How to Make and Maintain Soil Fertility

Geoff is in the Zaytuna’s kitchen garden today, which may be much larger than the average kitchen garden but provides great design examples for intense, small-space gardening. Kitchen gardens can be intensely cultivated, easy, diverse, and fertile. The mix of crops grown can be flowers, vegetables, herbs, salad greens, and perennial overstories. Beds are as easy as putting down a layer of cardboard/paper, topping it with a thick layer of mulch, and adding pockets of compost to plant in. For some crops, like carrots, the planting space can be a long slot in the mulch with sandy mix filling it. These gardens are imitating a forest floor. At Zaytuna, they are lined with perennial spinach, parsley edges, Sumatran spinach, papaya, tamarillo, and watermelon at the edges. Simple tomato cages are growing amongst the beds with cucumbers growing overtop to provide some shade from the summer heat, and the tomatoes are planted with marigolds and lettuces and basil as good companions. With all the different forms of plants, the rampant diversity confuses pest.
Despite the convention of rotational gardening, holding fertility in this garden is based on continually building up soil. The primary method is compost. Cages are filled in layers of shredded brown material, green material, and manure. The heap is left in a cage for a week then turned on a Monday then Wednesday then Friday for three weeks. There is also an urban chicken tractor made out of recycled materials. It covers 16 square meters (2 by 8 meters). Mulch (grass clippings from paddock) is put in the tractor, under the nighttime roost where the bird's manure and drop features in it, for about two weeks. This high nitrogen material can go directly on nitrogen-loving plants or, more likely, put through the composting system.300 mm (one foot) high nitrogen material. Additionally, worm farms are used. There is a larger system in a bath with liquid catching beneath, but for smaller gardens, there is a sunken bucket with compost and worms inside and a birdbath on top, as well as a buried manufactured system.
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About Geoff:
Geoff is a world-renowned permaculture consultant, designer and teacher. He has established permaculture demonstration sites that function as education centres in all the world’s major climates - information on the success of these systems is networked through the Permaculture Research Institute and the www.permaculturenews.org website.
About Permaculture:
Permaculture (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permacu...) integrates land, resources, people and the environment through mutually beneficial synergies - imitating the no waste, closed loop systems seen in diverse natural systems. Permaculture applies holistic solutions that are applicable in rural and urban contexts and at any scale. It is a multidisciplinary toolbox including agriculture, water harvesting and hydrology, energy, natural building, forestry, waste management, animal systems, aquaculture, appropriate technology, economics and community development.

[@shanefiddle]

This is great! As a fellow organic farmer, I just want to emphasize that EVERY CLIMATE REQUIRES DIFFERENT METHODS! The methods Geoff is using of heavy mulching work well where he is, and may or may not work in your own climate. Where I am, a cold climate rainforest, heavy mulching with cardboard/paper/hay leads to an explosion of baby slugs, which decimate anything that is planted. Composted leaves and animal manure work much better here, or a living mulch/cover crop. You need to experiment to find what will work in your own climate and ecosystem.

[@saskiaseaglass9504]

ha, could be my prob. Thanks

[@przybyla420]

I second that, coming from rainy Western Oregon. Mulch is ok in summer around slug resistant plants that are large enough to take a bit of damage, that’s about it. (Just talking garden crops - I mulch almost everything else.) All mulches are not created equal either, fine bark dust or nut shell fragments are unattractive to slugs compared to leaves, straw or cardboard. Once mid July or August rolls around I might mulch carrots or greens in a raised bed if there has been no signs of slugs. Since the bed has high sides and a sill that they have to climb upside down over. They seem to stay clean during summer drought conditions unless there’s new compost added, then some eggs might hatch.

[@xyzsame4081]

Jonas Gampe set up a low input "remote" permaculture park in Germany (in Franken). A former field on a hill that was given up for conventional farming (but comparable fields are nearby). The site is open to the public. In the first years the slugs took out the annuals (like cabbage) but then the defense troops were in place and they have little problem after 10 years after the system has matured. They cannot have any animals like chickens (which are VERY good at eating the eggs), or ducks or guinea fowl that eat slugs and their eggs and pretty much every prest they can find. However, wild boars and wild birds like the site and of course now they have alot of toads, frogs, and predatory beetles.

[@xyzsame4081]

I found it very interesting that Jonas said that snails and slugs occupy the niche of eating rotten vegetation and are present in NEW systems (some disturbance or disease caused a lot of plants to die and they clean up). Unfortunately slugs (the invasive species from India) also like young tender seedlings. He also said snails and slugs may be as important for the ecosystems as earth worms. Since I despise slugs like the next person / gardener, that was quite an interesting point of view. (Considering that they have fire ants in other regions like the deeep South in the U.S. , slugs might not be _that_ bad after all). chickens do not like bigger slugs, but they likely would eat baby slugs. So would beetles and wild birds. Frogs, toads and snakes. Snails are O.K. anyway, they eat rotten plant material and do not procreate wildly - but even those terrible invasive slugs from India might not be so bad in the large scheme of things. There is a type of tiger slug that eats other slugs btw. Not all slugs are the bane of gardeners. If chickens run around a property usually there is little problem with slugs, (the like to eat the eggs !), and guinea fowl is even better. If slugs invade from adjecent fields and meadows during night, some ducks might be necessary they also work evening and night shifts. One cannot have poultry in many situation (suburban) or the chickens pooping in a smaller space is not what you want. They might also eat your seedlings and in a smaller space setting up an electric fence would not be worth the trouble, you do not have economy of scale if it is a small operation. In that case toads, beetles, and wild birds, or snakes (especially in areas where you do not have poisonous snakes like in the temperate climate zone) would be your staff. One can protect fruit trees and crops from wild birds come harvest time, and / or share with them, by offering them a hedge or one small bed which they can plunder to take pressure off some crops but still incentivize them to stick around. I read about deers, squirrels and other critters that are a problem in some areas (temperate climate zone in the U.S. forest nearby). One commenter claimed that it took a lot of pressure of the vegetable garden to offer them a clean source of water a little away from the property and garden. They did not eat her or his tomatoes because they like them so much, they were after extra water. Once the gardeners realized that motivation to plunder their garden, it was easy to find a low cost / little work win / win solution. As for the volunteer slug defense troops: You only have to create the conditions that they like (water, moisture, certain plants) and give them a little time to find you and to procreate. Beetles and amphibia have the advantage that they work at night and can go under mulch to find the hidden slugs and their eggs without killing the seedlings or disturbing them too much. I think most people first set up the beds and the irrigation - when setting up the insect hotels, the little ponds and moist but not wet nooks, the dry stone wall, the corner overgrown with nettles should be the very first thing they should do. Also wasps (they eat the larvae on cabbage) when they search for meat for the brood. Or pollinators. Or having some low level water with reeds. That is what dragon flies need for their eggs, they are ferocious predators. If you have still water (or open water barrels) or even planters with a little bit of water on the property there will be mosquitos - unless dragon flies patrol your property.

[@TheSpecialJ11]

@@xyzsame4081 Very well written. The larger the property, the easier it is to create the edges that create niches that create an ecosystem, especially if your property abuts an ecosystem and not chemically sprayed corn. This is why I think dams, ponds, and swales, are so critical. They provide a rich staging ground for life so that your garden isn't the only nutrient dense thing for miles. This reminds me of a story of someone who wanted to try gardening but lived in deer country, right where corn and woodland formed a patchwork that deer seem to love. The deer of course found their garden and ate like crazy, could jump over any fence, and weren't that afraid of their dog. Instead of continuing to try and fight the deer, they instead planted a bunch of hardy bushes that deer love to browse around their perimeter, and found the deer would rarely make their way to the garden when there was fine pickings all over the place. Of course, feeding these deer might mean there's a few more to hunt later in the year, which in that part of the US is a pastime far older than the country itself, and a vital ecological function now that wolves are no longer present.

[@johannsmith5697]

Your video making style and ability to speak endlessly is perfectly suited to youtube, surprised you havent been regularly uploading for years. Hope it continues

[@donyolobsang7273]

huge divide with organic off-grid life and the constant upload/edit work. Not to say its hard, prob kind of easy. Its more about time consumption and day rhythms that get in the way...

[@drakekay6577]

No, instead he has been teaching classes, giving lectures, and making "the old style" videos(not to exclude other things). I was so excited when I found out he got into youtube to disseminate his MOST VALUABLE insights and information! :D

[@brockunruh6283]

He has uploaded many videos over the years. Check out his documentary on greening the desert

[@nobodyspecial3338]

Thanks Geoff. Keep em coming! Love your videos mate! Cheers 🇦🇺🙏🏻

[@PeteKanarisGreenDreamsFL]

Loving all the videos Geoff!

[@runemunter3653]

You´re a true inspiration Geoff! Your voice is calming and you have a very special and rare ability to spread hope in a very reasuring way. Im applying for a PDC-course here in Sweden and this summer is all about growing vegetables and flowers for me. Let´s turn this sinking ship around and create a better world for ourselves that our children can be proud of! If i ever go down under again im sure as hell gonna give Zaytuna a visit.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

love your videos, Geoff. appreciate your clear explanations.

[@Florestinhadamontanha]

This is another class show, Master Geoff. Thanks.

[@lea_theminiaturepoodle5995]

This is a very importent video on youtube! Thank you for sharing! 🙏

[@HonestOpenPermaculture]

You're chicken composting system looks awesome. I'm working on perfecting mine right now! Thank you for the encouragement!

[@yvettedistefano6396]

Lots of great information. Keep on giving us more! Thank you

[@ypsplus]

Dear Geoff, my worm farm is actually just a 10 l bucket with a flower pot inside, covered with a piece of cardboard. I keep the bucket inside, in my kitchen during mid European winter. It works fine. It's amazing how much these worms can eat. When I get too many drosophila flies, it goes out in the staircase for some time. When I told my neighbours I had worms in the kitchen, they refused coffee :-). I want to increase the number of worms and release them into my permaculture plot, that's set up freshly, in spring. Thanks for your input and motivation. Great job, wish I could come and see your farm. Yvonne

[@snarkydinkfarm329]

Thanks so much for that... And I'm sure my chickens will be grateful too as my garden gets more fertile they'll get better and more garden scraps to pick thru...

[@riplandmx]

Wish I could be there helping you guys. Super inspired by your knowledge! I love your KZbin channel

[@jerryatrick6302]

You actually just saved my self image about this whole venture ive jumped into this year thank you

[@TylerLukey]

Minimal editing and continuous filming/talking directly shows that he knows his shit. I love the videos and really appreciate all of the knowledge. Thank you!

[@drakekay6577]

It also shows he is not in it for publicity, fame, or admiration of fans. :D

[@stormysampson1257]

Just because someone can run a camera and talk the talk he wants to talk and walk doesn't make him an expert. I'll tell you what is happening. YOU people out there know nothing about gardening and are finally considering that it might be a good thing to know to grow your own food. Oh let's throw out higher learning that is too much work!! Let's just throw seeds on cold compacted bare soil and we have created a PERMANENT CULTURE. I hate this label. How about a garden born from education and experience. I am unable to come up with a fancy title but this one needs to be thrown under the bus! Geoff, I've got to see your qualifications. Too many are hoping onto your wagon thinking you've got the answers. I've not heard solid sensible chemistry nor botany in your video. Sorry. I HATE being the party pooper but I have earned the right to question other gardeners. Just because Geoff is teaching those that are completely without any gardening knowledge he is appealing to the ignorant, humans who don't like work and who are very easy to impress.

[@mourlyvold7655]

@@stormysampson1257 You have the right (and duty I might add) to question anything and everything. After all, that is exactly what Geoff did when he first met Bill Mollison. But this here is some seriously bitter shit, my friend! Are you ok? No content here, just ad hominem. You just attacked a straw man! I think you might have to dig a little deeper to determine how much knowledge this man actually posesses. And then come back to us with arguments about the content, instead of the man and labels. May I suggest you put forward some of your knowledge on your channel for us ignorant people to learn from, I couldn't find any...

[@mourlyvold7655]

Never mind, I just read your comment about you being a licensed Commercial Pesticide Applicator. Makes me lose my interest. To each his own, good luck.

[@stormysampson1257]

@@mourlyvold7655 See, you know what ASSUMING does right? Pesticide licensing is the BEST thing that could be done to stop idiots from using chemicals THAT ARE NEVER NECESSARY. They TEACH how to prevent needing to use pesticide. I went and took their continuing education seminars just to learn what was new. I didn't need recertification but I did it anyway. I did the same with Master Gardeners put on by the same people; WSU Cooperative Extension Service. You are very mistaken about proper education. How well do you understand Chemistry? Soil science? We never discussed a single 'brand' name. We worked and learned the chemistry even though we knew we wouldn't be using pesticides. We had to know enough to go back to bosses and EDUCATE them! And sometimes that was being between a rock and a hard place. I left jobs because a client or a boss would INSIST on using something that would actually set one up for even more use of pesticide; putting bandaids on top of bandaids because someone didn't know enough to CARE. Well, I cared enough to make sure I knew what I was doing and how to reeducate lots and lots of people, clients and bosses.

[@seanthedevlin]

Oh Geoff Lawton, I am so grateful to have found you! 🙏

[@JohnnyAppleseedOrganic]

Beautiful compost! Thank you for another inspiring video

[@michelles1517]

You have given me courage and drive. Thank you!!

[@valley3621]

Thanks Geoff, great information.

[@jowoo7237]

Give me more. This stuff is great. So dense and information. Practical simplistic.

[@kristinparish2834]

The Urban Chicken Tractor is a great idea for compost and I like the recycled metal appearance of it!

[@HFTL666]

Thanks man I am really appreciating the videos!

[@ajmag4891]

13:05 So happy To See, You Growing ' Brahmmi ' In Your Garden . Lots Of Love & Respect From India :)

[@geriannroth449]

It's all so addictive I'm glued to the screen just soaking it all up. I too have a little plot with a small dwelling almost like a 20ft container on a plot of just over 5000 sq ft. Part of which is the kitchen /herb garden & the other fruit trees & ornamentals but the native soil is not only poor but very rocky so I decided to plant most of the fruit trees in large bottomless containers so their roots can get a head start & by the time they start to penetrate the rocky soil the roots would have matured enough to handle the tough terrain. It's a work in progress but your knowledge shared is invaluable thanks so much for sharing so much for free.

[@samnikole1643]

I am deffinately getting chickens and ducks. I like having 12 loads of great compost every year!i think gardening vids created a monster nature lover

[@janthehandyman]

Geoff, you are healing the world with your inspirational devotion working with the natural cycles of our Earth. Keep up the amazing work, dear brother. You are a living legend! Eternal love and light to you from Denmark

[@jakubivan8455]

THX! Thank so mutch for everything what you doing!

[@shahriyad5662]

I am learning so much from these videos! :)

[@Electrictheater9]

Absolutely brilliant video. Thank you for breaking it down so easily

[@alexanderdebree9295]

Is that a compost joke? ;-)

[@nathaliewilson1817]

​@@alexanderdebree9295 Even if *pun* wasn't intended, it was a wonderful one😅.

[@dottiannblakemore9231]

Love these Videos. I have so much to learn.

[@thebraziliangardener8481]

i am really happy to hear the word brazil in there i live here and its an amazing country with so much variety and so many fruit trees species,i am a big fan of you jeef and all your work,i am doing my best to help disseminate your knowledge and technichs to my fellow citizens here :)

[@thebluedan]

🇧🇷👍🏼

[@erykahsundance2807]

Excellent video!

[@craigmetcalfe1749]

Hey Geoff! You have just answered my question of the day. I built two lasagna beds and wondered how deep my final compost layer needs to be before I could plant out my seedlings. I am not sure how deep the little pockets of compost you have are, but you have inspired me to start planting now and not wait a couple of months for the rest of the bed to finish composting. I am in Brisbane and we are in the start of Winter, so I would imagine that some of the seedlings might appreciate a little exothermic warmth at this time of year. What do you reckon? Cheers!

[@IndianGardener]

Very nice

[@lauracouto3967]

Muito Obrigado Quero aprender mais! Amo permacultura

[@spoolsandbobbins]

Looks like my garden. Slugs LOVE it!

[@LittlePetieWheat]

Geoff, I would be *really* interested to learn more about the key "people" systems, on Zaytuna farm?. e.g. shelter, water, food, work allocation, "waste", and generally meeting other human needs. Thanks for all that you do. Sending you positive energy. Get some sleep soon ;-)

[@hancarv4705]

If I recall correctly, he has a video on Greening the Desert where he goes over a bunch of systems that I assume are those you're refering to as people systems Just search geoff greening the desert and you'll find it right a way

[@lonihollenbeck4654]

Great information and very adaptable ideas.

[@avsvasudha9687]

This is v helpful for small kitchen gardeners like me ..... Tq

[@xyzsame4081]

01:51Perennial spinach actually grows continuously, this is Antheria Sissoo, a fantastic addition to a garden .. shortly after he mentions Brazil spinach.

[@fizzeatjourdan3521]

Thank you from France, you're one of the best permaculture chanel I found so far. We have very few permaculture contents on French youtube. Maybe you could ad subtitles for european languages like french intalian and spanish, as people in those country are usualy pretty bad english speaker and have very few youtube contents of that kind. Cheers mate !

[@TechWzBst]

There are French subtitles, at least now.

[@RekaBalazs]

I recommend you Marie Cachet’s Permaganism videos.

[@kangdanlin]

brilliant, thank you for your videos

[@alvomano9662]

I love the technique of the guy that bends his knees to collect chicken manure, excellent

[@robertorusconi8782]

Great video ! Thanks

[@chili.Hawaii]

Wow, I’m halfway into my second video by you and I’m so glad KZbin suggested your worm farm video because I really like your style. You have already taught me so so much! Wow wow. Thank you! Do you sell or trade seeds? I’m in Hawai’i and may have something you’d like 😄

[@jefftbow4297]

Great production quality. Narration and camera angles really stood out to me. Awesome!

[@giojared]

I hope one day our paths cross so I can personally thank you for all the valuable information you have provided me with.... you are my version of a celebrity.

[@glennedgar5057]

Good video

[@sharadajoshi8920]

Thank you Geoff. Beautiful illustration. So maintaining the fertility to a small kitchen garden can be done by just adding a handful of compost into the hole before planting, that's it, just great

[@stormysampson1257]

Your chicken house is great! I love the composting structure. Compost should never be used until it is COMPLETELY decomposed. This is the material the micro and macro soil organism they NEED for food. This is not for the plants, this is for the soil organisms. The decomposers use up all available nitrogen while decomposing. Nitrogen is essential for the decomposers for their energy and fuel to do their decomposing job. There is no nitrogen left for the soil chemistry to be used by the plants. Compost does not replace a simple balanced fertilizer. Less is Best, More is Death and none is dumb. I double dig my beds ONCE at the very beginning. I add trenches all around the perimeter of these beds for drainage and water movement and DRY walkways. Clean out the trenches in the spring, rake, compact, and plant. We add decomposed organic matter to all the beds for the winter to include a few that we grow green manure for the winter.

[@darkcontrast8470]

You should have 90 million subscribers

[@Sunshine_Daydream222]

More!!!

[@deanpd3402]

The fact that groups like extinction rebellion focus on the problems and do not advocate the solution's that we see here might explain why there are not as many subscriber's as there should be. Humans love to tap into the negative.

[@49testsamiam49]

inspired again..... thanks

[@LaHortetadeBussy]

Thanks for.video men,

[@MindsandPerspective]

Thank you, was very usefull to me

[@inyayardhomestead5693]

G'day mate thanks for another great video

[@paulgutches5253]

This is awesome. I cannot find Antheria Sissoo anywhere on the web except in reference to this video. How could one acquire this perennial spinach? Thanks!

[@paulgutches5253]

Found it. More easily found as Alternanthera sissoo

[@friendlyfoodforest8033]

Well done brother 👊

[@lizzieatherfold2293]

Excellent thanks

[@shaktiveda7041]

Interesting, thank you!

[@TheLUCIANA63]

Amazing 👏🏽

[@samanthabailey02]

Come to North America please. Check out some of our permiculture spots. Talk about what grows here and help encourage us to make more of these great havens!!! Love you and thank you

[@FreeRadicalslifestyle]

We have been an Urban farm type of producer for the last couple of years or so, but the drought and water restriction in town has forced our hand to move the gardens to a property that has a permanent water supply. As much as it is going to be a lot of work I am really excited that I get to put a larger scale permaculture system in play as well as a bit more commercial vegetable growing capacity than you are showing in your kitchen gardens but still with living soil principles.... love your videos Geoff we are down the road from you on the southern downs in Killarney hope to take a trip to see what you have going on in person one day. Regards Russell

[@stormysampson1257]

Ummm, do you think global warming is happening?

[@FreeRadicalslifestyle]

Sharon Sampson no I don’t ...... indeed if you check with unaltered data and historical precedents you can see that we are in a cooling phase of a planetary climate change. This has an effect on grow zone weather conditions that we are seeing around the world even now that has nothing to do with any Co2 anthropogenic warming

[@stormysampson1257]

@@FreeRadicalslifestyle'unaltered' data? How can one tell if data is altered or unaltered? Grins! I am THRILLED you are able to suss out what is bogus from closer to truth! Not many humans are able to do this as they watch any media. Grand Solar Minimum...this one is called the Eddy Minimum. New Madrid Fault was a scary surprise!

[@FreeRadicalslifestyle]

Sharon Sampson yes there are a lot of shifts going on around us at the present time. The shifting magnetic pole and its influence on our grow zones all add to the need for us all to be well informed of all possible outcomes. Preparedness without fear or sensationalism will stand all observers of the possible outcomes of the changes in good stead even with the fragility of the just in time delivery systems of food and the debt based monetary system collapse that is an emerging social time bomb. Regards Russell

[@wolfyhatter9192]

@@FreeRadicalslifestyle So now they have created a FAKE virus(Germs,Bacteria,viruses, are because of not the cause of disease, the same goes for plants) to bring the failing system down, so blame will not fall on them.

[@heathersutherlin6632]

Thank you for this tour...I have not yet integrated chickens, but do have a few compost bins. I saw a dog in the video, and I am wondering how you integrate your dog with garden spaces? What do you do with the dog poop? Thank you!

[@anandu2705]

Wow👌👍

[@my_permaculture]

So good to see the urban chicken traktor for the first time. How many chickens would you keep in the 16m²?

[@DiscoverPermaculture]

12

[@YoushaAhmad]

Great videos always. I would add some wooden perches to the roost as that would be more natural for the chickens and be better for their feet.

[@LexYeen]

Seconding this suggestion, birds are meant to perch on things. Scrap branches from tree trimming ought to work a treat.

[@jerryatrick6302]

Dung would stick and no

[@mojavebohemian814]

Thank you

[@Kalamain]

I'm in the UK and I cannot get compost that quick!!! I do what I was taught... The 6 mounds trick. You start with just a dumping ground of weeds and biomass... We never had access to manure so that was a problem for us. Where I used to work we had 6 bays... One for each week... And you moved the mounds up each week and by the end you had a rough and ready mulch/compost that you could use on beds or you could throw it to the side and mound it up to let it finish... We never really got a chance to let it sit as we were always using it for SOMETHING. It may not have been the absolute best stuff on the planet... But it worked and our plants don't do too bad.

[@TroubleNow]

Great video Geoff! I’m curios when Harriets taking the chicken tractor material (11:06) up the the hill to the compost area cages, will you add the normal blend of carbon, nitrogen and use the chicken tractor blended as fertilizer? I have 3 hens and a rooster, and they just shed the weedy material we give from around our home.

[@DiscoverPermaculture]

Yes but this material is a mix of high carbon brown and manure some proportionally more green will be needed.

[@cr35t23]

Wow!

[@kelseyfifer6069]

Can pine and spruce needles be used for mulch? Are there any advantages or disadvantages to using them?

[@chocolat811]

Thank you. Did the hen goes out of their cage?

[@franzguenther8006]

Hi Geoff I was just wondering about brown material. Would dried brown weeds be considered as brown or how does that work?

[@ecojardim]

Hi, i love that idea a lot. As it comes to the point about let the chickens out, i was asking me, which hight should the flexible net fence have, so that the chickens can‘t get out and fly over the fence?

[@rubygray7749]

If you trim the flight feathers off one wing, the hens cannot fly over the fence.

[@601salsa]

how long is the grass clippings left to 'mature' before adding to the deep litter system? and would it work well with ducks?

[@glennedgar5057]

I wish tank you for previous videos. I grow avocados commercially. I am not organic, mainly because i do not want to mess with the inspectors. Saw your video on problems with conventional fertilizers. My trees over the years, became less and less productive. Six month ago i switched to organic fertilizer and my trees have never been better.

[@sven5415]

Great testimony! Thank you! Maybe you could make a video about your story? So more people could learn from your experiences? Must be not a big effort.

[@stormytrails]

It would help everyone out here reading your comment to know WHAT you were fertilizing with, how you were managing the soil, what practices you do or do not do, how you watered, what type of water source? The chemistry of the water? The chemistry of your soil? Organic is such a lame word, I kid you not. What 'organic' fertilizer did you switch to? (any molecular configuration with C or Carbon included in that molecular name is ORGANIC). ha ha ha...ugh, check out the chemistry in your original fertilizer. It will definitely have Carbon included. This definition of "ORGANIC"....the word organic, and the word natural as well, drives me bonkers. Knowing what one is doing with soil, botany, biology, hydrology, chemistry....makes these confusing words worthless. Knowing how to grow plants is the most important part of your job. I would get some education under my belt. Get a pesticide applicator license! You will know why you DO NOT need pesticides. Yet those programs teach so MUCH important stuff most farmers do not know and truly need to know. Fertilizer is NOT pesticide. Nitrogen is nitrogen no matter the source. Balanced fertilizer has to include the three macro chemicals; Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium. Soil tests as well as being able to identify excess or deficiency of chemistry in your plants. One does not add anything until there is absolute proof it needs to be added. Or suffer the consequences. Compost is never a fertilizer substitute nor a soil substitute. Learn exactly what and why your ORGANIC fertilizer has made a difference. I would imagine that avocado trees are like any other food producing plant that is based on reproduction. Too much nitrogen in relation to the P and the K will inhibit reproductive growth. Fewer avocados, lots more leaves, luscious leaves and vegetative growth.

[@martysgarden]

It sure makes a huge difference. I used to manage a small Avo farm myself many years ago

[@nancyfahey7518]

@@stormytrails I don't use fertilizer. I feed my earthworms what they need and the earthworms feed the soil. I've got flowers. I've got fruit. If I see some yellowing leaves on a plant I'll go over and scoop up a pile of worm poop spread them around the plant and walk away. Problem solved. You can over complicate what you want but don't be blaming the guy that doesn't need all the garbage chemicals.

[@stormysampson1257]

@@HawkJammin You have made a few wrong assumptions and took off with internet rage. I am not snobby, just direct and if you can't take the heat, well, get out of the garden? Grins. Loosen UP! Pesticide applicators are taught how to PREVENT any need of pesticides. You are so rude to THINK you know something without reading carefully. The Cooperative Extension Services run these seminars, classes and testing. Knowledge makes the best practices and humility. You are some out there wannabee hippie. I have done due diligence bucko, to be authoritative. Maybe that is what you think is 'snobby'... How you got your ideas from my comments is interesting and shows a bit of defensive insecurity maybe? Good luck to you...

[@mariecrowe8843]

Inspirational 🕉

[@1gr8lpta]

I can not convince my husband not to till the heck out of my garden. Even though he see’s the results from last years garden where with took a portion of our ground and used cardboard, mulch and compost. I can’t even get him to sit and watch something like this program. He is stubbornly holding on to the old ways. And he is not the one who weeds the garden, I do.

[@marliliya2]

We just moved to Florida from California. What is your advice to keep snacks away. Didn’t have any in CA.

[@leannekudahl2432]

Easy to achieve when you choose to live in an easy climatic region.

[@Neidytrozeski]

Hi, where do you get all the straw mulch from? Where I live it is so expensive! Great work ❤️🇧🇷🇺🇸

[@drakekay6577]

Today I rearranged the ratios, focusing more heavily on carbon and even less on nitrogen. Then I topped it with a layer of soil n potting mix, filled with Clover seedlings. Which as you know are a nitrogen producing plant, by way of root nodules.. :D

[@TinyGiantLifeStyle]

Witouth access to manure can humanure be used?

[@ryana1486]

Hello Geoff! I have a question. How much is too much wood ash to a good sized compost heap (minimum 1m3). I know that it is alkaline and so don't want to over do it. I live in Cyprus and we have hard red clay soil which I am amending by composting just about any organic material I can find. There are lots of "invasive" Acacia where I live, however they are a great resource for wood chips and biochar. I don't have a very efficient set up for Biochar (I'm working on it) so I am getting a little bit more ash than I would ideally like. Thank You!

[@nunolopesrb]

How do you water it? And how would you do it on a slope and with some scale?

[@tarquinbristow492]

Sproutarians start salivating when the sub-pod contents are revealed 😄

[@noah786]

In the urban chicken compost factory, do the birds get fed any grain? Or what do the birds eat?

[@mahirajsinghgaur5838]

In your large cage composting system, with brown material-green material & manure layers : can we use fresh cow manure? If yes- can that compost be used for garden just in 1+3 weeks? Jeff: neighbour's envy- australia's pride.

[@AxelElstermann]

Geoff mentions to „chop“ the brown material. How to do this? Are there any recommended tools/methods to do so?

[@flatsville1]

Chipper/Shredder? Weed wacker in a drum/tub? Machete? They all work. You got to apply some form of cutting force.

[@slonaut]

What is the length of the wire fence used for one cage?

[@hardoff]

Hi Jeff, did a PDC with you in the 90s. Was a great experience. Was just wondering what you think about "industrial scale" composting?

[@MortifiedU]

In Australia most of our tips / garbage dumps do composting and any large wood they turn to mulch and sell back to the community. So to compete with a place that people drive and sometimes have to pay to drop off their material would put a private company behind the eight ball from the start. About the only way to compete is to make a premium product like that of BD500 using worms instead of buried horns. However again you would have to charge a premium for it to be viable / profitable, most gardeners don't like spending money, and will soon realise you can do it at home with a worm bin, bucket and a bit of sugar. However, if you were to buy a paddock beside a pig farm, and offer to take their runoff / manure using worms then the majority of the raw ingredients come to you (still need fibre as in dry material to soak and balance (greens / browns) or evaporation over a longer period of time).. Then you would need to transport the end product and again gardeners don't like spending money on something they can do at home. If you try to sell to the big farms you are competing against some major companies that will tie you up in the courts, they will find something to shut you down. There is a guy in India that has a very large chicken farm and some massive worm farms, he then sells the fertiliser as a side business to his chicken farm. So industrial maybe designing a system to put on peoples farms rather than transporting a mix of materials from farms to your composting factory / complex. .. ok wow that was a bit longer than I initially intended but have thought along the same lines for a while and weighed up the pros and cons.. This is the time you reply and say, oh that is not what I meant. ha ha..

[@flatsville1]

There are some very good in-vessel large industial systems which produce great compost free of toxic pathogens as they adhere to temp over time standards. Great care should be taken with manure containing composts as the toxic pathogens can cause both plants and humans to sicken & die once it's in the food chain. I rarely see great care being taken with "hot" on ground manure containing piles...including little to no lab testing on the finished end.

[@emilianocamargo5359]

I wander where do they get the mulch from...from a city near by...or they produce it at the farm?

[@tiffanywilkerson5569]

How do you chop up the browns?

[@TheDevonblacksmith]

How long would it take in the UK climate?

[@lapsofnz]

i collected washed and added seaweed and rain water to a 44 gallon drum over a year ago, would it still be o.k to dilute and use on the trees and garden?

[@paulgutches5253]

Hi Geoff. Can you share the scientific name for Sumatran Spinach?

[@lvada4806]

Would this compost method work in any climate?

[@nancyfahey7518]

I'm guessing I'm semi tropical. West central Florida, US. Once in a while we get down to 20°f (13°c). 10 minutes drive from the gulf. When my area gets frost my gardens are fine but we do protect banana and papaya. I use the hundreds of golden rain trees And ink berry plants as chop and drop. They keep growing back. There are lots of earthworms and random mushrooms and chicken poop. And free wood chips were a game changer. Finally after 25 years of trying to grow things my way now I use natures way. I have a jungle in front of me. 😊

[@stormysampson1257]

Golden Rain trees? homeguides.sfgate.com/disadvantages-golden-rain-tree-67351.html You should KNOW its real name; Koelreuteria paniculata We have a similar tree in the north with the same common name and it's pea pods have seeds in them that one seed kills one man. Or maybe just a kid. And your big deal is that you learned 'natures' way to grow food and now you are an expert. Holy Molly You have to know more, sweetie about 'nature' to imagine you are USING nature's way. You ARE a gardener! with a big ole chip on her shoulder that is inhibiting learning more than she knows already about gardening, soils, plants and the physical world around her...grins. There is much more to learn. Where is YOUR 'University' Cooperative Extension Service? University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service?? Find it. They are your mentors. Take the dang Master Gardener Class! Easy peasy, most is on the internet now after all, but some classes where you get to meet other gardeners at your level also have great field trips. Takes maybe 2 months of once per week stuff? Practically FREE of charge.

[@plumerault]

Is the perennial spinach Alternanthera sessilis hort. ? Thanks

[@inner4power]

Hi. That’s great 😃 where is this place on earth? Which country? Thx