My hubby didn't want me to make a compost pile because of "vermin". I assured him it wouldn't attract any. When I used the first batch last year he sure changed his mind. He thought it smelled so good. Now he helps me with gathering materials. He even tears up the cardboard for me.
Hi debby ive got a alloment and i had so many worms come up to the lide of my compost bin i had to start feeding them again filling up my bin its such good to do and ite recycling no waste the only thing u cant put cooked food fish or meat bones that attracts rats
I'm a gardening teacher in a middle school in the USA. I can't wait to show my students this video! They'll love the "wee" part... But I'll have to let them know that that element would not be appropriate for the school compost bins. 😂 Thanks for the video! Wonderful as usual.
I have near zero food waste at the moment. Between hot compost, cold compost, and my Bokashi system, it all has its uses. I also have wood ash from my own stove, and I can freely get horse, chicken, and alpaca manure within walking distance from where I live. I even have full access to nettles, comfrey, and horsetail for compost teas. I feel very fortunate. I'm all set for the next growing season!
You are brilliant! I have never seen so much great information packed into one video. I also love how you reuse and recycle. I live in America and we’re constantly bombarded with ads for expensive products. Thank you for reusing, recycling, and giving thrifty advice!
Great video. A couple of tips. I blend all my vegetables and fruits, egg shells , and coffee grounds in a blender and pour the slurry in my compost pile with grass clippings . I also shred my leaves with my mower. Doing this helps things break down faster. Happy gardening from America.
I mix my leaves, grass clippings and green weeds and plants onto floor, then run rotary mower over the top and then throw that blend onto heap, Produces an even crumbly and very fast compost within 3 months
Thanks for pointing out the beneficial critters that hibernate in compost! I quickly learned no pitchfork when one time I almost stabbed a pregnant toad in my compost pile. Now, I only use a shovel and gather it from the bottom only & then add to the top so that no one gets hurt - I am getting the best compost from the bottom of the heap!
I have a small compost bin, about a meter square. Everything goes into it, food scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, leaves, and bulky cuttings from my garden. I keep it moist to keep the bugs and microbes active. In the spring, I dig out the bottom half and spread it in my raised beds, then refill, push down to make more room, and fill again to restart the process. It doesn't go far, but is saves me from buying a few bags of compost. I also cover my unused raised beds and grow bags with a layer of chopped leaves for the winter. Come planting time, mid February, the leaves get covered with a layer of compost, and are left to break down under a layer of fresh soil.
@@pjstar2009 The compost bin has openings on two sides large enough to dig out the composted material with a shovel from the bottom. After I've dug out the broken down material, I push down from the top, and refill with leaves, and uttings until it is full. Regular watering helps it break down quicker. The critters move up to where the food is fresh, so there is no waiting for repopulation.
*TIP* - if you have the plastic bins, get a compost screw like the Tumbleweed Compost Mate. You screw it down into the bin contents and pull up, mixing everything up literally in minutes and with WAY less effort and frustration than using a fork. I've had mine for over 20 years and it's the one tool that I use more than any other. Mixing the bins weekly really speeds up the breakdown process. Your enthusiasm for composting is contagious Ben - you're a gem - but I did have a momentary flash of concern when I saw you holding Rosie while adding to your new pile!!🤣🤣
Agreed. Never tire of the soul saving aroma of good compost! Thanks Grandma & Grandpa for teaching me about compost in my formative years. It brings me great pleasure in the Autumn of my life.
Good morning Ben, a most welcome video on teaching the value of home made compost. It is quite amazing how quickly we can build that heap of natural waste. I do agree to have the waste cut up quite small, sorry I can be a bit of an impatient gardener, so, if I can speed things up I do so. It is also not easy to find a spot in the city garden to heap the green waste, so a bin would be more useful. It depends on your budget and space, but gardening is so good for our souls, a quite non expensive consultation with nature. Thank you for good advice, many blessings. Kind regards.
Every year I say to myself that I'm going to start composting and I never do, whenever I find a space I end up planting something there. This time I pinky promised myself that I will make one, I'll maybe pass on having a tinkle on it 😂 Thanks again for another fantastic video x
The method that works for me is I put everything in the heap over the year and then once a year I empty it out and spread it around. Anything not broken down enough goes into the next heap. It's very easy.
Another great video! I guess I better add some more browns to my compost bin! I think I will also put a lot of leaves in the empty one so I have it ready for spring. I do get into the compost with a fork to mix in all the greens and browns a few times throughout the summer and keep it watered in the dry times. Always love all your knowledge on all things gardening. It really has helped me out!!
Thank you! I don't use ground coffee but our local Waitrose puts their grinds into a dustbin and customers can help themselves. I've had baby frogs in my compost heap, so I won't turn it over until spring.
My compost heap is big in size, but doesn’t have much on it. It’s absolutely teeming with life at the moment though and all our raw plant kitchen scraps go on it. Thank you for the tips.
My system is a big ring of chicken fencing that all my fall leaves go into as well as all my coffee grinds and kitchen scraps. I get this put together in the fall, adding kitchen scraps as I get them for almost a year until eventually using it in the second spring after that. And I am continuously topping this pile off with more leaves as it settles. Sounds like a lot of time to wait ik, but I make a mountain and then with time I have more compost than I know what to do with. If you can get a routine like this going it's very easy to maintain.
Hi Ben thank you for your vlog it is so informative. I am wanting to make my own compost as I have just purchased a greenhouse and I am so looking forward to growing my own fruits and vegetables 😊
❤❤❤ I love that you mentioned having a care for the creatures taking refuge in the compost pile for the winter ❤️❤️❤️ Wondering if you have any thoughts about starting a compost pile in an area near young trees. I've read tree roots can take nutrients from your compost
If the pile is a few feet away from the young trees I think you'll be fine. My main compost heap is right under fairly young trees and I've not seen any tree roots in the compost.
As you mentioned, it's not necessary to be so precise about the mixture of greens and browns. However, it's useful to keep in mind that the proportions are based on weight, not volume. I found this important to keep in mind because I add a lot of finely-mulched leaves to my compost. And leaves, finely-mulched, reduce to less than 1/4 of their initial volume.
😂😂 so not cash 💰 and deep pockets 😂. I’m trying to be more productive with compost and leaf mould this year 💪. I use my lawnmower to chop up as much as I can before composting. A great video as always Ben have a fantastic week ahead, happy growing, Ali 🌧️🌬️🌬️🍁🇨🇦
If you run out of space for compost, the dumpy bags used to deliver sand, gravel, etc to builders are great for storing it, as they allow air in to continue the process of decomposition.
Great video! Jealous of all the stone and brick I see in gardens in the UK. Love that for hardscaping. I think location has a lot to do with making compost quickly. We are fairly dry most years normally, but we have had drought now and I think I may need to put an irrigation line over it. I try to make sure things are chopped up because turning it later will be a lot easier. I also see the need to have 2-3 bins going at once. In order to turn it it needs to come out of the bin anyway and you will need another to throw new scraps into. I haven’t tried a tumbler or trash can yet and as we get older those are sounding more enticing. I know those need a certain ratio of greens and browns and turning to prevent anaerobic conditions. The other issue is we don’t have worms🪱. I’m starting to see them in the garden rows, but never in the compost. I do bury some materials directly into the garden rows and along with the boat load of leaves I started the rows with and deep bark paths, I’m seeing worms here and there-happy dance 💃. Oh, I’ve been seeing a lot about whizzing in the garden-not a fan. It now makes me question vegetables outside of my garden. I’ve seen Dowding talk about this also. I just don’t think it’s a good thing especially with those that take medicine or sell to the public. As it is right now there are PFAs they call ‘Forever Chemicals’ and are being found in our soils, waterways and more recently wells all over the US-no doubt everywhere else also. They come from fire retardants, stain resistant, non stick coatings, fire fighting foam AND…Sewage! They have found these chemicals in wildlife and aquatic life. I’m so happy the new owner of back field doesn’t allow sewage spreading. Which leads me to commercial fertilizers-Know what is in that fertilizer because I’ve read about some major brands having other lines where they use sewage sludge-Ugh! That could be a number of things that flows into drains and gutters!
I wouldn't suggest weeing on compost if you are taking medication. So pleased you've got worms in your garden rows - clearly your attempts to improve the soil is working! :-)
@@GrowVeg I would never advise urine in compost medication or not. I’m seeing a lot of this advice lately and believe it is not a good thing. Stevens Point University in Wisconsin, US, has just done testing of wells and found PFAs in almost all tested. These are forever chemicals caused from various products (fire fighting foam, non stick coating and sewage) are a few places of origins. It’s equally disturbing that some fertilizer companies use sewage sludge in their fertilizers and it is sometimes hidden in code on the ingredients. I also seen a well known fertilizer that is known for using sewer sludge advertised on a prominent TV garden show. It’s no wonder these chemicals are being spread and we have no idea of what chemicals could be in that product. It’s no wonder these chemicals are being found in several states and their wildlife/aquatic life-Maine, Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin-tested so far. Whether it comes from feces or urine is unclear, but it was noted septic systems contributed to higher levels including fields where sewage is spread. Plus it is a total turnoff especially if gardeners are doing this (medication or not) and sharing/selling their produce. There are better things to use in the garden. Sorry Ben, I like your vids, but this one tip that I’ve seen a lot of lately is probably something that shouldn’t be advised.
@@dustyflats3832Gosh! What a sad world we inhabit now. I am an old lady. My uncle worked, as a young man , as a gardener at a large stately home and it was common practice for an old bucket to be kept behind the door of the potting sheds for the gardeners to wee in and that was for the compost.
Ben, Thanks for another helpful and educational video. I have a great deal of walnut trees shedding leaves right now. Does the juglone in walnut leaves survive the composting process?
No, apparently once the leaves are fully broken down, there is no residual risk from this. So they should be good to use so long as you do let them fully break down.
This is the first year I have 2 compost bins. I never had it in the winter and I'm not sure what to expect. Does all the leaves and card board break down in the winter or do I have to wait till spring to move some of the compost on top and then take the bottom part and put in the garden.
I would simply wait until the compost bin you are filling is fall and then turn it all over to help speed things up. You can then leave it all to finish decomposing and use it all at once. Meanwhile the second bin can be filled.
As a forager, I use the cut off stumps of any symbiotic fungi I find to provide a flush if friendly fungi for the winter months. If you know what you're looking for, you can forage your own lawns. I use blewit stipe cut offs.
Worms are little Houdinis😂. My little Houdini is a husband who can disappear in the blink of an eye during yard chores. But to his credit he will then often reappear with a cup of tea❤
I have 3 different composts. One is a plastic covered composter in which I put all my kitchen waste covered with straw. One is a pile made of palates in which I put the soiled straw from the poultry cages. The third is an irrigated cylinder of chicken wire in which I stuff autumn leaves. In addition, each time the arborists come to trim my trees, I get a truckload of chips. Within a few months, or by the end of the year, the bottom of the chips pile has turned to dust. When I start a new potted plant, I fill the bottom with chips, then layer soil with compost, leaf mold and disintegrated chips. I will have to take a pH and mineral analysis of this mix to see if it is right.
Hello sir! Amazing video! I watched it all but I have a question. Can i put into the compost heap plants with diseases such as cucumbers with powdery mildew?
Hello! Thank you for all your videos. So helpful. I use compost bins and have a hard time keeping the ratios between green and brown. Still experimenting with brown paper and cardboard since we do not have a lot of leaves etc. How often am I suppose to be rotating the bins? I go out every few days (3-5 days) to dump kitchen scraps. It that too much? Should I just put the kitchen scraps in and rotate less often? Thank you!
I wouldn't overthink it - just add material to the compost heap as and when you have it. Then the materials can be turned once the heap is full, or perhaps once every two months if you're really keen to shorten the process.
Yes, I will keep adding until the pile has reached the top of the sides. Then I will just leave it to rot down while starting a new compost heap elsewhere.
This video is great! Very easy to follow so I’ll be starting mine soon. I have nettles in the garden that look to have gone to seed - do I soak these first before adding?
I appreciate these videos. Watched the one on carrots and the toddlers loved learning about their food. We got a standing bed today and planted some Nantes here at the townhouse. Now I have to want to figure out compost… have to be stealthy though. Damn HOA…
Aren't You Allowed A Compost Bin? I Live In Housing Association There's No Problem Here. I have A Compost Bin. I Also Go Collecting Leaves An Make Leaf Mold. The Smell Is Soooo Lovely 😅
Where the best place to build your compost bays? Ideally I would want it as close as possible from my gardening beds but that means in would receive a lot direct sunlight. Is that a problem? Thank you so much :)
You can locate your compost bays anywhere that is convenient. In direct sunlight is fine, so long as you can keep it moist enough in summer heat with perhaps the occasional watering if it does get a bit dry.
Yes, could certainly compost those. The logs would take many years to break down though, so if you wanted quicker compost you would need to chip the logs up and then mix them with plenty of fresh greens. The blackberry stems would be best chopped up a bit too.
Question: when you put the weeds into a bucket of water how long do you generally leave it? I’m assuming you don’t use weeds that have gone to seed, as in regular composting? This was helpful, thank you!
I use brown and green leaves, the solid waste from herbaceous animals ( rabbits) and all of my Vegan kitchen scraps...banana skins, onion skins, spinach, potato, tomato, celeriac, sprout leaves, apple, pears, pineapple, grapes, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, aubergine, pumpkin, butternut squash, carrot, cabbage, kale, peppers, runner beans, I could go on for ten minutes, you get the idea, as well as old sawdust and weeds etc. 👍
Hi Ben, great video. I’ve just cleared out an old filing cabinet and shredded a load of documents, bank statements and the like. Is the shredded paper ok to add to the compost as a brown material, or is it best avoided because of the inks etc?
Most inks are now plant-based. Which means they would be fine to add to the compost heap. I guess it really depends on how old all of your documents are. I would play it cautious and just add them in limited amounts. To be on the safe side.
You definitely didn't hurt your compost. It's fine to add and will decompose - the hesitation is that it may have attracted vermin, but it obviously didn't so you're all good!
You are doing the right thing in turning it. If it's a bit wet and smelly, perhaps add some more browns/drier material and keep it covered. My compost wasn't especially quick as I add stuff very gradually - so perhaps a year or so. You can get it quicker if you turn it regularly.
any advice as to why cardboard does not break down well, been cold composting for a year in bulk bags (x21 atm) cardboard just stays soggy, rest going very well.
Dear Ben! I'd like asking, what is your opinion: how necessary it is to build a "fence" around the compost? I have some chickens, and without fence thay can working better on the compost. (And thank you very much your videos, I love them VERY MUCH!
There's absolutely no need to fence your compost in - it just keeps it a bit neater that's all. But I'd say you definitely want your chickens up on the compost, pecking about on it too - so let them in. :-)
I’ve just recently got an allotment so I’m a complete newbie here. We have apple trees on the plot which are now falling like crazy and have been nibbled by birds etc. Can I put these into the compost bins?
@@GrowVeg Thank you so much for answering me. I have just this week made a compost area like the one you made so I’ve got both bins and another area. Having said that it might not be still standing after storm Debi.!!!
I have a simple question but with an answer hard to find: what is the nutrient content (NPK) generally in a green-brown compost, assuming no kitchen scraps are used to avoid vermin? I heard today that it can be pretty low, which is sad for someone who wants to be fully circular in their gardening. If that's true, what's your (Ben's or viewers') recommendation for increasing the nutrient content (only/mostly using what the garden provides) in a new raised bed for instance? I'm aware about the comfrey juice watering technique, but that's kind of time consuming and only meant for later in the season. Thanks for a great video!
It won’t be as high as fertilisers, but garden-made compost can be all you need so long as you add about 3cm/an inch of it to your soil every year, which is what gardeners like Charles Dowding do: ua-cam.com/video/eKWHMzHhmg4/v-deo.htmlsi=aHzRMbyZAW_e4IPr
Appreciate you taking time to answer and that feels reassuring! Yet, according to his compost video guide, he is using kitchen scraps as I understand. I did not quite catch how you and Charles avoid vermin using that. If you confine the compost too much there should be a higher risk for the compost becoming anaerobic and it would be harder to introduce worms, right? I'll dig deeper into this (unlike Charles would... :) )
I have a problem with the surrounding bush and tree rooting into my compost. I restarted my heap last year and now the bottom is a mass of roots a good 5-7 inches thick. I thought i was being smart by lining the bottom with roofing felt (As i reroofed my shed around the same time) but this has now made it quite a problem. It's going to be a big job for me to tear it all up and pick the felt out. Not sure how i can prevent this from happening again and again.
That does sound like a nuisance. I hope you manage to get on top of the problem. I guess if there is any chance of siting it away from surrounding vegetation to stop it growing into it that would be ideal. But I’m sure you have probably thought of that already.
I am about to clean out my canning cupboard and will be throwing out fruits and vegitables that have been canned for more than five years. All will be added to my compost barrels. Is it okay to add things like pickles and saurkraut? Jams and jellies? No meats or soups that contan meat, of course.
The strict rule is that it's best not to add things like this, as they may attract vermin. In very small amounts it may be okay, but I'd probably avoid adding them personally.
I have a compost Tumblr and this is my first year doing any kind of composting. Can I just add my kitchen, scraps and grass clippings and shredded cardboard at any time to the Tumblr?
What is wrong with adding charcoal ash from your grill? I thought biochar would be good to add. Also is livestock manure a considered a brown or green when you add it?
charcoal ash is okay, coal ash is not. manure is high in nitrogen, so green. I'd recommend adding it in hot compost. It may smell bad and pathogens may survive in anaerobic conditions of cold compost.
I’ve had good luck speeding up the composting process by dousing the pile with water with high levels of bacteria from the local ditch or pond. Not much good bacteria in city water or well water 🤔
I avoid putting seed heads into the compost heap - so it's just leafy growth and kitchen scraps etc. that go on. That way I avoid most of the weed seeds. That said, I do get a lot of weeds germinating, but I just hoe these off and it's soon clean and clear.
Could Someone Tell Me What The Difference Is With Worms That Go In The Bins Please. An Can I Put The Worms That Are Under The Pots That Are On My Patio Or Are They Wrong Kind?
I’ve got 3 compost heaps & a big heap of horse manure, but can’t get to any of them, because they are all covered in masses of nettles 😩 I just can’t keep on top of them. Age & arthritis sucks 😢
I have gone out to add some items to my compost bin today, and I have loads of ants in there, is this good or bad? If it's bad, then how do I get rid of them?
The ants are just part of the life in the compost heap, I wouldn't worry about them. Ants prefer it slightly dryer, so if they're bothering you you could water the bin to moisten things up a bit.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
My hubby didn't want me to make a compost pile because of "vermin". I assured him it wouldn't attract any. When I used the first batch last year he sure changed his mind. He thought it smelled so good. Now he helps me with gathering materials. He even tears up the cardboard for me.
You've convinced him - or rather the compost has - which is brilliant!
Hi debby ive got a alloment and i had so many worms come up to the lide of my compost bin i had to start feeding them again filling up my bin its such good to do and ite recycling no waste the only thing u cant put cooked food fish or meat bones that attracts rats
I wasn't expecting to laugh so much at a compost video. This was great! (and educational)
Haha, so pleased to have raised a smile!
Hahaha after watching I see what you mean never knew urine was good lol
Agreed, as soon as the neighbour popped up, instantly LOL'd & liked the video :P
I'm a gardening teacher in a middle school in the USA. I can't wait to show my students this video! They'll love the "wee" part... But I'll have to let them know that that element would not be appropriate for the school compost bins. 😂 Thanks for the video! Wonderful as usual.
What a wonderful thing to be teaching. This brings me much joy! Yes, indeed, probably not good to encourage the weeing part at school!
I love your enthusiasm for all things gardening. Who else would be so rapturous about his compost? Thank you for another great instructional video.
You're most welcome - thanks for watching. :-)
I have near zero food waste at the moment. Between hot compost, cold compost, and my Bokashi system, it all has its uses. I also have wood ash from my own stove, and I can freely get horse, chicken, and alpaca manure within walking distance from where I live. I even have full access to nettles, comfrey, and horsetail for compost teas. I feel very fortunate. I'm all set for the next growing season!
You can make the very best compost with all of that!
You are brilliant! I have never seen so much great information packed into one video. I also love how you reuse and recycle. I live in America and we’re constantly bombarded with ads for expensive products. Thank you for reusing, recycling, and giving thrifty advice!
I am so pleased you have discovered this channel. Thanks so much for watching and for your lovely message. Happy gardening! :-)
Great video. A couple of tips. I blend all my vegetables and fruits, egg shells , and coffee grounds in a blender and pour the slurry in my compost pile with grass clippings . I also shred my leaves with my mower. Doing this helps things break down faster. Happy gardening from America.
Great idea
Top tip, thank you!
I mix my leaves, grass clippings and green weeds and plants onto floor, then run rotary mower over the top and then throw that blend onto heap, Produces an even crumbly and very fast compost within 3 months
Great video! On a side note, that is a beautiful old stone wall in the background!
It is a lovely wall isn't it. :-)
I love making compost, I can’t believe how excited I get about it, even love watching composting videos when I mainly know what I’m doing xx
It's a very healthy addiction, don't worry! :-)
Always nice to see people with hands in soil 😍Great job!
This is amazing, thank you for everything you share.
Thanks for pointing out the beneficial critters that hibernate in compost!
I quickly learned no pitchfork when one time I almost stabbed a pregnant toad in my compost pile.
Now, I only use a shovel and gather it from the bottom only & then add to the top so that no one gets hurt - I am getting the best compost from the bottom of the heap!
Yes, definitely worth watching out for our gardening friends that hang out in the compost.
I would love to have a large garden like the one you have one day. So much space to be able to do all of this more easily.
This video is proof that nature gets you high. You are easily the happiest person I've ever seen doing what they love
Always nice to see your face and hear your voice, no matter the topic. I love all of your videos!
Thanks so much! :-)
I just watched a video of yours from 2 years ago and now this one. Always great tips.
Brilliant stuff - thanks for your support. :-)
I have a small compost bin, about a meter square. Everything goes into it, food scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, leaves, and bulky cuttings from my garden. I keep it moist to keep the bugs and microbes active. In the spring, I dig out the bottom half and spread it in my raised beds, then refill, push down to make more room, and fill again to restart the process. It doesn't go far, but is saves me from buying a few bags of compost. I also cover my unused raised beds and grow bags with a layer of chopped leaves for the winter. Come planting time, mid February, the leaves get covered with a layer of compost, and are left to break down under a layer of fresh soil.
How do you dig out the bottom half? Do you support with something so it doesn't collapse on you, just trying to figure things out.
@@pjstar2009 The compost bin has openings on two sides large enough to dig out the composted material with a shovel from the bottom. After I've dug out the broken down material, I push down from the top, and refill with leaves, and uttings until it is full. Regular watering helps it break down quicker. The critters move up to where the food is fresh, so there is no waiting for repopulation.
Always good to be able to save the cost of a few bags of compost - which seems to have gone up loads in recent years.
*TIP* - if you have the plastic bins, get a compost screw like the Tumbleweed Compost Mate. You screw it down into the bin contents and pull up, mixing everything up literally in minutes and with WAY less effort and frustration than using a fork. I've had mine for over 20 years and it's the one tool that I use more than any other. Mixing the bins weekly really speeds up the breakdown process. Your enthusiasm for composting is contagious Ben - you're a gem - but I did have a momentary flash of concern when I saw you holding Rosie while adding to your new pile!!🤣🤣
What a fab idea - thanks for sharing this one. Rosie's still sniffing around, checking on the progress of the compost, don't you worry! :-)
Agreed. Never tire of the soul saving aroma of good compost! Thanks Grandma & Grandpa for teaching me about compost in my formative years. It brings me great pleasure in the Autumn of my life.
To stir or not to stir,…
Thank you for answering the question and showing how and when.
You're most welcome - thanks for watching. :-)
Good morning Ben, a most welcome video on teaching the value of home made compost. It is quite amazing how quickly we can build that heap of natural waste. I do agree to have the waste cut up quite small, sorry I can be a bit of an impatient gardener, so, if I can speed things up I do so. It is also not easy to find a spot in the city garden to heap the green waste, so a bin would be more useful. It depends on your budget and space, but gardening is so good for our souls, a quite non expensive consultation with nature. Thank you for good advice, many blessings. Kind regards.
"A consultation with nature", I like that.
It's so good for our souls!
Ben is so knowledgeable and his enthusiasm always makes me smile. Today was a LOL day as well.
That’s so kind of you to say. Thank you for watching :-)
You are such a treat! Informative, funny, educational.... love this channel!!
We love having you watching it - thanks for your support. :-)
Howdy Ben and Rosie!👋 Thanks for the know-how and encouragement.😃
I love your channel. Your videos have been incredibly helpful in helping me plan my first garden this spring. Just started composting too!
That's really lovely to hear. :-)
This video really inspires me! I feel more motivated to protect the environment through making natural fertilizers
Thank you Ben you always give great advise and made me smile too 🎉🎉🎉
Thanks for watching. :-)
Every year I say to myself that I'm going to start composting and I never do, whenever I find a space I end up planting something there. This time I pinky promised myself that I will make one, I'll maybe pass on having a tinkle on it 😂
Thanks again for another fantastic video x
Brilliant! Definitely start one, you really won’t regret it!
So much valuable information! Thank you for this resource as I am definitely saving this video to watch later! Thanks again!
Absolute legend this guy 👍
Thank you so much! :-)
Thanks again Ben. Your videos are always informative and concise. I love each new video!!
God Bless you and yours.
And to you and yours. :-)
The method that works for me is I put everything in the heap over the year and then once a year I empty it out and spread it around. Anything not broken down enough goes into the next heap. It's very easy.
Nice and simple - the best way!
Another great video! I guess I better add some more browns to my compost bin! I think I will also put a lot of leaves in the empty one so I have it ready for spring. I do get into the compost with a fork to mix in all the greens and browns a few times throughout the summer and keep it watered in the dry times. Always love all your knowledge on all things gardening. It really has helped me out!!
So please do you have found this video useful. Happy composting! :-)
Thank you! I don't use ground coffee but our local Waitrose puts their grinds into a dustbin and customers can help themselves. I've had baby frogs in my compost heap, so I won't turn it over until spring.
How lovely to have baby frogs! :-)
My compost heap is big in size, but doesn’t have much on it. It’s absolutely teeming with life at the moment though and all our raw plant kitchen scraps go on it. Thank you for the tips.
So pleased it's teaming with life - you're onto a good thing there. :-)
Loved that part you said about peeing on the compost heap and your buddy popped his head up. Thanks for the laugh ;) haha
Glad to have raised a smile! :-)
Can you really wee on compost.. or was that just a joke?! Some how I don't think I coukd do it... 😮
Thank you Dan so much for your beautiful very informative videos! I'm taking notes!
Superb video, many thanks 😊👍❤️
Great informative video, thank you very much 🤗
My system is a big ring of chicken fencing that all my fall leaves go into as well as all my coffee grinds and kitchen scraps. I get this put together in the fall, adding kitchen scraps as I get them for almost a year until eventually using it in the second spring after that. And I am continuously topping this pile off with more leaves as it settles.
Sounds like a lot of time to wait ik, but I make a mountain and then with time I have more compost than I know what to do with. If you can get a routine like this going it's very easy to maintain.
That sounds like a superb and very productive routine. :-)
Hi Ben thank you for your vlog it is so informative. I am wanting to make my own compost as I have just purchased a greenhouse and I am so looking forward to growing my own fruits and vegetables 😊
How exciting to have a new greenhouse - it will give you so many options! :-)
❤❤❤ I love that you mentioned having a care for the creatures taking refuge in the compost pile for the winter ❤️❤️❤️ Wondering if you have any thoughts about starting a compost pile in an area near young trees. I've read tree roots can take nutrients from your compost
Most tree roots don't take up a lot of nutrients. What you may get are those wonderful fungi from the area under the tree.
If the pile is a few feet away from the young trees I think you'll be fine. My main compost heap is right under fairly young trees and I've not seen any tree roots in the compost.
I started my first compost pile this fall. I think I will prep a second bin to bounce back and forth.
My new fav channel❤
As you mentioned, it's not necessary to be so precise about the mixture of greens and browns. However, it's useful to keep in mind that the proportions are based on weight, not volume. I found this important to keep in mind because I add a lot of finely-mulched leaves to my compost. And leaves, finely-mulched, reduce to less than 1/4 of their initial volume.
Yes, very good point! :-)
I'll never look at dressing the compost heap the same way. I almost fell over laughing at the peeing bit. Too funny, but also accurate!
Haha - thanks so much. Delighted to have raised a smile! :-)
Love this video Ben. We are hoping for our first lot of homemade stuff since composting from April 2022!
It will be beautiful stuff when it arrives I am sure. :-)
@@GrowVeg fingers crossed Ben 😁
STILL on top of your game, bro! 👍
Cheers matey! :-)
I live a couple minutes from a beach, so every once in awhile I like to take a few bags with me and gather up seaweed for mulch and composting.
What a superb resource to have to hand!
😂😂 so not cash 💰 and deep pockets 😂. I’m trying to be more productive with compost and leaf mould this year 💪. I use my lawnmower to chop up as much as I can before composting. A great video as always Ben have a fantastic week ahead, happy growing, Ali 🌧️🌬️🌬️🍁🇨🇦
Thanks Ali. Sounds like you're onto a good thing there. Happy growing also. :-)
If you run out of space for compost, the dumpy bags used to deliver sand, gravel, etc to builders are great for storing it, as they allow air in to continue the process of decomposition.
Great suggestion, thank you. :-)
Great video! Jealous of all the stone and brick I see in gardens in the UK. Love that for hardscaping.
I think location has a lot to do with making compost quickly. We are fairly dry most years normally, but we have had drought now and I think I may need to put an irrigation line over it. I try to make sure things are chopped up because turning it later will be a lot easier. I also see the need to have 2-3 bins going at once. In order to turn it it needs to come out of the bin anyway and you will need another to throw new scraps into.
I haven’t tried a tumbler or trash can yet and as we get older those are sounding more enticing. I know those need a certain ratio of greens and browns and turning to prevent anaerobic conditions.
The other issue is we don’t have worms🪱. I’m starting to see them in the garden rows, but never in the compost. I do bury some materials directly into the garden rows and along with the boat load of leaves I started the rows with and deep bark paths, I’m seeing worms here and there-happy dance 💃.
Oh, I’ve been seeing a lot about whizzing in the garden-not a fan. It now makes me question vegetables outside of my garden. I’ve seen Dowding talk about this also. I just don’t think it’s a good thing especially with those that take medicine or sell to the public. As it is right now there are PFAs they call ‘Forever Chemicals’ and are being found in our soils, waterways and more recently wells all over the US-no doubt everywhere else also. They come from fire retardants, stain resistant, non stick coatings, fire fighting foam AND…Sewage! They have found these chemicals in wildlife and aquatic life. I’m so happy the new owner of back field doesn’t allow sewage spreading.
Which leads me to commercial fertilizers-Know what is in that fertilizer because I’ve read about some major brands having other lines where they use sewage sludge-Ugh! That could be a number of things that flows into drains and gutters!
I wouldn't suggest weeing on compost if you are taking medication.
So pleased you've got worms in your garden rows - clearly your attempts to improve the soil is working! :-)
@@GrowVeg I would never advise urine in compost medication or not. I’m seeing a lot of this advice lately and believe it is not a good thing. Stevens Point University in Wisconsin, US, has just done testing of wells and found PFAs in almost all tested. These are forever chemicals caused from various products (fire fighting foam, non stick coating and sewage) are a few places of origins. It’s equally disturbing that some fertilizer companies use sewage sludge in their fertilizers and it is sometimes hidden in code on the ingredients. I also seen a well known fertilizer that is known for using sewer sludge advertised on a prominent TV garden show. It’s no wonder these chemicals are being spread and we have no idea of what chemicals could be in that product.
It’s no wonder these chemicals are being found in several states and their wildlife/aquatic life-Maine, Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin-tested so far. Whether it comes from feces or urine is unclear, but it was noted septic systems contributed to higher levels including fields where sewage is spread.
Plus it is a total turnoff especially if gardeners are doing this (medication or not) and sharing/selling their produce. There are better things to use in the garden.
Sorry Ben, I like your vids, but this one tip that I’ve seen a lot of lately is probably something that shouldn’t be advised.
@@dustyflats3832Gosh! What a sad world we inhabit now. I am an old lady. My uncle worked, as a young man , as a gardener at a large stately home and it was common practice for an old bucket to be kept behind the door of the potting sheds for the gardeners to wee in and that was for the compost.
Excellent advice.
started mine this morning :)
Good show.
Ben,
Thanks for another helpful and educational video. I have a great deal of walnut trees shedding leaves right now. Does the juglone in walnut leaves survive the composting process?
No, apparently once the leaves are fully broken down, there is no residual risk from this. So they should be good to use so long as you do let them fully break down.
This is the first year I have 2 compost bins. I never had it in the winter and I'm not sure what to expect. Does all the leaves and card board break down in the winter or do I have to wait till spring to move some of the compost on top and then take the bottom part and put in the garden.
I would simply wait until the compost bin you are filling is fall and then turn it all over to help speed things up. You can then leave it all to finish decomposing and use it all at once. Meanwhile the second bin can be filled.
Another handy item is a paper shredder. Shredded non-plastic like letters, bills ,newspapers etc is another good brown item in the compost.
Great suggestion Stephen.
As a forager, I use the cut off stumps of any symbiotic fungi I find to provide a flush if friendly fungi for the winter months. If you know what you're looking for, you can forage your own lawns. I use blewit stipe cut offs.
Great tip there, thank you for sharing that,.
Worms are little Houdinis😂. My little Houdini is a husband who can disappear in the blink of an eye during yard chores. But to his credit he will then often reappear with a cup of tea❤
He's not all bad then! :-)
I have 3 different composts. One is a plastic covered composter in which I put all my kitchen waste covered with straw. One is a pile made of palates in which I put the soiled straw from the poultry cages. The third is an irrigated cylinder of chicken wire in which I stuff autumn leaves. In addition, each time the arborists come to trim my trees, I get a truckload of chips. Within a few months, or by the end of the year, the bottom of the chips pile has turned to dust. When I start a new potted plant, I fill the bottom with chips, then layer soil with compost, leaf mold and disintegrated chips. I will have to take a pH and mineral analysis of this mix to see if it is right.
Sounds like you're definitely on top of your composting game there! :-)
Hello sir! Amazing video! I watched it all but I have a question. Can i put into the compost heap plants with diseases such as cucumbers with powdery mildew?
Yes, most diseased plants/foliage can go onto the compost heap as the disease shouldn’t survive the composting process.
Hello! Thank you for all your videos. So helpful. I use compost bins and have a hard time keeping the ratios between green and brown. Still experimenting with brown paper and cardboard since we do not have a lot of leaves etc. How often am I suppose to be rotating the bins? I go out every few days (3-5 days) to dump kitchen scraps. It that too much? Should I just put the kitchen scraps in and rotate less often? Thank you!
I wouldn't overthink it - just add material to the compost heap as and when you have it. Then the materials can be turned once the heap is full, or perhaps once every two months if you're really keen to shorten the process.
So will you keep adding to this pile ? How do you know when to stop adding ?
Yes, I will keep adding until the pile has reached the top of the sides. Then I will just leave it to rot down while starting a new compost heap elsewhere.
This video is great! Very easy to follow so I’ll be starting mine soon. I have nettles in the garden that look to have gone to seed - do I soak these first before adding?
Yes, I would leave the seed heads in a bucket of water for a few weeks to turn into a soup before adding to the compost heap, to kill the seeds off.
@@GrowVeg Thanks for your reply! I’ve always been wary of trying my own compost but feeling much more confident now and keen to follow your advice!!
If I trim my conifer tree and its fresh is this green or brown? Great video!!! Thank you
I would consider that more of a green. :-)
Thank you!
I appreciate these videos. Watched the one on carrots and the toddlers loved learning about their food. We got a standing bed today and planted some Nantes here at the townhouse.
Now I have to want to figure out compost… have to be stealthy though. Damn HOA…
That's a shame stealth is needed for something so wholesome and natural. Happy gardening anyhow! :-)
Aren't You Allowed A Compost Bin? I Live In Housing Association There's No Problem Here. I have A Compost Bin. I Also Go Collecting Leaves An Make Leaf Mold. The Smell Is Soooo Lovely 😅
@@deborahjane68 no Deborah, I’m not. Have you read my hoa bylaws? I have. What’s the deal with not believing me the first time
Where the best place to build your compost bays? Ideally I would want
it as close as possible from my gardening beds but that means in would receive a lot direct sunlight. Is that a problem? Thank you so much :)
You can locate your compost bays anywhere that is convenient. In direct sunlight is fine, so long as you can keep it moist enough in summer heat with perhaps the occasional watering if it does get a bit dry.
I like to sift my compost and put the larger bits back in the pile. Just easier to dig through in the bed
Hi Ben, I have big tree in my back garden. Could the logs and blackberries stems be used to make compost? Thanks for your videos 😊
Yes, could certainly compost those. The logs would take many years to break down though, so if you wanted quicker compost you would need to chip the logs up and then mix them with plenty of fresh greens. The blackberry stems would be best chopped up a bit too.
Hi! I’m curious, using this method, how long does it take to have completed compost ?
It depends on what's going into the compost heap, the time of year, climate etc. But I would expect compost within four to ten months.
Question: when you put the weeds into a bucket of water how long do you generally leave it? I’m assuming you don’t use weeds that have gone to seed, as in regular composting? This was helpful, thank you!
No, I'm just adding the roots into the bucket. I just leave them till they turn into a discernible slop - about two to three months or so generally.
@@GrowVeg thank you!
can you use the compost if you have slow worms inhabiting inside?
You can definitely use the compost. No harm in that. But I would try and avoid disturbing the slow worms if you can.
I use brown and green leaves, the solid waste from herbaceous animals ( rabbits) and all of my Vegan kitchen scraps...banana skins, onion skins, spinach, potato, tomato, celeriac, sprout leaves, apple, pears, pineapple, grapes, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, aubergine, pumpkin, butternut squash, carrot, cabbage, kale, peppers, runner beans, I could go on for ten minutes, you get the idea, as well as old sawdust and weeds etc. 👍
Sounds like you're composting everything - nice job!
Hi Ben, great video. I’ve just cleared out an old filing cabinet and shredded a load of documents, bank statements and the like. Is the shredded paper ok to add to the compost as a brown material, or is it best avoided because of the inks etc?
Most inks are now plant-based. Which means they would be fine to add to the compost heap. I guess it really depends on how old all of your documents are. I would play it cautious and just add them in limited amounts. To be on the safe side.
I love it😅
I've def put grains in my compost heap 😮. Would that be a problem? The stuff has completely decomposed, but did I hurt my compost?
You definitely didn't hurt your compost. It's fine to add and will decompose - the hesitation is that it may have attracted vermin, but it obviously didn't so you're all good!
@@GrowVeg thanks!
Love watching you Ben .First time doing compost disappointed turning it today it was wet and smelling . How long does it take to get like yours 😢
You are doing the right thing in turning it. If it's a bit wet and smelly, perhaps add some more browns/drier material and keep it covered. My compost wasn't especially quick as I add stuff very gradually - so perhaps a year or so. You can get it quicker if you turn it regularly.
How long do you leave the compost until you can use it?
Anywhere from around four to ten months.
any advice as to why cardboard does not break down well, been cold composting for a year in bulk bags (x21 atm) cardboard just stays soggy, rest going very well.
Not sure why that would be. I would try and tear/shred it up into smaller pieces in future, which should help to speed things along.
The wee bit made me laugh 🤣 my allotment is in full view of a row of houses so I better not wee directly in my compost bin😅
Dear Ben! I'd like asking, what is your opinion: how necessary it is to build a "fence" around the compost? I have some chickens, and without fence thay can working better on the compost. (And thank you very much your videos, I love them VERY MUCH!
There's absolutely no need to fence your compost in - it just keeps it a bit neater that's all. But I'd say you definitely want your chickens up on the compost, pecking about on it too - so let them in. :-)
🥰@@GrowVeg
What are your thoughts on pine needles in compost?
They're fine so long as they're mixed in with plenty of other ingredients.
I’ve just recently got an allotment so I’m a complete newbie here. We have apple trees on the plot which are now falling like crazy and have been nibbled by birds etc. Can I put these into the compost bins?
Yes absolutely - you can definitely add those to the compost heap.
@@GrowVeg Thank you so much for answering me. I have just this week made a compost area like the one you made so I’ve got both bins and another area. Having said that it might not be still standing after storm Debi.!!!
I can get spent grains from the local brewery. I have started spreading it on the top of my empty beds as a mulch. Is this the best way of using it?
Check for the acidity. It may be a bit too much.
@@a_l_e_k_sandra good idea as my soil tends to be on the acidic side already.
I have a simple question but with an answer hard to find: what is the nutrient content (NPK) generally in a green-brown compost, assuming no kitchen scraps are used to avoid vermin?
I heard today that it can be pretty low, which is sad for someone who wants to be fully circular in their gardening. If that's true, what's your (Ben's or viewers') recommendation for increasing the nutrient content (only/mostly using what the garden provides) in a new raised bed for instance? I'm aware about the comfrey juice watering technique, but that's kind of time consuming and only meant for later in the season.
Thanks for a great video!
It won’t be as high as fertilisers, but garden-made compost can be all you need so long as you add about 3cm/an inch of it to your soil every year, which is what gardeners like Charles Dowding do: ua-cam.com/video/eKWHMzHhmg4/v-deo.htmlsi=aHzRMbyZAW_e4IPr
Appreciate you taking time to answer and that feels reassuring! Yet, according to his compost video guide, he is using kitchen scraps as I understand. I did not quite catch how you and Charles avoid vermin using that. If you confine the compost too much there should be a higher risk for the compost becoming anaerobic and it would be harder to introduce worms, right?
I'll dig deeper into this (unlike Charles would... :) )
I have a problem with the surrounding bush and tree rooting into my compost. I restarted my heap last year and now the bottom is a mass of roots a good 5-7 inches thick. I thought i was being smart by lining the bottom with roofing felt (As i reroofed my shed around the same time) but this has now made it quite a problem. It's going to be a big job for me to tear it all up and pick the felt out. Not sure how i can prevent this from happening again and again.
That does sound like a nuisance. I hope you manage to get on top of the problem. I guess if there is any chance of siting it away from surrounding vegetation to stop it growing into it that would be ideal. But I’m sure you have probably thought of that already.
I am about to clean out my canning cupboard and will be throwing out fruits and vegitables that have been canned for more than five years. All will be added to my compost barrels. Is it okay to add things like pickles and saurkraut? Jams and jellies? No meats or soups that contan meat, of course.
The strict rule is that it's best not to add things like this, as they may attract vermin. In very small amounts it may be okay, but I'd probably avoid adding them personally.
You could look into bokashi composting.
I have a compost Tumblr and this is my first year doing any kind of composting. Can I just add my kitchen, scraps and grass clippings and shredded cardboard at any time to the Tumblr?
Yes indeed. Eventually it will get relatively full and then it’ll be left alone to finish composting.
@@GrowVeg thank you I appreciate that
What is wrong with adding charcoal ash from your grill? I thought biochar would be good to add. Also is livestock manure a considered a brown or green when you add it?
charcoal ash is okay, coal ash is not. manure is high in nitrogen, so green. I'd recommend adding it in hot compost. It may smell bad and pathogens may survive in anaerobic conditions of cold compost.
Thank you for explaining.@@Bubu00069
Yes, that's right. It's just coal ash to be avoided.
How the smell? Is it possible to do it indoor or space that have shade?
Good compost, healthily made, doesn't really smell - just an earthy smell. You could certainly do this in a shadier spot, no problem.
thanks for sharing. But in my opinion the best compost for any tree is the peels of its fruits.
always good if you can recycle what you have where it’s produced. 😀
I’ve had good luck speeding up the composting process by dousing the pile with water with high levels of bacteria from the local ditch or pond. Not much good bacteria in city water or well water 🤔
That sounds like a great idea. :-)
How do you avoid getting weed seeds in you compost heaps if you intend to do no dig?
I avoid putting seed heads into the compost heap - so it's just leafy growth and kitchen scraps etc. that go on. That way I avoid most of the weed seeds. That said, I do get a lot of weeds germinating, but I just hoe these off and it's soon clean and clear.
رائع
Could Someone Tell Me What The Difference Is With Worms That Go In The Bins Please. An Can I Put The Worms That Are Under The Pots That Are On My Patio Or Are They Wrong Kind?
The worms in compost tend to be the smaller, reddish worms (brandlings). The fat earthworms are less suitable for composting. :-)
I put cardboard through a paper shredder. Makes nice small bits.
That's a really great idea. :-)
I’ve got 3 compost heaps & a big heap of horse manure, but can’t get to any of them, because they are all covered in masses of nettles 😩 I just can’t keep on top of them. Age & arthritis sucks 😢
I'm really sorry to hear that. Perhaps you could cover the heaps with tarpaulin to deny light to the nettles and kill them off?
@@GrowVeg thanks Ben…..I’m sure I will get it sorted 👍
I have gone out to add some items to my compost bin today, and I have loads of ants in there, is this good or bad? If it's bad, then how do I get rid of them?
The ants are just part of the life in the compost heap, I wouldn't worry about them. Ants prefer it slightly dryer, so if they're bothering you you could water the bin to moisten things up a bit.