Feed Your Compost! 💩 Tips for Starting & Maintaining A Compost Pile

Feed your Compost with two handfuls of dried leaves for every handful of food scraps to achieve the ideal Carbon to Nitrogen ratio of 30:1.
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Music: Corncob - Country by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
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[@sunalwaysshinesonTVs]

Ive watch a lot of KZbin on composting. A LOT. This is by far the best one.

[@arson3630]

Agreed

[@Acadian.FrenchFry]

OK seriously.. this is my most favorite compost tutorial ever! Not only was it creative and cute, it was very detailed and thorough. Truly helped me to better understand what I am working with and trying to achieve in my compost pile. Thank you and give your compost pile a little pat on the head for me.

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

I have to agree. Very creative.

[@michaellowther7976]

Cool video but I'm not putting no hair in my compost

[@ninaongpinbuhay]

Wow! Thank you for making an already enjoyable DIY activity even more fun and entertaining! The compost creature was sooooo adorable! I am going to be imagining him whenever I am at my composting station 🙌🏼👆🏼😁💚

[@GiveitaGrow]

Haha, thank you!!!

[@mollycher3630]

Wow, you sure do know a lot about making your own compost and I like the humour you put in especially the face and the mouth in which you throw in your "garbage ". Very informative and interesting video. Thumbs up!! 👍👍👏👏

[@GiveitaGrow]

The idea of a Compost pile with eyes and a mouth tickled me pink, so I had to make a video. Turns out there is a lot to know about composting, but it can be as simple as adding equal parts Brown and Green material.

[@JayJay-lx1xf]

I love how you enjoy making these videos and take the time to edit them, it makes the videos even more fun to watch please don't stop uploading

[@GiveitaGrow]

This one was a lot of fun to plan out and research. When I got the camera out the yellow jackets showed up in force, it was funny to see that little ant chase them away!

[@benvoliothefirst]

@@GiveitaGrow Sing to the tune of "Don't Stop Believing:" Doooon't stop! Uploading! Do you respond to goading? Don't stop! Uploading whoOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[@erinjohnson282]

0:28

[@EC-gy9pv]

What a creative and beautiful presentation!!! Thanks for sharing!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you.

[@janicejurgensen2122]

Thank you for clearing up the confusion with so many different videos on composting!

[@libertysanfilippo3952]

I never knew all that! And for other composting videos, I would skip through most of it because it was boring and uninformative. But this was everything I needed in a video. Great job!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you!

[@benvoliothefirst]

@@GiveitaGrow Gonna try feeding my compost nothing but doritos and mountain dew and see if we can BOTH get diabeetus, lol

[@nastytechniquez9685]

I love the video! I’ve always wondered about chips and other salty snacks that go stale and I wouldn’t compost them being too worried about the high salt content

[@karent.8245]

Love your jaba the hut (sp?) compost pile!!

[@Herhighness211]

Oh my goodness. I LOVE this video. Homeschool has been dismissed for summer but my son is definitely waking up to watch this video TODAY!

[@libertysanfilippo3952]

I love this! It is fun, cute, and tells you the ratios, science, tips, examples, and everything else! I love this! It is so creative and fun. He even tells us how to not make it stink as much 😂

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thanks! You are very nice :)

[@ChristiDea]

That was a great, non-threatening video. I'll admit, I haven't started composting yet because some of the other videos have just scared me. It sounds so complicated that I'm afraid I'd just make a stinking mess that would anger my neighbors....but this is making me think I could actually do a small pile, because honestly, I have more yard waste than my trash bins can keep up with. I really should be just turning it into soil.

[@GiveitaGrow]

Yes! You can do it! I try not to overthink it, equal parts "brown" and "green" material is a great place to start. This video probably has more information than you need but I wanted to include some specifics to help understand carbon ratios. If you have bins full of yard waste, the hard part is over, that carbon rich material is usually the limiting factor for me. I save autumn leaves so I can compost even in winter!

[@ep7672]

Stirring to aerate accelerates the process tremendously, but there is a sacrifice in the nutrients captured.

[@ep7672]

It's super easy, given the appropriate space and time. It's all about starting until you do that; then the management of the pile comes quickly with both observed and practiced experience. It's hard to get it wrong with the explanations in this video. The stink only comes if a lot of green stuff is processed at once. If the brown to green ratio is balanced, then the stink may last a day to a week, based on size of materials, weather, and how well a pile is blended. I try to aim for rainy days when building a pile.

[@benvoliothefirst]

Just put leaves in a pile and leave 'em for two-three years. If you pick out all the tree seedlings that inevitably start to grow in the pile, you'll have beautiful rich compost with almost zero effort. Anything else you do is just shortening the wait.

[@davidcoyle7125]

Best video by far i have ever watched on composting, lots of very useful information, composting is easy and very rewarding but also easy to get wrong and to get disappointed if you keep trying and just seem to either end up with a smelly rotten pile or a pipe of materials that do not seem to be composting. Watch a video like this correct your mistakes and wow it is easy and rewarding. Many thanks for a great video.

[@ep7672]

I add sticks, twigs, and up to 2" diameter branches, for the fungal, aeration, and biological benefits. When the pile is finished, I separate out the partially decomposing large woody things, and replace them into the new pile. It's exciting to sift through compost to find a large diameter branch crumble into pieces when it finally does break down.

[@ep7672]

Worth the minimal extra effort. I also harvest slightly prematurely, and screen the compost through 1/4" mesh hardware cloth, then replace into the pile the material too large to pass through the screen.

[@mystresspryncess5675]

Thank you for saying that it is alright to add bones. I'm not sure I've seen anything else on KZbin that states it is fine to add meat or bones. I do this all the time and have no issue with it breaking down or with pests or vermin. I keep a wire covering over my pile to keep vermin out. I haven't had any issues because I use plenty of leaves.

[@GiveitaGrow]

Lots of meat and bones would not be a good idea, but a little now and then adds some great nutrients to the mix. Good idea with the wire cover!

[@SA-wb1jb]

Very useful - and I loved the "compost monster". Humour is always a winner when trying to learn new tricks.

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you! I try to have fun in the garden :)

[@donnaq7626]

but where do I get dried leaves in the summer??? Great video, thank you!

[@GiveitaGrow]

I save them in Autumn to use over winter and into next season.

[@donnaq7626]

@@GiveitaGrow Great idea, thank you. My neighbors have bags of leaves in the fall. I mulch mine into the lawn.

[@fredivory4304]

If that thing starts chewing, I'm gone.

[@GiveitaGrow]

It is a well trained Compost monster.

[@saphedbarph]

Fred Ivory very true!

[@Mityob67]

Lol

[@danielwalker2381]

It’s the incinerator where the food scraps get melted by the 140 degree heat 🔥🔥🔥 you have been warned food scraps 💀💀

[@Larrabjl]

FEED ME SEYMOR FEED ME.😂

[@originalpatriot]

Great video. Thanks for the clear and helpful information.

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thanks for watching!

[@1John5-13-Lisa]

Omgsh!! That’s so creative and Hillarious!! Love the thorough video easy to understand How long before it can be used

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you! Compost can take anywhere from a few months, to a year to finish depending on the ingredients.

[@julieth3699]

Such a good video! Thanks for sharing.

[@ponsaravanan]

Nice presentation.

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thanks!

[@notaverygoodguitarplayer]

Here's one thing I can't figure out about compost. Please help. So you add stuff to the pile as it becomes available, but at some point are you supposed to stop adding to let the heap "turn into" compost?? Thank you!

[@GiveitaGrow]

I keep adding to the pile, and every so often sift out the compost I want for the garden. You could also do two piles so one can sit and break down while you add fresh scraps to the other pile.

[@tracycrider7778]

Keep building until you get a roughly 3x3x4

[@gregwilusz5696]

I do not put Raw potato In my compost tumbler only makes a mess little potatoe seedlings. I've had trouble

[@grantcarson6412]

Nice presentation...I need to hunt some leaves. I'm running low on that.

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thanks. Stash those leaves!

[@estellagutierrez795]

I thank you I sure learned something. I compost all year long... Love my garden and sunflower s Thank you

[@ok-lr7hp]

The best compost vib, i have seen on KZbin. GREAT

[@GiveitaGrow]

Wow thanks!

[@billy4148]

Could you use pin needles instead of leaves?

[@zacherybutter7349]

Yes they work fine

[@rudychavira5558]

Hey there I'm just learning made a compost bin? And add almost daily dont really know what to add besides kitchen stuff in what order?

[@esmeraldamiranda8163]

What about charcoal ash?

[@FidelHimself]

Great video. Memorable

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

Great call on the Coke. In addition to the sugar in it, Coca Cola uses phosphoric acid to aid as a sweetener. This is why it will strip the rust from a nail overnight, or give you ulcers. There's a lot of phosphorus in cat urine as well, which is why it glows under a UV light, so it couldn't hurt to toss some clumps from the litter box in there too. The clay will also add nutrients. Just break it up and be certain it's free from feces, and put it dead center for maximum heat to kill anything. I run all my bones through a shredder and add the bits as well.

[@tlockerk]

Your stomach is STILL more acid than Coke. Hard to believe, but true. I loved this video too, and had never thought about adding it to my compost. Couldn't do the bones and meats, my dogs would be pulling down the fence to compost.

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

@@tlockerk Haha, the first time I ran my chicken bones through my chipper (I didn't boil them or anything, so they still had my delicious seasoning on them), my cats and a stray came over to see what smelled so good, LOL.

[@RootsOfEden911]

The BEST & most entertaining compost vid!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you so much!

[@katykab00m]

I've never seen a cute compost pile before!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Originally I gave it bottom teeth too, but for some reason it didn't look so cute :)

[@nicholefisher2137]

Great Presentation! I enjoyed watching this.

[@aurelia4297]

Does compost smell? I put broccoli scraps and it smells a little

[@GiveitaGrow]

Yes, I compost outside and add lots of dried leaves to combat the smell.

[@Silvertip1958]

You didn’t mention water. Is that because you don’t keep yours wet? I keep mine wet, so I’m just curious if keeping it wet is always necessary?

[@tlockerk]

You could add some mushrooms (not hallucinagic) to the pile to help breakdown, plus have edible mushrooms to your diet.

[@catherinedonoghue8368]

I finally got to start a compost heap yesterday after years of asking my mother we share the garden I honestly taught I'd have to wait till she died till I could, however I took over the part of the garden yhat had overgrown because pets are buried there, heck pets are buried everywhere, so does green leaf matter come in similar as food, I have a macaw parrot so end up with lots of rotting veg, but should I water it ,it's very dry in it and weather wise

[@phylvalen9991]

Amazing video thanks so much for the clear demo and info. I'm starting the first few layers after lunch, so excited to make a start. Can I add some LAB rice water & milk concentrate or not. Would it be beneficial at all?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you. You can add just about anything to the compost, but I would stick to waste products that would otherwise go in the trash. If you are going to buy something for the compost you might as well buy fertilizer.

[@kan-zee]

Fantastic Compost Critter you got there..lol Question :: Does chopping up or blending your kitchen scraps , quicken the composting..is it better ?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Absolutely, chopping the material will break it down faster and make it easier for worms and little critters to eat. I choose not to use a compost specific blender, it seems like a hassle to me, instead I wait a little longer and sift the finished compost.

[@kan-zee]

thank you for your response. cheers

[@nunyabizness9574]

awesome little video

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thanks!

[@anitadevi4652]

Best composting video ever with lots of fun to watch

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you!!

[@LadySpace_888]

Very informative. Love the Banjo music....what is it?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Music is always in the video description.

[@seacristal3080]

Thank you for this informative guide. You mentioned adding hair, that is okay even if the hair has hair products on it? Should you rinse off the hair clippings, dry out and then add to the pile?

[@GiveitaGrow]

I would avoid adding hair if it has products on it. The nutrients it adds is minimal, its just another fun thing to add if you have it.

[@beautifullyyou9280]

Great video. Can you add cooked veggies from say a soup? Thoughts?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Absolutely!

[@bobvila4381]

You got me with the monster compost teeth! Subbed!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Haha, thank you!

[@AveryMakae]

You made this so fun by making the pile into a monster and I learned so much! Thank you!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thanks for watching!

[@RichardLeib]

Great video. I am concerned about the seasonal piece of composting. I live in WI. What happens in winter?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thanks! To prep for a cold winter I layer in dry leaves so I can add new material all winter. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqGykoZ3fKppeKc

[@RichardLeib]

@@GiveitaGrow No need for a tarp?

[@mariatrillos518]

What if you don’t have leaves? Can you use shredded paper

[@GiveitaGrow]

yes! I have used newspaper and cardboard in the past, the trick is to shred them as small as you can so they mix in with your food scraps.

[@nicolelovesjesus6156]

Left over Doritos?? In what world !! I am kidding. Thank

[@raphaelahons3479]

A good compost monster deserves them sometimes 😄

[@annevanner]

This was really fun and clever!

[@theodoramiller6703]

Hahahha...the compost monster! It reminds me of "Jabba the Hutt" from Star Wars. :))) Excellent video for composting!!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Great comparison! Jabba the Compost Pile, haha!

[@riversidecountryclub2211]

I've never heard of chips and soda for compost pile! Also I would think you would want saw dust from untreated lumber. Meat as compost?

[@GiveitaGrow]

I use my compost like a garbage disposal, flat soda, stale chips, scraps of meat (as long as they are cut of good and small) are all great food for the pile. Your right about the sawdust, untreated is the only way to go.

[@Mysteriouso100]

Wouldn't the decaying meat attract flies? What about the dairy from the chips?

[@nancyearickson5412]

why would you turn under an apple seeds sprout instead of taking it out and putting it in a pot to grow an apple tree

[@nraishanzr3333]

Awesome informative vid! Thanks

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you!

[@JohnStraussmusic]

Man I've been searching composting for about a year now and never came across this video until now. why is that?

[@GiveitaGrow]

I am still a small channel, you have to dig deep to find me :)

[@KateInTheCity]

I love the compost monster :)

[@janetbransdon3742]

Great video... subscribed.

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you!

[@biggreen1495]

My compost bin has like white in it and its deffinitly giving off alot of heat but ive just been acting grass clippings and food scraps and cardboard and just snells grassy or earthy but lots of grass in there any ideas

[@GiveitaGrow]

Grass breaks down fast and hot, so it sounds like its going well. If you can get more cardboard (or dried leaves preferably) in there that can lighten up the mix and will be easier to mix and spread on the garden.

[@jcooper0792]

Hi there! I'm planning on buying my first home soon and I want to prepare myself for owning a compost pile. Your video is quite education- thank you! Could you tell me if I should worry about getting ticks in my compost (I live in NE) and if that might impact the pile, turning it, or use in the garden?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Ticks should not be a problem, I sometimes get ants but they dont do any harm really.

[@kimberlycrusher4065]

I love your compost pile! He’s so cute!

[@GiveitaGrow]

He is very hungry :)

[@lunch7213]

Composty is one happy boi. Glad I found this vid

[@GiveitaGrow]

A well fed pile :)

[@EleanorPeterson]

Giuseppe Arcimboldo loves your video's thumbnail...😁

[@lassei4659]

Can you use moss from scarifying the lawn. And what is moss, greens or browns?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Moss is probably fine to use, I would call it a green if its fresh, but if dried it would be brown.

[@spencerwilton5831]

Give it a Grow It doesn't work like that- something doesn't change from green to brown just because it's dried! Sure, the colour changes, but the nitrogen doesn't suddenly become carbon.

[@Tippler0611]

@@spencerwilton5831 the nitrogen will off-gas into the atmosphere

[@saltlifegull4091]

HELP: I get a ton of potatoes, citric, and eggs. Many sites have said don't use any of those:( I need help in how to use these if possible in my garden. I bought three huge bags of pine shavings to use because although I get tons of cardboard, my hands are too weak to tear it in pieces:( ADVICE? Thanks so much. Subscriber from Florida. Awesome video.

[@tracycrider7778]

You could just layer it because after a bit and keeping pile wet they will soften & break apart . Worms will do the rest

[@teresagullett4441]

Yeah!! How'd you make the Compost Monster? I'm thinking that's a great fun way for my kids to get excited about composting...what did u use to make it?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Pile the compost up in a heap, then carve out the mouth, from there you just need to find some goofy eyes :)

[@CraigeMoore]

What do you add as carbonaceous material in the spring and summer when there aren't many fallen leaves?

[@GiveitaGrow]

I stash dried leaves in Autumn and usually have some left over for spring, if not paper products can be a good source of carbon in a pinch.

[@elizabethperalta30]

My compost is starting to smell rotten, does that mean I need to add more browns?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Most likely yes, adding more brown material should help, if your pile is wet that can cause smells too. I just turned my entire compost pile over to introduce some fresh air too.

[@elizabethperalta30]

Give it a Grow okay! Thank you so much loved your video by the way

[@DreidMusicalX]

Watch out people. This guy tried to compost a frog. haha! Thanks for the video!

[@snoopylyn9065]

That’s a cute compost art 😍

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you :)

[@mikerosner]

Shreaded papper & cardboard works if u do not have a lot leaves

[@GiveitaGrow]

Yep, good idea.

[@exact109able]

Is it normal to have flies around it in the summer

[@GiveitaGrow]

Oh yeah, flies are good. the little larva eat all sorts of stuff, just like worms!

[@XaviorImagine]

so informative and fun, i loved this! :)

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thanks!

[@JTvlogs984]

I've got a compost bin and it's quite full and it's starting to do the cooking process which is good however should I open the lid in hot weather ?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Opening the lid could let it breath, but also invites scavengers. I dont think it is necessary as heat is usually fine for a compost pile. Active bacteria generate their own heat so they are used to it.

[@JTvlogs984]

@@GiveitaGrow thanks for the reply ! I decided to keep it closed 👍🏾🙏🏾

[@ElGrecoDaGeek]

Interesting on the meat. Everything I've read is avoid meats and I always wondered about the bones given my understanding of commercially produced fertilizers. Do you recommend removing all the flesh or at least as much as possible?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Meat and bones can attract scavengers, there is also some risk of contamination, but I compost chicken bones after making broth, and scraps of cooked meats to reduce that risk. Breaking them down into smaller pieces is always a good idea, and add them sparingly.

[@swizzleproxi4810]

What about hair clippings that have come from a person that dyed their hair, would they be any good?

[@GiveitaGrow]

I am not sure, it depends on the dye I suppose. When in doubt leave it out, its not worth the risk for such a small amount of nutrients.

[@vivianeb90]

I just really wanna know how you made that compost monster. Wished you put it at the end of the video as a just for fun clip.

[@GiveitaGrow]

I feed the pile every few weeks, the monster will make a return :) Thanks for the suggestion!

[@swizzleproxi4810]

Just dig a big mouth shaped hole in your compost, use jaggy pieces of wood for the teeth and find 2 pieces of wood for eyes and draw a pupil in each, doesnt take long and the kids love it.

[@JamesSpencer312]

Can raw eggs be used in a compost tumbler

[@GiveitaGrow]

If they are balanced with lots of dried leaves, sure, but I would always rather eat the eggs and just compost the shells.

[@stevepp9457]

shells only and wash them before you throw them in

[@ALittleGardenUpNorth]

I like your compost eating monster. Cool idea for the video. ☺️

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thanks!

[@heatherjolly8389]

wow super great video!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Gee thanks!

[@zynation]

Okay.. how did you make that compost monster

[@GiveitaGrow]

I always dig a hole in the compost pile to add new food scraps, it looks so much like a mouth, I just added teeth and some eyes :D

[@saphedbarph]

I want to start a garden.

[@GiveitaGrow]

You can do it! Start small, even one little pot can do the trick :)

[@ajayprakash2868]

What are ripped dried fruit (seeds) of a banian tree, carbon or nitrogen

[@GiveitaGrow]

I would say nitrogen, but seeds have lots of phosphorus too.

[@shadwell749]

The dragonfly almost got composted...Close call little guy

[@RunningRlust96]

Pop??

[@GiveitaGrow]

Rather than pour flat soda down the drain, add it to the compost!

[@vineshsookdeo1942]

Hi. Enjoyed da video.

[@Tippler0611]

How does the salt in prepared foods like the Doritos affect the resulting compost? I season food pretty heavily so when the kids reject their dinner it gets thrown out. I'd love to compost it but the salt is concerning.

[@hanzketchup859]

Yep my garbage has reduced by at least 2/3rds because of composting , sometimes 3/4

[@JCPicache]

That was great. You got a sub!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Thank you!!!

[@artwillvideos]

I’ve already got roaches in my compost pile! I know they too are doing some work, but is that normal? Anyone else have that problem?

[@GiveitaGrow]

Yeah that will happen, whatever bugs live in your area will flock to a compost pile. A hot pile may deter them, but where there are food scraps, there are likely roaches.

[@solidstatetactical]

Star Tribune... you must be from Minnesota.

[@GiveitaGrow]

Nailed it.

[@pa.fishpreacher6166]

Color is not always true, Coffee grounds is brown but is a Green= Nitrogen

[@GiveitaGrow]

Good point!

[@kaisunra9676]

That’s coke also has tons of phosphorus, the phosphoric acid they put in is a main flavoring ingredient

[@dippyfresh8155]

Damn, that is the best fed compost pile I’ve ever seen. Coke? Doritos? Damn!

[@GiveitaGrow]

Only if they are flat, and stale :)

[@JW-pg9wl]

Good information, music is to loud.

[@uchibauki2515]

Is that okay to have green and white fuzzy moldy bread 🍞 in the bins ?😰

[@GiveitaGrow]

Mold is fine, all part of the decomposition process. If you want, add more carbon material to absorb some moisture and turn the pile more often.

[@MarcoPolo-yt3ew]

Hi If you don't know about biochar. Yet tell everyone that you know very very good videos thank you very much keep up the good work videos are awesome do you know about biochar feed it to the hogs and cattle and goats it goes through them and helps the soil im from northern Kentucky look up the history of biochar for gardening tell everyone you know passed it on it's good for bad clay soil ok for good soil barn wood to char douse it with water then dry it out then activate it with worm castings or compost liquids first I also like rocket store Mass heaters couches and earthships homes are nice too look up sand to gold very interesting it's for deserts growing have a good day

[@lgree4806]

This was an informative video with a really fun twist. Blessings 💫

[@GiveitaGrow]

That was the idea, thanks for watching!