Do This NOW To Refresh Garden Soil In Winter [And 1 Thing To NEVER Do]

[@TheMillennialGardener]

If you enjoyed this video, please consider making a donation to Paws Place Dog Rescue for the holidays! I'm giving away contest entries for prizes in exchange for donations via PayPal. Contest instructions here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2Wyd5uomKumqJY TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 Introduction To Refreshing Garden Soil 0:34 Tip #1: Removing Old Plants And Weeds 3:58 Tip #2: Amending Soil With Kitchen Scraps 5:07 Tip #3: Amending Soil With Compost 5:58 Tip #4: Tarping A Garden Bed 8:50 Tip #5: NEVER Do This To Your Garden Beds 11:23 Adventures With Dale

[@jillian1515]

This is the BEST video on simply and naturally revitalizing soil in beds. So many videos tell you to use 3-4 different bags of stuff. I knew there was an easier natural way! Much thanks 🙏💪🌱

[@rodrigomartin750]

I would like to add one thing. At one part of the video you said that the tarp will keep the soil warmer while a mulch will keep it cooler. Based on my experience, I would have to disagree. I live in a place where we get quite a few freezes in winter. From my experience, the soil that is uncovered is more prone to freeze than the soil with mulch on top of it. My guess would be that the mulch layer creates an insulated air barrier that keeps the temperature from lowering too much. It works the same in summer, preventing the soil from getting too hot thanks to this insulation.

[@groussac]

Iowa Zone 5a. I agree. Here it's normal for the soil to freeze to a depth of a foot or more. At least with the mulch, there's some protection from the cold. Besides, the mulch allows the snow to melt and the water to slowly work its way into the soil. With a tarp, there's no benefit from snow melt. That said, I'm thinking about thinning the mulch layer once spring comes, to allow the sun to heat up the ground faster. Have you ever tried that? Right now I've got a good 6 to 8 inches of shredded leaves over the garden beds. If I do nothing, the mulch will have converted to leaf mold about mid June. We're getting good production from the garden as things stand now, but I'm always looking for ways to improve.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I think you’re confusing two different concepts. When it comes to surface frost, it will depend on the mulch type. Hardwood mulches and wood chips tend to freeze before bare ground. If you use wood mulches, you’ll find they’re the first to collect frost, and they’ll have much thicker coatings than the bare ground. Wheat straw is different. A thick layer of wheat straw can absorb and hold warmth, because it interweaves together and holds tremendous amounts of moisture, which accumulates warmth due to a high specific heat value. You may be able to mimic similar results with thick layers of finely chopped leaves and grass. This is why I use straw to insulate my bananas. Wood mulches won’t work so well. That being said, all mulches keep soil cooler. If you don’t believe me, take a meat thermometer during daytime, stab it through any mulch layer until you reach the soil, then stab it through bare ground to the same depth. The mulch layer will have cooler soil. That’s why we mulch: to preserve moisture and keep roots cooler. Mulch will actually retard the growth of your plants in early spring, because it makes the surrounding area so cool. It is actually beneficial to not apply mulch in early spring when evaporation is still low, because your plants will grow faster.

[@giaannstdenis3661]

Or do both?!?

[@groussac]

@@TheMillennialGardener Iowa Zone 5a. A mulch layer is needed here to keep the garlic from freezing. Do you recommend thinning the mulch come spring or does it really matter with garlic?

[@joelbrandon5491]

@TheMillennialGardener it's going to do both, at different times. The same thermodynamic property that will make it absorb the sun's energy in the day, will make the tarp expel the soil energy to outer space at night time. Radiation to space is a tricky phenomena. It is the reason that someone can freeze in the desert on a summer night. A mulch will be as you said... an insulation barrier, keeping the soil temperature more consistent... Cool in the summer, cooler in the winter. The tarp acts as an emissivity enhancement, increasing heat flow through thermal radiation (both during the day and at night). Now, it's possible that the temperature increase in the daytime is enough so that the nighttime decrease still keeps temps warmer under the tarp vs mulch (not my assumption, though). And a string of cloudy days and cold nights absolutely will cause more freezing under a tarp vs mulch. Experiments would need to be done where the soil temperature is taken under the tarp vs under a mulch layer early morning before the sun has had its chance. This would be the best way to answer this question. On cold winter nights, I wouldn't at all be surprised if the tarp soil was cooler than a mulched soil. I should add that if it is in a greenhouse, it will be protected from the heat loss at night.

[@nannykat1057]

I just found your channel. GREAT to see a younger generation with plenty of knowledge regarding good gardening practices. You are spot on with your tips, especially about fertilizing a resting bed. Blessings from Texas. 🤠

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I appreciate you watching!

[@russf6572]

Let me start by thanking you! Your videos were very helpful this year. After canning around 35 quarts of paste tomatoes from my 14 foot square 'in ground' garden, it got cleaned and turned in October. Half was planted with a mixture of elephant and soft neck garlic about a month ago because I use a LOT of garlic. The other half will be planted in the spring with Roma tomatoes. All of my potted soil was mixed into my compose pile as the plants died, hopefully making a rich potting soil for this next spring, and avoiding the need to buy bags of soil again. The straw bale I grew cucumber and green onions in was also worked into that pile. The bale was pretty much degraded by the end of the season, leaving only the outside, so I'm hopeful all I'll have come spring is a pile of good rich soil. I won't do another straw bale. My potted 'slicing' tomatoes didn't do as well as expected, so I purchased seeds that are best for northwestern Oregon. Fingers crossed. Thanks again my friend!

[@tinab7791]

As a new Gardener I've really been back and forth on whether I should mulch or tarp. I'm still unsure. We don't see the sun for about 5 months solid, and we get torrential rains through those months. So I went half tarp and half mulch and I'll see how things pan out in the spring.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

The more rain you get, the better tarping is. Tarping will prevent your soil from washing out and losing all its nutrients. It’s also a lot cheaper. My advice would be tarp now to protect your soil and save your money so you can buy mulch when it comes time for transplanting.

[@russf6572]

@@TheMillennialGardener Being Oregon, where we get a LOT of rain, I guess I better plan on tarping the tomato garden. Would you suggest that I also cover my compose/potting soil pile (as mentioned in my comment above)?

[@cristallaprade5487]

Great video! Just the detail I needed. Been thinking about this subject for months. You are the only content provider that has talked about the removal or non-removal of roots. Thanks much! Cheers!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad the video was helpful! Thank you for watching.

[@jillian1515]

Yes yes!!! I've been searching for weeks on how to naturally revitalize my raised beds. No impressive videos. And then, finally... it was someone I'm already subscribed to. Guess I subscribed to the right guy! 🥰🌱 I'm on it tomorrow!!!

[@lizchattin7016]

The first question I ask myself, is 'do i see this practice in nature?' If not, it's not as nature intended it? I used to tarp every year, but then asked 'When do we ever see -healthy- soil that has nothing growing on it for a season or more. No where? 'When do I see the ground heated up by a tarp in nature?' I hven't done a cover crop yet, but researching it. Read 'Dirt to Soil' by Gabe Brown. It's eye-opening.

[@BattleAx342]

I live in Georgetown SC and have put my winter garden in at the end of Oct. I only have two 9x4 and one 4x5 areas where I am growing some unfortunately I need my beds because I can grow year round. So what I do is pull all the plants then add Black Cow manure and other nutrients to the soil. There is a horse farm out buy me that you can go and fill bags of horse manure you just have to let it sit for 8 to 9 months before you can use it. I learn something new every time I watch your videos. Thanks

[@jhorsch94]

Great tips! I literally just put my beds to rest today and added compost to the beds. I also started a leaf mold pile, so hopefully that’s done by next year too.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Excellent! I’m already looking forward to spring, and it technically isn’t winter yet 😆

[@jhorsch94]

@@TheMillennialGardener That’s for sure! You’ve a nice sun room to continue growing even through the winter if you want. I can’t grow much with my south facing windows so I bought a grow tent and some grow lights last year so I can grow tomatoes and peppers year round, and the grow tent is big enough to overwinter my pepper plants.

[@jeanniewahine5443]

@Joshua Horsch, I am envious, that sounds amazing! I spent last night checking the affordability of setting up my own indoor situation by looking at lights and such on AliExpress. It's so tempting to me, I was considering that route, despite not knowing enough about the equipment to find actual quality/value, let alone not getting swindled, *sigh*.

[@veronicastewart1959]

Thanks again for sharing your videos, I’m from Mobile, Alabama and we have an old saying If you don’t like the weather hang around for a few , it will change . LoL You it will be sunny then out of no where it will start raining. Anyway I hope I can get out there and start me a garden, but I think I’m a little behind. Thanks again. From Mobile, Alabama. Be safe and be happy !

[@MayraRodriguez-id5rm]

I so much appreciate your comment in regards gardening and completely agree to your vision. Thanks for sharing. I juice daily and all the ground up pulp left is amazing for the garden beds. Bless you you, beloved child of our beloved Earth 🌍🤗

[@carmellayates2503]

I totally agree with using a tarp , the areas I didn't use covers sprouted weed and grass . I won't neglect those any more .

[@TheMillennialGardener]

They’re worth the investment. I’ve stopped relying solely on mulch, because once March rolls around, weeds germinate.

[@annscott900]

Luv luv your experiments!! It saves me enormous time and study. Thank you.

[@hmmm..2733]

Loyal sub here…I always gain knowledge from your videos. I trench composted my raised beds this year. I’m in 9B and we don’t get much freezing. I like to use leaf mulch on the bare beds. I like that leaves break down slowly and add to the soil life. I’ll be watching your fig pruning videos again this year. I used them as a guide last year and my 2 year old fig was BEAUTIFULLY formed. I continue to be very impressed with the quality of your instruction in each and every video. You enhance the lives of many people and I am very appreciative of all you do to further our knowledge. My very best wishes to you this holiday season and year round!

[@jbreshLSU]

I understand the reasoning by not amending your soil with fertilizers, since you’re not growing anything to be fertilized, but if you have a pH issue, I’d suggest incorporating amendments to get your pH right in the off season since they take quite some time to break down and effect your soil’s pH.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That's a bit of a different story. If you need to correct a problem, that will need to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. You have to be careful, though, because some additives won't work in winter. For example, if you want to lower your soil pH, a great additive is sulfur prills, but they need to be broken down by aerobic soil bacteria, which isn't active when soil temps fall below 50F. So, if you add sulfur prills to cold soil, instead of being consumed by aerobic bacteria and help your soil, it could break down into hydrogen sulfide instead, which is not good. When applying sulfur, you need to wait until it's sufficiently warm. If you want to raise pH, you can probably apply lime at any time since that's dirt cheap.

[@nikkistump3480]

Great gardening video!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@MichaelJosephJr934]

Another great video!!!!!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!

[@sylvia10101]

Great information! 👍 Dale looks handsome 😊Thank you MG!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I wish I could’ve gotten some of those good looking genes. Dale got all the good looks in the family 😆

[@Lalrinmawii7]

Thanks you so much!! this is exactly what I need to know.. I never do anything to my raised bed after I harvest!! this is so helpful, and it makes so much sense to cover them! Lots of weed and grass will grow in my raised bed. It's has been so cold in my area, I hope it's not too late to do this.. I will look for a warmer day and get them ready for next year.!😊👌👌👍

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It definitely isn’t too late. When you get a mild day, spend it giving your beds some TLC. It’ll save you a lot of time during the growing season when it’s a lot warmer and you don’t feel like weeding 😆

[@terrinegron]

Interesting thoughts on how to put your beds asleep. Thank you!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome!

[@vonries]

One thing you might want to do to your resting garden bed that will add nutrients to your soil and is free, are coffee grounds and tea grounds. You can get them free from Starbucks. I like to lay down an inch or two onto the top of soil and then run a rake over the surface to mix it in just slightly. My family also goes through an abnormally large amount of eggs. I put them into a coffee grinder. They get lots of surface area that way, so they breakdown faster.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Coffee grounds are in the mix at 3:58. I go through a lot of coffee, so there is no reason for me, personally, to go find any. I add them to the garden and compost pile 3-4 times a week.

[@vonries]

@@TheMillennialGardener I'm not talking about a handful or two. I'm suggesting an inch or more over all of the bed, plus your kitchen scraps if you wish. I like to cover mine with an additional layer of browns like fall leaves.

[@urbanharvestdfw]

would too much coffe make the soil more acidic or would this amount be safe

[@vonries]

@@urbanharvestdfw From what I've read the acidity is only associated with the coffee liquid itself, so unless you use unused coffee grounds you should be fine. I've been using them for well over a year now, and my experience bears this out. Just don't leave any matted areas of only coffee grounds on the surface. They need to be worked into the soil within 24 hours. Any areas left with surface grounds will dry out.

[@claudiamiller7730]

Great info…thanks from Western North Carolina!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thanks for watching!

[@jackmcnair3722]

Try a roll of building / house wrap. I-tried it this winter . 900sf , less than a hundred bucks. It’s a whole lot less than tarps . I had some leftover on a job and used it

[@PlantObsessed]

I have a worm farm so the scraps go to the worms. Do you think the tarp will hurt the soil biome.with too much heat?

[@dadmezz4024]

Thank you for the. Ideas.

[@ILMUBANGUNAN]

Tutorial cara ber kebun yang sangat ber manfa,at salam sehat dan sukses di sana👍👍

[@AnarchAnjel]

I pulled up a tomato roots and there was a pupua under it. It was a dark red about 2 inches long with what looked like a horn on the end , not sure what it was but I fed it to my chickens, so yeah pull the roots out!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

When you leave roots in the soil, they will be consumed by insects. The question is, are they beneficial insects, or are you attracting bad insects? I don't like leaving tomato, cucumber and zucchini roots, because they attract some insects you don't want in your garden. Something like lettuce, peas, string beans, spinach...I'd be inclined to leave them if you don't need to re-use the bed right away.

[@barco581]

There are videos on here by soil scientists saying that tilling does not harm soil microbiology. The no till advocates are often the 100% organic only advocates. Being in a community garden in New England we have to put them to bed by Halloween and then get access again in the middle of April. In the fall we remove all plants and weeds. We dig trenches in the gardens and bury seaweed that we collected from local beaches and throw in some leaves too. Bury it with composted cow manure and/or additional compost. We seed pretty heavily with 2lbs-3lbs of Winter Rye per 250 sq ft. We find the Winter Rye grows quickly and prevents almost all weeds, and the long roots help to decompose the organic matter that was added in the fall. Winter Rye really takes off in the spring so we cut it short a few times-it will be like a carpet come spring. When we till in the spring the seaweed and leaves are fully decomposed. Agree with you 100% about not adding fertilizer in the fall-just a waste of money. In the spring we always soil test too. Some universities will provide soil testing at very reasonable rates. If not, there are quality labs like Western Labs where you can ship soil samples too. You don't want to waste money and potentially do more harm than good by just throwing random amendments and fertilizers into your garden. For example, maybe boron and potassium are already high in one's soil. Boron can go toxic quickly and potassium can block other nutrients if levels are too high. Nobody can really tell by looking at soil-that is why a soil test is so important as our growing conditions are so different-over the long run it actually can save money by eliminating products that are not needed.

[@groussac]

@ 11:44 The one thing I never do: amend them with fertilizer. You're right if you're talking about expensive fertilizers. Otherwise some alfalfa pellets and other cheap amendments worked into the top layer will feed the microbes, and allow them to break down the product over the winter. Yes, some of the nutrients might be leached out, but some of it won't. Cup half full theory. Spreading kitchen scraps over the soil might be okay if you're using a tarp and you don't have a critter problem. Otherwise, it's probably best to work them into the soil. I use a tumbler composter, and no matter what I do, it doesn't break down the scraps completely. So one lucky row gets a little trench where I bury the summer's half decomposed scraps. If this upsets the soil's mycelia, well, they have a whole winter to get over it, and regrow themselves back into shape.

[@ericscottfitzgerald6490]

Just found your channel and enjoying it. Thank you for posting. I appreciate the advice on what roots to pull vs which to leave alone. Always wondered, and your pov makes sense to me. Adding it to my SOP. Thank you. I don't disagree with tarps to cover raised beds. I think my worry is depriving the bed of the rain -- the nitrogen delivery system. Not sure how much of a difference that makes tho. I've covered with tarps and leaf litter different years and can't tell much difference. Looking forward to exploring your channel. Thanks again.

[@Huy0035]

The tarp also keeps nutrients in the soil by not allowing rains to wash it away.

[@mompuff]

Thank you so much!! I learn something new from your awesome videos!! 🙌🏻🦋❤️

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoy them!

[@juneshannon8074]

Great advice and explanations. Thank you.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome!

[@nellanddudley]

More great advice and perfectly timed for me!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@debbies2966]

I was curious about wrapping my year old fig trees for the winter. When I was a child my neighbor (NY zone 6b) who was from Sicily would wrap his fig trees and tie them with rope and put a pail on the top. I am not sure what he used to wrap the trees, maybe a tarp. I am in central NC zone 7b and my fig trees had buds last Spring which were killed off several times when the cold snaps came. Can you do a video on how to wrap the fig trees properly?

[@johnjude2685]

I'm going with leaving roots in ground unless it's little tree saplings that like maple trees from the whirllybird seeds.that must be controlled here in my area. But in my melon patch I think I'll tilt a few weeks before replanting my melon patch.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I think it's best to be selective based on the plants. Melons can harbor diseases, nematodes and other pests, so I would want them removed from my garden. Smaller, less disease prone roots may be able to stay if you aren't planting immediately.

[@valoriegriego5212]

Another good one, Anthony!👍 You better watch having Dale in the editing room...he just may start supervising the videos. He was studying your scene pretty hard there.😃 Hey Dale!👋 💕

[@TheMillennialGardener]

They say dogs can’t recognize themselves in a mirror, but I’m not so sure about that 🤔

[@GrayGravoli]

Thank you for the content 🙂

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@mireyavanamee8179]

Thank you so much!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome!

[@LostBeagle]

And I thought I was the only one who covers their raised beds with tarps.

[@dorindafulton]

My raised beds are a mess. Hopefully I'll make a video when I can start cleaning it up ☺️🤗🌿🌱 Have a good day and happy gardening 🌿🌱

[@TheMillennialGardener]

How’s a good time to clean them up. It’s much easier this time of year than when the warmth rolls in. Thanks for watching!

[@dorindafulton]

@@TheMillennialGardener I have tomatoes and okra plants to pull out. I toss everything in the shredder. Probably this weekend since we will have rain for the next 2 days.

[@deborahlynch1317]

I also live on NC and have problem with ants and large mounds. I put my kitchen scraps in my raised beds and the ants came. They were hard to get rid of. Do you have any suggestions of how I can use the kitchen scraps without the ants?

[@tomfisher3117]

Did you consider a cover crop? It kind of does the same thing, you fix nitrogen in the soil, protects your soil and you have no need for a tarp of you cut it close to the soil line when it's 12-18" tall in the spring. Much less work too. Blessings to you!

[@christiridley1009]

Thanks for the great common sense and science-based advice! I never thought of the microbiome sterilization that could occur with the continuous UV winter rays! Do you ever add wood ashes when putting your beds to rest?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Where I live, we only have heat pumps, because the winters don't stay cold. We don't have wood stoves and wood burning fireplaces, so wood ash is not something I have much access to. When I use my smoker, I use natural charcoal and wood chips, so I do use that ash to spread in my beds, but it's hardly anything, and I don't use my smoker more than 1-2 times a month. If I had a wood burning stove, I would absolutely use the wood ash, but you need to be careful, because it's *very* alkaline, and many of our favorite vegetables (nightshades, cucurbits, brambles, etc.) prefer mildly acidic soil, so you don't want your garden soil pH to be above neutral. The key is using enough to get the nutrients, but not overdoing it to the point where it harms soil pH.

[@astroAl76]

What would you think of that black, weed-block fabric instead of a plastic tarp? I believe water permeates through the fabric. Would that be helpful or not?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, I think that’s fine and will serve the same purpose as long as it is wide enough to cover your beds.

[@floydrosinithejourneymanss1766]

@@TheMillennialGardener I tried using weed block as an experiment and the weeds grew underneath it anyway. I mostly use black plastic to cover the beds now. NO WEEDS.

[@rosiehowell5575]

I sowed a cover crop of rye in my raised beds this fall. I read to cut the rye and work it into the soil at least thirty days prior to planting. Since we can plant peas in January according to the NC Dept of Ag growing guide I will need to cut the rye in that bed this month. I'm hoping this is going to work for a nitrogen input as well as composting the green into the soil. Should I cover that bed with the tarp after doing this? It makes sense it would warm the soil.

[@ale347baker]

I built 4 raised beds and filled them with raised bed soil. I tarped it because I don't want the nutrients to leave . But then I added some 2 inches of leaves on top of the soil, and tarped that. Im unsure if tarping over the leaves is ok. It does keep it moist in there vs exposed leaves. Should I remove the leaves, or is it OK to tarp over them and my new soil?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, it is not only fine, but a great idea, because instead of the leaves sitting there mostly inert over the winter, you'll warm them up and they'll break down more quickly. When you remove the tarps in spring, you'll find the leaves will have decomposed significantly, adding their nutrients to the soil, and your beds will be weed-free.

[@steveng6269]

So in your opinion is a tarp or are shredded leaves better topping for raised beds with nothing growing in them over the winter? I have already amended soil with table scraps, coffee grounds and compost. I usually use leaves but like the idea of a tarp.

[@orrfamily641]

I totally agree, your spot on, Thanks. So here is a question. 1st year planting pumpkins, they did great, had a few spots in late August that got powdery mildew on them, after the harvest I had a lot of vines everywhere, What do you do with all the vines? can you compost them and use them next year? burn them? disc or till them up? Any insight is greatly apricated.

[@barco581]

Cucurbits such as pumpkins are prone to disease and a lot of pests. I remove my vines from the garden. I would not till them in. My guess is the Millennial Gardener will say they can be hot composted, but you definitely don't want them just lying around in some pile near your gardens. And if the plant is diseased not sure about hot compost. Why risk it? The vines can quickly get out of control. Curious, are you pruning the tertiary vines? Most of us pumpkin growers generally will remove tertiary vines during the season and this helps with air flow. Curious, when are you watering? I try to avoid watering pumpkins early in the morning when there is dew on the plants as watering can quickly spread powdery mildew. I also try to avoid watering too late in the evening as putting them to bed wet also can also spread powdery mildew. Of course with life this isn't always possible.

[@orrfamily641]

@@barco581 This information was a great help, I figured as much but wanted a better opinion. Didn't prune very much and they all grew into a huge blanket of vines, I can see the wisdom in pruning and creating better air flow. all of the watering was done between 8am to 11am and the method we adopted was a soaking at the ground level under the plants mostly at the main root or trunk of the pumpkin's. We followed the recommend feralization for pumpkin growth. The two things we didn't do was the pruning and covering the main vine for extra tap rooting. She planted 18 plants (different kinds) and we got 164 pumpkins, averaging between 10 to 30lbs. Looking forward to this spring, Thank you a lot.

[@charlesdevier8203]

Sometimes I pull up the vines and toss them over the fence. Sometimes I just run my riding mower through the patch several times to chop up the vines and call it good for the winter.

[@mariap.894]

What do you think of using cardboard? I enjoyed watching Dale watching himself. 😄😄😄Loved those little wiskers🐕🐕🐶

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It depends how you're going to use it. I think it's fine to use natural cardboard to line the bottom of your raised bed when filling it in the beginning to snuff out any grass underneath. I've been currently running a cardboard experiment using it as weed matting since October, but it's progressing very slowly due to the colder weather.

[@mariap.894]

@@TheMillennialGardener I meant on the top, instead of a tarp. The using cardboard to line the bottom before filling it was no good for me. The roots of my neighbor's trees destroyed my plants. Now I'm planting over solid cement tiles.

[@richardrubin120]

Thank you.. off topic question. What is the minimal size of container for your fig trees, and how do you amend them in the same pot every year?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I think the *ideal* size are the #15 containers I recommend here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqaleZV4os1mnrc That being said, I think you can get away with a #10, but they'll be less productive. I have a full playlist on how to fertilize figs here: kzbin.info/aero/PL1gY7BoYBGIFNbJEUdApbh_E57uNBLG2j

[@richardrubin120]

Thank you for replying!

[@KingOfShenanigan]

What about okra? Should I leave okra roots in the ground or pull them out?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I've never grown okra, but my understanding are the plants are pretty vigorous. If they have substantial root systems, they may not decompose in time. What you can do is leave them in, then if they're still present in a few months, pull them. By then, they'll at least be semi-decomposed and partially refeed the soil, and pulling the plants will disturb the soil a lot less since they'll be a lot smaller.

[@rkng1]

Cardboard with any labels removed and laid in your beds as well as newspapers minus glossy ads will provide weed prevention and help keep your beds a bit warmer. If you want to add compost place it first. Newspaper about 3 layers thick will be almost completely degraded by spring

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You can use cardboard strategically as weed barrier. I'm experimenting with this as we speak. However, it won't substitute for the tarp. The tarp is so incredibly beneficial that I can't recommend them highly enough.

[@ramonebrown5704]

Dark colored mulches like the red or black dyed woodchips should heat the garden bed as well. I think the problem is most mulches like undyed woodchips, straw, etc are light in color

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I would urge everyone to *not* use dyed mulch. Not only are they dyed with stuff you *do not* want leaching into your beds, but they dye it because they're using junk wood. It isn't real hardwood - it's a lot of shredded pallets, leftover construction supplies and junk wood they dye to make it look like hardwood. Buy real mulch made of real wood, not leftover lumber with fake coloring added.

[@ramonebrown5704]

@@TheMillennialGardener They just use iron oxide to dye it, it's harmless, essentially rust

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@ramonebrown5704 that can't be the only ingredient, because there are many different varieties of colored mulch. Even if the dyes were 100% harmless, you're mulching your bed with ground up pallets, scrap lumber and low quality wood products that can't be sold. It isn't real wood. That's why it's much cheaper than hardwood mulch despite all the effort to dye it - it's junk. If you want wood mulch, I would recommend buying real, hardwood mulch or real bark-based mulches, sign up for a service like ChipDrop to get real wood chips delivered, or go to your local landfill and take free mulch if it's offered.

[@travisevans7502]

@@TheMillennialGardener I wouldn't use dyed mulch either not because it is bad wood but because you don't know what those pallets were used for could have all kinds of bad toxic chemicals who knows what on them that has soaked into them I do use it in flower beds that I don't grow food in

[@lavonnetraylor8403]

I have been just overturning a shovel full, put in chopped kitchen waste and cover up. Repeating every few days to next adjacent area. I thought open composting releases nitrogen to air instead of soil.. Is my method wrong? I see worm activity in my beds all winter here in Northern South Carolina.

[@BugRod64]

question, if i am preparing a new bed for spring planting. Should i follow the rules of fertigation as you described? Thanks

[@TheMillennialGardener]

What do you mean exactly? As in designing drip lines for fertilizing via soluble fertilizers? That's a bit of a different subject, and I have various guides for how I set up my system here: kzbin.info/aero/PL1gY7BoYBGIHHHsx0JPcYgD4xXzA96usL I generally fertigate through my rain barrels.

[@katipohl2431]

Nutrients from fertilizer would be incorporated by microbial biomass and some would be washed out.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I can’t justify using fertilizer on an empty bed, especially during the part of the year when microbiology is least active. I recommend saving the expensive stuff for the growing season and use it in targeted applications.

[@barco581]

@@TheMillennialGardener exactly, organic matter is so much cheaper than fertilizer and can piled on in the fall.

[@tomknack]

Would it be equally as beneficial to use the black ground cover fabric in place of the tarp?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes, that will work fine if the size covers the whole bed.

[@MichaelRei99]

If people don’t want to disturb the ground how do they grow root vegetables? You wouldn’t be able to pull them out of the ground.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Correct. There is no such thing as “no dig” in reality, because that makes sowing, transplanting and harvesting impossible. What it should be called is “minimal disturbance gardening,” but that’s less marketable and doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue 😆

[@debbiep7419]

Could I use black plastic instead of a tarp? I think it would be less expensive and easier to cut to fit my beds.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yes. That will work similarly. However, it won't be as breathable. If you're going to leave it on for months, you may want to consider taking a toothpick and punching some little tiny holes in it to let some air through. If your goal is to bake the soil to kill diseases and seeds, that's different, because you want the soil to heat up as much as possible and roast any seeds or diseases to death, but that's going to be tough in winter with weak sun.

[@dapperdingo]

Man, you would surely benefit from having a couple of laying hens in that yard in a separate caged coop area to collect eggs and chicken poo for the compost heap. (If you don't have covenants against that in your neighborhood area, that is.) I have just two hens for minimal chicken yard work and more gardening time with the side benefit of the eggs that I do not eat a lot of other than for baking, and of coarse for the benefits of the poo too..

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Chickens are the first thing banned by our HOA. It's the first line in the covenants. Chickens aren't possible in most neighborhoods, unfortunately. I don't intend to live here forever and would eventually like more land someday.

[@dapperdingo]

@@TheMillennialGardener That's too bad. Moving makes good sense but leaving behind that beautiful garden you worked so hard to create would be painful. Hopefully someone would buy your house with intent to enjoy the garden with it and you would be well compensated!

[@cajuncustomizedexcursions7064]

I have a problem with ants getting into my raised bed!! Any suggestions???

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I had this problem when I first moved in, because my native soil is very sandy. I was able to defeat the ants by heavily amending all my garden and fruit tree areas with compost and mulch over the years. Ants need to build their colonies in sand, because sand holds structure and is light. Heavy organic matter does not work, so you can eradicate the ant problem by thickly applying compost and mulch everywhere. Over a couple seasons, your soil will no longer be attractive to them.

[@stevenscott5814]

Take one hand shovel of dirt/ ants from one colony, put it on top of another colony and vice versa.The ants will kill each other. It seems cruel, but I do not kill ants anywhere other than in my garden or house. There are KZbin videos on this method. Diatomaceous earth will also kill them.

[@erikutube33]

I’ve drowned them in the area they call home base, drenching them and disturbing the soil heavily. They generally give up and leave. Fire ants will stay and rebuild, but black ants will move elsewhere.

[@kaylaharding9977]

Hi there!! I live in NC, just north of Raleigh. I really enjoy your videos, especially because you're "local." I really like that you explain the science of gardening, in an easy to understand manner, that increases my knowledge greatly. And your "things you can plant this month" videos are especially helpful !!! I have a couple of questions... I had some marigolds that did very well this year and I want to save the seeds for the future. However, I didn't get to removing them until today. We've had some freezes, down to the low 20's, and I'm not sure if the seeds would still be viable. Also, there's a bit of mold on the outside of the flower heads. Would that affect the viability of the seeds? I would appreciate your help. Thanks! Kayla

[@charlesdevier8203]

No, the freeze will not hurt the seeds and neither will the mold. Just be sure to dry the seeds in a room with some air movement for maybe a month.

[@NickDanger3]

Mushroom compost, is not “mushroom based.” it is the compost used to grow mushrooms, not compost containing mushrooms.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Correct. It is often fairly depleted for that reason, and it isn’t as strong as manure based composts.

[@sofiamiliaressis5403]

I did a test on my mushroom compost and found it was a neutral PH. I will not be using it to grow sweet potato in which requires acid PH soil.

[@TrustworthyExpert]

What's growing on? Not mulch.

[@smhollanshead]

I’m confused! Aren’t your table scrapes fertilizer? Wouldn’t organic fertilizers like bone meal, blood meal, or alfalfa pellets be the same as your kitchen scraps?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

No, kitchen scraps are not fertilizer. They take many months to break down before their nutrients become bioavailable to plants. Fertilizers are already pre-processed so they're either immediately available to plants or so they'll break down rapidly for use within the shortterm.

[@fitztastico]

I don't think I'd agree that mulch keeps your soil cool. Perhaps you misspoke in that part. The reason we mulch roses, etc. is because it creates a buffer from colder outside temperatures. A healthy layer of mulch would also prevent heat from the earth below escaping better than bare soil covered with a tarp. But that's actually now what you're doing because your mushroom compost is actually functioning somewhat like a layer of mulch

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Mulch keeps soil cool. If you actually take a meat thermometer and press it underneath the mulch layer into the soil below it during the day, then do the same thing to the bare soil to the same depth, the mulched soil will be cooler by a wide margin. Mulch prevents soil from warming during the day. Some mulches, like straw mulch, can be used to pile around trees to form a tightly interwoven mass that will hold moisture and, therefore, have a high specific heat value to act as a thermal mass during cold spells, but that is an entirely different concept. Mulch keeps soil cool, and you can prove it easily with the thermometer.

[@travisevans7502]

@@TheMillennialGardener try that thermometer trick when the ground is frozen then see how warm the ground is under a thick layer of mulch I don't think it only keeps it cooler but regulates it in summer it will keep it cooler winter will keep it warmer that's why people will mulch garlic in winter where temperatures get really cold

[@watermelonlalala]

Looks like I did everything wrong.

[@moniquehuchet3646]

Kitchen scraps in my garden is an invitation to the bears unfortunately

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You can always cover them with mulch and a tarp. It may mask the scent.

[@johndowns7536]

After buying bagged compost, tarps, etc it makes no financial sense to garden. Go to the grocery store and save $$

[@stevenscott5814]

I love your videos but covering your gardens with tarps all winter does not seem natural. What about precipitation? I weed my gardens, remove the cucurbits as you discuss, sprinkle a little organic fertilizer along the top to feed the soil Microbiome all winter and cover with mulched leaves. Critters would eat table scraps.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Vegetable gardens are not natural. They are human inventions, and they are not sustainable. If you want to keep your garden beds prime for growing, you’re going to need to feed them develop good culture, because they are higher intensity than nature intended. Vegetable gardens and a native permaculture fruit tree food forest are two very different things. Vegetable gardens shouldn’t be treated as sustainable forestry.

[@FilAmFarm]

Who works is OR you or your partner?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I don’t understand the question?

[@nicholasdemarest4254]

Do more research growing into the roots is beneficial. Just alternate your rows to make it work. You are a engineer right? Have you watched the big bang theory? Scientists dislike engineers due to the processes. Think more as a scientist not an engineer.

[@GrayGravoli]

We're all here to learn and grow. Minimizing someone's process is not helpful. ✌️

[@TheMillennialGardener]

“Science” is a process of designing and performing experiments to disprove a hypothesis. “Research” is not science. What I do - designing experiments with the intent of breaking a system - is actual science. Stop researching. Start *doing.* If you actually test the limits of no-dig gardening, you will find tremendous weaknesses. Engineering is the process of designing a system to compensate and work within system limitations. Don’t confuse research with science. They are not the same.

[@cherylhowker1792]

@@TheMillennialGardeneryou explained it clearly enough in the video as to why you did what you did and why you do it with some plants and not others. I understand it!!! So everyone should lol as you know my limits of understanding. This person obviously didn’t watch or didn’t take in your reasoning. Or is watching people’s shows who do different things and doesn’t realise that everyone is different and do different things for different reasons. You do what you do and explain why so people can choose for themselves.

[@nicholasdemarest4254]

I understand your hypothesize in the carolina s. But in my nepa garden no dig is important. I grow mostly hot peppers and tomatoes. The only downfall I have seen so far in 4 years is in one bed where a gutter downspout is. I make my compost and have used 4 bags manure and 3 bags organic fertilizer thee entire time. Also no spraying for pests

[@Th4thWiseman]

Stop BUYING amendments and simply use your own grasses and food scraps and cuttings.... Purchasing bags of mulches and amendments is completely stupid 👎💩

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Vegetable gardening is not sustainable. It is a human invention. The leftover scraps you have aren’t enough. If you harvest a carrot, eat the carrot and only compost the greens, you’re only putting back 20% if what you take out. You’re going to have to bring in external material unless you’re specifically growing cover crops to chop and drop, and then you’re just spending the money on seeds and equipment. There is no way around the laws of physics.

[@barco581]

Of course adding organic matter is very important, but if you are not adding amendments and fertilizers (preferably granular organics, liquid fish, and limited water soluble synthetics) your yields will be a lot lower. University research and The Millennial Gardener's gardens bear this out.