This Will Enrich Your Soil Instantly
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2023
- Spring is around the corner and it's time to supercharge your soil, ready for the growing season. It's important to top up your soil's nutrients at this time of year, every year. but where do you start and how do you do it? All your questions are answered in this week's episode.
Want to get soil-savvy and have your best growing season yet? Check out these videos for more on composting and building healthy soil:
• Soil Quality & Composting
For more on getting a head start and extending your growing season, check out this playlist:
• The Best Flowers To Bo...
If you love growing your own food, why not take a look at our online Garden Planner which is available from several major websites and seed suppliers:
www.GrowVeg.com
gardenplanner.almanac.com
gardenplanner.motherearthnews...
and many more...
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“If you don’t have your soil ready, time is ticking!” Me, staring out at 6 feet snow drifts on my garden beds…” 😂
Same
😅😅
Me….starting out at 6 feet snow drifts…..the winter AFTER I first thought about starting a garden
😂
Yup me too. 0:41
As an aspiring small farmer that is starting with literally nothing, Your video releases keep me in seasonal timing and I am soooo very thankful for it!!! I’ll never forget your help as long as I live.
That is a joy to hear - thank you so much for watching, and very best of luck with the coming growing season. :-)
Aspiring small farmer here as well, highly recommend looking into Dr. Elaine Ingham and Chris Trump.. these two have formed the foundation for me and what it means to BE a farmer, and am better for it. Wish you the best
I've printed off 50 or so pictures of Ben's face and scattered them around my vegetable beds. In addition to this I use a Bluetooth speaker and play Bryan Adams everything I do I do it for you on repeat into the earth. This combination brings my soil happiness and joy. I recommend you try it for yourself.
Seriously?!
@@46FreddieMercury91 yes, but this early in the year when there's still a chance of frost I also play Peter Andrés Mysterious girl and that tends to do the trick too.
I hired a meditation & yoga instructor, and a panpipe player, to come by once an hour and teach my plants to grow. Works a treat.
@@canadiangemstones7636 I hadn't really given that a thought before. Noted.
Bryan Adams? I'm a Canuk and even I wouldn't go that route, poor plants. Go full Brit or go home since you already have pix of Ben in there....some Bauhaus, Throbbing Gristle, John Foxx (Europe After the Rain is great for spring showers) and that ought to make the veg happy.
I absolutely love this man's enthusiasm about compost.
That bleeped out bit in the middle 😅🤣🤣🤣 🎉 thanks for that!
And the final sign off shot was epic and lovely!
Cheers! :-)
And faked with an empty cup. Terrible outro.
An Englishman‘s tea cup is never empty 😁
I have a small worm farm going, and some local horses, so I add horse manure and compost worms to my compost heaps. It works a treat. In the autumn, I sifted out all the stubborn uncomposted stuff, mostly twigs, roots and tufts of grass, chucked all it in a ton bag, then added two feed bags of manure and a fork full of worms. They've been busy in there all winter churning it into beautiful compost, and I've just forked it into the polytunnel, worms and all.
That's superb - really handy having those worms. They're doing a grand job for you!
We accidentally done this last year and we have lots of lovely compost in tonne bag, easiest compost ever! 😂
Thank you soo much for mentioning garden compost as the first choice. As a plant-based food grower I greatly appreciate it as so many channels focus on animal-based products. More people are going plant-based and I hope they find your channel. Wish I had more access to deciduous leaves...living amongst conifers makes finding leaves a challenge...they are such a great compost source! And thank you so much for using low-cost items like old windows and cardboard... this way everyone can grow amazing food!
Thanks Trish. As you say, you definitely don't need animal-derived amendments for your soil to thrive.
Hi Ben loving your energy and enthusiasm 😎
Cheers very much! :-)
I love the quick information!
Love the bits of humor sprinkled into all of the useful information.🥰
Love it ! I have sheep, chickens, and a rabbit so I try to get my sh☆☆ together all year: ). With that and leaves and compost, it makes me feel good to feed the soil. I am so excited for Spring!!
👏🤣🤣 That sounds great Kathleen and I like your sense of humour 😃🤣
That's a lovely mix of muck!
Thanks again Ben. I have been lazy this year. I have a zillion seeds,but have not
even opened the packages.
I could use one (or six)😂of those huge bags of compost.
God Bless you and yours,
may your garden be the best it has ever been and you have bountiful produce.
And yours as well. Here's to a superb growing season!
My raised beds, and grow bags have been covered with a thick layer of leaves since autumn, and I have been keeping my compost bin full. I even filled up two trash bins with chopped up leaves for use later in the season. Very soon, I will start the process of mixing in the decaying leaves into the soil, and planting transplants, or direct sowing seeds. My greenhouse project is nearly finished. It needs a little more soil to level the ground in the front, then it will be ready for the cover. Next on my to do list is making the three raised beds that will be placed inside it, and moving my planting table inside after that. All is on schedule. I have 20 tomato seedlings started, five cherry, the rest large, two trays of Red Bearded Bunching Onions, a tray of Rainbow Swiss Chard, Luccullus Swiss Chard, Fordhook Swiss chard, New Zealand Spinach, Tokyo Bekana Mustard, Japanese Giant Red Mustard, two trays of assorted lettuce, and 92 pepper plants (15 varieties). Next week, I will sow seeds for snow peas and radishes, and the following week, Danvers, Komatsuna, Tatsoi, Chijimisai, Kale, Boc Choy, turnips, and beet root. I have 25 Seascape Strawberry plants on order that I will be planting too. In three weeks, it is potato time. And so the planting season begins. When the weather warms up a bit in April, I will finish the garden by planting cucumbers, pole beans, summer squash, winter squash, assorted herbs, and flowers to attract pollinators.
Spoken like a YOUNG gardener who still has a supple spine and boundless energy. I USED to work like that. Have a fun-filled Summer ☀️ watching things grow.
@@nancyarchibald9095 Not too young 59, disabled after Widow Maker heart attack and triple bypass-very low stamina, but I am very determined, and stubborn.
@@jaytoney3007 I'll say you're determined and stubborn. Be sure to be determined and stubborn about taking healthy breaks and taking time to really enjoy what you're doing. Good Luck, gardener!
@@conniewojahn6445 Depending on the amount of work I am doing, it is about 15-30 minutes of work, followed by 30-60 minutes of rest. In between I write. I think I am working on my 22nd book and I just signed a contract with SavagePlanets Magazine. The Oracle will be making its debut appearance in the October Issue.
@Jay Toney - Sounds familiar. I'm 67yrs, disabled with arthritis up spine, in hands, wrists, right hip. (left hip replaced in 2008). But I have an inborn stubbornness too!! It goes deep & wide. I work WAY past fatigue, then pay with 2-3 days of recovery. I'm not sure I can do it again this year. But I will try. I will start seeds next month and see how it goes. I know now "HOW" to get great results, great harvests.
Have a horse farm near me that gives away free, 1 year aged manure. Gonna grab some this month and let it settle for Spring. Heard the tip last year and its going to save SO MUCH money on my new raised beds. Really excited to see how this year goes. Cheers.
What a great resource to have to hand! :-)
This is a wonderful video, Ben, and so much needed as our winter here drags on and on. I still have 15" of snow all over my farm, and garden, but your video gives me hope that warm Spring days are coming. Thank you!
Those warmer days really are around the corner I promise!
I grew black eye peas in sand, the results were fairly good this year my crop yield will be abundant.
Love these videos!!! Thank you so much for sharing with us.
Thanks for the WESC theory❣️it’s what I need to stop my weeds.
Wonderful video & advice 👏 This is exactly what I needed! Thank you!!!
lol the soil looks amazing, we have added so much to our allotment this year!
I did two tests on some horse manure I got from a local farm a few months ago. I did one test on it by adding worms to make sure there was no active dewormer (my worms survived!). Now I'm testing for persistent herbicides by growing green beans indoors in both soil enriched with manure and plain soil. The manure won't be ready for my beds this spring in any case, but at least I know whether I can add it in the fall and, in the meantime, feed some of it to my worm farms.
That's a really smart move!
So glad you mentioned seasons rather than, or as well as, months. As an Australian whose summer is December-February, I appreciate the mention of seasons as I just get confused when only months are mentioned. Thank you!
Thanks for that. We rename our monthly sowing and jobs videos to be season appropriate once the month is done for this very reason. :-)
Great video! I love watching Mac too.😊
Truly a gardener's black gold.
Very useful information. I am in Houston, Texas, USA, but soil preparation has no boundary. I started picking up gardening again after my husband passed away last year. I have learnt a lot from your videos. That really help me with my small raised-bed garden, and, pot garden. It is late February and I have already planted everything. Thank you, Sir. (Enid Phillips from Houston, Texas, USA)
That is really wonderful to hear Enid. I hope you enjoy a really bountiful harvest this season. :-)
Video idea for spring. I'm sick of weeding and covering so this yr I'm attempting cover crops in the beds. Buckwheat grows up in a few weeks so chokes out weeds trying to sprout (or so they say). When it's time to plant you mow it down and leave it to become mulch (it feeds the soil) part it and plant amongst the cut plant debris. If it flowers before you're ready one just cuts the heads off before they seed. Maybe you could give it a go in one bed and let us know how it goes.
Great idea Jo. I do need to grow more cover crops - it's the gardener's secret weapon!
I think this is my favorite episode. Well done!
Thanks Cathy, that's very kind of you to say.
Excellent as always!
Thank you so much for sharing your gardening knowledge and experience with the world! I have learned so much from you! Ever since finding your channel, I've been gaining the confidence to go bigger every year and try new plants
That's really lovely to hear Hannah! Thanks so much for watching. :-)
Your accent makes even manure, sound dignified. Great presentation...
Haha - thanks very much! :-)
All good information, making me raring to go, which I have. Thanks for the tip on sourcing free horse manure. I shot up the road to a farm just 1/2 mile away where we used to store our touring caravan, so they knew me. They have a livery there, and when I asked, I was told to help myself whenever I wanted. The offer to pay for some was kindly turned down.
The giant, well-rotted pile I came across (up a very messy, rutted track, sinking mud nearly over the top of my wellies and,so, undriveable) must have been worth a lot of money, going off your price paid, but I decided not to tell them that. 🙂, It was hard work but so worth the effort. So, after many years of getting nothing at all, my veg plot, rhubarb and 2 dwarf fruit trees planted this evening, have had a real treat. 👍
Sounds like you're on to a really good supply of muck there! It's amazing how expensive it is these days - definitely worth going up and digging out what you can!
Wonderful advice sir
I’ve learned so much from your videos, thank you 🥬🌺
Just picked up a bucket of free compost from my city eco station 👍 excited for my balcony garden this year
Yey! Hope you have a great gardening year. :-)
Good morning from VA ! Ihave watched you since you were on PBS in the US. My 81 yr old sister has discovered UA-cam. She was all excited the other day telling about this man (who talks funny) with so many good things about gardening. Lol😃 It was yku,of course. She isn't able to garden anymore, but I usually make her a small plot with cucumbers and tomatoes. And she orders me what she wants that I have to plant ! I'm sure she will have lots of things to help me with from watching you .
So you have yet another fan in the family . Keep up the good work.
That's really lovely to hear! Great to be keeping the green thumb in at any age - it keeps you young I'm almost certain! :-)
Love the accent and the plants drooling reference
Best channel on UA-cam
Cheers Bobby!
Well done!
Thanks alot Ben, just what I needed!
Such great information. Thank you 😊
☺️ your personality always shines through! Love this video 😊
Thanks so much! :-)
@@GrowVeg 😊
Great video. Just the information I need to get motivated!😊
Another great video. Thanks.
Ben - I cannot tell you how useful and inspirational your vids are especially late winter/early spring when its too miserable to go out in the garden. Time to get that compost/manure on the beds! Cheers.
You're welcome. Get that compost/manure spread - chop, chop!
I just found a source last week for rabbit manure,,,,,unlimited rabbit manure..
.I am R I C H and blessed. I'm s o excited...
Great information and much needed as I embark upon my first allotment. thanks 😁
Wheelbarrow + dog+ coffee =lovely picture 📸...😊
Awesomeee! Thank you... for the tips.. Time to get started in the garden..We are here in the French countryside.. today, 11 Feb it was 17C outside, and felt like around 20/21 C ... I worked out in the garden most of the day... What a great feeling to be back outside, after a cold winter.. beautiful warm and sunny day! Felt like spring!
Definitely spring-like temperatures! :-)
The WESC idea is brilliant
i don't know about the UK, but in the USA horses are often wormed with stuff that is quite nasty to plants, so we have to check whether they were wormed recently as well.
Thanks for that advice Carol, I hadn't realised.
You are literally amazing. Thank you so much for your videos. I'm a young mum and began veg gardening with no experience during the lockdown. My Mum was my go to for knowledge, we gardened together and she taught me the basics. Last year she became very unwell and died after her 60th birthday last November. I didn't have the time to grow anything last year between work, parenting and caring for my dear mum. I just began getting back into gardening this week and it's been difficult without my mum on hand, reminding me of my grief etc. A quick look on UA-cam and your channel came up and I've binge watched it the last few days and I've learnt so much. I hope I can manage to grow the veg my mum taught me to this year. I'd love any tips on how to prevent broccoli, cabbage and, raspberries from getting eaten by what I think is moth larvae... They are possibly different types of what look like small green caterpillars. Every year my raspberry bush gets eaten alive and the last time I grew cabbage and broccoli they were also covered and the leaves all eaten! Thanks so much.
So sorry to hear about the loss of your mum, but gardening will be a great way to pay tribute to her and to carry on her great work. :-)
Your broccoli and cabbage are likely being ravaged by cabbageworms/cabbage white butterflies. More on those here: www.growveg.co.uk/pests/uk-and-europe/cabbage-white-butterfly/
Raspberries probably being eaten by raspberry beetles, if it's the fruits being eaten: www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/raspberry-beetle Or it could be borers: www.thespruce.com/getting-rid-of-raspberry-pests-2539580
We're so many months behind you, here in SE Idaho. (Abt 100 mi straight West from Jackson Hole, Wyoming) We still have nearly 2 ft of ICE on our roofs, 4 ft of snow on our lawns. With only 113 Average Days from Frost-Frost, our growing season is substantially less as well. BUT, I can get a tremendous harvest if I pre-sprout most seeds and fertilize weekly with a 16-16-16, adding trace minerals and Epson salts. Last year, we fertilized with rabbit manure and worm castings, BUT these organics were spent by mid-July.
Glad you still manage to grow a good harvest Nancy. :-)
We always appreciate your encouragement and knowledge. Thank you!
Thanks for watching. :-)
Always on point and on time. Thanks, Ben. Love your work.
Cheers so much!
I"m in the U.S. and I'm not sure where to post this comment, but here goes: THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH! I had found your garden app when I was planning out a traditonal garden, but then found out about square foot gardening about a week ago. I read up a bunch, and decided I would go that route, but felt like I couldn't use your app as well as I could have when I was planning on planting in rows. You crafty bunch were already ahead of me, and I found the button for square foot gardening and am once again happily and excitedly planning out where I'll put all my current and future starts (and without paper!) Thank you from a very giddy zone 7A gardner!
That's really lovely to hear Kendra. The app is very useful like that - with a few surprises tucked away like the square foot gardening mode. :-)
Ooh I’m excited to see your garden grow this season. That sh+t is beautiful!! I’m building 3 raised beds up with my compost this winter. You’ve educated & inspired me! Thanks always & Happy gardening Ben!
That's really great to hear. Happy gardening!
❤❤❤😍 thank you for the priceless information that you share.
You're very welcome. :-)
Thank you for making such informative and enjoyable videos! Your channel is always my first stop when I have a garden question, and it is so helpful to follow along with these timely topics as the year goes on.
Thanks so much for watching Amy, really appreciate it. :-)
Hi Ben, great video on getting ready with plenty of information for the next season. Thanks for sharing and take care 🙂
Cheers Christine. I hope you have a great start to spring. :-)
I started container gardening last year and learned a great deal from your videos , the information you give is so valuable and appreciated,I’m hoping for a good growing season ,and look forward to your videos this year
Very best of luck with this year's growing season Elizabeth. :-)
Hi Ben I'm here in the Midlands in Ireland and your videos have me wanting to go planting everything now! Going to get some seeds today, sown a few veg here and there but really going for it this year!
Great job Sekani - lots to look forward to this growing season! :-)
I love your energy! We still have a bit of snow on the beds, but I am excited for the season.
Not long to wait now!
LOVE your channel!!!!! Thanks
Thank you! :-)
I'm going to have to remember to put my composted manure in the greenhouse BEFORE it freezes solid. I've been putting cold tolerant veggies in my (unheated) greenhouse for the past week, cussing myself for not doing that in October. My compost is frozen to the tumblers, and the manure piles are under about a foot of snow. I had to go out and buy "organic" raised bed mixes to get the soil depth back up. **grumble**
Thanks for all you do. I've got 4 pages of notes so far from your videos. I'm a more or less experienced gardener, and I've learned something with almost every video. My husband and I crack up every time we see you've swiped something from your daughter or your kitchen. Hubs ends up grousing at me at least once a year for missing silverware, missing utensils, etc. We both agree that you and that shovel should get a room. 🤣🤣🤣 (RE: the caring for tools video)
Haha - we probably should! Thanks so much for your lovely comment. It's really reassuring to know there are tips for more experienced gardener too. Thanks for watching. :-)
@@GrowVeg That video about carrots made us cringe though...that part about having to get your carrots out with a pickaxe hit way too close to home. I've heard over and over again how people just leave them in the ground and pull as needed. Doesn't work in the Idaho mountains. We had to go the pickaxe route. I'm sure you would have laughed yourself silly. Wish I'd watched YOUR video first. What a mess. I'm hoping to salvage them as soon as the ground thaws, and hope they're still edible.
Excellent ideas, thanks for posting. I'd always assumed home compost to be a poor cousin to "muck" so am delighted to hear you rank compost the best. I got serious with composting the summer before last. Previously I'd just pile up everything in a corner and eventually, sometimes several years later, dig the pile out and use the good stuff on vegetable beds. Now instead I have several plastic compost bins (the Dalek type). Our allotment often has second hand ones available for a few pounds. I began shredding stuff with an electric shredder. I found fresher stems shred better than dried stuff (that surprised me, I expected dry stuff to be brittle and chip easily but I found the fresher stuff chopped up easier). I also use all the vegetable waste from my kitchen and torn up paper and cardboard. When added to the Daleks, it composts really quickly. It's always a little disappointing how much the volume reduces as it decomposes but I never run out of stuff to add. For invasive weeds like bindweed and stuff in seed I avoid composting directly but instead steep them in a lidded dustbin full of water where they slowly rot. This gets emptied once a year, by which time the weeds are a nasty slimy dead mess which I spread out to dry and air a little before adding to the compost. The foul liquid is diluted and used as a liquid fertiliser. .
Love your composting techniques - and what a great way to deal with the weeds!
I never knew you cam use leaves as compost. We have a tree that hate with passion lol. The leaves fall daily all year around. I asked myself why are the previous owner plant the tree, our yard looked nice and clean for few hours when the wind blows there goes the leave i got so tried of raking it i just wait until it 2 ft deep then rake it and throw it away. If i only knew i can use it as COMPOST. As i am speaking there are plenty for me to rake lol. I am going to start saving it for my baby garden! Because I've been buying woodchips and picked the the falling leaves from my garden and threw it away i thought it was bad for my plants. Thank you for the information! So helpful
Leaves are an incredible resource - definitely worth collecting! :-)
Super info for spring
I love your videos, thank you so much. I'm just 19 and a beginner so it really means a lot! I love how passionate, yet "to the point" you are!
Thanks so much for watching and it’s great you’re getting into gardening - brilliant!
Perfect Ben , Cheers , that explains this relationship between the root and the soil perfectly , excellent presentation .
Thanks so much. :-)
As always - a compact direct and informative video on preparing one’s garden beds for an abundance of delicious veggies on your table. Thank you.
You're welcome Jeff. :-)
Just got the key to my alottment today so perfect video timing!
Oh wow - congratulations!
Nice but there is still 4 feet of snow here in northern Minnesota and below zero here
Year after year you have great content. I've also noticed the video quality has gotten better. Nice work.
Thank you so much for that lovely feedback. The team will be delighted. :-)
Just found this channel, I love him! So educated and enthusiastic, great to watch, I'm hooked !!!
Thanks so much Jemma. Welcome to the channel!
Thank you for your good video.
Good stuff Ben!
Hi Ben, It is so lovely to watch your videos! It feels like I have an older brother who is telling me how to do things. :)
Thanks Karolina - appreciate you watching. :-)
Thanks for the video. I've started small the last few years and keep adding a new plant or two every year to see if there's any success. I've been lucky so far. I love the videos they make me want to do so much more. I've just sown peas, my first time, on 1st Feb ( St. Bridgets Day in Ireland- our first bank holiday for her this year) and they are going strong, thanks for all the great tips
Glad you've got off to a strong start Michelle.
Thank you for this. Today, we unveiled our own homemade compost from kitchen scraps. It was a year in the making but so so pleasing! 😁
A very satisfying moment!
Thanks Ben, getting ready here for the grow season in 9b Sacramento. I am very fortunate that I have an arborist who I hire to trim my trees, he is good enough to drop by chipped mulch whenever I ask and he only drops off what I need. ie if I want 2 wheelbarrows full, that is all he dumps on my driveway. I too have used steer manure, sometimes it's so strong that I run it thru my compost to dilute it. Like you, I am looking forward to a great new growing season. Thanks for the latest vid.
Cheers Stephen. Your arborist sounds like a really useful chap to know!
This is exactly what I’ve been doing this week. Was lucky enough to get a huge pile of manure from my neighbours last summer, & it’s rotted down beautifully 👌🐴🐴
Thanks Ben!
Nice one Lynn!
Howdy Ben and precious Rosie. 👋 I have most of my containers ready for spring planting.👩🏾🌾 I've also been planting through our mild winter.
Great stuff Valorie - you'll be a few steps ahead and very much ready for the new growing season. :-)
I’ve watched many of your videos, but this one made me giggle the most. I truly enjoy them. Your doggie on the straw made me laugh so much. I also loved how you were sitting in the wheel barrow!! It took me so long to realize you were in a wheelbarrow bc I was laughing that you were petting your dog with garden hands. Thank you for the laughs (as I lay here with the flu.)
Haha - I aim to add a touch of humour. I do hope you make a speedy recovery. What better excuse to binge-watch the rest of the GrowVeg videos! :-)
most informative video thanks for shere your expereance.
Thanks for watching. 😀
Thyme is ticking!
Good as always
Thanks Daniel. :-)
Brilliant Ben
Thanks John! :-)
Great video
Lovely stuff and right in time! (Zone 7a, checking in.) I was just looking at my beds and wondering if I should have a stab at them yet. Thank you!
You are the best! I am new to growing fruit and veg, and have six new raised beds. It’s difficult to know what to do and when to do it, so these videos are extremely helpful.
That's really great to hear Caroline. Thank you for watching. :-)
Thanks Ben, in my third year, just got your Grow Veg book. Bedding plants sowed for the borders but can't wait to get the raised beds and greenhouse ready! Later here because I'm in the Highlands. Last frost could be mid May!
Great to hear you're already started Amanda. And thanks for buying the book! Here's to a super growing season for you!
Love your chair! :D
So comfy!
Great advice there Ben 👍
Looks like you’re having a warm winter. Here in Nova Scotia Canada the weather can’t decide if it’s winter or spring.
It's that changeable time of year. Seems like spring really is around the corner here.
Compost and mulch are are the not-so-secret garden secrets!
Good stuff
SUPER! TACK så mycket! 🇸🇪🌷 Sweden 🙏🙏🙏🙏
You're very welcome. :-)
Really like WESC 🙂 very innovative. Planning to give that a go.
Time to get your Sh** together... literally! 😂😂🤣🤣😂 I do love your sense of humor Ben. Thank you for the laugh. 🤗
Cheers Laura - glad to have raised a smile! :-)
Great advice thanks and Rosie is so cutexx
£60 per bag?! That’s incredible. Much more round me.