Best Way to Enrich Your Garden Soil to Grow Bigger and Better Vegetables

[Pizzapie500]

WOW! Look at those birds at 3:00! Anyway, I wish I could get compost that cheaply... =(

[CelticSouthland]

Do you know where your compost has been?

I make my own compost, so I know that it is free of dangerous chemicals and toxic substances.

[DanielManahan]

Sweep your neighbor's gutters for some good compost. They will appreciate it, and it is free.

the cost of soil diminishes the economic value of a garden. free is always better.

[DanielManahan]

We have vegan dogs that shit all over the place and collect that for our compost. Since they are vegan, their poop is perfect for compost for garden.

[Hobbsfamilynz2]

Hi John. I've been watching your videos for about a couple of months now and want to thank you for inspiring me, educating me and making veggie gardening fun again. Keep up the good work. Cheers Jules from New Zealand

[pIants2010]

Hay John and or others... I am looking at around $150 for some compost for my garden at $25 a truck load (normal truck not a semi lol) do you think that that is a good deal or not? Should I just bite the bullet and reap the harvest? Dont forget to add leaves to the garden! ;) and by the way I think that you are redy for a small truck lol

[growingyourgreens]

Hi. Where are you located? What are the alternatives? Did you check out other places that may sell compost? Is the compost you would get delivered certified organic? what goes in it? Before investing alot in compost, it might be worthwhile to ask for a sample to grow some things in pots to see how they do. Also get a soil assay to see whats in there. Basically, shop around for the highest quality stuff you can get. If you found it, just bit the bullet. You are investing in your health

[NewEnglandgardening]

I've seen you load up that car before. The leaf springs must be shot by now.  Our local yard has dark soil compost available that people line up to shovel into their trunks too, but I'm leery of what might be in that soil. I don't think a local city yard tests for oils or pcbs. On the other hand I have purchased leading brand garden soil from HD and found shriveled rubber balls and plastics in it. I guess one could have large compost bins to know for sure what you have by making it.

[RashadMadeYouLookBad]

man your a pro



[PlasticineLady]

Great vid, thanks John. I'm interested about greening things in the desert soils. Do you have any advice for the Navajo Indians - is it possible to green the deserts in their harsh climate using your techniques ie rockdust etc? Would this work?

[growingyourgreens]

Greening the desert is possible. Im no expert in that field.. check out the video at

watch?v=8gPvsl9ni-4

to be inspired.

[247websolutions]

Great vid, thanks! BTW, what happened to the bio-char?

[VitalityMassage]

Hey John, Why don't you use a mask when you dump the rock dust?

[mike19831115]

you need to get yourself a bakkie...

[christinascaparisons]

You're so awesome, John! I love all of your informative videos so much!!! Thank you!!!

[MrandMissConverted]

Hi John, wonderful vid as usual. Please explain biodynamic compost. In what ways is it different from and better than regular compost? How does it work? Thanks!

[growingyourgreens]

see

watch?v=8hilVaVUxHM

for the specifics on this biodynamic compost.

For me, the added benefits over the OMRI mallard compost I use to get from Sonoma Compost:

1. Compsted for a longer peroid of time

2. has biodynamic preparations. Im not so sure these actually are "beneficial" but I believe they probably are not bad. 

[PJMDS]

@growingyourgreens John the preparations are nonsense, the guy that invented them was just a mad man with no agricultural or chemistry background, also there is no study that proves so far that the preparations do anything besides wasting time and money.

[RonPaulIsiah]

why does the soil level go down? is it b.c gets compacted or b.c the plants eat it up? thanks and keep up the good work

[Illchangeitlater]

@RonPaulIsiah Both. The plants need building materials to grow, just like humans do ;)

[StephieMcCarthy]

Great video. I checked out my local waste-station and got the rates!

[MarshmallowVogt]

What do you think about adding used coffee grounds to the garden

[growingyourgreens]

see

watch?v=a4MVP_XEFaQ

for my answer

[pestanah]

awesome video john. i love to shop for good compost. man, i wished i was ur neighbour or your camera-person...

[kmkdenali]

I use empty dog food bags (20#) to bag up my compost. Not too heavy, very sturdy. My town has compost for free. Great deal.

[PJMDS]

biodinamic stuff is nonsense, it's just regular compost, I can't believe that smart people fall for it, you might pay extra for the same stuff just because they claim it's biodinamic :D

[sefirkus01]

What I have been doing is taking my fruit peels and greens and actually putting them directly into the garden. I just dig a hole and dump it in and cover it. I put orange peels around my orange tree and avocado peels around my avocado tree. I even pour my left over green juice into the garden or around the trees. I have been putting bananas & their peels around my greens to make them sweeter.

[rubbernecker13]

The more biochar you add the less your soil surface will sink in theory as that form of carbon won't decompose, or at least not for a few thousand years. When you reach that point, I wonder if you'll have soil compaction and aeration problems or if the worm and decomposing roots will prevent all that. It'll be interesting to see. I just make 30 gallons of fine charcoal dust from tree waste to add to my compost so I'll have to see if those beds stay raised longer than ones without.

[chova23]

Yay! Thanks for doing this video!  Helps a lot. The bed I started this summer is already settling to a lower level.

[gogogardener]

Thanks! We have two planters that are a few years old. I noticed the soil level was down and wondered what happened. Since you have the same thing happen, I'm guessing the soil loss nearly equals the amount of plant and fruit mass that we took away.

[growingyourgreens]

A Small amount of soil loss may be equal to the amount of plant and fruit mass taken away, but in my situation, the soil "settles" as I never compact the soil in the beds. There is extra airspace in the soil and extra organic matter in the soil, that compresses over time. This is the main reason for the dropping in the soil level in my opinion.

[gogogardener]

@growingyourgreens - interesting observation.  lJust put up a new raised bed. lol. I put down shredded junk mail as the first layer. (It's 30" deep, so it'll be awhile before the roots get that deep and it'll have a chance to compost). Just couldn't resist. Topped it with some manure. Hey, gotta have some fun gardening too.

[MrJohnhunt1]

Hey John Love your little car but dude you need a pickup...

[BalconyGrow]

Great video as always John. :0)

[Vladivostok41]

John, you soil is the Holy Grail of soils. Gardener's should take pilgrimages to your garden to receive a handful of your soil.

[HealthFLI]

What does the rock dust do?

[Vladivostok41]

@HealthFLI It adds minerals to the soil and lets the plant absorb it. It can allow plants to grow bigger, and John claims it makes his vegetables taste better.

[growingyourgreens]

Adds TRACE minerals back into the soil. This is not the same as granite dust, or lime, marble dust. Its a mixxed dust.. See

watch?v=xYV_HK0cTFc

watch?v=NlGauJnyCFg

watch?v=xywvVgafNss

for further information on Rock Dust.

[curandero2012]

Has adding rock dust any influence on the pH of the soil?? Great vid btw

[nemodot]

@curandero2012 it must, in some degree. Rock dust is a very complex mix of minerals, many of them are conjugated bases and acids that affect the amount of H+ ions on the soil therefore altering pH.

[curandero2012]

@nemodot I ask myself how fast compared with limestone when adding large amount of rock dust to your soil like 1 pound per square foot.

[SpikenAL]

have you tried to raise earthworms in the beds ? about 30 european nightcrawlers at a bait shop for about $4.... 1 lb. $33. yup $33. a lb.

[growingyourgreens]

YES! thats another part of my Soil - the earthworms. I never "added' earthworms in my beds, but there were in the ground below my beds, and have migrated into my beds making their own castings... When digging in the beds, I often times find earthworms, that love breaking down some of the organic matter that is not fully broken down in the compost..

[PJMDS]

@growingyourgreens John for your raised beds you should use earthworms that go deep in the soil, they are not the same ones that make vermicompost, you should use Eisenia Hortensis (pink worms almost transparent, the big ones are the same color of your soil) on your raided beds for the best results, the regular compost worms are often Eisenia Fetida (red worms) but they don't live long in soils without big amounts of organic matter, they prefer to near the top of the soil.

[curandero2012]

What about adding loess to your soil and gypsum???

[mysciencenow]

man i cant believe how fortunate you are to have cheap organic compost...

[MrVenturadog]

I have found that rubber made containers are great for hailing compost, because almost any bag can break and almost always one does. The handdles help out a lot too. If you really want big plants that taste amazing,getting amino acid micro nutrients such ass BIO-MINs from JH Bio-tech. Bio-min calcium well help your tomato from dropping flowers to.

[budokaii69]

First!!