Comparing cooler with warm composting methods and results

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Күн бұрын

How to make and use compost in winter, when it's colder and there is less material to add. It's possible to keep adding to your heap, but results will be much slower than in the summer.
My climate is temperate oceanic and the temperature is often above freezing in winter, so the garden still happens, just slowly!
I show you heaps of different sizes, how we turn them once only, and you see the imperfect looking results.
We finish with a look at my wormery, or worm farm. You see how even in cool conditions, thousands of Eisenia fetida (red, or tiger worms) are quite close to the surface and still eating. But less fast than in summer, and soon we shall remove the worm casts beneath them (compost) for use in propagation, see link to video.
00:00 Introduction - including what happens when compost gets icy in winter
00:53 My 7-bay system - I explain how we use it with 5 bays in use mostly
04:02 Some examples of what we add to the heaps
04:25 Having a pipe in heaps to enable an air-hole
05:02 A look at the profile of a heap
05:42 Protecting mature compost from rain
06:25 A look at my pallet bays - including when to cover, and the temperature
08:27 Using a turning tool to get more air in the heap, and mix materials
09:07 Dalek bins, and why I recommend them
09:52 The wormery - I show you the high value compost it produces
13:20 More videos on compost making, and info in my No Dig book www.charlesdowding.co.uk/prod...
Check out these videos:
Composting from start to finish - • Composting from start ...
Making compost in a Dalek - • Making compost in a da...
Make your own potting compost - • Make Your Own Potting ...
And my compost knowledge pack: www.charlesdowding.co.uk/prod...
My website has a lot of free information www.charlesdowding.co.uk/educ...
My Compost book will be published by ‪@dkbooksuk2614‬ in autumn 2024
You can join this channel by paying a monthly fee, to support our work with helping gardeners grow better, and to receive monthly videos made only for members:
/ @charlesdowding1nodig
#nodig #compost #wintergardening

Пікірлер: 223

@nathanpickett7224 6 ай бұрын

I was thinking there had been no decent gardening videos on KZfaq in a while. Then my old faithful come through for me 😊

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Nice thanks nathan

@jackstone4291 6 ай бұрын

Not even watched yet and already interested

@dianeweeks352 6 ай бұрын

Years ago, I am 83 now, I raked up all the debris from my rectangular vegetable garden space and had a pile about four foot high and six foot long and just left it. During the winter the snow that fell melted into it immediately and it visibly kept shrinking. In the spring I raked it back onto the space and turned it in. My neighbor said he got a kick out of watching it.

@joshlovegood9392 6 ай бұрын

There's nothing better than a Charles Dowding Compost video. Thank you once again!!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

My pleasure Josh

@naturegirlmia 6 ай бұрын

My husband and I took a walk into the woods after watching this. Its just a good old tight tree 18 acre woods. As we sat on a fallen log he told me to wipe away all the leaves till i ran out and saw soil. It was so rich and dark and it just broke apart into little pieces. He then said in only four words, " Just like Charles said!!!" The floor of a woods is about as no dig as is gets, except where maybe a squirrel digs and hides a hickory nut, lol. Another wonderful video Charles.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

That is so nice, thank you and your walk sounds delightful 🎄

@fourdayhomestead2839 6 ай бұрын

Long time watcher of your channel. I'm still amazed by your compost bays. It's an awesome set up. 😊

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thankyou :)

@bertibear1300 6 ай бұрын

My winter compost had lots of squash seeds and my squash plants failed but those seeds came up and I have 30 squash to see me though winter.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Great to hear 🙂

@waynesell3681 Ай бұрын

So amazing! Great video with the rain under cover. Been getting the gardens planted mainly direct sowing. Watching a mix....

@CharlesDowding1nodig 28 күн бұрын

Sounds great!

@balancedflow9659 6 ай бұрын

My compost improved with laziness. There are two piles: last year, and this year. Last year gets used now through spring as beds empty. I start the new pile in late summer with the most recent third of this year. No worries about green/brown, and an occasional forking to feel like I am helping out

@lifeisgood9175 6 ай бұрын

Amazing how satisfying it is to see your beautiful compost and worms, lol. I started this journey at 60, 2 1/2 years ago during Covid shutdowns. The best thing I never realized I would love!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

That is great to hear

@AnastasiaSev 5 ай бұрын

Дорогой Чарльз!!! Я смотрю ваши видео из Севастополя. Смотрю и учусь. Спасибо, что делитесь своим опытом с нами.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 5 ай бұрын

Рад слышать

@michaelboom7704 6 ай бұрын

I love making my own compost, everything from hot compost to have a pile for the worms to do their job. Just wish I had more room to make bigger amounts like you have. Looks Great !!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Sounds productive Michael and thanks

@jimchristensen965 6 ай бұрын

Greetings from central Iowa, USA! Mr. Dowding you are a character and a great personality and you dress like we do sometimes. You do lots of the hard work and yes sometimes it's messy. It's so easy to relate to you. You certainly are one of us. Thank You and as a composter I continue pick up on a thing or two and as you mentioned we can always make better compost. Thank You, Merry Christmas, God Bless.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for your kind words Jim

@nizamkuccukaytekin2845 6 ай бұрын

Sizi severek izliyorum Türkiye'den. Etrafimdaki bahce yapanlar toprakla adeta savaş ediyorlar oysa daha kolay daha zevklisi varken nedense daha zor olanını tercih ediyorlar. Yeni yılınızı en içten dileklerimle kutlarım.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Teşekkür ederim ve evet, benzerlerini burada sık sık görüyoruz! Güzel bir yıl sonu ve verimli bir 2024 geçirmenizi dileriz 🌱

@annashiegl 6 ай бұрын

My favourite, compost making, it's so fascinating. I have a smallish garden with one pallet heap, and one dalek, but I need more 😂 I bought a super duper paper shredder to shred my cardboard boxes. It doesn't manage really thick corrugated cardboard, but for the normal boxes it's a great little workhorse 😊can't wait to buy your new book in 2024

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Fantastic Anna!

@JulesGardening 6 ай бұрын

Appreciate that Charles. Always learning something from you. Happy Holidays!

@OrtoInScatola 6 ай бұрын

So jealous of all that moisture. Hasn’t been raining seriously in years here where I live, in northern Italy. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Charles!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Oh no! Yet I heard of flooding in N Italy last May, not in your region I guess, I wish you rain for 2024 💦

@naomi2646 6 ай бұрын

I know you have gold when it comes to compost . Enjoyed the visit, love to see your work.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Yes, thank you Naomi

@richstone2627 6 ай бұрын

Great video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and time.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

You are very welcome Rich

@mwmingram 6 ай бұрын

Loved this.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

I am glad

@metalchips 6 ай бұрын

I love making compost

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Great to hear

@gailthornbury291 6 ай бұрын

Me too

@KentuckyCornbread3219 6 ай бұрын

Another great video Charles thank you Merry Christmas to all and happy new year ❤

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

thank you and to you 🙂

@chrismiles7589 6 ай бұрын

THANK YOU Charles - inspirational, educational, altogether wonderful - with every possible best wish for Christmas and the New Year.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

You are very welcome, Happy Christmas Chris

@mikkosgarden 6 ай бұрын

Composting in piles and using worms is definitely the best way of producing nutrient rich compost. Great video

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thanks Mikko

@rickthelian2215 6 ай бұрын

Compost and worm bin doing really well, the worms have come a long way😊

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thank you Rick

@ugurmutlu4241 6 ай бұрын

Thank you

@manuelrojas4483 6 ай бұрын

Desde Tenerife te envío un poco de Sol 🌞 para ti y tu huerto 😂 y espero la lluvia que tienes por ahí 🤙🏻🌞👏🥕🌸🥬🐞🌿🌹

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Gracias, es una buena idea. Ojalá pudiéramos intercambiar y, en este momento, ¡está tan oscuro!

@xBeatNoCopyrightMusic 6 ай бұрын

Great info💚

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

I am glad

@mojavebohemian814 6 ай бұрын

Thank you Bet compost I ever made was with pallet bays! I think compost is kind of a slow-release soil ammendment when you put it on the beds to "finish" over winter. All that "goodness" as Charles Dowding says!

@salilsahani2721 6 ай бұрын

Thank you :)

@fletchybabe6172 6 ай бұрын

I look forward to the smaller book about composting next year 👍🏻👍🏻🙂🌱☀️

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

💚

@iteerrex8166 6 ай бұрын

You can make one of those 9:13 from old trash cans that the bottoms are worn out. Just turn it over and put the lid on top, and boom done. I tried it with the kitchen waste and leaves, and it’s working great, just takes a bit longer than a 4x4x4 ft cube.

@kindershoko 6 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

You are welcome

@bernadette6211 6 ай бұрын

I love playing with various types of composting..The worms love fruit..

@tedbastwock3810 6 ай бұрын

SOOOOO glad you are making a composting book, I cant wait to pre order it!! What a fantastic video, Charles and Crew! Charles, how long has it been when those shots were taken of your Brussels Sprouts? They look AMAZING!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Cheers Ted and they are from last week 10th December

@toam4948 6 ай бұрын

Charles i tuoi consigli è il tuo modo di fare giardinaggio è fantastico come sempre,ti seguo sempre nei tuoi video ,spero che i tuoi libri vengono tradotti in italiano.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Grazie mille. Bello da sentire. Vorrei che lo fossero, ma ci vuole un editore che possa pagare la traduzione e poi tutti i costi di stampa e distribuzione e se ci sono abbastanza italiani che vogliono comprare il libro, lo spero, ma non ne sono sicuro!

@ralphwinter6421 6 ай бұрын

Nice one Charles, gud vid...

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Cheers Ralph

@frankbarnwell____ 6 ай бұрын

Looking cold. Go get comfortable like your worms. Excellent. Merry Christmas

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Cheers Frank!

@rubyquinonez5966 5 ай бұрын

es todo complejo aveces para mi.. pero no pierdo la fe.. algun dia voy a lograr hacer composta sin tanto fallo mister charly 💪❤️

@CharlesDowding1nodig 5 ай бұрын

Sí Ruby, lo harás, puedes, no tengas miedo 😃

@rubyquinonez5966 4 ай бұрын

😘

@luisagarcia3961 6 ай бұрын

Charles que frio que está seus vídeos são Maravilhosos ❤❤

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Haha si, et gracias

@Josef_R 6 ай бұрын

I have a compost bag in the house, occasionally I throw them a bucket full of half-compost and then shredded leaves on top of that.

@user-mx1ls1uu3w 6 ай бұрын

Thank you so much. I feel like you have been and checked my compost setup and given me a silver star! I am doing ok. I can’t wait for the spring because my raised beds are so going go thank us that’s me and you 😀 👍

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Nice work! 😀

@joshuahoyer1279 6 ай бұрын

I had noticed in the compost bin I finished making this year, that worms were congregating in the outer edges of the compost long before the temperature in the center really started going back down. The bulk of the pile consisted of alpaca manure, which may explain why they went to it so readily, since alpaca beans are already fairly well broken down (I've heard it can be spread on gardens without burning plants, but I wanted to make sure anything touching our food crops had any potential pathogens knocked out.) I was able to harvest some really nice worm castings from those edges before giving the heap a bit of a turn! (I made sure to transfer the worms to a cooler pile after sifting it)

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Nice observations Joshua

@samanthahoos9827 6 ай бұрын

I set up a compost pallet bin last year which immediately brought rats to my gardens digging way down into beds. I’m back to giving my scraps to my chickens then digging up their run soil (where we put the compost material) for putting on beds in spring.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

So good for the chickens too!

@CristianSpitz 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for the video! I have a small garden so hot composting is never an option for me. This year I had tried to make compost using worms and some grubs. My recipe is using the spent soil from growing containers with leaves and vegetable scraps While doing that I have made 2 mistakes: overwatering and too many leaves. That killed half of the grubs. Usually I use as "compost" coniferous bark and the extra material from sieving peat mixes. Works very well for keeping the soil moisture for longer time.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Cheers Christian, sounds interesting. For the worms I would not add soil or even old compost, they like almost anything still decomposing

@CristianSpitz 6 ай бұрын

@@CharlesDowding1nodig in my case I use soil as a House/Refuge for the worms during dryouts, here in southern Romania the summers are hot and dry, so you can see a compost pile get dangerously dry in under 24H. Also the soil soaks the worm tea when composting with worms in a sealed bottom container.

@fanjiang9317 5 ай бұрын

I am using leave and the brewing waste this fall . It made my compost very hot. I turned 3 times and left for mature. I can’t stop making hot compost after I watch your videos 4 years ago. Thank you

@CharlesDowding1nodig 5 ай бұрын

Nice to hear! If it was me, I would turn only once, but I notice how we all have preferred methods and yours sounds to be working very nicely.

@fanjiang9317 5 ай бұрын

Thank you. My pile is not as big as yours. I want it to be evenly decomposed, it’s a lot more work but it comes out better .

@annakirkland1134 5 ай бұрын

Any tips on getting heat into your compost heap? Gave mine a bit of a turn and seems cold with a few weeds sprouting.

@aname5267 6 ай бұрын

I love composting. I have two daleks at home plus two pallet bays and a tree pruning pile which I count as a compost bay at the allotment. Not sure what the future holds for the prunings but I like to tell myself wildlife is enjoying it!

@yvonnejackson1696 6 ай бұрын

I had a pine tree that was too close to the house taken down a number of years ago. The tree people hauled the logs and cuttings out in my back lot and piled them up. Several years later I happened to look out at the decomposing heap and it was covered in the richest most beautiful wild balsam I’ve ever seen.

@renatamcstay 6 ай бұрын

I jump on my pruning piles occasionally then once a year move the big stuff to add broken browns from the bottom to my main compost layers

@ohio_gardener 6 ай бұрын

Enjoyed watching your winter composting processes. Unfortunately, our winter composting comes to a standstill as temps drop down to around -10ºF. But, Spring is not too far off. 🤠

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

So cold! It's 46F as I write this

@pguk83 6 ай бұрын

Ur compost rocks :-)

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thank you

@quantafitness6088 6 ай бұрын

Even in Scandinavia, I make compost over winter. It is made in a pit, next to our house. In October I fill it with organic matter. After that, I start digging in bokashi compost every och every other week. The compost is covered with newspaper and spruce rice. It never freezes eveb though we sometimes get -15 celsius. Of course it is due to the placing near the house and the covering. But also, every time I dig in bokashi, the temp goes up for a few days. In spring it is ready enough to use.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

That is impressive!

@small-timegarden 6 ай бұрын

This video made a whole lot of sense to me now that I have just completed a pile. I made a pile 8'×8'×2'. It was too much volume for me to turn/flip. It's first flip was when it was complete :) there were very small pockets of anaerobic activity. Having the pile now loosened, all is aerated

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Glad it helped and that was a very worthwhile turn!

@francesmorris8207 6 ай бұрын

I have 3 Hotbins which are amazing and produce rich, worm-populated compost in a matter of weeks. As our local council is bringing in charges for removal of garden waste from this spring, I refuse to pay yet another tax and so I got myself a decent shredder to deal with prunings, tough weeds and stalks of plants after the growing season is over, and all the extra material this produces has really boosted the volume of compost I am able to produce! Every bit of paper and thin card goes through our paper shredder and is added as extra brown material, so nothing is wasted. Finally this year, I should have sufficient compost to cover the majority of my vegetable beds :)

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for this inspiring comment and your compost making sounds superb. These new taxes are the thin end of the wedge, it's a worry!

@paulday7134 6 ай бұрын

We have been charged for years for the green bin and collection every two weeks. Never had one myself as I can easily compost my green waste. Always wondered why anyone in my road would need one as well all have quite big gardens. I view it as an extra service which lazy composters will pay for. Only wish I knew what happened to all that compost the council must produce, They wont tell me.@@CharlesDowding1nodig

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

😂

@lesjardinspartagesrakrouki1357 6 ай бұрын

Bonjour monsieur Charles superbe vidéo je m'abonne from Sète France 🇨🇵 bonne fête 🥳 de fin d'année à très bientôt

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Merci bien 💚

@DK6060 6 ай бұрын

I live in Toronto and have have a small heap (half-dalek sized) that I put together in the last few weeks. It is still 14-15C when the overnight temperature is below 0. It will freeze solid in January but that will become the base of my spring heap.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Lovely job!

@yvonnejackson1696 6 ай бұрын

I had never used grass clippings on my compost pile until this past year. Can’t wait to spread it out and see the results. Beautiful compost.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Great to hear Yvonne

@martabuk6306 6 ай бұрын

Robię kompost od 12 lat tylko wcześniej go przekopywałam a od paru lat ogladam Pana i przestałam kopać, ale Pan zainspirował mnie do kompostowania bezpośrednio na grządkach jest mniej pracy a plony bardzo duże. Na jesień układam na grządkach różne materiały to przykrywam kartonem i sianem, żeby kartony nie porwał wiatr. Na wiosnę mam super ziemię pełną dżdżownic bez mojej pracy i przerzucania kompostu. Pozdrawiam

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Wspaniale to słyszeć Marta

@vatsmith8759 6 ай бұрын

My vegetables often fail but my compost heap always provides a good crop.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Oh wow! The vegetables will surely improve! 🌱

@user-jj9sg5fu1e 6 ай бұрын

A really useful video as always, thank you. One question though- how do you remove the compost in the wormery without killing the worms?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thanks. The worms are always near the top feeding, unless it's either very hot or very cold. So in mild weather, we can slide them off the top into the space nearby, with the food they are eating, and that reveals the compost below to remove. Then start again.

@sharonscott8358 6 ай бұрын

My husband is in charge of the compost at my allotment. I just fill the bins, he turns it. He loves turning it. In fact I have to tell him not to turn it in the winter. We have 5 daleks and a wooden one 1m square. We made loads of compost this year, although still not enough to cover the whole allotment. I've a big pile, covered in plastic that I am gradually spreading. My plan over the winter is to construct a bay for finished compost because I know at least 1 of the daleks is finished with no where for it to go. I do put weeds and grass but generally not weed seeds although the 1m sq bin can get quite hot. At home we have 2 compost bins and that generally works more like a wormery - always full of worms. We had an old dustbin with spent potting compost from emptying flower pots, which had got left probably for a good 12 months and it was like worm casts where obviously the worms had got in a composted all the roots of the plants, lovely!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Sounds great Sharon, well done to you and your husband 🙂

@rubiccube8953 6 ай бұрын

I just turn 4 times now and pierce the heap with a heavy cast iron spike approximately 1 ft apart like a Johnson su composter Every couple of weeks. I have a massive stock of fine wood chip to which I’m adding mainly coffee grounds and cardboard over the winter which I can collect loads of. I put a insulating slab with the foil taken off from the inner side on the top of the heap ,sloping towards the sunny side to keep that damp with rain. When I turn next spring I will add grass and comfrey.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Nice organisation!

@milupas 6 ай бұрын

Fascinating topic. Thanks for showing us this. I love making compost with worms and have used the end product mixed with coir at 50/50 with mixed results. How would you use it in a potting mix for seeds and for potting on?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Never in fact with coir, because that has zero nutrients and I use instead 10% worm compost, 10 to 20% very old woodchip, most of the rest is home-made one-year-old compost and sometimes I add proprietary to bulk it up, see kzfaq.info/get/bejne/d8l3ls-YvM3YeYU.html

@renatamcstay 6 ай бұрын

Very greatfull thank you. I have no good supply of cardboard for sides. I thought to retain heat and moisture i would tarpaulin cover top of compost. As well as a deterant for birds. But would uncovered, exposed to sky be better?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

You are welcome Renata and yes a cover on top is worthwhile!

@03acma 12 күн бұрын

Thanks for all the great videos! Which worms are you using for this?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 12 күн бұрын

No special ones, the common red worms Eisenia fetida

@DrNickBailey 5 ай бұрын

I drilled some holes in the bottom of my pipe and enjoy feeling the warmth coming out the top like a chimney - but I did wander if that was taking too much oxygen out of the heap.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 5 ай бұрын

I don't think so Nick, because I'm not convinced that air can flow out of the heap. That's why I do not make holes in my pipe. I think the warmth we feel rising up is just an air exchange through movement of air in the pipe. If I remove the pipe, then I see steam which suggests there is moisture coming out, which actually is what I want.

@mehmetkadoglu9077 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for your useful videos. What are your opinions on the use of pine for the materials used as carbon in compost? What can be the maximum ratio of pine in the carbon source?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Pine is fine, no pH problem but its oils cause slow decomposition so maybe a quarter at most, preferably half rotted already

@hkeenan1000 5 ай бұрын

Have you said where to get worms for a wormery? I love the simplify of ground and cardboard. Had one on my balcony in Spain and worked a treat. I’d love to add a wormery to my existing garden with 3 compost bays. Please share any links to where I might purchase worms. Love your videos and knowledge on composts. I’ve turned into a compost queen according to my neighbours. : )

@CharlesDowding1nodig 5 ай бұрын

That's nice, well done! Try Yorkshire worms yorkshire-worms.co.uk

@paulday7134 6 ай бұрын

I have 5 daleks which always seem to be full but do eventually produce a decent product, a hot composter that works really well with mainly kitchen scraps. I try and remember to keep the browns up with cardboard. I have a number of trees and bushes in my garden and the prunings go on a pile next to my shed. The pile has been there over 30 years. It now stays the same height as my shed as it rots down at the same rate I add to it. I imagine there must be something useful at the bottom but I just leave it as a massive bug hotel and home for small mammals and invertebrates. I reckon the invertebrates merge into the garden and keep pests down and are eaten by birds, foxes etc whilst the small mammals dig holes in the soil and eat the invertebrates as well.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Lovely to see this Paul

@daved2403 4 ай бұрын

Great video! Few questions. My 6 bin system (from pallets) is in the woods. I had tree roots growing up through the compost, so need to turn more often? Or can I put plastic on bottom? Also, my pallets rot out after about a year - any way to prevent this? And, some of the bins dried out - is there a good way to measure right moisture level? Thanks again!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 4 ай бұрын

Answers are all no. A few roots does not matter. Line with cardboard should help.

@markq23 6 ай бұрын

Great video Charles!😊👍 I make my compost in some slightly larger plastic beans than the darlik bins and i find that it doesnt get hot. I have just emptied them and im quite satisfied with the result although it has taken over a year to break down🤔 is this normal?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Sounds great Mark and it must be that you're not adding large volumes of green material at any one time or consistently. Which is totally fine, and as you observe, the compost is good. It may have weed seeds, depending what you put in.

@GARDENER42 6 ай бұрын

5:40 Those brussels sprouts look superb. What variety?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thanks, Brigitte F1

@theboyberm 6 ай бұрын

Hi Charles. I have raised beds and would like to know on a budget what is the best mix to have to fill them. I have an abundance of horse manure available to me. My hopes are to have them filled and settled for next spring

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

I would fill them with the horse manure, 90%, and then a top layer of something finer, almost any compost can work

@lllCostalll Ай бұрын

Hello, hope you don’t mind me asking. What is your view on leaf mould? Worth doing separate? Is leaf mould (2yo compost) too low in nitrogen? I was under the impression that leaf mould was more useful on its own for seed sowing. Thank you 😊

@CharlesDowding1nodig Ай бұрын

It's good, valuable compost, low in N does not matter but for general propagation use compost

@virginieforzy7245 6 ай бұрын

Hello! I was wondering whether I could replace the cardboard by geotextile...or would that not keep enough heat and moisture? Thank you for your wonderful videos 😊

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

I would never, ever do that, because you do not want a layer of plastic in the soil, interrupting the movement of soil organisms, both up and down, also passage of roots downwards. The cardboard is brilliant because it decomposes within three months so it's a temporary weed barrier. After that for perennial weeds, you need to keep using a trowel to remove new growth and weaken their roots until they stop growing. Or use black plastic on top but never buried

@virginieforzy7245 6 ай бұрын

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you ever so much for your answer! It was a thought to apply this so called rot-proof material on the sides of the pallet compost... I should have thought better..only organic material 😄 Thanks again 🥦🥕🥬

@leslielanglois7774 4 ай бұрын

Do you have a view on using well rotted farmyard manure (horse/cow/straw/shavings) ? Also I have access to what is likely to be a couple tons of pigeon loft manure that was bagged up a decade or so ago and stored in dry conditions; i'm of the view that I will have to dilute it fairly heavily to get something that bacteria/fungi/worm friendly in composting pits?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 4 ай бұрын

If well rotted I would use on beds as compost mulch. The dry pigeon manure would be great used 20% with say wood shavings, sawdust etc and wetted as you say

@turtle2212 6 ай бұрын

I proudly announce: 2 ready tonnes of compost currently, 1 ton half mature for greenhouse next year😊 and quite some rich chicken compost from deep bedding! So I am busy spreading, but I cannot await valentines day!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Wonderful! 💚

@eb1684 6 ай бұрын

Do you think the handle of the fork could use a bit of linseed oil?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Yes!

@tonisee2 6 ай бұрын

Great video as always! I wonder if it could be useful to introduce compost worms into the bin in a bit larger quantity? E.g. after first turning the compost, when temperature has already dropped?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thanks and I am happy with their speed of breeding!

@tonisee2 6 ай бұрын

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you for answering! I was rather considering if it could be useful for e.g. more urban situation. Or in my case - I never have seen those red(der)-looking worms in my cooled down compost bins or heaps. I don't know if it is due to lacking those species in surface layers of my soil or something else.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Hi C, and that's interesting because everywhere I have gone and they are so common. Maybe there is a deficit in your area and why not buy a kilogram for one of your cooler heaps, they should breed and then spread around the garden when you use the compost

@tomburns3113 6 ай бұрын

nice to see somebody using a purpose made turning tool charles.mine works fine in the daleks and the odd bay i have.great compost and a healthy workout.not seen the dolman? on sale for a while,maybe been banned?thanks for the vid

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

🏆 thanks Tom

@MiltonTheTortoise 6 ай бұрын

Hi Charles, hope you are well! This might be a dumb question but can you compost organic flour and non-organic flour? We had to clean out a kitchen and found a couple unopened bags. Many thanks!!

@hp-cs7mx 6 ай бұрын

Yes

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Yes I would, both

@ashtonswinburn8414 6 ай бұрын

Hi, I have been trying to think of ways to fertilise my garden with free resources but the only things I have access to are materials that would either need composting or put into liquid state, despite these being very effective after this year being flooded out my garden due to the massive amounts of rainfall I was wanting another option for wetter years to add fertility and biochar came up and it seems to provide everything I want from a soil amendment such as aeration and fertilisation and i was wondering if you have good experiences with it or know of people who have. Thanks 😁

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Sounds difficult for you. I reckon biochar is often mis-sold charcoal. No 'fertiliser' value. Can be expensive too so be careful

@ashtonswinburn8414 6 ай бұрын

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thank you

@doudougirondin9202 6 ай бұрын

Très interessant. Mais ici, l'hiver dure ... 7 mois ! 😁

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Oh la la, bon courage

@honeybee3317 6 ай бұрын

Do you use your warm compost beds to grow your potted seedlings on the compost surface, due to the free heat?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

No, because they are outside and exposed to the weather. Heat blows away! I make a dedicated hot heap in the greenhouse from fresh horse manure, to provide warmth for seedlings.

@MUSTASCH1O Ай бұрын

I wonder if the pallet type compost bins ever get slow worms and amphibians in them, and if so where abouts they typically reside in the composting material. Would be sad to catch one with the fork!

@CharlesDowding1nodig Ай бұрын

Occasionally and visibly, near the surface. I never damaged one.

@MUSTASCH1O Ай бұрын

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks this is good to know for if I ever build one!

@HollyMarsh0716 6 ай бұрын

I wonder if drilling vent holes in the pipe would allow a more constant air exchange to the center of the heap.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

I don't reckon so, because look at the heap profile at the front and see how dense it is. Only an actual hole can make a difference, unless one installed an air pump, but I don't want to go that far!

@dialecticcoma 6 ай бұрын

have you ever tried any anaerobic methods Charles, like bokashi? might be an interesting experiment!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Thanks, and I don't like the sound of them, too much of having to buy EM, keep special bucket(s), and dig it in! Also, I was given some cow manure, bokashi fermented, and it's having a bad effect on new growth of broad beans

@dialecticcoma 6 ай бұрын

ah didn't realise tilling it was advised! cheers@@CharlesDowding1nodig

@RVBadlands2015 5 ай бұрын

Do you put coffee grounds in your compost. What type of compost bin do you recommend for a city gardener with little space.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 5 ай бұрын

Yes I do. Valuable. Some kind of hot bin can really help you, but they are so expensive!

@nineteenninetyfive 6 ай бұрын

The No Dig book is great, the only thing is it is so comprehensive I am not sure I will ever have an excuse to buy another book about gardening!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Well, nice to hear!

@anguelikak.1257 6 ай бұрын

Il n’est pas en Français car j’ai beau aller sur le site, pas de traduction@@CharlesDowding1nodig

@martinhorridge4794 6 ай бұрын

Prior to the launch of your new book in autumn 2024 will we be able to pre order it?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

I am sure Martin! thanks

@DemokratieErwacht 4 ай бұрын

How do you use the worm compost without killing the worms? I think you are not sifting the worm compost, are you? Greetings from Germany

@CharlesDowding1nodig 4 ай бұрын

They all live at the top, so we scrape that off before removing the compost below. Once a year. There are always a few in the compost below, maybe 1%. See at the end of this video kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g6mWp7uT3suVcXU.html

@locke6531 6 ай бұрын

👍

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

👍

@naomi2646 6 ай бұрын

Charles do you prefer any particular type of worms, red worms or earth worms? Red worms work closer to surface I think

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

For decomposing, it's red worms that do it and there is confusion because sometimes they are called earthworms. Red worms or tiger worms or Brandling worms are Eisenia fetida, and true earthworms are larger and fatter and pinker, and they are Lumbricus terrestris. They live and work in the soil

@user-vn2iz8nn8z 6 ай бұрын

hello, I have questions about compost, have you ever put compost worms-California earthworms in the big piles or do you not use them anywhere, or you have worms they come from soil, how satisfied are you with them or not. thanks

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

I have not seen California earthworms here, but we have the big fat pink ones called Lumbricus terrestris, as well as the red ones you saw in the video. I never put any in my compost heaps because they always arrive towards the end of the process, the eggs are in soil everywhere if it's healthy!

@user-vn2iz8nn8z 6 ай бұрын

@@CharlesDowding1nodig i dont know some people are selling californian earth worm for compost but in my compost they come from soil and they make realy nice compost

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Well done for not buying them!

@user-wf5wi2cp9g 6 ай бұрын

May I ask is when do you turn your pile I have a 6 foot by 8 foot bin I filled it by October

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

It sounds ready to turn now, two months. My average time is 6 weeks after last fill

@user-wf5wi2cp9g 6 ай бұрын

@@CharlesDowding1nodig thank you sir

@aceofspades5786 6 ай бұрын

Have been following this cold composting method for nearly 12 months, have found the cardboard does not break down well if at all, but the worms seem to like it?

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Yes they do and it's worth tearing it to small pieces, or shredding even

@sa00287 6 ай бұрын

It takes me a year to fill my 1m3 compost bay. It seems to shrink as fast as I fill it. It gives me enough for my 25m2 of beds but the speed difference to yours is hard to relate to!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Nice work!

@pawelmirakowski1477 5 ай бұрын

I have watched several of your composting videos, and I'm still not sure how to know when the compost pile is ready to use. If a compass pile never truly done how do I know when it's matured and it's okay to use? Composing during the winter time VS the summer time, do I look for the same things to know the respective pile is done or am I looking for different?

@pawelmirakowski1477 5 ай бұрын

By the way I live in Saint Louis Missouri USA, where it's cold in the winter and hot and humid in the summer time.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 5 ай бұрын

Nice to hear. Compost is "ready" at any time because that word means 'suitable for use'. So it depends on your need for the compost. Often more brown than yellow, original materials not recognisable.

@pawelmirakowski1477 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for your help.

@pawelmirakowski1477 5 ай бұрын

By the way this year will be the first year I'm trying your no dig method in my backyard. I'm excited to try it, and can't wait to see the results.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 5 ай бұрын

Great to hear Pawel, I look forward to hearing how you get on.

@ralphinkley81 6 ай бұрын

What do you put in the seventh bay? Since each bay just uses a pair for each heap that leaves one "extra", correct. I just use a two pallet system, and a "dalek" bin to store the finished material.

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Sounds good. You are right, that six could be full, leaving one always for the turn, but in practice, it's normally less because by the time we get to number seven, we have already emptied number 1 to the garden, that was not very clear how I said it

@davidbrowning-kx8gr 6 ай бұрын

How do I get rid of big white grubs from my compost?

@alisonc297 6 ай бұрын

These sound like rose chafer bug grubs. I just spread them with the compost and let the birds feast on them 😅

@davidbrowning-kx8gr 6 ай бұрын

@@alisonc297 thanks. I would have included a photo but can't figure out how to post.

@davidbrowning-kx8gr 6 ай бұрын

I don't want them to find their way into the soil

@alisonc297 6 ай бұрын

Try google for their life cycle, they tend to sit in the bottom of compost bins, don't last long when exposed because of the birds. They hatch out to fly away when they are ready. Hope this helps...

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Yes, they look bad, but as Alison says they are harmless and are good food for birds! Just spread them with your compost

@rubygray7749 6 ай бұрын

First!!

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

💚

@anguelikak.1257 6 ай бұрын

Bonjour Charles, moi c’est Angélique. Merci pour cette vidéo aussi interessante que toutes les autres. Pensez à nous Français pour le livre qui va sortir en octobre 2024. Nous avons aussi soif d’apprendre les nouvelles techniques permettant ainsi de ne pas creuser et de se rendre compte qu’à l’aide uniquement de matières organiques, nous pourrions faire pousser nos légumes sans les intrants artificiels qui nous rendent malades. Une méthode plus facilement transposable dans nos climats Européens. Une question s’il vous plaît, je vis en France mais je suis originaire d’Afrique centrale, cette méthode peut-elle convenir dans les endroits très chauds surtout pendant la saison sèche? C’est à dire du mois de mai à septembre voir même le mois d’octobre? Faut-il plus arroser pour retenir l’humidité? Est-ce que la terre creusée pour obtenir les plates-bandes relevées que l’on se sert souvent au Congo Brazzaville peut servir pour former le compost? Car il faudrait déjà raser toutes la terre pour mettre les cartons en dessous mais une terre en surplus que faut-il en faire? À la place utiliser le compost mais en petite quantité. Merci pour vos réponses

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Merci Angelique. C'est les éditeurs qui decident les langues de traduction, pas moi. Il n’y a aucune obligation d’utiliser du carton ! C'est seulement s'il y a beaucoup de mauvaises herbes à étouffer. J'espère que le sol n'est pas beaucoup déplacé, il est généralement préférable de le laisser en place - et le sol ne fait pas de compost. Il y a des gens qui utilisent mes méthodes ou similaires au Malawi, recherchez Tiyeni. Le compost sur le dessus peut sécher et ne perd pas sa valeur, et l'humidité est retenue

@anguelikak.1257 6 ай бұрын

@@CharlesDowding1nodig merci beaucoup pour votre réactivité. Malheureusement, je n’ai pas trouvé la chaîne Tiyeni mais j’espère que KZfaq me le proposera un jour. Est-ce un problème d’orthographe? Merci infiniment

@CharlesDowding1nodig 6 ай бұрын

Ici www.tiyeni.org

@anguelikak.1257 6 ай бұрын

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Bonjour M Charles Dowding mais qu’est-ce que vous êtes généreux, je cherchais sur KZfaq et j’ignorais que c’est un site. Je vous remercie beaucoup et je vous souhaite de passer de bonnes fêtes de nouvel an. À l’année prochaine 👍👍👍👍

@KompleteMan 4 ай бұрын

do you water the compost daily. I have allocated a corner of my garden to collect all fallen leaves. I pour water on the compost while watering other plants daily basis. Its about 4 feet height but I don't see it has really benefited mango tree adjacent while it's rather sunlight and specific period of the year that particular tree grows well, probably compost has little impact unlike sunlight/water/period of year

@CharlesDowding1nodig 4 ай бұрын

My climate is quite damp and it's very rare that I need to water the compost heap. Plus if the materials you add include many green leaves, they hold moisture and release it into the heap. Therefore, it's often better not to water because that displaces air, which contains vital oxygen for the bacteria to achieve decomposition.