How to Turn Shredded Paper into Compost Garden Plant Food

[@Selfsufficientme]

G'day everyone, just wanted to say thanks for getting this video over 200k views! Just one extra point about shredding the paper - it increases the surface area which helps it to break down easier and faster. Remember: Be self sufficient in something... ;)

[@issherac]

Self Sufficient Me Please do a video where we could drop our questions like Q&A titled vi and you can answer that whenever you want or if you want to with another video...i have a lot of questions in mind...😊 Just a suggestion.... i love your videos..and i am applying it to my garden....thank you so much!!! 👍👏👏👏💖

[@Barghouthi1]

Very useful videos ... extremely environment friendly & thanks for adding subtitles ( Makes it easier to follow for Non-native English speaking people like me 😃)

[@starwarsxexocollab1393]

Hi! Hey I have a question, can you give shredded paper to compost worms? And how much it get the paper to turn into compost?

[@ezee9552]

Okeejjj and what about the inkt and also the bleach used to white most papers?

[@scottscriticalmass]

Great as always Mark! I love composting and thought I did a pretty good job in my small California yard, but I've learned so much from watching your videos over the past year or so. Always well done, educational, funny, which makes the time watching very well spent. I'm sure your property takes a lot of work to maintain, but looks like so much fun as well. Envious! Thank you for sharing what you do Mark! Can't wait to see what you bring us in the coming year. I'll be ordering my 'Self Sustaining Me' coffee mug soon. Nice daily reminder of how to live life. Cheers my friend...

[@jpotter2086]

Mixing junk mail and bills with manure. They were made for each other.

[@myrabbitryandbackyardhomes512]

LOL

[@Jen-tt9yx]

LMFAO, this was the funniest yet truest words ever wrote.

[@Odette321]

And when he mentioned advertisements from your local politician. That was the cherry on the manure pie lol

[@starwarsxexocollab1393]

TRUE

[@starwarsxexocollab1393]

ESPECIALLY BILLS UGH! 😤

[@captainmorgan2307]

The garden ate my homework!

[@DaddyAboodi]

Captain Morgan 😂😂😂

[@Cj-bw3hn]

Lol.

[@terry1708]

chemical pollution?

[@themzaid]

😂😂😂

[@powellfamily6996]

😂

[@ChrisSmith-vc7xs]

Mark, hey mate! USA-Florida here. We followed your advice and got a composting tumbler and a confetti shredder for our paper waste at the house. We have been making a 5 gallon bucket of compost each month successful now for the past 3 months. Great advice, and working well here. Additions: 1) We keep a catch tray beneath the compost bin so any rain water that flushes though the tumbler gets collected and poured as compost tea onto our plants 2) We move all of our tumbled "almost compost" to a large 55 gallon plastic drum where we mix in older potting mix and our local ground soil. The whole system is working pretty nicely. Thanks for the motivating videos. Much love from USA-Florida.

[@taramacphee9093]

Great idea about the compost tea method

[@gatorgator3833]

Ahhhh, Florida..America’s toilet.

[@shakengrain1942]

Both excellent ideas! Thank you for sharing. USA - South Carolina here. No better way to "revive" older potting mix for sure. I think the shredded paper idea in this video, and your two ideas above, have put me beyond longtime hesitation to start a compost bin. Shredded paper is very easy to come by year round and makes all the difference. Old leaves/brown matter are harder to come by on a consistent basis. Plus the rotating bin keeps it contained til smell is gone - neighbors are close by. And less critters attracted as with a ground/open bin.

[@rachidelarf3864]

Each video are fantastic thank you so much

[@johnmason9708]

@@gatorgator3833 you must be thinking of the northern states

[@TheMoreYouGrow]

I’m so glad I found this video! I am a high school horticulture teacher and we were gifted a compost tumbler. We have an overflow of shedded paper from the school office so we will be doing this this week!

[@leonarddavis3684]

Paper from the office and food scraps from the cafeteria, sounds like a match.

[@blackdragon796]

Yeah! I'm an highschool student I'll do the same😸

[@buckbeaksgarden761]

How did the compost tumbler work out for you?

[@TheMoreYouGrow]

@@buckbeaksgarden761 mine didn’t work all that great. I probably didn’t get enough nitrogen in it

[@buckbeaksgarden761]

@@TheMoreYouGrow can I ask what materials you used at what ratio?

[@camsmeltzer9388]

Use a old blender to grind up kitchen scraps... Vegetables, fruits, coffee grounds...etc. Pour this mixture into your tumbler. Found this works great in providing moisture and helps break down even quicker.

[@DovidM]

Coffee grounds need to be ground again?

[@cecespark7251]

I was wondering about using my food processor for fruit, veg..etc thanks for the info

[@camsmeltzer9388]

@@DovidM ha! Nice point :)

[@davidreitz5178]

Yes! I bought a blender just for this. Really speeds up the process. We have a countertop compost pail and grind every time the pail is full.

[@ellenorbjornsdottir1166]

@@DovidM Depends on the gauge of grind. I probably don't have to because i use a narrow gauge grinder for my coffee.

[@everythingmatters6308]

In the U.S., paper receipts from gas stations and stores typically come out of thermal printers. They are coated with a toxic plastic called bisphenol A. If you scratch the receipt with your finger nail and get a dark line, DON'T compost it. I've also seen it on pizza box and other box labels.

[@DovidM]

I understand the concern but up to 99% of the BPA is broken down through composting. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37643575/#:~:text=Composting%20with%20food%20waste%20was,a%2045%2Dday%20composting%20period

[@brianfitch5469]

Most dont know this. That chemical was researched as a birth control option for women. Really bad for men to touch.

[@staeego9946]

Yes it is also quite Estrogenic so probably best to avoid the paper all together

[@infernaldaedra]

​@@staeego9946Not estrogenic it's a plasticizer that blocks the body's hormones. It causes cancer in females. Phenols are another huge issue that went completely under the rug.

[@bronsonperich9430]

We use thermal paper here in NZ and AUS too.

[@gigiauslan921]

I've had a tumbler for years and failed miserably to produce anything that wasn't smelly. Your video is gold. I've been shredding old documents during COVID lockdown boredom and can't wait to re-activate my presently empty tumbler. From one Aussie to another Aussie, thanks a million!

[@Darkice77]

Paper used to be 'whitened" with bleach but it was too toxic. So they switched to Chalk. Chalk is good for your garden also. It increases the alkaline levels which is good for fruit/vegetable producing trees and plants. They can strip the soils pretty quickly.

[@ellenorbjornsdottir1166]

Only good for gardens that need extra alkali

[@sbfoster3119]

For best results, the shredded paper can be mixed or layered with your food scraps in your compost pail container before putting it into the heap so there won't be clumping

[@Veryspecificassortmentofwords]

Your accent is so calming for some reason. “Paypah”

[@magictooth2]

"Kaaaaah"

[@starwarsxexocollab1393]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@starwarsxexocollab1393]

Sounds so manly and strong too 😏

[@mesta9997]

Not all Aussies are made the same

[@svetlanikolova7673]

Just use them for a bon fire

[@tracylf5409]

I mix some cheap beer w/sugared soda and let sit overnight then add water and sprinkle it over the compost. It helps it break down quickly. I also bought a cheap food processor at an op-shop to break the green waste from the kitchen down super-fast. That really speeds up the break-down. xx

[@zimmermanlandscape9287]

Food grinder. Excellent advice!! Another thing I was surprised if you find some soggy old rotten wood to mix in with grass clippings when it’s 90 degrees/90% humidity you can absolutely get compost in a couple of weeks

[@mattk6101]

If I was an Aussie I'd consider you a flippin national treasure! Thanks!

[@AlexAnder-rv1gu]

I'm not an Ozzie, but I consider him a world treasure :) We need more people to just be super positive and helpful and kind to the environment! :D

[@WendyHannan-pt7ez]

I’m an Aussie and he is a treasure 😉👍

[@pinkcrystaltea3144]

I love how easy it is to understand you. I have Dyslexia and have a hard time understanding a college-level conversation. So thank you for this video! I really want to start composting my shredded paper which I use for my small business. You're the best!

[@stegenzedek]

Sorry, is it okay to replace shredded paper with dried and brown leaves? TQ

[@charlesrozell848]

@@stegenzedek that would work fine.

[@KathysScraps]

Of all the gardening how to's that I've watched, just tonight I have learned more from you than anyone else. Especially about using shredded paper. Thank you!

[@diytwoincollege7079]

I use some of the sawdust from my woodworking projects. It breaks down slower but it helps me get rid of it.

[@nesbitt615]

It seems like it helps with drainage for a few months before it finally deteriorates. Rough cut kerf from pressure treated wood in a miter saw does this well

[@Optamizm]

If it's breaking down slowly, add either greens like grass, etc or buy some urea and use that or just piss in your compost once in a while.

[@dbirdeycapozzi9807]

You've inspired me once again! I'm an old gal, alone and self sufficient, who loves a garden! I have one acre and I think that tumbler would suit me just fine! I'm looking forward to your review.

[@shakengrain1942]

Ditto. Envy your acre! Only a quarter acre here.

[@WendyHannan-pt7ez]

I started composting due to Covid lock down, it’s very rewarding I’ve made some beautiful soil. I love my tumbler as I have a small garden, it fits in beautifully. Thanks Mark, I love all your videos.

[@chemicalmike646]

When my Grandad was still alive, I would dig a few trenches for him for planting. Making sure to keep the topsoil separate, I would dig around 2 spade depths deep. Then I would lay down old news paper, & throw the compost and scraps over it,then put the dirt back. The soil was always good, and the best part is that it was free food when my Nan would cook. The veg was lovely! I miss them both, but I also miss the lovely meals with the home grown veggies! Grandad also made some really good Sloe Gin, and a drink with the various fruits in his garden that he called "Fruits Of The Forest." mmmmmm!! :D

[@darthvader5300]

I would suggest that you keep their memory alive by remembering how to do it all again, practicing it again periodically until you have recovered all of their knowledge and skills, surely they have written down all of their knowledge and experiences in doing those things and putting them in a scrap book. If I were you I do it now and look for information in their place and have it all photocopied many times over for posterity and to prevent them from being lost forever. Such things are worth many times more than gold.

[@chemicalmike646]

@@darthvader5300 its all in my head. but not enough for a book to pass on, but a few good tips I still use to this day. In the interest of documenting,I'll pass on another tip for anyone reading this. ROSE BUSHES: If your rose bush has Black Spot, dont panic, its curable. First, pick off any dead leaves from the plant and MOST IMPORTANTLY, all the ground deadfall,including deadfall from other plants. Do this regularly! Trim highly infected branches as well. The disease has a life cycle from plant to ground to root. Depending on how infected the plant and soil are will affect how quickly the bush recovers. Pay attention to the direction where new growth nodes will come. You can determine this by looking at the lower growth on the branches. Note how it goes in a circular pattern around the branch. As the bush recovers it will become more bushy. If the bush is constantly wet during recovery, this will affect recovery. Depending on circumstances, you may need to make a judgement call on how much you chop off. ALWAYS WASH OFF YOUR CLIPPERS AFTER EACH TRIMMING SESSION!! DO NOT CUT HEALTHY BRANCHES WITH CONTAMINATED CLIPPERS! Hope that old knowledge helps someone out there! Peace! :D

[@ezwayocho8296]

Try adding Red Wiggler's (nightcrawler's) on top of what you already mentioned. Trust me, you won't be sorry 😊👍 Worm castings are VERY BENEFICIAL to garden soil!

[@chemicalmike646]

@@ezwayocho8296 agreed, but even better are living worms that migrate in the soil.

[@ezwayocho8296]

@@chemicalmike646 Right. I only buy living worms👍

[@judithstorck5195]

Thank you SO MUCH. We have had about 4 big bags of shredded paper just stored in the garage. Going to check out your video about the MAZE tumbler. At 76 years old I am getting tired of turning our compost area with a pitch fork. Again, thank you. Judi

[@51rwyatt]

love how Mark says a good feedstock for compost is letters from local parliamentary members

[@Selfsufficientme]

They go straight into the shredder at our place!!!! Cheers :)

[@freespirit1411]

😂

[@Kryten428]

Horse lift tail, politician open mouth, same thing happens.

[@ellenorbjornsdottir1166]

A good feedstock could also be letters from family, after digitization for archival.

[@gragniknlimbo3938]

Thank you! I have been searching for a video on paper bedding. My kids have guinea pigs and a hamster, so I wanted to know what to do with all the used paper bedding. I think my wife will start using her shredded paper now too. AWESOME!

[@honestluke6195]

Your sense of humor is great, i love it.

[@slomo1716]

BRILLIANT!!! I took all my shredded paper and laid on my beds, then put mulch on top. I am seeing all my bulbs pushing through this spring can't wait to see what it'll look like this fall. That is one really cool recycling tumbler you have there!

[@nadmiet7733]

I never thought to use my shredded paper and I had alot. I wished I seen this video sooner. Thanks for the information,very informative. Love your way of doing composting.

[@martelvonc]

After seeing your video I keep my shredder next to the kitchen and shred everything. My composting is much better now that I'm adding more brown material right to my scraps in the kitchen. I was getting discouraged over my stinky wet compost. Adding the shredding has us turning out black gold!

[@shakengrain1942]

Yeah, good point, I can see that working well. A layer of shredded paper alternated with kitchen scraps will keep the smell down and won't have to carry out as often.

[@gigiauslan921]

I usually line my kitchen composter with newspaper so it doesn't smell so bad.

[@sandywelte6988]

We burn all our junk mail for heat but not during the summer, so shredding will have to be then and we can use it in the tumbler!

[@joansmith3492]

I have used shredded paper in my small chicken coop for years. I start with it in the nesting area. Then when needed, it goes up onto "poop boards" that I have under the perches. I clean the poop boards EVERY DAY and that litter goes into my compost tumbler that sits next to the coop. It's a 2 bin system as well. The paper scrapes stick to the eggs a little, but other than that, it has worked perfectly. No smells at all, for several years.

[@Selfsufficientme]

Excellent (or should I say eggcellent) idea to have a tumbler next to the coop! Cheers :)

[@cathydenson1928]

After the cool you can then put it into the garden in the fall

[@inkyguy]

Well done!

[@i-dx2ow]

This is great, and you don't really need a fancy tumbler to start with making your own compost. I've got an old but clean garbage can with a secure lid, made multiple holes on the bottom and on the sides for good ventilation... I add the kitchen scraps mixed with all kind of "brown" organic material: napkins, paper towels, newspaper, pieces of cardboard, shredded paper, and pizza boxes...I also add soil from my old potted plants when I replant... Then I lock the lid, drop the container on the ground, and roll it back forth, fun! I could not believe it how good the compost I got last fall! Good luck, it works!!!!

[@markborzone5156]

I find adding shredded paper to grass cuttings at about 50/50 mix stops the cuttings congealing into soggy lumps

[@Selfsufficientme]

Thanks for the tip Mark! Cheers :)

[@southaussiegarbo2054]

@@Selfsufficientme tip. For a pile composter dig a 2-3 foot hole and put paper etc in it. Pile the soil up and as you add stuff put a scoop of dirt onto it to help worms work

[@rachael6894]

Hey! Us newbies appreciate the simple step-by-step instructions 😄

[@cathymadsen2930]

I just got myself a tumbler for Christmas.... mine is a large single barrel one and I love it. Not even 4 weeks and it is nearly done. Trick for fast composting in these things seems to be heat. I keep mine in all day sun from 6am to 6pm and it gets well over 60 degrees and breaks down fast!

[@Selfsufficientme]

Yes Cathy I reckon you're spot on regarding heat and 60c seems to be a good sweet spot too. Cheers :)

[@inkyguy]

My tumbler's instructions warned against letting the composter sit in directly in the midday sun. It recommended indirect sunlight or a lightly shaded area. I think there is concern that it could get hot enough to kill off the beneficial organisms that are doing the composting.

[@exb.r.buckeyeman845]

Cathy Madsen Wow, you get that much sun.

[@mollydooka17]

@@exb.r.buckeyeman845 summer equinox (22 December here in Perth, Australia), sunrise at 5:08am, sunset at 7:22pm, Hobart gets even more 😎, but we get sunnier days

[@exb.r.buckeyeman845]

@@mollydooka17 Wish we could have some of your sun in wet and windy Cornwall.

[@ellenhanratty8197]

Have been using junk mail for compost for several years, including the envelopes with windows. I just cut out the windows and throw them out before I shred the rest of the envelopes. Thanks so much for your delightful video.

[@Andy81ish]

I use the bay system and shredded paper that I bring home from work (or scrap paper from the office that I shred at home, check with your boss first if you work at a bank!). One extra point if you want to speed the process up is to seed each new batch with a bit from the last batch. The very first batch I did took about 3 months to fill the bay and then another 6 months to compost. Now whenever I start a new batch I through a couple shovels from a bay that is almost done into the new bay with the first lot of material. This seams to seed the bugs/bacteria and these follow on mixes normally compost in a much shorter time.

[@OhPervyOne]

Another step that takes it to the next level is to make a batch of compost tea from the previous batch. Use some of this compost tea to moisten the materials when starting the new batch of compost. Compost tea (especially AACT) is The Ultimate Compost Starter.

[@shariduke9668]

Found Self Sufficient Me due to Covid19; Mark your channel is going to save lives. Thank you for sharing your brilliance. ~Shari in USA

[@gisele2926]

I like your idea of using old bills and junk mail. Energetically, let's turn that crap into something useful!

[@NicoleSenaEvans]

Me too! I love the sentiment!❤️

[@Mark-ol2ll]

When my mother passed 2 years ago, she had tax records going all the way back to the 70, plus all sorts of legal documents and every bill going back at least 10 years. They were neatly sorted in marked boxes. I shredded everything and used the a large chunk of it in my compost ben along with grass clippings. So I converted all her her bills she saved in to something useful as well as keeping it out of the landfill.

[@Mark-ol2ll]

Wasn't sure if the older paper was safe to use , so a lot of it was not used for compost.

[@daisyaday384]

I just make sure to remove the plastic address window out before shredding junk mail

[@Selfsufficientme]

So very satisfying... :)

[@stonehartfloydfan]

Glad to see I am not the only one doing this, avoid the store commercial compost and make it yourself the plants in your garden will thrive on it.

[@ahmedhakeem9973]

I can feel your love to what you are doing, makes me happy to watch you

[@deathbycognitivedissonance5036]

Adding gypsum to de-Clump the compost was exactly what I was looking for. Tyvm

[@myfuturepuglife]

That tumbler is pretty awesome Mark! New gardener here and we just set up our first composting ring with chicken wire fencing and stakes. We're using what we already have to get started because we have have lots of leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen scraps and I don't want to be filling my beds with bagged soil from Lowe's and different big stores. Big thumbs up!

[@nixondelosreyes9990]

I watch once like this on TV when I was a kid and always thought shred the paper and bury it on the plant, it helps. Never leave in my head since then..

[@DovidM]

The tip about using gypsum with the composted paper is pure gold. I have been putting the clay-like final product in the bottom of trenches but this will allow me to use it as a topdressing.

[@elsagrace3893]

I love your cheery smile and beautiful garden.

[@GothicTech]

time to put all the notebooks and notes from my college days to good use xb

[@patricialuna4891]

Great idea! I was hesitant to compost my junk mail, I just went back to some that I put in the trash yesterday and rescued it for my compost pile, Thanks!!!

[@EnchantedAlana]

Here in Canada, the receipts you get that are printed by thermal printers contain BPA - inkless printing from cash registers (so I understand, but be sure to do your own research please) although I've seen some that are BPA-free. As a former cashier (20 years or more), this was very concerning! Great vid Mark!!

[@cadleo]

Great video on composting. Most people dont realize how economical and beneficial it is. Pays for itself quickly even for a hobby garden.

[@jennhoff03]

Yeah, the thing that's been stopping me is the cost. I'm glad you said that.

[@PoliticalJohn]

I use it at bottom of my pots for better drainage, end of season it's black dirt. 6 months tops.

[@Selfsufficientme]

Nice tip! :)

[@chillingupstairs1438]

@@Selfsufficientme why shredded paper? can you just tear paper in pieces? what about the ink?

[@jakubgrzybek6181]

@@chillingupstairs1438 ink breaks down, it's just pigment in oil, in the past various pigments were toxic, using lead, or cyanide.

[@nesbitt615]

@@chillingupstairs1438 rewatch the video, he covered that right in the begining

[@maharajRRM]

Chilling Upstairs “The primary ingredients in most printer inks are water, ethylene glycol and alcohol. Printer ink is about as safe as dish washing soap...”

[@sheilawebb5419]

Hi from London, UK. I have a tumbler composter and I add composting worms to my mix of kitchen waste, horse poop/straw and egg cartons.

[@marcoursi6062]

I Loooooove making my own compost and I put almost anything in it. Over many years I found that I prefer the 3 bay system, it works for me...I find the tumblers a little limiting in terms of amount you can produce in one go. I don't mind how long the compost takes to be ready, I just want to make sure it's a good well broken down product with plenty of healthy bacteria and fungi in it ( healthy soil, healthy plants ). I also use shredded paper and I find that pizza boxes are excellent in it too because they are too dirty for recycling so they go in the compost. In regards of shredding paper I only shred sensitive documents with personal detail ect etc because in my opinion you are more environmentally savvy if you recycle as much as possible. For instance if you put your junk mail into the compost, more virgin paper (cellulose) will be used to make more junk mail, while if you recycle it there are more chances that it will be used to make more paper products. So, I only compost paper/carboard when they either too dirty/wet or personal documents. Thanks for your content, I find it very inspiring. Keep up the good work....

[@hlvscomendandeche8744]

Kitchen towels(paper) are also pretty good and they compost very fast

[@camcleat]

@@hlvscomendandeche8744 Maybe it depends on the brand, but I've found just the opposite. The paper towels we use don't compost at all. It's weird. Other things like the center cardboard roll from paper towels or toilet paper melt away really fast.

[@debsagan8469]

Some waste companies do not take shredded paper anymore. They want you to leave it whole. They aren't recycling shredded paper so it just goes into the landfill. I 'hand shred' mine. Tired of the noisy shredder, and shedding dust...I can tear it into small strips.

[@becchessari1]

I bought this tumbler 12 months ago and made some awesome compost I’ve just made a 3 bay compost station following marks instructions and can’t wait for that to produce awesome compost

[@rodneymarsh8758]

I was glad to hear your comment on the print not being toxic. That was the first thing that came to mind when I heard about the paper composting. I didn't know about gypsum for loosening up soil. I've used brown sand (not sand blasting sand) and broadcast it over the garden to loosen the soil up. Great video.

[@OhPervyOne]

This might be true in Australia, but not true elsewhere. Check your local laws.

[@geoffreylummis2206]

Good onya Mark. Have kept all food scraps for 6 plus years. Shredded paper, cardboard etc. Layers brown & green in open ended plastic bins. Worms love it. Add manure and some old soil to kick it along.👍😎🌏✅

[@elliepodmore4348]

Thank you, as a newbie to composting with a tumbler, I was getting really confused and thought I was doing something wrong. I used to bury my scraps but I'm running out of room. Your video eased my mind (especially about the flying bugs).

[@russel2352]

From South Africa. Love this guy. His enthusiasm is infectious and his advice good. Been composting for about 30 years now.

[@TheFallorn]

I’d also recommend against composting receipts! The chemicals they use to heat-print onto them aren’t great for your soil, but you definitely don’t want them in any soil you’re growing food in!!

[@unnamed2737]

Can’t wait to get my tumbler this weekend. I’ll be shredding paper while waiting!!

[@MrEsma-hm7gv]

I'm watching this during lockdown period because I have a bad feeling that this pandemic will last longer so I'm looking for other sustainable ways. Thank you very much for sharing this sir! We have plenty of trash papers and now I know how it can still be put into good use. By the way, you've got one new subscriber! Have a nice day!

[@user-bx4fk5nb5t]

The pandemic was nothing but politic bs

[@MrEsma-hm7gv]

@@user-bx4fk5nb5t Said someone who cannot even use a decent username and has zero uploads. Anyway, even if what you're trying to say is true, it would be much more wiser to prepare for the worst than just complain.

[@user-bx4fk5nb5t]

@@MrEsma-hm7gv see the funny thing is if you stay prepared you never have to get prepared. The fact I have zero uploads means nothing lol quick to judge there huh? If you can't see through the bs that was clearly political of this "pandemic" then you're blind or a good little sheep 🐑. Btw my username has been my nickname for the last 30 yrs

[@lauriemcilrath9391]

Hi, Mark from Coastal Mississippi USA. I use shredded paper in my compost pile. Thanks for explaining the moisture aspect of it...Have a great week

[@ZsOtherBrother]

I like your videos very much, they're very informative and complete. Some thoughts about the 3-bay system: 1) Just like the 2-chamber tumbler composter, seems to me if you fill one bay and let it compost while you fill the other ones, you could save yourself some shoveling. 2) About shoveling compost: your bays are large enough for a good thermal composting process, and while some experts recommend turning the pile over to introduce more oxygen and speed up this process, others recommend that you *don't* ...and say it is sufficient to make some holes in the pile with a stick for oxygen, and turning the pile kills both surface and deeper micro biome by exposing them to different temperatures, oxygen, sun light, etc... and could stop the thermal process altogether depending on conditions and timing. 3) Working in this manner means you may have to wait a bit longer for the first batch to be ready for use, but if you keep filling the bays, after the first one, the rest will be ready at shorter intervals, (depending, of course, on how fast you fill them:). This may mean you'll need to add a bay or two, but looks to me like you have the space for it :) Thanks for your videos

[@FionaRyanTIFFINbitesized]

I glad to revisit this post. We have had a heap for years but never actually used the finished product (we just keep adding). Now we have raised beds, I need to create more compost so this is just the motivation I need.

[@swizzleproxi4810]

9:21 that fresh sweetness you get from newly made soil, then you know it contains goodness for your plants.

[@Freedom_Born]

2yrs later and 1.4 million subscribers. Bloody awesome mate

[@daverumbear7668]

I wish I could compost all my troubles away

[@bholmes5490]

A garden will help with that.

[@ronm7114]

use the mind as garden to process them... it will turn into fruitfull compost.

[@YusefYandron]

imagine growing food from your troubles tasty

[@daverumbear7668]

@@YusefYandron even better. I get to smoke my troubles and fruit of my labor!

[@KishorTwist]

The mob does so why not you? ☻

[@sarahstrong7174]

Thankyou for showing us. My garden in South-West England, U.K, seems to be self-sufficient in attracting huge numbers of slugs & snails which eat any veg' plants I try to grow. Yes, even tomato plants.

[@lilypond3839]

Also super good is composting torn cotton materials, clothes, towels etc. Also good for shading soil , and worms in the soil or in worm farms. Worms and composting bugs do like it damp and cool. With composting old cotton items worms get their own edible cotton worm blankets....protecting from Oz harsh strong sunlight . Egg cartons and cardboard boxes compost well and the worms love them too.You can fill cardboard vege trays and boxes with soil and grow straight into that. This way you get composted boxes and soil and vege crops as well. Win win.

[@inkyguy]

I actually wash and rinse out paper towels and reuse them. Why not? In addition, I save paper table napkins, including from restaurants, and use them in lieu of or in addition to paper towels. I also separate some of the old napkins and use the thin sheets to line my kitchen compost receptacle to make clean-up easier after I empty it. Once an old napkin or re-used paper towel is no longer usable it is added to the compost. (By the way, I rarely use commercial cleaners but simply soap and water most of the time.)

[@prototype8137]

Are you well? All those things you mention have dyes and chems...

[@CyPhi68]

Great comment I do the same thing. Cotton is cotton. I had an old area rug my aunt left one time, moldy, couldn't get rid of the smell. On the back it said it was 100 percent wool with jute backing. I thought ok, some organisms should be interested in this. Gone without a trace in two years.

[@JohnHenrySheridan]

Awesome thanks Mark! Just watched this vid for the second time as I will begin my composting journey very soon.

[@ZsOtherBrother]

About composting meets, (also about 04:25 into the video), we've solved this by incorporating a composter bay into our chicken coop. The chicken will eat just about anything, large animals can't get into the coop (unless we leave the gate open), and if any of it is left, we cover it with a good layer of dry material; mulch, dry grass, and leaves, which stops bad smells very effectively. One other thing about this issue; if you have a large enough compost heap, you should be able bury meets inside it without a problem. I've talked to a farmer who buries his dead chickens in the compost heap, and I've heard of at least one that buried a whole cow in one. The meet itself is broken down (and adds lots of nitrogen to the compost) while the thermal process kills pathogens. Of course, to bury a cow or a whole chicken you'd have to have quite a big pile :)

[@FigaroHey]

Meats?

[@NonieK2267]

I love your videos and I love using shredded paper I am doing a layered garden bed in containers as done by Robbie and Gary on KZbin it's working great. I also have a 50-gallon barrel that we made into a composter and we just roll it back and forth and it does a great job. Thank you for all of your wonderful information and teaching videos they help immensely. I am growing in the state of Arizona in this Southern desert so my compost tends to break down a little faster baby and in cooler climates. I appreciate that companies send you their items to cry out like your composter it really helps because I'm looking and thinking about getting a composter like that

[@PleasantPrickles]

I shred all my brown paper grocery bags. Thanks for the “break down”! 😀🌱

[@Selfsufficientme]

Wish they'd bring back paper bags here... :)

[@Moralatheist101]

I pulled the trigger on a composting tumbler....BECAUSE OF YOU!!!! Are you proud of yourself? You should be :)

[@louieortega3378]

Amazing Mate.. Shredding couldn't be so easy and fun for making compost. Great idea! "Thanks so much for sharing nature's best" . 👍

[@TruthCompassInc]

Brilliant! I bought a tumbler here in states (FL actually) 2 years ago and all the advice was “you can have compost in as little as 4 weeks-6 weeks”. Um, No! I wish I would have seen this video back then!! But better late then never! So our tumbler composter has been sitting outside empty and I was about to put it up for sale on Facebook Marketplace then I saw this today!!! Woooohooo! Shredded paper I have in bucket loads and my husband and I have plenty of kitchen scrapes! Mark, you are truly awesome and my new favorite gardening mentor! Thanks for sharing all you do! Ps: my new purchase of 2 Birdies 8-in-1 beds will be here soon 💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

[@freespirit2194]

Thank you for that info. Good to know they now use non-toxic inks. I was only using the black and white stuff and putting the stuff with colours on in the council recycling. I am happy to know that I can use it all now :) I also have that Maze tumbler and so far am finding it easier than others. I do use the Gedye stand up bin too for some stuff as the open bottom allows worms. Finding they both have their advantages.

[@Selfsufficientme]

Yes those plastic bins are still very good also and I agree there are pros and cons with them all. Cheers :)

[@aureliusva]

Paper in the US may contain harmful chemicals, i.e. bpa.

[@sabrinamcewen1981]

I love your sense of humor!!! The advise on types of paper to use. Priceless!

[@probong2053]

Man you made me laugh a couple times in this video. You deserve the like.

[@lisalinklater7970]

Thankyou. I use ripped up paper for chicken bedding, and have a large handcranked washing machine that I'm no longer using. Sounds like a good recipe for us , and a winning solution for the garden. Thankyou so much for your helpful videos.

[@Lithilic]

The digital age has actually increased our paper consumption as it has made it very easy to produce paper copies and certain filing systems and official records require hardcopy backups. We're drowning in paper and its great to see it can used for this purpose. Addition of manure is a a good idea as nitrogen tends to be the limiting nutrient for bacteria growth. Do you need to spike it with dirt in order to foster the growth of soil microbes?

[@paulaw418]

I would. At least a shovel full.

[@christianspain3015]

Thanks Mark, I never thought of using this. My workplace produces a decent amount of shredded paper and I will begin getting some of this for compost.

[@DiegoMartinPintos]

There's literally none a single video from you That has none utility They are all amazing, Thanks!!!

[@timisaac8121]

Mark!!! You are the best!!! What inspiration and confirmation!! I thought using shredded paper may put ink or bad residue into my compost!! I use shredded paper for the laying beds for my chicken- then like you say!! Right into the compost!! The paper tends to attract really BIG grubs which burrow into the compost. They make remarkable QUICK work of the paper!! Thank you brother!!

[@vanoy13]

His examples of compostablles are so satisfying

[@gs9929]

Does stored compost degrade over time? If so what is the maximum storing time to have maximum benefit when using it? Learning so much from your videos , Thank you so much!

[@mysty3334]

I keep a plastic bin (the kind that opens from the middle on hinges) in my kitchen. I dampen the shredded paper and line the bottom then I sprinkled worms over that. Then I put in kitchen scraps and cover them with more dampened paper. Every time I add more scraps, I bury them under the paper which soon starts to look like black soil. If you don't bury the scraps they will get moldy. There is never an odor and the scraps go very quickly - in fact if you don't keep feeding the worms, they will start to die. The little guys make the best top soil you have ever seen! The fact that the container is right in my kitchen makes this supper easy!

[@ameliatribeofissachar7311]

Oh yes I make my own compost. I use my grandkids old pool. Love your idea about shredded paper. Appreciate your video

[@gisele2926]

I love the idea of using an old splash pool. I am thinking that with a tarp is perfect!

[@Selfsufficientme]

Great idea to use the kiddy pool and good repurposing too! :)

[@rachalnocchi5600]

Wow! After watching this I ordered a rotating compost bin! I have a standard bin that I mix myself, but this will be so nice to go along with that. I live in the Southern USA, our summers are very hot and humid. Best time for making compost! Our growing season runs Mar-mid June, then I break for the worst of the summer heat, then our 2nd season is Sep-mid Nov. I love your channel, learning so much!😊

[@MrRodgerMoore]

Great vid. I was wondering about junk mail and printer toner toxicity. I will give it a go. I was reluctant due to a lack of brown material.

[@aureliusva]

If you live in the US, certain types of paper can be very toxic. Research the chemical bpa and its prevalence in paper.

[@dariodrz]

Bro..it's quarantine, I wander the streets at night. I find out that the school across the street, which still opens for bureocracy, disposes tons of fine shredded paper on a regular basis, old students assignments. I could be drawning in the stuff. Incredible. This golden waste is starting my 25m2 city garden. No effort, just an after dinner stroll. Cheers from northern Italy

[@oo-gg6yo]

Can i throw in some arrest warrant papers?

[@chrisa.3925]

Oh no!!!!! Move to Mexico!!! None of us will tell!!!!

[@jeepgirl-ht2sy]

I needed a good laugh.

[@fortuneflux]

Might as well throw some parking fines in there while you're at it

[@lombrigreen4054]

Excellent video kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWmxdYd4q8yHl80

[@namitkhan377]

Throw in the fucker who issued them as well!!!

[@aquilaclark814]

Wow 😮 wish I had seen your video three weeks ago.. I just threw out two bags of shredded paper.. I only kept one thank goodness I kept one ..and I will use it for compost I have the Tumbler type..This was a great video thanks a lot

[@divawarrior6402]

Happy New Year from Seattle! I'm planning my first garden this year and I'm guessing now may be a good time to start a compost bin. This type looks simple and for my small yard may fit the bill. I'll be watching for your review! :-)

[@flanamac7993]

I love making the souvenirs of life into dirt. And I love your videos. It is so satisfying to turn bad news into dirt. I disagree about rolling the compost. Yes, If I'm not careful it can get stinky, but the worms! Just try taking a trash bin drilling large holes in it and do your shredded paper system without spinning. There are so so many worms in the mix when you let it lump up. Every lump I break open is filled with worms. The paper aerates enough and I take a shovel or pitchfork to it if it starts to get stinky, but I am getting better at that too. I will never go back to a tumbler again. I just rake the soil around the plant I am composting and let the worms leave the lump and enter the soil at will. If I new how to attach pictures I would show you.

[@intheocean007]

Ive always been concerned to use bleached white paper and paper with all those inks on it, because I assumed it was toxic. So I throw all my shredded paper away!! :( So glad to hear this is not the case.. Thanks so much for that info!! And looking forward to the tumbler review I've been hunting for a suitable composter for quite a while. The two different tumblers I have are useless as they are too hard for me to turn.

[@npgjnrcc4707]

Mishka B mother nature is an awesome ....reset-er.

[@intheocean007]

charlie burgess Yeah it seems so!!! I had a horticulturalist tell me once, that plants have a "brain" and so they don't absorb as much chemicals as we think!?

[@Selfsufficientme]

Yeah, I wouldn't go as far to say all paper is absolutely chem free but after the composting process and then adding to the garden most of the bad stuff is diluted and gone. I saw lots of beetles and bugs chewing through the paper and doubt this would be the case if it was toxic. Cheers :)

[@npgjnrcc4707]

Mishka B basically

[@aureliusva]

Research the chemical bpa and its prevalence in paper. Also, toxins can build up in an environment.

[@peak123ify]

You really are knowledgeable its great to see people like you here to help my desire now growing of planting and gardening.

[@daisyaday384]

I’ve been doing this for years. I shred my cardboard also. Add bunny manure and I get pure gold for compost!

[@Selfsufficientme]

Great stuff! :)

[@carmenpaz5508]

Hi Daisy, I was thinking about shredding cardboard ... how do you do it? Do you use a regular paper shredder or do you use something else, or just hand shred?

[@cold3lectric]

@@carmenpaz5508 depending how much, cut/torn to small pieces, in kitchen blender. Never tried with cardboard, but works great with bulk newspaper

[@jeanetteschulthe1andOnly]

Thank you, Mark. Thanks for doing this during the north's summer too. We really appreciate your help.

[@saintamerican6105]

AHH! I love this video so much!! I’d love to start a company that helps get rid of waste vs causing waste 👏🏽

[@marciem6032]

I love everything about what and how you do!! You truly are a blessing to this beautiful planet and to me as I trudge through making my black thumb, a green one. THANK YOU🙏❤🍓

[@StanislavG.]

May i suggest, that instead of composting the paper straight up, you use it as a substrate for mushroom cultivation. I've been growing oyster mushrooms on cardboard for several years now. Just make a roll of paper, put a bit of spawn in it and bury it. I do it in mid-autumn (since our mushroom season here in the south Mediterranean is in the winter) and have a non-stop harvest all the way till may (in the open, since i do not use a climate controlled room because my place is solar powered). Edit: Also, i've got my hands on a batch of activated carbon which i added to my compost pile to attempt creating terra preta, but as a side effect it really decreased the smell, like it stopped stinking. I'm thinking investing in a retort to produce my own activated carbon, since this stuff is pricey for some reason.

[@garethbaus5471]

Use lump charcoal it is good enough and way cheaper than activated carbon, making your own activated carbon isn't the hardest thing it is mostly simmilar to making charcoal but with more control of the heating and the addition of water vapor being required.

[@marykrupsky8795]

Do you mean "Charcoal Briquettes " when saying lump charcoal? If you aren't familiar with the term "Briquettes" here in the US it means basically a square shape with rounded thickness on front and back sides. So would you chop or grind it up to use?

[@MrSzczyglowski]

Thanks, Mark for all your videos. You are helping us before we even get our hands dirty, in good sense. Preparation and learning is half of the success, so cant really put a price on you sharing your expertise with us. Great guy, great content and great delivery. i appreciate it.

[@Majin_B]

Damn, even when humans change the form of nature, nature still finds a way to heal itself

[@onionwater1882]

Wait until you find out that humans are actually part of nature. Your mind will be blown.