3 Ingredients to Fix ANY Soil, the Lazy Way

You can truly fix any soil with the right approach in your garden...This video is brought to you by Squarespace. For a 10% discount at launch go to www.squarespace.com/anneofall...
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0:00 Intro
1:07 Observing Nature
5:44 Killing vs Healing everything
7:02 Is this cheaper?
7:45 This isn't good soil
8:43 Soil testing
10:45 Composting
12:10 Testing my soil
13:15 Why I made this video
14:12 A word from our sponsor
15:13 My soil test results
MORE ABOUT ME
I'm Anne of All Trades. In NASHVILLE, I have a woodworking, blacksmithing and fabrication shop, a selection of furry friends, and an organic farm. Whether you've got the knowledge, tools, time or space to do the things you've always wanted to do, everything is "figureoutable."
I became "Anne of All Trades" out of necessity. With no background in farming or making things, I wanted to learn to raise my own food, fix things when they break and build the things I need.
8 years ago I got my first pet, planted my first seed and picked up my first tool.
My goal is to learn and share traditional techniques and skills while showing my peers how to get from where they are to where they want to go, how to do the things they are passionate about, and what can be done TODAY to engage their own community and grow deep roots.
Whether it's carving spoons, making my own hand tools, restoring my antique truck or growing heirloom tomatoes, the farm and workshop definitely keep me busy and support - whether financially through Patreon, through shopping my affiliate links, through buying merchandise, plans or project videos, or even just liking, commenting, and sharing my content with others helps me GREATLY to keep producing quality content to share.
Get a better roadmap of how to grow deep roots and live the life you want by subscribing to this channel and be sure to check out my blog for even more info anneofalltrades.com
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[@benvoliothefirst]

For those in a hurry to get back to their gardens: 1) Mimic nature (leaf litter covering the soil) 2) Test your soil 3) Compost Also, your local agricultural co-op will probably test your soil for free, just FYI!

[@moriumanwar6466]

Thanks

[@gopro7164]

Thank you!!!

[@SetitesTechAdventures]

That second step is the one I have been resisting. I really don't want to test my soil and I know I need to.

[@user-ii3jg9ty4o]

Really ☺️ thank you

[@hmh3808]

@@SetitesTechAdventures I had been working hard for years on my soil organically and I was absolutely shocked after I soil tested - it had zero nitrogen!!! Why? Miracle grow for yrs. And Cuz of all the peat from little starts that I would add every spring! I’m so grateful I found out when I did - and then in only two seasons t(he third about to start ) it has improved incredibly with natural amendments and re-introducing more bacteria with wood chips, etc. … my flowers last year were absolutely booming ! from only a year of mulching wood chips and leaf mulch and homemade c9mpost…it’s worth doing. Even a little homemade test kit. You do yourself from a feed/ flower store, helps.! They’re not as accurate as sending it into your local agricultural extension, but using the same home test kit two years later, even showed a dramatic improvement in nitrogen and a couple of other nutrients.

[@kayerhoads3444]

My sentiments exactly. Neighbors say I have a weedy garden, but soil is covered, so many worms, birds, bees. And the garden feeds me all winter, including some "weeds".

[@eswaribalan164]

Superlative, do it your way.

[@danarzechula3769]

wild spinach and purslane wonderful nutrition

[@Peoplespilates]

Wonderful! Don't listen to neighbors.

[@carmenortiz5294]

My across the street neighbor, wanted me to "mow all that junk down, it affects my property value". He inherited the house, his parents thought my property was just great. Even faked a letter from the city telling me to do it (lol), forget that it has a Certified Wildlife Habitat in front and back. At the time I was female 72, I told him "last bully that gave me orders ended up with a broken nose". Left me alone since. lol

[@MyFocusVaries]

It's the easy way. That doesn't make it lazy. That's just efficient.

[@nikkitobin8356]

I'll take it either way 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@denniskemnitz1381]

What exactly do you see in healthy soil carson with your naked eyes ie w/o microscope ...maybe you can just feel healthy soil in the palm of your hands. I can feel soil which looks healthy along an old creekbank and then what? Remove the trees to allow sunshine in and plant corn??. Tell us more Carson. I will say more..... I think clearing timber maybe always reveals healthier soil than generally out in the field which was cleared of trees 50 years back...can we prove it with a microscope? Possibly if I live long enuf. Not sure how to design the experiment though. ...

[@rachel_v_k]

I completely agree! Working with nature, not against -- it's not lazy at all.😊❤ 💯

[@PopeyeSailor-wz7ew]

The easy way may not be the lazy way but the lazy way most assuredly is the easy way.

[@jg7451]

things can be both lazy and easy, they're not mutually exclusive

[@Ishiisan]

My HOA hates me because I do things like I leaf mulch 😂 I used to collect leaves from my neighbor's yards but the problem is so many people around me use pesticides now 😩

[@Ishiisan]

@@Ni-dk7ni I'm the house with kids running around 🤣 Kids get to pick figs and strawberries to snack on 😁

[@sharonpayne8187]

pesticides are on lawn not the leaves that fall from trees

[@ab_ab_c]

Common weed & feed for lawns is terrible for composting as it has broad leaf herbicides in it that can last up to 10 years in your finished compost & kill certain plants when you incorporate the compost into your growing medium. In addition, the fertilizers that are used are often made from toxic coal byproducts that are NOT good for growing food in. I only compost with grass & leaves that have never been sprayed with such poisons.

[@zarroth]

@@sharonpayne8187 and in the runoff during a rain and if it gets anywhere near an edible plant, you shouldn't eat anything it produces that year. I don't think you quite understand the scope of the problem and just want to justify yourself in your own mind, without using logic and reason to truly understand the problem.

[@sharondewey5529]

@@sharonpayne8187 Trees draw up water filtered through the pesticide covered lawns, so there could be some unknown amount in their leaves.

[@FarmToMarketRoad]

I am amending my soil with my lawn mower. When it's dry the soil cracks open. I have been mowing and raking a mixture of leaves , grass, weeds, sticks, loose soil into cracks. Some are 6" deep. Dump the bagged debri caught with lawn mower back onto cracks and rake in. Debri disappears into cracks. May take a year to work, but i am confident it will. The best way to amend soil is. To add organic matter. May add some clover seed or legume seed.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

Cover the whole area with that stuff, instead of just the cracks. I would also suggest a heavy cover of something that rots slowly (most people use woodchips), to slow water movement so it infiltrates. When you plant your legumes, also consider something with a deep root with it, like cucurbits. They will grow happily in woodchips, and will break up the surface of the soil and allow vertical movement of soil organisms along their roots. It's usually pretty easy to get woodchips for free. I usually catch the guys the electric company sends to do the tree trimming and they will happily drop off their residue at my house

[@1gmhope]

I love that there's clover all over my front & back yards - I'd love to have all clover - a different grass showed up last year & seems to have choked out my tons of little clovers

[@vivatan13]

Mother nature is the best teacher. I always think of nature, look at the trees, no one disturbed the soil and the trees are doing well!

[@honestlee4532]

I transformed my soil by putting wood chips everywhere. I pulled out the big weeds and buried the small ones. I keep adding wood chips and green material on top. There was a big improvement after just 2 years and it keeps getting better. I also used compost tea every few months to help bring life to the soil.

[@hmh3808]

Same! And in only 2 years, my dahlias were twice the size - my annual flowers twice as many from wood, chipping my paths and having a huge 4 to 6 inch layer of mulch in the summer on the gardens - where I barely had to water…. I almost ruined my soil by adding too much peat, and now the bacteria and worms have returned en masse and in just two seasons I saw a big difference in perennials come back to life last year.

[@tamararobinson2069]

I love the look, feel & smells of a natural garden. Some uptight “subdivision” type yard people get all fidgety around my yard - some love the feel but can help themselves and make theirs sterile and “perfect”. 🙄 I get it - because I can’t relax in their precise “perfect” places. 😁

[@catlover47842]

I have thick orange and grey clay and have been working on it with the contents of my compost pile, wood chips and I shred my own plant debris. All of it helps improve my soil :) It gets flooded during wet times and just sits there so I added a LOT of woodchips to raise the ground level. Its several inches higher now, has turned to soil and soaks up more water and is much improved. It took a few years but was totally worth it!

[@amiehorner5132]

Lupins have long tap roots to open up soil , add nitrogen and airation .

[@vociferonheraldofthewinter2284]

My friend didn't believe me when I told her there were no earthworms where I live. She had to look it up. After that, she was so shocked and stumped on how to help me revive my soil. In her mind, earthworms are key and you can't make topsoil without them. I have discovered that we need water, water seeping INTO the ground and not running over, and nitrogen. You can lay all the compost and mulch on the ground that you want and it'll just dry out and sit there for years if you can't get water IN and some nitrogen to break it all down. The desert can be frustrating, but it can be done. Even here. I'm having great luck with the most insane diversity of desert grasses and wildflower seeds that I could come up with. More than 30 native species so far and they're starting to make serious progress in only two years.

[@introtwerp]

I heard you need to deep till first right

[@floridagrown6250]

There’s a guy in Arizona desert (he has a YT channel) that grows tropical plants in his backyard he started by laying down a super thick layer of arborist chip mulch (3ft high) now every tropical plant/tree he has is thriving

[@grilledflatbread4692]

earthworms are not native to america. european import.

[@BogusDudeGW]

Look up hugelkultur raised beds

[@drewblack749]

Another use what you got. Great video. Always inspiring. Someone took a bucket of leaves and used a paint mixer attached to a drill to pulverize her gathered leaves. Kind of a good jump start on making soil. 👍🏻

[@deecooper1567]

Great idea 💡. We use an old cement mixer to break down & blend leaves, grasses, compost & manures My son came up with this idea to make it easier on me💖👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

[@audreylong9170]

Anne.....to me, you're the hip Paul G from the "Back to Eden" garden documentary. Great to see & thanks for promoting the easier gardening many of us are doing.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Paul was one of my first mentors, so that’s a big compliment!

[@kristenfarland2252]

This is soo fascinating!!! Beginner gardener / farmer here who just bought raw land and have an overwhelming amount to learn lol.

[@windsonghillranch4306]

Congratulations! Take your time, it will get there, but the beginning can feel stressful because there is so much to do!

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

You might have heard this already, but just in case, check carefully with your sources about what might be in their stuff. Hay, straw and grazing animal manure can have persistent pesticides and/or herbicides in it that will harm your plants for years after you put it in there.

[@4thHouseOnTheRight]

That's awesome, congrats!! Above all else, have fun! Gardening is a process & we learn SO much along the way, even about ourselves. It's an amazing transformation to witness when we let God & let nature do what it does. It will totally make you a garden geek and it's SO fun!! Enjoy!

[@AlSwearengen4]

Go straight to advancing eco agriculture/John kempf. Even better than mulch is living plants, pumping carbon into the soil, feeding and being fed by microbes.

[@phoebeel]

If you are not reliant on quick results/crop yield just start in a small section first. Gardens take years to really be lush - I'm working on it right now. Only focusing on a small section of the garden to establish a healthy base and then move onto the next section. It will quickly overwhelm you if you have to take care of the whole thing at once - you'd need to do it as a full time job.

[@megang877]

Thank you Anne for this valuable information! I love all the guests you have and all the knowledge you share. 😊

[@LoquaciousByNature]

This isn't lazy...this is smart 😊

[@carlafuqua1685]

"The best engineer is a lazy engineer."

[@OremusFarm]

Thank you Anne! These latest videos are especially informational and fantastic! It's time for me to prune my orchard and get out in the woods for some leaf material!

[@janetrush8340]

What perfect timing, Hannah and I have a garden plot in great need of this information.

[@Mighty_Maus]

Love this, Anne! Super simple concepts that we should and totally can follow. And I’m always so grateful how accessible you make gardening and homesteading. ❤

[@juliemeier2277]

This is my first time watching your videos. Now I am going back to watch more. I live in Joelton, Tn Lil town north of Nashville, just barely in Cheatham County. Nice to see a video in Tennessee. We struggle with the heat, less water, and keeping our garden going. But we do agree with using the leaves that we drop to our advantage also.

[@shapiemau2244]

You both are well connected to nature. You breathe, listen and look and you both have learn't. It is great to listen to two people that just love their natural surroundings including what others regard as pests. I also have started collecting loads of leaves and they certainly help. I loved this conversation Anne. Thanks to you both!

[@mouse9884]

I live in MS, surrounded by woods. My ground is mostly sand and clay; however, the woods surrounding my house has a mix of compost, sand and clay so it drains well and is full of nutrients. I go under trees and peel back leaves and take down till the clay gets more prevalent then top it off with leaves. Any earthworms/buggs I happen to get comes too. As far as pests, I even have sugar ants in my garden, but they dont harm the plants too much, probably because I encourage spiders and lizards to make my garden home. I have a compost pile with nothing but organics close by and leave my garden faucet on a slow drip. The constant damp around my spigot, along with the other things I have around it (bricks, small plants) makes the perfect home for lizards and my garden snake Terry in the summer. I decided a couple years ago to work with natureinstead of fighting it, and your channel made me feel like I wasnt as crazy as everyone acted like I was. 😂 Thanks. ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE ❤

[@carmenortiz5294]

Great for you lizards and a garden snake! None of those where I live, just a family of chipmonks that live in my garage in the winter and the little house I build them in the warm season.

[@mouse9884]

@@carmenortiz5294 Oh my! We have a few of those too, but they just tunnel all over the place lol. Maybe i should build them a house too 😄. We have reptiles all over our little spot. Small pond (no fish anymore) within eyesight on the land. So we get turtles sometimes too. They love the Dewberry patch and hedgefence (my wild garden). Don't get me wrong still gotta watch for the bad snakes too though lol.

[@susangolden7383]

I just discovered you and I love your site .... and you! You are so enthusiastic and energetic! Keep up the good work and I will be watching!!!

[@ecoendeavour8]

Great video! Mother Nature truly does it best and the more we follow her example, the healthier our gardens will be.

[@teresathomley3703]

Anne, you are stupendous. I absolutely love the channel and the sound advice. I've been doing things that are quite similiar to what you and Carson suggested to a troublesome orange clay/sand patch on my property. Good results thus far. Thanks and keep doing what you do.🌳🥕🍅🌰❤

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

I have scaled back on pants quite a bit since I got chickens. Most of my attention has been on potatoes, since that's the biggest bang for my family's buck. I grow them in buckets and cardboard boxes or just whatever (I hate digging for potatoes). I bought some half decent potting soil four-ish years ago. I've been doing 2-3 rounds of potatoes in each container per year in the same dirt. All I have added has been chicken shit and woodchips. I permit weeds to grow in them when the weather is bad for potatoes (sometimes, with the potatoes), then as it starts to warm up, I pile them up with the two magic ingredients to kill off the weeds and feed the soil. My potatoes are getting better over time, not worse, with no additions other than the aforementioned two. I'm about to try something similar in new containers, but starting off with my junky sand, instead of potting soil

[@daniellebrown5647]

We have chickens in our backyard - we put pine straw and leaves in the pen with them, and not long after, the remains of that gets kicked out of the far corner from the gate. It's some of the best-looking stuff in the yard! rather than burn my plants with it, I plan to move it to my compost bin.

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

@@daniellebrown5647 I put the magic mix in the top of the buckets several weeks before I plant in it, but it probably wouldn't be a problem anyway, since it gets deposited directly onto the woodchips, then covered over with more woodchips abs rests like that for a time

[@brandonphillips5169]

I guy i know hated digging for potatoes as well. He started planting them in saw dust. He would add bone and blood meal to them when planted. After they got aroud 18-24 inches out of the ground he would start covering them back up add blood and bone meal again. He would continue this till mid September. He had pretty good yeilds and you could use your bare hands to harvest them.

[@3charmzmakeup]

Amazing info and what I need! My previous city home I grew all sorts of edible fruits and veggies. I moved to a farm desert farm life and couldn't grow anything outside buckets because the soil is close to cement. This is an EYE OPENER! Thank you for sharing.

[@Hamishtarah]

0:33 Eileen and Peter Caddy had UKs biggest strawberries and they were planted in sand. They became famous for their humongous strawberries and vegetables. - they were simply working with Devas and Spirit of Nature. However, you're video is very interesting and instructive. Thank you.

[@Mantras-and-Mystics]

Hi! Where can I find out more about working with spirits of nature? Need some help with my garden. 💚

[@cristicion3333]

Thank you for this video. I am a lazy gardener, too, although a better word is probably efficient. This company’s soil testing seems a lot easier than the one I have used. I may try them.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

You should. It’s insanely good and far cheaper and way easier to read/understand than any of the more complex tests I’ve used

[@marthabradas8873]

I just happened upon your channel and I am so excited about you and your content!!!! I am actually out west so I know (from living in TN before) that these are 2 entirely different places in so many ways. However, I can hopefully apply some techniques anyway. Looking forward to enjoying your videos, your content is exactly what I need! Thank you!

[@autumn7157]

I hear great things about letting clover run wild anywhere you eventually want to plant a garden. It’s amazing ground-cover, retains moisture, puts lots of nitrogen back into the soil, and if they’re a flowering variety they can support local pollinators! Also an amazing alternative to grass lawns.❤

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Clover is great.

[@joshuam2212]

rabbit manure is excellent for the garden you dont have to want for it to compost just drop it in the holes before planting your tomatoes and cucumbers once they get going well you can ad more to the top then cover it with whatever you are using for mulch grass clipping work nice if you have them O and dandelions and plantain herbs that is called a weeds are great to have lots of health benefits when eaten and making salves

[@CliffsideStables]

Your videos are always full of enthusiastic energy. “Keep on Keeping on”. Tim in Oneida

[@johndernberger1961]

Thoroughly enjoyed this series!

[@lorilongwell5451]

Ruth stout did this in the 1900s.If you can find her books they are funny and informative.She also had a scientist friend that repeated the process on his own property and measured what was happening

[@rickshick8544]

The minor issues I face with a garden here in Colorado Springs include not having a fence (yet), semi-arid climate, and frequent visits from deer that love to eat the whole garden. There is wonderful humus in the scrub oak grove and decomposing Pikes Peak granite in much of the rest. Fun! Yours is an amazing garden!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

You might try a solar powered electrical box and some hot wire around your garden. That’s been super effective here against the deer.

[@AlSwearengen4]

+1 on the electric wire. It can be done relatively cheaply. I'm in springs too, out by schriever SFB. Very dry and windy out here but there're ways to make it work.

[@iamportersinger]

I am so glad I found your channel. So much great info. Thanks!!

[@Wellyafoundme]

Yooo thank you! Trying to learn to enrich my soil before planting and propagating!

[@zprince4120]

Carson is a very lucky guy. I would love to geek out about gardening with you. I take a very similar approach and after 3 years I'm hoping for the best year yet.

[@bowtielife]

Well, I know I am lazy... and I have loved this method for the past few years. In this case I think laziness IS efficiency! I have always appreciated your approach to the garden, Anne! I love the bounty from the woods! Thank you for all your inspiration! ...and all this from a fellow A D H D er! 😍

[@nancywolf3786]

we have always used grass cuttings to mulch. we have very fluffy soil and healthy plants

[@venpeddapalli7189]

Terrific video! Your energy is awesome!

[@TRUTHRULES777]

I do the same thing I have a lot of trees and a lot of leaves. I blow off the grass and I have a lower area leave some of them in so I don’t ever buy bark or anything like that and all my flowerbeds are just composting leaves that I turn over and my plants that I have in pots, berries, etc. I go out there to do something and there’s worms everywhere worms under the pots, I do the same lazy gardening I do sometimes do some organic fertilizer twice a year a little bit and little Pete here and there a little bit of manure here and there. Just use what you have. That’s the best way and you really can see the differencewhile letting things break down in the worms, love it

[@bsrodeo7s]

I live in the high desert of California, at the end of fall I rake up all the leaves and throw them on top of my plant beds. All my plants are doing great.

[@88meemaw88]

Thank you for sharing great content!!!

[@user-wt1eo9ho7i]

I use straw, mulch and leaves in my garden to keep moisture from evaporating. Worms I find I put into the garden. I use leaf mold from the tons of leaves that fall each year. Compost, and compost tea. This video is great and I appreciate the information here.

[@morningmystfarm2017]

Wow. A link to that soil test would be great - im working hard un eastern Tennessee to turn shallow dirt/shale into soil. Yeah, we have clay too, but no real soil... Im using goats, chickens and muscovy ducks in my endeavors, but still having to fight with family members anout keeping the ground covered! I do finally have a small spot that ive had full control over for the winter, and finally able to start covering the cover crop with goat mulch/waste hay. I have a feeling that MY spot will be the best in production, even though it gets quite a bit of summer shade. The main garden has been bare all winter, despite my insisting it get covered with.. ANYTHING. Its currently looking sad, all compacted and bare 😢 Why isnt it covered? Well because, the seeder apparently doesnt do well over mulch 🙄 I guess the proof of a failure croo last year, when going against my ideas, wasnt proof enough. Another year of barely growing anything (in an ideal spot!) should prove interesting...

[@AnneofAllTrades]

shop.redmondagriculture.com/products/soil-test-kit#:~:text=Redmond's%20Soil%20Test%20Kit%2C%20powered,while%20effortlessly%20guiding%20sustainable%20practices.

[@PeggyMills]

Spoiled hay from our goats is my mulch too! Good to see someone else say this.

[@nildaotero2933]

Excellent video. Thank you for sharing all that great info

[@cindyatwood7144]

Oh my gosh, Anne!! Your videos are absolutely amazing, and as a city slicker, I've learned sooooo much. Now, this guy Carson!! He is so kind, compassionate, gentle, patient, doesn't mansplain, respectful .... dang, girl; is he single??? 🤣🤣

[@CharlesMrBeans]

Very interesting. My soil in NM is very yucky and dried up, nasty clay. I think I might have to try this in my garden'y area and hope for the best. Have been dropping bags of "purchased" of soil and compost for 2 years and have not been sucessful at growing much of anything. Thanks for the info!!

[@AmateurVegGardenersUnited]

This is awesome! ❤🌱

[@19vendetta19]

Anne is such a smokeshow, I'd go on a field trip anywhere with her 😍 Teach me how to get my roots down to the moisture

[@19vendetta19]

Ohhh God! When she dead eyes the camera... 💓

[@stewardmbele7385]

I love your teaching and methods of making manure

[@shenoybasti]

I am doing exactly the same thing for making compost for my pots and flowers

[@oh_la_la]

This is very informative. Thank you !

[@carlospinheirotorres9499]

'swear for a wee bit I could evn feel the smell of'at fresh earth from t'is here corner of the old continent- Portugal ❤

[@jessiehermit9503]

"T'is" is a contraction of "it is." Were you getting to say "this"? Genuinely confused.

[@jessiehermit9503]

Oh, and wear is "of'at"?

[@carlospinheirotorres9499]

@@jessiehermit9503 n'o problem Kermit, hang'iin there .alright son? confusion'll pass though dickheadedness m'affraid not :(

[@AwakeningWARRlOR]

Michael of all trades, a master of many. New sub, added to my The Solutions playlist 🤝🍁💪

[@Suresh8848m]

Awesome video. Very informative. Please keep going the nature's way. :)

[@robnkim1970a]

My wife and I have just started our garden in Tennessee on our 2 acre plot of land. Our biggest problem so far is getting rid of the poison ivy without using chemicals. It is growing everywhere in the 1/4 acre area we have cleared for our garden and throughout our wooded areas as well. I have 3 major outbreaks since we started last year. Any advice on how to get rid of it without chemicals? We love your channel and both of us really enjoy your incredible videos.

[@karenm5681]

Loved this!❤

[@jarretv5438]

Facts! Bio char is a great one to add into your soil n compost as well

[@Uncle-Dougie]

thank you Anne, I enjoyed your video.

[@user-hx2hl1zw3w]

This is the most passion I have seen for soil in my life!😂 Im a lay soil scientist. I have a degree from the YTU.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Soil is LIFE 😅

[@susanturner9023]

Redmonds products are great and doing the sole thing. I’m a product fan for life!

[@enjoythevibez5605]

really enjoy the 'nature will heal without me' part because it's so true, we see it even in extreme scenarios too like wildfires

[@eswaribalan164]

Nothing like banana stems, split them into two lengthwise, place them along beds..you'll get loads of earthworms into them, eating and mulching. Upright stumps too are highrise homes for earthworms if the weather gets burning hot.. 7:00

[@kristenoom6134]

I'm taking advantage of my "leaf litter" at least for the first year from the forest area of our property to help start our compost piles. I found that the "leaf litter" has hidden so much stuff that is toxic to the land. We are finding garbage trapped under it. We also found rotten logs that previous owners have cut and stacked. I'm taking those and adding them to the bottom of our new garden beds and around the base of our compost piles (at least until the next new garden bed is needed). I'm still cleaning up leaves from last year because we moved in late fall and within days of unloading the moving truck we had snow. We are in the Upper Peninsula and there has been snow reported in at least 10 months of the year but I am not letting that stop me to grow my own produce. This fall I shouldn't need to grab much from the forested area and just clear the leaves around the house and garage instead to add to garden and compost pile. Previous owner left us so many potted plants and I just recently started dumping them into the compost pile as well. A greenhouse to help extend our season has arrived and is ready to be assembled... we just need a day where it isn't windy, cold, and/or raining.

[@julieelliott-eickenroth7317]

Loved this video, thanks. I’m gardening much the same way now - observe nature, then do the same! Q, Anne: I LOVE your sweatshirts! Where do you get them?? (I’m referring to the red one under your jean shirt and the grey one at the end of the video in the soil test segment). I would love to buy some!

[@CountryKirby.]

I thought I was the only one getting soil from the hilly woods. Some of the best soil to use

[@Kira-kg4kl]

You do have to be careful doing this unless you own the land or you have permission it's legally classed as stealing (ridiculous I know) but it really is true

[@CountryKirby.]

@@Ni-dk7ni Yea you could but I grow probably 30 ft by the woods

[@CountryKirby.]

@@Ni-dk7ni Yea power company dumps their shavings on our property and I have about 3 dozen cows and 2 dozen chickens so I pile those up in mounds and use that also.

[@CountryKirby.]

@@Kira-kg4kl Yea fortunately I own the land, and some things are ridiculous 😂

[@adrianthayn3110]

Thanks for telling me to do what I've been doing

[@patriciadavis7444]

WONDERFUL INFORMATION ❤❤❤MANY BLESSINGS...

[@chantalrochon3566]

Thanks for this information 🎉❤😊😊😊😊

[@carrolinenewtonisaac3234]

Thanks for sharing

[@ijahdagang6121]

Very interesting and nice sharing...❤❤❤

[@traciemae0117]

Anne, I love all your videos. Your sweaters are always super cute, what brand are they?

[@RobertJones-ey9qz]

Where i use to live, the ground was heavy clay. I wanted to plant some flowers in front of my privacy fence. I borrowed my dads little troybilt tiller and started breaking up the sod and dirt. After raking the sod off, I started tilling the dirt. Once that was done, I kept tilling at the dirt until it was fairly well tilled. Because it was fall, and I had an overabundance of leaves, I raked about six inches of leaves onto the area and tilled them in. The next spring, I borrowed his tiller again, expecting the ground to still be fairly hard but a little better. I couldn't believe the great soil I had. It wasn't hard at all. I have ten acres now I wish I could do the same thing with. It's very heavy clay. There are places where it's so hard it use to push my four bottom plow out of the ground.

[@andreaskummer4212]

I'm a backyard gardener and i find this info.with the forest soil to enhance the garden very good.Are you concerned at all with bringing something you may not want into your garden from the forest?Or am i just over thinking here? Last yr.i planted a large garden and it was infested with crucifer flea beetles that decimated the entire garden.The beetles took every single green leaf and left just the stems.This was a first for me losing everything to a beetle.

[@Ginny2708]

I use the ‘no dig’ method of gardening which is to add a mulch of well rotted compost every year. As thick as you can, 4” if possible. This way it feeds the earth below as well as keeps weeds down without having to dig up the soil which disturbs the soil life beneath. Then you just plant into the topsoil. Mulching in autumn is the best as it gives the compost a chance to work into the soil. Otherwise any other time of the year is good. The ‘no dig’ method of gardening means that I haven’t used my spade or fork in years. It also means I can save my energy for the numerous other aspects of gardening.

[@s-c..]

Anne, I was wondering about your thoughts on biochar, which seems to be all the rage. A couple of KZbin channels have videos on making it in your wood heater while you’re warming your house (love 2 for 1 outcomes!). Much less daunting than the big pits or barrel burns that need to be tended to. (Channels are Edible Acres & Live on What You Grow). So jealous of your forest by the way - what a fantastic resource!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

Biochar is great, but I don’t get too fancy with it. I create it by throwing green plant matter on the coals of my bonfires as they’re winding down, then I toss the whole mess of ashes and char in my compost piles every once in a while. If you’re looking for a quick fix or easy pill though, Redmond’s soil builder will get you farther, faster than compost or biochar.

[@s-c..]

@@AnneofAllTrades Ah, cool. I figured you’d have something going on. Redmond’s soil test looks handy too, unfortunately not available in Oz.

[@BaliFoodTreePlanter]

#anne Couldn't tell what's in the bags and their different properties. Please share.

[@user-ii3jg9ty4o]

Nice. After using my own pee, soil looks a little better (less than 2 weeks since i began). Of course I began this month, due to the beginning of rain fall until end of next month. Soil was baren, dry, cracked. Looks a lot better now.

[@koryflores1832]

I really like how natural and unscripted the dialogue is

[@deneseburrell]

My Granny used to take me out in the valley, dig up plants, and plant them in her beautiful garden. My mother used RoundUp around my garlic patch, which didn't grow ANYTHING for 10 years. Use compost! No more garbage cans! Throw leftovers in a pot and make tea! And don't forget Hügelkulture and electroculture! Best things ever. And don't trust the FDA~💚🌱🌾

[@joycehancock3063]

What was the dry leaves that you didn’t want to add to your compost?

[@MissAngela007]

I love ur jumper! I want one!

[@szu-pingchangwong3523]

I enjoyed learning your garden soil but in the end what did you add to the soils? What the two bags you recommended?

[@morsymusic]

Great video! Another question though, What hoodie sweatshirt is that? I love it!!!

[@planereality3675]

Thanks. Pretty much the same idea as back to eden gardening

[@karebear326]

Its not lazy. It’s working smarter,not harder👌

[@brendajames9431]

Great information

[@freddiekeffer3078]

I’ll apologize beforehand if I’m wrong about this but, early on in your video, while talking about the daffodils and the “lazy way” of getting wonderful soil… you pulled a plant amongst your daffodils that looked like poison ivy/ poison oak? I sure hope that I’m wrong about that, but I’d imagine that most likely that the symptoms would be presenting themselves at this point? I just noticed the “leaves of 3, which you leave them be…” Besides that, love your highly informative, very detailed and entertaining work! You’re an amazing and very inspirational person! I wish you all the best… p.s. I’m writing to you from Nebraska, and a little bit envious of the weather and how far ahead your season is compared to ours… especially after all the snow that we just had dumped upon us… lol.

[@kjones2008]

No worries, it is not poison ivy. I don’t know the species of the plant she holds, but it is another compound leaflet plant (a poison ivy mimic, if you will).

[@jesril3172]

In India at my home we have neen tree., coconut tree. I left the neem leaves under tye plants. It remains the ground moist. Covered the coconut tree with coconut shell ( after removing coconut ) along with coir upside Down to maintain moist.

[@Searchingforthelight423]

Spot on ! Shalom!

[@Moon888-oy8bb]

A very interesting video, thanks : )

[@iamorganicgardening]

Does this soil test let you know how much bacteria and fungi that is in your soil sample? And the nematodes and protozoa also ?

[@zachdobbs7810]

Would love to see Anne get into Timber Stand Improvement and prescribed fire back in her woods.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

It’s coming ;)

[@zachdobbs7810]

@@AnneofAllTrades looking forward to it. My 4 yr old daughter watches all of your videos and gets super excited when I tell her you have a new one out. Thanks for being someone she can look up to.

[@AnneofAllTrades]

@@zachdobbs7810 that makes my heart sing. Families watching together is absolutely the goal ❤️❤️ give her a big hi five from me

[@zachdobbs7810]

@@AnneofAllTrades done!

[@carmenortiz5294]

Nice to run into this channel. The forest part looks just like half of my backyard. The other half looks like I grow vegetables. Certified Wildlife Habitat in the middle of town, in the old section and less than half a mile of everything. 100+ trees that were used to mark the property line. (Got super lucky because real estate woman was trying to rip off the former owner, so she could pay a lot less than it's worth. Previous owner got more money from me and I ended with the perfect "homestead" with house built by a bootlegger who was a genius.) Crazy female hates me.

[@pondholloworchards]

Just cleared off a few acres what would be the best grass to plant in 8b for living rows in a orchard

[@samuelmjlfjell]

Best greatest ever you tube video

[@denniskemnitz1381]

Do you sample soils and test for any /specific microbes? Dennis

[@QBL11104]

I just subscribe and I absolutely love your content .

[@AnneofAllTrades]

So glad you’re here!

[@DH-ry2ho]

Can you do a video about the business side of all your animals and farm projects? How do you generate income from the land vs just the cost of tending? Thanks!

[@AnneofAllTrades]

That’s a great idea! I grew up without any money to speak of, but didn’t realize we were “poor” until I was well into high school. When I started all this, most of our food was coming from the food bank, which is why teaching about food security is so important to me now. Growing up the way I did definitely influenced the way I think about every endeavor here, and I often find myself looking back and suddenly finding myself with tears of gratitude welling in my eyes seeing how different things are today. I’m not likely ever going to be rich by any stretch of the imagination, but I sure have found a few creative ways to trade up from a paper clip the last dozen or so years.

[@DH-ry2ho]

You are doing great work! Seeing how you have developed the business end of your farm would be great!