardening,
but he's a magnet for all the good ideas experts that tune in send him! Happy gardening, Barbara Jo! 🌱🐝🌻🌾
@@diananutt1517 Please spare the government an uneducated knee-jerk reaction letter about Grazon. It's an amino acid combined with another product that targets destructive and noxious weeds that harm animals. It doesn't hurt grass, or animals, including dogs, cats and humans if injested in small amounts. Yes, it's not toxic to humans if you were to take a swig of it and No, it's not for your garden. Leave the amino acids alone, please. Do your research from professional educated sources before being disgusted and writing that letter. Thanks.
I'm 64 years old ... as of yesterday : ), and fairly new at vegetable gardening. I built three raised beds this year, and someone had given me "free" horse manure! I was so pleased to receive that truck load. But then, my green bean plants mysteriously began to wilt and die. After reading that green beans are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, I began feeling that I wasn't meant for this gardening task! Other plants (except for my squashes) aren't looking their best. So now I'm thinking my problem could be Grazon - or perhaps some other additives to the horse feed that contributed to what I thought was "wonderful" compost ; ( ... Live and learn! Thank you, Brian for another very informative video. Also, thanks for not being too proud to share your miss-giving. It helps us all!
Still having problem in beds I started about 2 years ago. Used Black Kow on those but ofcourse the company want admit any responsibility. So I also over wintered in rye grass but the compounded my mistake by tilling the rye back into the soil. Hopefully next year my third full season with this mess it will straighten out. Plus I'll use rye again and pull it out and burn or I'll plant corn in those beds. Good Luck.
Wow what a shock! Thats something I never considered when getting compost outside of your own home, like a dump that composts all wastes they get from peoples homes.
That sure is something to consider.
Thanks for sharing
Nothing shocking. He over fertilized with compost, nothing more. Compost was added in ridiculous amounts, hence the salty soil.
I'm glad to hear that your garden issue was the more manageable problem. Also, thank you for the info on Grazon. I had no knowledge of this scary issue and your info will certainly help us keep a lookout for unwanted pesticides.
Amazing to see how far and wide a “little problem” can travel. Thank you for your clear and thorough videos so we can all learn.
I never thought about salt being my potential problem. I'm dealing with struggling plants and all the signs point to salt. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction. This is my first year solo gardening so it's been a ride.
Never would've thought about compost having these issues. Thanks for making me aware of what might happen.
This definitely happened to me my first year that I came to my new house. It’s a small HOA backyard and I fenced off half of it to garden and what ended up happening was every single plant in my garden started Simultaneously yellowing at the same rate and having weird leaf curl and stunted growth.
Many blessings to you for sharing this in-depth information that will help countless gardeners on their pursuit to greatness.
I removed a solid 3 1/2 inch layer of soil from my whole garden and then I watered it profusely for about three weeks and then I added new, clean compost and mulch and everything was fine after that.
Thank you, Brian. In the Northern Sacramento Valley we've been having even more days/ nights with High winds than usual (35 mph + since yesterday). I desperately want to work outside without "burning up" or being "blown down" 🥴! I guess it's lucky that I have no $ to buy Any soil amendments & have to wait til what little compost I can make is ready to use!
For all the mistakes I made on my way to gardening, I did the main thing right. My garden is small. Nevertheless, I have listened to the advice of many youtubers that if you have even a tiny chance, make your own home compost first. And I did. A big three-piece pallet covered composter and three more made of nets. I composted diligently for over a year, producing over two cubic metres of first-class compost, and then I put in the raised beds. Now I am doing Charles Dowding no dig gardening with autumn covering with compost. I could not be happier. I can't believe how much my little seven beds are producing. And I always know what's in my soil. This video is worth its weight in gold, big thumbs up.
Thanks for sharing the downsides of gardening, it’s most helpful! Once you get into working with plants be it landscaping or food producing plants, you quickly find out how complicated it can be because of how each plant has its own needs and weaknesses!
But it’s worth it once you are able to dial it in!
I do compost, but as with most things I’m sure I can learn new tips from his book!
This is so true. Many people really think they can throw seeds into any soil and then add water & maybe fertilize a little…and they’ll end up with a harvest. It’s NOT easy to produce your own food in any reliable & sizable quantity. Takes many years of experience, trials and errors. At the very least: some basic knowledge about every plant you’re growing, knowledge about NPK & minerals, soil pH, salts, pests, fungi…plus, when you inevitably run into problems, the knowledge of how to diagnose problems & also knowledge about how to fix it all.
Those who can make gardening look easy & productive have paid their dues & are a fount of knowledge.
Love learning more about composting.I am a 72 year old widow and just starting on my gardening journey.
I've garden in the past mostly containers on an apartment porch. Finally got an actual garden this year and your videos have been so helpful keep up the good work
So happy you were able to fix your compost!!!! I was devastated for you if it had been grazon after all your hard work this past year building your new garden! Many blessings for a successful and bountiful season and good health!!!
I’m starting my own compost pile this year and reading up on all I can. I will be sure to double check on my manure source to make sure the animal feed is safe! Thanks for enlightening us about Grazon!
The manure source can still be a challenge. I raise cows and I use no poisons, but I do not grow all my hay. If off site hay is used, be careful.
When we were in SD, we got their mushroom compost many times and never had problems. But it is good to know about the grazon situation. We produce our own compost and worm castings, but this last year we added some more wicking beds and needed to buy soil and compost. I guess we were lucky that it was clean! Thanks for the information and how you tested it.
I just started my worm farm a few weeks ago. I am hoping they will be able to produce enough castings to fertilize my garden, eventually.
It would be interesting to do a full analysis of the mushrooms compost. I did that for my raised beds this season and it was really informative and saved me on fertilizer because I didn’t have to use several that I would have if I just guessed.
I'm so sorry you're going through this, Brian. I am also happy to hear that it is not Grazon!
Your new gardens and homestead are a huge inspiration to us. You remind us that even the "experts" can have struggles, and that helps me get through mine. I am excited to continue watching you on all platforms! Big things are in your future, and you WILL overcome this obstacle!
On a side note, a signed book from Tony would be really cool! I'd keep it next to yours on the shelf when not in use!
I think your COMPOST TESTING idea is fantastic! We can't trust any of the commercial amendments to know whether or not their composts, straw or hay are impacted by pesticides that could harm our plants. We should DIY everything if we really want to KNOW what is in our garden. That is what I'm doing these days.
Having had a pesticide applicators license since 1976 I’ve seen a lot bad mistakes with pesticides. We would put out a herbicide as a pre-emergent herbicide to rid golf greens of annual bluegrass. Then before we applied the overseeding for winter play we would apply activated charcoal in a spray form (tough on pumps) to deactivate the herbicide that was applied as a pre emergent. This is a powered form. It’s very dirty to apply in dry form but just plan on taking several showers.
We also used it to raise soil temperatures when cold weather was coming. We would have it blended with sand top dressing it tie up many toxins in the turf and soils.
So relieved that your problem is solvable! I had never heard of the salt issue with compost. Thank you for enlightening me about it, now I know what to look out for. Also, I would love to win the composting book as I was thinking of starting my own compost heap for the first time (it's the first time I actually own a garden!). Thank you again for all the great, instructive videos!
I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this mess with your new garden but I know with your knowledge you will overcome this and have a beautiful garden soon. Keep smiling, keep growing and happy gardening. God Bless!
I'm so glad to hear your results. I was on edge for you lol. Two years ago I had grazeon from horse manure. I was able to harvest some veggies, but my garden looked awful. Crime scene for sure. I started making my own compost. We don't have a lot of space for huge compost bins, but enough for 3 small totes. The totes have worked wonderfully.
How did you make your own compost?
@@Sandra-cc5bi I placed veggie food scraps, leaves, and shredded paper in plastic totes. The decomposed over a few months.
Wow, what a relief it was not Grazon. I feel sorry for anyone who has to deal with that nightmare. Sorry you had to go through the salt damage. At least there was a quick fix for it.
These are things I would have never have thought about. Thanks for sharing.
I had no idea this could be an issue with compost! I’m planning on starting a compost heap this season and start on raised bed gardening next year (hopefully) because I’m house poor and lumber is expensive. But at least homemade compost will be ready for me! Thanks for all the information you share.
I used mushroom compost several years ago and had same issues. I didn't fully know what the problem was... just knew I was never going to use mushroom compost again. This year I am determined to make my own compost. So much to learn!
I'd love to see a deep dive into what mushroom compost is, why it's different. Given grazon, it might be worth avoiding cow and horse manure composts (which of course I just filled a gigantic raised bed with many bags of...) Maybe chicken manure compost is safest for gardeners?
In O’Neil’s Compost Masterclass book there is a reference to chicken manure that raises concerns. It is on page 28. That book is great, by the way.
You could consider growing a legume on part of your plot to help you make your own compost, I also found a grass crop for soil cover that grows quite long and could be turned over. Your climate could be unsuitable for the "fallow" crop I used.
I think that persistent herbicide is likely banned in Europe, getting manure is generally fine but results in weed seeds unless you hot compost with the manure to make good compost.
IIRC mushroom compost can have metals and chicken manure tends to be over nitrogenous.
So glad that it wasn't a total rehab job with grazon. Keep up the fantastic work. I'm looking forward to seeing how much you grow
Wow didn’t know if the salt issue and Learn about GRAZON , which I never heard of, appreciate the videos and sharing your process in your garden, hope a speedy recovery of your soil so you can get it going
Excellent video, as always. I am just learning for garden. And your input is so full of useful information and advice, it is a real help to me. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us
I read up on Grazon and it's a safe and a great amino acid product. I'm buying some for my lawn and around the house. Since I container garden I'm not worried at all. Goodbye dandelions.
I also am on a new property, landed here in late summer, needed to get my composting started for spring. Free horse manure everywhere here in southern Oregon.Thankfully most all these ranchers do not use such pesticides, certified grasses and alfalfa and such. I was assured when I saw they had laid out horse manure all over their garden beds for spring prep. That Grazon is nasty stuff; I appreciate you giving folks some remedy for it, I know I would be devastated to not be able to feed my family from my garden. I did all hugelkultur beds on my 5 acres, work in progress, but your tips, pitfalls and honesty help us all, blessings be for you, your family and all of us people who love the soil and the sun and what it provides.
This is my first year growing a raised bed garden and composting and man have I learned a lot from your videos! My grandfather has been doing his own composting for his gardens for over 40 years now so he really knows his stuff but he will definitely be impressed when he sees what I've accomplished so far thanks to your knowledgeable videos.
So glad for you it wasn't the grazon issue. I now know to test the compost Im going to get before putting it in my garden beds. I can't wait to see what your garden looks like in the future when everything is growing well.
Whew! Glad it wasn’t Grazon. I recently learned of this problem of the Grazon making it through the digestive system of cows from David the Good on his channel. I had to check with my farmers to find out if they had used it in recent years because I have been using their cow manure in my compost piles.
I saw the same video. Good stuff, as with Next Level.
Yes, I had heard if it from David. And now your video. Thank you for the warning! Where to get the salinity test?
@@Luciana98 Amazon probably has those test strips - or a really good local nursery. Or maybe even a feed store.
I like that you never give up. So hopeful. Nice that Emily is a support and a help. God bless!
I’m having a little trouble getting my compost system going. I am determined to get it figured out. I always have a lot of leaves in the fall and grass clippings throughout the summer. I want to turn that stuff into gold. 😉
moister
Yup, must balance the 4 elements to quick composting: Browns, Greens, Air and Water! Which means you have to actively turn your compost. If you’re not in a hurry, then you can let it just sit, as long as you keep it moist. I love the BioStack system, but flipping Target bought the rights to it and then stopped production!!! 😡☹️
I have quite a lot of leaves that have been sitting in a pallet bin since last fall, and this spring I waited to mow the grass so I would have a lot of grass clippings. So many videos say how easy it is to compost these two things and I have to say, that finally, for once, I have hot compost! I alternated the leaves and grass in very thin layers, watered each layer then mixed it all up (I bought a manure fork last fall and don't know how I lived without one!). I've been turning every couple of days and am anxious to see what happens. My usual composting style is to throw everything in one pile and leave it for a year or more.
I've turned my compost pile over to the experts: my flock of hens, lol! How many years had I tried to get compost right and couldn't! Now I just throw everything I'm composting in an area and let the ladies scratch and peck through.
@@steph6337 I know what you mean! I rarely get mine above 100! It’s usually 80-90 degree range, but I let the worms go to town and do their thing! LOL
Of course it doesn’t help that I keep adding to it since I don’t have a lot of material at one time, so that basically starts the process over.
But like the instructors told us in the composting class I took many moons ago, “compost happens”! So just keep at it 😁
My heart hurts for all the hard work you put in and are now delayed. You are a trooper to solve the issue and move on.
"Compost" a broad term that does not define the materials age and composition. I think the more accurate term for what you filled your beds with was mulch. Good luck with your new beds, you might think about potholing your new plantings with a more conducive material.
Agreed. That ‘compost’ was very woodchip-y. I’d be watching nitrogen issues moving forward.
Excellent point. We have hot "mulch" being sold as high end compost for $70 a yard here.
@@clivesconundrumgarden Makes more sense to work with native soil using inputs and build it up over time.
@@dwardodwardo643 well put
I am glad you are going to be able to plant soon without having to remove and replace the soil. I love the attitude that you present, I would be so frustrated and dissapointed. Keep it up. Thank you for sharing.
I'm here in Utah. We've been dealing with drought conditions for 8 years now. Still putting in a garden. My husband has been working on a mulch pile for 4 years it's not produced anything. I'm hoping to get the mulching book so we can figure out why and fix it.
If your pile is just sitting there you need to add moisture and then turn it for aeration. You need to get the temperature of the pile to at least 100 ° just reach a steady mark. Active is between 110° and 130° between 130° and 160° your pile is considered hot and that's when the weed seeds and pathogens are eliminated. But it does not get rid of salt and grazon. Thats just to get the pile going.
I'm a container gardener in 9b that struggles with heat and a short supply of water. I really try to make sure that I companion plant to keeps those that need shade shaded and those that need water, watered. I love your channel!
So why is the salt level so high in the compost, where did it come from??
Good luck with getting your garden in and it grows up quickly!!
Nitrogen in one of its free form (accessable for plants) is a form of salt - nitrate salt. Plants need it, but too much burns thier system completly. I'd say anything above 2,2% in an organic mass is starting to become a problem for the rootsystem. The salts are water loving molecules that make it not possible for roots to get water thru the osmosis effect. I am not native english and I am not a scientist, but I hope u got the point.
Coffe grinds?
@@eQui253 the salt was in his mushroom compost he had delivered. Wondered why so high in mushroom compost??
@@eileenbartnick7202 I have no idea.
I had such a horrible year last year with my raised garden beds, I had added plenty of compost and manure and the garden suffered. Thank you for your video...I had no idea. Really want to start my own compost pile now.
I am so sorry you and Emily have had to deal with this issue! Glad it was salt and NOT Grazon! So sorry for the viewers who have Grazon damage 👎
I hope you'll all be able to enjoy the rest of the season! 💚
I'm sorry that you are having issues. I can't wait to see the garden in it's full glory.
Sigh, with the ever increasing prices of compost and garden soil (of everything these days!), you'd think the sellers of the products would test before they sold to unsuspecting customers.
Or that the buyers would test it too.
We bought Horse compost 4 years ago that had The same issue. We had no idea it had been sprayed! Thanks for everything you do for us!
Shouldn’t compost suppliers disclose whether or not their product has a high salt content considering the damage it can cause?
At least in CA a lot of that consumer testing is reactive/based on complaints. Kinda crappy but maybe it’s an overhead/budget issue.
I just bought several bags of Miracle-Gro dirt from Costco for potatoes in bags. Well the taters are growing but they have salt crystals at the tips!
@@shadytreez uh-oh! I re potted young trees & planted seeds in Miracle-Gro too > having enough trouble with the wild weather & wind as it is > Hope you have a good outcome & a bountiful harvest❣️
@@dkleath8697 Thanks. I guess we get to leach our soil. Crazy 🤪 wind here in mid northern CA. Dust...dust...dust...
@@dkleath8697 I’m having so much trouble with our winds too! I’d love to see more videos about what wind can do to the garden and solutions to implement.
Great explanation of both issues! We had a problem with an entire dump truck load of three year old composted horse manure that had Grazon in it. It destroyed a gazillion of my plants! That’s when I did research and learned about grazon.
I’m glad your test results were not too bad and you have a solution to fix it. I only have a back yard to garden but I have two compost containers in it. I struggle getting it right. I would love to have the book!
Yep. Had a bout with Grazone coouple years ago, with hay purchased from a Tractor Supply big box. Was obvious damage on the plants. Thankfully it must have been a light dose, as my soil microbes and nurturing from me, it grew out of in by the next season. But I learned my lesson! Nothing external is added to my precious soil without verification of its source and tested. Thanks Brian for your continued on the spot problem solving for us. You saving a lot of us a lot of heartache buddy.
Very glad to hear that you have identified your problem. Good luck on solving it soon!
I’m happy that you were able to figure out what happened in your garden. LOOking forwrd to seeing your new planters filled with produce. 😊
Glad you were able to figure out what was going on with your soil. I am starting to make my own compost now.
How devastating, so sorry you are having these issues. Thankyou for posting these videos. I love how determined you are to fix it. Many people would just give up.
Thank you for spreading the word about Grazon. We used goat manure from goats that had been fed "Grazoned" hay on our raised beds and flower beds. It did a number on everything we used that manure on. How frustrating that what you thought would help your garden, actually hindered your efforts.
When we lived in Colorado there was herbicide in a truckload of garden soil we bought. The tomato leaves curled under and the plants were stunted. We took a plant to the Extension Office. The agent told us what it was. He said to add a BUNCH of compost, manure, leaves, etc and they would bind up the herbicide by the next year. It worked. (As far as the damaged tomato plants, I replanted in some good uncontaminated soil. They came out of it and produced tomatoes that year.) Love your videos.
For my birthday, my husband gave me a compost bin (and yes, I ask for it!) We have one but unfortunately, critters use it as their grocery store.... So this one is a tumbler, and now we are getting serious on composting for our garden... not just tossing in scraps and garden clippings. So, I am looking for a comprehensive 'how to and not to do' book. I did watch Tony's video and plan on checking out his channel and books. Thanks for the info, glad you 'just' had a salt issue but also glad this led to info on composting and some issues related to getting it from an outside source.
Hi Brian, I completely understand what you are going through. I moved from New England (Massachusetts) to North Carolina. I was so excited to start a garden, dreaming of a those fruits and vegetables I could not grow in the North. Once I started I found the soil to be hard and very dry, unlike New England soil which is black and rich. As the season progressed, not much grew. This year I changed to containers and I am now finding success while still learning about composting.
Best of gardening to you, I am positive you will bring this section of your property to life for all to learn from and enjoy.
Like so many others, I was not aware of "grazon ". Last year I decided to use some composted cow manure and my plants didn't do so well. Now I'm wondering if it could be that. Thanks for being such a wonderful teacher.
Thank you so much for sharing your frustrations in dealing with your garden. We all have a lot to learn. I am still striving and trying to cultivate potatoes. It’s so hot and humid, that no matter how hard I try, they dry up or the roots rot cause of the rain.
But again I will not give up and try again in September when temperatures are suppose to drop a few degrees.
Si thanks and keep it. God bless all who share their experiences and knowledge.
Thank you!!! You teach real life gardening and as a beginner I really appreciate it. Your generosity with your time and wisdom is much appreciated.
I'm glad that it was just the salt in the mushroom compost and not Garzon herbicide. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
I have 2 large growing containers that I've been unable to grow anything in. I had put soil and compost we had around here in them. So now I'm going to be testing them for salt content.
Thank you for this helpful video.
I'm glad you didn't have to deal with grazon, it can destroy a whole garden, I'm glad the salt problem can be fixed. Happy gardening!
Thank you for sharing this with all of us. I can only imagine how discouraging this could be for anyone. It never occurred to me that compost or manure could be tainted so badly.
Brian, I am so sorry for you dealing with this issue. As another viewer mentioned, your garden is beautiful even without the plants. I can certainly appreciate all the hard work you put in to making your garden beds and walls. We have also started fresh with landscaping and remodeling our yard and home. We are just getting close to completion after 10 years! I also had a problem with my seedlings this year. They sprouted quickly, but didn't seem to grow, it took weeks for them to get their true set of leaves. I used good soil, watered and had them under grow lights. It wasn't until I purchased a viparspectra grow light that they started growing. Now they are planted in the garden and thriving after months of nursing them. Keep your chin up and proceed, I know it will all come through for you!
I'm sorry you are going through this delay,, watching your process is so interesting. Ive never composted successfully and now live in a rural area with no garbage pickup so I need this book!
Watching your post brought back a heart wrenching memory for me from last Spring. I too put in new gardens, completely moving my old garden area to the back of my property. Raised beds terraced down a hill. Bought great dirt and amended with healthy organic products. Grew my plants from seeds and planted in the new beautiful garden area. Then.... put hay on the top of my garden as mulch. I was told by the feed store that the hay had not been sprayed with Grazon. Wrong!! My garden went from fantastic to pitiful quickly. Removing the dirt was not an option because of the terrain. I removed the hay and started healing the soil. My plants lived and the garden did produce, but it struggled. I can't be sure but I think the biochar that I added really sped up the healing. This year, happily, I am seeing dramatic improvement in all the plants. TG Glad you were able to figure out how to fix your issue without too much hassle.
Thanks for getting the word out on Grazon. Glad you found a solution for your garden with gypsum,🤠
Thank you for this! I’m so glad your situation will get better without completely replacing all of your compost! I just planted my first raised bed garden 3 weeks ago and my seedlings are pale green and seem to not be growing or thriving. I made my own soil with perlite, buffered coconut coir and compost, half blackened cow and half mushroom. I’m beginning to think that there is something terribly wrong with my soil, but all components were bought from big box stores. Perhaps I’m just too impatient, but should maybe test my soil. I’m addicted to your channel! Thank you for all of your most excellent videos!!!
Glad you were able to find out what was the problem with your soil. Nothing more frustrating than putting seeds in and nothing grows. Great detective work.
I'd only just heard about grazon recently from another UA-cam gardening channel. Scary stuff. I bought a tumbler composter last year and love it. I'll be getting my first batch of compost out of it soon. It already looks great, and I'll be so happy to not have to rely on purchased compost. I'm glad your salt issue seems to be a fairly easy fix. As frustrating as it was, it was a great teaching moment for all of your viewers.
Glad your garden wasn't completely destroyed, hope you can start planting next week. Good luck. keep up the great videos.
What a bummer; thank you for the information and your positive attitude! I had the same problem when I used mushroom compost...now I get my compost from the dump; it's inexpensive and wonderful.
Never occurred to me that I needed to be concerned about what was in the compost I buy. Just assumed it would be tested. Sorry you are having these issues but you are definitely helping educate us. Thank you for your ongoing wisdom, it really helps.
Yes Kathy…I have had problems 3 times…compost from a city recycling place.. ( they gathered grass clippings from this small town Lander,,people use WEED AND FEED) it killed my plants. 2nd time..grass hay..as mulch again a sprayed hay.. 3rd time horse manure ( I am in Wyoming)..so..lesson.. use my own compost..I keep chickens..and concentrate in gathering leaves..my trees, green ash, populars. And others in town..people GENERALLY don’t spray their trees.
I just filled my raised beds with compost… I think I will test for salt, and hope and pray there is no Grazon! Thanks for the heads up! I love your videos, and I have learned so much in a year!!
Thank you for another informative video. My first compost pile took forever to break down because I ignored it and didn’t turn it often enough. So I just got a large 2 sided spinning compost bin. But I am still feeling like a newbie!
Happy to hear your problem is fixable! Since retirement my garden has come to mean so much more to me. I can imagine the stress you were under😱
Thank you for sharing such great information. I purchase manure and straw from local farmers and ranchers and didn't even think to ask if herbi ides had been used on the material. Thankfully I've been lucky and haven't had any negative results. In the future, though I will be asking what, if anything, has been applied. Thank you, again, for such useful information. I've also learned so much about growing tomatoes from your videos. And growing on the hot, windy, dry plains of Western Nebraska, I need all the help I can get!
HI Brian! Thanks for this video... and all of your others, too. We've learned so much watching your channel! I wanted to share something that happened to us when we first started gardening during the pandemic in 2020. We were COMPLETE gardening newbies and had zero idea what we were doing. And because it was the early days of the pandemic when everything was locked down, we were only able to pick up soil from our local Home Depot. Committed to organic processes from the outset, we picked up the same Kellogg's Soil (in the pink bag) that I saw briefly in this video. I have to tell you that the very same problems you had with your garden were the exact same ones we had using that Kellogg's soil. 90% of our seeds did not germinate that year and the ones that did were stunted, deformed, and never grew past the first or second set of true leaves. The entire season was an abject failure. We almost gave up gardening altogether because we thought the problem was us. But gratefully, we decided to try again in 2021. Same beds, same location, same seeds... the ONLY thing different was we used another brand of soil. And guess what? Everything germinated. Everything grew. Everything produced a harvest. The only thing that changed was we ditched the Kellogg's. Should have read the reviews on Home Depot's website before buying that stuff. The number of people who've had the same problems are staggering. So, when I saw your problems with your garden, I couldn't help but wonder if the Kellogg's might have something to do with it. The stuff is so toxic I wouldn't be surprised if you got a batch that contained salt. I know there are some people who have used this product successfully for years without any problems - and you may be one of them. But I share this with you and your viewers as a caution. There are enough people out there who have had similar experiences that I felt it important to share. Hoping you have a wildly successful gardening season and look forward to your future videos! Thanks for all you do and share with this online community.
So happy to hear that your issue with the salt is an easy fix. I am just getting started learning about making my own compost. So much better control of what goes in it. I watched Tony’s video that you had linked and would love to get a copy of his new book. I have so much to learn about compost and worry that I won’t get the percentages of brown and green and moisture right. But it’s all a learning experience right! Love your videos, I am learning so much, thank you.
So glad you’re able to remedy that rather quickly. I thinned out my cucs today and I think I killed them all. Instead of cutting the ones I didn’t want? I tried to save them all and relocate them. I started late and now I’m even more bummed.
So glad you did not have grazing problems! Makeing our on compost is the safest way to go!
Thanks for sharing your experience and I'm so sorry you had trouble with your new beds. Can't wait to see them once you move past this and they are all green and growing! I enjoyed your joint video on composting and am looking forward to seeing how you start your composting from the ground up at your new place - since this is my first real season composting!
So grateful you have a solution to the issues in your garden. Thanks for helping us know how to protect our gardens from too much salt and Grazon. 🙂
Need This book!. Just began the first garden and next is building the compost bin. So glad you are building your new garden. I am following closely along.
Thanks for educating me about Grazon. I had no idea what it was and how to know if I had it. I will pay more attention to the quality of my soil from now on. Looking forward to seeing you build your compost system.
Glad to hear that it’s salt (& that it’s already dissipating) and not Grazon. Thank you for sharing your successes, your failures, and your learning. It’s such a help for us all!
Whew ,dodged a bullet. Thanks for the information about the salt in compost ,we use cow and horse manure,so very helpful.
We are late getting our garden out ,so hope you have time for a beautiful garden ,for I know how important a garden is to a gardener, especially in a new home with so
much more land (dirt to us gardeners ). You have put so much pressure on yourself to get EVERYTHING done in record time.When in reality it takes years in a new place ,and us normal , every day people can't keep up with you . Pray new Gardner's don't get discouraged that they can't keep up with you and just stop.
Love the information you bring about different ways and products .I finally have the space for a big compost pile and your information is important to me.
Happy. Growing!!
I had the same problem with my new raised beds last year when I ordered a 50/50 compost/soil mixture. But this year is awesome! So keep the faith! It will be better later.
So happy to hear it is just a salt problem, always my fear adding things into the garden. I’m trying my own compost but currently somewhat failing at it. ☹️
I live on a cattle/hay farm. They used grazon prior to our purchase. I'm glad to know that 3 years SHOULD alleviate the grazon. Thank you!