Forget About Soil Health in Pots and Containers - The Healthy Soil Myth

[@mysterymccarthy6851]

I grow my potted houseplants in soil with organic matter and they are very happy. If I were grew them in a soil-less mixture I would only need to do basic care and routine chemical fertilizers and they would grow well too this is correct. While I don't technically need to be doing this, I like having the little bit of a natural ecosystem in the house. It provides me with a way to connect with the outdoors even in the darkest days of winter. When I water them it fills my house with the smell of the forest on a rainy day. It's wonderful!

[@hermanhale9258]

What kind of organic matter?

[@matityahu53]

@@hermanhale9258 compost

[@MamaMudskipper]

@hermanhale9258 have to manage organic matter as not to encourage Fungus Gnats.. tho it is nice to have real Soil in the Winter.. I like to plant Popcorn kernels and chew on the shoots whilst gazing out the window at the snowy wonderland😭🥰.. tastes like Summer 🌾❄️🌾 #WinterGarden #IndoorGardening #GrowYourOwn

[@mattweisbrich3687]

I cant believe that I am now just seeing your videos. I have been watching gardening videos for the last two years trying to learn all I could. I have learned a lot just on my own, and your videos are right in lone with what I have learned. I wish I had watched them when I started. I am going to watch every one and learn all that I can. Thank you!

[@vegardno]

If people want to grow their plants in containers with soil and mulch instead of potting mix and liquid fertilizer I think we should let them. There's not just one way to grow plants.

[@KennethByers-w2j]

This is BS. We grew a great tub garden filled with our favorite vegetables. Enough for our family. We live in an area 6b. There is only about two inches of natural soil then it’s bedrock. Thus the tubs and we just combined everything to try it out. Fantastic results. We plan on a twice bigger next year. Whatever works for you is the best. Stop being a garden policeman.

[@deinse82]

Have you tried growing house plants in "soil"? I have. Once, because it was an epic fail ... for the reasons explained in video: soil without a healthy microbe ecosystem is just dirt: it's not a very good growing medium for plants. That's why, when conventional ag destroys soil biology, plants stop growing very well in it. Putting soil into a pot does in a few weeks what conventional ag does out in the field over decades: it turns soil into dirt (and mud, when you water it). That's why people who grow plants successfully in containers use a fluffy mix that most definitely isn't soil. Because that stuff doesn't turn into dirt in a few weeks, nor does it get saturated with water and turn into mud. It stays fluffy and hospitable to plant roots at all times. Any excess water just comes out the bottom. I grow an impressive amount of vegetables in containers, on a balcony. Ever since I stopped trying to mimic regenerative agriculture in my containers, and started doing it the simple way: peat + compost + a bit of liquid fertilizer from time to time, and nothing else, everything started growing like crazy (much faster than in the garden), the plants stopped attracting aphids and mites (because they're much healthier and vigorous now), etc. P.S. You don't need any kind of an expensive potting mix. The only things I buy are the peat moss and a cheap liquid fertilizer, because they work so well. The compost, which is the bulk of my mix, is home made. But you could replace the peat with something that's free, and make your own liquid fertilizer (Jadam or whatever that Korean method is called, for example).

[@vegardno]

@@deinse82 I think there's a big difference between "house plants" and other kinds of container growing. I'm growing over 80 avocado trees in pots and I'm using pumice and perlite with a thick layer of mulch because growing them in potting mix or compost inevitably causes compaction and water logging and root rot. My point is that there isn't just one way to garden or grow; it depends on the plant itself, it depends on the circumstances, it depends on what you're trying to achieve. I usually agree with this channel's takes but this time it came out lacking a little nuance.

[@jw4879]

"I think we should let them." ? Nobody is forcing anyone to do this. He is offering a logical, information based option that could help save time and money if you are using stuff that is not actually a benefit. Make your own decision and quit acting like you are being put upon.

[@cristianrosescu2914]

I agree. It’s harder to grow nutrient dense veggies in a soilless mix as fertilisers leach out very quickly.

[@jeanpauldupuis]

My houseplants spend 3 seasons on the patio exposed to the full ecology of the yard. They grow in mineral soil mulched with compost and are full of earthworms. They do beautifully.

[@lovecatspiracy]

It's a bit like an aquarium maintained by a skillful and invested enthusiast. You can create and sustain a magnificent and thriving ecosystem under glass.

[@Julsnalice]

Plants provide sugars to there roots to feed microbiology (fungi) that bring macro and micro nutrients to them. Its not that the microbiology isn’t important its just it occurs given conditions to do so. Plants don’t put there roots into fertiliser to feed on it, they put there roots there so they can feed the microbiology who will bring the nutrients from the fertiliser to the roots in a form it can use and exchange the food microbes want for the food it needs. The biggest issue with growing in a non soil medium is that many of the needed microbes may not exist and as such the produce does not contain all the nutrients that great tasting food has, if vegetables or fruit are bland tasting its because micro nutrients and minerals are missing and this occurs directly when the microbiology is limited. We simply cannot buy all the micronutrients synthetically and even if we could we need the right microbiology to make it plant available. You can grow lots of things with basic microbiology, that doesn’t mean its the best way to do it. But you cannot grow anything at all without it. If a plant is growing then there is microbiology there allowing it to happen regardless of what you think or do. The point is that these microbes can exist on almost any organic plant material. As long as your plant medium has organic material then microbes are already there, dormant or active waiting for a plant root to exchange food with, those microbes are making that organic material a viable soil. Plants don’t feed on soil or fertiliser. Plants feed microbes so microbes will feed them.

[@deinse82]

>You can grow lots of things with basic microbiology, that doesn’t mean its the best way to do it. But you cannot grow anything at all without it. The video mentions the word "hydroponics". You should Google that method of growing plants WITHOUT MICROBES.

[@Julsnalice]

@@deinse82 I’m sorry you think water doesn’t contain microbiology 😂 water is one of the things microbes need to move around a mineralise nutrients. Its a critical requirement for the supply of macro nutrients. When plants become waterlogged they move oxygen to their root systems to keep the microbiology alive, it’s the key element why hydroponics is possible. What you don’t need is a bottle of microbiology you bought to grow stuff, but that also doesn’t mean it can’t be helpful. You can’t survive without the microbiology in your gut, and if you lack certain microbiology you get sick or generally just don’t feel right, but you still look alright on the outside and keep surviving. plants are no different.

[@julianspiegler8252]

@@Julsnalice Nice, you wrote all I wanted to say, thank you very much!

[@darcypotterpotter6214]

I have 86 house plants and I do enough garden transplants to fill my raised beds every year so 200+ transplants I use Soil in all the pots all my transplant starts I do add peat moss and compost to my native soil also worm castings but it is Soil

[@deinse82]

You just said that you add peat moss and compost. And then you insist that "it is soil". Seriously? It's not soil: it's part soil, part potting mix. That's why it's working. If it was just soil, it wouldn't work. Out in the garden, it would work. You can grow plants in just soil, because you can keep the soil healthy. In a pot, it doesn't work. You need the potting mix, because that's what turns your unhealthy soil into something plants can grow in.

[@rickszabo4312]

Thanks, we have a short growing season in Central British Columbia . In order to maximize our outdoor plants potential , non organic ways seems to enable me to get a decent harvest . We have noticed up here that good quality store bought vegetables , even in season do not keep long and are not very flavourful also they are very pricey. It used to be not that long ago that I could not justify growing lettuce, cucumbers ,tomatoes ect due to the time and effort needed. With yours and the lovely Lady that has the "Gardening in Canada " KZbin channels, you both have given me the confidence to carry on with this wonderful hobby.

[@VoteThirdPartyorFourth]

ONLY DO ORGANIC. Shit isn't hard unless you were unaware that MULCH is the key.

[@GARDENER42]

My bay tree has been in the same pot & same compost since 1998. It gets maybe a half inch of compost added on the surface every year & is fed with artificial fertiliser. It seems to be perfectly healthy.

[@trumpzilla4193]

Just an observation from Canada- mass produced tomatoes have no taste or substance like so many other fruits and vegetables. But grown in my organic garden - explosive flavor!

[@Dazza_Doo]

That's why they say we have 80-100 harvests unit the Soil is useless. That's because of over industrialisation of farming. Where your garden has multiple species living in it's giving multiple abundant life-giving minerals backing to the soil and the bacteria will process it, the worms to go through the soil, It will grow as intended. It will be eaten as intended it would taste exactly the way it should be.

[@deinse82]

That's primarily due to the variety being grown. They select varieties that keep well, rather than for taste. Yes, it's true that produce grown in healthy soil is more nutritious (there are some studies that show it, more are coming out), and the flavor is more concentrated, but the bulk of the taste is due to the variety of tomato you grow. If you grow a heritage variety in sterile conditions indoors (in a store bought, sterile potting mix), I assure you, it's going to taste good. Not as good as in the garden in the summer, but good. I know because I've done it. Even in the dead of winter I can grow a small batch of black cherries that have excellent flavor.

[@chandlerboudreaux8451]

Mass produced tomatoes are also picked before the breakers stage and don't get to fully develop their flavor. This is due to early picked tomatoes being more easily transported than a fully ripened tomatoes. Try picking a tomato green and let it ripen to red on your counter and you'll see what a supermarket tomato went through, it'll be flavourless.

[@TheNewMediaoftheDawn]

@@trumpzilla4193 it also depends whether it’s hydro or field. I find most hydroponic greenhouse tomatoes to taste terrible and bland, but if they grow a very good variety, they can be decent, but not amazing. But summer picked field tomatoes grown in dirt and with chemicals allowed to ripen fully at home can be very good. Of course high end organic or homegrown even better…

[@MamaMudskipper]

​@@Dazza_Doo also monoculture

[@seanrich1367]

I agree with you totally. Have grown some incredible vegetables in pots , with just peat moss, for years. Of course They require attention as to watering and fertilization.

[@roderickbeck8859]

I used a combo of compost and perlite. Cover crops has helped my potted plants. Better aeration and faster growth.

[@arnobertogna4718]

Love your videos - you tell it as it is with no BS - thank you

[@rdevalentin]

What you're saying sounds sensible, but how come the tomatoes that come from commercial greenhouses have no taste, and mine from my greenhouse where I grow tomatoes in containers with only organic fertilizers taste good?

[@MartialGandhi]

One explanation is that they are picked while they are still very green, with the knowledge that they will turn red during the transportation process. At home, you have the luxury of picking them when they are ripe and ready, which is why they are more flavorful.

[@julianspiegler8252]

@@MartialGandhi No, it's the symbiosis with microorganisms that causes the taste and smell, read Julsnalice comment up there. I can recommend the books of Jeff Lowenfels, there you can get grasp of how plants work with the soil-food-web. Also us humans need these microbes in the vegetables for our digestive system.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Taste is dependent mostly on the cultivar and the environment. It is not based on synthetic or organic fertilizer.

[@julianspiegler8252]

@Gardenfundamentals1 The taste depends mostly on micro-organisms. Not the environment, but the genetic plays a role, still it's mostly the micro-organisms which benefit from the soil-food-web and which give plants intense flavors and taste. With salt based fertilizer you get a small variety of micro-organisms which don't give much flavors and nutrients to the final product. So you could use salt based fertilizers, but it's not as worth as organic feeding + diversity of micro-organisms, indoor as outdoor, it doesn't matter where. Plus they are expensive and you could produce good fertilizers at home for free, which give you a way more beneficial end-product to consume.

[@TheNewMediaoftheDawn]

I’m going to push back some,,, First off yes soilless mix is mostly hydroponic true, but peat moss and coir can still hold some good biology and some nutrient cycling. My potted house plants, bonsai, and container vegetable planters on my deck all smell like rich forest loam from this technique I use. I use a hybrid system; I use about 1/4 strength liquid commercial chemical fertilizer, low dose. Shultz 10-15-10, or GH Maxigrow. Supplemented with liquid seaweed I make myself, liquid humic acid, low dose urine I make myself😂 I also add leaves to my vegetable containers and chop and drop, and chop and drop to my houseplants and bonsai. This allows way less chemical fertilizer use , 1/4 dose, and living soil with mulch and seaweed decomposition. My plants are healthy and the vegetables yield high, and taste great, plus I save money,👌🥦🌱☘️🚀

[@laja6108]

I personally believe synganics is the way with containers 🙌

[@TheNewMediaoftheDawn]

@ interesting, yes, I’d never heard that term before, but basically what I described above I think…. It’s too labour intensive and expensive to do full organic in containers, and difficult, especially if you’re just growing veg and houseplants. I water maybe 25 houseplants and 25 veg plants for 10$ Canadian a year, dirt cheap.

[@sunnohh]

This video aligns with my understanding of biology in a way that few grow videos ever do, thank you

[@dehnadykeman3614]

This very thing has baffled me since I started. Thank you.

[@MiltonWarmikael-o1m]

Sterilized Clay soil and osmocote fertilizer works fine for potted plants but it's very hard to water correctly. That's why we use this peat moss perlite medium it's generally easier. With clay soil you can't just throw a cup of water in it and be done . It would probably leak out of the bottom, shrink ,swell etc. I keep aloes in clay soil pots but I submerge the pot for 30 minutes about once a month and never water on top.

[@thefury-187]

Can you elaborate more on the right time & temperature to water your plants , THANKS

[@miltonwelch8619]

I grow vegetables in containers outdoors. I use a mixture of native soil, broken down animal manure, (which I get for free), peat moss and plant-based compost. I add both organic and synthesized plant foods, mostly to the top few inches of the potted mixes, adding bits of plant food every 2 weeks approximately. What is right or wrong about what I'm doing?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

It is not wrong, but using synthetic fertilizer only will work just as well.

[@lovecatspiracy]

​@Gardenfundamentals1 The plants might grow and fruit under both conditions, but what about nutrient density? Fertigation seems to me like breakfast cereal for plants rather than a wide varied diet, especially regarding the new information on probiotics and gut health in humans and animals, coordinating with endophytes in plant bodies. John Kempf has a Plant Health Pyramid that showcases essential oil production at its peak. Bloated nitrogen-doused hydroponic plants cannot compete nutritionally with the complex compounds produced by plants in symbiosis with microorganisms.

[@julianspiegler8252]

@@Gardenfundamentals1 Works but is less worthy, you are producing nearly dead vegetables your body can't use, you need the microbes/minerals which get through microbes into the plant and finally into the fruit. Plus synthetic fertilizers make your end-product taste like nothing compared to natural grown plants, so there is no good reason to fertilize with salt-fertilizers, but for those who get money by selling slt-fertilizers. Nature provides anything in a better way, no need to copy it an artificial way.

[@Anna-jl1rx]

Excellent! Especially if you grow plants in your home or in a conservatory it's important not to take unnecessary risks by breathing in or ingesting an unknown mix of microorganisms. Taking care to provide plants with a broad range of pure micronutrients (minerals), on the other hand, is good for you since you get a more nutritious crop. Organic is definitely not always good. Mold, for instance, is organic.

[@equatorliving]

The thing about this advice is... All the soiless compound like peatmoss, pumice etc, i need to buy. while the soil, i can harvest from around the house 😅. But thats make sense tho if i need to buy soil. Also the no chemichal ready made fertilizer movement appeals to people bcs the same reason. Ready made chemical need to be bought. But if they can make it with scraps from kitchen? That sound fun.

[@laja6108]

I agree. It’s what makes JADAM and Korean Natural Farming so interesting…minimal cost and can use the resources around you. True recycling

[@6996katmom]

? I use mineral feeders, 25in tall, and 25 ins diameter set on cinder blocks. I set them up because I can't get down on the ground anymore, but I do still have one with a raised bed with cinder blocks. I started filling with the old garden soil that was a mixture blend for gardens delivered from Houston. Every yer I added bagged garden soil. My husband says I should add some top soil every year to it. I know they are containers, but should I add some top soil to them? Or keep using bagged garden soil blend. I use stagreen andmiracle grow garden soil. Please help with an answer, because I am supposed to go buy the bagged top soil today.

[@JamesinCalifornia]

I add actual soil to my potted plants. This adds natural microbes, microorganisms, and micronutrients. I then add in organics by way of compost tea to my watering schedule, also add in worms to my pots.

[@MikeDawson1]

if you add in worms, won't they die if you don't keep feeding them? I just throw all my food scraps into one little corner in the back of my yard, and it's always full of worms. Whenever I need soil for pots I just dig it out from there, but don't take worms with it

[@exshenanigan2333]

I haven't read a peer reviewed study that said compost teas made a difference. I kinda regret all those hours and effort (and stink) I've been through.

[@Yesimthatkid]

@@MikeDawson1worms eat microbes, so they should have plenty of food in there

[@JamesinCalifornia]

@ since my soil is not just a soilless mix like the potting soils mentioned in the video, they seem to do just fine, there is plenty of organics in there for them to live on. I always find some in my pots whenever I go to replant things. Unfortunately for me, in ground gardening is not lowed where I’m at. So it’s container gardening only, also no compost piles are allowed.

[@michelemarble6799]

Is giving liquid kelp a good way to fertilize containers?

[@BlackJesus8463]

What does the propaganda say?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Not really for the reasons mentioned in the video. www.gardenmyths.com/seaweed-fertilizer-biostimulants/

[@jamesbeasley8122]

I am building several 8x4x2 container beds this Winter. I plan to use the Huglekultur method. And I plan to keep a living root in them at all time? Was he call beds that size as not the type to do this in?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Why? www.gardenmyths.com/hugelkultur-gardening-hugelkultur-raised-beds/

[@francus7227]

No additions or corrections. I tapped the thumbs up button to feed the algorithm monsters.

[@elikerr785]

I was attempting to make "healthy soil" at the beginning of this season with my containers, but started thinking about this exact thing, and have needed to hear just this! Also, can we reuse potting mix? Is there any benefit of topping the containers off with manure/compost/mulch over the winter? Can I reuse potting mix, and should I "till" it or if it's good as is, can I just leave it and start fertilizing when I start growing in them again?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

"can we reuse potting mix?" kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXe5ZoqQp7R6q5I

[@elikerr785]

@@Gardenfundamentals1 thanks!

[@bonniegaughan2257]

I have some perennials and a hydrangea growing in pots. What should I use to fertilize them?

[@BlackJesus8463]

Hmm what should I fertilize with? What about fertilizer?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

A fertilizer with a ratio of 3-1-2. kzbin.info/www/bejne/omatqIehocqYeqc

[@shadeaquaticbreeder2914]

I agree with you. I am really liking your videos the more I learn

[@joanfrellburg4901]

There's indoors in pots, and outdoors in pots. Two different scenarios. Since you can grow huge cannabis or tomato plants indoors with nothing but peat moss or coir, perlite, vermiculite, sand, and miracle grow or similar, and a grow light with the right output, this video makes total sense. Like stated, it's hydroponics. For perennials, you'll need to re-pot or divide your plants once they become root bound in either medium. I think you're better off investing money on a decent grow light, (unless of course you're growing shade loving plants), when growing indoors

[@Chris-op7yt]

my new favorite media for most indoof plants is 100% 7-20mm pumice.

[@AndrewOudin]

Thanks for these great garden videos!

[@brianseybert192]

My only comment is, what about people like me who purchases no fertilizers, organic or synthetic, does that mean I can not grow awesome veggies in grow bags? Nothing wrong with using miracle grow in a soilless pot and get great veggies, what happens when the next pandemic hits and the shelves are bare? My grow bags produce very well thank you, using native soil, worm castings, leaf mold and aged hot compost. Stay Well!!!!

[@disguysn]

Worm castings are close to compost. Both are fertilizers.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

You can not grow plants in a soilless mix without fertilizer for very long.

[@deinse82]

You're using a home made potting mix and fertilizer. Good for you. Where in the video does the guy say that you shouldn't do that? Where does he say that you should buy those things from a store? The video says that you shouldn't just shovel dirt into a container, and expect to grow plants in it in a "healthy way". That's all. It says nothing about self sufficiency. You can be self sufficient while being smart.

[@FwyonaWuzzel]

@@Gardenfundamentals1 and this is where seem to be wrong. all my plants are healthy and thriving. only thing you need is bigger pots, everything above 20l is perfectly fine and no need for salts from dino juice. We can build balanced ecosystems in smaller pots with soils, your "soilless" mix is going to become real soil over the course of years.

[@laja6108]

@@FwyonaWuzzelmore like decades. It takes 20 years for coco to break down. Most people aren’t keeping a potted plant that long and especially not without repotting it in more soilless mix. Even in the organic cannabis scene, botanists will often tell you that at least 15 gallons of soil is needed to support diversity of microbiology.

[@MBEspinosa]

I am using a method I learned from my paternal grandparents. They moved to a place outside the city (no electricity, only the train came every now and then). I always had a great time with them. They made food for the chickens with potato peelings and there was a pit for household waste that was sorted (cans on one side, broken glass and bottles on the other, little plastic = not used that much). Everything was recycled (1960s, non-formalized permaculture). I give to my compost the kitchen waste that is useful for the worms and mix it with a little clay soil that occurs naturally in my house. I enjoy doing it and avoiding taking the remains to the street where the garbage collectors collect but do not recycle anything. You can see how the garbage collectors in big trucks, throw away what they collect in one area and dump it in another place. An environmental disaster. Water and air pollution everywhere..."criminal".

[@2feathers911]

I use the same stuff for my house plants as I do my garden. 3 parts garden soil, 2 parts potting mix, 1 part humus and manure, truth be told, I never hear them complain. Lol

[@artofmagi]

There are organic fertilizers that are pre-"digested" to make the nutrients more readily available for plants - at least that's the claim. I will say that because it's fairly weak, I do use Agrothrive on my seedlings in sterile soilless mix and they do respond really well to that, so it looks like the claim is true.

[@martyjewell710]

So informative, as always.

[@davidkoba]

It is hydroponics, my mixture is literally sand, peatmoss and pumice.

[@josephobrien991]

Is he saying that compost can’t be broken down and used by the plants when mixed with peet moss? My dahlia grew beautifully when planted in straight homemade compost by mistake.

[@BlackJesus8463]

Maybe you should watch the video before commenting.

[@brianduffy1338]

(Joan here). He did not say 'can't' but rather that it takes time for such breakdown, hence your potted plant will not get nutrients in a timely manner.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

"Is he saying that compost can’t be broken down and used by the plants when mixed with peet moss?" - No - never said anything like that.

[@Chocoholiclady66]

Compost takes longer but will break down releasing more nutrients slowly over time so just a matter of what kind of type of plant and its needs. Peet and coir eventually compost too but that takes even longer but used because help with keeping the mix looser/fluffier. Until compost breaks down, some but not all nutrients are available right away, but what is available might not be enough and plants still have to eat. Depends what is being grown. Different plants have different needs, rate of uptake, different NPK ratio needs. Some may survive just fine on what is available until breaks down further to release more, but others require more so need to have more readily available nutrients right away, and others might do better with a combination of both. (Slow vs Fast release). Some plants require more water, some less water, will have different light level requirements, and different pH levels. You wouldn't want to attempt to grow potatoes with too much compost, for example, because would get beautiful lush green stalks, but would end up with no tubers to eat.

[@cshieldsie9920]

Wow! That was great information and makes sense now that you explained it that way. I have to admit I have added compost to containers in the past. One question I always have is : Are synthetic fertilizers unhealthy for us to ingest? Should I use synthetic fertilizers on my tomato plants, cucumbers and herbs that I grow in containers. I use it on my flower containers but always hesitant on edible plants.

[@lksf9820]

You're not supposed to ingest them, they're for the plants.

[@harrybrandelius7816]

Organic fertilizer breaks down to the same chemicals as those in syntetic fertilizers so you are already consuming synthetic fertilizers.

[@Tipytao]

This is a good question, someone at my work gave me 2 huge things of miracle grow fertilizer for free because his wife was too afraid to use it to grow food.

[@Zizzyyzz]

​@@TipytaoSmart woman.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

"Are synthetic fertilizers unhealthy for us to ingest?" - I wish chemistry was mandatory in schools. This idea is very common and completely baseless. All of the "chemicals" in synthetic fertilizer are also essential nutrients for all animals, plants and microbes. We can't live without nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium etc. The nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium etc in a bag of fertilizer is identical to that found in our bodies and in food. Anyone who tells you different failed their chemistry 101 class. :)

[@AsteroidB6120]

Can I ask if it Is true growing vegetables in the ground produced bigger plants and has more nutrients than growing them in a pot?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Not necessarily. Either system can have better growing conditions. The advantage of a pot is that you control some variables better and so it can produce better results.

[@ebradley2306]

What about if you have plants in pots long term as in years?

[@Chocoholiclady66]

Re-potting is usually needed at some point as plant grows and to prevent becoming root bound. Fresh mix and cleaning the pot/container also lessens risk of disease. Over time mix settles and any organic matter (peet or coir) composts.

[@ebradley2306]

@@Chocoholiclady66 For sure container mix breaks but I won't be repotting my lemon and avocado trees for quite awhile. Was looking for a more long term suggestion. I actually mix some topsoil, potting mix and worms in my pots to give the trees a more natural growing environment. Was wondering what others' thoughts were on the subject.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Short term or long term - makes no difference to the topics in the video.

[@DavidMFChapman]

I have houseplant fertilizer concentrate to add to my watering can, but I rarely use it. How do I know how much is enough?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Use 100 ppm nitrogen. Find that out in this article. www.gardenmyths.com/best-fertilizer-indoor-plants-containers/

[@Chocoholiclady66]

Depends ... what does the type of plant require and what is the NPK ratio when mixed as directed.

[@peteroldroyd7531]

THANKS FOR THE INFO .. REALLY USEFULL

[@SusanLeishman-vz5rp]

I have only recently found Garden Fundamentals on KZbin and find them very informative. Here in the UK l use the John Innes formula potting composts for all my long term pot plants . Its 7part sterilised fibrous loam , 3 part peat , 2 part sharp sand plus nutrients formula is excellent . Do you have a similar product in the USA ? The quality of the loam is critical and in the past I have come across poor quality stuff but that was years ago .

[@Leeny017]

I have an unrelated question. I apologize, but I'm in a hurry at my dads 100 year old house in Montreal and I'm leaving soon. I'm working on a triangular bed that hasn't been worked for a LONG time. It's right beside the front door, about 20x10. I took out every plant as the roots have ripped apart the mortar on the stone foundation. I filled it with good soil...that's another issue, but I digress. I've worked the soil about 1 foot down, sometimes more. I've come to realize that just below where I worked, there's a root system to...something throughout the WHOLE BED!!! I had dumped some new earth on top in a hill in the spring, and it grew into it, like a lot! It's a brown, stick like root that branches out into little clusters that feel like small lily of the valley roots, brown with white in the middle. They have a bit of a snap and crumble all over the place. They look very much alive and I don't know if I have to get every piece out, like mint. QUESTION: what the heck is it and do I need to get every piece of it out?

[@brianduffy1338]

(Joan here). If you have a tree in the general vicinity, it could be the smaller aspects of its root system. And they can come up close to the surface in search of water (and possibly other nutrients it needs). Tree roots can extend well beyond the canopy of a tree. I have had to (prudently) cut such growth away but it will come back again if the tree is starved for water. In general I have found cutting these tentacles out has not damaged the tree.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Probably tree roots - they travel a long way and grow best in good soil.

[@Planty-Mandy]

Thank you. I hadn’t jumped on the micorrhiza train yet and I’ll just save my money for other things.

[@SpringVidya]

I don't know all the interior system. For sure my plants are giving more flowers, veggies and look healthy when I give compost Tea and fermented water with a mix of Butter milk and lentils powder. kitchen water fermented also works wonders in both potted plants and plants that are in soil.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

I bet you did not do proper controls to reach your conclusion?

[@Craig-777]

I use 15 gal fab pots to grow my cannibis in living soil no till method, i use mulch and cover crop and chop and drop said cover crop and use barley straw for mulch layer, ive been building this soil for 8 runs now and its getting better and better 30% peatmoss 30% pumice, 30% vermacompost 10% montana grow silica sand/ rock

[@TheAshfaak]

I would love to see this tested with an experiment.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Test what? I have grown houseplants in peat based media for 45 years with only inorganic fertilizer.

[@SimonStJohn]

Hydroponic tomatoes taste of the medium they grow in - water. Is there a lesson there? Just saying...😅

[@firstnamethenalastname]

14:19 I'd be interested in hearing you talk in more detail about this Plantae-Fungi interaction/negotiation process. If not, could you recommend any good papers where i can read a bit more on it? Thanks

[@SimonStJohn]

When people say 'don't add chemicals' they are meaning don't add synthetics. Yes there are natural chemicals they are the things we aim to add organic matter etcetera. Why would we want to promote the idea of buying chemicals to profit a chemical company rather than creating Natural chemical supplements for natural soil? I have purchased your soil book and I'm looking forward to it coming in the mail. But I do worry that I have landed in some sort of parallel universe where natural processes of soil creation and management with sensible practises are blended with some commercially driven messages about buying synthetic chemicals and buying natural and synthetic products to add to create potting mixes. I guess the interest in growing hydroponically leads on to needing to accept and promote synthetic chemicals to promote growth?

[@zakdigital]

I’ve always heard that synthetics eventually lead to salt buildup in the soil. In a closed environment (indoor potted plant), that has the potential to the lead to the decline of the system. That sounds similar to the “salt burn” issue you get over time when watering certain plants like avocados with tap water. Does that sound familiar at all? Can you speak to this concern? I’ve always tried to minimize organic material in my indoor plants to reduce any chance of rot if I make a mistake and overwater. But I do notice that my plants tend to look great after getting watered with some diluted tea. Thanks for the vids!

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

"synthetics eventually lead to salt buildup in the soil" - This is only true if you apply too much, and it is also true for organic material, not just synthetic.

[@rasserfrasser]

You still have to think long-term in containers unless you want to buy new soil every year. I still put my 'soil' into larger containers spreading red clover as a cover crop, and then amend with compost and fertilizer etc upon planting. I am trying to spend less and less money though, so I appreciate videos like this that challenge these scenarios. As far as discussing chemicals in the soil we're mixing the discussion of macro and micro. Synthetic fertilizers can inject bombastic amounts of NPK, while compost is .5/.5/.5. I would imagine over time that would affect soil differently, but I haven't tested it to know for sure. Anyway, getting good results while spending less money takes time and testing. That's the only real way to know for sure.

[@ibiubu99]

So. It is a good thing to take out the dead tomato root ball from my grow bag at the end of the season

[@outwest100az]

Question, are jobe sticks are a waste of time and money or worth every penny in potted plants as I have been sticking them in my potted plants for years. I instituted your let the weeds alone system in my watermelon patch this year and had my best crop ever, thanks again. Always learning I wish I was 20 years younger so I could have more years of fun in the sun of the southwestern desert trying to beat the heat

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

jobe sticks - just about the worst thing you can buy. Use a fertilizer that dissolves in your water.

[@outwest100az]

Thanks, not again. Just had one of my desert cantaloupes fresh cut what a treat. Dig your channel and have passed it on (not sucking up)

[@mariasmith6438]

What is your opinion on earthworm castings: worthwhile or waste of money?

[@Chocoholiclady66]

I find it is great for seed starting, and adding to hole for transplanting, not a ton of nutrients compared to compost although they are readily/instantly available, and can be added to water for easy diy foliant or liquid fertilizer, but found it too expensive so decided to start own worm bin. If going to use lots of it then might want to consider a worm bin and learning how to tend and harvest own. Depends upon cost, personal finances/budget, quantity required/desired, vs the effort of maintaining a worm bin and harvesting own. Can save by harvesting own worms for a bin and make own diy bin for free or purchase everything (not cheap). But have to consider type of worms and how fast they will actually manufacture it (ready right away though; no aging/maturing required), how many to manufacture the amount needed, and if you have enough of the right kind of scraps to feed them sufficiently or will have to purchase food as well as temperature range they thrive in, weather conditions, wintering, or if will keep indoors, logistics of where to put them while cleaning the bin (depending upon type), troubleshooting illness/die offs or why they are trying to escape/leave, and so on.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

There is no evidence they are better than other organic sources, but the cost tends to be high. www.gardenmyths.com/vermicompost-is-it-great/

[@alreynolds4152]

This made a lot of sense. If my plants on the patio don’t benefit from compost or organic fertilizer then why would I use it! I have seen a recommendation that the use of Quick Start (nitrifying bacteria) used in treating water in an aquarium can be beneficial in starting hot composting in a cold compost pile. I have a large supply of multched leaves in the fall. I continue to add kitchen scraps and used coffee grounds as they become available but not even close to enough. I would appreciate your thoughts on using the Quick Start on my compost pile. Thank you so much for the explanations that you provide your KZbin followers.

[@elikerr785]

I just saw this too, and have some on hand. I don't have a traditional hot compost pile, but i did recently add quick start to my pile, and added some to a kiddie pool bed I have that is filled with a ton of chicken compost and mulched leaves/organic material i have piled up on it. Not exactly a compost pile, but I'm hoping the quick start may help the breakdown of the leaves/chicken compost and will see it's effects on my more traditional pile...

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Every thing going into a compost pile is covered with microbes - billions on every small speck of material - why would you need to add more?

[@edwardbowers4350]

Regarding soil-less mixes: - I'd be very surprised if there wasn't quite a bit of microbial activity in soil-less mixes, given that they are largely organic matter that is kept relatively moist and at moderate temperatures over long periods of time - perfect conditions for microbial growth. Exactly what microbes there are and how this might affect plants is unclear; a quick search on google scholar gives me a couple of papers on suppression of various pathogens by microbes in potting mixes, but beyond that I'd need to do some more reading. - I suspect the biggest difference between soil-less mix and hydroponics is CEC. In your gardenmyths article on perlite vs vermiculite you give the volumetric CEC for peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite as being 10, 0.15, and 2.3 meq/ml respectively. This is probably why plants in these soil-less mixes don't need a constant supply of nutrients like they do in hydroponics.

[@TheNewMediaoftheDawn]

You’re dead on, especially peat based. And if you chop and drop leaves on top, add mulch on top, and water with liquid seaweed, fish emulsion, human urine, humic acid among others, good biology and nutrient cycling definitely occurs. I do this myself and for years. Also I water with 1/4 strength chemical fertilizer to boost productivity and yield.

[@bariaissa1737]

Thank you so much

[@DennisDerrick]

I must be doing it wrong. I've been using 'soil' in my pots and containers for years without any problems. At least I've saved a lot of money doing so. 🤨

[@rosskstar]

Yea, my wood chip compost keeps the soil aerated AND gets some microbe action AND holds moisture. Seems to be a 'happy medium' 🪴

[@lksf9820]

I don't believe he said not to use soil.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Correct. But most people don't want to bring soil into the house because of a fear of bugs.

[@davidkoba]

@@rosskstaryour woodchips will kill your plants if you don’t change medium every 8 months

[@AQUABLUE00]

Given your age and experience, how was agriculture before the existence of soil mixes, and how did root diseases and rots become so common? Also, the emergence of incorrect terms like planting in compost or overwatering is a big deal etc. Seriously, where and who said that plants should be grown in compost? As far as I remember, we used to grow in whatever soil was available, whether sand, clay, or loamy soil, and we didn’t use compost as much as it is used now, in such large quantities.

[@johngardner5127]

No expert here but what about salt ( nitrate) buildup from synthetic materials?

[@loanjd]

so what about a mix like what im using witch i have added things that need microbes to break it down to supply it to plants like organic fertilizers but mainly things like basalt. witch provide micronutrients but need microbes to break down and also greensand witch is technically silt in a way. as well as sand and compost. i started with a normal potting mix but wanted to improve it by making it more like natural soil to an extent. because i want nitrogen fixing microbes and want the slow release micronutrients that are provided from the basalt as microbes munch on it. i think if your using fully chemical fertilizers and what not microbes would not be needed. but i use mostly organic fertilizers partly because i love the extremely slow release and long term feeding it provides. i found will it took some initial setup once everything was in and going i hardly had to water or fertilize or anything really. witch could be the microbes extracting nutrients from the basalt and greensand but i did technically add sand and silt to my potting mix so its not fully potting mix but its not soil either. iv done other things as well cant remember what but im Prity Shure the stuff im using isn't potting mix anymore nore is it soil something in between Maby eather way i live in kansas and my Theobroma cacao plant love it.

[@AndrewOudin]

Great stuff! People throw around these ideas which imply or state directly that soil can be sterile. Find me a sterile soil and I will find you an autoclave in a cleanroom.

[@Chocoholiclady66]

LOL! Yep, true, although that IS the term used on the package labels whenever it is purchased, but really pasteurized would be so much more appropriate. Can't destroy/kill everything (sterilization) without actually ruining the soil in the process so wouldn't even be able to grow anything in it. Pasteurization -- most, but not all, harmful/undesirable micro-organisms, plants, seeds, fungi, insects and eggs are destroyed.

[@hardyakka6200]

I took a sample of my garden soil to my doctor for a health check. I never imagined he knew all those rude words.

[@lynnsarraille7360]

Thank-you!

[@victornicklow9792]

You always make a good video.Come down to florida.lets go fishing.I will buy the beer.

[@Shine13373]

Needing to worry about soil health depends on what type of plant you are placing in a pot. If you are growing something with very specific growing medium needs, then going with a non organic soil mix is great because you can control the growing medium and nutrients for that plant. But if you are growing something in pots you could just as easily grow in the ground there is no reason not to use normal soil and just amend it for the drainage/water retention you need and add organic nutrients. You should worry about the overall health of the microbiology in it, being in a pot doesn't really change anything besides confining the plant's roots and giving it mobility.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

"soil health depends on what type of plant you are placing in a pot" - the information applies to all plants.

[@Shine13373]

@Gardenfundamentals1 thanks captain obvious 🙄

[@BrendanD-mp4xg]

Really long way to say Coco is an inert Hydro medium which is used with salts, most people dont know this is technically Hydro but... Yes you can use it in soil as part of your recipe for many benefits with soil, microbe farming.

[@wallygrandpa]

Really interesting but I use liquid organic fertilizer and that's immediately available to plants.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

That is not true for most liquid products. If there is any solid component - like a slurry, then it is not true. If all of the nutrients have been released, then it is just like synthetic fertilizer.

[@wallygrandpa]

@Gardenfundamentals, i learned something new. I don't know if all nutrients have been released in my liquid fertilizer but it works like a charm for vegetables, herbs and bonzai

[@jeanpauldupuis]

He says about compost tea, "you have no idea what microbes are in there." You don't need to know /precisely/ which microbes you have. You know you have some mix of an/aerobic single and multicelled organisms. Some of them, maybe less than a tenth of a percent, will be favorably adapted to the container, and will promptly colonize it to carrying capacity. The maladaptoids will be manure for the process.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

You don't know that because you don't know what you started with or what you have in the pot. You are just making assumptions.

[@lovecatspiracy]

I like how Matt Powers is democratizing knowing the microbes! It is the cusp of an amazing breakthrough for us all!

[@lovecatspiracy]

Also, I like your point about the dead ones and how they become micromanure. As soil science evolves, we are learning new vocabulary about the layers. The "necromass" you memtion is a massive component to overall carbon deposition into living soils. We are all carbon-based lifeforms!

[@jolanderphilip]

I’m a simple man When I see an older gentlemen talk about gardening I listen And subscribe

[@joemachine4714]

Microbes are only important for "organic" gardening because you don't add synthetic (ready) fertilizer.

[@izzywizzy2361]

Bought tomatoes, even organically grown, have no flavour, not sure about nutrient levels… hydroponics are to my mind at least, not the wonder they are supposed to be.

[@mikeb1039]

Here's one for you. Lady posted on youtube showing her putting (course) compost materials in the bottom of a large flower pot, bagged soil on top of it and then a plant on top. Then she show herself dumping out finished compost(!!!) from the "same" flower pot, supposedly at the end of the season, in the fall. Of course everyone is praising her for this easy compost method! I tried telling that there's not way that level of decomposition happened in the closed environment of a potted plant and bagged sterilized soil over the course of a few months. Nobody believes me. We live in a world of idiots these days.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Everything composts - eventually. One problem with the demo is that we can't see "decomposition/composting". Just because it might look black and crumbly does not mean it has composted. Even finished compost is years away from completely composting. I agree - the video you mentioned is a dumb idea.

[@Dazza_Doo]

Program your seeds and they will survive

[@bart9409]

Very helpful but I am somewhat confused. I’ve seen previous videos by him where he used 50% garden soil in his pots. That’s appealing to be bc it makes things a lot cheaper. This video implies not to do so.

[@kvev5441]

He did not say that the use of garden soil is better or worse than potted soil He is just saying that when you use potted soil, you don’t need to add microbes and synthetic fertilizers works better than organic

[@brianduffy1338]

(Joan here). I don't think he explicitly said not to do this. What he is speaking to is the fact that in a contained space like a pot, you will need to make sure the plant roots are in a medium that is aerated enough. Sometimes garden soil can be more compacted than would be ideal for the plant roots to access water and nutrients. Most people today do get the potted mixes but I have used soil in container pots mixed with a medium that aerates and it works just fine.

[@bart9409]

@@kvev5441 So now the question would be, if your going to add 60% soil to peat and compost, how is this any different than what you would do in the ground? Do you now need the microbes? Why wouldn’t you just use garden soil in a pot? What is it about a pot that the care of the plant is different if the medium is the same?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

" he used 50% garden soil in his pots" - not for indoor plants - but I do use it for outdoor containers. They require less watering. I still use synthetic fertilizer for them.

[@Mushabis]

good chemical vs bad chemical .

[@Dazza_Doo]

Pot plants are the same as commercial farms, monocultures that requires artifical fertilisers and soil chasers to keep it alive 😂

[@alisonburgess345]

It annoys me the way Americans refer to potting "soil". It's actually a potting MIX - one of its jobs is to hold itself open to allow oxygen to flow through. It's a totally artificial environment and the concept of "healthy soil" doesn't apply to containers..

[@2alawabidingcitzen]

Stash blend not gonna like this video 😂😂😂😂

[@moralespozo]

Best no BS video ever!…. Listen to him people, he knows what he’s talking about. Thanks for the video.

[@ebblesr]

This video debunks most of what you will find on cannabis grower channels and if you watch more videos it jumps to 100%. It's kind of crazy how a whole genre of videos are all full of garbage info.

[@lovecatspiracy]

It's because of the verbal codeswitching. I like that he began with defining "healthy soil" vs "soilless mix" aka "substrate". Also, I think the jury is still out regarding beneficial microbe foliar sprays. Since these are not constantly flushed in the fertigation, the leaf surfaces can still ranch microbes.

[@prime7999]

So this is what Boomer Humor has devolved into. No K, I’ll stick to IMO and KNF tangentially and having fat cheap harvests of everything. Condescending a method that is cheaper seems foolhardy, but a market for a product will appear even when something is free. Check out how to make your own IMO if you get froggy, boss

[@Spencer_Plant_Projects]

I've had nothing but benificial effects with microbial inoculants in containers. While they are closer to hydroponic the microbes actually increase the efficiency and resilience of soilless mix. These products tend to work better in pots than outside. Incorrect information to say that microbes are not used in hydroponics. They are widely used to supress disease and increase yeilds in hydroponics. Im growing a plumeria tree using completely organic amendments and microbial inoculants in the PNW. My results speak for themselves because we acutally DO understand organic ammendments in soilless mixes. I have largely been using organic ammendments and microbial ammendments. My videos speak for themselves and your reductionist argument about microbial inoculants is simply wrong.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

"synthetics eventually lead to salt buildup in the soil" - how did you run the controls?

[@Spencer_Plant_Projects]

@Gardenfundamentals1 when I used to grow with dyna gro and jacks my runoff EC would typically raise over time and my pH would start to reflect the residual chemistry left in the media. It's common horticultural knowledge to water for a particular volume of runoff in order to manage this aspect of salt based fertility systems. When I'm growing with organics I don't water to runoff unless the plant is exposed to rains. I don't have to worry as much about excessive salts in organic as long as I avoid high sodium amendments. The system is more resilient and I don't have to use as much water. Now that I have a feeling for it I just mix and water in some cheap amendments and I use probiotic or prebiotic bio stimulants to keep the nutrients cycling. I produce much higher yields for much less work growing in organic based low tension soilless mixes and I can focus on optimal irrigation and moisture which is the most important part of growing plants imo.

[@lovecatspiracy]

Potted plants / raised beds /hydroponic systems are basically CAFOs (animal feedlots) for plants. Garbage in, garbage out.

[@PO10CJONES]

Yeah…. The proof is in the pudding my buddy. Soil is literally 99% of the work

[@SimonStJohn]

I am not understanding.... If you are all about fundamentals and not wasting money why not teach how to grow in soil with organic matter rather than rather than promoting the buying of various components to make a potting mix? What's wrong with just using soil organic matter and maybe I could except the argument' of some chemical fertiliser for immediate gain but also organic fertiliser for long-term pot health. I know you do not say in the video to not use soil but I just don't get why the video is not framed in the context of using using soil and amendments to create a positive growing environment in pots? After all that's what you teach in relation to raised garden beds which is just a massive part so why not in pots as well? I see elsewhere in the comments you say people don't like using soil inside their home because of bugs but bugs will live justice happily in potting mix. And you could also address the mith that bugs are going to somehow crawl out of your indoor garden pots and attack you in the middle of the night!

[@johnkehoe8368]

does this apply to all plants even marijuana ?

[@BlackJesus8463]

Is marijuana even a plant ?

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Why would marijuana be different?

[@rodrigochilcumpa4721]

I think this time you are wrong when you say that microorganisms do not help or can be dispensable in any soil, your postulates sound to me more like you are defending the use of synthetic fertilizers in agriculture and I think that can be used to help to have good crops, the problem is that it is not being used in a good way and that is destroying soils quickly. Just like when you were defending the use of glyphosate you were wrong now, I hope you are not defending other people's interests.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

"dispensable in any soil, " - I am not talking about soil. how do you explain hydroponics???

[@loopmantra8314]

Bunch of bs

[@lksf9820]

One thing you did miss was that Synthetic fertilisers do ruin soil (in the ground), but indirectly. If only chemical fertilisers are used and no organic matter is added then the soil does suffer, it becomes dead and lifeless. It's like the hydroponic analogy, it's then just something to prop the plant up whilst it's fed.

[@Gardenfundamentals1]

Provide proof of this. This is a common myth. Plant roots themselves are adding organic compounds to soil, so in the garden you never have a case where soil only gets synthetic fertilizer.

[@ebblesr]

This is wrong, sorry. You can water your plants in the sun too you wont burn them. Not directed at Gardenfundamentals1

[@lovecatspiracy]

​@@Gardenfundamentals1 John Kempf and others provide ample proof that conventional agricultural fertilizers salinize field soils. The compounds transform upon hitting the dirt, no longer bioavailable to plant roots. Also, the substrate becomes toxic to microbes when salted in this way. The issue is compounded by all of the herbicides and fungicides sprayed on the same fields. Matt Powers can show you how to view the living organisms with his breakthroughs in Regenerative Soil Microscopy. Ray Archuleta can do a walkabout on anyone's property and demonstrate with a shovel how much better farm soil is on the untreated margins. John Kempf does agronomy consultations demonstrating hard data of crops improved with evidence-based foliar applications. Etc etc.

[@alibali672]

Yes, and it is a concern that plants do not take up the micronutrients needed by people when grown using both these methods.

[@lksf9820]

@@Gardenfundamentals1 I can't, if I post up external links YT will ban me and I can't post pics of research paperwork, books etc. It's well known that continuous use of non-organic fertilizers ruin soil in every way and as you know it's usually blamed on chemicals actually doing the harm to the life in there. But It isn't, it's the lack of organic input that does it (and also continuous ploughing and tilling). Plant roots add a vague amount of organic matter via exudates, but that's only in the minute immediate area around them - the rhizosphere. When they're dug up and the soil messed up it's gone or severely depleted.

[@joshuajohnson714]

lol this makes no sense. What makes real soil? It’s the same thing. This is wrong and lacks alot of information.

[@JungleScene]

I feel like you should define potted plant. In bonsai our trees are potted plants but many conifer absolutely do need fungi to thrive. Additionally the month waiting time for organic fertilizer to activate is not a problem when you're applying it systematically and can account for the lag time, which is what we do in bonsai. Additionally, we actually want the slow breakdown of nutrients because in later phases of bonsai development we want to slow the tree down a lot and organic fertilizer helps us manage growth.