Harvesting Compost From a Hugelkultur Bed

A hugelkultur bed is a compost pile in all the ways that matter. In this video I show how I borrow compost from my hugelkultur beds to use where I need it in my garden.
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[@dogslobbergardens6606]

I like this approach a lot. It's my (unpopular) opinion that most people put *way* too much time and effort (and often cash) into getting a few cubic feet of finished compost every year. Unless you only have a few containers or you're growing at least as much plants strictly to compost as you grow for food - you're never going to really make enough of your own plant-derived compost for the whole garden anyhow. (that little half- or one-inch thick layer some folks sprinkle on and think is magic ain't doing nearly as much as they think - to really make compost-based gardening worthwhile you need INCHES of it every year. It's just not as rich as people assume.) So keep it simple.... before just composting turns into its own part-time job. We do compost food/yard/garden waste in a standard cubic yard pile/bin; but it's just a bonus. Great for screening and mixing in with seed-starting mix... but not enough to make a major difference overall.

[@GreenLove1]

Lol! A whole video of watching Greg dig a "grave" !!!! 😂

[@maritimegardening4887]

If only there was a "sucking wind" setting for microphones. I always sound so damn winded!

[@jackman6256]

I know a guy that does not garden like rest of us but he has best garden I've seen What he does is a few yrs Ago he started a compost pile About 15 by 4 by 6 Sounds big but thats his garden He just puts plants seeds everywhere In his compost pile been doing for long Time always has great garden if that's Wat call it but it works After he gets wat he wants from it just Puts back in pile of compost pile

[@sjt4689]

You've got the perfect system that works for you, based on years of experience, and your personal life, living situation, location, family, yet those who do not live your life or manage your garden think they could do better....I don't know where you get the patience to deal with people the way you do. I personally could not and would not. Great video, much appreciated. I'm on the northern west coast and we are absolutely saturated in rain here right now. Seriously, with lakes of water all around me. Cant wait for this constant wet to slow up so I can try out some hugelkultur beds like yours for generating more compost. I like doing things similar to your style. Cheap, as easy as possible, logical, and the best way things work for me in my situation. I've taken to digging up a lot of the rotted forest floor all around me, raking up all the fallen aspen leaves, and adding to my compost bins, my garden etc. Works great, its free other than the effort I put in, and its incredibly gratifying to see my garden producing like crazy when I keep hearing from other people about how I'm doing it all wrong LOL I just carry on and tell people to mind their own damn garden 😅

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks - I always try to remind myself that most of the comments are from good-natured people who are trying to help. Sometimes I go on a rant - then I delete the rant :) Anyway, great to hear that all the same things are working for you!

[@TinaThevarge]

I started doing this in some areas of my yard to try help improve the soil. My yard is mostly sand, but grass is starting to grow. I'm working towards regenerative homesteading with small animals like chickens and maybe pigs or sheep.

[@migueltigrelazo]

Sounds awesome! You should document your journey!

[@TinaThevarge]

@@migueltigrelazo thank you miguel, but I think I'll leave the videos to the professionals. All I've done is record entries in a garden journal. No photos or video footage. I just love learning all the techniques.

[@canadiankabingurl9782]

Wow you're lucky to be working in the garden at this time of year. It's snowing here in Northeastern Ontario and -6 celcius which isn't too cold but we're getting down to -16 to -20 celcius overnight if it clears. There's almost 2 feet of snow in and around the property. Gardenbeds are buried lol. I am envious. I so love working in soil and compost. Great video.

[@dougzale9136]

We are lucky this year in Edmonton my dog can still dig a hole out there.

[@pamelawalker8052]

Soil looks good, here in BC , deer are my biggest challenge. fences around everything. I have friends that complain about the deer. If its there for the picking they are going to take it. Just like your bears. Ha!

[@Suburbanoasis]

Good workout. I love to find ways to stay fit while gardening in the winter.

[@maritimegardening4887]

I totally agree!

[@louisesemrani6860]

I think this is one of the best videos on creating great soil.I like this once a year not every day tossing.❤️🦘🐨🐨🦘❤️And the natural look🦘🦘🦘

[@maritimegardening4887]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@joycecuffy9421]

Very interesting. It's something to read up on and think about trying

[@ureasmith3049]

That's a lot of work. Good exercise.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Very!

[@booswalia]

Twenty minutes for you. A three day project for me with plenty of Tylenol. LOL! It is a great way to do it if you can though.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Oh my! Sorry to hear that. In any event, the point was that it's less work than hot composting - not that it's easy because I can do it in 20 min :)

[@PrairiePlantgirl]

Sounds like this is a great solution for your situation.

[@tracyleal2609]

Thanks for the video, and Happy New Year.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Happy new year!

[@myrustygarden]

Happy New Year to you and the family. Great video as always stay safe 🎄🇨🇦💐🌶🎉☮️

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thank you! You too!

[@bobmcnally1735]

Another great idea without cost.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Glad you like it!

[@wendysgarden4283]

80/20 rule. 80% of the soil taken out for 20% of the effort of digging out the whole bed. : ) One of my basic life philosophies. Works for house cleaning too. Close enough, leave some dust, save some time.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Hallelujah!

[@greeneyedflower2408]

Happy New year Greg! It's so surprising to see you do this in December. We have been having big snows then thaw outs and rain. Then repeat, over here in Ontario. I should be out in my garden when I can, but I'm researching hydroponic strawberries! Lol Something I thought I would never consider.

[@maritimegardening4887]

It was -7c this morning so perhaps the party's over :)

[@yokohamamike1041]

Nice job, great garden bed!

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks

[@michaellippmann4474]

Great video Greg...I am sitting here convelescing after my shoulder surgery yesterday catching up on MG videos and podcasts... Happy New Year man! Mike👍😁🇨🇦

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks man - happy to be part of the rehab plan. Hope your srugery heals well.

[@DavidMFChapman]

Better you than me! Maybe every year label the bed with a date?

[@maritimegardening4887]

Yes - I think that would be a good idea!!!

[@leticiagr2222]

Great job. 👍🏻

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks! 👍

[@rogercarroll1663]

Very nice. Thanks so much.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thank you too!

[@Garricher5958]

I get the hugelkultur. I guess what I don't get is digging out the logs, and harvesting the compost. You have a stronger back than I do. I just place the logs, or branches deep and forget about them. I chop off the spent vegetable, or flower stalks, and dig them back deep into the soil, along with any kitchen wastes that I have on hand, and top dress the bed with some type of mulch for the Winter. I'm making the assumption, of course, that logs, will over time, break down. A very long time.

[@maritimegardening4887]

You don't have to dig anything - I was just showing that you can dig out some soil if you need it - that's all

[@Garricher5958]

@@maritimegardening4887 Ok. Thank you.

[@dougzale9136]

Good video I like that idea.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Cool, thanks!

[@johnhazaras3160]

I don't have access to logs, rotting or otherwise but I use pallets to build my compost bins which depending on the time of year can be very hot or less hot or even cold. Sometimes you can get finished compost in 2 months and sometimes in 6 months but eventually it does break down. I typically only turn my piles a maximum of 3 times from start to finish but I also produce yards and yards of compost that gets used in different applications like starting seeds in cells, up potting bigger plants into bigger pots, topping up my beds every fall before I cover with mulch, starting new beds etc. If I had to buy an equivalent amount of organic compost it would cost me hundreds of dollars so I don't mind the work involved which is not more than 2 to 3 hours per pile, plus the health benefits of working outdoors. I do let my chickens work on the piles which also feeds them and aerates the soil as well as providing nitrogen when they poop on it. Happy and healthy new year to you and your family

[@maritimegardening4887]

John - I'm having trouble wrapping my head around your numbers. A yard of compost will fill a 1/2 ton truck. Lets say that weighs 1000 lbs (conservative estimate). This means that for one of those yards, you are moving 3000 lbs for the turning (you turn it over 3 times), in a addition to 1000 lbs to bring it to the pile, and another 1000 lbs to take it to your garden. That's 5000 lbs worth of work - and that's for one yard - and you're saying you get that in 6 months, so that's at least once a year - but you have "yards and yards" - so the work required must be extraordinary. If you have only 2 yards per year, you have to move at least 10,000 lbs of stuff around every year by hand. I prefer my 20 minute work out thanks :)

[@johnhazaras3160]

Maritime Gardening maybe I used the wrong term. My 5 bins are a pallet square each which appears to be 4 by 4 by 4 and they each start off overfilled to the brim. I collect around 150 or more leaf bags every fall and I would guess over 200 ponds or more of coffee from Starbucks. By the time they are finished composting they are still around 1/3 full of finished compost if not a little more. In the summer I compost with grass from my lawn and used bedding from my chickens. My neighbour also sends me bedding and poop from his quail which adds nitrogen. There are always compost bins in operation in every season. I also have 3 large leaf mould bins made out of wire. Each bin starts off with 12 full leaf bags but they take over 1 year to finish. It’s hard to get an exact total of actual measured yards but I’d say a good 3 to 4 yards of finished compost and leaf mould in each year. I have only been this amount these 2 past years but even before that we always had a small compost pile.

[@johnhazaras3160]

Some of this compost gets used in potted plants which my wife sells in the spring so it’s not that I use it all in my garden. Last spring she sold over 300 plants in 1/2 gallon pots. Plus I grow lots of spruce and fir and fig trees that I sell as well. Trees love compost.

[@maritimegardening4887]

​@@johnhazaras3160 3 yards is a crazy amount of compost man! Impressive that you are doing that all by hand. The chicken bedding must really help to get things cooking.

[@johnhazaras3160]

@@maritimegardening4887 definitely work up a sweat flipping the compost by hand. I have a small Kubota tractor with a loader that I used to use to turn my open piles but as my garden grew I had less room to manoeuvre the tractor and I started making it in pallet bins. Leaf mold is the easiest, just load it and leave it for a year

[@richardkent7369]

Rocks have minerals in them. You should consider leaving a few in the bottom of the bed.

[@maritimegardening4887]

i have rocks everywhere

[@mcohen8025]

“There is just INFINITE WOOD in here!” 😂

[@maritimegardening4887]

I'm surprised I've not gotten a "that's what she said" comment yet :)

[@cindysmith1717]

Squash, potatoes and garlic are deerproof you say? My deer ate all my potato stalks this summer. I thought I’d try garlic in that bed instead, this fall. Makes me nervous though. I had also thought potatoes were deerproof. Anyway, I love your channel. I live in southwestern Nova Scotia, so whatever you suggest usually works for me too.

[@maritimegardening4887]

"usually" deer proof. Sorry that was not the case for you :)

[@jeannebarrett4821]

I enjoy your videos! It occurred to me that you have a chicken deficiency. All that compost would feed your chickens which would make compost and fertilizer and eggs.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Chickens would solve a lot of problems but they just aren't an option for me right now.

[@yuksanng8864]

Thanks for your video, I like this way of composting. I buried my waste every weekend and I find this method is much easy than bin compost.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Awesome thanks :)

[@virginiawoolf2343]

I know you have the bear problems, but I am able to spend the fall digging food waste into my garden. Since we don't freeze much in the Pacific Northwest, USA, it breaks down well.

[@maritimegardening4887]

That's great. I'd do that too if I could

[@hungariancottageadventure77]

Thanks for showing us how you do your taxes and dig a grave, can't wait until next year's insalment😂 seriously though that compost looked so rich and healthy 😁🌹

[@maritimegardening4887]

Ha ha :) Seaweed, yard waste, kitchen scraps, rotting logs, and time my friend :)

[@Doitallgp]

Awesome vid and very timely as I’m about to build a second hugelkultur bed! How long do you normally expect logs, such as those you’ve shown, to take to break down into compost? I made my first bed this year with 12” of logs in the bottom half and I’m curious how long it takes for those logs to disappear. Thanks in advance, Greg.

[@maritimegardening4887]

It really depends on the type of wood. Some woods, like tamarck, cedar hemlock & locust, can take forever to break down. I tend to use spruce - because that's what I have - but that rots slowly too - can take 10 years sometimes. Birch rots fast - especially if you remove the bark. Basically - use what you have unless it's a wood that it notorious for being rot-proof. In your case - if you're curious - garb a shovel and dig down to see what's happening - only way to know for sure.

[@lavendercrowl5695]

Wow, do u really see bears down yr way? Wasn't it great 2 b able 2 do stuff in the gardens so late. I planted a shrub and some left over bulbs. Then we got heavy packy snow in the valley . How much do u have?

[@maritimegardening4887]

We have snow on the ground, but a lot of it was rained away. Only a couple inches left.

[@wachtelmutter7432]

You know, you should really try out worm composting for your kitchen scraps. A big bear-safe container could do the trick. :) Thank you for your videos!

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks, and I hear you - but how much does a bear safe container cost? A black bear can flip a 140kg boulder with ONE PAW. That is super human action hero strength. A bin that could withstand a motivated black bear would have to be at least 3'x3'x3' to be big enough for all our stuff and made of heavy steel - or concrete and steel. As much as I'd like to have that compost - I can't justify the expense. Also - it would still draw bears to our location - and put the kids at risk since they play in the back yard all the time. In terms of ethics (if that was your point) - the kitchen scraps are being composted at the municipal site, and the compost is used by the municipality for public works.

[@wachtelmutter7432]

@@maritimegardening4887 Oh well i haven't got much bear experience here in middle germany ;) but if anyone can come up with a low-cost solution i bet you can! My point of view was more that you would probably appreciate the additional compost rather than the ethics. But the kids safety goes first of course! Happy new year! :)

[@migueltigrelazo]

Just throw the worms in the bed! If it's deep enough they should survive the winter. Mine managed to survive the minnesota winter in a bin less than a foot deep

[@migueltigrelazo]

I throw some in a regular raised bed and they too survived.

[@joniboulware1436]

Why didn't you layer the foodwaste with leaves. You had them right there.

[@uchibauki2515]

I don’t know why my compost is dead it’s not even that cold only 46°F the coldest 🤷🏼‍♂️ the food scraps not breakdown and I did adding leaves 🍁

[@maritimegardening4887]

It doesn't always break down as fast as some people say. It can take a year or even more depending on what you are trying to compost and other factors.

[@franksinatra1070]

That's better than buying compost. Nice to live in the country but too bad you have to worry about all the wildlife getting into compost. But all the mulching you do on your beds is essentially composting also.

[@maritimegardening4887]

Very true!

[@Ang.0910]

Would you be able to do vermi compost in a secure bin in your area?

[@maritimegardening4887]

Yes - and I do: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4LEn2CgfNhoasU

[@kellyredard1688]

Hi Greg will you plant in this bed this growing season?

[@maritimegardening4887]

Yes - probably squash this year.

[@louisedyer5307]

I have a pile of logs that have turned to soil. How do l use it now

[@maritimegardening4887]

use it as a mulch. If you think it's rich enough, use it as soil

[@joshuaaldrich1540]

Great video 1st of yours I’ve seen. You need chickens for all your kitchen scraps

[@maritimegardening4887]

Thanks and welcome to my channel. I'd like to have chickens - but black bears eat chickens too :)

[@charlesmason9904]

@@maritimegardening4887 stronger pen? What about bunker style, with hoop roof, let the hens dig in it all day?

[@victorybeginsinthegarden]

add some bio char to that bed next time to super charge your bed

[@NewYorkJennifer]

Chickens would really enjoy the kitchen scraps, but I suppose bears would like chickens better than the scraps . . .

[@maritimegardening4887]

Bears, wildcats, coyotes, raccoons, weasels, foxes, and so on :)

[@wendysgarden4283]

hahahah. So true. You'd have to have a barn, wouldn't you? And build them a raised bed in the barn with worms and other bugs imported so they could "free range" on it. Eggs are cheaper than a triple-locked barn by a good deal.

[@mpedals]

You should have left the logs in, they were composting and active

[@mpedals]

This what is all-about

[@maritimegardening4887]

The whole thing will resume it activity eventually - just a temporary setback - and I've added the kitchen waste to the equation, which will increase the nitrogen and accelerate the decomposition. I also have a couple dozen other h-kultur beds that I did leave alone - messing up one bed a year really isn't a big deal.

[@zemiguens9774]

Once a year? Way too much, unless the beds are more than 5 years old.

[@jerseybob9595]

God Night And Day And May Good Bless! The Light Shines Into The Darkness And The Darkness Comprehendith It Not! Much Love Y'all W'ay! Many fish One Love! True Liberty and Freedom For all! @'Ur6