I remember flying over iraq and afghanistan and seen these beutiful green squares all over the middle of sand and rocks. Good vid thanks. Im one step closer.
I am in your neighbor Kuwait! Yes also Kuwait is hard to plant stuff in because it's not the best weather as you may know very hot there as well as other arabian gulf countries. As long as you take care of them and use good soil etc., the crops will be amazing!
Hey man I am currently studying environmental systems engineering and I wanted to say I love this video and the topic! I wish permaculture practices would become more mainstream
My advanced program just got accredited! First permaculture program in North America to be accredited by a government body! More to come!!! :) :) :) Thank you for being here!
If you get a good scrubby native to grow it then attracts the birds and they constantly fertilise and seed. The more birds you can attract the more nitrogen you can bring in.
you probably dont care at all but does someone know a method to get back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb lost my login password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me
@Zachary Caspian i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and im waiting for the hacking stuff now. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later with my results.
I am in South Texas with lots of compacted sand and Mesquite Trees. We have a very limited water supply (825 + or - a week) this goes for chickens, dogs, cats, and house hold needs. I have a very small garden which has been struggling with the heat and lack of water (growing in sand and a small hand ful of soil from transplanting). How do I keep ants from killing my plants so soil can be built? I also have either moles or voles which doesn't help either. Is there a way to get rid of the moles/voles so soil can be built?
We just bought an old farmhouse and barn on 3/4 acres. The back area around the barn we think was used as a pasture because of the sandy soil and very little plant variety for grass. We are starting on it with chop and chop plus we have a small flock of chickens we will be using to help make fertilizer to add over time. Now, I need a wood chipper/shredder for all the tree and bush trimmings we need cut up for additional compost and mulch materials.
We have an old horse riding rink that is full of sand. There's a thin layer of patchy weeds. I think the previous owners put two inches of loam on top, but for the most part, it's pure sand. I like the no till practices, but am wondering if in this case tilling once the first year makes sense to introduce the land to organic material. My thoughts would be to till in 6 inches of compost first and then lay 2 inches of loam on top. Do you have recommendations?
Thanks Matt, very beneficial information! I have few questions/concerns, if you may: 1- will the process you explained converts sand to silt over years/decades? Or just a way to plant on the sand surface forever? 2- in Saudi we drink coffee more than tea, can coffee grounds do as well as tea in the compost mixture? 3- do you think volcanic ash will help improving fertile if added to the compost? 4- if you may, could you lookup “wax coated sand” ? It has been experimented in west Saudi Arabia by researchers from King Abdullah university, would like to know your opinion and comments if any 5- sand dunes are continuously moving, so if limited spot planted, it’ll be buried in few days! Any thought about that? 6- would artificial fog (water vaporization) help to survive trees and plants from extreme heat? (Note that vaporizing water can be almost zero cost using glass dome, a mini model of the one under development in NEOM project for The Line City) 7- Is ground plants are the good start before trees? Or both at once? 8- If ground plants make the nitrogen fixation around their roots, how would deeper root trees get the same fixation quality?
I was able to send $7 to fund your book on its first day and subscribed, thanks to DiamondDave’s heads up. I’m in coastal S Florida. I moved into a rental with a 50 yr old live oak in the back yard 6 yrs ago. I started with a 50 x 80 sparsely weeded sand fill back yard that was one gigantic big headed ant nest. They have disappeared with the increased leaf cover. My landlord wanted me to seed with grass! I laughed at him! I’ve allowed the leaves to lie, mowing once at the end of each October, finally developing a stable leaf layer with mycelium present. I have a knickerbean vine volunteer that has started taking over a section. Talk about thorny; this coastal dune native has millions of cats’ claws like thorns on every stem, branch and leaf. I wouldn’t be surprised to find them on the roots, too! If I stay another year, I will seed more shade hardy groundcover as you recommend and lift the oak’s crown all the way up, removing all interior branches. Thanks for the tips videos!
Hi! I found this video in trying to research what to do about our property here in the NC piedmont area. It has a creek in the back but clearly at some point, most of the back 1/2 acre was river bed. Sandy soil, mixed with pebbles. Even has these weird mini sand volcanoes that pop up here and there. Our home is 85 years old so it’s been a long time since the ground has been cleared. We’ve gardened one year and to say it’s low fertility is an understatement. Can you steer me toward a process for a home gardener to get started?
David the good has a youtube channel where he talks alot about growing in the Florida sugar sand. He has a few good books on it as well. I use a lot of wood chips and container garden while my soil fertility improves. I've planted hearty fruit trees 19 so far. Root knot nematodes are an issue as well. Choosing the right variety of trees and veges is the key. I only have 1/4 an acre of growing space. The lawn is disappearing.
Brassicas are the answer to nematodes. Add mustard powder to the soil and grow them to provide a live mulch to soil under trees. Nematodes get decimated over time
How do you grow vegetables in sandy soil? I put down a bunch of compost and wood chips and the next year it just turns to sand. And it won't retain any water. Vegetables will grow but they're not high nutrient dense.
Start bokashi composting. In a sandy soil, you have to add constantly organic matter. Otherwise, it's all for nothing. Organic matter ( so composting) and mulching, so it retains water.
Stupid question but can't the people in the desert just use humanure for compost? They can grow beans and grass for mulch inside as well to use as mulch around the trees.
Well there's a lot of depends there my friend ;) how much compost per acre do you have? How much area? What kind of sand? What geolocation? What's the mineral tests come back showing deficient and toxic? How mixed, what ratios of sand to compost, etc. depend on those issues + the kind of compost you are making would reflect your efforts to correct those above issues you find. Rock dust, biochar, and inoculants would be added to your compost to really help establish the plant roots or seeds you plant in the area.
how long does it take for this process to happen? I'm sure the more you work it and the more you add to the sand the quicker it happens, but what's the average time table to convert it?
Hi, my name is Carlos and I live in Puerto Rico and am not an expert in planting, but is it possible to clean beach sand in order to mix it with soil hace success with root formation of cuttings? Saludos!!! 😁
Matt think about it.When we do soil tests,the sand sinks to the bottom because its density is bigger than that of silt and clay.That is the problem with sandy soils.The dense sand cannot let anything penetrate it .Its dense structure means it has not many pores to absorb water.Only rock dust and roots can penetrate it.If organic matter and clay can penetrate the sand then this likely means it is such small size that as a particle it is denser than sand.
Sand is very porous. Dry sand becomes hydrophobic due to the polar nature of water. The water forms an ordered “skin” of molecules with the same electrically charged portion, H+ I think, forming the layer. Surface tension is what it is called. Once sand is wetted, adhering H2O pulls droplets through the surface, into the pore spaces between the sand grains. Sahara Desert has an immense aquifer under sandstone, which wicks the water in before it can evaporate.
Hi..I just watched your video few minutes ago though you have made it a year before...but still hoping for your reply..what if I mix kitchen organic waste like egg shells,banana peels,and many others ...would it help to convert sand into soil....
It will bring in some organic matter, but it's biochar, rock dust, bacteria, fungi, and plant roots from healthy plants in there that will generate the glues you need to make the aggregates. I'd get my new book Regenerative Soil for all the solutions :)
I live near central Florida and live on 5.5 acres. There is limited shade. It use to be an orange grove but all the trees are gone. The soils is so Sandy. I have a lot of prickers and lime doesn’t help. Cactus grow wild. I drag an old blanket behind the mower to try to collect the prickers so my dogs can walk. How can I fix this?
Legumes, cover crops, biochar, rock dust, and specific inoculants - you will love my new book Regenerative Soil - it goes over everything in detail: www.thepermaculturestudent.com/shop/regenerative-soil-science-amp-solutions-manual-pre-order
i bought some land in mid-florida. i did some clearing and the soil is white powdery sand. Native trees like pine, oak and saw palmettos of course love it. I clear a driveway and pad by hand, but when i tried to drive in i got stuck a few times. The sand looks so pure and i think could be a great building material. I looking for a cheap way to stablize so I can drive in and out without having to worry about it. Tradditional thinking it spend 2k on shell rock. but what aobut mixing it with portland cement ? laying something to stablize it?
I would try and find leaves to mix in with the wood chips - ideally chipping the leaves a bit too. This will create long lasting organic matter and help build soil faster.
I can’t wait for your eBook! Some of your big permaculture terminology you use in your videos goes right over my layman head. Haha! Love it though! I’m from Florida and the sandy soil vid was great.
We have a choice - we either support them and them so healthy that they do the job they are there to do, OR we supersede them, do the work they are trying to do better than they are doing it, and then replant the oaks, redwoods, etc. that were there before the late 1800s. The whole "native" conversation has to go through the larger historical lens of the landscape - most of the plants here were selected and planted after settlers and foresters denuded the landscape. They omitted many species and prevented the return of most of the animals - we are over 100 years after the loss of wild nature in the US was declared by the father of conservationism. Anyway, I could go on ;) lol I should do a video on it.
You want a desert/sand fungi though - AMF esp the deserticola and a few others ;) all in my new book, Regenerative Soil: www.thepermaculturestudent.com/shop/regenerative-soil-science-amp-solutions-manual-pre-order
Hey friend - the key is going to be establishing an area you can protect from winds, direct sun, and leaching/evaporation. On the large scale if you have true dirt and not dunes, you can start with the desert moringa and legumes that can get a foothold, BUT most folks are developing soil inside a walled garden in the Middle East where they can trap and hold the organic matter and moisture in the area much easier. Planting trees, perennials, and establishing shade is essential, but in an agroforestry style system you can definitely grow beds or rows of annuals once soils are developed enough. Organic matter and N-fixation is the key. Some extreme instances have folks using pond liners 3-5 deep filling it all with soil and then planting in that but it can puddle and can go anaerobic at times if not monitored well.
I know I probably sound like a broken record, but what about utilizing loaded biochar and ash to help retain moisture and provide extra nutrients? I remember hearing Bob Wells talking about using it in his Massachusetts soil to help him in place of clay. Also, considering the NanoClay is proprietary tech, those that might not be able to afford the cost would be able to utilize downed timbers from things like hurricane disasters and other biomass for their carbon and mineral content, not to mention the nanopores throughout the surface acting as an adsorptive agent. Again, I apologize if I sound like a broken record, but I thought it might be another useful tool in someone’s arsenal.
Excellent suggestion if you can buy it and bring it in to the bioregion, BUT if you are living in these bioregions, where would the biochar come from? This is the issue. If they only have a few trees or plants that grow slowly, using them for biochar will have a negative effect. I created this from the perspective of what to do with sand in a dry region with little resources and time.
Very true! That was the primary objection I had when writing this, when it comes to areas like deserts. You could utilize bones from breaking down animals (should they eat meats in that particular region) in small doses, but it would still take considerable time for the biology to congregate without a form of composting system in place. Still begs the question: where to get the fuel to char the bones? Could have systems to utilize methane (biogas) from waste if it really comes down to it, but without bare-bones (no pun intended) infrastructure....yeah, you’d definitely have to find plants that could survive extreme drought and introduce them to start bringing the biology back. ;) Much love, Matt!
Making nano clay is not too difficult. Mix available clay in available water and allow it to settle. Collect the top water ( which is colored) and dry it out leaving behind fine clay particles which is nano clay. This can be done repeatedly. This top water could also be mixed with local sandy soil kept in a container and mixed well to coat the sand particles.
@@haroldtheescapist2865 This is how nano clay can be had at least cost. Adding bio char,wood ash adds needed potassium and other rare elements. By maintaining a mulch layer, loss of precious water can be minimised in desert environment. It would help if the hole in the soil has a layer of available desert brush mixed with available animal dung, kept at the bottom to mop up escaping water and add nutrition by way of in situ composting. It is a tough situation for anyone to find themselves in. Good luck and prayers for your success.
I've not seen a good report on A/B testing yet on mycorrhizal inoculants. I like Mykos but I'm sure there's better - I'll let folks know when I find it!
Living in the middle of buttfuck nowhere NM this is extremely helpful. Ive basically done the method of chopping and dropping local legumes (mainly mesquite) into the sand over the last 2-3 years. Im curious about how you described seeding the sand with fungi to promote that composting of the plant material below. How would one go about that? Im decently familiar with deep rooting agents used for pecan fields, and I know they promote that relationship between fungi, bacteria, and the roots of the tree. But ive never heard of being able to seed the soil directly. Im looking more into it but its difficult to find this information sometimes!
Even with rain coming sometimes every 3 years, the Al Baydha project used just rainwater, earthworks, and perennials to green the desert in Saudi Arabia. It 100% can be done and is being done actively right now in more and more places that are considered unarable desert. Watch the full documentary on it here: ruclips.net/video/T39QHprz-x8/видео.html
@@mjk9388 The by product of you eating is poop. That turns into humanure along with anything that grows in the dessert. Arabs also have restaurants that will give you their leftovers and their coffee grounds. In down town i am sure they have park maintenance. That is free compost all mixed together will give enough for a small garden. Not to mention the growth of micro greens can also turn to compost for a little money
Bocashi with clay and sand mix activated biochar and manure to mix all to regenerate it to make substrates. with hugkt bed method with local tree wood and chops n drops in the base to hold wather for making beds to plant food. Y think trees are first in sand área too. 🌞🤠🌡🌲🌱🌿🍁🍂💦
If you have the resources in your area to make bokashi and biochar - for sure! But most areas that are hyper arid lack biomass enough to do this ethically.
Dude I know you’re trying to help but some terms and the way you said things completely went over my head. It was way to technical. I didn’t really learn anything
@@ThePermacultureStudent you're saying a few primitve cultures over the last few thousand years of cultivating turned the entire middle east and large part of China into desert? Those areas are naturally that way and ironically the large scale modern agriculture you diss is the only thing that's gonna keep those areas green once we begin trying to artificially green them
@@benwilliams3539 I actually am a history teacher so I can assure you that YES the past 10,000 years agriculture has led to desertification over and over again. Check out DIRT: Erosion of Civilization for a great overview by Prof David Montgomery.
Hi, any tips or literature around about having a colony of wild rabbits living on the bare sandy land with only olive trees. Will go into swales/ foodforest etc. But can't imagine to start planting anything there. They have enough predators around. But all land around us is tilted, so just rocks, sand and olive/ almond trees. Where the rabbits drop their droppings, it is already a bit more greener. I would love to live in balance with them, but how to start...
@@ThePermacultureStudent Sorry, only seen your reply just know. Thanks! Oh, I know a lot is possible. The olive trees part will become a food forest as one of my neighbors already has. Just trying to find ideas for the rabbits. They have a place in nature and I don't mind them at all. We use their bodies left by cats/ fox already. I've read alfalfa and clover on their side to keep them happy there....
The Romans gathered up the animals that helped the savannah hold the desert back - the sin of slaughtering the lions and other predators of Northern Africa was the collapse of the savannah ecosystem into deep desert. Early humans have documented this space - it was wet and filled with animals. Romans tried to farm and tame it, and all they did was kill it. Check out DIRT: Erosion of Civilizations for a cited and researched history on exactly what I'm sharing here. It's on Audible and one of my favorite books ever - I think you'll love it!
I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. My dad grew such beautiful gardens. Of course we used lots of water and shade was very important.
Water is the biggest issue :( That’s the problem that needs to be solved, otherwise I feel like it’s unsustainable
@@AArrad ..With out the plants no rain, with out the rain no plants , that's a tuff one. don't give up.
Whereabouts was he gardening?
I remember flying over iraq and afghanistan and seen these beutiful green squares all over the middle of sand and rocks. Good vid thanks. Im one step closer.
I am in your neighbor Kuwait! Yes also Kuwait is hard to plant stuff in because it's not the best weather as you may know very hot there as well as other arabian gulf countries. As long as you take care of them and use good soil etc., the crops will be amazing!
Hey man I am currently studying environmental systems engineering and I wanted to say I love this video and the topic! I wish permaculture practices would become more mainstream
My advanced program just got accredited! First permaculture program in North America to be accredited by a government body! More to come!!! :) :) :) Thank you for being here!
If you get a good scrubby native to grow it then attracts the birds and they constantly fertilise and seed. The more birds you can attract the more nitrogen you can bring in.
you probably dont care at all but does someone know a method to get back into an Instagram account??
I was dumb lost my login password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me
@Marvin Julius instablaster :)
@Zachary Caspian i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and im waiting for the hacking stuff now.
Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later with my results.
@Zachary Caspian it worked and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thanks so much you really help me out!
@Marvin Julius No problem :D
Coming from Los Angeles CA, although the weather is nice here, lots of dry sandy lots that need some loamy love
Living in Senegal I needed this video! You just gained a subscriber 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Do you mean to mix sand with compost and start growing perennial plants like Moringa ?
I am in Saudi Arabia, what plants do you suggest?
I am in South Texas with lots of compacted sand and Mesquite Trees.
We have a very limited water supply (825 + or - a week) this goes for chickens, dogs, cats, and house hold needs. I have a very small garden which has been struggling with the heat and lack of water (growing in sand and a small hand ful of soil from transplanting). How do I keep ants from killing my plants so soil can be built? I also have either moles or voles which doesn't help either. Is there a way to get rid of the moles/voles so soil can be built?
Read about bokashi composting on a small scale and a large scale. That would help your soil immensely.
We just bought an old farmhouse and barn on 3/4 acres. The back area around the barn we think was used as a pasture because of the sandy soil and very little plant variety for grass. We are starting on it with chop and chop plus we have a small flock of chickens we will be using to help make fertilizer to add over time. Now, I need a wood chipper/shredder for all the tree and bush trimmings we need cut up for additional compost and mulch materials.
We have an old horse riding rink that is full of sand. There's a thin layer of patchy weeds. I think the previous owners put two inches of loam on top, but for the most part, it's pure sand. I like the no till practices, but am wondering if in this case tilling once the first year makes sense to introduce the land to organic material. My thoughts would be to till in 6 inches of compost first and then lay 2 inches of loam on top. Do you have recommendations?
Thanks Matt, very beneficial information!
I have few questions/concerns, if you may:
1- will the process you explained converts sand to silt over years/decades? Or just a way to plant on the sand surface forever?
2- in Saudi we drink coffee more than tea, can coffee grounds do as well as tea in the compost mixture?
3- do you think volcanic ash will help improving fertile if added to the compost?
4- if you may, could you lookup “wax coated sand” ? It has been experimented in west Saudi Arabia by researchers from King Abdullah university, would like to know your opinion and comments if any
5- sand dunes are continuously moving, so if limited spot planted, it’ll be buried in few days! Any thought about that?
6- would artificial fog (water vaporization) help to survive trees and plants from extreme heat? (Note that vaporizing water can be almost zero cost using glass dome, a mini model of the one under development in NEOM project for The Line City)
7- Is ground plants are the good start before trees? Or both at once?
8- If ground plants make the nitrogen fixation around their roots, how would deeper root trees get the same fixation quality?
Youre an inspiration Matt Powers!
I was able to send $7 to fund your book on its first day and subscribed, thanks to DiamondDave’s heads up.
I’m in coastal S Florida. I moved into a rental with a 50 yr old live oak in the back yard 6 yrs ago. I started with a 50 x 80 sparsely weeded sand fill back yard that was one gigantic big headed ant nest. They have disappeared with the increased leaf cover. My landlord wanted me to seed with grass! I laughed at him!
I’ve allowed the leaves to lie, mowing once at the end of each October, finally developing a stable leaf layer with mycelium present.
I have a knickerbean vine volunteer that has started taking over a section. Talk about thorny; this coastal dune native has millions of cats’ claws like thorns on every stem, branch and leaf. I wouldn’t be surprised to find them on the roots, too!
If I stay another year, I will seed more shade hardy groundcover as you recommend and lift the oak’s crown all the way up, removing all interior branches.
Thanks for the tips videos!
Hi! I found this video in trying to research what to do about our property here in the NC piedmont area. It has a creek in the back but clearly at some point, most of the back 1/2 acre was river bed. Sandy soil, mixed with pebbles. Even has these weird mini sand volcanoes that pop up here and there. Our home is 85 years old so it’s been a long time since the ground has been cleared. We’ve gardened one year and to say it’s low fertility is an understatement. Can you steer me toward a process for a home gardener to get started?
David the good has a youtube channel where he talks alot about growing in the Florida sugar sand. He has a few good books on it as well. I use a lot of wood chips and container garden while my soil fertility improves. I've planted hearty fruit trees 19 so far. Root knot nematodes are an issue as well. Choosing the right variety of trees and veges is the key. I only have 1/4 an acre of growing space. The lawn is disappearing.
Have you found a solution to the nematodes? (They're killing most of my vegetables except some brassicas)
@@agdayem Give me an idea what's not growing right please. Type of veges
Brassicas are the answer to nematodes. Add mustard powder to the soil and grow them to provide a live mulch to soil under trees. Nematodes get decimated over time
How do you grow vegetables in sandy soil? I put down a bunch of compost and wood chips and the next year it just turns to sand. And it won't retain any water. Vegetables will grow but they're not high nutrient dense.
Deep mulch
Start bokashi composting. In a sandy soil, you have to add constantly organic matter. Otherwise, it's all for nothing. Organic matter ( so composting) and mulching, so it retains water.
Stupid question but can't the people in the desert just use humanure for compost? They can grow beans and grass for mulch inside as well to use as mulch around the trees.
Kindly let me know If we have desert sand which is better
To put compost or manure on top of sand
Or to mix compost with sand?
Well there's a lot of depends there my friend ;) how much compost per acre do you have? How much area? What kind of sand? What geolocation? What's the mineral tests come back showing deficient and toxic? How mixed, what ratios of sand to compost, etc. depend on those issues + the kind of compost you are making would reflect your efforts to correct those above issues you find. Rock dust, biochar, and inoculants would be added to your compost to really help establish the plant roots or seeds you plant in the area.
how long does it take for this process to happen? I'm sure the more you work it and the more you add to the sand the quicker it happens, but what's the average time table to convert it?
Sounds like years.
Hi, my name is Carlos and I live in Puerto Rico and am not an expert in planting, but is it possible to clean beach sand in order to mix it with soil hace success with root formation of cuttings? Saludos!!! 😁
How would benignity clay ( kitty litter) go for this ? It can be put through a seeder or desolved in water. Also is that NM
This vid is perfect and needs to be broadcasted in every public school. This could be our last hope at humanity's survival
Matt think about it.When we do soil tests,the sand sinks to the bottom because its density is bigger than that of silt and clay.That is the problem with sandy soils.The dense sand cannot let anything penetrate it .Its dense structure means it has not many pores to absorb water.Only rock dust and roots can penetrate it.If organic matter and clay can penetrate the sand then this likely means it is such small size that as a particle it is denser than sand.
Sand is very porous. Dry sand becomes hydrophobic due to the polar nature of water. The water forms an ordered “skin” of molecules with the same electrically charged portion, H+ I think, forming the layer. Surface tension is what it is called. Once sand is wetted, adhering H2O pulls droplets through the surface, into the pore spaces between the sand grains. Sahara Desert has an immense aquifer under sandstone, which wicks the water in before it can evaporate.
I feel like I know nothing 🤣 I want to buy land and plant trees my guy this sounds hard 😂🤣
Hi..I just watched your video few minutes ago though you have made it a year before...but still hoping for your reply..what if I mix kitchen organic waste like egg shells,banana peels,and many others ...would it help to convert sand into soil....
It will bring in some organic matter, but it's biochar, rock dust, bacteria, fungi, and plant roots from healthy plants in there that will generate the glues you need to make the aggregates. I'd get my new book Regenerative Soil for all the solutions :)
@@ThePermacultureStudent thank you
I live near central Florida and live on 5.5 acres. There is limited shade. It use to be an orange grove but all the trees are gone. The soils is so Sandy. I have a lot of prickers and lime doesn’t help. Cactus grow wild. I drag an old blanket behind the mower to try to collect the prickers so my dogs can walk. How can I fix this?
Legumes, cover crops, biochar, rock dust, and specific inoculants - you will love my new book Regenerative Soil - it goes over everything in detail: www.thepermaculturestudent.com/shop/regenerative-soil-science-amp-solutions-manual-pre-order
i bought some land in mid-florida. i did some clearing and the soil is white powdery sand. Native trees like pine, oak and saw palmettos of course love it. I clear a driveway and pad by hand, but when i tried to drive in i got stuck a few times. The sand looks so pure and i think could be a great building material. I looking for a cheap way to stablize so I can drive in and out without having to worry about it. Tradditional thinking it spend 2k on shell rock. but what aobut mixing it with portland cement ? laying something to stablize it?
I have an entire acre of sand in Central Florida. Should my first layer be wood chips?
I would try and find leaves to mix in with the wood chips - ideally chipping the leaves a bit too. This will create long lasting organic matter and help build soil faster.
I'm in OREGON high desert,,I need help. Thank you GOD BLESS FROM CHRISTMAS VALLEY OREGON
I can’t wait for your eBook! Some of your big permaculture terminology you use in your videos goes right over my layman head. Haha! Love it though! I’m from Florida and the sandy soil vid was great.
Wonderful video Sir -
thank you!
Stay bright out there.
Dk
I live on a tiny island. I have coral (very alkaline) and sand. I want to grow food! Needing advice!
what would you recommend when it comes to spiky legumes that are native to California?
We have a choice - we either support them and them so healthy that they do the job they are there to do, OR we supersede them, do the work they are trying to do better than they are doing it, and then replant the oaks, redwoods, etc. that were there before the late 1800s. The whole "native" conversation has to go through the larger historical lens of the landscape - most of the plants here were selected and planted after settlers and foresters denuded the landscape. They omitted many species and prevented the return of most of the animals - we are over 100 years after the loss of wild nature in the US was declared by the father of conservationism. Anyway, I could go on ;) lol I should do a video on it.
@@ThePermacultureStudent thank you so much for sharing such valuable information with us subscribers. I really appreciate it 🙏😌🙌💯❤💛🙏😌🙌💯❤💛
Where can I buy some nano clay from?
Thanks for sharing very important tips...clay desert and sand desert not same.👍
What's a good full spectrum microrhizofungi innoculant product you would use here for improving sandy soils?
You want a desert/sand fungi though - AMF esp the deserticola and a few others ;) all in my new book, Regenerative Soil: www.thepermaculturestudent.com/shop/regenerative-soil-science-amp-solutions-manual-pre-order
I'm interested in starting some studies within culm, and old coal mined areas to cultivate vegetative growth and speed up the reclamation process.
That's so critical - I have several students in coal country below abandoned mines that flood. Thank you!!!
can i add wood chips on top of vetch? should i wait till it's sprouted?
Thank you so much, Im trying to grow tomatos but the problem is, im in the middle of the uae
Hey friend - the key is going to be establishing an area you can protect from winds, direct sun, and leaching/evaporation. On the large scale if you have true dirt and not dunes, you can start with the desert moringa and legumes that can get a foothold, BUT most folks are developing soil inside a walled garden in the Middle East where they can trap and hold the organic matter and moisture in the area much easier. Planting trees, perennials, and establishing shade is essential, but in an agroforestry style system you can definitely grow beds or rows of annuals once soils are developed enough. Organic matter and N-fixation is the key. Some extreme instances have folks using pond liners 3-5 deep filling it all with soil and then planting in that but it can puddle and can go anaerobic at times if not monitored well.
I have a small patch of land in my backyard garden but it's only sand how I can turn sand into fertile soil
So I have some money, can I mix in Black cow? I have very sandy loose soil. Clay worked in my front yard , I think because I aerated it.
Can you tell me more - what is black cow? Is that just manure?
Hey brotha great work iv been getting into this. This is the most important thing going on right now people don't know.
I may grab something.👍😄
I know I probably sound like a broken record, but what about utilizing loaded biochar and ash to help retain moisture and provide extra nutrients? I remember hearing Bob Wells talking about using it in his Massachusetts soil to help him in place of clay. Also, considering the NanoClay is proprietary tech, those that might not be able to afford the cost would be able to utilize downed timbers from things like hurricane disasters and other biomass for their carbon and mineral content, not to mention the nanopores throughout the surface acting as an adsorptive agent.
Again, I apologize if I sound like a broken record, but I thought it might be another useful tool in someone’s arsenal.
Excellent suggestion if you can buy it and bring it in to the bioregion, BUT if you are living in these bioregions, where would the biochar come from? This is the issue. If they only have a few trees or plants that grow slowly, using them for biochar will have a negative effect. I created this from the perspective of what to do with sand in a dry region with little resources and time.
Very true! That was the primary objection I had when writing this, when it comes to areas like deserts. You could utilize bones from breaking down animals (should they eat meats in that particular region) in small doses, but it would still take considerable time for the biology to congregate without a form of composting system in place.
Still begs the question: where to get the fuel to char the bones? Could have systems to utilize methane (biogas) from waste if it really comes down to it, but without bare-bones (no pun intended) infrastructure....yeah, you’d definitely have to find plants that could survive extreme drought and introduce them to start bringing the biology back. ;)
Much love, Matt!
Making nano clay is not too difficult. Mix available clay in available water and allow it to settle. Collect the top water ( which is colored) and dry it out leaving behind fine clay particles which is nano clay. This can be done repeatedly. This top water could also be mixed with local sandy soil kept in a container and mixed well to coat the sand particles.
@@ananddharwar2198 Is there more info on this subject you can link to? Your comment is all I can find on youtube talking about DIY nanoclay
@@haroldtheescapist2865 This is how nano clay can be had at least cost. Adding bio char,wood ash adds needed potassium and other rare elements. By maintaining a mulch layer, loss of precious water can be minimised in desert environment. It would help if the hole in the soil has a layer of available desert brush mixed with available animal dung, kept at the bottom to mop up escaping water and add nutrition by way of in situ composting. It is a tough situation for anyone to find themselves in. Good luck and prayers for your success.
In FL with sandy soil, which AMF product would you suggest purchasing ?
I've not seen a good report on A/B testing yet on mycorrhizal inoculants. I like Mykos but I'm sure there's better - I'll let folks know when I find it!
Thank you
I live in Southern Florida. Rain not a problem. I live in a sandbox. What works in Saudi Arabia won’t work here. How to adapt to my environment. TY
Eastern Oregon here. very rocky, sandy and dry.
this guy is good
Thnks for sharing.
You are the best
Thank you Rodrigo!
Living in the middle of buttfuck nowhere NM this is extremely helpful. Ive basically done the method of chopping and dropping local legumes (mainly mesquite) into the sand over the last 2-3 years. Im curious about how you described seeding the sand with fungi to promote that composting of the plant material below. How would one go about that? Im decently familiar with deep rooting agents used for pecan fields, and I know they promote that relationship between fungi, bacteria, and the roots of the tree. But ive never heard of being able to seed the soil directly. Im looking more into it but its difficult to find this information sometimes!
No response? Hmm, maybe you have to take the class
Fungi comes naturally when adding bacteria. You don’t have to add them. That’s what I took from what he said. You have to add compost teas
Do you have an online forum where we can connect with you
Yes! Thank you for asking :) I have weekly Q&A in this course that's starting next week:
matt-powers.mykajabi.com/regenerativesoil
Saludos desde Cuba.
Where can they get water for all this Middle Eastern desert?
Even with rain coming sometimes every 3 years, the Al Baydha project used just rainwater, earthworks, and perennials to green the desert in Saudi Arabia. It 100% can be done and is being done actively right now in more and more places that are considered unarable desert. Watch the full documentary on it here: ruclips.net/video/T39QHprz-x8/видео.html
I've got the surface of the moon but I've got no money...
On the moon your soil will grow by about the same amount of food you eat every day. Everything else will cost money.
@@mjk9388 The by product of you eating is poop. That turns into humanure along with anything that grows in the dessert. Arabs also have restaurants that will give you their leftovers and their coffee grounds. In down town i am sure they have park maintenance. That is free compost all mixed together will give enough for a small garden. Not to mention the growth of micro greens can also turn to compost for a little money
@@mjk9388 There is nothing on the moon you fool
Svetla Nikolova It was a joke. Your “soil” would be your excrement.
I have sodic and compacted soil
Holy soils of Sri Lanka magic to plant earth peace and love to the world ♥️🌎
i liked you Jolly nature man ! that is as natural as jungle air.
Could you refer us to the Saudi guys to have a closer look of what they are doing.
Of course my friend :) The Al Baydha Project: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Baydha_Project
Matt Powers - The Permaculture Student That’s a great example of achievement and Geoff Lawton Zaytuna Farm in jordan.
Keep it up dear👌🔥🎖🎖🎖👏
if NanoClay has to be bought how do we turn sand into soil with no money?
I hope you continued watching after that part to get the answer ;)
I'm afraid I missed it,
@@ThePermacultureStudent
I'll ship kudzu roots to the people overseas just water it and stand back it will take over
Bocashi with clay and sand mix activated biochar and manure to mix all to regenerate it to make substrates.
with hugkt bed method with local tree wood and chops n drops in the base to hold wather for making beds to plant food.
Y think trees are first in sand área too.
🌞🤠🌡🌲🌱🌿🍁🍂💦
If you have the resources in your area to make bokashi and biochar - for sure! But most areas that are hyper arid lack biomass enough to do this ethically.
Matt Powers - The Permaculture Student 🤙🏼
Thks!
Save soil Movement by Sadhguru
Middle of Wisconsin= glacial sand flats
Dude I know you’re trying to help but some terms and the way you said things completely went over my head. It was way to technical. I didn’t really learn anything
The fertile crescent could be fertile again but first we need to stop killing each other. Maybe then we can begin to heal the land.
You are right. Stop war ,heal the planet.
Those places are naturally desert. Not everywhere is naturally green
Historically that's not the case - these are the places that humanity began civilization and agriculture began.
@@ThePermacultureStudent you're saying a few primitve cultures over the last few thousand years of cultivating turned the entire middle east and large part of China into desert? Those areas are naturally that way and ironically the large scale modern agriculture you diss is the only thing that's gonna keep those areas green once we begin trying to artificially green them
@@benwilliams3539 I actually am a history teacher so I can assure you that YES the past 10,000 years agriculture has led to desertification over and over again. Check out DIRT: Erosion of Civilization for a great overview by Prof David Montgomery.
#savesoil
I live in sri lanka the heart of the earth I am planning the biggest purmercultre project in the history of Sri Lanka pls get in touch with me 🌎🙏✌️♥️
I am in kuwait
What are your goals and site? You can do it! :) I have students in your area - much is possible! :)
Hi, any tips or literature around about having a colony of wild rabbits living on the bare sandy land with only olive trees. Will go into swales/ foodforest etc. But can't imagine to start planting anything there. They have enough predators around. But all land around us is tilted, so just rocks, sand and olive/ almond trees. Where the rabbits drop their droppings, it is already a bit more greener. I would love to live in balance with them, but how to start...
@@ThePermacultureStudent Sorry, only seen your reply just know. Thanks!
Oh, I know a lot is possible. The olive trees part will become a food forest as one of my neighbors already has. Just trying to find ideas for the rabbits. They have a place in nature and I don't mind them at all. We use their bodies left by cats/ fox already.
I've read alfalfa and clover on their side to keep them happy there....
Maybe God wants them to be desserts, just a thought..
The Romans gathered up the animals that helped the savannah hold the desert back - the sin of slaughtering the lions and other predators of Northern Africa was the collapse of the savannah ecosystem into deep desert. Early humans have documented this space - it was wet and filled with animals. Romans tried to farm and tame it, and all they did was kill it. Check out DIRT: Erosion of Civilizations for a cited and researched history on exactly what I'm sharing here. It's on Audible and one of my favorite books ever - I think you'll love it!
Pls pls get in touch with me 📞🌎sri lanka the heart of the world 🙏✌️❤️