Back To Basics Ep. 4 - Good Soil for a Garden

[@driver777]

Thank you.

[@jeaniepartridge6701]

I am doing my own compost as much as possible.

[@bookofi]

Cindy is so sweet.

[@eros9077]

Crop planning and rotation and why its necessary.

[@stephyrsanchez1127]

😄😄😄

[@meredithr9824]

Soil test are good too.

[@francesbatycki404]

In another video you refer to bagged garden soil as compost. How does that compare to a mix of, say, municipal compost and topsoil?

[@purplegirl8036]

What about weeds that grow up from the bottom?

[@nicolereadstarot]

Did you have to separate the grass from the soil in the beds? I have seen people use cardboard between to stop weeds

[@vajra0765]

About seed starting and challenges of starting seeds.

[@TheBr20042003]

Do you have a video on mulching? If not can you tell me the best type. Hoping to put something down that will last more than one year in 5'x10' beds. Will be buying from lowes.

[@carlynmeats5156]

We have a pond on the property. Would some of the dredged muck from the bottom of the shallows be good to mix into my soil? Or would it be to "silt-y"? I thought all of the 🐟 💩 would be good for the plants 🌱.

[@MIgardener]

That would be amazing!!!

[@noahreynoso4932]

I’m a little confused. Did he just dig up his back yard to supply the beds with the native soil/compost mixture? Or does he dig up the soil underneath each bed?

[@samantharybarczyk8170]

I made a big mistake and planted in 100% compost made mainly from composted tree mulch and leaves. Is there anything I can do now that I planted all of my vegetables to help them survive?

[@theoneandonly1158]

So how expensive was this compost?

[@LindaPenney]

Awesome updates

[@christileewall]

When you put compost in the raised bed Mrs. MI Gardener just built, then according to the video you would mix the native soil and the compost. Did you break up that grass and dig out the grass roots first. I wish you would have really made a bed (with time lapse obviously) and showed us the actual "fine tuning" of gardening. No one seems to do that. Having a person(s) there in your video with you that wants to start a garden for real and has very little experience would have been invaluable!

[@MELANIEMYERSACUPUNCTURIST]

what do you think bout leaves and wood chips gathered and placed at the dump? not a compost facility but plenty of woodchips and leaves. would that work to add to the soil and place on top? i wouldnt think there would be any treated or contaminated wood or leaves but who knows.

[@MELANIEMYERSACUPUNCTURIST]

do you get yours from the dump? i'm wondering about the source.

[@GARDENSTATEGARDENER]

making compost tea

[@pascalxus]

i tried making a bed with just compost but its still not as soft as a peat based soil.

[@Christine41110]

Hey guys! I am planting my firsts seeds this week! I'm loving these step by step videos. We've built our beds and will be filling them Wednesday so this video was perfectly uploaded for my convenience! What I would love to see is something along the lines of what seeds to plant in the same beds and great beginner vegetables to ease us into gardening for self sustainability. We are thinking of doing lettuces, peppers and tomatoes, potatoes and carrots, beans and cucumbers. We have 4 beds for our spring/summer harvest. We already had a very productive patch of herbs going! Thanks for amazing videos!

[@MsSunwatcher]

Be aware of the average date that you get the last frost. It would be a shame to lose everything.

[@Christine41110]

I'm in Florida! Not a worry here.

[@raymondhalliday8942]

Luke you may want to inform your subscriber's about the herbicide aminopyralid a persistent problem with manure's which I used to love but stay away from now. One of my favorite gardener's Elliott Coleman called horse manure an straw one of the best soil amendments ever, an I agree, but their's no way to know unless you know the farmer an he or she is honest.

[@JintoLonappan]

When mixing native soil, dont we have a risk of weeds?

[@chance6806]

Some weeds are poisonous don't eat a weed unless you are 110% positive you know what it is

[@chance6806]

Best plants for beginning gardeners , the right time ,how to plant them wether they should be directly sown or pre started transplants , wether to start from seed or should you buy from a local garden center , how to tell if you have healthy seedling or not , how to identify common plant diseases , how to treat them and how to prevent them lastly best organic fertilizers. Ps this is chance from Facebook

[@peggylee3753]

Luke, thank you! You are such a blessing to my life and my garden! You and Cindy do such a good job. Cindy always asks you questions I have. I need these basic lessons for my very first garden, as I am learning. I want to do good job. You definitely teach me so many new things. thank you guys so much!!! I feel like we are family! watching you guys every day when I come home from work and making lists of things to get done and do, per Luke!! Thanks!

[@yvencia1150]

thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@debbie2663]

What is humus and manure combo? Which is better, compost, or manure?

[@deborahhosein2535]

What is the difference between granular humus and the humus of a compost?

[@wileyn.jacksonii1348]

i have the same size bed the 48 square feet. i got access to chicken compost, i heard its easy to overuse it. how many pounds should i use for this size bed? Thanks

[@carnold0123]

thanks to you both for being so knowledgable and helping me on my gardening journey :)

[@TheBonadebi]

Hardening off plants please!

[@pk2893]

Seeds,hardening off and transplanting ☺

[@mikefisc9989]

What's the best way to determine which nutrients our soil may be deficient in? Is it too late to find out and correct for this planting season?

[@chance6806]

In America free or cheap garden soil test are available though you local agricultural office

[@pizzaguypat]

Whether to sow directly into the beds or start seeds indoors and transplant. I'm In Alabama and getting 70+°F weather. About to build a bed and try the core method seen in your videos. I'll be growing cucumbers in the center of a 4x6 with onions and nasturtiums around the cucumbers.

[@audreywy1743]

I want to do a container herb garden. should I use compost (which would be the cow manure) or just potting soil & trifecta?

[@LuvThyMind29]

You shouldn't use just compost in container gardening because it's too heavy - it won't drain. Always use potting soil in containers. It contains additives that retain moisture (like peat moss or coconut coir) and allow better drainage (vermiculite or perlite)...it also has quite a bit of other goodies added such as bat guano and bark, etc... Use the ones available at local nurseries as opposed to the ones at Home Depot, etc. The ones available at big box stores are poor quality IMO...

[@sly2kusa]

How about planning out what to plant in a given raised bed?

[@CardinalGardener]

Ep. 5 --- How to prepare Soil in garden beds in the Spring/before planting and again in Autumn/after harvests to keep the soil as rich as possible with minerals/organic matter, etc., to ensure healthy crops? ...what are the bare essentials, and the extras when a bigger budget/accessibility is not an issue? I think this step can get very convoluted with all the information out there, would be nice to have a concise breakdown of options! Keep up the great work guys, thank you :-)

[@billgrant4857]

Where is Waldo ?

[@JohnDoe_88]

Heres a good question. How much concern is there for local municipal compost that most likely contains chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides that were used on peaoples propertiea, uptaken by their grass and trees which are cut and bagged to be added to the mix of local compost?? Since I've read those chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides can remain in local compost for a long time and that there is no testing done whatsoever for chemical residue, before the compost is distributed to residents.... Would be a shame if such a good free resource of compost would be tainted but what isn't chemically tainted in our society....

[@rmjames83]

Maybe from seed to planting out may be the best logical progression from where you guys are at at the moment, but would love to know about fertilising-especially a universal fertiliser anyone can make up (since I don't have access to trifecta +) as I mentioned before!

[@Brendan_O]

goat poop and rice hay. can confirm make great compost, and does not hurt when the poop if free from a friends pasture.

[@dianesweeney790]

I would like to learn how to harden off the plants I start indoors before planting them in the ground. Thanks guys!

[@katalew6688]

So I am a little confused. In one part of the video you say you plant in straight compost. Then you talk about mixing it with native soil. I assume that is the way to go. Mix the compost with the native soil. Correct?

[@rhondabryant6873]

Did you ever find out? Am here 3 years after your post, reading The Autopilot Garden, and wondering the same thing... I am guessing it should be half-compost, half-native mixed as he mixed the cups together. However, in more than one place “straight compost” is mentioned and the book concludes that “compost is the best soil.”

[@maddog8148]

How long does it take for coffee grinds to effectively work for your garden?

[@dairsensi]

Any updates on the old seeds?

[@MrVjay70]

pest management or weed management

[@kennaylor3112]

I've heard that adding sand to soil is good for root vegetables. Is that true? If so, what ratio of sand to soil, and how deep should it be tilled in?

[@scott12black]

Don't add sand if you have clay soil. Clay + sand = concrete!

[@kennaylor3112]

True, but I was thinking of organic rich soil.

[@Ssupermom12000]

Great video. I would like to know how to feed the plants in an organic way. I know the best start is to have great soil, but is there anything additional to feed that will improve the chances of having a bumper crop, with only a few plants.

[@debbiejackson7846]

Ssupermom12000 Trifecta plus from MIgardener. The best! Currently out of stock though. :(

[@nereidapr1]

I love to do my own compost. It has help my plants. Its the first time that my tomato has flowered so much and is starting to give tomatoes.

[@DaveThomson]

So where do you get the compost to fill your beds?

[@anisestar891]

fruit trees please like blueberry or apple tree

[@ltaylor0527]

Hi! Great series! How about how to tell which way your garden faces and how if affects planting decisions. Or succession planting w something simple like lettuce

[@broganroark9289]

Ep. 5 Planting/transplanting correctly

[@jacksoner8053]

A very timely video for me. I'm currently in search of soil to fill my raised beds with. We have no local compost facility and the local greenhouse only has mushroom compost and top soil at $50 per scoop (a front loader, maybe a yard in quantity). So I would not be getting quality soil, and I still have to pay way too much for it. I'm going to just bite the bullet and fill my beds with bagged garden soil, some sand, and some peat moss to sort of even things out. I have been composting grass clippings and leaves since the day I closed on this house (October), so I do have my own finished compost to mix with it. - Great video as always.

[@RunningRlust96]

Jacksoner mushroom compost is awesome!

[@melsolomon8256]

how much does it cost to fill one of those beds

[@emmat1605]

Cindy you are so cute!!!! It is so good to see you guys together in the videos! I wish you all the best! 👍

[@Mrgreen1110]

I've been waiting for these! Love your videos.

[@MELANIEMYERSACUPUNCTURIST]

Can you believe I watch as many videos of yours as possible, and click 'like' on all of them. and will continue to order lots of seeds from you.l Definitely a supporter out of appreciation. I'm sure lots of use have grown in our gardening skills thanks to your sharing yours. Keep up the great work!

[@kokuyo1tumari]

How would you till your raised beds for the next year? I know a garden in the ground is easy to just take the rototiller to, but I was wondering how it would be done for the beds.

[@guyjones4936]

Raised beds are almost always grown as no-til gardens. If you have a good soil blend and maintain with a compost top dressing once or twice a year, no tilling is necessary. Just make a planting hole and plant the new plant in the amended soil.

[@dianaburlingame7281]

How do you buy large quantity ar cheap prices.

[@ammiecoburn7480]

I would love to see a video of starting the garden. What to start now, early in the season. I have the gardening itch. We tilled our new garden last fall and I have an empty canvas! Cant wait to start planting!

[@IAmHumanJake]

my planting area is dirt then. just plain sand. I have woods next to my place can I just take the top soil from that. will that be enough or should I get compost from the store. should I mix it up break every chuck up in too the sand oh just. place in top.

[@jesusmoreno760]

would there be any harm, in using pure compost in the raised beds?

[@everythingsunflowersandmor2631]

planning your beds! companion planting!!!

[@JohnDoe_88]

Youre doing an awsome job keep it up! Maybe next vid could be showing people how to make a simple compost tea recipe.. Btw you guys should an outdoor hutch for a rabbit, i swear since I got a rabbit, its manure is the best live fertilizer ive used. When I top dress with it it quickly innoculates with microbes and fungi that quickly spreads to a mat. Its amazing that its a rare "cold manure" with probably the best ratio of N-P-K of other manures and is in perfect pellet form to broadcast. If you already have lots of extra produce than ones easy to maintain for whats given back.......Let me know what you think?

[@alicenakajima6014]

John Doe omg I have been wanting to get a rabbit for its manure, but I was told that is the wrong reason to do so :(. If you don't mind me asking, How much work is involved and how much money is it to raise a bunny?

[@chance6806]

I know a lot of people will disagree with me (aka john from growing your greens)but your should not buy rock dust it is not immediately plant available it best to use leaves that you compost down you should watch one yard revolutions video on autumn leaves vs rock dust

[@alicenakajima6014]

chance I will check it out. Thank you.

[@JohnDoe_88]

Someone offered me a free rabbit and I said well Ill give him a week to litter train himself and ill keep him if he can do that. Sure enough after a week he kept all of his waste in one corner and kept his cage organized so hes been very easy. I Have an outdoor hutch someone gave me that has two hinged door rooms and one room is his litter room that i use an old fireplace scooper to scoop his poop out to easily save or immediatly integrate in the garden. I live in michigan and hes spent all winter out side as long as i covered the screen o his cage with plastic to keep out the wind, as well as I got him a heated water bottle thats worked great all winter. His food is not expensive as I just feed him from the garden all summer and just supplement him with hay for his fiber and he does great. You really could make money off one as you see there manure adds up quick and you can see people on ebay make money selling the manure but I just use for the garden. So other than clipping his nails every few months thats it and hes very easy to have. As well someone said you must neuter him but I never did get him neutered and hes stayed calm for me with no issues about that for me.

[@JohnDoe_88]

I never got my male rabbit neutered and hes always been calm to pick up and has never bit me at all or been aggresive as you say. He eats on one side of his cage and hops to the oppisite side of his cage to use as his litter spot and has always been organized with his litter..

[@rmjames83]

I loved you clearing up the compost issue! Compost will fix it! Ok! What I would love covered is fertilising your veg with an organic all round fertiliser! I know ur a little biased, and use trifecta +, but what about us guys that can't afford the $60 US shipping for trifecta + (would do it if I could!). I know in the past you made up a mix, but you said it was for tomatoes only-could that be used on other veg? (Those or similar ingredients) to make a version that is readily available to ALL Gardeners everywhere? Can you suggest a mix to make up that is fairly universal, no matter where u are in the world? I can pretty much get all ingredients in your mix you did a while back, not same brands, but similar products-but in Australia we can't get bone meal! We can get blood and bone meal, but not just bone meal on its own (without paying the crazy cost of postage to import from US!). Would be great if you could give us a recipe for an organic all round mix we could use instead of trifecta +! Seaweed/fish emulsion/worm byproducts seem fairly universal, and I do use, but I would love to be able to use a granular feed and get similar results to what you guys get with trifecta +!!!

[@24get24give]

we travel a lot, so are thinking of investing in self watering containers, do we need any special soil for these?, of course they reccomend and sell some for $10/bag! (no names rgiht?)

[@UnNamedSource99]

You have alot of beds, i think it would be cool to see you plant out one bed as if it was the only bed you had, as i only have a 12x12 earth garden currently )this will only be my second season growing) however i plan to get my first raised bed built next week! Also a video or even a blog into pros and cons of "lasagna style" gardening would be helpful as compost seems to not be free arround here so looking for cheep yet effective/quality way to get soil into a bed.

[@-sabrineaux3131]

Can you please do companion planting, I've started seeds already and I've been using all this helpful info and I need to plant within the next two weeks ! It would be great to know what you think are the best companion plants for a more productive bug "free" garden ! Thanks for what you do!! (: can't wait for the next video in this series!!

[@PinkChucky15]

I'm learning so much :-)

[@konman3085]

How do I adapt hot weather plants such as gourds to Oregon where it's wet dark and cold?

[@hunterfogel6082]

You guys have inspired me so much I'm only 14 and I have been growing plants my whole life thank you for everything and I hope you guys keep making videos for many years and inspire others like you guys have inspired me

[@theoneandonly1158]

Hopefully you're still growing.

[@addisonkenevan6112]

If not doing straight compost how would be the best way to incorporate the compost into the soil? Should we add anything else to the mix?

[@Ashley.CD24]

Sindy is beautiful! You guys make a great team. Bless yall. :)

[@gooutsideeveryday2017]

episode 5 seedling 101 from seed to hardening off to transplanting

[@danhamakua9757]

They remove your top soil and then sell it back to you.

[@alicenakajima6014]

I am filling my raised beds with a lot of peat/coir combo, same amount of organic compost and a few bags of chicken & steer manure, pumice gravel, vermicompost and a bit of soil. I heard it is good to have 5 different kinds of compost but I don't have access to anything else. Would rock dust provide the necessary nutrients and if so how much would you recommend adding per 3 ft by 6 ft raised bed? For future episodes I would like to see crop rotation and companion planting please. Thank you!

[@lisabalderas5278]

I would like to see how you do the straw in the raised beds. I'm just starting to grow food for my boys and I'm just on the edge waiting for the next video. Thank you both so much .PS your daughter is soooo cute 😊

[@jolenezl]

Love your videos! Could you do a video on what vegetables are good to plant in the same bed and what are not? And how do you pair flower and plants together? :) Thank you!!

[@grannysquareswagonwheels2604]

In our area most of the compost is made from pine, I know that some flowering plants don't do well because it is too acidic (I think). So we always have to buy hardwood compost to go around our flower beds. Is it any different for a garden? Should we buy hardwood compost or mix the two or would the mostly pine from the municipal compost be fine?

[@cathyversteeg3051]

Great info Luke. Could you please tell us your recommended ratio of the various soil components you recommended? Thank you very much. I live in TX but get great info from your videos.

[@dcox693]

Hey Luke, I just re-watched this video hoping you would mention where to get my soil from. I live in a trailer park, in Oakland County. Im going to use 5lb. cat litter buckets on my deck. I am not allowed to take dirt from the property. You said you get yours from a community composting site. Any other ideas? I dont have much money to start with, but I already have seeds, the buckets, and a soil starter I got at ACE at the end of last season, when it went on sale. Its made of peat moss, perlite, poultry litter, and yucca. Any suggestions?

[@scott12black]

One of my favorite parts is your intro/outro music. Makes it feel like I'm watching a PBS show.

[@katiedillard8218]

scott12black dude. THIS

[@stephyrsanchez1127]

First

[@pamjones6465]

Planting blueberries bushes please. Thank you for sharing all the awesome garden tips.

[@whatsgrowingon]

i forgot how important"goof" soil was hahaha

[@wyldeman]

Question... Do you remove the grass and roots? How do you prep the existing ground?

[@belangerdamonfamily5874]

Where's Waldo lol. Sorry, couldn't resist.

[@LuvThyMind29]

Next episode: setting up an irrigation system to the raised beds. A future episode: trellises. Please. Thanks.