I just got a text from a cousin stating she and her husband have left Florida and moved to a 5 acre farm in Idaho and are planning to live the sustainable life. I sent her a link to your channel and am hoping they are successful at it.
I had a bad experience with a bad batch of compost a few years back. Now I get my manure in late summer and mix it with my autumn leaves. I mix it about every two weeks or so until it stops steaming in the winter.
I just filled our raised beds. We too have similar corrugated raised beds. We got 8 cubic yards of screened garden soil, added compost and peat moss. Plus we add 1/4-1/2 cup of MIGardener’s Trifecta in each planting hole. Planting under way here in Summerset SD!
Your garden is fantastic! Thank you for sharing it with us. I also garden and make garden videos. It’s a lot of work. I appreciate the tips, tricks and inspiration your videos provide. I hope that we can not learn from each other as we grow!
I'm loving those raised beds! I used a very similar mix for my test run for my raised beds (composted horse manure, local dirt, perlite, and pete moss)... and you are right. Was great and the plants thrived in it! I'm in rural NW Ohio, so we have very similar growing conditions. One question though - and I don't mean to jump the gun (I'm playing catch up on your videos), but do you have any issues with the local wildlife coming in and eating the garden? We are lousy with white tails here, and I had to put a 6' fence around my little garden area. When I get the garden started again (long story) I'm going to have to add a hot wire to the fence as well because raccoons, possums, and ground hogs climb over the fence. I had no idea ground hogs would climb! Thanks for sharing and go Sparty (my second favorite Big 10 team) 🤠
We haven’t had issues so far but that is certainly a potential problem. Once they find it they will keep coming back. I try to trap raccoons whenever they are around but I may need a fence eventually
Not sure how many rocks in your dirt. I never knew there was a problem with them until I grew parsnips. If possible, sift out the rocks using a frame with hardware cloth attached.
Have you tried adding Mycorrhizal Fungi? There is a potting mix Sunshine Number 4 with Pearlite, Coco coir and mycorrhizal fungi... May want to try that in a bed vs the straight Pearlite, I've seen massive difference in root structure and health
Been using chopped leaves as an additive/compost for decades. Ever thought of putting all those leaves you have to use? My grandfather was creating compost from dumptruck loads of leaves are far back as the 1950's.
My only concern would be that grazon or any other herbicide wasn’t used on any of the composted materials. I’ve been told that grazon can stay in the compost for up to three years and can effect the non grass crops very negatively causing them not to germinate. Know what your getting. In your case Todd you know the farmer and know whether or not he uses herbicides on his hay crops. I also watch next level gardening and Brian has done research on grazon and how it can pass through the animals system and ends up in the compost,it can cause devastating effects on home gardens for years. Also sometimes too much salt can be found in compost, so know your sources.🌷💚🙃
@@SSLFamilyDad yes i agree with you...hence i can not afford the wood as well so i am using carton boxes which have challenges when they get wet, ants love them and centipides as well...pallets in my area are rare because now everyone in the mother house is gathering those precious cheap wood pallets...incredible how things change from one week to another...gas in Houston is close to $5.00 so driving around searching for pallets is a no no for now...hey but i got some tomatoes already...delicious for sure...pots work for me for now...
I just got a text from a cousin stating she and her husband have left Florida and moved to a 5 acre farm in Idaho and are planning to live the sustainable life. I sent her a link to your channel and am hoping they are successful at it.
Wow, I agree, crazy how it fit in that box! Awesome!
I had a bad experience with a bad batch of compost a few years back. Now I get my manure in late summer and mix it with my autumn leaves. I mix it about every two weeks or so until it stops steaming in the winter.
With all the leaves that are on your property you could compost them 👍
That little tiller did the job. Hope you all have a good growing season. Press on in the good work!
Good mix. That little tiller is impressive.
Woven ground cover by growerssolution. LOVE IT!!!!! Thanks for sharing. God bless.
GREAT video guys!!!!raised beds are AWESOME!!!!!
When you use peat or coconut choir always moisten it first or it will repel water and you don't want that.
I made that mistake!!!!
Thanks Todd, good luck with your raised beds, may your harvest be plentiful 🌷💚🙃
I just filled our raised beds. We too have similar corrugated raised beds. We got 8 cubic yards of screened garden soil, added compost and peat moss. Plus we add 1/4-1/2 cup of MIGardener’s Trifecta in each planting hole. Planting under way here in Summerset SD!
Great job!I love the horseshoe garden. What a great addition to your homestead.
I was literally just researching this! :)
Love the beds!
Your garden is fantastic! Thank you for sharing it with us. I also garden and make garden videos. It’s a lot of work. I appreciate the tips, tricks and inspiration your videos provide. I hope that we can not learn from each other as we grow!
I'm loving those raised beds! I used a very similar mix for my test run for my raised beds (composted horse manure, local dirt, perlite, and pete moss)... and you are right. Was great and the plants thrived in it! I'm in rural NW Ohio, so we have very similar growing conditions. One question though - and I don't mean to jump the gun (I'm playing catch up on your videos), but do you have any issues with the local wildlife coming in and eating the garden? We are lousy with white tails here, and I had to put a 6' fence around my little garden area. When I get the garden started again (long story) I'm going to have to add a hot wire to the fence as well because raccoons, possums, and ground hogs climb over the fence. I had no idea ground hogs would climb! Thanks for sharing and go Sparty (my second favorite Big 10 team) 🤠
We haven’t had issues so far but that is certainly a potential problem. Once they find it they will keep coming back. I try to trap raccoons whenever they are around but I may need a fence eventually
Looks great. Curious as to what supplements you may need to add the next year.
The author was Mel Bartholomew, passed away in 2016. Books still available.
Not sure how many rocks in your dirt. I never knew there was a problem with them until I grew parsnips. If possible, sift out the rocks using a frame with hardware cloth attached.
Have you tried adding Mycorrhizal Fungi? There is a potting mix Sunshine Number 4 with Pearlite, Coco coir and mycorrhizal fungi... May want to try that in a bed vs the straight Pearlite, I've seen massive difference in root structure and health
Been using chopped leaves as an additive/compost for decades. Ever thought of putting all those leaves you have to use? My grandfather was creating compost from dumptruck loads of leaves are far back as the 1950's.
My only concern would be that grazon or any other herbicide wasn’t used on any of the composted materials. I’ve been told that grazon can stay in the compost for up to three years and can effect the non grass crops very negatively causing them not to germinate. Know what your getting. In your case Todd you know the farmer and know whether or not he uses herbicides on his hay crops. I also watch next level gardening and Brian has done research on grazon and how it can pass through the animals system and ends up in the compost,it can cause devastating effects on home gardens for years. Also sometimes too much salt can be found in compost, so know your sources.🌷💚🙃
Good point and yes this farm does not use anything on their hay
Just subscribed 😊
love love the metal raise beds but the price is prohibit for low income people like me...those items go to the wish list LOL
I thought so too but even pricing out wood it was up there plus won’t last as long. But there are always pallets!
If these are the same material as birdies they will last forever. Watched a you tuber who had one 14 years old.
@@SSLFamilyDad yes i agree with you...hence i can not afford the wood as well so i am using carton boxes which have challenges when they get wet, ants love them and centipides as well...pallets in my area are rare because now everyone in the mother house is gathering those precious cheap wood pallets...incredible how things change from one week to another...gas in Houston is close to $5.00 so driving around searching for pallets is a no no for now...hey but i got some tomatoes already...delicious for sure...pots work for me for now...
Do you premoisten?
very nice video...may i ask in which state are u located? thanks
Michigan
@@jerrysalgat3406 it looks so green and beautiful...
It is thank you.
Mel's Mix actually contains vermiculite, not perlite. They are not interchangeable.
They both serve a similar purpose in the mix
Pretty expensive way of filling it up.