Your demo is perfect. Couldn't have done it better myself.

I watched a show about a gardener in Newfoundland. He puts kelp and seaweed on his garden every year (just like your water hyacinth), it dies and fertilizes the soil. Apparently it used to be a very common spring ritual in his community, but the modern world eliminated the need for vegetable gardens for his neighbours, and now he has no competition collecting his fertilizer along the shore. This is the only fertilizer he uses and has a huge successful garden.

I farmed organic for about 20 years. Lasagna was my game and oxen was my power. Here is my process for clearing back overgrown brushy land to crops. First goats and cows to eat back most of it and deposit their precomposted grasses. Then pigs to pull the stumps and till in the grasses and manure, next pumpkins to shade out weeds and feed the livestock. The next year we begin by dumping the litter and manure from the oxen and other animals directly where my beds will be. Usually about 8 to 12 inches deep of sawdust and poo. Come spring we are pretty good to go. I measured one year how much I needed to put on the beds during the year to keep them at about 12" mounded beds in a 35 foot by 65 foot garden. All the beds were 4 feet wide and 2 feet wide all around the perimeter. I used about 21 cubic yards or about two contractor wheelbarrows per cubic yard.

Thank you. I have too much joint pain to bend over so doing lasagna gardening in big totes. It's working great so far.

I tried a 8' x 4' plot over a bed of sand in hot, dry Arizona this spring and planned winter squash and cucumber. WOW--what a crop, including the world's largest cucumber ever--13 inches. It was hiding under the big leaves. It'll go for cucumber water--and Tabouli. I have two more plots going for winter garden.

I threw some weeds I'd dug up from my flower beds into a top corner of my garden once, meaning to bag them up and throw them in the rubbish bin at a later date. I went back a few weeks later and looked for the pile of weeds, there was nothing except soil and lots of worms. Then a couple of years later I threw some old potatoes out on my 'compost heap', the place where I just chucked the weeds after weeding. Later in the summer I wondered what all these plants were growing out of my compost heap, I pulled them up, low and behold 2 or 3 pounds of potatoes from just a couple. The little boy next door was about 6 years old then, I called him over "Hey Kai, come and look at these potatoes growing in my garden" I have never seen a child so delighted to dig up potatoes, there was enough for me, him and his mum for dinner that night. That was on really difficult soil on the North Downs, solid chalk, just South of London, UK. Epsom, the real Epsom of Epsom Salts fame, is just 2 miles from where I live. I bought a shredder a few years ago, everything I pull up, clip, mow goes straight on the garden and I shred the bigger stalks from my shrubs, put them straight back on. Today though, because we're on lockdown I just broke up inch or more thick branches 6 or 8 feet long and put them on as they were. In the autumn when the leaves fall I wait 'til they are all down then it takes 10 minutes to fork them onto the flower beds. I've been indoors for 5 days, I live alone just talking on the 'phone to my daughter and mum so today was great to be in the garden for 4 hours. The little boy Kai, is a man now, 19 years old. He was digging to level a slope so he can extend his mum's patio.

I've watched a lot of your videos and I think this was the best one ever! So complete, so step by step, showing us every move along the way from gathering the materials to building the lasagna beds with details and explanations throughout! It was really terrific. Thank you.

Your shirt speaks to me. "COMPOST YOUR ENEMIES"

Just loved this! Listen to the very end where he gives warnings about contaminating new beds with forever Chemicals. I am a lazy gardener, being 71. This is just my style. Put in the work and gather up the mulch, chop and drop, and build beds with no boards or cement borders. Put fallen logs, tree falls then pile the manure, and compost with more loose leaf. Building above the ground is a must for heavy rains on my area. Thank you David! I may have to take a trip to the beach to get that seaweed for making trace minerals work. Water hyacinth is great green manure too.

Yes sir. My FL yard was so bad. When I would water it would just roll off. A few years now I just go out dig a hole and dump kitchen scraps. Now, I can grow food! That's why I got your books. Seems similar to what I have been doing.

ASMR, storytime, lush visuals and amazing gardening info which should be required learning in public school - Thanks David! Sharing this with every gardener I know!

I LOVE TO COMPOST TOO IT'S THE BEST THING WE CAN DO FOR THE GARDEN. THANKS DAVID TO INSPIRER THE GARDENERS.

Great ideas I did something similar i go fishing i would dig a hole in garden and throw fish scraps when a chicken or rabbit died i buried them too i cover with plywood for awhile to keep dogs digging up planted tomatoes over and got 3 to 4 pound fruits

Thank you for such a great video - I have been seriousy thinking of having my entire growing space done in the lasagna way plus you have raised some concerns that I have had regarding buying compost. Your video has helped me to decide that this method is definitely the way I am going to go. Many thanks from a London lass who enjoys her own little thyme and space :-)

I moved on a place where the soil was so bad. It was sand and rocks. I decided I needed a garden and put newspapers down first and threw down bedding from my animals lime and grass clippings. A few years later the soil is wonderful but still use the newspapers and bedding so I don't have to weed. I'm very happy with the vegetables... Also when I wanted to put in some fruit trees and raspberries I dug a huge hole and basically did the same thing. The trees and plants are doing great.

You rock! I finished my lasagna garden now needed to know how to grow in it so I came back!👍👍👍👍👍✌️✌️🌻🌻🌻🌻thank you

Great work man. I have started doing something similar just on instinct really, in this super-sandy fossil-dune landscape where I live. Anything like cut grass, leaves , shredded cardboard. kitchen scraps etc. I shove in the ground with a bit of water on top. You can see good things starting to happen in 3 weeks or less as long is its kept damp. Amazing. Its great to see how someone like yourself is proving that there is no great mystery about the magic of composting. Momma nature is a tough ole critter and she is happy even the with roughest, non-toxic natural stuff we can mash back in.

I found that some cardboard companies are adding pesticides to their product to reduce molding. I found this out by some parrot owners who's birds were sickened by the boxes they had given their birds to play with. 😢

Excellent point reminding people about the hidden toxins in posible compost additives such as hay etc. I found out the hard way about it and as you say its a hard thing to go through watching your garden plants turn up their toes and not understanding why. It does make you wonder how many other chemical toxins are in our food chain that conventional growing methods use just for the commercial dollar factor without regards to long term sustainability and soil health.

Your approach to on ground composting is similar to back to eden and allows the soil biology to work on the mulch layer you created. The past few years I have read several books on soil and compost. A few months ago, I piled up some mulch raked up from a brush pile and it continued to break down, will be spreading in on my garden along with other homemade compost.. Just purchased Compost Everything because your video is inspiring and I am working on building the soil for vegetable production.

You Teach with intelligence, Great dry Wit, Wisdom, and Heart. What an informative, inspiring, Entertaining piece. Thank You.

TOTALLY agree with the careful about your ingredients thing. I bought horse manure from a local lady to build my autumn/winter garden (these seasons being absolutely ripper for growing in here in sub tropical Australia) and my tomatoes curled and withered, my lettuce and bok choi were gnarled and went to seed, my spring onions refused to thrive, my garlic sat and did nothing... After talks with the lady, we don't think it was her fault, because she insists her horses are purely pasture and grain fed, and she doesn't spray, but her fields are up against others, and she's now certain that one of her neighbours must have sprayed their grass, and it's carried. Sad, especially since half her business is selling manure for vegetable gardens, and I didn't get enough veg in for us to eat from the patch this year after I discovered the problem! We're slowly recovering, but it was a blow to our costing on our lean budget. Because of terrible weed problems here, I actually lasagna compost in containers!! It totally works!! I am even growing some of my fruit trees in containers I have layered up and filled over the course of months. And I super appreciate that this video goes into all the free resources you can find for lasagna gardening. Some online resources have you paying hundreds for their very specific recipes!! Sheesh!! I absolutely did not know about the water hyacinth, though, and it is an invasive species in my city in Australia, too, so I now know of another free resource that the council will be happy for me to take! Woohoo! Thanks, David!! Awesome video, thank you for being a great pioneer and advocate for using what is around you, and not sending things to landfill. Keep being amazing, and may your harvests be explosively great!!

As far as the things going on in the world with our invironment . Yes the issue is too big for one person to fix alone . It makes me think about that starfish poem . About the boy walking across a beach with a friend. And across the beach were thousands of starfish that had washed ashore that would die if they didn't get back in the ocean. And one by one the boy was picking up a starfish.and throwing it back in the ocean. His friend said there's just to many .You could not possibly make a difference. And the boy bends over to get a starfish and puts it back in the ocean. And said to his friend. I made a difference in that one. Just some food for thought for everyone about our issue on the invironment and our ozone. Go green, it's awesome! And maybe we can make a difference together, or one starfish at a time. Awesome gardening.

Thank You David. You always have the best information. First time that I have heard Ruth Stout mentioned by a gardener since the 60's. Love your videos.

Knowledge aside, you provide motivation every time. Thanks for the content! My garden appreciates it!

Your attitude and knowledge are so refreshing and inspiring! This season is my first ever season in a proper garden. I'm going to build beds but also keep growing in my containers and grow bags. I recently started a bokashi system in my kitchen. Last summer I started my first-ever compost heap. I hardly have any food waste as of now. I have never thrown away so little. I even repurpose plastic containers to start seeds in and make them into plant labels. I feel so accomplished and satisfied it's amazing! I have watched a lot of your stuff and even though your zone is WAY off mine, (I'm in Norway, zone 4) I still pick up a massive amount of applicable techniques and helpful information. Thank you!

WOW! Thank you for the advice at the end. I had no idea and was planning on building my garden with all of these materials (straw, hay, manure, purchased soil and compost).

I feel better seeing you gathering like I do! I'm a first year lasagna gardener (besides the compost pile squash and tomatoes). Nature has it all in abundance, thanks for showing us your gatherings, highlighting all those great free resources!! 🌱🌄🌿🌍

Finally got a chance to sit down and watch this. Great demo! And I'm so glad you keep harping on the aminopyralids. Cant be repeated enough!

Thank you so much David! You ARE good & have inspired me! You’re so knowledgable & I appreciate all the great info you’ve given on this one video! I now have your free book, & have started reading it. I also plan to follow you & learn more. I have a big yard & I’m going to start throwing whatever I can get my hands on, on it! And, also make some lasagna beds to grow some food! I need to rewatch your video, especially near the end when you talk about being careful not to use things that have been sprayed with poisons. Thanks again!

Martha missed out! The mosaics created by your family are really beautiful!

Just in time, I needed this. Recently cleared a large plot of land and the weeds are growing back.

I love your personality kid! Love your gutsy attitude too towards planting your own way. I'm also learning a lot and laughing at the same time. Thank you.

Hi David. I just ordered your book. I love to read anything to do with gardening during the winter so I can dream about my garden for spring. Thank you loved the video.

Wow that is a good idea i sure know what I’m going to do this summer. Thank you so much for sharing. I don’t use pesticides on my property so guest i could use what ever I got and make a lasagna bedding.

Great video, thanks so very much for sharing your knowledge and experiences, I really do appreciate it. 🙏🏾💪🏾👍🏾👊🏾

Thank you, David for sharing all of those ideas in making compost. God bless your heart.🙌☝️👌

Yes, I'm watching both you and Paul and learning a lot from both of you.

Thank you David! Always looking out for us!

Wow! This is amazing. Lasagna . . . First time to know about. I'll give it a try. Thank you Sir.

Love your channel ❤️you make gardening look so easy.

Well done David. This is a good creative move on your part. Best video yet IMHO.

Thank you for posting this and thank your patrons for encouraging you to post this. I learned a lot. Looking forward to your new book. 💖💖💖

i live in Central Florida and have nothing but white sand, i went out n bout all bagged stuff to try to start a garden planted all kinds of stuff nothing grew bigger than 2nd set of leaves except some sunflowers and cherry tomatoes and i have to add dirt everytime i water them cause there roots are sticking out of the ground, can't wait to try this method, thanks!

The 8 minutes of screen time was perfect. It put a smile on my face.

This is a great video. You have some nice resources available. I live on what I believed to hundreds of years ago, a riverbed with zero life (all washed away) downhill to the creek. Not a tensie bit of topsoil . Hard, cement like red clay. Going to try this

Your humor entertains me as I learn ❤

That was a sweet mention of your grandma ❤

Awesome information, thanks for sharing

Thank you so much for the sprayed materials warning!! I was just going to buy some. Much appreciated.

thanks David for your knowledge on lasagna gardening, fantastic!!

1:17 I legitimately thought David was going to hop out of the bushes and grab that bird for compost. I think I’ve stayed up too late tonight.

Thats awsome! For 3 years i have been fighting old gravel pit soil and excessive agricultural run off as i am at the fork of a river and creek. My most successful experiment has been with layers like this. I have to isolate so much that the water will shrivel produce during spraying time. County doesn't like my rain catch system. In big sealed tank. Im gonna get fined and it doesn't look bad at all, lol

Inspiring video! Just received your compost book! Great read! Thanks for such informative videos!

Gardening is like cooking, mixing the ingredients to get the right flavor for your plants.

Awesome and very smart! thanks a lot

Thank you David, dig your vibe and all the great info. Major thumbs up. 👍🏾

I live on an overpopulated hot humid food desert island. My lasagna for a 4' x 8' raised garden Trample knee high weeds, layer up- 8" loose shredded paper, 1 bag of Home Depot chicken manure, lift up cardboard to compost in place digging holes in 1 "Folgers can" at a time in 1'x4' row at a time, also coffee grounds from the coffee shop plus their smoothie pulp, double cardboard layer, water if it doesn't rain that day. .... chop and drop on top over 8 weeks for mulch layer 2"-4" by the time end. It's hot here 86 degrees 365, everything is decomposed in 8 weeks except the last 12" strip of compost in place. Start planting. Usually there are volunteer cucumber and squash to transplant from the compost toward the end when the cardboard is rotted down. Mango and avocado seedings also. Digg in volunteers if not wanted. Chop and drop, lemongrass, Canna leaves (tumeric, ginger, arrow root) sweet potato tips

3 mins in and already subscribed. You're a hero.

Loved the stories at the end. Thanks David.

My case is , I have low land and my garden has no SOIL, but just white sand. So it is hard to grow the most common plants... The fear factors are flooding and no soil but white sand. I have started to do this exact things like you for the past four months ( I do not have any choice and I do not know any one who has done this like me before) and my garden is thriving now . Today I discover your video and now I am sure that this is just not me only, u think just like me. Thanks for ur great video

Perfect demo. Thank you for the tips and ideas. I really like your channel Sir.

You're a very good teacher. Makes me want to give up my ideal of building raised beds. There's no need to really.

thx....I love the idea of using whatever materials you can find.....

THANK YOU DAVID SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR VIDEOS AND ADVICE AND THE FREE E BOOK❣❣❣

Love that idea with cinder blocks.

David the good man Thanks for sharing this book. I live in Gated community where backyard are small,soil hard and now I'm retired I like to do gardening. No experience at all and most of the materials I'll be needing I need to buy it from Lowe's or home Depot. Here I can't get or pick up dirt anywhere,it's not allowed. So I'll check your Free book,for guide in planting.

🤣Your the Garden Gangsta! Love your knowledge and your show. Sharing🍓🥑🍇

Great video. Thank you!

I loved your stories. Thankyou 🙂

Some great ideas! Note-Ruth Stout preferred hay not straw! Hay is more nutritious and breaks down faster and is less likely to have GMO wheat in it and pesticides. Pile it thick and it smothers out any weed seeds. Love your creative sourcing ideas!!!

Love your videos! Thank you for helping me think outside of the box for compost. *composts everything and adds machete to Christmas list

Hi thanks for your knowledge. This was truly great video. I learned so much from it. I hope to see the follow up soon.

Thanks so much for your videos! They are the best I have found.

You make me laugh, trust me I needed it . love your You Tube Channel! Are you a comedian or seems like I have seen you on a sitcom ? your Family is Great! Keep p them coming live watching.

I admire you both it’s hard work

enjoyed another one of your videos, thank you.

Totally fabulous! I live much further north than you in zone 3-3.5. and in the middle of Canada, fairly far form the coasts where I could get sea weed. However, we have more grass than you can shake a proverbial stick at. You are giving such great ideas for gardening and getting good soil. I can't afford your books at the moment, but i have them on my wish list on Amazon. Now, allI need is a place I can grow things (no access to a balcony/terrace or yard) and extremely limited sunlight.

This was so satisfying to watch! 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱😃

Fantastic David

Thank you for the ideas!

The stories were my favorite part! Thanks so much for the inspiration.

Beautiful video

But, David -! You HAVE to have staples in your garden .. for calories and protein, and .. oh ;) Seriously, though, I have become a great fan of using arborist chips for deep mulching .. if the only thing that it did was help to regulate moisture, that alone would be worth it. Bonus thumb's up for the efficient use of compost .. that is going to help stretch it out even further!

Thanks for the warning

Loved it

A scythe would be really effective at clearing patches of grass and weeds like you're clearing. Just a suggestion

Beautiful bed. Great video

We love using sunflowers in compost and mulch. The stalks left over winter and then smashed up make perfect mulch and if you are brave they self seed willingly and attract lots of wildlife. We allow volunteers to grow through out the garden happily.

Since I started my Homestead I've been composting everything that I can collect from it.

Another great video thanks been doing this at my condo, but I have to outsmart the landscapers who like to use their blowers and move my saved leaves around...so I use the hardware metal cloth to make bins and rake up my materials and enclose cover them with weed cloth every time I'm done working. They come when I'm at work so it's not like I can try to tell them to leave the stuff alone, the bins do help to keep them from my blowing my compost around though.

Please, if you haven't already, do a video on the mosaic garden bed. Before clicking on this video, I was actually talking about that concept with my fiance. I want to build two beds and then use lawn timbers between them to make a bench/table setup.

I've just started watching some of your vids. I like what you are doing. I just came across the back to eden method a few weeks ago and are in the process of getting my yard ready. I have about 15 garden beds I'm emptying and removing so I can just grow in the ground again. I just picked up 300m2 of pergola, which I'll be putting all over my back yard so I can put shade cloth over everything. Here where I am the temps ca reach up to 42°C 107F so the spinach etc doesn't like that to much and it will be nicer to garden in the summer with a light shade, plus it will help retain moisture. Anyway, I'm rambling. Thanks for you experience and advice.

Love this video!

So sad we didn’t get to see the results of this a year later... but your new garden experimentation has been wonderfully helpful.

My complete garden was ruined this year from manure we got from a local rancher. I am starting over with a new garden area because I do not want to risk planting in the same place because of the herbicides staying in the soil. I had no idea what had happened until I started researching and saw one of your videos and the tomato plants looked just like mine with the entire plant being deformed. So sad.

Awesome David !! Ty4Sharing Wolf🐺 👍

Thanks for this video as I had a compost pile which I covered with black plastic & unfortunately some grass snakes took up residence & frightened the life out of me so I planted potatoes & looks like I am going to get a fabulous crop. I am starting a new compost pile but differently this time, with your help. Cheers Denise- Australia

haha--- I needed good gardening advice and a GOOD LAUGH/ were in middle. TN AND NEEDED THIS ADVICE

very helpful!