Any other compost topics you want to see more of?

Tip 6. Don't let perfection become the enemy of good. Composting "wrong" is still better than getting overwhelmed with rules and not composting at all.

I made a composting mistake this season that I haven't seen anyone talk about. I have a three bin system and used the compost from the third and final bin to top up all my raised beds this Spring. Apparently my compost was full of sow bugs and they took down almost all of my seedlings. In doing some research I learned that I should have spread the finished compost out on a tarp in the sun (all the sow bugs will either dry up or run away) before adding it to my raised bed.

My dad built something like this when I was a kid. A couple of design tweaks I learned from him. 1) mesh sides for more air. 2) hinge 2 corners and latch the other 2 corners so you can "unwrap" the box from the pile, set it right next to it and flip the whole pile back in.

You can easily do this with just four pallets. I was lucky that the local appliance store was throwing out 2x4 s screwed together with particle board. I simply unscrewed them then built three side that could be simply screwed together. I made a fourth side with the slats connected which can simply slide up like you individual slats. Didn’t even have to cut anything and was able to reuse the screws I took out. Cost of building 5 of them was around 10 dollars. Some Tips 1. Only use heat treated wood (HT) not chemically treated lumber 2. You can use cardboard on top to check rain out or moisture in 3. A pitchfork forks better than anything 4. If you have a rodent problem just don’t add food scraps 5. My bins sit on the ground with no bottom. Keeps from getting to wet in the bottom and the worms love it 6. Coffee grounds, egg shells, and ash from your fire place are excellent to add. Just don’t to heavy on the ash. Determinate tomatoes planted with a cup of ash in the bottom of the whole will love you 7. Turn frequently 8. Give your neighbors a bucket and a list of things they can save for you 9. Shredded newspaper and cardboard are great 10. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Things will breakdown differently depending on where you live 11. Try to repurpose materials for your bin and garden. This is my favorite part when I make something for the garden at no cost 12. Add some finished composite to your new compost pile to kick start the process 13. Adding old potting soil to the compost will recharge it 14. You can take a five gallon bucket of wAter and add grass or weeds to it. Let it sit for a couple weeks. This is better than any water you can use especially if it’s collected from rain water. It can also be directly applied around plants when watering. 15. Be patient and let Mother Nature do her job

As cold composters, we don't add a lot of weeds, but happily toss in whole pumpkins at the end of halloween, pepper cores, etc. The next season's 'volunteers' are always a fun surprise, and we make space to transplant them into different areas when they come up.

I would suggest mixing in a shovelful of soil occasionally to supply the necessary bacteria to aid with decomposition.

Hehe ... out of desperation for compost, I took some not fully composted soil out of the bin for my rhubarb...and pumpkins (ran out of ideas on where to put them). Yes, Hmm.,, it’s now a tomato, cucumber, courgette bed too with some additional pumpkins and butternut squash 🤣🤣 ... no weed seeds though, winning 😁👍

Hi, I'd like you to know that your videos helped me through these pandemic times in so many ways! I really want to thank you and I hope you know how appreciated and valuable you are! All the best 🥰🥰

Me: Oh hey, I have a compost bin. “Turn your compost.” I’ve already failed lol

It can be fun to find the mysterious seeds sprouting though ;) 🌱 We often let them grow a little and replant somewhere in the garden.

I definitely guilty of overfilling my compost pile and forgetting to turn it.

I recently built a double bin compost bin with pallets and it came out great. It's super efficient to use a pitchfork and move the compost to the adjoining bin which is same as turning. However I now realize I need 4 bins so I can always have a finished compost ready while making a new.

Regarding your 'in a perfect world you'd turn the pile every day' comment. From what I've read (I'm no expert) you can turn it too much. Here's a random excerpt off a quick search: _Turning too often (every day) disrupts the formation of the fungi and actinomycetes that do much of the composting work and may prevent the pile from heating up completely._ If I'm wrong please correct me. I used to turn mine every day but noticed slow results so now I do it twice a week and it's gone much faster.

Immediately after watching this I went and gave my big smelly bins so love and attention, cheers mate!

Just want to let you know I just discovered your channel today and really enjoy it. This is my first year having a garden so there was a lot of trial-and-error but it actually came out really good. I did a lot of research last winter to gain as much knowledge as I possibly could. Some mushroom compost, plant food that contains mycorrhizae, organic fish and seaweed plant food, compost tea, and some tender loving care. It's been a really hot summer where I live with not much rain so I've made sure to water it when needed. I'm happy with how everything is growing. Glad I discovered your channel cuz your channel seems very informative.

I’m really considering getting a compost bin for my garden but I don’t have the space for one at the moment these tips was very helpful thank you 🙏🏾.

Thanks for making this! I had a mistake in mine of not enough water in my hot box compost. So much to learn. Glad channels like yours are around to learn from

I built this exact dimension for a compost bin with cedar, which it looks like you used as well. I built with slats in the side too, but wasn’t getting quite hot enough. So I tried Charles Dowding’s technique of putting cardboard in the sides to help maintain heat and moisture. It also takes way more material than you think to fill these dimensions to the appropriate size to get them cooking. It’s taken me a couple of tries, but now am able to get it consistently to 150 Fahrenheit after watching numerous composting videos 🤣🤯 thank you and Charle’s for all of your tips!

So excited third year composting. Have one turning bin I’ve had since beginning which gives me a small amount, but now I’m six months in with three large black bins. I lifted the lids to add something the other day, and they are heating. I’m so excited - compost made my day 🤣🤣🤣. So my hubby ordered me a compost aerator for my birthday - what a great gift seriously 😃.

Lovely tips my friend. I recently started growing a HUGE watermelon plant from my compost from not tending to properly lol. Thanks for sharing the tips...super helpful! 😁✌

I add a lot of clay in my compost barrel (roof gardening) and the results was amazing I use it as my potting mix It hasn't the best texture but if you choose the right plant it will be great My tomatoes can't stop producing Greetings from Greece

You're the best! I love how simple you make it sound.

You are such a great teacher. Your content is extremely helpful and informative. God Bless you and thank you!!!

Great tips! I compost bones and meat (in small portion cause we don't eat a lot of it) and it does fine but we have to be extra diligent about keeping the pile full of dry material all around to avoid pests.

I also add sawdust in the compost and it's an a-mazing brown layer! Thanks for all your great videos and advice on growing, I really love your channel so much!💓love you're new space too. I am really into composting and have 2 bins that i maintain regularly. I compost all year round and I live in the city in Milwaukee, WI where it gets below zero in winter yet my compost stays hot as I continue to feed it. My worms are very happy😃

I personally compost in place. I do the natural compost process but in pots. I just do layers of greens, browns and the top layer is native soil.

Yes, please. I would like to have a video on building your compost bin.

I have a fork with a really bent tine which is quite good at mixing up the compost layers. I put it in the heap deep down and rotate .

Thank you for this video. Great job. I'm a beginner and this video gave me lots of confidence. I'm starting today!

Great , clear and informative... looks like i am going to mix up my home and school compost tomorrow ! never done that before

Love your videos. Simple and they make me feel smart afterwards

Oooooh, im diggin that compost aerator. My neighbors are 10ft away so i compost in old soil bags with tiny holes punched in to manage the odor. Doesnt give u much room to mix. Thanks for sharing.

I am loving your compost bin. I think I may build a few for myself and my parents

Awesome video!!,.. good to check my knowledge, our compost pile is rockin, hot food paper bags and I even add in worm grow and fertilizer, and I probably stir about 1-2 a week,..thanks👍🏿🙏🏿

Nice vid, thanks you 😁 I’m gonna make one of those compost turners, got some steel bars I could bend in the garden from an old building project. That would be so much easier than turning with my fork 😁

I’d love a video on how to make this! Thanks for all the info! :)

Another great informative video, thank you!! Appreciate you

I REALLY appreciate these videos. My state began requiring households to compost as of this July (2020) so I have a bin and have put stuff in it but man. I've watched 4+ webinars and I still don't fully get it, lol.

I failed at hot composting but was able to get two garlic plants growing from my cold pile so I replanted them. They’re doing fantastic right now lol. It looks like I have a sweet potato growing out of my compost pile too. I will likely plant that then haha. Maybe cold composting isn’t so bad. Haha

I turn my compost ONCE, a month after the bay is full. Each bay (I have three) is then left for 6 months to fully mature (oceanic, temperate climate - north western UK). What comes out looks like commercial potting compost. As for moisture: I use "recycled" beer to add moisture as well as to boost the decomposition process (temperature can increase 20ºF within 12 hours of adding it).

Did you read my mind when you posted this? I’ve been researching composting the past few days lol thank you for this video!

Building plans would be good. I have access to pallets.

Great video, something that help a lot is to have thermometer for the compost

I love that compost aerator! I'll have to get one. Thanks!

Im working on building up my compost pile, its not big enough to get hot yet but thats okay Im not in a rush for it to be done...and I just started it last week so its got a ways to go.

I would love a video on how you built this bin!

Liked and subscribed as a thank you, so much good basic info clearly enough even for an adhd case!😊

sometimes the potatoes in my compost start to grow... I just re-plant them and have bonus potatoes.

I would also add that things break down faster the smaller the pieces. I know you have mentioned that in other videos as well.

yeah. the seed issue. as you know, i have a field of tomatoes and two squashes up in the middle of that field. a LOTTA germination. 😆 thinking back, i think my problem began by taking compost from my unfinished winter pile in my garden, not from my finished compost bin near my driveway. lotsa learnin' going on up here. 👍🏻

I use a cement mixer to pulverize my leaves into small pieces, I fill the mixer with leaves then add some brick chunks and run the mixer. I turn my compost based on the temperature in the center of the compost heap. I use organic alfalfa pellets for nitrogen in the winter time to raise the compost temperature and keep it in the 140 to 160 range for several weeks. A layer of leaves, then one or two handfuls of alfalfa pellets scattered over the leaves. The pulverized leaves can be used as mulch in the garden and flower beds to add organic matter, retain moisture and prevent weeds and I use them for bedding in my worm bins.

I have a compose Turner thing too. Best thing ever:)

Love your compost bin. Time to dig out my chopsaw to make another bin instead of pallets

Video on your design for the composter? Yes please!!

It would be great to see one of these videos for worm composting :)

I would love to see a video on building that bin.

How do you know when to stop adding material to a compost pile? Like if I start 1, but then a week later I hv more kitchen scraps etc?

Your video helped me a lot, thank you, watching from Philippines

I use a pitchfork to turn my compost. It works really well. Once the compost gets to a more soil like consistency I switch to a shovel.

Shovel is good to use for turning. I use a pitchfork myself to help aerate the compost when I jab it in and dig up the bottom to the top. Great tips!

Great information! Thanks

About #5, Knowing what seeds you put in there can be a bonus. Volunteers are an amazing thing and you can transplant them to where they need to go. I had dozens of cantaloupe volunteers this year. Thought the seeds had been irradiated but I guess not.

would love for you to do a video on making the compost container

That’s a great compost bin design!

I made a compost bin out of of a 50 gal barrel, made a stand with a pipe through the barrel, put a trap door on hinges and used cheap handles to make the turning of the barrel much easier it works JUST FINE. Put a wheelbarrow underneath open the trap door and empty the compost, I turn the barrel once a day or when I remember. Its off the grounds so no worries if Animal getting into it. No cook food scrap, bones, oils,grease. No grass that's been treated with pesticides of any kind. I use weeds from garden, but no weeds with seeds, and I set them aside to dry till dead then put them in the compost barrel. Add good soil once in a while to help the soul from getting fungus, I dont put water in it for that reason too. I used my compost for my vegetable garden this year and my neighbors cant believe the healthy garden I have, nothing added to it just home compost ONLY. I LOVE garning and love listening to others idea, thanks to all and God Bless...

This makes sense! Thank You Kevin!

Very informative video. Thanks for sharing.

Kevin, Thank you for another great educational and informational video. 1. Where did you get the spiral tool to drill into your pile? 2. I chop everything as small as possible to make it easier to turn every 3 to 4 days with a shovel. (Work!) 3 I made a barrel compoeter that is less volume than the bin but A. it finishes much quicker because I turn it more often. B. I roll it around in the backyard [very easy turning]. C. I can roll it out-of-sight if necessary. Please keep making more great videos. 07/15/2021

Thanks for the update.

Great topic! I'm getting ready to build some new bins for my yard and this was helpful. I'm using pallets, so they'll be about 4'x4' when they are finished. On another note - how did you get timestamps to show up in the red bar at the bottom of your video?!? That's cool!

Yes a video on building the box!!

I live on 12 acres I'm trying to learn to compost. I have not have much luck because I have difficulty getting Browns other than breaking up small branches and twigs. I know I was not turning enough because it's burning enough because my tomatoes began to sprout. But I love this channel I watch it I learned from it and I hope to be better at composting.

I like your compost bin. We want to build one. I’d love it if you can produce a DIY video

Very informative my friend, gardening is therapeutic to me. Please make more vids.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge

Excellent Video on Composting. I have made 3 side by side out of Pallets. The only thing I'd change is I'd make it Larger .. almost 4X4' and I'd staple plastic chicken wire to the sides so that the Material doesn't fall out. As others have said, a Pitch Fork is a Great Tool for Moving the Compost and a Compost Thermometer is Essential so You know when to turn the pile.

Kevin - I’ve got mounds of grass clippings from last year. Can I use last year’s as a brown layer with a layer of this year’s grass clippings.

Can you post the build plans for your bin? Looks great!

I am very interested in building this compost rack! Please do a video on this!

I got tired of vermin getting into my pile, so I bought some 32 gal black trash cans, drilled a bunch of holes in the bottom edges, and kick-started it with cheap store bought compost. The black absorbs heat and helps it faster, and the trash can lid keeps out vermin and in water. It also blocks sunlight for winter sprouting seeds.

Love the video! Thanks for sharing!

Informative and concise.

Amazing tips! Thank you! :D

Can you show the sifting process to create “finished” compost? Also, a video showing all of the varied decomposers...rhinoceros beetle grubs, pill bugs, earthworms, earwigs, ants, centipedes, etc.?

Love U'r, video. Happy gardening.

I usually will keep some plants that lasted the compost and grow in the garden. But I watch what seeds go in since I usually will harvest my own seeds from plants I grow.

Cement mixer bit for drill works very well for mixing compost

Mistakes to avoid: Not chopping things smaller. More surfaces equals quicker composting.

I particularly liked the heat needed to sterilize the seeds. For example, I have potato sprouts and weed sprouts.

Bought a couple compost tumblers from Walmart. Seemed a good idea till realizing they aren't big enough for an actual garden supply of compost. Though in their design they have a good idea not only having a unit that can be tumbled(easy tilling) but also having perforated tubes running through the box. I think this might be a great idea for others to use in their piles...to take a wood or metal tube with holes along the length of the tube/pipe with the ends opened sticking outside the pile on both sides. Just push(hammer) a pipe through your pile to aerorate it. This with some kind of box that can be flipped would make for a no till process. Could possibly use 55gallon barrels, pop some perforated pipe through them in areas and just roll them around once a week. That's pretty much what the tumblers you can buy online are, its only they're on stands. Anything bigger than 55gal drums and you'd need some kinda of device or tractor to spin the compost bins.

Good information. Thank you.

Oh man I did not know you had a KZfaq channel, I listen to your podcast a lot

Tall, cute AND smart and informative!?Total win. 🙌

Would you consider doing an amaranth series? Im learning about as an alternative flour but want to grow it. We are currently looking for where we are going to homestead so we havent started growing it yet

Make a video on that compost bin diy !!!!!😻😻😻

Hello from N. Ireland , Thanks good video I get tomato plants growing in my compost, but I don’t mind that ! ☘️☘️☘️

Thanks for this! It's 1am in the UK but its something we haven't sussed out how to get good compost. I didn't know you had to turn it! Think ours is too dry too. There's some small conifer branchs in the bottom that won't compost, so it has some trapped air. We have the plastic darlik type compost bins. Going to try leaving the lid off when it rains and putting it back on when its sunny. Newer stuff is composting down ok. It has a side panel at the bottom to take out the compost but the twigs are in the way. Wish i saw this video earlier! Newer stuff is composting down ok. Gutted as we just had a lot of rain but its going to get hotter by friday. We have a water butt (best purchase investment!) so might ration some on the compostor. Can you get attachments for the pouring tap so you can connect it to a hose? We want to be eco friendly but its painful watering with cans on a 70ft long garden!

I'm about to start my new composting bin. I'm building it out of pallets. I seen a couple videos and all i am going to do is place it in the sun add two part brown and 1 part green. Give it water and add some food scrapes every so often

Charles Dowding only turns it once, and that is good enough for me. It remains hot for almost a year as long as moisture level is ok. And although I get some weed seeds surviving, diseased material is cured by the heat.