After watching your videos i started mulching my garden with leaves in January. In June i raked back some of them to plant some seeds. There were thousands of white threads in and around the leaves. At first i freaked out, but decided to plant the seeds anyway. I'm glad i did. The plants grew huge. Thank you for the advice and great videos.
By watering my leaves in the fall and the rain over the winter in Zone 7 I get leaf mold in less than one year.shredding the leaves speeds this up. I often put a layer of 5in of leaves on the ground then cover with 6in or the wood chips as u describe. the leaves break down fast and the "black" layer is formed faster than the wood chips alone. this is my experiacne. keeping a living root in the soil all year with perenials or trees keep the fungi healthy and alive for the veg. plants in the spring. I like your videos btw
Great episode. We too indeed agree that fungally dominated compost is the way to go. We have leaf mold piles, and "yard waste" piles that just sit all year, and occasionally we moisten them. Then like you said, a good screening and they are ready to go!
***** Thanks, Luke! We probably use about half and half fungally dominated compost and bacterially dominated. The leaf and wood chip mulch do more than anything else to promote fungi. You can see the fungal hyphae all over the garden!d
Thanks for another educational video Patrick! I sure wish it was a requirement for every grade school to watch your videos! Thank you for what you are doing.....you truly are changing the world one yard at a time!
In south Florida fungal compost is quick and easy. Set aside some ground and mulch it. Add yard waste and run over with lawnmower. Grind to a fine fibrous mix. Every now and then you get impressive mushroom formations. It has taken as little as three months for yard waste to turn into compost. Even naturally occurring leaf litter here turns into compost on its own in just a few months, even on concrete!
We have had a lot of rain this month and last month and I saw this very thing on the leaves when I went to the compost to empy our scrap bucket into the compost pile. I am doing this very thing without even knowing it was the right thing to do. Brilliant!
Always liked your video tutorials as they are practical and very easy to understand. This one is no different. I may not have the space to practice this for now but I'm bookmarking this for a future time. Also, I liked that you espouse practices that are low- to no-cost. Frankly, a lot of other gardening videos seem to be gimmicks aimed at making people believe farming means spending on this and that to grow food.
Thank you! I'm glad you found the video helpful. I couldn't agree more that growing your own food doesn't have to cost a lot. I truly appreciate your feedback. Best wishes!
I have to say Patrick, you have convinced me once again to start mulching with leaves, and if I can get enough of them, to start a leaf mold pile. Thanks for all of the great info!
It's a little late for us Albertans but you should be able to go to your municipal wood chip storage location and get some in the spring. Munching with those will start the process :)
***** Yeah, I know it's too late, just doing some planning for next season. I will have to check if we have a municipal wood chip storage location around here, I've never heard of it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Thanks for the tip!
Conrad all municipalities in Alberta have one :) unless your in Hanna where there are no trees :) just call the city or town office they will direct you.
I did not know that, I will check with the town. Haha, yeah, I used to work down south a lot, I did a lot of pre-site assessments and never once had to look up what kind of tree was on site, there never were any!
Great video OneYardRevolution I think it is so good being able to use resources from your own home and backyard for free rather than spending your money! I haven't done much reading on fungal compost and the science behind it but your videos are very useful along with ***** have a great day Patrick!
HuwsNursery Thanks, Huw! I couldn't agree more. Free, local, and abundant resources are available for many of us, so there's no need to buy these products in my opinion.
Dr Elaine Ingham said fungally dominant compost is great for use with berries and for pasture. The resulting pasture makes great forage for farm animals.
A great guideline as I’m researching good soil practices and the difference between fungi and bacteria. I have all these organics on hand in my country property but was unsure how they all interact and come together. Looks like I’ll be making two compost heaps from now on 🇦🇺👍
Hi Roger! You can make just one compost pile. If you include plenty of woody material like leaves and twigs along with kitchen scraps, untreated grass clippings, etc., you'll have a good mix of beneficial fungi and bacteria.
We enjoyed another great video of yours...it validates what we are seeing in our gardens. There is no putrid odor to the broken down organics, just a rich, earthy odor (still we are careful about the handling and breathing it in :-) We have piles here and there in the garden; every few days we gather the broken down product from under the piles and distribute them among the plants. It is also a good method for water retention.
***** Kaye, in some ways wood chips are even better than leaves! They make a great mulch, retain moisture in the soil, and provide an excellent habitat and food source for mycorrhizae. I think they'd be especially beneficial in your area given the droughts and water restrictions. Happy New Year!
I’m making my own organic soil.. I have cattle, and feed alfalfa hay. I rake up all the green/leafy waste,, and use it in my mix. I also use my cattle manure. I break up All my old pots of soil, from previous plants,, add organic potting soils, 1/4” minus gypsum ‘ag fines’,, Blood meal, bone meal, humic acid,, dolo-lime, azomite,, and bit of epsom salt.. I get my Myco,, from a huge old (15 yrs) pile of decomposed wood chips/shreddings... I speed the process of decomposition,, by covering this old 6’x2’ ft stock tank,, with clear plexiglass.. Cooks the stuff like spinach.! Also kills noxious seeds and insect eggs!! 😊❤️✌️
Much to my surprise, I think I am getting it. I have been watching very closely how you make different composts and fertilisers, and whilst I don't think I am able to do it yet on scale that you can, I do believe that I am starting to appreciate the principals and can start the process. Many thanks for all your dedication. All I can really say is that in this little corner of the world it is very much appreciated. Or maybe it is mulch appreciated, if you appreciate puns. All the best.
the "2)" Mycorrhizae piece is very illuminating in describing the mechanisms of fungi and other organisms in feeding the plants in different forms from beneficial to infectious. the ending pretty much narrows most commercial applications of just about anything , beyond wood chips and pine bark mulch alone... Okay, well assuming you are starting with some beneficial organisms and a decent ratio of organic matter in place already, I can agree. Here in the mid-Missouri south of the Missouri heavy clay soils, everything and anything added to increase fertility, structure and the Mycorrhizae community is a plus toward your goal of growing food that is nutritious. If any of these building blocks are missing, nutrition and production along with soil health are going to suffer. deep soil profiles demonstrate best the effects of soil performance when organic matter and soil activity are limited, ie. comparing clay soils to creek bottom or river bottom soils as in Missouri hill ground. wow! that all being said, you have done a wonderful job at demonstrating how it works, what works and have the scientific information to verify it! great job! thank you!
Thanks, 1mtstewart ! I agree that it makes a lot of sense to add organic matter to improve clay soils. However, I remain skeptical about the effectiveness of mychorrhizal amendments,
I guess, since I was instructed on inoculating clover and other legumes at a very early age, some of the idea of being SURE the necessary varieties are present, as in nitrogen fixation on root nodules of legumes, it makes sense to offer the plant a complete, beneficial environment in which to grow. I am skeptical of many of the mine is best hand wavers, pick me, pick mine type razzle dazzle to trigger separating us from our money. I do sincerely, appreciate the benefit of localized trials with the multitude of possible combinations being used. isolating one variable adds clarity, while slowing the eventual process due to the many possible variables. that said, comprehensive, complete attention to detail with free, available resources is the best place for everyone to start. exploring the local terrain and businesses for free beneficial materials is very rewarding. considering that the food bill is significantly offset by production, I have been adding new items yearly and monitoring the results. as I stated before, I believe time is a necessary factor in the balance between microbes and ingredients. multi year surveillance of established beds may show significant improvements in following years that are undetectable in our criteria in the first year , as in the bell curve resulting in agricultural lime application and plant availability, Ca++ uptake and pH response over 5-7 years. the process at this time is a big part of the reward. thanks for the work. we are definitely better off than using the killers! If it will kill you to drink or breathe the vapors, it probably isn't good for the soil, microbes, plants and definetly us!
I'm going to be very curious what happens in our garden next season, because the only things we put in it are free - horse manure, leaves, wood chips, chop & drop weeds, spent plants & comfrey. I sometimes mix liquid ingredients to feed, but the soil is what I'm really interested in seeing develop. It's coming up on 3 years since we started using those things, so we'll find out! Last year, we saw a lot of mushrooms in the wood chips and they're breaking them down at a pretty rapid rate.
As you know, I'm very confident that the approach you're taking (and I've been using for years) will work great! Please let me know how it goes next season!
E careful with the horse manure . It can have nasty chemicals in it . Put some horse manure in your worm farm , if the worms don’t tough it you know you got a problem.
Some misinformation in this old video. The fungi shown in the shot with woodchips is not mycorrhizal fungi (they are strictly associated with roots). What's shown are saprophytic fungi which are useful, but do not form the symbiotic relationship with plant roots that mycorrhizal fungi do.
Thank you! Very informative, and great timing since I'm also watching the movie Symphony of the Soil, which was linked to on The Garden Professors Blog. So much to learn.
Hi Patrick-I get so excited when I see fugally dominated compost amongst my leaves and woodchip. I work with several clients who bring in sample of fugally compost and not know what it is they get all scary until I explain to them what it is and they get excited and go home and put it back and be happy they have that natural process going on in their backyard.
That is super information! So much to learn... Thank you for all your hard work and sharing your information. Merry Christmas to you & your family! Peaches
Ohhhh that white white thing call fungal I see that under my woods chips didn't know what is it .... I look at it & scary thing to me 👩🤣funny dumb sometimes if we poor in knowledge....thanks so much for your loving garden & knowledge many things💜
It is humbling for us to know there is very little we know about the world around us. Many of us who study sciences, know this. It is totally fine to recognize you do not know something, to even fear it, and yet it is courageous of you to be open to learn about it.
Hi Patrick, The dry beet pulp is leftover from making molasses. (I think.) I'm a cabinet maker so I produce lots of sawdust. It all goes into the garden. The problem is, it seems to break down very slowly. That is why I incorporated the Alphalha, and beet pulp in with it. I am also throwing in some granular molasses to speed things up. I'll let you know how my experiment goes. Thanks again for all your practicle advice.
+Allen Clark You're welcome, Allen! I'd be careful about using sawdust as mulch. It's great for compost, but when used as mulch it tends to get incorporated into the soil and cause nitrogen robbing.
I basically do the same thing you're doing except I run everything thru a chipper first. It breaks down the material faster than waiting for mother nature to do it. The only soil addition I buy is peat moss which I mix in with my compost. All my plants love it.
Greene Garden I agree. I didn't mean to imply that the mycorrhizal fungi would develop in the compost itself, but that compost would support development of mycorrhizae once added to the garden.
Unfortunately, even then it won't help since arbuscular fungus for vegetables are obligate biotrophic symbionts. Roots are the only thing that increases their numbers. The organic material would be better used as mulch. Then a whole range of organisms would be encouraged to drag the organic matter into the soil and aerate it. I do pile the very highest carbons such as wood chips and spray with honey water just to decompose a little before I put them on the soil. And even very few of the saprophytic fungi are ectomycorrhizal.
Greene Garden Thank you for sharing your expertise, Greene Garden ! As I said in the video, I agree that mulch is more effective in supporting mycorrhizae. And I don't claim that compost increases their numbers, but that it supports their development. I also question product claims as to the extent fungally dominated compost supports mycorrhizae. Here are a couple of the sources I used: Dr. Jeff Gillman, in "Decoding Gardening Advice", states that "the best way to keep soil inoculated with mycorrhizae is simply to make sure that it is well fortified with organic materials such as compost and mulch." In "Mycorrhizae: So, What the Heck are They Anyway?", Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott states that "beneficial bacteria can assist in mycorrhizal activity". Of course, beneficial bacteria would be more abundant in bacterially dominated compost. This is why I said more research is needed to test the claim that fungally dominated compost better supports mycorrhiaze. In the same article, Dr. Chalker-Scott states that "While the addition of organic matter has been found to stimulate growth of native mycorrhizal populations, applying commercial mycorrhizal amendments is generally ineffective and unnecessary, given the widespread presence of indigenous inoculum."
Fungally dominant soil is best suited for berries and strawberries. Pasture forage should be 50-50 fungal to bacterial according to Dr Elaine Ingham. My question is this: Have you any information on using mushroom spores on wood chips? Does it break down the chips faster in terms of prepping for fungally dominant compost? Or is it more for growing mushrooms?
Patrick, thanks for all your effort to give us tips on how to garden well year round. This question is specific to zucchini and squash. I live in Zone 7b/8a I am dealing with powdery mildew on a few leaves of a zucchini plant. Any tips on how to effectively stop this fungus without damaging our fungally dominated compost? I have seen tips on using baking soda mixes, but thought you'd have some advice! Thanks again.
Hi Joseph! My understanding is that the typical home remedies don't have much of an impact. I think there's some research showing that baking soda solutions slow powdery mildew when sprayed before it's onset, but it won't stop powdery mildew. I've never used any of these remedies.
Try a milk/water solution and spray on the plant in daylight. The milk protein changes the environment. Other folks I know use hydrogen peroxide/water and with a cotton ball wash each leave. One of my mentors is a cannabis farmer and this is her solution (pun intended). You are talking about one plant and she walks into gardens with a thousand plants. She swears by it. This would not affect the soil. Others use Neem oil sprayed on the plant. Baking soda/water does work because it changes the pH on the leaf making it impossible for the mildew to grow. migardener.com/prevent-kill-blight-powdery-mildew-baking-soda/
I love leaf mould! I also hate the wait. Before I start a new pile I attach a 4.5 inch rubber coupling to the end of some PVC pipe. I have predrilled holes in various places along the pipe. Then I place my leaf vac's exhaust to the coupling and let-er rip. The occasional airflow through the pile seems to break it down much faster than it normally would. If you are having a hard time imagining what I'm saying I have pictures.
Hi, I was removing pine needle mulch from my flower bed, which was already there when I moved this house 2years ago, I found some white mold looking things all over underneath of it, can I still plant some sweet potato slips to grow them without removing them?
Collected leaves, made a pile, added a piece of 'fungally infected' wooden border. Checked the pile and yes, the 'infection' is spreading in the leaf pile already. Do I need to protect my pile from frost? It is a chickenwire cirkle.
Thanks, a lot I often collect leaf mold from the local forrest, for my garden plants. I have found these roots quite often and i was wondering why they are not melting to the soil, I didnt knew much untill now. Then I read about the beneficial mycorrhizae fungi for the garden plants, now thats a good diy if you figure out how to do it!
I wonder if you get good mushrooms in there? I collected tons of leaves in my neighborhood for the garden and ended up getting lots and lots of Blewits in the garden. Bonus!!
As far as carbon content of the compost pile goes, can you use carbonized rice hulls or carbonized coconut shells? These are basically charcoal/biochar made up of rice hulls and coconut shells.
I see that you put leaves on your beds in the fall and all over your yard. Is it for fungi growth before you use your soil in the summer? also, you had mentioned about the arborist... when I sign up, do they call and dump a truck load, or I can talk to them like Do you have a place where I can go a scoop some bags home, not alot, because I have mostly grass lawn, and that my husband does not want to. Let me know how this operates, bec I would like some shavings but affraid to try. thank you, and your videos are the best. I like your concept of growing mykorizy.
Yes, leaves promote fungi and other beneficial soil organisms, but also improve soil structure, increase water retention, and provide nutrients. Usually arborists will want to dump an entire load on your property. Could they dump it on your driveway?
no, I can't have my cars blocked. My husband said too much work. He just buy three bags and let me compost anywhere in the back yard as long as it's not against the fence. by the way, he loves grass, so I have to fertilize them and weed them, so that he doesn't pay someone else to spray his lawn.
Have you considered getting a shredder to chop up the woody bits even further? I've been considering it for the last month or so but I need to make a good argument for hubby as he is not yet convinced that it will be a good investment.
Hi Keiko! We don't generate enough woody material on our property to invest in a chipper. There's no need to further chop up the wood chips we get from the city.
To get that fungi in the soi, what is better: a high carbon mulch or fungally dominated compst? I lean towards the mulch method since it is less work, and mulching has other benefits as well. No to metion the fungi never get disturbed in transport or sifting....
I've used small coffee can size (volume) almost full of organic wild rice in water couple days. Then splash in vinegar with the mother let it soak couple days or so. Then mix this all in with my finished compost. Let it sit, turn and use it on top of soil. Have the white micro roots growing Great. Seems to be very active. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Very informative!, Thank you so much. I live in Phoenix, so I rely, on heavy mulching to protect the soil from the heat.I no longer want to remove mulch to apply organic fertilizers 3 times a year and in the process disturb the delicate fungal growth, what do you advise me doing, compost teas for the trees?Thanks
+Franswa Thanks! I'm glad you found the video helpful! I would only use fertilizers if a professional soil test shows nutrient deficiencies. You may find that your mulch already provides all the nutrients your plants need. We haven't used any fertilizers for many years and have nutrient surpluses from compost and mulch alone. Even if your soil is deficient, you can often apply amendments to the surface without disrupting the mulch. I hope this helps!
Thank you for righting back so quickly. I will heed your advice, it's a good idea! To know that you haven't had to fertilize for many years with the compost mulch system is wonderful to know... If the soil test shows let's say a lack of phosphorus could I spread Bone meal on top of the mulch? I hope I am not bothering you too mulch with my questions.... Thanks
+Franswa You're very welcome! If there are any deficiencies, you may be able to address them with a liquid fertilizer. Please let me know how the soil test goes.
I had a straw bale that I was mulching my tomatoes with and it was sprouting some very strange mushrooms and full of mycelium. Then I scored a couple more leftover from other's Halloween festivities sitting out by the curb just waiting for me... That's what I mulched my raised beds with this year. If you want fungus find some straw.
Thanks for your fantastic vids! One question, when we talk about carbon:nitrogen ratios, are talking weight (mass) or volume. Also, moisture content would effect. thanks again...
You're welcome, Barry Winters ! We're talking about mass when we talk about C:N ratios. Here's a link that shows C:N ratios of common compost ingredients: www.planetnatural.com/composting-101/c-n-ratio/ In practice, I don't really think about C:N ratios when making a hot compost pile, but from years of experience, I know what works. For example, 2 to 3 parts leaves (by volume) to 1 part coffee grounds works well for hot compost. Sometimes when I first make the pile I don't get it quite right and have to make adjustments later. For example, if it doesn't heat up, I might add more green materials later. Moisture is very important. You want to aim for the moisture of a wrung out sponge. I hope this helps!
I'm very interested in your explanation in the video, but there are still many farmers who think that various types of fungi in compost exist as pathogens. what do you think sir?. Greetings from Indonesian Organic Farmers
So I tried to find a more recent video where you're carting those paper bags of leaves around. I also did a search on your channel for "paper bags". Then I gave up and decided to ask here and just hope you still monitor comments on old vids! I'm so curious about the bags you use - what are they, where do you get them, are you using them (I assume) simply as an alternative to plastic, or is there some other magical reason I can't think of, are they easier/harder to work with than plastic bags?
Hi Ann! They're the yard waste bags that our city requires for yard waste pickup. Some of our neighbors give us the leaves instead of paying the city to take them.
I get so confused. So many opinions. we decided to just pick a method and stick with it. we chose the Mittleider Method but I have doubts now regarding mulch. So confused! We are developing our property now a in the creating the beds of a 1 acre plot.
Hi Jennifer! You're right. All the conflicting information can be very confusing. Our approach is very simple. We use homemade compost from a wide variety of inputs and a variety of organic mulches (e.g., wood chips, grass clippings, leaves). This approach works very well and we don't have to buy any fertilizer.
I was offered about 150 plastic bags of spent mushroom substrate (looks like sawdust with some small black mushrooms which the grower said got "contaminated" (and I don't know what he meant and his English was not great) anyhow I brought them home but I am not sure exactly what to do with them. After hours on youtube, I still have to wonder if I should pile them up and place a bucket or three of red worms in the middle or put them in my garden! Any suggestions?
So fungi in my compost ( still experimenting with different materials- this pile has only fruit like orange peels, petals n no vegetable waste) is alright? I was wondering if i shld throw it away!
Hi Patrick I live in the Northern Nevada desert ( zone 5). I do not have a good source for leaves or coffee grounds. I have been buying Alphalpha pellets, and beet pulp at the feed store. I've been sprinkling them on the garden in the fall. I have noticed more earthworms, (and Robins) should I continue? and how can I increase fungal microbes without leaves? Thank you for your expertise.
+Allen Clark Hi Allen! Wood chips are an excellent mulch and are great for promoting beneficial fungi. If you don't have a municipal wood chip pile, tree removal services will often dump free wood chips on your property to avoid paying to dump them. Grass clippings are a great "green" addition to your mulch. I think it's fine to add alfalfa pellets to the soil, but I'm unfamiliar with beet pulp. Is it moist? Does it attract rodents?
Nice work on keeping your pile 140 degrees for 3 weeks. The last pile I made only obtained 140 degrees for 7 days. I would prefer to have it above 130 for over two weeks. Looks like my next pile will need more coffee grounds. Did you add additional "N" during the initial 3 weeks or did the original compost materiasl stay that hot from the start? Thanks for sharing another great video!
Binky's Garden Thanks! The key has really been to continue to add brown and green layers as the pile cooks down. As a matter of fact, I just got back inside after adding this week's haul of used coffee grounds. Every time the pile dips below the top of the bin, I add more material.
OneYardRevolution Thanks for the layering tip. I will give it a try. I usually mix everything together and make piles but I am always interested in trying different compost methods. I like the circular cage/wire bin that you and ***** are using. Im picking some chicken wire this week.
I though that most annual plants preferred their nitrogen source in the form of NH4 not NO3? In which case wouldn't your plants benefit more from a bacterially dominated compost because bacteria produce waste in the form of NH4? Also I thought fungi take a long time to grow and do better in perennial beds because you don't disturb the mycelia and they can form better relationships with the longer lasting roots.
We make both bacterially and fungally dominated compost. The annual beds get more of the bacterially dominated compost and the perennials get more of the fungally dominated, but both get a mix.
Brix measurements provide a good indication of sugar content but not much else. For example, they don't provide useful information about mineral content.
OYR Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening So you saying that healthy soil with available minerals dont have any affect on brix!? They aren't related? Really? That really contradicts organic gardening! Are you saying that a healthy soil and plant doesnt prove higher brix readings? Impossible, higher brix readings can come from the plant juices without even taking a reading from the fruit. Cmon dude!? Brix readings are dissolved solids not just sugar. Explain then how tomatoes have more flavor from brix readings its not just sugar its tomato flavor!??? Flavor isnt just sugar! I want calling you out I love your video but your response idk
Yes, many of our beds were filled with 100% compost, but the beds are shallow and the compost is integrated into the native soil by earthworms and other soil organisms.
Hi.. I've read that perennials prefer fungally dominated compost while vegetables prefer bacterially dominated compost. If you're gonna be planting vegetables... why use fungally dominated compost? Will your vegetables thrive in the environmental created by the fungi?
Hi Andre! My understanding is that the preferences for bacterial vs fungal compost are not supported by peer reviewed research. Good soil is rich in bacteria and fungi, so it's good to foster both. Here's a link to a discussion on this topic on The Garden Professors Blog: facebook.com/groups/GardenProfessors/permalink/10153433357686490/
Hello, I am not good at English, can you help me ?? 1-I want to write the most prominent things in the video in order to translate 2-I want to answer some questions, including 1-What are the criteria used to test the microorganism in the fermentation process ?? 2-Do the conditions suitable for the living of living have an effect on the fermentation process and how can that be ?? 3- How can we judge the degradation of organic matter from the point of view of micro-organisms in the soil? thank you ....
I forgot to add that the desired proportion of bacteria to fungi depends on the crop you are trying to grow. Most garden crops except for brassicas and beets require an approximately 1 to 1 ratio by weight. The latter like a much higher ratio. Perennial crops, shrubs and trees like much more progressively lower ratios with evergreen preferring ratios more like 1 to 1,000.
We use both bacterially and fungally dominated compost and mulch in our vegetable garden to provide a good balance. We mulch perennials with wood chips to to increase fungal dominance.
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After watching your videos i started mulching my garden with leaves in January. In June i raked back some of them to plant some seeds. There were thousands of white threads in and around the leaves. At first i freaked out, but decided to plant the seeds anyway. I'm glad i did. The plants grew huge. Thank you for the advice and great videos.
You're very welcome, Oukoyami ! That's great to hear! I'm glad you've had great results.
2.30...SMASH!💔
Leaf mould is awesome. You can leave it in a pile for 2 years and you have the best soil.
I suspect what you were seeing is mycelium --- evidence of fungal growth,
By watering my leaves in the fall and the rain over the winter in Zone 7 I get leaf mold in less than one year.shredding the leaves speeds this up. I often put a layer of 5in of leaves on the ground then cover with 6in or the wood chips as u describe. the leaves break down fast and the "black" layer is formed faster than the wood chips alone. this is my experiacne. keeping a living root in the soil all year with perenials or trees keep the fungi healthy and alive for the veg. plants in the spring. I like your videos btw
Great episode. We too indeed agree that fungally dominated compost is the way to go. We have leaf mold piles, and "yard waste" piles that just sit all year, and occasionally we moisten them. Then like you said, a good screening and they are ready to go!
***** Thanks, Luke! We probably use about half and half fungally dominated compost and bacterially dominated. The leaf and wood chip mulch do more than anything else to promote fungi. You can see the fungal hyphae all over the garden!d
Luke, or let the leaves rot in the garden all fall and winter and let nature do its job for you???
Outstanding. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Dr Igham always pushes fungally dominated compost. Maybe now I can build my own. Thank you
After some years, this is my second watching of this clip Patrick. It makes a lot more sense now. Thank you.
Thanks for another educational video Patrick! I sure wish it was a requirement for every grade school to watch your videos! Thank you for what you are doing.....you truly are changing the world one yard at a time!
Eco Oasis You're very welcome, and thank you for your kind words!
In south Florida fungal compost is quick and easy. Set aside some ground and mulch it. Add yard waste and run over with lawnmower. Grind to a fine fibrous mix. Every now and then you get impressive mushroom formations. It has taken as little as three months for yard waste to turn into compost. Even naturally occurring leaf litter here turns into compost on its own in just a few months, even on concrete!
+chargermopar That's great! I've heard even wood chips decompose pretty quickly there too.
We have had a lot of rain this month and last month and I saw this very thing on the leaves when I went to the compost to empy our scrap bucket into the compost pile. I am doing this very thing without even knowing it was the right thing to do. Brilliant!
Barbara Rickman You're absolutely right, Barbara! It's that simple.
Always liked your video tutorials as they are practical and very easy to understand. This one is no different. I may not have the space to practice this for now but I'm bookmarking this for a future time. Also, I liked that you espouse practices that are low- to no-cost. Frankly, a lot of other gardening videos seem to be gimmicks aimed at making people believe farming means spending on this and that to grow food.
Thank you! I'm glad you found the video helpful. I couldn't agree more that growing your own food doesn't have to cost a lot. I truly appreciate your feedback. Best wishes!
I have to say Patrick, you have convinced me once again to start mulching with leaves, and if I can get enough of them, to start a leaf mold pile. Thanks for all of the great info!
It's a little late for us Albertans but you should be able to go to your municipal wood chip storage location and get some in the spring. Munching with those will start the process :)
Conrad Cardinal You're welcome, Conrad! Nothing encourages fungal growth in the garden like wood chips and leaves.
***** Yeah, I know it's too late, just doing some planning for next season. I will have to check if we have a municipal wood chip storage location around here, I've never heard of it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Thanks for the tip!
Conrad all municipalities in Alberta have one :) unless your in Hanna where there are no trees :) just call the city or town office they will direct you.
I did not know that, I will check with the town. Haha, yeah, I used to work down south a lot, I did a lot of pre-site assessments and never once had to look up what kind of tree was on site, there never were any!
Great video OneYardRevolution I think it is so good being able to use resources from your own home and backyard for free rather than spending your money! I haven't done much reading on fungal compost and the science behind it but your videos are very useful along with ***** have a great day Patrick!
HuwsNursery Thanks, Huw! I couldn't agree more. Free, local, and abundant resources are available for many of us, so there's no need to buy these products in my opinion.
There is no reason our tomatoes have to cost 100$ each when it can be done free and local
Huw, not to mention you can ask your neighbors to drop it off to your driveway and save them a bunch of money on garbage pick up?
Dr Elaine Ingham said fungally dominant compost is great for use with berries and for pasture. The resulting pasture makes great forage for farm animals.
Great video, Patrick! It's always good to know that all the resources that you need are right in your own backyard!
keyplayr61 Thanks, Keith! Free, local, and abundant can't be beat!
A great guideline as I’m researching good soil practices and the difference between fungi and bacteria. I have all these organics on hand in my country property but was unsure how they all interact and come together. Looks like I’ll be making two compost heaps from now on 🇦🇺👍
Hi Roger! You can make just one compost pile. If you include plenty of woody material like leaves and twigs along with kitchen scraps, untreated grass clippings, etc., you'll have a good mix of beneficial fungi and bacteria.
OYR Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening thanks for the input . It’s pretty much what I already practice 🇦🇺👍🏼
Great useful information with crisp and clear communication skills. Bravo! Gratitude! Nice work!
We enjoyed another great video of yours...it validates what we are seeing in our gardens. There is no putrid odor to the broken down organics, just a rich, earthy odor (still we are careful about the handling and breathing it in :-)
We have piles here and there in the garden; every few days we gather the broken down product from under the piles and distribute them among the plants. It is also a good method for water retention.
Thanks, CM Nakagawa ! Yes, fungally dominated compost is easy to make, and coarse woody mulch is even better at promoting mycorrhizae.
Another very informative video. Kudos to Stephen and yourself!
dakotabob10 Thanks, Bob!
***** Kaye, in some ways wood chips are even better than leaves! They make a great mulch, retain moisture in the soil, and provide an excellent habitat and food source for mycorrhizae. I think they'd be especially beneficial in your area given the droughts and water restrictions. Happy New Year!
I’m making my own organic soil.. I have cattle, and feed alfalfa hay. I rake up all the green/leafy waste,, and use it in my mix. I also use my cattle manure. I break up All my old pots of soil, from previous plants,, add organic potting soils, 1/4” minus gypsum ‘ag fines’,, Blood meal, bone meal, humic acid,, dolo-lime, azomite,, and bit of epsom salt.. I get my Myco,, from a huge old (15 yrs) pile of decomposed wood chips/shreddings... I speed the process of decomposition,, by covering this old 6’x2’ ft stock tank,, with clear plexiglass.. Cooks the stuff like spinach.! Also kills noxious seeds and insect eggs!! 😊❤️✌️
Much to my surprise, I think I am getting it. I have been watching very closely how you make different composts and fertilisers, and whilst I don't think I am able to do it yet on scale that you can, I do believe that I am starting to appreciate the principals and can start the process. Many thanks for all your dedication. All I can really say is that in this little corner of the world it is very much appreciated. Or maybe it is mulch appreciated, if you appreciate puns. All the best.
You're very welcome, Aaron! I'm glad you find the videos helpful and appreciate your kind words.
Well done Patrick! So much interesting new findings on fungi lately, it's fascinating.
***** Thanks, Elise! I'm hoping Karen gets me "Mycelium Running" for Christmas! :D
the "2)" Mycorrhizae piece is very illuminating in describing the mechanisms of fungi and other organisms in feeding the plants in different forms from beneficial to infectious. the ending pretty much narrows most commercial applications of just about anything , beyond wood chips and pine bark mulch alone... Okay, well assuming you are starting with some beneficial organisms and a decent ratio of organic matter in place already, I can agree. Here in the mid-Missouri south of the Missouri heavy clay soils, everything and anything added to increase fertility, structure and the Mycorrhizae community is a plus toward your goal of growing food that is nutritious. If any of these building blocks are missing, nutrition and production along with soil health are going to suffer. deep soil profiles demonstrate best the effects of soil performance when organic matter and soil activity are limited, ie. comparing clay soils to creek bottom or river bottom soils as in Missouri hill ground.
wow! that all being said, you have done a wonderful job at demonstrating how it works, what works and have the scientific information to verify it! great job! thank you!
Thanks, 1mtstewart ! I agree that it makes a lot of sense to add organic matter to improve clay soils. However, I remain skeptical about the effectiveness of mychorrhizal amendments,
I guess, since I was instructed on inoculating clover and other legumes at a very early age, some of the idea of being SURE the necessary varieties are present, as in nitrogen fixation on root nodules of legumes, it makes sense to offer the plant a complete, beneficial environment in which to grow. I am skeptical of many of the mine is best hand wavers, pick me, pick mine type razzle dazzle to trigger separating us from our money. I do sincerely, appreciate the benefit of localized trials with the multitude of possible combinations being used. isolating one variable adds clarity, while slowing the eventual process due to the many possible variables. that said, comprehensive, complete attention to detail with free, available resources is the best place for everyone to start. exploring the local terrain and businesses for free beneficial materials is very rewarding. considering that the food bill is significantly offset by production, I have been adding new items yearly and monitoring the results. as I stated before, I believe time is a necessary factor in the balance between microbes and ingredients. multi year surveillance of established beds may show significant improvements in following years that are undetectable in our criteria in the first year , as in the bell curve resulting in agricultural lime application and plant availability, Ca++ uptake and pH response over 5-7 years. the process at this time is a big part of the reward. thanks for the work. we are definitely better off than using the killers! If it will kill you to drink or breathe the vapors, it probably isn't good for the soil, microbes, plants and definetly us!
I'm going to be very curious what happens in our garden next season, because the only things we put in it are free - horse manure, leaves, wood chips, chop & drop weeds, spent plants & comfrey. I sometimes mix liquid ingredients to feed, but the soil is what I'm really interested in seeing develop. It's coming up on 3 years since we started using those things, so we'll find out! Last year, we saw a lot of mushrooms in the wood chips and they're breaking them down at a pretty rapid rate.
As you know, I'm very confident that the approach you're taking (and I've been using for years) will work great! Please let me know how it goes next season!
Hi there! I am on track to start doing something similar and wonder: "Did it work for you?" Cheers, Nelson
E careful with the horse manure . It can have nasty chemicals in it . Put some horse manure in your worm farm , if the worms don’t tough it you know you got a problem.
Some misinformation in this old video. The fungi shown in the shot with woodchips is not mycorrhizal fungi (they are strictly associated with roots). What's shown are saprophytic fungi which are useful, but do not form the symbiotic relationship with plant roots that mycorrhizal fungi do.
Thank you! Very informative, and great timing since I'm also watching the movie Symphony of the Soil, which was linked to on The Garden Professors Blog. So much to learn.
You're very welcome, Sher Thom ! "Symphony of the Soil" is a great movie.
Hi Patrick-I get so excited when I see fugally dominated compost amongst my leaves and woodchip. I work with several clients who bring in sample of fugally compost and not know what it is they get all scary until I explain to them what it is and they get excited and go home and put it back and be happy they have that natural process going on in their backyard.
I'm glad to hear you're spreading the word, TheFlygirl7221 !
That is super information! So much to learn... Thank you for all your hard work and sharing your information. Merry Christmas to you & your family! Peaches
Thanks, lovers4healthylife ! Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!
Another great video, learning lots of great and important information about soil, nice job!
Thanks, Brett! I appreciate it.
Ohhhh that white white thing call fungal I see that under my woods chips didn't know what is it .... I look at it & scary thing to me 👩🤣funny dumb sometimes if we poor in knowledge....thanks so much for your loving garden & knowledge many things💜
It is humbling for us to know there is very little we know about the world around us. Many of us who study sciences, know this. It is totally fine to recognize you do not know something, to even fear it, and yet it is courageous of you to be open to learn about it.
Because all your video about compost... We decide to create compost bin next year... Ty nice video
Awesome, learning so much more. You really know your stuff. God bless you and your work.
Thanks!
Hi Patrick, The dry beet pulp is leftover from making molasses. (I think.) I'm a cabinet maker so I produce lots of sawdust. It all goes into the garden. The problem is, it seems to break down very slowly. That is why I incorporated the Alphalha, and beet pulp in with it. I am also throwing in some granular molasses to speed things up. I'll let you know how my experiment goes. Thanks again for all your practicle advice.
+Allen Clark You're welcome, Allen! I'd be careful about using sawdust as mulch. It's great for compost, but when used as mulch it tends to get incorporated into the soil and cause nitrogen robbing.
I basically do the same thing you're doing except I run everything thru a chipper first. It breaks down the material faster than waiting for mother nature to do it. The only soil addition I buy is peat moss which I mix in with my compost. All my plants love it.
1:12 so you have an open pile and a closed bin. What is better? Tnx for the vids!
Great information Patrick!
Thanks, Donna!
Mulch AND COMPOST SAVED MY LAND FROM SOIL EROSION AND LANDSLIDES A win win
Love your gardening all natural.
Thanks!
Thank you, for such a informative video. and teaming up with Stephen to make this amazing.
You're very welcome, TheEmptynester !
Excellent video my friend ! I had a lot of fun partnering up on this one !
***** Thanks, Stephen!
Greene Garden I agree. I didn't mean to imply that the mycorrhizal fungi would develop in the compost itself, but that compost would support development of mycorrhizae once added to the garden.
Unfortunately, even then it won't help since arbuscular fungus for vegetables are obligate biotrophic symbionts. Roots are the only thing that increases their numbers. The organic material would be better used as mulch. Then a whole range of organisms would be encouraged to drag the organic matter into the soil and aerate it. I do pile the very highest carbons such as wood chips and spray with honey water just to decompose a little before I put them on the soil. And even very few of the saprophytic fungi are ectomycorrhizal.
Greene Garden very logical.
Greene Garden Thank you for sharing your expertise, Greene Garden !
As I said in the video, I agree that mulch is more effective in supporting mycorrhizae. And I don't claim that compost increases their numbers, but that it supports their development. I also question product claims as to the extent fungally dominated compost supports mycorrhizae.
Here are a couple of the sources I used:
Dr. Jeff Gillman, in "Decoding Gardening Advice", states that "the best way to keep soil inoculated with mycorrhizae is simply to make sure that it is well fortified with organic materials such as compost and mulch."
In "Mycorrhizae: So, What the Heck are They Anyway?", Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott states that "beneficial bacteria can assist in mycorrhizal activity". Of course, beneficial bacteria would be more abundant in bacterially dominated compost. This is why I said more research is needed to test the claim that fungally dominated compost better supports mycorrhiaze.
In the same article, Dr. Chalker-Scott states that "While the addition of organic matter has been found to stimulate growth of native mycorrhizal populations, applying commercial mycorrhizal amendments is generally ineffective and unnecessary, given the widespread presence of indigenous inoculum."
Now I understand why more carbons than nitrogen. And also that mulching is not just to keep the soil from drying up. Thank you!
You're welcome!
Fungally dominant soil is best suited for berries and strawberries. Pasture forage should be 50-50 fungal to bacterial according to Dr Elaine Ingham.
My question is this: Have you any information on using mushroom spores on wood chips? Does it break down the chips faster in terms of prepping for fungally dominant compost? Or is it more for growing mushrooms?
One thing all fungi love is moisture, you should try keeping your lazy compost pile humid so the fungi can chomp it down more easily.
Patrick, thanks for all your effort to give us tips on how to garden well year round. This question is specific to zucchini and squash. I live in Zone 7b/8a I am dealing with powdery mildew on a few leaves of a zucchini plant. Any tips on how to effectively stop this fungus without damaging our fungally dominated compost? I have seen tips on using baking soda mixes, but thought you'd have some advice! Thanks again.
Hi Joseph! My understanding is that the typical home remedies don't have much of an impact. I think there's some research showing that baking soda solutions slow powdery mildew when sprayed before it's onset, but it won't stop powdery mildew. I've never used any of these remedies.
Try a milk/water solution and spray on the plant in daylight. The milk protein changes the environment. Other folks I know use hydrogen peroxide/water and with a cotton ball wash each leave. One of my mentors is a cannabis farmer and this is her solution (pun intended). You are talking about one plant and she walks into gardens with a thousand plants. She swears by it. This would not affect the soil. Others use Neem oil sprayed on the plant. Baking soda/water does work because it changes the pH on the leaf making it impossible for the mildew to grow.
migardener.com/prevent-kill-blight-powdery-mildew-baking-soda/
Lhe sou grato por tão valiosa informação,e por sua capacidade de transmiti-las de maneira didaticamente assimilável.Um afetuoso abraço.
Fico feliz que tenha sido útil
Great educational video. By the way Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Winter Squash ! Merry Christmas to you too!
👌 excellent info. You both team up well
tolga erok Thanks, Tolga!
Thank you so much for making this video. Clarified a lot. Awesome work.
Thanks!
I love leaf mould! I also hate the wait. Before I start a new pile I attach a 4.5 inch rubber coupling to the end of some PVC pipe. I have predrilled holes in various places along the pipe. Then I place my leaf vac's exhaust to the coupling and let-er rip. The occasional airflow through the pile seems to break it down much faster than it normally would. If you are having a hard time imagining what I'm saying I have pictures.
Very ingenious solution, Friendship4everyone !
Hi, I was removing pine needle mulch from my flower bed, which was already there when I moved this house 2years ago, I found some white mold looking things all over underneath of it, can I still plant some sweet potato slips to grow them without removing them?
Thank you for explaining the difference. That will be very helpful to me.
You're welcome, Patrick Meehan !
Enjoyed the video, appreciated the information.
Collected leaves, made a pile, added a piece of 'fungally infected' wooden border. Checked the pile and yes, the 'infection' is spreading in the leaf pile already. Do I need to protect my pile from frost? It is a chickenwire cirkle.
Gehenna71 That's great to hear! You don't need to cover it, but it might break down a little faster if you do.
OneYardRevolution I might need it faster than I think so I'll cover it. Thanks ;)
Hello, the white roots that we see at 00:01 is the mycorrhizae Fungai ???
It's probably King Stropharia fungal hyphae. We grow King Stropharia mushrooms in that area.
Thanks, a lot I often collect leaf mold from the local forrest, for my garden plants. I have found these roots quite often and i was wondering why they are not melting to the soil, I didnt knew much untill now. Then I read about the beneficial mycorrhizae fungi for the garden plants, now thats a good diy if you figure out how to do it!
That's great! Wood chip and leaf mulch create an environment that is good for mycorrhizal fungi too.
I wonder if you get good mushrooms in there? I collected tons of leaves in my neighborhood for the garden and ended up getting lots and lots of Blewits in the garden. Bonus!!
As far as carbon content of the compost pile goes, can you use carbonized rice hulls or carbonized coconut shells? These are basically charcoal/biochar made up of rice hulls and coconut shells.
+Philip Yes, you could definitely use those.
Great episode!
Thanks, Dan!
I see that you put leaves on your beds in the fall and all over your yard. Is it for fungi growth before you use your soil in the summer? also, you had mentioned about the arborist... when I sign up, do they call and dump a truck load, or I can talk to them like Do you have a place where I can go a scoop some bags home, not alot, because I have mostly grass lawn, and that my husband does not want to. Let me know how this operates, bec I would like some shavings but affraid to try. thank you, and your videos are the best. I like your concept of growing mykorizy.
Yes, leaves promote fungi and other beneficial soil organisms, but also improve soil structure, increase water retention, and provide nutrients. Usually arborists will want to dump an entire load on your property. Could they dump it on your driveway?
no, I can't have my cars blocked. My husband said too much work. He just buy three bags and let me compost anywhere in the back yard as long as it's not against the fence. by the way, he loves grass, so I have to fertilize them and weed them, so that he doesn't pay someone else to spray his lawn.
I would like to, but it's too much for me to handle.
Fantastic recommendations thanks!
Lazy compost is the way to go :-)
Thanks, Siloé. I'm even pretty lazy with my hot compost piles. ;-)
OneYardRevolution I definitely don't blame you Patrick :-)
Great info. My favorite topic. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, jibarito137 !
What if you shredded the high carbon pile and added more moisture and air?
I know this is great stuff but I am sure it could be made faster.
Have you considered getting a shredder to chop up the woody bits even further? I've been considering it for the last month or so but I need to make a good argument for hubby as he is not yet convinced that it will be a good investment.
Hi Keiko! We don't generate enough woody material on our property to invest in a chipper. There's no need to further chop up the wood chips we get from the city.
To get that fungi in the soi, what is better: a high carbon mulch or fungally dominated compst? I lean towards the mulch method since it is less work, and mulching has other benefits as well. No to metion the fungi never get disturbed in transport or sifting....
You're leaning the right way! Mulch is much more effective.
I've used small coffee can size (volume) almost full of organic wild rice in water couple days. Then splash in vinegar with the mother let it soak couple days or so. Then mix this all in with my finished compost. Let it sit, turn and use it on top of soil. Have the white micro roots growing Great. Seems to be very active. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Hi Hal. I'm not familiar with this method. We see lots of fungi in the garden just by using leaves and wood chip mulch.
Thank you for the consultation my friend, I will get the soil test to find out what fungus that i have in the garden. informative video btw.
+Agrosuede Backyard Gardening You're welcome! Please let me know what you find.
OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening will do, thanks
this video is so helpful! I have a cat too. can I add the cat litter into the compost? does the compost have bad smell if I do everything right?
I'm glad it helped! Compost won't smell bad if done right. You'll want to throw away cat litter because it can contain harmful bacteria.
Cat litter is made of clay. I would put it in flower beds
I noticed that you don't shred your leaves for compost bins or sheet composting. Are the leaves broken down to plant in by spring?
Yesh, they usually decompose before the end of June.
Very informative!, Thank you so much. I live in Phoenix, so I rely, on heavy mulching to protect the soil from the heat.I no longer want to remove mulch to apply organic fertilizers 3 times a year and in the process disturb the delicate fungal growth, what do you advise me doing, compost teas for the trees?Thanks
+Franswa Thanks! I'm glad you found the video helpful!
I would only use fertilizers if a professional soil test shows nutrient deficiencies. You may find that your mulch already provides all the nutrients your plants need.
We haven't used any fertilizers for many years and have nutrient surpluses from compost and mulch alone.
Even if your soil is deficient, you can often apply amendments to the surface without disrupting the mulch.
I hope this helps!
Thank you for righting back so quickly. I will heed your advice, it's a good idea!
To know that you haven't had to fertilize for many years with the compost mulch system is wonderful to know...
If the soil test shows let's say a lack of phosphorus could I spread Bone meal on top of the mulch?
I hope I am not bothering you too mulch with my questions....
Thanks
+Franswa You're very welcome! If there are any deficiencies, you may be able to address them with a liquid fertilizer. Please let me know how the soil test goes.
Yes, I will do that.
Thank you very much Patrick.
+Franswa You're welcome!
Awesome video, but one question. Do we have to have moisture in that pile for fungi to grow? Do we have to keep adding water once in a while?
I had a straw bale that I was mulching my tomatoes with and it was sprouting some very strange mushrooms and full of mycelium. Then I scored a couple more leftover from other's Halloween festivities sitting out by the curb just waiting for me... That's what I mulched my raised beds with this year. If you want fungus find some straw.
Yeah, straw is a great mulch. I'd definitely use it if I could find it for free here.
Thanks for your fantastic vids! One question, when we talk about carbon:nitrogen ratios, are talking weight (mass) or volume.
Also, moisture content would effect.
thanks again...
You're welcome, Barry Winters ! We're talking about mass when we talk about C:N ratios. Here's a link that shows C:N ratios of common compost ingredients: www.planetnatural.com/composting-101/c-n-ratio/
In practice, I don't really think about C:N ratios when making a hot compost pile, but from years of experience, I know what works. For example, 2 to 3 parts leaves (by volume) to 1 part coffee grounds works well for hot compost. Sometimes when I first make the pile I don't get it quite right and have to make adjustments later. For example, if it doesn't heat up, I might add more green materials later.
Moisture is very important. You want to aim for the moisture of a wrung out sponge.
I hope this helps!
OneYardRevolution Thanks again and also for the fantastic resource in your reply. Your channel is one of the bright spots on the internet!!!
You're very welcome, Barry Winters ! Thank you for your kind words.
I'm very interested in your explanation in the video, but there are still many farmers who think that various types of fungi in compost exist as pathogens. what do you think sir?. Greetings from Indonesian Organic Farmers
So I tried to find a more recent video where you're carting those paper bags of leaves around. I also did a search on your channel for "paper bags". Then I gave up and decided to ask here and just hope you still monitor comments on old vids! I'm so curious about the bags you use - what are they, where do you get them, are you using them (I assume) simply as an alternative to plastic, or is there some other magical reason I can't think of, are they easier/harder to work with than plastic bags?
Hi Ann! They're the yard waste bags that our city requires for yard waste pickup. Some of our neighbors give us the leaves instead of paying the city to take them.
I get so confused. So many opinions. we decided to just pick a method and stick with it. we chose the Mittleider Method but I have doubts now regarding mulch. So confused! We are developing our property now a in the creating the beds of a 1 acre plot.
Hi Jennifer! You're right. All the conflicting information can be very confusing. Our approach is very simple. We use homemade compost from a wide variety of inputs and a variety of organic mulches (e.g., wood chips, grass clippings, leaves). This approach works very well and we don't have to buy any fertilizer.
I was offered about 150 plastic bags of spent mushroom substrate (looks like sawdust with some small black mushrooms which the grower said got "contaminated" (and I don't know what he meant and his English was not great) anyhow I brought them home but I am not sure exactly what to do with them. After hours on youtube, I still have to wonder if I should pile them up and place a bucket or three of red worms in the middle or put them in my garden! Any suggestions?
Hi Farin! The substrate may still have viable spores, so I'd only put them where you don't mind mushrooms coming up.
Super episode!!
Thanks, Mumbai Balcony Gardener !
So fungi in my compost ( still experimenting with different materials- this pile has only fruit like orange peels, petals n no vegetable waste) is alright? I was wondering if i shld throw it away!
Hi Patrick I live in the Northern Nevada desert ( zone 5). I do not have a good source for leaves or coffee grounds. I have been buying Alphalpha pellets, and beet pulp at the feed store. I've been sprinkling them on the garden in the fall. I have noticed more earthworms, (and Robins) should I continue? and how can I increase fungal microbes without leaves? Thank you for your expertise.
+Allen Clark Hi Allen! Wood chips are an excellent mulch and are great for promoting beneficial fungi. If you don't have a municipal wood chip pile, tree removal services will often dump free wood chips on your property to avoid paying to dump them. Grass clippings are a great "green" addition to your mulch. I think it's fine to add alfalfa pellets to the soil, but I'm unfamiliar with beet pulp. Is it moist? Does it attract rodents?
Would it be good to add fire ashes to the lazy pile? As a source of carbon ?
Nice work on keeping your pile 140 degrees for 3 weeks. The last pile I made only obtained 140 degrees for 7 days. I would prefer to have it above 130 for over two weeks. Looks like my next pile will need more coffee grounds. Did you add additional "N" during the initial 3 weeks or did the original compost materiasl stay that hot from the start? Thanks for sharing another great video!
Binky's Garden Thanks! The key has really been to continue to add brown and green layers as the pile cooks down. As a matter of fact, I just got back inside after adding this week's haul of used coffee grounds. Every time the pile dips below the top of the bin, I add more material.
OneYardRevolution Thanks for the layering tip. I will give it a try. I usually mix everything together and make piles but I am always interested in trying different compost methods. I like the circular cage/wire bin that you and ***** are using. Im picking some chicken wire this week.
You're welcome, Binky's Garden!
That's fantastic Binky's Garden I had some left over fence material!
Do you have a video on how you made your compost sifter?
Unfortunately, I don't.
I though that most annual plants preferred their nitrogen source in the form of NH4 not NO3? In which case wouldn't your plants benefit more from a bacterially dominated compost because bacteria produce waste in the form of NH4? Also I thought fungi take a long time to grow and do better in perennial beds because you don't disturb the mycelia and they can form better relationships with the longer lasting roots.
We make both bacterially and fungally dominated compost. The annual beds get more of the bacterially dominated compost and the perennials get more of the fungally dominated, but both get a mix.
are wine cap mushrooms faster than mycorrhizal fungi in breaking down arborists wood chips ?
Great study, thanks!
Do you know what the ratio of fungal to bacteria? I heard 2:1 is minimum but 4:1 is even better. 4 times more fungus than bacteria.
Can you take some brix measurements on your veggies and fruits and do a video.
Brix measurements provide a good indication of sugar content but not much else. For example, they don't provide useful information about mineral content.
OYR Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening So you saying that healthy soil with available minerals dont have any affect on brix!? They aren't related? Really? That really contradicts organic gardening! Are you saying that a healthy soil and plant doesnt prove higher brix readings? Impossible, higher brix readings can come from the plant juices without even taking a reading from the fruit. Cmon dude!? Brix readings are dissolved solids not just sugar. Explain then how tomatoes have more flavor from brix readings its not just sugar its tomato flavor!??? Flavor isnt just sugar! I want calling you out I love your video but your response idk
Can you just innoculate those commercially available fungal innoculants into your decaying leaves?
Thank you for the great info.
How to you fill your beds with compost if you have all that mulch on them? Do you rake the mulch off, add compost, then rake the mulch back on?
I usually add compost when planting. I brush the mulch aside, add compost, plant, and return mulch when plants are established.
Can you also add the paper bags to the compost?
Yes, you can.
If wood chips are good but take long to break down what about saw dust my guy ???
Great advice! Thank you.
+Allen Clark You're welcome, Allen!
Where in nature can i dig up endo~mycorrhizal for my personal use Patrick?
Do you plant into straight compost in your raised beds there?
Yes, many of our beds were filled with 100% compost, but the beds are shallow and the compost is integrated into the native soil by earthworms and other soil organisms.
More good information, Thanks.
Kevin Bradley Thanks, Kevin!
Does mixing fungi & bacteria soil together have a noticeable impact ?
Hi Andrew! Good soil is rich in both beneficial bacteria and fungi.
Hi.. I've read that perennials prefer fungally dominated compost while vegetables prefer bacterially dominated compost. If you're gonna be planting vegetables... why use fungally dominated compost? Will your vegetables thrive in the environmental created by the fungi?
Hi Andre! My understanding is that the preferences for bacterial vs fungal compost are not supported by peer reviewed research. Good soil is rich in bacteria and fungi, so it's good to foster both. Here's a link to a discussion on this topic on The Garden Professors Blog: facebook.com/groups/GardenProfessors/permalink/10153433357686490/
OYR Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening .. Thank you!
Hello, I am not good at English, can you help me ?? 1-I want to write the most prominent things in the video in order to translate 2-I want to answer some questions, including 1-What are the criteria used to test the microorganism in the fermentation process ?? 2-Do the conditions suitable for the living of living have an effect on the fermentation process and how can that be ?? 3- How can we judge the degradation of organic matter from the point of view of micro-organisms in the soil?
thank you ....
I forgot to add that the desired proportion of bacteria to fungi depends on the crop you are trying to grow. Most garden crops except for brassicas and beets require an approximately 1 to 1 ratio by weight. The latter like a much higher ratio. Perennial crops, shrubs and trees like much more progressively lower ratios with evergreen preferring ratios more like 1 to 1,000.
We use both bacterially and fungally dominated compost and mulch in our vegetable garden to provide a good balance. We mulch perennials with wood chips to to increase fungal dominance.
darn I couldnt read the Pdf in the link. it would not open.
Thanks for the heads up, Jason! Here's the link: puyallup.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/mycorrhizae.pdf
what is the difference between compost and hummus???