Thanks... my dad used to compost when I was a teenager... but he passed away in my 20s. I want to begin composting for my rose garden in the Spring of 2021, so I will begin lots of composting now. Watching your video reminds me of what I need to do because I've forgotten a lot of it since my teenage years. :-)
Saw the 3rd one 1st so I just went to the 1st and 2nd one. This is my 1st time composting besides my 2 5g buckets of slop I had. I took 8 pallets and zip tied them together with heavy duty zip ties. This was fairly quick and easy. I have 1 for each end that swing out so I have easy access for turning and 3 on each side. It is about 3'×9'. Just built yesterday and made some adjustments this morning and already did a yard cleanup of a couple of broke down leave piles from last year and some from this year. I also took the 2 5g buckets and added them into it. 1 was perfect compost already and the other was a stinky fluid but as you said, I just covered it with leaves. Thank you for your video and sharing your knowledge. God bless
i love your series, you have the gift of teaching and your voice is so soothing! im doing trench composting right now, just burying my bag of compost 12" deep cause i dont want to be doing all this work but maybe i ll give it a try if my trench composting doesnt work well. :)
SO glad I found this series! I recently acquired materials to build a compost bin. I was debating building it beside the Veg garden or under some trees, in the corner of our yard. Seeing your advice to put it away from trees made the choice easier! Thank you! First time we’ve owned and not rented property, so, I’m new to a lot of this.
This series is fantastic! I wish I could've started in fall but I just moved to my new home in October. I always wanted a garden to be self sufficient and live a greener life. Now I live in a place where I can. I've been so excited to get started! These videos are really helping so much. ATM I have a mixing bowl with a pot lid on my counter top collecting kitchen waste. I hope to get it all together starting a fill as you go method tomorrow and start using the enormous pile of leaves and yard waste I tossed to the edge of the yard last November. This is simple stuff but people tend to think you already know everything when they tell you about it. I appreciate the time you took to explain things. I never had someone show me any of this before and I have been intimidated. Now I see it all as completely doable. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
You are so welcome Barbara. You are right, It is totally doable and you are on your way. I love that you are wanting to be more self sufficient and greener. With all the things we are learning about climate change, there isn't a more important time to strive for self sufficiency and work to lower our carbon footprint. That's why my husband and I started Gardens That Matter. And now, with the craziness of the coronavirus, it sheds new light on self sufficiently. And actually, if you are new to gardening, we have just decided to give free access to our intro-level gardening courses through March 31.. Since we are all being encouraged to stay at home in response to the virus, we thought maybe we could support our online community by offering an opportunity to learn gardening. Might be something to do other than binge watch netflix. If you are interested (or know someone who might benefit) go to: www.gardensthatmatter.com/shop choose a course and use promo code GROWJOY at checkout. There is no catch, we are just trying to support our community during this uncertain time. If you have problems with the code or anything else, email Colby at colby@gardensthatmatter.com Happy Spring and Happy Gardening.
The kids will be very good environment lovers in future.. Thank you madam for all the efforts in educating us.. I have started vermicomposting since 6 months in 2- 20 litres paint buckets by adding Dry leaves & kitchen waste with horse dung. One is perfectly black with worms grown to the size of little ring & as long as 15cm. I collect lichae from a bucket kept below the composting one. Just a a tumbler of lichae added to a butter fruit sapling made it grow 2 ft taller & have 4-5 branches in 2 weeks was astonishing
I want to compost because I hate to WASTE things !!!! Also, my dad had a 122-acre farm in Roane County, West Virginia where I saw all of the WONDERS of farming, animal husbandry, etc.etc. I loved it all... So, now I am growing Bonsai Trees, Orchids, and Flowering Plants as a "Backyard Nursery" style business. So, I really NEED good compost. ALSO, again, I just think you are sooo cute !!! Thanks for doing your RUclips channel.
Thanks this was great! I just started composting today all due to your video series! First steps to what I hope will lead to small time homesteading eventually. I have a small back yard and will be gardening this summer by building my raised beds.
I've made my first hot compost pile after watching your three video's. It's so lovely and warm. Who knew you could get excited about compost! lol. Your video's are so easy and simple to follow. Thank you!
Congratulations Karen. I'm so excited for you. Yes, it does seem silly to get excited about compost, but it is an exciting small thing that has a big impact on your garden (and the planet). Glad we were able to be part of your journey.
Thank you for this video and the one before it! I feel like I’m ready to start my bin now! I appreciate you taking the time to make great videos and plan to come back to your blog often.
Hi Cassandra. This is Colby, Amy's husband and other half of gardens that matter (not the better half). We are so glad you enjoyed the videos and especially glad you are watching them with your children. That's what our company and our channel is all about. I was wondering if you would mind having a conversation about gardening with kids. You could email me at colby@gardensthatmatter.com, or your could direct message me on our facebook page. Amy and I are putting together a new program specifically designed for family's that want to grow together (sustainably) and we are talking to families about their experiences and gauging their interest in our new program. We are also looking for some families to help us shape the program. I can tell you more if you will send me an email or direct message me on facebook. Again, email is colby@gardensthatmatter.com and here's a link to our FB page where you can DM. facebook.com/gardensthatmatter
Great info! I have a black plastic "Soil Saver" bin that works well for me, but I really needed a holding bin for trimmings and leaves. I hit Home Depot and got a 50' section of 3' tall fencing. I put my new bin in an out of the way place and chopped up a few misc piles.
Oh my, I started out with an old grey oblong storage container, the kind with the snap on lid. I put it in the yard out back and just started throwing things in, half eaten oranges fro the squirrels, ends of celery, egg shells and coffee grounds. Clearly I needed some more direction and your videos are certainly helping. I will watch the next video but then need to get some of that fencing and do it right. I'm in Sacramento Ca and it is May. So, I'm a little late getting things going I think.
Hello I'm Claudia from Sandy, Utah. I'm starting my first garden and I really enjoyed your video. Thanks for all the tips for composting!!!. I'm going to start my compost tomorrow, but I'm having a hard time trying to find the perfect place, because my garden is small and half is cover by concrete and the other half has very big old trees, so not much soil... I was thinking to plant some veggies, maybe make some raised bed on top the concrete.... All yours ideas will be really apprecciated, Thanks!!!
Thanks Becky. Happy for you to check out our website. We have an active facebook page and group too. facebook.com/gardensthatmatter Let us know how else we can support your composting efforts and garden (if you have one). Hope you and yours are safe and healthy during this crazy time.
Thanks for your helpful videos. This is my 1st attempt at composting. We are trying to grow better veggies for our homeless community and neighbors. We gratefully received a Free Compost Bin from Facebook Marketplace today.
Hi Wen Dee, growing a garden for your community and neighbors is a noble task. That is the spirit behind why we called our company Gardens That Matter. You embody that spirit and your garden is truly a garden that matters. Thank you for sharing. You made my day. Please let me know how else we can support you and/or answer any questions about gardening or composting. If you need a community of like minded gardeners for support, we have a private facebook group. facebook.com/groups/gardensthatmatter/?source_id=893883374032997 In that same spirit, we are also giving free access to our introductory gardening courses on our website during the month of April. If you, or someone you know, could benefit from beginning level gardening courses, please share the link below or at least tell them to google us. Our composting ebook is also available for free. More info about the courses and book through this link. gardensthatmatter.com/shop Happy Gardening.
Hi Amy, Thanks to you for the wonderful information on composting....I Initiated composting and it's now finished...you mentioned sifting the completed compost...but what will become of the red wiggly worms will they get crushed?
I watched this video last fall, as it happened I did have some wire, and I made 4 of these bins, and since I live in a rural area had loads of leaves and plant cuttings and some manure to put in. I did all the steps and they looked good. This spring I made my first no dig bed and wanted to use my compost if ready. I live in Canada zone 4-5 so we get very cold winters. To my dismay I found the centre of the pile frozen whereas it should be the hottest part of the pile. I am not sure if that is normal due to our cold winter, but I am leaving it and just topped up with some manure and hope it will restart the process. I agree with you not to make the wire too high I am only 5 1 and it was hard to lift and put the material into the bin otherwise I loved the idea it was easy and cheap to do. Crossing my fingers that the pile will reheat and my work wasnt in vain
Thanks for this easy to follow video. I created my compost bin in an afternoon and am excited to see what happens with it. The only thing you didn’t cover is how to turn it and how often. This is probably a very simple thing but I’m a newbie gardener and want to make sure I do it properly. Thanks~
thank you for keeping it simple. It encourages me to try. Recently moved to this area. 2 places available: where a garden used to be. water spicket near by. though my concern would be if there would be high winds. The other place would be along the edge of trees, 6 ft away, using the bucket method as a water source
Most delightful video - on any subject - on RUclips, when your young boys appear. (Is your husband aware of how blessed he is?) For those new to composting, pay attention to this series. Priceless information here.
Hi Amy, thank you so much for this video, it has answered so many questions I had!!! I was going back and forth this video just to see ur little precious sleeping on your back, I have no more excuses to start composting(when u can do it with ur little baby)...💖 I have started a bin similar to urs just need to add all the gold laying on the frontyard fallen from trees!!
I'd like to put my compost bin in the rear corner of my back yard nearby my future herb and vegetable garden. But there is an awful lot of sunshine there. On many days it's full day of sunshine. Temperatures are typical southern California temps from about 65-95 year round. Do I have to wet down the compost more often because of the full sun?
I have to scope out around my house. But I live in New York City. I'm trying to compost and garden here. We have a lot of greenery but the parts where I planned on gardening are right next to my house. I was thinking of using a tumbler because that seems more practical for the city.
Diamond Pearl Jones, my sister had a tumbler, as well as a worm bin. The tumbler was awesome (they both worked very well, but I don’t care much for touching or working with bugs).
I am using one of the turnable bins to compost in. I am seeing grubs is that bad. Some times when it is to moist I have seen other bugs in there. I am thinking of just doing your method it seems much easer. Will your bins work ok in Florida?
I appreciate that you do the composting with your kids for three reasons. Lead and teach by example. Kids composting with guidance. The kids are cute, and unpredictable, making the learning fun. It also shows you as a whole person--expert and part of the family. Nice cameo of Dad in one of the three videos. Good community building too. What about composting in a city "guerilla gardening" sort of way?
Thank you for your comments (and question). We do sometimes compost "guerrilla style"--when we visit my husband's parents in Texas. They do not have a compost bin, so we dig holes or trenches in their empty flower beds and bury food scraps. We have a blog post about guerrilla composting on our website. Here is a link if you are interested. www.gardensthatmatter.com/guerrilla-composting-recycle-food-waste-without-compost-bin/ Thanks for watching.
We live in Central Florida and we have black bears, loads of squirrels, raccoons and armadillos. Will a compost bin attract them? The bear steals bird feeders-so we bring them in each night. We have very sandy soil which is why we are interested in making compost, and save money on potting soil. We have no fences. We live in a subdivision of homes. Great videos on composting.Flowers for monarchs and other butterflies and humming birds is main interest. Small Outside garden maybe an option too. Thank you
Thanks for the videos. I'm making my bins dispersed on our acreage. In tge wooded area, I'll make leaf bins, around the gardens I'll make as you go bins using green material from those sites as well as stored brown materials. By the edibles I'll do both.
Great Mary. That's what we do. We have piles and bins in several spots on our property. Out in the pasture, we have big heaps for manure and hay, and then on the edge of the woods, we have bins and heaps full of leaves, and then close to the house, we have as you go bins that are used for food scraps. We try to use as much material as we can on our property. We can never have too much compost, right?
Can you suggest some tips on how to make compost for urban viewers? We don't have problem collecting kitchen scraps, but it's hard to find leaves (browns) to balance the pile. Also, we don't have large space to start a pile like yours...
We understand about difficulty in gathering materials. We used to live in New Mexico and we had less land than we do now. What we did was talked to our friends, neighbors, people at our church, etc and asked them to save their leaves, grass clipping and any other brown material the might have. They would call us when they had some available and we would go pick it up. They were all willing to help because they knew we had a big garden and they were excited when we showed up during the growing season to share our bounty with them, a few tomatoes here, some mixed greens there. We helped each other out. We also talked to tree companies and landscapers and asked if they could drop off material when they were in our neighborhood. We still do this now. Many times, landscapers have to take their material from tree chipping to the dump because their municipality doesn't have a composting or other sustainable way to dispose of this material. Very sad that some cities let this great organic material has to go to a landfill. Living in an urban environment does make it challenging and sometimes you have to be creative. Asking around is good. And sometimes you just have to buy bails of straw. Sometimes you can find a farmer who has some spoiled straw or hay that they cannot sell and they are willing to let you have it. We also, when we lived in NM, bought lots of supplies at a local feed and seed store. They often would let us have old straw and hay that either got spoiled from rain or gather the extra stuff on the ground in their loft that fell out of bails or the strings got snapped on the bails and they couldn't sell it. We always found ways to get material. It sometimes was time consuming but worth it. These are the ideas I have off the top of my head. If I think of other creative ways or sources, I will let you know.Thanks for the questions.
Yes, autumn leaves are the best mulch, because they are free. We stockpile all our leaves (and some of our neighbors) in the fall so we have plenty of mulch (and brown for compost) all year long. Shredded leaves are better than whole leaves, so if you have a lawnmower, run over them. Whole leaves tend to mat down more than shredded when they are wet allowing less air to get to your soil, and water to drain through. And leaves have lots of stored nutrients from the trees that they release when they decompose.
There is a link in the description of the video. To save you a little time, here is the link: learn.gardensthatmatter.com/no-fuss-compost-bin Scroll down until you see the green "download now" button. Voila. Thanks for watching.
I have never tried it on cement, but I would think it would work. It will definitely stain the cement underneath. And you would not have access to the microorganisms that come up from the soil underneath. If you try this method on cement, I would try to gather some good soil from a garden or a forest (if you have access) to add to your pile occasionally to inoculate your pile with microorganisms. Add a scoop of soil on top of food scraps or other nitrogen rich material before covering with carbon rich brown material. This is an interesting question and I would be interested to see how it works for you if you try it.
Yes, it is perfectly normal. You may see all sorts of creatures: millipedes, centipedes, spiders, beetles, ants, and other bugs. All have a job to do and are part of the process of decomposition.
This looks pretty easy, but I have 2 questions. First, do you cover the pile once you’re finished? Both for the batch and the fill as you go? Second, I live in zone 5B and was planning on starting this pile this Fall using the Fall leaves. Is this a good idea? Would the pile be able to decompose over the winter? Can I add to the pile during the winter months, or would that not be a good idea? Thank you so much for your response!
I put a simple (smaller) wire bin out the back door. No turning, no fussing, and when full, I forgot about it. It decomposed by itself over time, and by the time I got back to it, nearby tree roots came up into it. Yes, I added to it through the winter, no browns, just coffee grounds, etc. By the time I lifted the wire over top, the top 2/3s was compost, the bottom with tree oots was about 6-8 inches which I just left. Make it easy on yourself.
We feed scraps to our chickens too. And we compost their manure to our compost. Chicken manure is a great "green" material with lots of nitrogen. Here is a link to our video on composting chicken manure. ruclips.net/video/1TpToEA-lFM/видео.html Typically, chicken manure requires a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 8 to 1, meaning for every 1 part chicken manure, you need 8 parts carbon (brown material). This gets complicated trying to figure out volume. Since we usually have chicken manure mixed already with their bedding (pine shavings, leaves, or straw), we just throw all of it in our bin with everything else and it usually does fine. IF you want to really get into the calculations of C:N ratio of materials like chicken manure, we have some printable PDF infographics that come with our "Happy Garden Guide to Composting" ebook found on our website. The book is free right now and there is a bonus section with the infographics. One of the infographics is called the "characteristics of potential compost materials" which shows C:N ratio (by volume) of common materials (including chicken manure). To access the book, follow this link and use code GROWJOY at check out for free download of the book and access to the infographics. learn.gardensthatmatter.com/offers/WYrVoZat/checkout Hope this helps.
Hi Walsh Farms, I'm so glad you are enjoying our composting videos. Choosing a composting method often comes down to personal preference, lifestyle, and values. Let me explain and fill you in on why we prefer the simple wire bin. We have tried most every method of composting from the simplest form which is a pile on the ground (we do this in our pasture) to store bought tumblers and plastic bins (we still use one of those). Plastic bins and tumblers are great, especially for backyards and those who live in neighborhoods where neighbors might complain about a pile or a wire bin because of the way they look and the risk of attracting rodents. So if your values include tidiness, a plastic bin or tumbler is a good choice. What we have found is that often tumblers and many of the commercial plastic bins are not large enough to create enough volume for hot composting, which is key to fast decomposition and killing off seeds and pathogens that may end up in your pile. That's not to say you won't get quality compost from a tumbler, it's just you need to be more careful about what you put into your compost. No meats, dairy, oils, weeds with seeds, etc.We are able to compost all of this in our larger hot compost bins. The next thing about tumblers is that they are tightly contained and often have legs to keep them up off the ground, which means worms, bugs, and other organisms are not able to access your pile to help with decomposition. You will be relying strictly on bacteria and fungi to do the work. With our wire bins, they sit on the ground and are easily accessible to organisms. Now most of these organisms will not enter the pile when it is hot, but as soon as it has cycled through the hot phases, they come in to the pile to finish up the job. Worm castings are tremendously valuable by themselves (we do vermicomposting too) and within your compost. The final thing I will mention why we ultimately prefer wire bins is cost. Tumblers, plastic bins, and other commercially available composting bins are pricey. Now if you are doing very little composting, this may not be a big deal. We do lots of composting, always have at least 4-5 bins going at any given time (all in different stages of completion). So we can buy one 100 foot roll of 3ft tall wire and build 9 bins (cut into 11 ft pieces). (50 ft roll = 4 bins). So in essence we can have 9 bins for the price of one tumbler. Now, not everyone needs as much compost as we do (we have over 10,000 sq. ft of gardens) So, I am not trying to persuade you into the wire bins if it is not right for you. Like I said, it boils down to preference, lifestyle, and values. We value lots of compost for cheap and not really how they look (however, they don''t look bad). I just thought I would share some things that probably aren't evident in our videos. If you are wanting to dig even deeper into composting methods, or other ways to build healthy soil. WE have a course on our website called Foundations of a Happy Garden, where we talk about many different methods (and bins) for composting and we teach you about cover crops and mulch to create healthy, living soil. The details are at the following link: gardensthatmatter.com/shop Sorry, wasn't planning on this being such a long comment. You just seemed excited about composting and choosing a method and I thought you might could use some additional insight from our experience. Let us know if we can help you further. Enjoy video #3.
Yes Jeannette, you can use a trash can. We have used trash cans before. But let me tell you what we learned with trash cans. First, the positives. Trash cans are tidy, mobile, and can be easily cleaned in between batches. They are handy if used on a porch or deck. And when you are ready to turn or harvest your compost, the trash can can be easily dumped out and refilled. The negatives. First, trash cans are not usually big enough to get a good, hot, active compost pile. We try to maintain a 3 ft diameter and a 3 ft depth so the pile really heats up and kills seeds and pathogens. Even those big heavy duty rubbermaid trash cans only give you a 2 ft diameter and 2 1/2 feet depth. Now, there are those big rolling trash cans that many cities use for garbage pickup. Those might be ok. If your trash can is smaller than 3 ft in diameter and 3 ft in depth, you can still use it, but you will have a more passive pile, and it will probably take longer to provide usable compost. Secondly, metal trash cans will rust and can bend in the middle as the weight of the compost pushes against the sides. Plastic cans can crack as the compost pushes against its sides, especially if it is exposed to UV rays (and the plastic starts to break down). If you do choose a trash can, just make sure you drill lots of holes (not so many that it affects the structural integrity of the trash can). Compost needs plenty of air for good decomposition. You don't really even need the lid (unless animals pose a potential problem). Let us know how it goes. Thanks for your question and good luck in your composting journey.
Thank you for these helpful tips. I will use the lidded trash cans to store paper from my newly purchased paper shredder. I am really surprised at the amount of compostable paper I have at hand. Taking your advice, just purchased a compost bin from Amazon, and added Jobe's Compost Starter. Getting excited now!!!
Yes. There are microbes in native soil (mostly) so we often add a scoop of native soil or our own finished compost on top of food scraps before covering with leaves in our pile to kickstart the process.
I think Lin R meant insects or earthworms by 'bugs'. They will come in from the surrounding environment as time passes by, innit, even if u don't add them, Ma'am?
This is a question we get asked a lot, and honestly, we haven't a perfect answer. We do not worry too much about critters messing with our bins, as long as they don't try to make a home in it. We live in the country, and critters are just part of the ecosystem, and to tell you the truth, we haven't had any problems with critters disturbing our piles. Last week I did see a squirrel burying a nut for the winter. But we do understand people that live in a city where critters in a yard can be annoying. Most of these animals will not hurt or disturb the bin. They are just looking for an easy meal. The thing you definitely don't want are rodents taking up residence in your bin. But this is not likely if your bin is tended regularly with proper C:N ratio, regular turning, and adequate moisture. When tended, the pile heats up and food scraps decompose rapidly and rodents won't likely find this to be a hospitable location for a home. They like it dry, not quite as warm, and undisturbed. If the thought of potential critters worries you, a couple of suggestions. (1) You can try the fully enclosed type bins with sides and lid, maybe even a tumbler style. (2) You can eliminate any food scraps in your bin and just compost grass clippings, garden waste and leaves. (3) You can try Bokashi composting, which is a method of composting that uses an enclosed bucket and a special bran additive that makes quick work of food scraps (even meat). Bokashi does require some expense, but it is an option So, I am not sure I answered your question adequately, but these are the thoughts right off the top of my head. We are actually working on a video specifically about this subject that we hope to have ready next week. Hopefully we can answer it better in a video. Thank you for your question and for watching our videos. We appreciate it.
Unfortunatley the spot has been chosen a hundred years ago and it's the farthest spot in the whole garden. 😒 But I won't speak bad about my greatgrandfather and go with the place that has been chosen. It has been neglected for 25 years but it will revive. 😀
Yes. We recommend 6 feet from a tree (or shed or house). It may be hard to see but the bin we filled in the later part of the video is 6 feet from the trees we were filming in front of. Probably not in beginning of video when we are showing how to construct the wire bin. Sometimes when filming, we are looking for a good background shot and/or shade.
LOL. Sure. Let me go check with the neighbors and see if they wouldn't mind moving out. Oh wait, my neighbors next door are my parents. I'll check and see the status of their guest room.
![Composting 101: Ins & Outs [Quick Start to Composting Part 1]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nrbTcYMQXyY/mqdefault.jpg)
![Composting 101: Ins & Outs [Quick Start to Composting Part 1]](/img/tr.png)
![How to Make Compost Faster (and Know When It's Ready!) [Quick Start to Composting Part 3]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/r2GDY31bUZ4/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks... my dad used to compost when I was a teenager... but he passed away in my 20s. I want to begin composting for my rose garden in the Spring of 2021, so I will begin lots of composting now. Watching your video reminds me of what I need to do because I've forgotten a lot of it since my teenage years. :-)
Saw the 3rd one 1st so I just went to the 1st and 2nd one. This is my 1st time composting besides my 2 5g buckets of slop I had. I took 8 pallets and zip tied them together with heavy duty zip ties. This was fairly quick and easy. I have 1 for each end that swing out so I have easy access for turning and 3 on each side. It is about 3'×9'. Just built yesterday and made some adjustments this morning and already did a yard cleanup of a couple of broke down leave piles from last year and some from this year. I also took the 2 5g buckets and added them into it. 1 was perfect compost already and the other was a stinky fluid but as you said, I just covered it with leaves. Thank you for your video and sharing your knowledge. God bless
i love your series, you have the gift of teaching and your voice is so soothing! im doing trench composting right now, just burying my bag of compost 12" deep cause i dont want to be doing all this work but maybe i ll give it a try if my trench composting doesnt work well. :)
SO glad I found this series! I recently acquired materials to build a compost bin. I was debating building it beside the Veg garden or under some trees, in the corner of our yard. Seeing your advice to put it away from trees made the choice easier! Thank you! First time we’ve owned and not rented property, so, I’m new to a lot of this.
Ive been searching the best way to make a compost ,and this is the best and understandable that ive watch so far.
Thank you so much for making this series. Composting seemed so intimidating, but this series really breaks it down and is very encouraging. Thank you!
Thanks Ivette. It was intimidating for us too when we started. Now it is our lifestyle. Good luck in your journey.
This series is fantastic! I wish I could've started in fall but I just moved to my new home in October. I always wanted a garden to be self sufficient and live a greener life. Now I live in a place where I can. I've been so excited to get started! These videos are really helping so much. ATM I have a mixing bowl with a pot lid on my counter top collecting kitchen waste. I hope to get it all together starting a fill as you go method tomorrow and start using the enormous pile of leaves and yard waste I tossed to the edge of the yard last November. This is simple stuff but people tend to think you already know everything when they tell you about it. I appreciate the time you took to explain things. I never had someone show me any of this before and I have been intimidated. Now I see it all as completely doable. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
You are so welcome Barbara. You are right, It is totally doable and you are on your way. I love that you are wanting to be more self sufficient and greener. With all the things we are learning about climate change, there isn't a more important time to strive for self sufficiency and work to lower our carbon footprint. That's why my husband and I started Gardens That Matter. And now, with the craziness of the coronavirus, it sheds new light on self sufficiently.
And actually, if you are new to gardening, we have just decided to give free access to our intro-level gardening courses through March 31.. Since we are all being encouraged to stay at home in response to the virus, we thought maybe we could support our online community by offering an opportunity to learn gardening. Might be something to do other than binge watch netflix.
If you are interested (or know someone who might benefit) go to:
www.gardensthatmatter.com/shop
choose a course and use promo code GROWJOY at checkout.
There is no catch, we are just trying to support our community during this uncertain time.
If you have problems with the code or anything else, email Colby at colby@gardensthatmatter.com
Happy Spring and Happy Gardening.
@@GardensThatMatter awesome! That's wonderful! Thanks❤
I’m going to try this. You make it look easy for a beginner like me. It’s very inspiring and not overwhelming at all 👍🏻
The kids will be very good environment lovers in future.. Thank you madam for all the efforts in educating us.. I have started vermicomposting since 6 months in 2- 20 litres paint buckets by adding Dry leaves & kitchen waste with horse dung. One is perfectly black with worms grown to the size of little ring & as long as 15cm. I collect lichae from a bucket kept below the composting one. Just a a tumbler of lichae added to a butter fruit sapling made it grow 2 ft taller & have 4-5 branches in 2 weeks was astonishing
Just want to say thank you for your video Information packed and easy to understand
thank you so much for all 3 of your videos
I love your helpers!!! 🥰
I want to compost because I hate to WASTE things !!!! Also, my dad had a 122-acre farm in Roane County, West Virginia where I saw all of the WONDERS of farming, animal husbandry, etc.etc. I loved it all... So, now I am growing Bonsai Trees, Orchids, and Flowering Plants as a "Backyard Nursery" style business. So, I really NEED good compost. ALSO, again, I just think you are sooo cute !!! Thanks for doing your RUclips channel.
Thanks this was great! I just started composting today all due to your video series! First steps to what I hope will lead to small time homesteading eventually. I have a small back yard and will be gardening this summer by building my raised beds.
I've made my first hot compost pile after watching your three video's. It's so lovely and warm. Who knew you could get excited about compost! lol. Your video's are so easy and simple to follow. Thank you!
Congratulations Karen. I'm so excited for you. Yes, it does seem silly to get excited about compost, but it is an exciting small thing that has a big impact on your garden (and the planet). Glad we were able to be part of your journey.
Another excellent informative video. I love that you cover all of the details. Thanks.
Thank you for this video and the one before it! I feel like I’m ready to start my bin now! I appreciate you taking the time to make great videos and plan to come back to your blog often.
Thanks Deanna. Let us know how your first bin goes.
Amy, these videos are gold. Thank you! My children and I enjoyed watching them. I feel so empowered to be a farm wife now. *Buckles up overalls* 😉😄👍
Hi Cassandra. This is Colby, Amy's husband and other half of gardens that matter (not the better half). We are so glad you enjoyed the videos and especially glad you are watching them with your children. That's what our company and our channel is all about.
I was wondering if you would mind having a conversation about gardening with kids. You could email me at colby@gardensthatmatter.com, or your could direct message me on our facebook page. Amy and I are putting together a new program specifically designed for family's that want to grow together (sustainably) and we are talking to families about their experiences and gauging their interest in our new program. We are also looking for some families to help us shape the program. I can tell you more if you will send me an email or direct message me on facebook. Again, email is colby@gardensthatmatter.com and here's a link to our FB page where you can DM.
facebook.com/gardensthatmatter
Great info! I have a black plastic "Soil Saver" bin that works well for me, but I really needed a holding bin for trimmings and leaves. I hit Home Depot and got a 50' section of 3' tall fencing. I put my new bin in an out of the way place and chopped up a few misc piles.
The best (compost) explanation video I’ve found so far 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿 I am now a subscriber & student 🤓👨🏿🎓 🙏🏿
Another great video. Good job!
Excellent videos. Great information, well presented. Love your enthusiasm - it's infectious! Thank you.
Thanks for the kind words, Vonnie.
This is a great set of videos! Thank you. I am looking forward to exploring more of your offerings and learning from your site
Love your posts!
Great video. Thanks for sharing
Oh my, I started out with an old grey oblong storage container, the kind with the snap on lid. I put it in the yard out back and just started throwing things in, half eaten oranges fro the squirrels, ends of celery, egg shells and coffee grounds. Clearly I needed some more direction and your videos are certainly helping. I will watch the next video but then need to get some of that fencing and do it right. I'm in Sacramento Ca and it is May. So, I'm a little late getting things going I think.
Hello I'm Claudia from Sandy, Utah. I'm starting my first garden and I really enjoyed your video. Thanks for all the tips for composting!!!. I'm going to start my compost tomorrow, but I'm having a hard time trying to find the perfect place, because my garden is small and half is cover by concrete and the other half has very big old trees, so not much soil... I was thinking to plant some veggies, maybe make some raised bed on top the concrete.... All yours ideas will be really apprecciated, Thanks!!!
Going to put our compost bin next to our greenhouse just outside of our rock yard area.
Looking to start composting and came to your videos. Love them... going to check out your website next. Adorable kids!! Thank you!
Thanks Becky. Happy for you to check out our website. We have an active facebook page and group too. facebook.com/gardensthatmatter
Let us know how else we can support your composting efforts and garden (if you have one). Hope you and yours are safe and healthy during this crazy time.
Thanks for your helpful videos. This is my 1st attempt at composting. We are trying to grow better veggies for our homeless community and neighbors. We gratefully received a Free Compost Bin from Facebook Marketplace today.
Hi Wen Dee, growing a garden for your community and neighbors is a noble task. That is the spirit behind why we called our company Gardens That Matter. You embody that spirit and your garden is truly a garden that matters.
Thank you for sharing. You made my day.
Please let me know how else we can support you and/or answer any questions about gardening or composting. If you need a community of like minded gardeners for support, we have a private facebook group. facebook.com/groups/gardensthatmatter/?source_id=893883374032997
In that same spirit, we are also giving free access to our introductory gardening courses on our website during the month of April. If you, or someone you know, could benefit from beginning level gardening courses, please share the link below or at least tell them to google us. Our composting ebook is also available for free. More info about the courses and book through this link.
gardensthatmatter.com/shop
Happy Gardening.
Hi Amy,
Thanks to you for the wonderful information on composting....I Initiated composting and it's now finished...you mentioned sifting the completed compost...but what will become of the red wiggly worms will they get crushed?
I watched this video last fall, as it happened I did have some wire, and I made 4 of these bins, and since I live in a rural area had loads of leaves and plant cuttings and some manure to put in. I did all the steps and they looked good. This spring I made my first no dig bed and wanted to use my compost if ready. I live in Canada zone 4-5 so we get very cold winters. To my dismay I found the centre of the pile frozen whereas it should be the hottest part of the pile. I am not sure if that is normal due to our cold winter, but I am leaving it and just topped up with some manure and hope it will restart the process. I agree with you not to make the wire too high I am only 5 1 and it was hard to lift and put the material into the bin otherwise I loved the idea it was easy and cheap to do. Crossing my fingers that the pile will reheat and my work wasnt in vain
Great video. You answered all the things I've been wondering about. Can't wait to add some compost to my gardens!
Your garden can't wait either! Happy Gardening.
Thanks for this easy to follow video. I created my compost bin in an afternoon and am excited to see what happens with it. The only thing you didn’t cover is how to turn it and how often. This is probably a very simple thing but I’m a newbie gardener and want to make sure I do it properly. Thanks~
Turning is covered in part 3
ruclips.net/video/r2GDY31bUZ4/видео.html
After watching, let us know if you have further questions.
Great video! i m just getting started on composting. Aim at creating a garden on my balcony w home-made compost.
thank you for keeping it simple. It encourages me to try. Recently moved to this area. 2 places available: where a garden used to be. water spicket near by. though my concern would be if there would be high winds. The other place would be along the edge of trees, 6 ft away, using the bucket method as a water source
Most delightful video - on any subject - on RUclips, when your young boys appear. (Is your husband aware of how blessed he is?)
For those new to composting, pay attention to this series. Priceless information here.
Thanks for your kind words Steve. Yes, my husband is aware. We are both blessed.
Hi Amy, thank you so much for this video, it has answered so many questions I had!!!
I was going back and forth this video just to see ur little precious sleeping on your back, I have no more excuses to start composting(when u can do it with ur little baby)...💖
I have started a bin similar to urs just need to add all the gold laying on the frontyard fallen from trees!!
I'd like to put my compost bin in the rear corner of my back yard nearby my future herb and vegetable garden. But there is an awful lot of sunshine there. On many days it's full day of sunshine. Temperatures are typical southern California temps from about 65-95 year round. Do I have to wet down the compost more often because of the full sun?
great information-love your channel
Thanks Robert.
I have to scope out around my house. But I live in New York City. I'm trying to compost and garden here. We have a lot of greenery but the parts where I planned on gardening are right next to my house. I was thinking of using a tumbler because that seems more practical for the city.
Diamond Pearl Jones, my sister had a tumbler, as well as a worm bin. The tumbler was awesome (they both worked very well, but I don’t care much for touching or working with bugs).
I am using one of the turnable bins to compost in. I am seeing grubs is that bad. Some times when it is to moist I have seen other bugs in there. I am thinking of just doing your method it seems much easer. Will your bins work ok in Florida?
I appreciate that you do the composting with your kids for three reasons. Lead and teach by example. Kids composting with guidance. The kids are cute, and unpredictable, making the learning fun. It also shows you as a whole person--expert and part of the family. Nice cameo of Dad in one of the three videos. Good community building too. What about composting in a city "guerilla gardening" sort of way?
Thank you for your comments (and question). We do sometimes compost "guerrilla style"--when we visit my husband's parents in Texas. They do not have a compost bin, so we dig holes or trenches in their empty flower beds and bury food scraps. We have a blog post about guerrilla composting on our website. Here is a link if you are interested.
www.gardensthatmatter.com/guerrilla-composting-recycle-food-waste-without-compost-bin/
Thanks for watching.
I truly enjoyed your series... putting in buckets with cover at my home ... will this be a healthy compose?
Can you give me any ideas on tumbler style composting?
We live in Central Florida and we have black bears, loads of squirrels, raccoons and armadillos. Will a compost bin attract them? The bear steals bird feeders-so we bring them in each night. We have very sandy soil which is why we are interested in making compost, and save money on potting soil. We have no fences. We live in a subdivision of homes. Great videos on composting.Flowers for monarchs and other butterflies and humming birds is main interest. Small Outside garden maybe an option too. Thank you
Thanks for the videos. I'm making my bins dispersed on our acreage. In tge wooded area, I'll make leaf bins, around the gardens I'll make as you go bins using green material from those sites as well as stored brown materials. By the edibles I'll do both.
Great Mary. That's what we do. We have piles and bins in several spots on our property. Out in the pasture, we have big heaps for manure and hay, and then on the edge of the woods, we have bins and heaps full of leaves, and then close to the house, we have as you go bins that are used for food scraps. We try to use as much material as we can on our property. We can never have too much compost, right?
Can you suggest some tips on how to make compost for urban viewers? We don't have problem collecting kitchen scraps, but it's hard to find leaves (browns) to balance the pile. Also, we don't have large space to start a pile like yours...
We understand about difficulty in gathering materials. We used to live in New Mexico and we had less land than we do now. What we did was talked to our friends, neighbors, people at our church, etc and asked them to save their leaves, grass clipping and any other brown material the might have. They would call us when they had some available and we would go pick it up. They were all willing to help because they knew we had a big garden and they were excited when we showed up during the growing season to share our bounty with them, a few tomatoes here, some mixed greens there. We helped each other out. We also talked to tree companies and landscapers and asked if they could drop off material when they were in our neighborhood. We still do this now. Many times, landscapers have to take their material from tree chipping to the dump because their municipality doesn't have a composting or other sustainable way to dispose of this material. Very sad that some cities let this great organic material has to go to a landfill. Living in an urban environment does make it challenging and sometimes you have to be creative. Asking around is good. And sometimes you just have to buy bails of straw. Sometimes you can find a farmer who has some spoiled straw or hay that they cannot sell and they are willing to let you have it. We also, when we lived in NM, bought lots of supplies at a local feed and seed store. They often would let us have old straw and hay that either got spoiled from rain or gather the extra stuff on the ground in their loft that fell out of bails or the strings got snapped on the bails and they couldn't sell it. We always found ways to get material. It sometimes was time consuming but worth it. These are the ideas I have off the top of my head. If I think of other creative ways or sources, I will let you know.Thanks for the questions.
tear up and use all those boxes from amazon 📦📦📦
Hi, very good videos. Can we use wood ash in compost?
Hi! My question is not about composting, but about mulching. Can I use just d autumm leaves as mulch? Thank you in advance for your reply!
Yes, autumn leaves are the best mulch, because they are free. We stockpile all our leaves (and some of our neighbors) in the fall so we have plenty of mulch (and brown for compost) all year long. Shredded leaves are better than whole leaves, so if you have a lawnmower, run over them. Whole leaves tend to mat down more than shredded when they are wet allowing less air to get to your soil, and water to drain through. And leaves have lots of stored nutrients from the trees that they release when they decompose.
@@GardensThatMatter Thank you for your kind answer!
Gardens That Matter: WHERE IS THE DOWNLOADABLE PDF YOU HAVE MENTIONED @3:51 ?
There is a link in the description of the video. To save you a little time, here is the link:
learn.gardensthatmatter.com/no-fuss-compost-bin
Scroll down until you see the green "download now" button. Voila. Thanks for watching.
Good morning ma
What if you don't have a backyard that has a soil but it is cemented but you want to use the same method you are currently using
I have never tried it on cement, but I would think it would work. It will definitely stain the cement underneath. And you would not have access to the microorganisms that come up from the soil underneath. If you try this method on cement, I would try to gather some good soil from a garden or a forest (if you have access) to add to your pile occasionally to inoculate your pile with microorganisms. Add a scoop of soil on top of food scraps or other nitrogen rich material before covering with carbon rich brown material.
This is an interesting question and I would be interested to see how it works for you if you try it.
Thanks for th video...What to do if millipedes are spreading in the compost pile...is that ok?
Yes, it is perfectly normal. You may see all sorts of creatures: millipedes, centipedes, spiders, beetles, ants, and other bugs. All have a job to do and are part of the process of decomposition.
Ok thanks a lot
This looks pretty easy, but I have 2 questions. First, do you cover the pile once you’re finished? Both for the batch and the fill as you go? Second, I live in zone 5B and was planning on starting this pile this Fall using the Fall leaves. Is this a good idea? Would the pile be able to decompose over the winter? Can I add to the pile during the winter months, or would that not be a good idea? Thank you so much for your response!
I put a simple (smaller) wire bin out the back door. No turning, no fussing, and when full, I forgot about it. It decomposed by itself over time, and by the time I got back to it, nearby tree roots came up into it. Yes, I added to it through the winter, no browns, just coffee grounds, etc. By the time I lifted the wire over top, the top 2/3s was compost, the bottom with tree oots was about 6-8 inches which I just left.
Make it easy on yourself.
I’m using buckets with covers kitchen scraps and cover with soil ... and cover up😜 obviously need guidance
I have one of those double barrel bins, should I leave the lids open in order to aerate the contents?
If there isn't any other access to air, then yes, I would leave them open. The more air the better.
Thanks for your question.
I would like to use this compost in pots at home so that I can get quick growth of my plants,
My question was why can't use wood ashes?
I usually feed kitchen scraps to my chickens. Their feed is organic. How much chicken manure can I add to the compost?
We feed scraps to our chickens too. And we compost their manure to our compost. Chicken manure is a great "green" material with lots of nitrogen. Here is a link to our video on composting chicken manure.
ruclips.net/video/1TpToEA-lFM/видео.html
Typically, chicken manure requires a carbon to nitrogen ratio of 8 to 1, meaning for every 1 part chicken manure, you need 8 parts carbon (brown material). This gets complicated trying to figure out volume. Since we usually have chicken manure mixed already with their bedding (pine shavings, leaves, or straw), we just throw all of it in our bin with everything else and it usually does fine. IF you want to really get into the calculations of C:N ratio of materials like chicken manure, we have some printable PDF infographics that come with our "Happy Garden Guide to Composting" ebook found on our website. The book is free right now and there is a bonus section with the infographics. One of the infographics is called the "characteristics of potential compost materials" which shows C:N ratio (by volume) of common materials (including chicken manure). To access the book, follow this link and use code GROWJOY at check out for free download of the book and access to the infographics.
learn.gardensthatmatter.com/offers/WYrVoZat/checkout
Hope this helps.
I can't make up my mind about a tumbler or just using wire as you have done. On to video #3.
Hi Walsh Farms, I'm so glad you are enjoying our composting videos. Choosing a composting method often comes down to personal preference, lifestyle, and values. Let me explain and fill you in on why we prefer the simple wire bin. We have tried most every method of composting from the simplest form which is a pile on the ground (we do this in our pasture) to store bought tumblers and plastic bins (we still use one of those). Plastic bins and tumblers are great, especially for backyards and those who live in neighborhoods where neighbors might complain about a pile or a wire bin because of the way they look and the risk of attracting rodents. So if your values include tidiness, a plastic bin or tumbler is a good choice. What we have found is that often tumblers and many of the commercial plastic bins are not large enough to create enough volume for hot composting, which is key to fast decomposition and killing off seeds and pathogens that may end up in your pile. That's not to say you won't get quality compost from a tumbler, it's just you need to be more careful about what you put into your compost. No meats, dairy, oils, weeds with seeds, etc.We are able to compost all of this in our larger hot compost bins. The next thing about tumblers is that they are tightly contained and often have legs to keep them up off the ground, which means worms, bugs, and other organisms are not able to access your pile to help with decomposition. You will be relying strictly on bacteria and fungi to do the work. With our wire bins, they sit on the ground and are easily accessible to organisms. Now most of these organisms will not enter the pile when it is hot, but as soon as it has cycled through the hot phases, they come in to the pile to finish up the job. Worm castings are tremendously valuable by themselves (we do vermicomposting too) and within your compost.
The final thing I will mention why we ultimately prefer wire bins is cost. Tumblers, plastic bins, and other commercially available composting bins are pricey. Now if you are doing very little composting, this may not be a big deal. We do lots of composting, always have at least 4-5 bins going at any given time (all in different stages of completion). So we can buy one 100 foot roll of 3ft tall wire and build 9 bins (cut into 11 ft pieces). (50 ft roll = 4 bins). So in essence we can have 9 bins for the price of one tumbler. Now, not everyone needs as much compost as we do (we have over 10,000 sq. ft of gardens)
So, I am not trying to persuade you into the wire bins if it is not right for you. Like I said, it boils down to preference, lifestyle, and values. We value lots of compost for cheap and not really how they look (however, they don''t look bad). I just thought I would share some things that probably aren't evident in our videos.
If you are wanting to dig even deeper into composting methods, or other ways to build healthy soil. WE have a course on our website called Foundations of a Happy Garden, where we talk about many different methods (and bins) for composting and we teach you about cover crops and mulch to create healthy, living soil. The details are at the following link:
gardensthatmatter.com/shop
Sorry, wasn't planning on this being such a long comment. You just seemed excited about composting and choosing a method and I thought you might could use some additional insight from our experience.
Let us know if we can help you further. Enjoy video #3.
I noticed you showed light shredded paper. Are you not concerned with bleached paper?
Not in small amounts. And mixed with lots of other materials. Certainly wouldn't use it as my main source of carbon. Thanks.
Could I substitute a large, lidded trash can with holes drilled on sides and bottom for the wire fencing?
Yes, many folks compost that way.
Yes Jeannette, you can use a trash can. We have used trash cans before. But let me tell you what we learned with trash cans.
First, the positives. Trash cans are tidy, mobile, and can be easily cleaned in between batches. They are handy if used on a porch or deck. And when you are ready to turn or harvest your compost, the trash can can be easily dumped out and refilled.
The negatives. First, trash cans are not usually big enough to get a good, hot, active compost pile. We try to maintain a 3 ft diameter and a 3 ft depth so the pile really heats up and kills seeds and pathogens. Even those big heavy duty rubbermaid trash cans only give you a 2 ft diameter and 2 1/2 feet depth. Now, there are those big rolling trash cans that many cities use for garbage pickup. Those might be ok. If your trash can is smaller than 3 ft in diameter and 3 ft in depth, you can still use it, but you will have a more passive pile, and it will probably take longer to provide usable compost.
Secondly, metal trash cans will rust and can bend in the middle as the weight of the compost pushes against the sides. Plastic cans can crack as the compost pushes against its sides, especially if it is exposed to UV rays (and the plastic starts to break down).
If you do choose a trash can, just make sure you drill lots of holes (not so many that it affects the structural integrity of the trash can). Compost needs plenty of air for good decomposition. You don't really even need the lid (unless animals pose a potential problem).
Let us know how it goes.
Thanks for your question and good luck in your composting journey.
Thank you for these helpful tips. I will use the lidded trash cans to store paper from my newly purchased paper shredder. I am really surprised at the amount of compostable paper I have at hand. Taking your advice, just purchased a compost bin from Amazon, and added Jobe's Compost Starter. Getting excited now!!!
Is there any beneficial bugs we can add to get started?
Yes. There are microbes in native soil (mostly) so we often add a scoop of native soil or our own finished compost on top of food scraps before covering with leaves in our pile to kickstart the process.
I think Lin R meant insects or earthworms by 'bugs'. They will come in from the surrounding environment as time passes by, innit, even if u don't add them, Ma'am?
what do you do when lots of rodents, snakes, squirrels and birds are around that may disturb the open bin
This is a question we get asked a lot, and honestly, we haven't a perfect answer. We do not worry too much about critters messing with our bins, as long as they don't try to make a home in it. We live in the country, and critters are just part of the ecosystem, and to tell you the truth, we haven't had any problems with critters disturbing our piles. Last week I did see a squirrel burying a nut for the winter.
But we do understand people that live in a city where critters in a yard can be annoying. Most of these animals will not hurt or disturb the bin. They are just looking for an easy meal.
The thing you definitely don't want are rodents taking up residence in your bin. But this is not likely if your bin is tended regularly with proper C:N ratio, regular turning, and adequate moisture. When tended, the pile heats up and food scraps decompose rapidly and rodents won't likely find this to be a hospitable location for a home. They like it dry, not quite as warm, and undisturbed.
If the thought of potential critters worries you, a couple of suggestions. (1) You can try the fully enclosed type bins with sides and lid, maybe even a tumbler style. (2) You can eliminate any food scraps in your bin and just compost grass clippings, garden waste and leaves. (3) You can try Bokashi composting, which is a method of composting that uses an enclosed bucket and a special bran additive that makes quick work of food scraps (even meat). Bokashi does require some expense, but it is an option
So, I am not sure I answered your question adequately, but these are the thoughts right off the top of my head.
We are actually working on a video specifically about this subject that we hope to have ready next week. Hopefully we can answer it better in a video.
Thank you for your question and for watching our videos. We appreciate it.
Unfortunatley the spot has been chosen a hundred years ago and it's the farthest spot in the whole garden. 😒 But I won't speak bad about my greatgrandfather and go with the place that has been chosen. It has been neglected for 25 years but it will revive. 😀
Your recommendations are 6 feet from a tree but you’re putting it right next to a tree in this video I’m confused
Yes. We recommend 6 feet from a tree (or shed or house). It may be hard to see but the bin we filled in the later part of the video is 6 feet from the trees we were filming in front of. Probably not in beginning of video when we are showing how to construct the wire bin. Sometimes when filming, we are looking for a good background shot and/or shade.
Can I move next door to you? 🥰
LOL. Sure. Let me go check with the neighbors and see if they wouldn't mind moving out. Oh wait, my neighbors next door are my parents. I'll check and see the status of their guest room.