Carrot| spinach| Cauliflower and celeriac plus no dig green manures and Quick bed prep pre-winter

[@annag929]

Ist fantastic that I have captions in Polish language, my english is not the best. Thank tou for a great chanel!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice to hear. I buy them because I know how many in your country are interested in my work :)

[@johnmorgan5495]

Always brilliant to go around the garden with you Charles. A treat

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Great to hear John, thank you

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

Good morning Charles. We are wrapping up a nine day vacation, driving north to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia and back home. Along the way, I chatted up No-dig, Worms and Charles Dowding ❤ I'm really amazed by the amount of food and papergoods that we trash. I really wanted to run around the room and collect orange & banana peels, paper napkins, cups, etc. My worms would have been happy! My 1,000 pound ♻️ Challenge this week shows what I collected without much effort 👌 I wish I could be with you for No Dig Day👌I hope it's a Great Success 👍 ❤Peggy❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Peggy!!

[@suttonsplash14]

This is my favorite gardening channel on youtube! 👍 keep up the good work!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Great thanks

[@edwinrodrigues9747]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig problem here is with mole crickets infestation. These creatures will destroy all the vegetable and small herbs. We are unable to grow any vegetables properly on our property.

[@tmd7859]

I think adding a go pro to the kitty and adding some clips of that while Charles is doing his tour would be very entertaining! Garden is beautiful as always Mr. Gardening Godfather!!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

What a hilarious thought! Giddy making at least

[@smas3256]

Humanure. Shockingly great results. ;) Charles. There is nobody like you anywhere.

[@carolinesemple2298]

Always a picturesque vegetable garden. Like a living picture that evolves over the year and seasons. Made by a living legend. Thanks for all you share

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nicely put!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

My pleasure Caroline

[@witchininthekitchin]

Wow. Love the outcome of the Kurds with toilet compost. Not shocked at all. Impressed 😀

[@itsmewende]

Always a pleasure seeing what's going on in the garden. I really like hearing the difference between the no dig and tilled beds, amazing the abundance. For a home gardener growing different food in those 2 sections, what a haul. Must say, I'm looking forward to this winters videos. I even like hearing what people name their property, I bought seeds from one named...hand me down farm, love that.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks 👍 - my favourite is Neversink Farm!

[@mojavebohemian814]

Thank you live in the Arizona, USA high desert....6500 elevation. I call fall the "second spring" when as you mentioned, the temps are like February. Your garden and climate is a joy to see.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for sharing from a very different situation, including your latitude also - we are 51st parallel with sunrise 7am, sunset 5pm as of tomorrow, the dreaded winter time

[@mojavebohemian814]

Thank you for the reply Charles! 34th parallel here. I record the weather channel sunrise and sunsets too, and, look outside to see if it is happening. Today the prediction is sunrise at 6:36 and sunset at 5:26. Ten hours and 50 minutes for the length of day. Loretta @@CharlesDowding1nodig

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice light Loretta :)

[@RayMirshahi]

I believe your stropharia mushroom bed gets more sunlight than it needs. I grow stropharia in all shaded areas of my garden where most plants struggle. Thanks for your wonderful videos. 🙏

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Good to know! We shall see.

[@RayMirshahi]

Also stropharia grows best in hardwood fresh wood chips. You should be able to get 2 flushes (spring and fall). They can become perennial depending on your climate and whether they have enough water and food (fresh wood chips).

[@bernadette6211]

I love your sense of fun, the way you experiment and your appreciation for nature. Well done for highlighting humanure, imagine the possibility if our collective waste system could be redesigned. Thankyou Charles

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

So nice of you Bernadette. Yes an amazing thought. It used to be done in cultures like China until recently. In places still is I feel sure.

[@tedbastwock3810]

What a great tour, thanks Charles

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you enjoyed it Ted

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you enjoyed it Ted

[@pamalajjohnson9576]

October 29 apple trees blooming, lilacs blooming so dry this summer now so many things thinks its Spring , I hope theses things we'll at the right time.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

😮 usually it works out

[@GardenMedia-mq2ck]

This is my favorite gardening❤❤❤

[@louisecloherty5338]

That's quite interesting to see it as the start of the garden year in November because in Celtic traditions and back further they celebrated new years in November as it was coming up to when the days started to lengthen again. Nice little synchronicity there especially as you are so in tune with gardening seasons which is what ancient religions would have also been based around

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cheers Louise and happy new year 💚

[@danielasonksen4475]

Great video. Really enjoy watching tours and hearing all about the methods and learnings. Thanks Charles

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you enjoy them Daniela 💚

[@BadGalMarie]

🍄’s too ! How exciting y’all !

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Yay 😎

[@nigelmccomb8106]

We had bad carrot root fly damage but insect netting solved the problem. I also grow a row of carrots in the poly tunnel along side of a row of scallions and that works too.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice

[@darrenmilner4040]

Amazing gardening community Spirit well done everyone involved

[@rik80280]

Yes! No putting the garden to bed. One of my favorite quotes from Eliot Coleman is: "That's because there is no goal called "putting in the garden." The garden is in all the time. The goal is to eat well." (in reference to conventional gardens being "put in" on Memorial Day)

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks and how interesting that such a phrase exists for you. I quite agree that Eliot would be the last person to put a garden to bed!

[@C1223opuv]

I had to watch this in two bites, so to speak; you came right out with it as I was eating. I knew the results would be compelling and something that makes absolute sense and thing we need to do urgently, but the 21 kilos is incredible. Groundbreaking stuff again.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I love your description of the watching!

[@eloisewiggins8198]

I love your passion & knowledge of gardening ... You have been truly blessed.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Eloise 💚

[@AmapolaLópez-e8f]

The Butterfly on the dalia is Vanessa atalanta, a migratory species. Nice to see it in tour garden. Thanks for your videos!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks for the info!

[@СкрипкаЛиса-м7ц]

Dear Charles, смотрю ваши видео как увлекательный сериал. Этим летом уже не копала свой огород благодаря Вам. У нас уже снег, а у Вас зелень, как у нас летом))) Спасибо за знания!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Так приятно это слышать, спасибо. Поделитесь, пожалуйста, хорошей новостью со своими друзьями в России!

[@СкрипкаЛиса-м7ц]

Обязательно! Всем рассказываю о Вас с восторгом!

[@AreYouKittenMeRtNow]

❤ hard frosts and snow already here in northeastern US, garlic and spinach (under cover) are happy though 😂 That romanesco is stunning! Will be trying those next year for sure and appreciate your advice about 21 June start date WOW to the squash yields! You’re right we all need composting toilets!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Oh wow, I'm happy not to have your weather! Go for it next year on the cauliflowers.

[@Truthinwisdom92]

Hello Mr. Dowding, First I would like to thank you for introducing me to no-dig. It has been a great success in reducing weeds and time spent weeding. I saw in the video that you had some snail and slug problems. I also had the same problem here on my farm in Romania. My 86 yo neighbour gave me tip which works really well. I make a very thin line around the beds with fireplace ash. So far it has worked great. I never tried to sprinkle it around the vegetables as I think it will alter the PH of the soil. Thanks again for all your great advice.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Amazing, thanks for sharing. Even if it rains is this working for you?

[@Truthinwisdom92]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Its actually better if you sprinkle the ash after a rain so it sticks and doesnt blow around. Last year I did it only twice the entire season and I had no issues with the rain. The ash has a PH of around 10 and once it dissolves into the soil I believe that the little band of soil under the ash maintains a high PH which discourages the slugs and snails.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

V helpful thanks

[@jeannamcgregor9967]

I have seen tomatoes grown above a slowly-leaking old terra cotta sewage line grow to twice the height of nearby tomatoes. Interesting data about the kuri squash and the compost toilet. Thanks.

[@NaseerOmran]

Remember remember the 5th of november.. No dig day 🌱🌾

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice, well 3rd November!

[@roccoconte2960]

Great job Charles.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you Rocco

[@camicri4263]

I wish my garden will become half asproductive! Beautiful! Blessigs Charles!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you Cami

[@danielasonksen4475]

Amazing Charles! Love the compost comparison! Humanure sounds great

[@Ayeshas_Garden_and_Cooking_]

Lovely garden,,,,,

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you Ayesha

[@nancliff51]

another great video , best veg gardening advice in any medium !

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Very kind, thank you

[@stevenbp101]

Hey Charles, so good seeing all you have going on in the garden. It still looks great. Our garden has a lot of winter plants growing. Just finished a rock job around our cabin foundation. Back to the other garden projects now. Going to give a church class here for people coupled with a Bible reading for next year starting March to help teach and feed folks. I promise your name and techniques will be discussed in the teachings. I still have tons of green tomatoes but I think I’m going to pick them all and bring them inside. Going to be getting cold this week. Freezing temps. Thanks Bubba, love all your videos. (Old guy from Arkansas)🇺🇸

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Such a lovely message Steven, thank you. I feel honoured to be mentioned in your teachings and that is the most noble work you can do, helping others to grow food. And more than that, by default they will be connecting with nature and all the microbes, and feeling stronger for it.

[@lauracaicedo1107]

Muchas gracias

[@magicsupamoggie]

I’ve had problems from those little snails too this year

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Strange eh? Like a plague :(

[@stevendowden2579]

another great video charles well done

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you Steven

[@dwighthires3163]

As always, a very good and informative tour of your majestic gardens.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Many thanks Dwight

[@kathrynbassett1535]

Thank you for your amazing encouragement and your wisdom 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

My pleasure Kathryn

[@Ann-qf5vk]

I could deconstruct boxes and re use as compost bins

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

A great plan!

[@067captain]

May I suggest my tip for keeping dahlias in the ground over winter Charles. Cut to the ground, cover with a little spent compost and then place a dustbin lid over them. Job done.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice one, thanks

[@shellhatherly3065]

Great gardening and an adorable cat!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you Shell 🙂

[@shellhatherly3065]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig No dig should be taught in schools everywhere, imagine how different the world could be made! Thanks again, Charles, for sharing so many tips and tricks for better, healthier food growing.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

My pleasure Shell 🙂

[@Pixieworksstudio]

Thank you, Charles, your videos are so encouraging

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Happy to hear that Amanda

[@darrendoss3753]

I have found chicken poop top dressed every year in my greenhouse is very effective. In my test the beds with chicken poop had twice the production.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Impressive

[@potagermalo]

Coucou 👋🏻 👋🏻 👋🏻 Le jardin est toujours aussi magnifique bravo 😊 A bientôt

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Merci

[@potagermalo]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig 😉

[@carennash9853]

I saw you're growing Lion's Ear! I grew some for the first time this year, very cool flower!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I love it, and they self seeded!

[@chicka_6297]

Wonderful video

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Many thanks

[@dmitriy1552]

отличные растения, красивый шпинат, но в листьях дырки от вредителей, как с ними бороться в это время года? у меня такая же история на моем шпинате

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Главным образом это потому, что сейчас мы находимся в условиях такого низкого уровня освещенности, и это делает растения более слабыми, менее способными отпугивать таких вредителей, как слизни и улитки, поэтому ущерб наносится больше. Я не считаю это общей проблемой сада. Это скорее проблема начала зимы. Затем весной, когда уровень освещенности быстро повышается, листья снова становятся здоровыми с меньшими повреждениями.

[@SunFlower44453]

Thank you ! Your garden is beautiful and this tour was very inspiring . I have sprouting purple broccoli I'm harvesting regularly now and lots of leafy greens in cold benches.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Lovely harvests!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you , great to hear Maria

[@veggiepatchideas]

Thanks Charles, such an inspiration 🌱🌱

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚

[@corinne7126]

Awesome video and great information, much appreciated

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I am glad you enjoyed Corinne

[@jennyjohnson9012]

My raspberries are the same as yours Charles. I had a few berries back in August which I thought odd and now they are hanging with beautiful fruit. I'm picking a small bowlful every day!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds great Jenny, I wonder if yours are Paris

[@jennyjohnson9012]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig I found the label Charles, they are Autumn Bliss. Producing the biggest raspberries still and it's nearly November.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Ah great!

[@Qopzeep]

You might be surprised by your raspberries next year. I put a layer of woodchip under my quince tree and inoculated it with Stropharia. Not only did I get tasty mushrooms, the quince exploded with fruit and has been for the past three years. I put it down to mycelial activity. You'll probably get your first flush in the first summer warmth. Wine caps are a summer mushroom, they like warm temperatures. Please make sure Adam does his due diligence when he harvests his first wine cap. Positively identify that it's the right fruit, then eat only a small piece and wait for several hours to see if there are any ill effects. He's created a nice home for all mushrooms, not just wine caps.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks so much for this encouraging comment. The raspberry plants had looked a little yellow and week this year so I'm optimistic now. Adam is quite an expert on mushrooms but I shall pass this comment on to him.

[@ewam3552]

Great video❤ I love the cat thats realy keen to stay in the view😂

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you Ewa

[@emanuelad3534]

Thank u

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

My pleasure

[@CathylynnDavis]

Speaks more to climate than no dig for such abundance. Tho no dig is definitely the way to go!!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Good point. Just five minutes later than you is a comment from someone in Russia saying how well the no dig is working for them, and their season has just finished with snow already.

[@marialuisaferrero1413]

Me ha encantado, enhorabuena por tan hermoso jardin, mucho trabajo sin duda, pero mucha satisfacion a la vez. Gracias!!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Eso es lindo, gracias.

[@tedbastwock3810]

Happy No Dig Day Eve!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚

[@krystellesesslar806]

Charles you are my favorite gardener on KZbin. My personal gardener style is similar to yours. I’m trying hard to master composting and build my soil. This is my second year here on this property and I have raised beds. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I may pay for a class and snag some of your books. I’m in zone 7B North Carolina, USA. I use 7a planting dates because I’m so close to 7a.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Ah thanks so much Krystelle, lovely to hear. It's good to sow a little later in spring, as a rule :)

[@naomi2646]

Charles i followed you all around the garden, listening and watching your shadow. I was trying to see your preferred direction of planting rows. It looked west to east, then i got lost😅. Looking forward to the upcoming videos you have prepared. Take care

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Cool, thanks Naomi the detective. My beds are aligned more according to the garden layout than any preferred direction by the sun. They happen to be lined south south east and west south west, in different areas of garden

[@naomi2646]

Thank you Charles, you bright en my day

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

great to hear Naomi

[@Plot22]

Be thankful you don't have Allium Leaf Miner! Going to use some sort of mesh barrier next year.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

So right and there is just a little here, so far, it worries me

[@Plot22]

@CharlesDowding1nodig if the leeks are big enough, the outer layers can be peeled off but mush will definitely have to be used next year

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Haha yes love mush!!

[@manuelrojas4483]

Un buen vídeo .Aprovechar el suelo para tenerlo siempre plantado en todas las estaciones.Con los días de lluvia hay que aprovechar y cultivar porque con buenas temperaturas se recoge muchas hortalizas de hojas,zanahorias etc.. Saludos desde Tenerife !! 👌🏻🌸👏🏻🐞🥬🌽🥕🌹☔️☔️

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Es bueno saberlo y con su clima, puedo imaginar la posibilidad de cultivar cosas durante todo el año. Espero que esos locos incendios hayan disminuido. ¡Estamos a punto de tener un clima extraño!

[@manuelrojas4483]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Empiezo a tener la esperanza que el bosque va a renacer nuevamente.Con las lluvias de hace unos días los Pinos canarios están sacando brotes nuevos 😂😂Es algo extraordinario.Pasaré alguna foto a tu correo para que lo veas.Árboles centenarios renaciendo y volviendo a formar ese manto verde 👏👏🙏🏻🙏🏻Gracias por tus palabras y atención

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Estoy encantada de escuchar eso!

[@patcharlesworth8321]

Human manure is a great resourse !

[@julie-annepineau4022]

I know you don't like the statement but I have put my garden to bed for the winter except for some kale, swiss chard and lettuce. We will soon have inches of snow( had our first snow fall today) and temperatures in the -15C range. Not many things can grow in that for 4+ months.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Hi Julie-Anne, yes that makes sense for you! I would do similar ❄️ and I hope the kale, chard and lettuce survive.

[@GARDENER42]

I sowed some asparagus seed in cells early this year, planted out in May & was surprised to see they're still putting up new shoots as of today. The ten, year old crowns I planted back in March are still mostly green, though definitely coming to the end. They were however still putting up new shoots only a couple of weeks ago.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Great production!

[@GARDENER42]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Needless to say, I've just let everything grow & will at most take a spear or two from the crowns next year & the seed grown in2025.

[@Andreea.sGarden]

If you plant in the same bed one row of carrots and one row of onion and so on, the carrot roots fry do not found the carrots because of onion smell. I have tested it and it really works.😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Good to hear but for me it did not work! Maybe depends on the year, sometimes flies are not present - this past summer I saw no damage. Then loads in autumn!

[@Andreea.sGarden]

@CharlesDowding1nodig yes, you have right sir, maybe depends on the climate to, I am from Romania and we have a little bit different climate. Our summers are dryer and hotter (+35°C) and the winter more colder (-18°C).

[@steveneason893]

We're a bit south of you, near 47 deg N lat., in a similar cool, damp climate. (Near Seattle.) We've had success sowing carrots on 01Aug for a mid-October harvest. We use a quick-growing Nantes type called "Yaya" for that sowing.

[@ValeriaVincentSancisi]

that is helpful for me in Northern Cal...Bay Area...

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

This is very helpful, thank you. I've been seduced by the aim of extra large carrots for winter storage, and need to grow them smaller!

[@thegreenwoodelf8014]

Thank you for all your content 🙏🏻 🤔 wondering How to incorporate green manure plants without digging 🤔 cut off crown compost rest 🤔

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks. If your climate is dry, certain green manures might die on the surface after cutting very low to the ground, or you could solarise them with clear polythene on top in sunny and hot conditions. Also sow white mustard, which is killed by -4°C Frost.

[@petermiller7028]

Carrot root flies do not fly above two feet above the ground,so building shade /windbreak cloth screens around your carrots will keep the flies off

[@cew9837]

Think Charles does videos where he mentions and shows this

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I found they flew higher here!

[@wildchook745]

Though, I'm a huge fan of the channel somehow I cannot go past the use of toilet compost.. No, no need to explain, I get it but it's something I would not use in my edible garden. Still, you continue to inspire me with your growing ideas and methods.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

💚

[@aimeev.5551]

I am new to the channel and your brilliant no dig gardening! I miss gardening very much but became disabled a few years ago, I’m now getting used to my new normal and trying to learn ways to garden the easiest way for myself. Does your no dig also successfully apply to raised garden beds? Your creative, insightful, and compassionate videos bring light and vitality into my world. Thank you for the wonderful work you do, I continually look forward to the next vid! Garden hugs from America. 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you so much and yes if you can get some help to create raised beds you can access, then no dig will make it much easier ongoing. The only soil preparation is to add new compost once a year. Weeds pull out easily. I would look to have a good 8 inches of decent compost as the top layer of any new bed, and have it firmed down and packed in, not loose.

[@aimeev.5551]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig 😃Yay thank you for the info Charles!

[@richardmoustache]

I am all in! Maybe I haven;t seen the right episode to answer this question.... But why not in spring? But my best instincts, are to apply in early spring, to not lose the living microbe population due to drying, and not lose Nitrogen and Potasium, due to winter leeching.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks, and the reason is because compost is not fertiliser, it does not leach nutrients because they are not water soluble in compost. Structurally it's improved by winter weather, and microbes are not killed but they go dormant. Hence the success of my garden.

[@angeliquehobbs1414]

As always great video! Thank you for the inspiration. I have garlic to plant.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

My pleasure Angelique

[@brianczuhai8909]

Happy to see you are still experimenting with the compost/gardening recipes. At the 4:15+ mark, you tried cow manure and human manure. The human manure worked dramatically. Maybe the cow manure had some herbicide in it? Did you do the grow beans test in it? Chicken manure would be free from that. I’ve been after you for having a higher/hotter nitrogen compost for higher needs plants. I guess they use human manure in Japan historically. Keep experimenting. Make the good even better.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Brian, and the cow manure has no pyralid weedkiller, the broad beans grew very well. The only bed of strip 3's six beds to receive humanure was the bed nearest the path, which grew the squash. I don't see it like that, all plants need full nutrition and in a balanced form. Which is provided by compost, without free nitrogen.

[@brianczuhai8909]

@@CharlesDowding1nodigJust trying to find an explanation for the maybe not expected results. I'd like to amend with alfalfa pellets, but don't trust them do to maybe herbicides being in the mix. But Charles, you do have to be persuaded there may be something extra in the human manure that the plants liked. I assume Nitrogen, but it could be more complex than that. Your trials keeps gardening interesting. 🧐😲

[@ralphwinter6421]

Nice one Charles, gud vid...

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you liked it Ralph

[@javorgeorgiev6130]

9:20 I'm testing how much I can push the no digging. I watered the soil, topped it off with a thin layer of straw, then sprinkled seeds roughly where I want them to grow and watered again. The idea is that the straw will keep the seeds somewhat in place, so they don't wash off when watered and cluster together. Looks like the turnips and spinach grew out fine where I wanted them to. I'm not really expecting much of a harvest out of them this late. I just want to have something in the soil that is alive until and maybe after winter. I'm interested in mimicking nature. I don't know how seeds scatter naturally and do animals end up stomping them in, but at least for the most of it, I don't think they get dug in to grow. When an animal excretes the seeds of a plant that grows out of the manure, it's pretty close to what planting in compost is. Or the wind blows them in the vicinity of the plant and they grow near it. I'll aim for more diversity next year. No rows/squares of one thing only.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Sounds fascinating. One thing to remember is that vegetables are not natural plants, they have been highly bred and need almost perfect conditions to grow really productively and with few diseases or pests. In that sense, we can't copy nature too much, because in nature we did not see cauliflowers and carrots as we know them

[@riverstun]

I just wrote above on this point, and I take your point for vegetables for market. You need consistent good-looking produce, and lots of it. But in the home garden, I think we can grow as Javor mentions, albeit with a little care. So a couple of weeks ago, I put in a couple rows carrots, turnips, mizuna, beet, chard and spring onions. These are really short rows, so only a couple dozen plants each. Something ate most of the carrot seedlings, and something else dug holes across the small plot, so I was left with about 30% of what I started with. But my parsley, dill, lettuce and rocket had seed on them, so I scattered these over the bed. I also put some onion sets where there were large holes in the planting. I see some wild mushrooms (not the edible kind) popping up also, which I take as a good sign for mycelia underneath. So overall, this is basically going to result in a "survival of the fittest". If I get 5 carrots, I'll be happy. If I have 4 chard plants, similarly. And so on. I'm expecting a few parsley plants, which is always very welcome here in the spring, and probably a decent patch of rocket, with a few lettuce. And once these go past harvesting stage, I'll let those with flowers go to seed. This is a new bed for me, so its starting from scratch. I also have a runner bean plant growing into the Wisteria, and there's a good chance of this coming back next year in this climate. I agree though, I'm never going to get a decent cauliflower using this system, but this really is how oregano, lemongrass, walking onions, thyme, etc. like to work, and I think all these herbs repel a lot of pests, and those pests I do get have to contend with the predators that I encourage with the ecosystem. My aim is to get the soil really healthy as you do with the compost, but also to encourage a variety of soil life, especially fungi, but also with the roots feeding at different depths, and with some being nitrogen fixers, and some with flowers for pollinators and others to attract hoverflies, and in the end, keep the soil happy, the insects happy, the plants happy, we me skimming off 10% off the top as my share. It does take time though; I built a garden like this over 10 years but then had to move and the person who moved in flattened it all because they didnt like the idea of wildlife. At that point in a very small space I had spiders, lizards, bees, hoverflies, butterflies, worms, moles, mice, raccoons, even a praying mantis and a hawk. You should see one of those mantis deal with a passing moth! I got aphids for a couple of weeks before ladybugs moved in and wiped them out. So its a different style - yields are lower and less perfect and predictable, and you're more beholden to the crops that nature likes to grow rather than what a shop would want, but there was usually plenty of stuff to throw in a soup.

[@p.s.2221]

@@riverstun thanks for sharing your wonderful experience ! would like to watch if you make video for your channel

[@luisagarcia3961]

Charles que lindo o vídeo obrigado ❤

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Obrigado Luisa

[@GoingGreenMom]

Hopefully that compost was aged long enough. We have a place here that uses it, or at least they used to. They aged it a year. But nice to hear how we'll it works!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

From the diet and health of people using the toilet, and the fact of it being 18 months old on average, I reckon there's a ton of beneficial microbes in that compost. There will always be some so-called pathogens but then, what is a pathogen? We have been encouraged to be fearful! There are small amounts of poisons in our bodies all the time and health is about maintaining the balance, both in our bodies and in compost and in soil.

[@RenaMasella]

VERY GOOD

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Glad you enjoyed it Rena

[@mayte3894]

🥦🥬🍆Me ha gustado que comentes lo que vas ha sembrar semana que viene, me sirve de guía. Gracias por el video🥑🍓🫛

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

😎

[@rangerswife2176]

I can’t get enough of your wonderful instruction. I need advice. I recently moved to zone 6b. The ridge line ground is base rock and clay; we have many groundhogs, chiggers, ticks, and deer. Everyone here hauls in soil and compost und uses raised beds with hardware cloth to keep the pests out. We have a lot of hardwood trees and abundance of leaves. The area I would like to use is on an open southern slope. I am overwhelmed and need to decide what to do and just get started. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

The southerly aspect sounds good at least! All the rest of those potential problems are I can believe, overwhelming! It sounds like your neighbours have sussed it, beds with hardware cloth. I would pile leaves when wet into heaps as large as you can manage, that will turn to compost within about 18 months, maybe two years. You could make lots of woodchip from old branches lying around and that also will turn to compost in 2 to 3 years. Your soil needs it from what you say. Start growing in a small area, keep it manageable and learn as you go.

[@rangerswife2176]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig thank you, Charles. Will do my utmost!! Appreciate the fact that you actually reply!!🌸

[@riverstun]

Hey Charles; Just stopped off at our local garden center here in the Bay Area, CA, and they had some fun plants for sale - Pandan which is used in Indian cuisine and some others, but the one I bought is Piper Auritum, also known as Hoja Santo or the Rootbeer Plant. It looks like a lovely tropical plant (Rick Bayless has a video on growing it here on KZbin), and it is used in a lot of Central America cooking. It's closely related to the peppercorn vine, and the reason I mention this is because it seems to be reasonably hardy, albeit dying back in winter in zones 8/9 before reappearing the following spring. It can also be grown in a pot indoors. I know you like trying out new things, so this is worth a shot. 2 cautions: it causes cancer in rats due to its safrole content, but its been used in Mexican cooking with no problems. Second, it can allegedly become invasive, but that may not be a problem in the UK. It sounds a bit like bamboo, which I've never had a problem with - just mow the young shoots if they pop up. Or grow it in a bucket. More of a herb than a vegetable, but check it out. Thought I'd return the favor for all you've shown me over the years!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Very kind of you, I shall see what might be available here

[@ValeriaVincentSancisi]

I am in the Bay Area.. which nursery are you talking about? There are a couple of non profit nurseries that are pretty adventurous.. Spiral Nursery has Epazote and Tulsi and Plantng Justice has tea plants camellia sinensis in Oakland...?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

I bought one on AlternativeSupplies!

[@franksinatra1070]

Thanks Charles. I made a note of the Prinz celeriac variety that you like and will try and pick some seeds up for next year in the hopes it does better for me than the variety I grew this year. I grew leeks for the first time this year and have a wonderful crop out still in the ground. I'm not sure if and when I should harvest. I was thinking of maybe trying to leave them in the ground and putting some plastic over them. I'm not sure how well the store after harvested. Any recommendations? I'm in 6b so it can get quite cold at nights in the winter here.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That sounds promising for your leeks and it depends on the variety, I would check the small print on the seed packet because some are harder than others. You could use a trowel to remove some soil with roots, about the size of a tennis ball and keep them in a reasonably frost free place like that, then trim them before eating, for up to a month that can work.

[@chrisshepherd8708]

I'm jealous

[@sarahtrew9331]

Have you read the humanure handbook? I highly recommend if you haven’t 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Sarah and yes what a great book

[@nickthegardener.1120]

Stropharia rugoso anulata 👍🤠🍄❤️ wine cap

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks Nick

[@nickthegardener.1120]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig I inoculated my paths with wine cap mycelium a few months ago.🤠👍🍄

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Aha!!

[@susandavis9986]

Question: You cleaned out the poly tunnel. Tomatoes and marigolds can have very hefty root systems. Do you just cut them at ground level, add compost and plant your next crop?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

That is correct, or sometimes we twist out smaller plants which means a few of the large roots separate and go into the compost heap. I always want to leave the main rooting system in the soil for microbes to eat

[@susandavis9986]

I will try that with my Brussel sprout bed. Btw, I was laughing when you finally talked about your dahlias… I have seen you walking by them and wondering when you were going to dig the tubers. Our low temp can be -20 F. so my tubers have been out of the ground for 2 weeks!

[@nitelite78]

6:24 😂 My Mum and her family only had an outside toilet when she was a child. My Grandad was a big back garden veg grower and all the toilet waste went straight on the compost pile.

[@nitelite78]

10:12 With the field and broad beans and adding carbon to the soil, do you mean via the plant roots which you plan to leave in the ground or are you going to leave the whole plant to grow and die and rot down in place, or do you mean you intend to take out the plants just to make compost and then re-add the cabon via the compost? Or is there something else going on with soil with other life processes that uses the plants and somehow adds carbon?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Yes it will be through the root system, which is based on carbon/organic matter and in the case of beans, there will also be some nitrogen nodules because the plants are not fully matured when we cut the tops. Maybe I shall leave the tops there on top, or if we remove the tops to compost, that does take some of the organic matter away. But I think that's probably more than that in the ground-roots, and next autumn there will be more compost added.

[@nitelite78]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig Thanks.

[@dustyflats3832]

I will never grow brassicas without netting. It is a huge pain to clean out cabbage worms especially in brussels. Another thing I would never do is human manure on vegetables.

[@yvonnejackson1696]

Why would cow, horse, chicken, assorted wild besties etc manures be ok but what was in your body be so toxic?

[@dustyflats3832]

@@yvonnejackson1696 because cow, horses, chickens and wild beasties aren’t on drugs crapping in my garden. No cats or dogs welcomed either because of parasites, ect. Some known to transfer to humans. My garden is fenced and I choose what goes into it. No telling what a visitor to your house is taking or their health and it wouldn’t matter as I don’t believe human waste belongs in food for human consumption. My choice.

[@yvonnejackson1696]

I’ve been adding my own urine to my compost for years and haven’t been sick a day. Why waste all that nitrogen?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Nice job Yvonne

[@klaasvdp]

Apart from 21 June, is it possible to sow romanesco in spring and have an earlier crop? I am missing this vegetable on your ‘22 calendar 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Yes you can, only I find that spring sowings stand less well in summer, I would sow late February to transplant early April

[@frilsovanoverbeek]

@charlesDowding1nodig Thank you so much again for sharing your knowledge and beautiful gardenviews. My question: do you test your soil so now and then? And if so, can you also share those results in a video? And not only pH, nutrients and organic matter percentage, but also the structure of your soil by showing a soilprofile out one of your beds? I'm looking forward! Keep up your very loving work!

[@frilsovanoverbeek]

As an example, here is a video of 3 soilprofiles from a garden in the Netherlands: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5_EqWahdr57iMkfeature=shared

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thank you, and I have only done a little testing of my trial beds. Generally I don't believe in soil tests because I prefer to let the plants tell me what is going on. However, I shall see about sharing some of the biological, microscope work I have had done

[@locke6531]

humanure 🙌

[@kamilfrancoolczak]

Carrots in September- yes - but undercover only I think

[@benjaminevans9137]

@CharlesDowding what is the definition of soil when it comes to dig or no dig? Does the no dig beds eventually make contact with the soil below? Happy gardening from Australia to you 😊

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Thanks, and soil is always just below or even at the surface because compost is being continually eaten and taken down into the soil, by organisms who enjoy feasting on it! There is no boundary layer between the compost and the soil, after the first month or two.

[@benjaminevans9137]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig thank you 😀

[@permaheretic]

Thompson & Morgan are saying sow carrots in November/December!

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Wow, I guess that sells seeds!!

[@permaheretic]

@@CharlesDowding1nodig It wouldn't have worked on me... if I'd believed them over you, I would have gone elsewhere and bought organic seeds!

[@guylamullins3602]

I purchased a bagged compost and it seemed to be filled with root fly and gnats. It destroyed a bed of snow peas and turtle peas.

[@marcobrasil9401]

hello, can i plant garlic or sow carrots with the soil wet because where i live it rains alot , thank you

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Yes you can if drainage is good and the soil does not sit under water through winter

[@Dogtagnan]

I have to grow brassicas under cover to keep pigeons from pecking the leaves and killing the plants, but you seem to be growing them without cover. Any tips please Charles?

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

It's simply that I'm fortunate here, that during the summer months pigeons are elsewhere. Then they arrive soon in December, when we need to get out the bird netting and cover brassica plants

[@CMDRSloma]

Charles, I have a quick question about autumn raspberries. When do you cut them to the ground? I usually wait until they drop all leaves, around late December or early January.

[@CharlesDowding1nodig]

Any time from now if you want to be tidy, it won't hurt the plants. Sometimes I do it in February, depends on the workload here.