Well.... I gotta say that I thought I knew a lot about ‘soil’ (and I do!) but now I understand more about the difference between fungi and bacteria in soil. Didn’t realize that different plants mainly rely on only one of those of either the bacteria or the fungi - thanks for that bit of knowledge Scott! 😉👍
Before I start to watch your videos I first give u a thumbs up 👍 because I always learn even if it’s something I knew and forgot about! Thank you for your time!
Probably the most informative growing video I've seen! You don't have to try and remember what to add to soil if you understand what you're trying to achieve and how it all works. Thank you!!
Now the big food chain issues will come. Also the inflation and then the worldwide economic crash. We're in very great need of such sustainable measures! May God bless the readers.
Thank you for this clear information. I read Teaming with microbes and I thought it was an amazing revelation. The power of nature- especially with a living root in the soil where possible. Sometimes we are led to believe we have no chance of growing anything without spending a lot of money on fertilizers pesticides and fungicides. Just not true. And taking a step back it’s reassuring that using the methods you outlined our soil should improve every year - unlike in the situation with artificial soil and plant treatments. I’m all for instant gratification - just not where soil is concerned. I’m prepared to take a longer term approach. My family think I’m crazy but I collect and compost garden waste, vegetable kitchen waste, chicken poop, leaves, a friends rabbit bedding and poop, wood chips, seaweed etc. Keeps me out of mischief anyway.
Thanks for the info about the different needs various plants have. I put a lot of compost on my fig bushes and lemon tree last year and neither bore fruit. Now I know why. They needed more of a fungi rich soil from wood chips.
I learned that in order to grow good vegetables I need to grow good soil first. another thing that I learned is that to amend my clay soil compost works best. Another great content video from Scott. Thank you!
Yes, I too have come to realize that my main job is really to grow soil. Everything else will follow. Trying to understand soil as a living organism or ecosystem leads one down really fascinating paths of study that involve all sorts of cool techniques like companion plants, cover crops, composting, making teas and fermented plant juice, etc. And it turns out every one of those techniques has not only worked as well or better than mass-produced bottled fertilizers and so on, they've all saved me significant money as well. I sort of feel sorry for all those who are still stuck in that old rut of buying bags and bags of "soil" and basically starting over year after year. That's just bonkers when you really think about it...
Read all three books this winter based on your recommendation, teaming with nutrients, microbes and fungi. Although hard to pronounce a lot of the microbe names well worth the time spent. Also thanks for your time spent helping others
I have been adding compost and chicken manure in my soil and it is getting better and better every year. Patience is key as it takes time to make good soil. I also rake leaves from the forest ground which includes branches and twigs for mulch and also shredded some to mix in my compost pile.
Wow! I was going to make the same Mel Brooks reference just from seeing the title of this video! LOL! I clicked and it was the first thing you said! It definitely is alive. It has it’s own amazing ecosystem.
Wow, you have so much good information, i have to watch this multiple times, i need to take notes. I just started gardening this year, i actually started late, i love it, but i never knew there was so much to it. In my mind, you place a seed in the soil, it grows, it gives you fruit, you pick it, you eat it. 🤣🤣🤣i wish it was that simple! Thank goodness for useful information.
Gardener Scott anytime and I’m about to transplant (up pot) some fig cuttings into a potting soil (a mix of your and my father of blessed memories recipe) that have rooted.
Understanding the how to with raised bed gardening with you, is great for me, my soil is extremely root full!!!! But I do get plenty of worms that I work with lol Thanks for sharing
Dear Teacher Scott good evening from Greece.I start one year ago to organise a vegetables organic garden for my small family restaurant,I follow you the last 7 months and you teach me every day ,thank you a lot for the thousands of information that you passed to me .I will send to you a page of soil analysis from the garden beds.If you have any comments I will be glad to heard. Best wishes to you and your family keep healthy and strong to teach us.sorry I can’t send a foto from hear.....
Another excellent overview. Covers the basics in language almost anyone can understand and work with, and offers more details and good paths to follow for those who want to really dig in (pun intended) and learn more. Well done!
Accidentally posted before finishing my comment. Hate it when that happens! The amount of salt in that sample was overwhelming. I have been taking samples of my beds, some I have even used inorganic fertilizers in the past, but nothing even close to the amount of salt concentrated below the straw bales. Well, now I have a new project, rejuvenate that soil with life. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with using inorganic fertilizers, but once you do, you're like big Ag... and have to keep using them, plus the pesticides and fungicides. As you said Gardener Scott, the soil is the key. I am trying to learn more specifics about the life in the soil that feeds our plants. I am finding that specific info on the different microbes and how they relate to each other is not readily available. Still have not found a book that I can go to and get identification of soil microbes. Bits and pieces here and there. Gardening is a journey for sure!!!
I'm working on turning myself into a gardener, coming in through the door of improving my compost, wanting to go whole hog and do a composting toilet -- but I've never been a gardener, so I've a lot to learn. Loving your videos, so much foundational knowledge. Heck I may not get past soil but it'll be worth it just to be a good soil maker....Many thanks!
This was amazing! Love the way you break down the science of gardening. Here is a video request: what the heck is rock dust? I’ve had a couple of neighbors suggest i add it to my soil but they really couldn’t tell me why. Thanks again for the great videos. Hope you and your family are staying safe!
Rock dust is just pulverized rocks and is touted as a way to add minerals to soil. I'm still not convinced that rock dust offers all the benefits claimed. Like any fertilizer or soil additive it should only be used if there is a deficiency in that nutrient. I am planning to include its discussion in a future video. Thanks.
Researching on here. Very valuable information. Simply using the soil you have often leads to variable productivity results and sometimes failure. My first year in Oregon was a success, the second only half as good. Grown directly in ground, no added organic matter or added fertilizer. Raised beds are the way to go when ever possible . Taking the time to research all the varied information and a visit to the local Ag dept is a investment that pays off but often overlooked ignorantly thinking you have dirt and good to go.
I love your videos. I am new at gardening. We live in zone 9, just by a lake, so we have hot and humid summers, mild spring and fall, and very mild winters. I started my 3 raised beds last august and they are still producing: kale, Swiss chard, tomatoes and bell peppers. I harvested my onions and spaghetti squash. Now I want to built a bigger bed (20x4) and plant a fall garden. I am using hugelkulture because we have a lot of small branches and leaves from trimming our bushes, and the area has a very sandy soil. Also, I am going to add some organic soil, some compost that I make to which I added biochar. Is there anything else I need to add to have a good soil for my new raised bed? I am learning so much from your videos. Keep on teaching us to be better gardeners. Thank you
Thanks, Betty. You're on the right track with your soil preparation. You may want to consider a slow-release organic or inorganic fertilizer in the soil to help with nutrients before the organic material decomposes.
On soil I agree with you 100% I have learnt that long ago. Trouble is that your message gets drowned out by big chemical makers. People won't take the time to really learn about soil , It is kinda like with health, rather than deal with the real problem they just go buy a pill and the real problem just remains.
Totally agree. Nice video. Ever since I started adding organic material to my garden ( no extra fertilizers) my plants are greener, stronger and healthier. Rgds from Paraguay!
Excellent and very informative video. I particularly like your back to nature emphasis. When you think about it, it’s common sense to make your own free compost and to not use chemical fertilisers. However, I didn’t realise how much potential damage these fertilisers can do. Thank you so much. I will stop using them and as well as my compost heap, I will be using other organic natural fertilisers like nettle and comfrey teas. Please keep your videos coming, they are very inspiring.👏
This was a fantastic topic and after enhancing my research I learned more about soil creations and how different plants benefit from different soils. Great Job Scott!
Compost did change the structure of my soil. I went from compacted, hard soil to a spongy, aired and light soil. I use no other ferlilizer or soil amender. REgards from Paraguay!
Wow thanks for the knowledge on the soil, so I'm developing my garden ,I have a few tomatoes that are doing well too, I have added compost, and dried grass untill my seedlings are ready to be planted.
Thx again for such usable info. Will be using my one raised bed and large pots this year along with organics. Looking for a great year! Thanks for all your help. Blessings
Case in point. I finally took the time and peeked at the soil (under the microscope) I collected from below my inorganically fertilized straw bales two seasons ago. Suffice it to say, the samples I collected this October were kept moist. At first examination of 40 X, nothing moving, then 100X, nothing but the larger salts from the inorganic fertilizers begin to appear. At 400X finally bacteria. The only thing moving in that soil were the bacteria. Zero protozoa, fungi, nematodes or microarthropods what so ever. This is what inorganic fertilizers do to your soil, I'm not even considering pesticides and fungicides.
Gardner Scott, do you or would you teach a master class for beginners? I’m enjoying planting in containers and my one elevated garden bed. But I’d love to become more versed in understanding soil, nutrients, and vegetables in a more formal manner rather than a video here and there. I’ve listened to you enough to recognize that you are a great teacher and have expertise that I value.
Thanks for the suggestion. I am working on creating a series of courses, similar to a master class presentation. I hope to have it released in a few months. Thanks!
As a beginner, I love this video on soil since I'm using the information to build a soil mix for my yuzu seedlings. Scott, will you be able to make a video discussing the importance of ph level in soil and how they impact garden growth? Thank you again for your gardening expertise and wisdom!
Excellent lesson. Good timing too, while I see very bad soil being purchased at the local hardware stores by folks hoping for a great looking flower bed. Hopefully they find this video to help them understand the architecture of successful gardening. After watching the video, I’m left wondering about the natural way the soil is made out in the woods behind my house. There’s that thick layer of mulch from leaves. I’m wondering how the soil compares to your pie graph of the ideal soil composition.
That's something good to wonder about and the answer can be surprising. It depends on the trees and base soil. The Amazon has more plants than any other region in the world and the soil is among the worst. That's one reason deforestation is so devastating.
I really enjoyed this video. We live in a rented house we have no choice but to water everything by hand. 2 years ago I saw a ad for free wood chips and I brought home as much as I could, my neighbor had to call the landlord and made up this weird story about hoe the scorpions will increase here. We live on the side of a mountainside. Very rocky and caliche. I can grow Moringa trees from seed they don't mind but in the back area I have raised beds that struggle. There has been no rainfall or monsoons this year, zero water. What would you suggest if you were me in this plandemic. Keep watering by hands all we can do. Mom helps with that as much as possible. Advise would be huge. Very limited in $$$ unemployed trying to ride this thing out. Thanks
Thanks. I live in a very dry region and hand water everything. I also use a lot of wood chip mulch. The mulch helps keep the soil from evaporating as much.
Scott I said I’m my prior comment and question that I hv clay soil... but the truth is I don’t know what I have I’ve always thought of clay soil as the orange/red soil that is so abundant in Louisiana… But my soil is not orange/red ...it’s kind of a gray/brown but it holds its shape very well and when we were digging in the garden yesterday above the ground was moist from rain the day before when you put the shovel down in to pick up a slice- it would stay whole... you would pick the whole thing up and it would be like slicing a heavy/firm cheesecake or something - does not crumble & I don’t really see rocks .. and it’s not rich like chocolate cake/ reminds me of gray/brown clay🤔kinda
What veggie plants and herbs like to be planted in a shaded areas?...I read somewhere that the cool weather plants do well in shaded or half shaded areas that may only get 3 or 4 hours of sun a day.
Yes, cool weather plants can handle some shade during hot days. Spinach, lettuce, radishes, beets, and similar plants will be slow to bolt if they are protected from full hot sun.
The better the soil the better and healthier the plant is. Plants can fight off disease and insects better. The better the plant is the healthier the nutrients the more nutrients are passed to the one who eats the plant.
Best video ever. Super informative. I had a weird thought, though. Geese come and poop on my yard. Until now, I didn't like it. Then during the video, I suddenly thought, hey, that's organic manure. And it's free. All they eat is bugs and leaves. Maybe, instead of stepping around it and being grateful when rain washes it away, I could put it in the compost, or put on top of the mulch in my pots. it just might be helpful. Aren't worm castings and goose poop kind of the same thing? What do you think?
Thanks. While they can be annoying and leave a mess, that is good organic matter being dropped. Adding to compost can be a good option. It can be too harsh when added to vegetable beds while fresh.
I’ve been watching more of your videos. Today, I raked my soil to remove as many rocks as possible. I believe the lumber yard said it was clay. I found ROCKS. The compost is in balls, so I let them stay. You already told me to add manure to my brand new raised bed then cover with leaves for the winter. Thx for your response. Now after watching more of your videos, I need to test my soil. Is the test done Before putting the manure? Is it ok to use the do it yourself test from Lowe’s? I used to think one could just plant and the seeds would grow. So much more to learn! Thank you for taking your time to make such informative videos!
Linda, the soil test should be done before amending so you have a baseline understanding of the soil you're starting with. A Lowe's test can give you a basic pH and general idea of N-P-K, but a professional test is needed for precise readings and additional nutrient analysis, like percentage of organic matter. Thanks.
Thanks for the info Scott, hope you are doing well in these times. By watching your video and many others from you and other people about this topic, I got to a conclusion I want to share with you and I'd like to get your comments about it. I think that to know the ratios (% organic matter (OM), % clay, % sand, etc) of the materials you are supposed to have in your soil is good, because it is always better to know the theory behind whatever project you are working on and go from there. Now, based on what I have seen when it comes about people making soil to grow plants, I've learned that at the end of the day, most (including yourself) don't pay strict attention to this ratios. For example, the majority of people (not you), use a lot more OM compared to the amount of sand, clay or silt they add to make their soil, in other words, they are not using directly straight "dirt", which is the most affordable and easy way to get those materials to make their mix. Yet, "apparently", they are having very good yields with these kind of soil mixes. To make their soil, people normally use things like bacterial and fungal based composts, peat moss, coconut coir, blood meal, kelp, vermicompost, etc., which are all sources of OM and things like Perlite y/o vermiculite, rock dust, etc., which are sources of Inorganic Matter that (correct me if I am wrong) could fill a little the lack of the amounts of straight silt, sand or clay their soil could have for not using dirt...at least directly. The majority of gardeners make their soil buying products from stores. If they get dirt, they get it sometimes indirectly when they buy those bags of soil mixes that normally have more OM than anything, which is the reason why some of these products recommend in their labels that whatever it is in that bag should be mixed with regular dirt. Must people don't read that. In general and again, I think few people use straight dirt directly as ingredient to make their soil mix, you are one of them. I'm pretty sure you have tested your dirt and that you know what kind it is you have, the ratios and all, but once you have your final soil mix ready in your beds, I think you have a lot more than the 5% of OM the theory recommends to have in a good soil. If you ask me, I would estimate that at least, 50% of the soil in your beds is OM, this considering the way I've seen you making it and considering that any regular straight dirt will always have different amounts of organic matter in it. When I've seen you doing your mix, I also noticed you doing it by the eye of the experience, without worrying too much about measuring ratios. Very few other people among those using dirt test theirs, so, even when they use it, who knows what ratios of O.M, sand, clay or sand they have in it. So, having said all that, I finally get to my conclusion which is actually a question: What do you think of me believing (based on everything above) that if you don't want or you can't test your finished soil to know how much of what you have in it, you just go ahead with a mix of 40% high quality OM, 30-40% straight dirt and 20-30% of whatever other materials you may think you need to amend your final soil mix? After that, you just keep on adding high quality OM to the beds as needed. This is what I think at the end of the day, the majority of people getting real results end up doing, actually, this is what I do and my yields are decent. If you think I'm very wrong with my ratios, I will love to hear your point of view. Maybe you even make a video estimating how much of what materials you think you have in your beds. That would be awesome!! I would like to go to the next level and I need to reach out to people like you who know a lot more than I. Thanks a lot for your patience reading all this!! I will really appreciate your input!! Greets from Central America in the coronavirus era!!
I think your basic idea is good if you don't test your soil. I have had a professional soil test done and I know the deficiencies in my soil. I am planning a future video that will show nutrients and OM levels after a few years of amending.
Thank you Gardener Scott. I always learn from you. Question about compost. It’s difficult to purchase all organic produce. Is it still ok to toss in scraps into our organic compost bin if it wasn’t an organic product and likely grown with use of pesticides?
Absolutely. After washing it off, most or all of the pesticide residue is gone and any small bits remaining should quickly dissipate in the compost pile.
Gardener Scott, I started my first garden this year, and have enjoyed some success. I was thinking I would add this years fall leaves, and some compost to the soil, and let it sit through out the winter. Would this be beneficial for next spring's planting. By the way, there is clay in our soil. Thanks.
Ok, I am new to “living soil” for my raised bed we just built. The ingredients/tools I have is a 1. Soil tester (ph,h20,sun) 2. Top soil 3. Potting soil ( most new , a little old)3.compost 4. Peat moss 5. A huge pile of brush 6. Big piles of last year’s leaves 7. And a shovel lol 8. Bag of lime 9. Was thinking of getting some vermiculite and adding every worm I find The plan, add a pile of twigs,many dead leaves.2. Than add the dirt under the leaves. 3. Next mix topsoil and some dirt that was under the leaves,some compost,some peat moss. The lime is when established I can sprinkle if needed. I hear and obviously need to research but heard like is good for maple trees? . I am going to be growing tomatoes and cucumbers for now. Your thoughts? Thanks!!!!
Lime depends on your soil pH. It raises pH and should only be added if you know your soil is acidic. The rest sounds good. Lots of organic material and a plan for improvement. I don't think vermiculite is necessary when you add a lot of organic matter, but if you have it you can use it.
Gardener Scott thanks for the response. I have watched quite a few of your videos with plans to get them all in so I apologize if I ask something you already covered. The layering plan I mentioned , should I also mix the old decomposed leaves in the middle or top layer too? And the compost I am pretty sure I seen you recommended 5% compost with your topsoil... is that correct? I have some old cedar needles too I will add to the bottom layer, no wood chips. Thanks again!
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Good information, thank you. I’m in Ne Jersey zone 7 and I want so badly to start sowing seeds or transplanting some veggies outdoors. I’ve seen some videos where they are planting some cold weather crops in my zone but I don’t know that I trust these videos. I did sow some carrot seeds yesterday, I put a think layer of straw and covered it with a piece of lumber. 🤞 I’m hoping I can do more. I have a crêpe myrtle in a container and I would like to put in the ground but I don’t know if it’s too early. It can be very frustrating when your learning and you have know one to ask questions to. Can you possibly do a video on this subject? 🙏🏻 I have Black-eyed Susan roots I think they can go in the ground because last years Black-eyed Susans are starting to come up but I’m not going to risk losing them buy planting them to early. 😏 So many question. 🤯
That's a good suggestion, Rob. I have a video that discusses the difference between cool season and warm season plants, but a new one about spring sowing is warranted.
Great info, though I may not be able to use it all. Last year when I started gardening I found I had 2 problems. 1. A heavy clay soil. 2 An underground pipeline that runs through my back yard that has had some leaks in the past before I bought the house. I went with container gardening and potting soil to avoid the problems. It may cost more up front, but by year three I should have enough base soil to fill the containers I plan on having. I am also into composting, to amend the used potting soil from the year before. Sadly I got started composting late last year so some may not be ready until a month into the season, so I might have to buy some bagged compost this year. I just got back from buying eight 2 cft bags of potting soil, a 2.2 cft bag of peat , garden lime, and pelletized chicken manure. The peat is likely insurance in case I have to make some potting soil to fill some extra containers. I fear in the present world that at some point people are going to realize that they can grow food and the bagged soil will disappear like toilet paper has. Thats why I went and bought the soil today, I cant really plant anything outside for another two weeks at the earliest.
What a wonderful video and informative one. So my question that is confusing to me is this. Im getting ready to start my winter garden in a few weeks. Two of my bed im going to plant in are empty now and need amending. My question is when i amend the soil is it best to do it now if im planting in three werks or can i amend the soil and plant in the same day. I know you had one bed you amended and was not planting for severial months because of cold weather im assuming. Ty.
Fantastic video! This had so much information about soil and really explained the composition of soil. I have 2 cubic yards of soil that I removed and replaced from my greenhouse that was completely dried out to a sandy texture. Can I revive that soil to a rich soil or is it basically just destroyed?would adding and mixing it into a compost revive the soil? Thanks!
Just about any soil can be revived by adding organic matter. Unless it's contaminated with chemicals, add compost and use mulch and soil microbes will bring it back to life.
Moving this week. Want to plant apple trees and a grape vine come early spring. I have soil tests for me to do and fill with samples this week - assuming my results will come back with a non-ideal soil, how much area should I try mending for the trees prior to planting? Or would I just mend for a small spot it and in the space they will go? Or is it next to just plop them in as-is in the soil and mulch at the ground level a few inches?? Don’t want to mess with what I got if I don’t have to!
I don't try to amend large areas of soil where trees will grow because their roots can extend well beyond the amended area. By planting in native soil without amending, it encourages root growth beyond the planting hole. I do use thick mulch over the whole area.
Thanks mr Scott for this one! Even though I just have 5 small raised beds and some grow bags,No dig has been my main concept in my garden and it’s working out quite well in that I have a ton of earth worms and the soil is seeming ok. I’m quite interested to see if not digging up my beds every spring makes a positive difference for my garden. (Encouraging soil life as you mention) I think it will,but that’s based entirely on my observation of gardeners on RUclips who use the no dig method of growing. I don’t have much first hand experience,except for the 2 seasons that I haven’t been digging my garden up. One question I do have though... as far as growing in my grow bags,is there actually any way to have pots/bags that have good soil life? Or are these methods of growing just always going to be substandard when compared to the raised bed garden that isn’t dug?
While bags and pots are typically substandard when it comes to soil health, with some effort they don't need to be. Having a good soil to start is good and then adding compost and mulch helps keep it healthy. I try to replace soil in my pots at least every other year.
There is an easy way to determine if you got more or less of clay. If you dig in it with your shovel and it breaks apart in chunks yoiu most likely got clay. You can further test it by cruching a chunk in your hand and grind it down between your hands . If you then find "dust" in the "valleys" of your fingerprint on your fingertips you got clay in your soil. if you test when the soil is wet/moist you can put a peice the size of a marble in your palm and try to roll it like a "sausage". If this is really easily done you got a lot of clay. If the "sausage" only partly forms you have less clay. And the "fingerprint" test also works on wet clay rich soil. Other indications can be that you have clay is that when it is has been dry conditions for a longer time you can notice that soil is "dusty". And if you pour water on it the water will not sink in to the ground. And if the soil is sloping the water will just run of. I apologize for my bad english. I am from Sweden so english is my second language. More info about clay: pubs.usgs.gov/info/clays/
And I bought a property on sandy loam soil...at least 8 feet deep.( that's as deep as I hand dug a koi pond) the sand increased a little the deeper I dug.
What are your thoughts on putting a layer of compost on a bed followed by a layer of woodchips? I know it would take a couple seasons to decompose nicely but I'm wondering if having both bacteria and fungi together would be beneficial. I suppose it partial depends on what you want to grow in it....
I like the idea. I fill all of my beds with branches and wood chips at the base and then cover that with compost, other organic matter, and soil. The wood is a great way to get fungi in the soil and that is definitely beneficial.
I have two large raised beds and I live in a very hot dry area outside of Napa, CA. I've never been able to grow veggies well and I think a lot might be a moisture problem. I watched your hoop video and plan to make those. I understand now mulch is important too. What do you suggest as the best thing to add to my soil to give it the ability to retain moisture? I bought some chicken poop and was thinking about getting worm castings too? It does not look like a hospitable place for worms, it's so dry. I get confused about all the things that are available to buy for amendments! I love your videos and the way you explain things in a straightforward and practical manner. Thank you so much.
Organic matter is the best way to retain moisture. It can be peat, aged manure, compost, anything organic. Then add mulch to the top of the soil to hold in the moisture. Once there is organic material in the soil, the earthworms will find it and populate your soil.
@@GardenerScott thank you so much for replying to my question! My bed is about 4x12' and 1.5' deep. How many cubic feet do you suggest to do a big overhaul?
Wanting to grow cucumbers and watermelon in buckets,bought potting soil and mushroom compost. Will I have to get a fertilizer,and if so which fertilizer would you recommend.?
Yes, you'll probably need fertilizer unless the soil mix you plan to use already has it. The compost may provide some of what you need, but it is often lacking in nitrogen. Consider an organic fertilizer like worm castings, blood meal, fish emulsion, and feather meal.
I bought the miracle gro potting mix and it shows a 0.21% of nitrogen and bought a fish fertilizer it being 5.0% is that too much nitrogen or will the plants be good? Thank you
My wife and I are learning a lot from your videos. You have great content and are an excellent teacher. You talked a bit about the different types of soil and that loam is the best, but what should you do if you have clay soil? Our soil qualifies for being a pond liner. We are adding compost and mulch, but should we be doing more?
Thanks a lot for all this quality information. As a new gardener, I don't have good compost and neither wood chips ect....but I can buy nitrates, some chemicals ect ect. Should I do that or just plant with whatever soil I have. I have tried the other year and I didn't get very good crops. I am making my own compost but its gonna take like 1-2 years. So what should I do? Buy some chemicals and nitrate ect, or buy a few sack of compost (they are kinda expensive here, maybe double, triple the price where u are and I am just in university, so I am in a budged) ahhahaha Anyway thanks a lot for everything, You taught me soooo muchhhhh 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗
Add whatever organic matter that you can while waiting for your compost. Even burying some kitchen scraps in the soil will make a difference. It's better to work at improving the soil than to buy chemicals that will do it artificially. See what you can find in your area. Used coffee grounds are good to mix in soil and you can use leaves and grass as a mulch.
Very informative video as usual, I am not learning only gardening from your videos but the English language also. Sir can you recommend the name of a type of strawberry which can be grown in 40-48 degrees of Celsius?
None of those should affect the flavor much. It's possible the increased nutrients they provide the soil will grow a stronger, healthier plant that will produce a better fruit.
I dont even have a garden, but here i am watching a video about soil at 3am
Fillip That’s how I started...5 years ago! I would bet you’ll get your own garden soon...
Too funny
Thats some advanced A.D.D., I feel ya man. Been there, while you are here start a garden
oh. the arthropods; insects. are half the Earth's biomass. their dead bodies are much of soil food, as well.
Haha, Scott makes good videos packed full of knowledge. :)
The circle of life every thing that given to us on our land just becomes a beautiful circle of life
Well.... I gotta say that I thought I knew a lot about ‘soil’ (and I do!) but now I understand more about the difference between fungi and bacteria in soil. Didn’t realize that different plants mainly rely on only one of those of either the bacteria or the fungi - thanks for that bit of knowledge Scott! 😉👍
Before I start to watch your videos I first give u a thumbs up 👍 because I always learn even if it’s something I knew and forgot about! Thank you for your time!
Me too!! Always awesome!
Probably the most informative growing video I've seen! You don't have to try and remember what to add to soil if you understand what you're trying to achieve and how it all works. Thank you!!
Now the big food chain issues will come. Also the inflation and then the worldwide economic crash. We're in very great need of such sustainable measures!
May God bless the readers.
Thank you for this clear information. I read Teaming with microbes and I thought it was an amazing revelation. The power of nature- especially with a living root in the soil where possible. Sometimes we are led to believe we have no chance of growing anything without spending a lot of money on fertilizers pesticides and fungicides. Just not true. And taking a step back it’s reassuring that using the methods you outlined our soil should improve every year - unlike in the situation with artificial soil and plant treatments. I’m all for instant gratification - just not where soil is concerned. I’m prepared to take a longer term approach. My family think I’m crazy but I collect and compost garden waste, vegetable kitchen waste, chicken poop, leaves, a friends rabbit bedding and poop, wood chips, seaweed etc. Keeps me out of mischief anyway.
Thanks Gardener Scott. I have been gardening forever and you just taught me more than I have ever known about soil!
I'm very glad to help. Thanks.
Thanks for the info about the different needs various plants have. I put a lot of compost on my fig bushes and lemon tree last year and neither bore fruit. Now I know why. They needed more of a fungi rich soil from wood chips.
Excellent video. A comprehensive breakdown of the science while being approachable in application.
I learned that in order to grow good vegetables I need to grow good soil first.
another thing that I learned is that to amend my clay soil compost works best.
Another great content video from Scott. Thank you!
Yes, I too have come to realize that my main job is really to grow soil. Everything else will follow.
Trying to understand soil as a living organism or ecosystem leads one down really fascinating paths of study that involve all sorts of cool techniques like companion plants, cover crops, composting, making teas and fermented plant juice, etc. And it turns out every one of those techniques has not only worked as well or better than mass-produced bottled fertilizers and so on, they've all saved me significant money as well. I sort of feel sorry for all those who are still stuck in that old rut of buying bags and bags of "soil" and basically starting over year after year. That's just bonkers when you really think about it...
Glad to help.
I do trench composting during the fall and winter and use worm towers
I am glad to see you have the teaming with microbes book out! the other two, nutrients and fungi are great as well!
Just turned 65 bought new acerage and your videos have helped alot thanks never to old to learn
You are my lovely master to get wonderful garden ( clear, simple and precise information). I'm very very thankful, with my regards from Algeria.
Read all three books this winter based on your recommendation, teaming with nutrients, microbes and fungi. Although hard to pronounce a lot of the microbe names well worth the time spent. Also thanks for your time spent helping others
hey Scot you picked up a great topic am glad to know valuable info about it thanks
I have been adding compost and chicken manure in my soil and it is getting better and better every year. Patience is key as it takes time to make good soil. I also rake leaves from the forest ground which includes branches and twigs for mulch and also shredded some to mix in my compost pile.
Thank-you gardener Scott for sharing my pet peeve as well - I also hate when people call soil dirt!
You are a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for all you teach. I’m learning a ton!
Wow! I was going to make the same Mel Brooks reference just from seeing the title of this video! LOL!
I clicked and it was the first thing you said! It definitely is alive. It has it’s own amazing ecosystem.
Wow, you have so much good information, i have to watch this multiple times, i need to take notes. I just started gardening this year, i actually started late, i love it, but i never knew there was so much to it. In my mind, you place a seed in the soil, it grows, it gives you fruit, you pick it, you eat it. 🤣🤣🤣i wish it was that simple! Thank goodness for useful information.
I agree 100%. Great information and thank you for sharing. Keeping it simple: dirt is dead and soil is alive.
Thanks!
Gardener Scott anytime and I’m about to transplant (up pot) some fig cuttings into a potting soil (a mix of your and my father of blessed memories recipe) that have rooted.
Understanding the how to with raised bed gardening with you, is great for me, my soil is extremely root full!!!! But I do get plenty of worms that I work with lol Thanks for sharing
Gardening is not just planting a seed!! YES!! I am reading also, "Teaming with Microbes"
Dear Teacher Scott good evening from Greece.I start one year ago to organise a vegetables organic garden for my small family restaurant,I follow you the last 7 months and you teach me every day ,thank you a lot for the thousands of information that you passed to me .I will send to you a page of soil analysis from the garden beds.If you have any comments I will be glad to heard.
Best wishes to you and your family keep healthy and strong to teach us.sorry I can’t send a foto from hear.....
That is very good to hear, George. You can send a photo to gardenerscott@gardenerscott.com.
Very informative and well spoken. Thank you for the wise tips, very much appreciated , God bless you plentiful 🙏
Thanks. I'm glad to help.
Another excellent overview. Covers the basics in language almost anyone can understand and work with, and offers more details and good paths to follow for those who want to really dig in (pun intended) and learn more. Well done!
Thank you very much.
A billion dollar video😍👏👏👏
Thanks!
Accidentally posted before finishing my comment. Hate it when that happens!
The amount of salt in that sample was overwhelming. I have been taking samples of my beds, some I have even used inorganic fertilizers in the past, but nothing even close to the amount of salt concentrated below the straw bales.
Well, now I have a new project, rejuvenate that soil with life.
Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with using inorganic fertilizers, but once you do, you're like big Ag... and have to keep using them, plus the pesticides and fungicides.
As you said Gardener Scott, the soil is the key. I am trying to learn more specifics about the life in the soil that feeds our plants. I am finding that specific info on the different microbes and how they relate to each other is not readily available. Still have not found a book that I can go to and get identification of soil microbes. Bits and pieces here and there.
Gardening is a journey for sure!!!
Thanks for this video ! It may help us to have a good mark !
A great video, working with the soil. Super presentation thank you
I'm working on turning myself into a gardener, coming in through the door of improving my compost, wanting to go whole hog and do a composting toilet -- but I've never been a gardener, so I've a lot to learn. Loving your videos, so much foundational knowledge. Heck I may not get past soil but it'll be worth it just to be a good soil maker....Many thanks!
Thanks. I'm glad they're helpful.
This was amazing! Love the way you break down the science of gardening. Here is a video request: what the heck is rock dust? I’ve had a couple of neighbors suggest i add it to my soil but they really couldn’t tell me why. Thanks again for the great videos. Hope you and your family are staying safe!
Rock dust is just pulverized rocks and is touted as a way to add minerals to soil. I'm still not convinced that rock dust offers all the benefits claimed. Like any fertilizer or soil additive it should only be used if there is a deficiency in that nutrient. I am planning to include its discussion in a future video. Thanks.
Researching on here. Very valuable information. Simply using the soil you have often leads to variable productivity results and sometimes failure. My first year in Oregon was a success, the second only half as good. Grown directly in ground, no added organic matter or added fertilizer. Raised beds are the way to go when ever possible . Taking the time to research all the varied information and a visit to the local Ag dept is a investment that pays off but often overlooked ignorantly thinking you have dirt and good to go.
Good information gardener Scott. Thank you so much
your sentence "bacterial soil and fungal soil " is amazing. please upload detailed video about transforming desert to soil. Thanks
such such such an excellent video!!! bless you scott, its so appreciated
Thank you very much!
I love your videos. I am new at gardening. We live in zone 9, just by a lake, so we have hot and humid summers, mild spring and fall, and very mild winters. I started my 3 raised beds last august and they are still producing: kale, Swiss chard, tomatoes and bell peppers. I harvested my onions and spaghetti squash. Now I want to built a bigger bed (20x4) and plant a fall garden. I am using hugelkulture because we have a lot of small branches and leaves from trimming our bushes, and the area has a very sandy soil. Also, I am going to add some organic soil, some compost that I make to which I added biochar. Is there anything else I need to add to have a good soil for my new raised bed? I am learning so much from your videos. Keep on teaching us to be better gardeners. Thank you
Thanks, Betty. You're on the right track with your soil preparation. You may want to consider a slow-release organic or inorganic fertilizer in the soil to help with nutrients before the organic material decomposes.
Love it...so much in a language easy to understand and no frills.
On soil I agree with you 100% I have learnt that long ago. Trouble is that your message gets drowned out by big chemical makers. People won't take the time to really learn about soil , It is kinda like with health, rather than deal with the real problem they just go buy a pill and the real problem just remains.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful knowledge with us !! 😃
Totally agree. Nice video. Ever since I started adding organic material to my garden ( no extra fertilizers) my plants are greener, stronger and healthier. Rgds from Paraguay!
Excellent and very informative video. I particularly like your back to nature emphasis. When you think about it, it’s common sense to make your own free compost and to not use chemical fertilisers. However, I didn’t realise how much potential damage these fertilisers can do. Thank you so much. I will stop using them and as well as my compost heap, I will be using other organic natural fertilisers like nettle and comfrey teas. Please keep your videos coming, they are very inspiring.👏
Thanks, Wayne!
Thank you for your response.
Great info
Thanks for sharing this info and your videos.
great stuff , leaf collecting time very soon , autumn i love you
Awesome video as always, thank you for sharing your knowledge 👍❤️
This was a fantastic topic and after enhancing my research I learned more about soil creations and how different plants benefit from different soils.
Great Job Scott!
Thanks!
Compost did change the structure of my soil. I went from compacted, hard soil to a spongy, aired and light soil. I use no other ferlilizer or soil amender. REgards from Paraguay!
I like science, thanks for sharing the science of soil.
Good video mate
Thanks.
Wow thanks for the knowledge on the soil, so I'm developing my garden ,I have a few tomatoes that are doing well too, I have added compost, and dried grass untill my seedlings are ready to be planted.
Love your videos, thank you 🙏🏼
Thanks so much, Consuelo.
Informative but at end a bit confused about definition of "organics". Same as compost plus wood chips, each adding to soil structure and health?
Thx again for such usable info. Will be using my one raised bed and large pots this year along with organics. Looking for a great year! Thanks for all your help. Blessings
I'm very glad to help. Thanks.
Like before watching 😍👏
Thanks! 👍
Case in point.
I finally took the time and peeked at the soil (under the microscope) I collected from below my inorganically fertilized straw bales two seasons ago. Suffice it to say, the samples I collected this October were kept moist.
At first examination of 40 X, nothing moving, then 100X, nothing but the larger salts from the inorganic fertilizers begin to appear. At 400X finally bacteria. The only thing moving in that soil were the bacteria. Zero protozoa, fungi, nematodes or microarthropods what so ever. This is what inorganic fertilizers do to your soil, I'm not even considering pesticides and fungicides.
Gardner Scott, do you or would you teach a master class for beginners? I’m enjoying planting in containers and my one elevated garden bed. But I’d love to become more versed in understanding soil, nutrients, and vegetables in a more formal manner rather than a video here and there. I’ve listened to you enough to recognize that you are a great teacher and have expertise that I value.
Thanks for the suggestion. I am working on creating a series of courses, similar to a master class presentation. I hope to have it released in a few months. Thanks!
Gardener Scott Thanks for replying. You should charge a fee for it also.
I found this video extremely informative and well presented, thank you
As a beginner, I love this video on soil since I'm using the information to build a soil mix for my yuzu seedlings. Scott, will you be able to make a video discussing the importance of ph level in soil and how they impact garden growth? Thank you again for your gardening expertise and wisdom!
Good suggestion. I will discuss that in a future video. Thanks.
Excellent lesson. Good timing too, while I see very bad soil being purchased at the local hardware stores by folks hoping for a great looking flower bed. Hopefully they find this video to help them understand the architecture of successful gardening.
After watching the video, I’m left wondering about the natural way the soil is made out in the woods behind my house. There’s that thick layer of mulch from leaves. I’m wondering how the soil compares to your pie graph of the ideal soil composition.
That's something good to wonder about and the answer can be surprising. It depends on the trees and base soil. The Amazon has more plants than any other region in the world and the soil is among the worst. That's one reason deforestation is so devastating.
I really enjoyed this video. We live in a rented house we have no choice but to water everything by hand. 2 years ago I saw a ad for free wood chips and I brought home as much as I could, my neighbor had to call the landlord and made up this weird story about hoe the scorpions will increase here. We live on the side of a mountainside. Very rocky and caliche. I can grow Moringa trees from seed they don't mind but in the back area I have raised beds that struggle. There has been no rainfall or monsoons this year, zero water. What would you suggest if you were me in this plandemic. Keep watering by hands all we can do. Mom helps with that as much as possible. Advise would be huge. Very limited in $$$ unemployed trying to ride this thing out. Thanks
Thanks. I live in a very dry region and hand water everything. I also use a lot of wood chip mulch. The mulch helps keep the soil from evaporating as much.
Hey Scott - if you haven't yet, check out Gabe Brown's talks on youtube about soil.
Thanks. I'll check it out.
Scott I said I’m my prior comment and question that I hv clay soil... but the truth is I don’t know what I have I’ve always thought of clay soil as the orange/red soil that is so abundant in Louisiana… But my soil is not orange/red ...it’s kind of a gray/brown but it holds its shape very well and when we were digging in the garden yesterday above the ground was moist from rain the day before when you put the shovel down in to pick up a slice- it would stay whole... you would pick the whole thing up and it would be like slicing a heavy/firm cheesecake or something - does not crumble & I don’t really see rocks .. and it’s not rich like chocolate cake/ reminds me of gray/brown clay🤔kinda
It could be clay, just a different color. Amending with organic matter is still the way to improve it.
It could be clay, just a different color. Amending with organic matter is still the way to improve it.
Awesome video! I am just building my first set of raised and this is fascinating information
Thanks!
अद्भुत
धन्यवाद
What veggie plants and herbs like to be planted in a shaded areas?...I read somewhere that the cool weather plants do well in shaded or half shaded areas that may only get 3 or 4 hours of sun a day.
Yes, cool weather plants can handle some shade during hot days. Spinach, lettuce, radishes, beets, and similar plants will be slow to bolt if they are protected from full hot sun.
Very nice video. Thank you 😊
I'm glad you liked it.
The better the soil the better and healthier the plant is. Plants can fight off disease and insects better. The better the plant is the healthier the nutrients the more nutrients are passed to the one who eats the plant.
Great information as always God Bless
Thank you.
Would I have fungi with all the roots in soil, or is from decomposing trees/limbs?
You can expect fungi if there is any wood-based material in the soil.
@@GardenerScott I saw a youtube video in which a man buried an old log in his raised bed. I had no idea why, now I do.
that ratio is insane.
Best video ever. Super informative. I had a weird thought, though. Geese come and poop on my yard. Until now, I didn't like it. Then during the video, I suddenly thought, hey, that's organic manure. And it's free. All they eat is bugs and leaves. Maybe, instead of stepping around it and being grateful when rain washes it away, I could put it in the compost, or put on top of the mulch in my pots. it just might be helpful. Aren't worm castings and goose poop kind of the same thing? What do you think?
Thanks. While they can be annoying and leave a mess, that is good organic matter being dropped. Adding to compost can be a good option. It can be too harsh when added to vegetable beds while fresh.
@@GardenerScott Thanks, I'll do that and I have been sharing this video with my Facebook gardening friends. You're like the professor of gardening.
I’ve been watching more of your videos. Today, I raked my soil to remove as many rocks as possible. I believe the lumber yard said it was clay. I found ROCKS. The compost is in balls, so I let them stay. You already told me to add manure to my brand new raised bed then cover with leaves for the winter. Thx for your response. Now after watching more of your videos, I need to test my soil. Is the test done Before putting the manure? Is it ok to use the do it yourself test from Lowe’s? I used to think one could just plant and the seeds would grow. So much more to learn! Thank you for taking your time to make such informative videos!
Linda, the soil test should be done before amending so you have a baseline understanding of the soil you're starting with. A Lowe's test can give you a basic pH and general idea of N-P-K, but a professional test is needed for precise readings and additional nutrient analysis, like percentage of organic matter. Thanks.
Gardener Scott l
Thank you very much
Thanks for the info Scott, hope you are doing well in these times. By watching your video and many others from you and other people about this topic, I got to a conclusion I want to share with you and I'd like to get your comments about it. I think that to know the ratios (% organic matter (OM), % clay, % sand, etc) of the materials you are supposed to have in your soil is good, because it is always better to know the theory behind whatever project you are working on and go from there. Now, based on what I have seen when it comes about people making soil to grow plants, I've learned that at the end of the day, most (including yourself) don't pay strict attention to this ratios. For example, the majority of people (not you), use a lot more OM compared to the amount of sand, clay or silt they add to make their soil, in other words, they are not using directly straight "dirt", which is the most affordable and easy way to get those materials to make their mix. Yet, "apparently", they are having very good yields with these kind of soil mixes. To make their soil, people normally use things like bacterial and fungal based composts, peat moss, coconut coir, blood meal, kelp, vermicompost, etc., which are all sources of OM and things like Perlite y/o vermiculite, rock dust, etc., which are sources of Inorganic Matter that (correct me if I am wrong) could fill a little the lack of the amounts of straight silt, sand or clay their soil could have for not using dirt...at least directly. The majority of gardeners make their soil buying products from stores. If they get dirt, they get it sometimes indirectly when they buy those bags of soil mixes that normally have more OM than anything, which is the reason why some of these products recommend in their labels that whatever it is in that bag should be mixed with regular dirt. Must people don't read that. In general and again, I think few people use straight dirt directly as ingredient to make their soil mix, you are one of them. I'm pretty sure you have tested your dirt and that you know what kind it is you have, the ratios and all, but once you have your final soil mix ready in your beds, I think you have a lot more than the 5% of OM the theory recommends to have in a good soil. If you ask me, I would estimate that at least, 50% of the soil in your beds is OM, this considering the way I've seen you making it and considering that any regular straight dirt will always have different amounts of organic matter in it. When I've seen you doing your mix, I also noticed you doing it by the eye of the experience, without worrying too much about measuring ratios. Very few other people among those using dirt test theirs, so, even when they use it, who knows what ratios of O.M, sand, clay or sand they have in it. So, having said all that, I finally get to my conclusion which is actually a question: What do you think of me believing (based on everything above) that if you don't want or you can't test your finished soil to know how much of what you have in it, you just go ahead with a mix of 40% high quality OM, 30-40% straight dirt and 20-30% of whatever other materials you may think you need to amend your final soil mix? After that, you just keep on adding high quality OM to the beds as needed. This is what I think at the end of the day, the majority of people getting real results end up doing, actually, this is what I do and my yields are decent. If you think I'm very wrong with my ratios, I will love to hear your point of view. Maybe you even make a video estimating how much of what materials you think you have in your beds. That would be awesome!! I would like to go to the next level and I need to reach out to people like you who know a lot more than I. Thanks a lot for your patience reading all this!! I will really appreciate your input!! Greets from Central America in the coronavirus era!!
I think your basic idea is good if you don't test your soil. I have had a professional soil test done and I know the deficiencies in my soil. I am planning a future video that will show nutrients and OM levels after a few years of amending.
@@GardenerScott Thanks for your quick reply Scott. I'll definitely be waiting for that video. Thanks a lot!!
Thank you Gardener Scott. I always learn from you. Question about compost. It’s difficult to purchase all organic produce. Is it still ok to toss in scraps into our organic compost bin if it wasn’t an organic product and likely grown with use of pesticides?
Absolutely. After washing it off, most or all of the pesticide residue is gone and any small bits remaining should quickly dissipate in the compost pile.
Gardener Scott, I started my first garden this year, and have enjoyed some success. I was thinking I would add this years fall leaves, and some compost to the soil, and let it sit through out the winter. Would this be beneficial for next spring's planting. By the way, there is clay in our soil. Thanks.
Yes, it would. Adding organic matter is definitely beneficial. Crush the leaves before amending to help them decompose faster.
Ok, I am new to “living soil” for my raised bed we just built. The ingredients/tools I have is a
1. Soil tester (ph,h20,sun) 2. Top soil 3. Potting soil ( most new , a little old)3.compost 4. Peat moss 5. A huge pile of brush 6. Big piles of last year’s leaves 7. And a shovel lol 8. Bag of lime 9. Was thinking of getting some vermiculite and adding every worm I find
The plan, add a pile of twigs,many dead leaves.2. Than add the dirt under the leaves. 3. Next mix topsoil and some dirt that was under the leaves,some compost,some peat moss. The lime is when established I can sprinkle if needed. I hear and obviously need to research but heard like is good for maple trees? . I am going to be growing tomatoes and cucumbers for now.
Your thoughts?
Thanks!!!!
Lime is good for trees (not like)
Lime depends on your soil pH. It raises pH and should only be added if you know your soil is acidic. The rest sounds good. Lots of organic material and a plan for improvement. I don't think vermiculite is necessary when you add a lot of organic matter, but if you have it you can use it.
Gardener Scott thanks for the response. I have watched quite a few of your videos with plans to get them all in so I apologize if I ask something you already covered. The layering plan I mentioned , should I also mix the old decomposed leaves in the middle or top layer too? And the compost I am pretty sure I seen you recommended 5% compost with your topsoil... is that correct? I have some old cedar needles too I will add to the bottom layer, no wood chips. Thanks again!
Great 🎥 video & information!! I subscribed 😲some time ago but I never activated the Bell, I did now,👍 I am going to keep on watching your🎥 videos.
GOD🙏🙏BLESS YOU.
EDUARDO MIAMI FL 🇺🇸
Good information, thank you.
I’m in Ne Jersey zone 7 and I want so badly to start sowing seeds or transplanting some veggies outdoors. I’ve seen some videos where they are planting some cold weather crops in my zone but I don’t know that I trust these videos. I did sow some carrot seeds yesterday, I put a think layer of straw and covered it with a piece of lumber. 🤞 I’m hoping I can do more. I have a crêpe myrtle in a container and I would like to put in the ground but I don’t know if it’s too early. It can be very frustrating when your learning and you have know one to ask questions to.
Can you possibly do a video on this subject? 🙏🏻 I have Black-eyed Susan roots I think they can go in the ground because last years Black-eyed Susans are starting to come up but I’m not going to risk losing them buy planting them to early. 😏
So many question. 🤯
That's a good suggestion, Rob. I have a video that discusses the difference between cool season and warm season plants, but a new one about spring sowing is warranted.
Great info, though I may not be able to use it all. Last year when I started gardening I found I had 2 problems. 1. A heavy clay soil. 2 An underground pipeline that runs through my back yard that has had some leaks in the past before I bought the house. I went with container gardening and potting soil to avoid the problems. It may cost more up front, but by year three I should have enough base soil to fill the containers I plan on having. I am also into composting, to amend the used potting soil from the year before. Sadly I got started composting late last year so some may not be ready until a month into the season, so I might have to buy some bagged compost this year.
I just got back from buying eight 2 cft bags of potting soil, a 2.2 cft bag of peat , garden lime, and pelletized chicken manure. The peat is likely insurance in case I have to make some potting soil to fill some extra containers. I fear in the present world that at some point people are going to realize that they can grow food and the bagged soil will disappear like toilet paper has. Thats why I went and bought the soil today, I cant really plant anything outside for another two weeks at the earliest.
Thanks. Making your own soil blend is a good way to overcome problems with clay. Good luck with your efforts.
What a wonderful video and informative one.
So my question that is confusing to me is this.
Im getting ready to start my winter garden in a few weeks.
Two of my bed im going to plant in are empty now and need amending.
My question is when i amend the soil is it best to do it now if im planting in three werks or can i amend the soil and plant in the same day. I know you had one bed you amended and was not planting for severial months because of cold weather im assuming.
Ty.
It's better to amend weeks before planting. The soil life needs some time to re-populate the soil.
Any thoughts on adding fish emulsion when watering?
Fish emulsion can be a good fertilizer. If your soil is deficient in the basic nutrients it can help but may not be necessary in healthy soil.
Fantastic video! This had so much information about soil and really explained the composition of soil. I have 2 cubic yards of soil that I removed and replaced from my greenhouse that was completely dried out to a sandy texture. Can I revive that soil to a rich soil or is it basically just destroyed?would adding and mixing it into a compost revive the soil? Thanks!
Just about any soil can be revived by adding organic matter. Unless it's contaminated with chemicals, add compost and use mulch and soil microbes will bring it back to life.
Moving this week. Want to plant apple trees and a grape vine come early spring. I have soil tests for me to do and fill with samples this week - assuming my results will come back with a non-ideal soil, how much area should I try mending for the trees prior to planting? Or would I just mend for a small spot it and in the space they will go? Or is it next to just plop them in as-is in the soil and mulch at the ground level a few inches?? Don’t want to mess with what I got if I don’t have to!
I don't try to amend large areas of soil where trees will grow because their roots can extend well beyond the amended area. By planting in native soil without amending, it encourages root growth beyond the planting hole. I do use thick mulch over the whole area.
Do you compost diseased garden plants and ones with garden pests like Mexican beetles?
Thanks mr Scott for this one! Even though I just have 5 small raised beds and some grow bags,No dig has been my main concept in my garden and it’s working out quite well in that I have a ton of earth worms and the soil is seeming ok. I’m quite interested to see if not digging up my beds every spring makes a positive difference for my garden. (Encouraging soil life as you mention) I think it will,but that’s based entirely on my observation of gardeners on RUclips who use the no dig method of growing. I don’t have much first hand experience,except for the 2 seasons that I haven’t been digging my garden up. One question I do have though... as far as growing in my grow bags,is there actually any way to have pots/bags that have good soil life? Or are these methods of growing just always going to be substandard when compared to the raised bed garden that isn’t dug?
While bags and pots are typically substandard when it comes to soil health, with some effort they don't need to be. Having a good soil to start is good and then adding compost and mulch helps keep it healthy. I try to replace soil in my pots at least every other year.
Gardener Scott thanks so much! That’s a great tip.
There is an easy way to determine if you got more or less of clay. If you dig in it with your shovel and it breaks apart in chunks yoiu most likely got clay. You can further test it by cruching a chunk in your hand and grind it down between your hands . If you then find "dust" in the "valleys" of your fingerprint on your fingertips you got clay in your soil.
if you test when the soil is wet/moist you can put a peice the size of a marble in your palm and try to roll it like a "sausage". If this is really easily done you got a lot of clay. If the "sausage" only partly forms you have less clay. And the "fingerprint" test also works on wet clay rich soil. Other indications can be that you have clay is that when it is has been dry conditions for a longer time you can notice that soil is "dusty". And if you pour water on it the water will not sink in to the ground. And if the soil is sloping the water will just run of. I apologize for my bad english. I am from Sweden so english is my second language.
More info about clay: pubs.usgs.gov/info/clays/
You are right. That is how I learned to test for clay too.
I built the 4x4 raised bed like your video shows. Can you tell me your recommendation on the depth of soil. I plan on growing tomatoes and peppers.
Tomatoes and peppers should have at least 12-15 inches of soil.
Welcome to my soap box ....been on it since 1972.
And I bought a property on sandy loam soil...at least 8 feet deep.( that's as deep as I hand dug a koi pond) the sand increased a little the deeper I dug.
What are your thoughts on putting a layer of compost on a bed followed by a layer of woodchips? I know it would take a couple seasons to decompose nicely but I'm wondering if having both bacteria and fungi together would be beneficial. I suppose it partial depends on what you want to grow in it....
I like the idea. I fill all of my beds with branches and wood chips at the base and then cover that with compost, other organic matter, and soil. The wood is a great way to get fungi in the soil and that is definitely beneficial.
I have two large raised beds and I live in a very hot dry area outside of Napa, CA. I've never been able to grow veggies well and I think a lot might be a moisture problem. I watched your hoop video and plan to make those. I understand now mulch is important too. What do you suggest as the best thing to add to my soil to give it the ability to retain moisture? I bought some chicken poop and was thinking about getting worm castings too? It does not look like a hospitable place for worms, it's so dry. I get confused about all the things that are available to buy for amendments! I love your videos and the way you explain things in a straightforward and practical manner. Thank you so much.
Organic matter is the best way to retain moisture. It can be peat, aged manure, compost, anything organic. Then add mulch to the top of the soil to hold in the moisture. Once there is organic material in the soil, the earthworms will find it and populate your soil.
@@GardenerScott thank you so much for replying to my question! My bed is about 4x12' and 1.5' deep. How many cubic feet do you suggest to do a big overhaul?
Wanting to grow cucumbers and watermelon in buckets,bought potting soil and mushroom compost. Will I have to get a fertilizer,and if so which fertilizer would you recommend.?
Yes, you'll probably need fertilizer unless the soil mix you plan to use already has it. The compost may provide some of what you need, but it is often lacking in nitrogen. Consider an organic fertilizer like worm castings, blood meal, fish emulsion, and feather meal.
I bought the miracle gro potting mix and it shows a 0.21% of nitrogen and bought a fish fertilizer it being 5.0% is that too much nitrogen or will the plants be good? Thank you
My wife and I are learning a lot from your videos. You have great content and are an excellent teacher. You talked a bit about the different types of soil and that loam is the best, but what should you do if you have clay soil? Our soil qualifies for being a pond liner. We are adding compost and mulch, but should we be doing more?
Your on the right path. It takes a long time, but compost and mulch is the right way to do it.
@@GardenerScott Thanks.
Thanks a lot for all this quality information. As a new gardener, I don't have good compost and neither wood chips ect....but I can buy nitrates, some chemicals ect ect. Should I do that or just plant with whatever soil I have. I have tried the other year and I didn't get very good crops. I am making my own compost but its gonna take like 1-2 years. So what should I do? Buy some chemicals and nitrate ect, or buy a few sack of compost (they are kinda expensive here, maybe double, triple the price where u are and I am just in university, so I am in a budged) ahhahaha Anyway thanks a lot for everything, You taught me soooo muchhhhh 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗
Add whatever organic matter that you can while waiting for your compost. Even burying some kitchen scraps in the soil will make a difference. It's better to work at improving the soil than to buy chemicals that will do it artificially. See what you can find in your area. Used coffee grounds are good to mix in soil and you can use leaves and grass as a mulch.
@@GardenerScott thanks so much for the reply! I will do that starting tomorrow morning 💗💗😍
Very informative video as usual, I am not learning only gardening from your videos but the English language also.
Sir can you recommend the name of a type of strawberry which can be grown in 40-48 degrees of Celsius?
I don't know of one that can grow in that high heat. Check with other gardeners and growers in your area and see if they have a recommendation.
Scott does wood chips make your vegetables bitter? An what about horse or cow manure? How do you change tast of the vegetable
None of those should affect the flavor much. It's possible the increased nutrients they provide the soil will grow a stronger, healthier plant that will produce a better fruit.
If you have the 30-50% ratio for the first 2 ingredients the there is no room for the other 2 ingredients! Think about it, not helpful at all!
Wow you sounded just like that horror movie from years ago. Good job very interesting video keep up the good work.
Thanks!
I built a raise bed using the hugalculture method but do not plan on using it till the fall several months away. Do I need to water it?
Keeping the soil moist will keep the soil alive. If you get regular rainfall it may not be necessary.