No Nitrogen Fertilizer Needed After We Reduced Compost Applications

Thanks to nitrogen fixing cover crops, our soil had plenty of nitrogen after we significantly reduced compost applications in order to bring down other nutrient levels like phosphorus and potassium.
If you shop on Amazon, you can support OYR simply by clicking this link (bookmark it too) before shopping: www.amazon.com/...
OYR is all about growing a lot of food on a little land using sustainable organic methods, while keeping costs and labor at a minimum. Emphasis is placed on improving soil quality with compost, mulch, and compost tea. No store-bought fertilizers, soil amendments, pesticides, compost activators, etc. are used.
We use these free local resources to make compost:
comfrey
egg shells
fish waste from a sushi restaurant
food scraps
grass clippings
horse manure
leaves
spent brewery grains
straw
used coffee grounds
yard and garden waste
aged wood chips
We use these free local resources to make worm castings:
ground egg shells
food scraps
shredded cardboard and paper
spent brewery grains
used coffee grounds
We use these free local resource as mulch:
chop and drop garden waste
comfrey
ground egg shells
grass clippings
leaves
used coffee grounds
wood chips
We planted 3 lbs of this cover crop seed mix this year: www.groworganic...
Featured Video:
Planting Our First Fall/Winter Cover Crop:
• Planting Our First Fal...

[@stevegillaspie8566]

Patrick, You have done an excellent job of your intended presentation. I see your presentation of gardening as being cheap, easy, fun, and very healthy when you do it naturally. More of us need to be very intentional as you have been and looking for resources as you have done so well. Thanks Steve

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Steve Gillaspie Thanks, Steve! That's a great summary of what I'm trying to communicate. ;-)

[@BonnieBlue2A]

The key is having the micro-organisms thriving in your soil to turn the existing nutrients into a bioavailable form to the plants. Obviously, your soil is teaming with beneficial microbes. Well done!

[@af2313]

One thing I've noticed with your channel, is that you always refer to your garden as "our garden" and "our plants" etc. it's really nice to see that you're still including your wife in your channel, even though we don't see her. Random observation 😂

[@rochrich1223]

I've seen one study that concluded that when the soil was over 4% organic matter, half the nitrogen was supplied by free living bacteria. I don't recall if the plants in question was pasture or a mixed cover crop. It doesn't get studies often because it's so much easier for a grad student to find nodules.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Very interesting! Our % of organic matter is quite a bit higher than that, which helps explain why nitrogen isn't an issue.

[@Mindmaid1]

Patrick, your videos are so awesome! I love seeing the vegetables you grow and learning how to grow them for next to nothing. Thank you for your time.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Mindmaid1 Thanks! I'm glad you find the videos helpful.

[@LearnToGrow1]

Thank you Patrick! Great content in your video as always! Misilla

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Learn To Grow Thanks, Misilla!

[@claudearmstrong9232]

Ha! With 40+ years of composting and growing my garden in 100% compost, with magnificent plants, I can say that this presentation is based on something other than compost soil facts.

[@Mrbfgray]

Always room for improvement tho, No?

[@ScottHead]

Good info. Looking forward to a soil test to see how my own gardens are doing. You inspire me. Blessings!

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

I was a little sceptical this year going into the season with no significant additions of compost or mulch that I would make it through with out nitrogen deficiencies. I am glad to say like you I did not have issues and will continue to make a small compost pile and mulch my beds. I aim for 1/3 of my garden beds for cover crops and am well on the way !

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Alberta Urban Garden Simple Organic and Sustainable I'm glad to hear you had similar results, Stephen! Now that I'm not making much compost, there's not much to do in the garden other than to plant and harvest. ;-)

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

It is quite nice to just be able to spend time out in the garden hey!

[@sherthom5672]

Same results in my garden with plenty of produce to feed me all summer and throughout the winter. I actually completed remodeling my entire house with the free time I had from doing less gardening. Just plant, mulch, and harvest!

[@ptrain9020]

+Alberta Urban Garden Simple Organic and Sustainable I have never planted cover crops before. How does that entire process work? Does it go something like this; when you near autumn, plant your cover crop. Next in late winter or early spring turn the cover crop over and let it decay for a month or two. Finally plant your spring and summer crops and there you go. Does it work like that? I am in zone 8 and have not been able to plant a cover crop because in some beds, I have collard greens, cabbage, or kale that will grow all winter long. My other beds have strawberry plugs in them that survive the winter and produce in May and June. I plan to add onions to over winter as well. So for me, my beds have something growing in them all the time. So for me, I usually don't have time for composting and just add organic fertilizers, or Dr. Earth soil to amend the existing soil. I also add worm castings, and rock dust to add in trace minerals. I guess our different approaches has a lot to due with our zone.

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

Sher Thom that is fantastic ! As I continue to dig into the science of gardening the more I realize it can be simple and enjoyable !

[@Zerkbern]

Patrick, you know what I'd like? I'd like a show on what tools you use; pruners, shears, hori hori, you know.... I'd love a review of the crap tools to avoid and the gems you find yourself going to all of the time. Me, I probably have 6 pairs of pruners and I don't like any of them!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Zerkbern That's a great idea! In my case, that would be a very short video! The only tools I use are a shovel, rake, garden fork, and pruning shears. That's all I need for our small garden.

[@TheEmptynester]

I am so happy for you. You created a great environment and it is paying off for sure.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+TheEmptynester Thanks! I hope I can encourage others to do the same.

[@GloriaBerrisch]

I love your garden....thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@1wolfgirl300]

This fall my family will be moving so I hope I'll have enough time to prepare the garden for next year. You were the first person to introduce me to the nitrogen fixing cover crops so thank you! Turns out we will be moving to Grass Valley and will be about ten minutes to the Peaceful Valley store (where all those seeds are coming from). Thanks again!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+1wolfgirl300 You're very welcome! Congratulations on your new move. You'll definitely have no problem finding cover crop seeds. ;-)

[@DaleCalderCampobello]

I haven't planted cover crops in many years until now. Usually by the time I'm finished with the garden bed there isn't time to grow one here before the frost arrives. I planted Buckwheat in my largest raised bed the first of September and it is amazing how fast it has grown, It has small blossom buds already but even if it blooms it won't have time to set seeds as the killer frosts are getting closer to this area everyday. A wide spread frost warning for tonight but likely we will escape this one the relative warm waters of the Bay of Fundy keeps it away from use for a while. I have my cheap plant cam set up doing times lapse of the Buckwheat it won't be the best quality but it should be interesting . From germination to killing frost.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Dale Calder I'm glad your buckwheat crop is doing well. I look forward to the time lapse video! What camera are you using?

[@DaleCalderCampobello]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening I use an early version of this camera www.wingscapes.com/wingscapes-timelapsecam I'm sure the new models are greatly improved mine is over 10 years old.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Dale Calder Thanks, Dale! I've enjoyed your time lapse photography and would love to get one of these.

[@bruc33ef]

I've heard Bill Mollison recommend mulch over compost to get nutrients into the soil. He advises the use of compost for seed starting, but mulch to add nutrients in garden beds. Given that, perhaps cutting down on nutrient-rich mulches might make a difference for you.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+bruc33ef That would definitely work too. My hope is that as long as we significantly reduce the organic matter we're adding we should be able to draw down nutrients over time. One advantage to cutting back on compost rather than mulch is that compost is considerably more work. It'll be interesting to see if there's any reduction in the nutrient levels after the first year.

[@Latebloomershow]

I've never had a soil test because, first of all, I'm sure the soil varies wildly from spot to spot in my garden. If it was all laid out smartly in beds like yours, then, yes, but some of mine has more or less of the native clay soil, and some of the raised bed and containers is mostly store-bought and amended. Bit of a mess. Second, would not know where to get it tested. Also, I bought hairy vetch and buckwheat to distribute when everything is cleared off in November, but after seeing this, wonder if I shouldn't be adding it around plants all the time. However, the California Brown Towhee ate every last buckwheat seed the last time I scattered it on the back 40 bed. Not one plant came up. The clover that just springs up everywhere turns into a real weed and I always feel like I better pull it out. Well, great video as usual!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Kaye Kittrell | Late Bloomer Urban Organic Garden Show Thanks, Kaye! The soil in our garden varies from bed to bed too, but that's okay. For the soil test, you'd combine samples from at least 4 locations. The goal is to get a general sense of nutrient levels in your garden, not necessarily a precise measurement for one bed. Soil tests are inexpensive and offered by agriculture extensions. I think this is yours: celosangeles.ucanr.edu/ Growing cover crops will be a bit more work for you because you'll have to chop and drop them when they flower (before they go to seed). Ours are killed by the cold. Yes, you can grow short cover crops under your food crops. Birds dig up a lot of our seeds too, but we plant enough that they don't get them all. Clover should be an excellent cover crop for you. Don't pull them, though. You'll lose the nitrogen if you pull out the roots. Just chop and drop them when they flower. I hope this helps!

[@Latebloomershow]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Yes, very helpful, thanks! Though I just pulled out a bit of clover on Sunday. There are so many kinds of clover! Thanks for the link! I would have been searching for that for a while...

[@Oukoyami]

It's amazing what can be done with the things people throw away or burn. Btw I hope to plant the cover crop seed mix you mentioned in a couple of weeks. I like the idea of growing my own nitrogen ;-)

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Oukoyami Thanks! Yeah, there are so many excellent free resources for compost and mulch. Best wishes growing your nitrogen!

[@OmgKittys78]

I'm new to gardening and a little lost. Tbh I wouldn't even know how to read the test results. Even so, this was a great subject. I definitely need to learn more about it. I'll have to look online to see where I can get mine tested. I've tried following John's "growing your greens" method so I'm hoping everything is ok. I'm getting good crops so I think so...lol. Thanks for the information!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+OmgKittys78 You're welcome! Though I don't cover the specific results in this video, most soil tests are very easy to read. They tell you if specific nutrients are low, medium, high, or very high. This video goes into the results in more detail: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sITbkmx9i9x6pNU If you live in the US, your local agriculture extension will provide low cost soil testing or a list of labs that can do it. Some states even provide free soil tests. Most organic gardeners go WAY overboard when it comes to soil amendments and fertilizers, resulting in very high nutrient levels (which are not beneficial). We've had excellent results using no store bought products. Instead, we rely on compost, worm castings, and mulch from free local resources, and nitrogen fixing cover crops. I hope this helps!

[@mwalt8959]

Your garden is freaking awesome.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks!

[@Latebloomershow]

Oh, one thing, I went to the link for the cover crop seed and the photo of the plants is so dense! Don't you have to cut all this back before it goes to seed? I mean, where we are and doesn't freeze? You probably plant it and forget about it with your rain and then the frost...

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Kaye Kittrell | Late Bloomer Urban Organic Garden Show Yes, you'd have to chop and drop it. I'd use a weed wacker, which shouldn't take too long, and just leave the chopped cover crop in place as mulch.

[@Latebloomershow]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening We may still have one of those, LOL. Hasn't been used in our yard since I took the grass out in Jan. 2012. Thanks!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Kaye Kittrell | Late Bloomer Urban Organic Garden Show A weed wacker will definitely get it done fast. ;-)

[@PotatoStrong]

I had some new raised beds soil tested recently. They didn't test nitrogen but everything else was fine nutrient-wise. The ph was low at 6.0 for most things except potatoes. The beds just had black earth topsoil and mushroom compost from bags as I'm not using animal products. Didn't get great results the first year so there must be something else important like biology I'm thinking. I'm amending it with my own compost, lime, alfalfa and kelp meal and fall leaves.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Potato Strong You're right. You results will likely improve considerably when the soil biology is better established. Compost and fall leaves should help a lot. Regarding nutrients, your soil test results are consistent with my experience and what I've heard from many other gardeners. Most garden soils have plenty of nutrients and, as you said, the key is to promote the soil food web.

[@paulk5311]

why do you hate animals?

[@turbonbc]

I hear comfrey leaves are really good also. Nice video thank you for sharing

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Turboz Raw Thanks! Yes, comfrey is one of our favorite mulch ingredients.

[@NicholasHay1982]

That's outstanding Patrick! Great work. I'm very inspired.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Nicholas Hay Thanks, Nicholas!

[@belindacharpentier628]

I've been watching u tubes on Dr Elaine Ingham. I believe she explains exactly what you seeing from years of compost and compost tea. I'm a convert even to the point of ordering a microscope.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Belinda Charpentier I agree that creating a healthy soil food web is the key to gardening success!

[@meehan302]

I'm going to use green Manure this year. Thanks for the information video Patrick

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Patrick Meehan You're very welcome, Patrick. Best wishes with your green manure crop!

[@MrMac5150]

Good soil testing.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+MrMac5150 Thanks!

[@Latebloomershow]

Wait, you planted 3 lbs?? I just have two seed packs. How do you plant so much? Scatter? Don't the birds eat it? Or do you rake it in?

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Kaye Kittrell | Late Bloomer Urban Organic Garden Show Yes, we broadcast the seeds and rake them in. You could also cover them with extra compost if you have it. Birds eat some of the seeds, but we broadcast enough that they can't get them all. There's a brief shot of our current cover crops in my latest video. They're fairly densely planted.

[@Latebloomershow]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening That link for $1.49, that's a whole pound of seed, or no? Wondering if I should buy a couple, but I'm not sure how many seeds you get for $1.49. Thanks!!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Kaye Kittrell | Late Bloomer Urban Organic Garden Show Hi Kaye. The mix I'm using is for cool weather. It should do well at the time of year you typically plant peas. They recommend 3 to 5 lbs per 1,000 square feet.

[@Latebloomershow]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Hmm, I think I need to order more seeds. I've never sown a pound of seeds, ever, LOL!

[@labcat647]

Thanks for the video. You definitely had a good year and are countering all the other channels that are advocating all sort of soil amendments. Seems like your less work attitude allowed you to relax and enjoy the summer more. Question - You show the bag of cover crop that you plant (according to the link it is PVFS Premium Soil Builder Mix - Raw Seed). Is that the size of bag you get for $1.49? I can't tell how much you get from the website.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Lab Cat Thanks! Yes, outside of planting, harvesting, and projects like building a new hoop house, we do very little work in the garden. It really does free up time to enjoy life and the garden. We ordered 3 lbs of the mix. In the past, we planted 5 lbs but this year we have so many crops still growing that we have less room for the cover crops.

[@labcat647]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Thanks!

[@FesterWerks]

As always, such great info and so well presented.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+FesterWerks Thanks!@

[@PeaceOutWorld]

Hi Patrick. We're now in Germany. This summer we had some of our best crops ever at Fermilab, when we were still there, except not tomatoes as I already told you, because of the weather. We'll only be container gardening in our apartment flat. But I was interested in how you use your cover crops. When do you plant, do they die with winter and provide mulch? How does it work? I've done clover and oats before, but not the mix you use. It sounds really interesting.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Julianna HM I was wondering if you made the move yet. How do you like it so far? We usually plant them in late August. (I planted them late this year, because I was in Ireland in late August). Though the mix is cold hardy, our winters kill them. So all I have to do is plant them. They need at least 6 weeks in the ground to be effective. If it didn't get cold enough to kill them, I'd chop and drop them before they went to seed. I hope this helps!

[@PeaceOutWorld]

We're loving it here in Germany! I saw your video about your garden when you went to Ireland (I watch them all =) ) So when the cover crops die off in the winter, are any of the root systems or plants interfering with planting seeds?

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Julianna HM I'm glad to hear you're loving Germany! By spring our cover crops have completely decomposed. There's no sign of them, so they don't interfere at all with planting. They would be a little more work in warmer climates. You'd have to chop and drop them, but I think that they'd decompose by spring.

[@terenceiutzi4003]

So if you reduce the phosphorus and potassium then you get bigger plants with less fruit and much less nutrition! I bet it works good for you! A few years ago I built some new based beds and filled them with triple mix (very high nitrogen). And I got 6 foot tomato plants just no Tomatoes

[@southernexposure123]

Thanks for the tips.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+southernexposure123 You're welcome!

[@elysejoseph]

Great job Patrick! Observe nature is my motto ;-)

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Elyse Joseph Thanks, Elyse!

[@MarinaWilson1958]

I love your calm mild manner talking to us all and the videoing is excellent. How was your hol in the Green Isle? I entered my ver first local village horticultural show last Sat here in the NW UK (near Blackpool). can't do videos but I have done two slideshows to show you Before (what I entered) and after (judging results). Until 2014 Feb, I'd never grown a blade of cress so I'm well happy now with my results! Just click on my name, go to videos when you have a minute if you want to see how I fared.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Marina Wilson Thanks, Marina! I had a great time in Ireland. What a beautiful country! Here's one of my favorite photos from the trip: facebook.com/oneyardrevolution/photos/a.922380644467669.1073741878.543322169040187/922380714467662/?type=3&theater Congratulations on you excellent placings in the horticultural show!

[@veganchiefwarrior6444]

I feel like you are the best person to ask this out of all the gardeners on youtube, how many inches of compost do you recommend and can it be used as mulch? and does keeping a thick layer of compost provide optimum nutrients (mostly npk) or would urine be better applied as a fertiliser instead of in the compost? since I have way more compost than I need now ive found I cant grow in it lol, also does removing it in winter/spring help the soil warm up and evapourate water? its confusing cause I'm growing mediteranian and tropical plants in a wet winter temperate climate and everythings so opposite.. I need the least amount of organic matter IN the soil or things just rot out in winter but I'm not sure about if having it ontop keeping the soil wet is really a good idea yano.. its like everything needs to be treated like cactus (yet my cactus were the only thing that grew well in straight compost.. whaaa lol) so now what do I do with all this compost.. if only I had land to spread it out on

[@OneYardRevolution]

As a rule, 1 or 2 inches applied to the soil surface is enough. I'd apply it in the dry season and plant in the soil below instead of directly in compost. It's impossible to say if this will supply enough nutrients without first seeing soil test results. More organic matter in the soil will increase water retention, so you'll want to limit applications if this is a concern. I hope this helps!

[@veganchiefwarrior6444]

thanks for the reply man, so you CAN apply too much compost? I wonder if that's why some of my plants are looking a bit sketchy its hard to tell if its nitrogen deficient of toxic in something else lol, I sift my compost really fine aswel, I wonder if theres a balance where I don't have to take mulch off in spring but it still holds in moisture and feeds in summer, I wonder if just a thin layer of compost and constant application would be the best option in my case, or maybe just one 2 inch application every summer

[@OneYardRevolution]

Yes, it is possible to apply too much compost and it can have a negative impact on plants and the environment. But without knowing more about your soil, it's impossible to say if this is the case in your garden. As a rule, a good target to shoot for in organic gardens is 10 to 15% organic matter in the soil. A professional soil test will clear up the mystery by showing nutrient levels and the percentage of organic matter.

[@veganchiefwarrior6444]

my soil is clay, wet sopping yellow baby poo clay lol :p does organic matter in the soil have anything to do with nitrogen or is nitrogen always an outside input that gets used up fast via animals and worm and bacteria wastes? I think my main issue is I'm worried about getting half the growth I would if I used urine as a fertiliser instead of composting it, I don't know what happens to it in the compost but I'm guessing all the nitrogen goes into breaking down wood and then the pk probably just stays there, got me thinking like urine is natures N and compost is natures phosphorus and potassium and uncomposted organic matter is both? btw I planted beans and peas in compost and they could barely supply there own nitrogen they were really light and took weeks to I guess find the soil

[@OneYardRevolution]

In the case of clay soils, organic matter will actually improve drainage. Wood chips mulch is particularly good for clay soil.

[@constancelovejoy7308]

Do u ever use weeds from your garden when composting? What weeds should not be used for composting? Can crabgrass and Bermuda grass be composted? How about nutsedge?

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Constance Lovejoy Hi Constance. We're fortunate to not have any of those weeds in the garden, but my rule of thumb is to hot compost all weeds. However, I wouldn't compost them if they've gone to seed unless you're certain your compost pile will reach around 150 F for a week or more. And I've read that you should dry and chop nutsedge before adding it to compost. I hope this helps.

[@richardyin8698]

do you have a video on repairing your beds? Mine are rotting at the screws and I wonder if you just cut them off and shorten your beds, or what method you use to repair them

[@TheTrueabundance]

Patrick, when are you going to make a full length video of the guitar music at the end of each video? I love it!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+TheTrueabundance Thanks for letting me know you like it! Unfortunately, I've never finished the piece and what plays at the end of the videos is pretty much all I have.

[@TheTrueabundance]

it's beautiful. Just wish it was a little longer...

[@opencoop4268]

My compost helps with soil structure so very much that I'm hesitant to stop using it even though I too have high Phosphorus. Wonder if you all only added less compost based on the test or were there plant symptoms? Are you still adding less compost and happy with the results in the plants?

[@allnaturalhomesteaders]

Where are the links at? I need to purchase compost, and unfortunately in our area the compost is horrible! So I need a connection for compost, please help!!! Lol I'm starting a food forest. Have lots of fruit trees, bushes, vines, and plants, but need compost!

[@RobsAquaponics]

Looks like you had a great season Patrick. Do you think you'll ever have to add compost in the amounts you were previously? Cheers :-)

[@OneYardRevolution]

+RobBobs Backyard Farming Thanks, Rob! I'd guess that we won't have to make that much compost again. Cheers!

[@interestingyoutubechannel1]

Thanks, interesting video :) Nitrogen levels should barely change at all by adding less compost, total nitrogen in compost is very little, and plant-available nitrogen in compost is practically zero. In worm castings you'll have significantly more plant-available N. Also, phosphorus doesn't leach through the soil into the water table, it'll only be a highly damaging substance to the environment if there's any soil runoff that leaves your site; if that happens, it's even worse than nitrate for causing eutrophic conditions.

[@tombraun4277]

Terrific video, again! I am in the Milwaukee area, and would have to plant my cover crop by around September 1st to have 6 weeks prior to the average first frost (october 13th). At that point, most of my crops are still going strong and I still have much to harvest. Any tips on how to incorporate the cover crops in an active garden? Thank you for the exceptional information and sharing your beautiful garden!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Tom Braun Thank you for your kind words, Tom! We have a lot growing too, so we weren't able to grow cover crops everywhere this fall. The best bet may be to plant red clover or some other low growing nitrogen fixer along with your crops in the spring. Mark from IamNJOrganic is a great resource on cover crops. I'm sure he'd be happy to give you some advice too. Here's a link to his channel: kzbin.info

[@tombraun4277]

Thank you!

[@Latebloomershow]

Where do you get spent brewery grains? From a local brewery, I suspect, LOL. I guess we have those in L.A.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Kaye Kittrell | Late Bloomer Urban Organic Garden Show Yes, we got them from a local brewery that opened a couple years ago just a few minutes away. Word of warning, though. Rodents love the grains, so you have to bury them thoroughly with brown ingredients in the compost pile.

[@Latebloomershow]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening I might have to skip that one ingredient, then, Patrick. Thank you!

[@Tara-sf7uu]

Patrick I have just recieved my soil test results, and the phosphorous is very high. Should I use a phosphorous free fertilizer or plant crops that will remove the phosphorous, or both? Any advice would be great! My test results dont really make it clear

[@OneYardRevolution]

Hi Tara! If the soil also has enough potassium, you can probably stop using fertilizer, in general. We just use homemade compost and free organic mulch (grass clippings, wood chips, autumn leaves).

[@Tara-sf7uu]

@@OneYardRevolution compost is all I really ever use myself. My results say that bot my nitrogen and potassium are a bit low, so I wanted to amend that but the phos numbers kinda have me worried

[@OneYardRevolution]

@@Tara-sf7uu In that case, you can cut back a little on compost and use a potash fertilizer like this one amzn.to/2Uh8wNg. Regarding nitrogen, you can't really count on soil test results for nitrogen, because it moves through the soil quickly and is hard to measure. My rule of thumb is to only apply nitrogen fertilizer if plants show signs of nitrogen deficiency. This document describes symptoms of various deficiencies: extension.arizona.edu/sites/extension.arizona.edu/files/pubs/az1106.pdf As I probably said in the video, we've found that nitrogen fertilizers are never needed in our garden. I hope this helps!

[@ajleuty2387]

How long does nitrogen from legumes stay in the soil?

[@troyb4533]

I wonder what people did before soil testing 🤔

[@themolynator5127]

Looks like you have some great dirt. I actually started saving my piss to water plants, as its one of the best sources of usable nitrogen on the planet, as well as other minerals. So far i can see that the plants are happier and more vigorous this spring .

[@OneYardRevolution]

+The Molynator It's an excellent fertilizer and its free. Can't get more free and local than that. ;-)

[@veganchiefwarrior6444]

might that have something to do with why my potted fruit trees are struggling a bit in just home made compost? its only like half broken down compost tho so i was thinking i needed to add even more fertiliser.. quick Patrick help me before i kill everything again haha :p

[@OneYardRevolution]

Yeah, potted perennials are a very different story than growing in the ground. I'd add some compost every year, but they'll probably also need some fertilizer. Unfinished compost could definitely be the culprit if the plants are struggling.

[@veganchiefwarrior6444]

awesome thankyou, i go round in circles ive been at this realisation before its just i kept fertilising over and over again and i think ive been overwatering aswel cause even in summer the stuff takes weeks to even start to dry out, which im alrady worried about come winter, if i could do it all over again (hopefully i dont have 2) id make a compost and let it sit for a year before i even started anything else to do with growing plants lol 4th year of stallin now but im slowly not overthinking it lol, k so back off the watering maybe and use just a little bit of urine and dont use any more till the soils been watered again like 10 more times and hopefully ill get there just before i loose any more trees, lost a big persimon last winter, over feeding and over watering probably, i always take the simple method which is spot on its just i always ruin it with 2 much input or dont do things quit right cause im impatient lol im desperate for edible fruit what can i say im sick of killing myself eating junk food and not having fresh fruit desperate times sometimes result in desperate measures lol

[@OneYardRevolution]

You shouldn't have to fertilizer more than once per year. Most people over-fertilize and it can cause a lot of problems. Definitely avoid over-watering too.

[@mumbaibalconygardenerhobbies]

Do you think the use of cover crops can benefit a container garden? It's excellent how you have cut down the work to maintain a garden. Have you considered switching completely to wood chips or back to eden? Would this work in a raised bed or is this method exclusively for growing in the ground?

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Mumbai Balcony Gardener | Avid Life Observer I've never tried growing cover crops in containers, but it would be an interesting experiment (hint, hint). We mulched with wood chips in the past, but we had so much rain over the last couple summers that I've stopped out of concern that the soil would be waterlogged. Even without wood chips, we only had to water a handful of times all summer.

[@mumbaibalconygardenerhobbies]

OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Hint taken right away and added to my list of garden projects!! I looked up nitrogen fixing cover crops and it appears that cow peas, sun hemp and buckwheat would do well in our tropical climate. Will keep you posted. Have a great fall !

[@OneYardRevolution]

Mumbai Balcony Gardener | Avid Life Observer Just make sure to pick something that only grows a few inches tall. That way you can grow it along with your food crops.

[@mumbaibalconygardenerhobbies]

OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Thanks a tonne for that great suggestion!

[@TheQuarterAcreHomestead]

Thanks so much for all your videos! I recently did a detailed soil test of my garden soil, and I was quite low on nitrogen. What would you recommend I do, as it is just about time to be doing most of my planting. Thank you.

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome! Nitrogen is transient in the soil and very difficult to test for. My first concern would be whether or not the nitrogen reading was accurate. Have you noticed any symptoms of nitrogen deficiency, like poor plant growth and yellowing leaves? If not, I wouldn't use additional nitrogen fertilizer. If there are signs of deficiency, you could use alfalfa meal, bone meal, fish emulsion, or diluted urine. Nitrogen fixing cover crops would help as a long term solution. I hope this helps!

[@HighDesertGarden]

I'm going to be doing a cover crop this year for the first time. I got some crimson clover; have you ever used it?

[@OneYardRevolution]

+High Desert Garden (Phillip) That's great, Phillip! We haven't used crimson clover yet. I'll probably use it if we ever decide to plant a crop in the spring.

[@RafsKitchenGardenChannel]

Very interesting video :) Just wonder if all your legumes from green manure die of during the winter ? I've planted crimson/red clover with winter rye and mustard this year was wondering if just cutting and mulching with 2in of compost on top will remove the green manure before planting (as i have no dig bed). Also I was considering using chicken pallets next spring as heard that in early spring when soil is cold there is not enough nitrogen released so the veggies might need some boost I will have a lot of composted horse manure and vermicompost + comfrey only for heavy feeder but not sure if that's enough was also considering rock dust.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Raf's Kitchen Garden Thanks! Yes, our winters are cold enough to kill our autumn cover crop. If you don't get a winter kill, you can just chop and drop them before they go to seed. They shouldn't take long to decompose. Depending on your soil, 2 inches of compost may very well be all you need for nitrogen and other nutrients in the spring. I don't recommend rock dust. Most soils have enough trace minerals and organic matter adds a broad spectrum of trace minerals anyway. I hope this helps!

[@valentinalaznik5266]

OYR Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening 6

[@keyplayr61greenhousehydrop14]

The proof is in the groceries ; )

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Keyplayr61 Greenhouse Hydroponics And Gardens Yes, indeed! And we've had lots and lots of groceries this summer! Thanks for watching, Keith. I hope it's started to cool down a bit in Georgia.

[@keyplayr61greenhousehydrop14]

+OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening Yeah, Bud! Things are calming down outside, and the greenhouse is booming great! Videos to follow!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Keyplayr61 Greenhouse Hydroponics And Gardens I'm looking forward to seeing them, Keith!

[@roberthuffman4354]

YOUR CAT SO COOL,IN THE BACK GROUND WALKING FENCE TOP---- L O L

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Robert Huffman I'm glad you enjoyed Oscar's cameo, Robert!

[@TheBeardedGardener]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@OneYardRevolution]

+TheBearded Gardener Thanks!

[@seseyvlog4309]

please would ya tell me how to nitrogen fertilization? I really need to know....please answer me...

[@OneYardRevolution]

There are many organic nitrogen fertilizers available on the market. If your plants need nitrogen now, get a water soluble fertilizer.

[@winmine0327]

Curious how you only spent five dollars on the cover crop - did you add it to an order you were already placing? The shipping alone is five dollars.

[@OneYardRevolution]

I happened to buy it at a time when they were offering free shipping. I've been looking at this supplier as a possible alternative. You could buy the peas, vetch, and oats separately at a reasonable price, and they offer free shipping.

[@friend8069]

Thank you for information video. Hi, can I make fertilizer (liquid or powder form) from Sunn Hemp Sesbania & Gliricidia leaves. Some of the plants are native to India. I am into organic fertilizer making. Planning to making high concentration - pure extract of the leaves for further use. Please update Awaiting Reply

[@veganchiefwarrior6444]

patrick im crazy can i turn my whole garden into a compost and grow on top of it through winter lol? im not affraid to use urine if i have to to make up for the nitrogen

[@OneYardRevolution]

Yes, you can do most of your composting by simply mulching. Just make sure not to use material that will attract pests (e.g., food scraps).

[@diddydunn]

Is it too late to plant a cover crop in zone 5?

[@OneYardRevolution]

+dunn1984 It might be, depending on how cold it is where you live. Cover crops need at least 6 weeks in the ground to be effective. Ours usually die in mid-December when it's regularly below freezing.

[@KALSINFILMS]

fish waste from a sushi restaurant how do u use it?

[@OneYardRevolution]

+KALSINFILMS Fish waste is a high nitrogen "green" ingredient for compost. You have to be very careful when composting fish waste. We use open compost bins, so we thoroughly bury the fish waste with leaves and/or aged wood chips to keep odors down and pests away. It's probably better to use an enclosed bin, but you'll still need to use plenty of brown ingredients to control the odor.

[@TANMAN47TANMAN]

grow more soil with that compost and then grow deeper roots

[@walkingmonument]

Grow some banana plants. That'll eat up your potassium

[@OneYardRevolution]

I wish we could grow banana plants!