Is Your Soil Improving?

In today's video I discuss some simple, generally sensory things one can do to monitor the efficacy of their soil health practices.
Covered in this video: the link between ecology and soil health, how to look for soil health, are earthworms good for soil, how the soil should feel, how to test your soil without a soil test, and so on.
Music: "You Know What I Want" by Stefan Carlén
Microbiometer: microbiometer.com
Refractometer: amzn.to/3ySQtT2
Merlin Bird App: merlin.allaboutbirds.org
My book 👇
The Living Soil Handbook:
www.notillgrowers.com/livings...
🚨 OUTSIDE OF United States: just get the book from local retailer because shipping is outrageous and you can instead, support our work through one of these methods 👇
Support our work at notillgrowers.com/support
or
Patreon.com/notillgrowers

[@notillgrowers]

Two things: I hilariously did not include the microscope in my simple tools (sorry, farmer in July brain), but no worries, there will be a lot of really solid microscope content this fall. And two, I spelled couldn't like "coulnd't" near the end just to keep you on your toes. Totally.

[@OrtoForesta]

Also, you suggested a conversion between inches and Celsius!! 🤣 Loving your videos, Jesse!

[@sadhu7191]

At 10 55. Uade joke haha u asked someone of camera if we have tried singing to soil to help it haha I read that book study

[@jacobrafaat1516]

If you’ve never seen it before, Matt powers work on soil microscopy and his r soil database are awesome! Most in depth analysis I’ve ever seen and amazing open source database

[@stestrupholm-dyrkjorden]

Very curious about the microscope videos!

[@PermaPen]

Oooh - I'm about to buy a microscope to see how my friend/client's soil is improving over time. Currently it's little better than a sand dune. So, any lessons on how we should wield one would be appreciated!

[@donnaburrus2497]

I am a plant science teacher from West Tennessee and I wanted you to know that my students are in love with your videos. They are learning so much from you. We have a 40'by60' garden at my school that is no-till and pesticide free. We are in our fifth year of providing produce to thirty families. Last year we produced just over a ton of food. for our partners. This garden has partners that buy in through a co-op and I employ students who nurture and harvest during the summer months. We are always struggling to find good compost so this year our local master gardeners and the farm bureau provided us donations so we are currently trying to produce some ourselves. Your video is inspiring us to continue on our plant journey. Thanks for sharing!

[@rebanelson607]

Thanks for the work you are doing with the kids!

[@rebanelson607]

You have a wonderful job!

[@ScotchScoville]

This story made my day. Thanks for making the world a greater place.

[@henrykuyvenhoven2542]

This is a great video. I want to praise the power of the human perception abilities that are being shadowed by technology very much these days. Look, listen, smell, touch the soils and life, but taste her beauty. One soil test I don't recommend but have heard about is to taste the soils. I instead have enjoyed the taste of the food grown on great soil. It is like a person who is not just filled with poison and hate, but with empathy and loves' attributes like giving, sharing quality and luxuries and honesty work. The difference is taste-able. I know that certain flavors in foods start to dissipate from the moment that they are removed from their own connection to their living places. Real health results from including life and living foods into diet. That needs purity of water, air, soil and adequate energy from our Sun, moon, planets and stars. Smogs filters out energies. The healing of this world is through this gardening practice. A real revolution and revelation is happening, joining that is not being aggressive or against anyone else actually. Thanks for being there for me too!

[@theclotshotdidit3115]

Amazing, thank you for doing it, what a great job, feeding others too.

[@OrtoForesta]

A point on why we find healthy soil and its smell so attractive: compounds released by a soil bacterium, Mycobacterium vaccae, has been known to boost motivation, improve learning and decrease levels of anxiety in animals. M. vaccae stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter related to positive mood, motivation and a sense of well-being in humans. Even more intriguingly, in a 2004 study, this small bacterium was shown to activate neurons that are associated with immune response, suggesting an intimate connection between the immune system and emotional health.

[@rulerofthelight]

It only makes sense that human can detect gòod soil and it makes us feel better. We(humans) only spent a couple million years living in it and healthy soil that made us feel good would be a good reason to stick around instead of moving on to the next dirt patch. People seem to forget human grew up in the dirt and not sterile plastic houses.

[@Junkinsally]

Finally! Scientific proof of why gardening is so relaxing!

[@SemiPolymath]

That was so wild I had to check, but LSG is right. In fact, if you feed M. vaccae to mice, they learn to run mazes better (Matthews and Jenks, 2013). Not sure that's a good reason to stop washing vegetables or add dirt to the school lunch program, but it is kinda interesting.

[@koicaine1230]

Fascinating! Thank you!

[@ryverhyker5400]

@@SemiPolymath Ha, Ha, ha… the way things are going in the world today a lot of folks need a good dose of dirt in their lunches… We used to eat more dirt, make more mud pies and just enjoy being out their… After 2 years of dealing with the direction of the world I started my lttle 40 x 40 summer garden again (a little here, a little there, trying to avoid stress and anxiety, now full fall garden ready to go)… Really lookin to eat some dirt…lol

[@Junkinsally]

My dad always said that you can tell if a piece of land was “good farmin’ land” if it has diverse plant life growing on top. He said “poor dirt only grows a few things”. It’s been my experience that he was correct. A diverse top equals a diverse bottom-as above, so below.

[@katipohl2431]

Here in Germany we have more than 40 different types of earthworms. The big worm Lumbricus terrestris digs over 3m deep and improves drainage. Beneficial microorganisms travel through the soil inside worms guts and are distributed in the faeces. It is said here that a healthy soil has around 100 worms per m2.

[@toastiesburned9929]

is there such thing as too many worms?

[@sbffsbrarbrr]

@@toastiesburned9929 Never too many worms. I even try to dig very carefully when I'm planting, put the worms back and cover them up. The robins always follow me around when I'm working in the garden 😆

[@introtwerp]

No wonder almania has great soil

[@olgakuchukov6981]

Yes there is such a thing as too many worms. When they’re invasive to your area, with no predators and over reproductive into overshoot, are surface dwelling and not tunnel-burrowing. I’m in NE USA and the Japanese/Korean jumping worms (Amynthas species) are wreaking havoc. A case of too much of a good thing. Their castings don’t seem to be as helpful as Lumbricus species. The earthworms are destroying the duff layer of the NE (and SE) forests, unfortunately. Look them. I’m not here to argue. Thank you.

[@frankieboy5859]

@@introtwerp Not everywhere, sorry to tell you.

[@clipntn1092]

You do such an incredible job putting all this digestible information in a 20 min video and is awesome. Not too long and overly crammed with stats. Keep up the vids my friend.

[@MrClemmonsScience]

I'm teaching an Agricultural Ecology course of my own design, and I checked out your book from the library in my town. Funny coincidence that this video popped up in my feed. I saw this come up and thought "hey! I know that guy!" Keep up the great work. I'll be sharing your stuff w/my students this year.

[@chefgiovanni]

We never stop learning. Great info and priceless tips here. Thanks for sharing. Check out our Chefs recipes.

[@carolinablonde88]

I'm super interested in brix content. That's something I've been researching lately but I love how simply you explain things. Your channel and book (along with David The Good) are my go to for information. Yall have transformed my dead, sandy soil that struggled to even grow weeds into a lush, food producing farm. I can't even thank you enough

[@greenthumbpatriot3295]

Get a refractometer they work great found out with mine my fruit and veggies are off the brix charts in comparison to store bought produce.

[@mohdsaffiuddinisa8599]

Jealous with you struggled on growing weeds. I have the opposite problem of too many weeds!

[@HocusPocusist]

important to note 2 things on using refractometers. 1. They are usually calibrated to specific temperatures, typically 68F. Taking readings outside of those temperatures gives you a false reading because the density of sugars is different at different temperatures. 2. Refractometers are notoriously "Ballpark" in their readings, even when using a sample at the correct temperature. This may not matter if it's off by a degree or two when analyzing grass, but it does matter quite a lot when, say, calling a pick for grape harvests. This comes from around 10 years of experience using them for spot-checking crop progress. Good luck!

[@clivesconundrumgarden]

That bird app is my favorite thing this year. Great video on soil, obviously, but love that app lol. Great point about how the sandy soil will always be a little sandy and that clay will always be a little sticky. That's actually comforting. We're going to be helping our mom with a few new plots and will definitely try some of these tests and methods out. Cheers Jason and Colleen 🌱

[@D-H-D]

Absolutely on that App. Great heads up. Love your content. 💪👍🧐

[@angiehomeschoolmom3269]

"Roughly 4-8 inches down. I don't know what that is in Celsius." 🤣 Excellent information. Thanks!

[@kindhempco.6126]

Always awesome! Our best indicator on the farm is a big shovel full of dirt. Dark in color, full of earth worms, and you can just visibly see healthy from unhealthy soil.

[@steverobinson5492]

I have to say.......you have a very curious mind. Thanks for disseminating and sharing this type of information. I think we all find it helpful. In short....."your awesome." Cheers!!!!

[@Cherryparfait41]

One of my highest satisfactions over the years was to experience my soil come to life. Granted, even though it was disturbed in some areas, wrought with multi flora rose or various other growth (reclamation of the fierce underworld isn’t for the weak), it was never compacted, commercial land or dump site. Always covered by the wild, yet untended. Experiencing different makeups, drainage and sun exposure, working with the variances was much to chew on. Leaned on my senses. Seeing and recognizing the changes definitely gave my senses satisfaction. Even if I had yet to find the right plants to thrive in each condition. Being able to applaud the soil was always a pat on the back! Proud to be a nerd of soil, bugs and plants. Thank you for continuing to share. 😘

[@Junkinsally]

How do you manage the multi flora rose?

[@judywood4530]

Yes, please talk about the refractometer sometime.

[@SemiPolymath]

My favorite quick test for soil is smell from damp soils. I ignore the geosmin (trivia note: pronounced gee-OZ-min) and seek the "earthy" smell produced by nitrifying bacteria metabolizing N into a form plants can use. I also sniff for sour notes, which waft more commonly from damp soils that lack Oxygen. Final trivia note: Sometimes darker soils are worse. If you have red clay soil at the surface, then any (sour smelling) gray or black clay is a sign that your rust-read iron oxides are being reduced to black, reduced iron forms, and that your soils need less water and and/or compaction.

[@rebanelson607]

Thanks for a new vocabulary word. The Wikipedia article on geosmin is interesting if you like chemistry.

[@nancymarshall188]

Thank you. Love your videos. I’m 4 yrs into converting a 60 yr old gravel parking lot into a growing space. The parking lot is definitely still down there, but I have noticed the bugs and birds. Thank you for app tip.

[@greenthumbpatriot3295]

Took me 7 years to turn my soil from red clay compacted dirt to dark black healthy living soil. It can be done just takes time if you’re willing to put in that insanely beneficial work. For me I implemented no till, chop and drop method, with coffee grounds, compost, and wood chips. Took a few years to see a visible difference, after that the worms naturally came in and are working hard under the soil for me. I always add homemade compost and manure every year and I still chop and drop everything in place. Not a fan of wheat straw or hay it doesn’t hold water very well and has very little nutrients. I’ve switched to wood chips and alfalfa grass chop and drop works much better.

[@donnaward5508]

I need to check out the chop and drop method.

[@ninemoonplanet]

Chop and drop is ridiculously easy. Prunings, weeds (not yet flowering) and dying leaves are just dropped on the ground. If there is any sign of diseases, put those all in a pile in the sun, dry them, then spray acetic acid or vinegar on the dried material, that should "disinfect". If you're still not sure, a worm farm will deal effectively with the spores etc.

[@donnaward5508]

@@ninemoonplanet thanks for the explanation! I have some corn I’m going to be harvesting soon I hope. 🤞I guess I will just cut those stalks up and leave them lay. The soil where I planted them has a tad bit more clay than other parts of the garden. Hopefully that will help bring the worms in! Thanks again

[@joshmo55]

@@donnaward5508 Woody stems like corn stalks will take a while to break down if left on top of the soil, so perhaps consider cutting stalks into small pieces if you have the time for it 👍🏼

[@Gkrissy]

I have been doing this for 2 years and have found it really makes a difference in my clay soil. My soil had lots of earthworms but the fertility has increased with cover crops, no till and chop and drop methodology.

[@nativedank9172]

When digging for worms use a pitch fork instead of a shovel to reduce killing them

[@gchrom]

Am walking around with my phone now like a bird sound divining-rod. Thanks for sharing

[@tomdeclerck9547]

as a first year home gardener, i'm eager to learn and searching through the internet and youtube to find info. sinds I found your channel, i'm bingewatching your videos, and you are quickly turming into my favo source: well spoken, to the point, lots of usefull insights and lots of humour! thanks a lot and keep it up!

[@rufia75]

13:42 "Back in 2007-ago" hahah :D I love it

[@sparkywatts3072]

In spring and early summer I love to walk through an old growth aspen grove ( about 8K elevation) The smell is incredible! The under story is just packed with an astonishing diversity of plant life. Late fall all that plant matter including aspen leaves falls to the ground and starts decaying forming an excellent ground cover for the winter.

[@Peaceful-resistance1]

I'm headed up to the Aspen forest this morning 👍😎

[@agb6330]

Last fall one of our grandsons, who is always digging in the dirt, found two spotted salamanders. I just discovered another salamander yesterday when fixing one of our rock borders. So excited to see improvement in our .10 acre city farm 😉. The loss of a giant maple tree has opened up an area for 7 new raised beds. Previously just 2 - 10x4 beds. Learning so much from this channel and very appreciative for all that you share. Thank you!!!

[@makilahduncan556]

I just ordered your book for my birthday, looking forward to it's arrival. I appreciate you taking the time to post videos. Very inspirational and gives me hope for when I get my stuff together to start my own version of what you have going on.

[@notillgrowers]

Thanks for ordering the book and best of luck on all your soil adventuring!

[@gardengatesopen]

Yes! More vids on ALL the things! The tools that Judy gave the world, let's do THAT ONE!! THANKS JUDY!

[@tabatham934]

I've seen the increase of soil life since we started our first garden in East Texas. It was dead dead, very compacted with no nutrients or organic matter. We've added mulch, castings, compost, lots of organic fertilizer, peat moss, grass clippings, shredded paper, coffee grounds, leaves and pretty any organic matter from our plot or trusted sources that we could get our hands on. We now have spiders, ladybugs, tiger beetles, lizards, mycelium. The tilth has improved, the color is at least 2 shades darker. Still no worms tho.

[@lorebrown5307]

I do most of what you mentioned plus (activated) bio char that is a by product from my woodstove. That also helps to improve and darken the soil.

[@janebailey9228]

The Merlin app is absolutely awesome. Everywhere I go here in the UK I switch it on in order to add to my 'collection'. I guess I'm a bird nerd too.

[@davidtaylor7242]

Hi, very interesting, I am in the Uk and have been growing veg for about 11 years, digging the ground over each year, and so on. Two years ago I decided doing this was no good for health reasons and wasted a lot of time digging the soil over. Decided to use cover crops and no dig, the improvement in plant health is very noticeable, and have noticed a lot more worms in the soil. Just wished I started this many years ago instead of copping everyone eles and reading books telling you you have to dig the soil over and over. All the best.

[@ajb.822]

Cool ! U probably already know of him, but if not, you'll be a huge fan pf Charles Dowding. He is in SW England, is an experienced no-dig grower ( and b4 that, did many years of "traditional" gardening ), has a YT channel and also great books out there ( I've read one so far, borrowed through my local library system). Hi from Wisconsin, USA.

[@hyacinthABC]

Remember double digging? What a ridiculous backbreaking idea THAT was! So glad No Dig came along.

[@koicaine1230]

I needed to see this video so bad, I'm going through burnout. I've spent 4 years turning sand into soil and yes, we have managed to attract a ton of new birds who are now making our yard their home and the garden is their kitchen.

[@koicaine1230]

@@racebiketuner I feel you!

[@Peaceful-resistance1]

@@racebiketuner I'm with you on that plan.👍 I'm still learning when less is more!😎✌❤

[@charlesbeehner5378]

Great video. Very informative 👏

[@chrisramos3972]

Just bought your book! Thank you so much🙏🏼

[@niklasholmstrom5358]

Absolutely love your content! Informative, entertaining, and delivered in just the right length videos. Keep it up and greetings from Finland 💪🏻

[@vanesanchezk]

Amazing video! Thanks I enjoyed it so much ♥️

[@janetschuhl]

Loved this one. You are the best. Really like the sentry approach. Fits my budget

[@mikecrouse8761]

You do a great job.. Thanks..

[@uncommoncents2152]

You're just a vessel of knowledge Jesse thank you as always

[@joshmo55]

Yes please, would love a video on measuring brix! About to get one soon.

[@cliveburgess4128]

I have been trying to create soil from basically sand here in fl. using all the things I have learned here on your channel and others, short story, this year I have a slug problem, I didn't know slugs could live in this miserable soil, so it must be getting better, I guess a somewhat good problem to have, thanks, you make learning this stuff interesting and enjoyable

[@ajb.822]

Interesting ! U may be interested in ( if you don't already know of them ) content by Pete Kanaris of Green Dreams Fl., on his friend's - Jim Kovaleski - urban FL market gardens & then also Charles Dowding of Somerset, England who speaks about slugs fairly often, esp. in past vlogs. He's in a damp climate, so, always an issue for them and he speaks of things to avoid to limit them ( wood boards, straw mulch - he only mulches with m/l finished compost usually) etc. .

[@michaelcampbell5448]

I really find you videos enjoyable! Keep up the good work

[@theresataylor9273]

I have just discovered your videos - love the humor, simplicity, and cool way you present things. Have subscribed, will look into buying the book, and onwards with the journey into soil health!

[@gsgarden2781]

Thank you for the information

[@willc4922]

Love your content keep it up .... look forward to your future vidoes on subjects mentioned in this video 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@stonemountaincreations3459]

Thank you!

[@hal7ter]

Thank you so much - when I don't get all the science, I do get the inspiration. Bless you!!

[@charlesbale8376]

Fabulous video...I enjoyed the information.

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

I loved this video! I do feel like I will have to watch it 4 million times to get all the information from it but it was so good loved it!!! Thanks so much

[@johntelger5045]

You are smart. Thank you for sharing your brain. Seriously learned a TON. Subscribed 👊

[@nancyhjort5348]

I always learn a lot and am inspired to grow great soil. I also enjoy your humor. Thanks. I'm taking the sieve to the Garden today.

[@bonniehoke-scedrov4906]

Great video! Thanks!

[@troytaylor1913]

I had a lot of clay that would get hard like a brick when it dried out. I added gypsum to it, now it is so soft it feels like walking on memory foam. I was skeptical if it would help but now I believe gypsum is the best amendment I ever added. The worms agree. It even drains better. There is a gypsum mine about 70 miles away but it is very inexpensive to buy at the hardware and garden stores, it didn't take very much.

[@rorymoran6415]

Thanks for the information brother. Your speaking my language thanks for all you work and help.

[@happyhillsfarm9598]

Most entertaining farmer KZbinr to watch! Thank you! I'm going to rewatch all your videos and make sure that I've liked them all! Cheers Jesse and the team!

[@TheUltimateAcres]

#ILoveIt. Great show.

[@johnbell891]

Great video!!!

[@TD-nf1qo]

Oh my goodness, you are absolutely hilarious and are so great at teaching by keeping your audience entertained. I have learned so much in this video and appreciate all your work. Pat on the back ;)

[@justinpickett7950]

sir, you're awesome. thank you.

[@kenttodd6179]

So I just found your channel. One video, I knew I liked demeanor and manner of sharing information. And subscribed after I finshed the video. Been bing watching trying to catch up and seeing if you had a topic I have not seen anyone address!

[@johnjude2685]

What great timing lately seeing more wrens doves sparrows definitely on a upswing and know my green beans are having less bug damage almost no damage and years past I would have to provide bug killer at germination and until nearly] picking time. I had 3 inches of rain and 20 hours later dug potatoes and replanting beans within 24 hours and yes beans came up quick. Zero bug killer for 4th year Thanks

[@helenbunch9065]

Awesome video dude!

[@dig_grow_cook]

Thanks for the videos. The linked refractometer is for salinity.

[@HelenRullesteg]

Greetings from another bird nerd :-) - lots of usual info, and I love your tongue-in-cheek style, stuff doesn't have to be so serious just because it's important.

[@loganmeloy351]

These videos are awesome!

[@clarkansas6590]

Good job

[@subash15]

Great video !! My thoughts are exactly the same , so thats farmers who don’t have money can use such ideas in improving soil health !! Thank you !! Keep up your great work 👍🌾

[@philandrews9216]

I am really enjoying your presentation of all the information and your subtle sense of humour. Sometimes you make my brain hurt, in a good way. I hope you personally continue to present the videos, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. All the best, Phil ,in the UK.

[@lihndanpeioils]

Excellent content and I've only seen 2 videos. 👏👏

[@sheelaghomalley5459]

There were none on my new leased field. Am 6 months in and finding more and more. A small victory ❤

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

I definitely ain’t a nerd but I learn more each time I watch. I also appreciate you leaving links to other growers. I find that soil is like new mown hay. It has a calming affect for my. Keep the great videos coming. Havagudun Jess

[@kearstinnekenerson6676]

Oh thanks that is so awesome

[@hansonrh]

Love the Merlin app from Cornell U.

[@k.p.1139]

I would like to add garden nerd, after my name. 🤔😆 I absolutely love Dr. Dykstra's way of teaching! The man could teach a 5 year old about bugs and plant health, and they would understand it. I have been trial-failing at gardening for a few years. So, being a person that always puts the cart before the horse, I finally realized these raised buckets "aint cuttin it"- for me! I did discover one most excellent benefit to those grow bags- that I couldn't get anything but weeds to grow in...Did you know if you leave them alone for a long time, the worms figure out how to get in? I had 10/ 30 gal bags just sitting since last fall. I was dumping them to throw them away, and then I saw lots of movement. WORMS, loads and loads of worms. I kept the rest. Now the kitchen scrapes now have a new purpose, and that soil is going on the ground where the new- old garden bed, used to be.

[@leichtliving8740]

I find that I keep being drawn to your videos. I have Horticulture III and been growing fruit and veg for 20 plus years and also worked on a commercial fruit farm for 7 years in Australia. We have an awesome garden going but we have major flooding most years. I have a few good ideas to keep my great soil. Many experiments for keeping my soil now, plants that will capture it and even when it floods capturing all the mulch for during the fact. Please wish us luck and alot of effort for it to happen!!!

[@nodigjonnz]

Love the music choice, Jesse, very cool. My vege garden that will be producing for our local market will have its first planting end of this month, our late winter/Spring in New Zealand zone 10b. I have and am following and digesting all of your advice and will try to get your book down here. cheers

[@notillgrowers]

Should be available through local retailers (or if all else fails, Amazon)! Thank you

[@paxtianodirtfrog8947]

You won't regret buying this one! It rocks and paired with these videos is even better.

[@Staygoldfarms]

Well done my friend. I want a hat like that 👍

[@MynewTennesseeHome]

Good information. I think I may get a brix meter to compare the pest pressure vs sugar content. Thanks.

[@browntownorganics2172]

Great video as usual. I always enjoy it with my Sunday morning coffee. I have an idea for a video for you to consider doing cause I don’t think there’s one out there. Since building our walk in cooler we’re playing around with different storage techniques in order to harvest stuff earlier in the week instead of the Friday hustle to get stuff in our refrigerators and igloo coolers. Thanks!

[@notillgrowers]

Ah, good idea. We are also always trying to figure out better storage methods. I plan to do a wash/pack video at some point soon so I could include some info on that, for sure.

[@kearstinnekenerson6676]

I’m always seeing tons of worms after a heavy rain or water so that makes me feels good and I always see tons of bugs and this is just with my small urban garden I can’t wait to have my homestead and build a farm

[@TheTassieGardener]

Such good content - can’t afford the book right now as I’m in Tasmania and postage a bit prohibitive - however love your content so wanted to say thanks! You have helped me understand my garden in so much more detail! ❤

[@TheTassieGardener]

Also very much appreciate all the Dad jokes. Keep it up 😂

[@notillgrowers]

Yeah the postage is awful and unfortunately, we don't have much control over it. Hopefully, you can find it locally! And thank you for the support!

[@orrfamily641]

I love how you mix humor, corniness and seriousness its great. ("Plants are the windows of the soul of the soil") Love it. Do have one question though. I have tried to find any information on what to do with all the vines of the pumpkins?

[@vickiamundsen2933]

I cut them up small and compost them.

[@jurieccilliers]

I am very happy that I got to give you your thousandth like. 👍

[@justinwood8006]

I need a No Till Growers hat and I needed it yesterday!!!

[@FriendlyCleaningKC]

Yeah when Josh Sattin went back to his home farm it was crazy the difference in soil appearance when he built the high tunnels over his former farm how dark the soil was where he had been farming with lots of wood chips and compost compared to the formerly unused soil

[@cindyhingley]

Yes please more on the brix

[@wkimzey]

Thanks!

[@notillgrowers]

Thank YOU! 🙌

[@robertaylsworth4716]

Just found your channel …. Great work …. So gotta ask , where do I get that hat? The Merlin app is amazing

[@cavettishihara1062]

"I don't know what that is in celsius..." Fantastic!

[@BushPoppyFarm]

To track soil color you could use a Munsell Color Book, the soil series, and see the changes o we time.

[@paxtianodirtfrog8947]

Another great one, real deal stuff for growers (nerds). Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents on geosmin in terms of aquaculture. You're exactly right about the mud smell. There's a lot of superstition surrounding this subject but it is a compound that is created by certain cyanobacteria (at least in aquatic scenarios) that deposits in the muscle tissue of fish or other aquatic species. It can be quantified in the lab in either in research or in real life farm situations to avoid off flavor fillets getting to market. It can be purged from fish in a flow through system but would take a while to do and is not practical. I'm not sure if my pronunciation is correct but it doesn't matter because you can not hear this comment. Also I realize my input has nothing to do with soil health but I couldn't help myself. Happy growing!

[@elizknight8262]

Good info that had my brain working and my belly laughing!

[@Ben.McNeilly]

Jessie, this video is exceptional! I got more from this than any of your videos so far. It all makes so much sense! It sounds so simple, trust your senses and intuition really. Anyway, I just tried to buy your book from your website directly, but you don't ship to Ireland... 😔 Is there another place I can get it where I will also support what you do?

[@notillgrowers]

Yeah, we technically CAN ship to Ireland it's just ridiculously expensive. You're better off getting the book from a local retailer and then, if you want to further support us, sing up for patreon or something like that. Thank you!

[@kerim.peardon5551]

I live on 5.5 acres, about 3.5 of which are grassy yard and the rest is wooded. Several years before I bought the property 6 years ago, it was tilled and used to grow day lilies. (The random lilies popping up randomly is nice. Mowing over the hidden plow ridges is not.) I have planted some fruit trees and have added compost and mulch around them, but haven't really had time to garden around them. But I'm glad to hear that it sounds like my soil is in pretty good shape because not only are my fruit trees taking off, but I find all kinds of bugs whenever I dig (including worms) and you talk about loud at night. I can hear the cicadas inside the house. The tree frogs on a warm, wet night in the winter are as loud as police sirens. There's so many of them, I will inevitably end up with one hanging out on the side of my house near the door (probably to get the bugs attracted to the light). And when I mow, I stir up lots and lots of bugs. I see wasps and beetles and many dragonflies. When I had free-range chickens, they loved to run behind the lawn mower and catch the crickets and other things. And I can't walk in the mornings in summer without breaking cobwebs that the spiders put up over the driveway.

[@GARDENER42]

After clearing my small garden (40'x12') in 2017, I moved to no dig, applying 2" of compost on the bed surfaces in the first year & 1" a year thereafter. I've gone from 120lb of produce in the first year to a projected 400lbs this year. I also apply 2" of year old shredded woody prunings to the 16" paths between beds. Even attributing half the increase to my better management means the soil must be improving. Observations: HUGE increase in earthworms. Far more rapid breakdown of both the compost on the beds & the woody material on the paths, which can only be down to microbiological activity. ALL the compost applied in February has gone & 90% of the woody path material.

[@rustyschackleford5800]

Rhizosheath. Thank you for giving the name of it.

[@joanies6778]

I had a shed blow away in high winds a year and a half ago that had been in place for years. Instead of replacing it, I decided to use the space for growing tomatoes under a portable hoop tunnel and amended the soil. They did ok, but I felt it got compacted a bit over time. I left the roots in ground over winter and only recently uncovered it before a hail storm, so it didn't get watered over winter. I was concerned about the health, but when I started raking up the mulch straw and moving pots out, I found the biggest honking worm I have ever seen on my property. The soil is really dark, I could see worms, so I didn't bother to amend it this time. Instead, I did some aerating and planted corn and beans.

[@sansomspressurecleaningpoo9519]

Ty

[@heidiklammer5750]

I have just started watching your videos and love all the information at lightening speed which I have to pause to write down. Here is a query that you may or may not be able to shed light on. I am trying to bring a plot to life which has unfortunately been used as my house (circa 1890) dump. I am finding all kinds of glass, nails, tin, car parts, tools, broken dishes....use your imagination. Having tried to grow vegetables one year in this space, I noticed that my tomatoes especially did not thrive in the area where it became apparent someone had worked on their cars (car parts, ?oil). I did resort to having the area scraped by a bulldozer two Summers ago. I know, I know, this is anti-NO-TILL, but I was desperate to have help and had to comply with a city ordinance to quickly weed this spot. Primarily what was growing here was what we call morning glory but a lot of people call bind weed. I hope I did not spread the worst problem (car oil) but I probably did. Since then I have been adding organic matter whenever I can find some and pulling the morning glory by hand. Yes, I do have some earthworms! This was my work of the Summer last year when I wasn't trying to grow things to eat in another part of the my garden. I will be watching for signs of good health. My plan is to plant a cover crop to reduce the weed pressure and also to add some more organic matter and loft to this patch. Is there any way you know of to get the petroleum products out of this plot? Anything I can plant or add which might help? Anyone?

[@gardengatesopen]

Maybe try sunflowers. They pull a lot of nasty chems out of the soil into their roots & the plant. So pull them in the Fall, roots especially, and get rid of them. Mushrooms & their mycelium help clean up petroleum too. You can also Google "soil reclamation, petroleum products" to find out exactly what to grow for specific chemicals. Good Luck 👍

[@kjpc121]

good video

[@bhalliwell2191]

Two owners of my property before me was an avid gardening couple who worked very hard (I'm assuming) to turn the almost pure sand of an old Great Lakes beach head into great gardening soil. Still very sandy so drainage is *fantastic.* But despite all the organic matter added to the garden (and neighbors have told me the aforementioned couple had every square inch of the parcel under cultivation and today that soil is dark and rich and I had it tested; the results were extraordinarily rich and *I/we* haven't done much in the way of amending or supplementing) the *texture* is still very sandy, tends to be dry despite our annual metre of precipitation, and is still inhospitable for earthworms although in the sixteen years I've been here I'm seeing a few---just a few---more earthworms. But the soil smells great, if a tad minerally, and if you "read" the food crops we grow, well, those seem exceptionally happy. I owe that gardening couple an enormous debt of gratitude. The local fauna are also very appreciative of the happy, healthy plants and eat at least their share, especially of things like leeks and chard, which we leave standing through the winter months (and yes, we use them if they haven't been eaten before we get to them.) Fantastic videos, Jesse, so informative! Invaluable! Thank you so very much, and please keep up the great work.

[@KatyatheBlack]

Please do a refractometer/ brix video!

[@oregonk91]

Hahaha ... celcius ... I think you meant centimeters! (5 - 8 inches = approx imately 12 - 20 centimeters). I was waiting for one of your flashing corrections at the bottom of the screen, which always make me smile! Always wondered about Brix; it seems like once a plant is growing it's too late to do too much to the soil for the current season (??). But fun to learn nerdy stuff anyway! Love your videos!