"Proper" Compost Too Difficult? Make LAZY COMPOST!

[@MatthewHarrold]

I have two piles of "Mount Weed", and two hot composting containers around 500 litres each. After 7 years, I'm now producing around 110 litres (2*55 litre garbage bins) of compost per fortnight. It certainly isn't as dark nor broken down as you demonstrate, but it is building up and enriching my poorman soil. 7 years ago my 1400 m2 block was a clay/gravel construction site, now it is about 15 cm deep with rich soil. I add all cardboard/paper/food waste we produce but it is primarily twitch grass, other weeds, bark, sticks, leaves, grass cuttings, and anything else organic that will break down. The weeds go into the two mountains of cold compost, everything else is put directly into the hot bins. Eventually I put the bottom layer of weeds into the hot compost and gather the final product from these two bins. Thanks for your help . I'm lazy by nature. $0.02

[@samueljaramillo4221]

I get beautiful rich compost every two to three months because I mulch my leaves, grass cuttings, and take all my fruit, vegetables,eggs shells and pulverize them in a blender. I add coffee grounds that I get at Starbucks. I also add aged cow manure. I have two very large compost bins and mix it all together and add water. I dont worry about equal amounts of ingredients. I cover my bins and mix it occasionally. Two to three months later I have dark, rich, beautiful compost. I go thru this four times a year. I think the secret to this is the smaller the ingredients, the faster your compost will cook.

[@dlou3264]

Thank you for this! For those of us who didn’t grow up on farms or didn’t grow up learning it from helping parents who composted, this is a breath of fresh air, not to mention a great encouragement to go forward and compost anyway. This video reminded me of something that I’ve heard since childhood . . . SIMPLE PICTURES ARE BEST. That’s what you just demonstrated to us! Thanks again!

[@nicholasb8799]

I live in NJ, we plant late April and harvest through late October. I compost all year long (lazy!) and then in spring, I take off the first 2 layers of the newer stuff on top and find the black gold at the bottom. I take that, sift it and use it in my soil, works great! I then put the 2 layers back and start the compost through the seasons until next spring, it works like a charm.....

[@timcent7199]

What I Love about this video is you speak plain English. "You build it, they'll come and eat it." 1 cubic meter every 4 months is amazing. Your advice is common sense and easy to follow. Please keep up the advice on composting and thank you.

[@howlingwind1937]

Thank you, mostly its American homesteaders that I seem to find. It really nice to find an ozzy gardener, I live in southern tasmania so cold composting is the way I do it because where I live there just isn't enough sunshine. Thank you for sharing. Cheers!

[@kayradford3793]

Wow just found you so wonderful to see an Aussie homesteader. I’m from NSW

[@GR8Tmate]

So true what you say at the end there John, better to do something than nothing at all and the worms will do their bit. Thanks for the encouragement mate, hope Spring of 2022 is a cracker of a season for you 👍

[@williamgallaher1377]

I love the drone footage of your property, it’s stunning to say the least. I’m going on the search for a homestead soon and can only hope and pray that I can accomplish just a bit of what you have. Thank you very much for sharing. Looking forward to more videos .

[@robertjamesofwales]

Well done what a great video, my type of composting, I call it easy composting as if your composting your certainly not lazy.😅 keep up the good work

[@Vikt_Orovna]

Подписалась,хотя плохо понимаю разговорный английский. Просто ради удовольствия наблюдать,что люди независимо от места проживания и уровня достатка,да и других факторов,всегда тянутся к земле, жить своим хозяйством и любят землю- матушку. Тема компоста вообще интересная,я вот стараюсь в компост добавлять микробиологические добавки осенью,а вот весной проливаю триходермой,чтобы уменьшить численность вредителей.

[@LizZorab]

Great video! Lovely to see your relaxed approach to gardening shine through :-)

[@dianefields6056]

Hooray for practicality! Have spent years being frustrated by my compost that never got hot and the subsequent weeds that it bred. It's like knowing you're not the only idiot in the world.

[@darrendwyer9981]

OMG.. Im 59 years old, new to this sort of stuff...have spent so bloody much time on You Tube watching all sorts of "not so good content" and true to form...an Aussie produces the goods. Well done. I have just subscribed and hopefully you are still active... Come on Aussie Come on...Come on. Cheers cobber

[@homesteading]

Welcome to the channel! Yes, we usually make a couple of videos a month.

[@nutequest]

Great to see more aussies doing videos.

[@mrcharrington1]

I wish I was one of them. Love Australia.

[@nutequest]

Our country is pretty great. You’d be welcomed for sure if you decided to make the move.

[@mrcharrington1]

@@nutequest In 1970, I took leave from a U.S. sub when we pulled into New Guinea, flew to the tip of Australia, and thumbed to Brisbane. Took 4 days of sleeping on park benches, but I met so many wonderful people. I'm too old and too many grandkids living here to move. Shoulda done it 50 years ago. Thanks for the cordial invite.

[@thorgodofthunder2713]

Yup. They’re following their AussieGod.........OzzyMan

[@dallasbarrow]

Love your videos. Cheers for all the effort you put in, for us to learn from you.👍👍👍

[@redreuben5260]

When I have weedy or seedy ingredients I wet them and put them in a black plastic garden bag and leave it in full sun for a week then add to compost bin. In winter I drown them in a 20litre bucket for a few weeks add to compost or use the “tea” as a fertiliser. I’m in Perth.

[@bobbyplatt7654]

Great info from a great Gardner for sure..

[@sbraga02]

Been doing a sort of a mix and it works fine for me. Keep it up👍👍

[@FeralTuckerFella]

I've been looking to make pallet compost bays, but I am really liking your wriggly tin ones too.

[@gkp5569]

your best video so far, keep them coming

[@AussyCC]

Nice composting section and layout of the 3 bins!! Thx for your info mate.

[@joannthompson765]

Love your compost set up

[@mgguygardening]

Thanks for this video. This is how I compost, and you've given me validation.

[@yolylacy5416]

I like your approach. Thank you.

[@banzy3]

I've got a couple of corrugated compost bays, and throw everything in there, weeds and and all, and just leave it for several months. As I have a lot of grass, the ride-on mower picks it up and then I layer grass in the second bay, with layers I take from the decomposing stuff in the original bay. I don't know if it's a good way to do things, but it does get mighty hot, so I am hoping it kills off any dormant weed seeds. I can never make enough for a no dig garden, so I use a large draw hoe, dig the soil in a hole where I'm planting and mix in the compost in a 50/50 ratio.

[@missourigirl4101]

Excellent video and instructions. Thank you!

[@SmallWonda]

Very helpful - I get very worried my compost isn't steaming! Probably would be helpful to know when you were working in the garden - especially for new gardeners who find a yardstick helpful. I'm going to share this, cheers.

[@glynbo68]

The first year I tried composting I was told to throw ALL my kitchen waste, so I put everything in it, the following season I used that compost in pots, window boxes ,mangers and some into the ground, and into the greenhouse needless to say I had tomatos and peppers growing everywhere it did look funny, I even had tomatoes growing with the strawberries. I wish I had seen this video then. You have a great garden, I can see that you, like myself get a great deal of pleasure from your garden. Thank you. I have even had potatoes grow from peelings in that first years compost.

[@marysunshine4730]

glynbo68 I have two little Avocado plants coming up from one of my compost piles.

[@user-yx7dp2pl8t]

Worms?

[@glynbo68]

yes there were worms in it, some I added myself and there must have been some that made there own way there as it had a soil base. I think it happened due to me not researching it properly@@user-yx7dp2pl8tbefore I started, I'm very careful now not to throw certain things in the compost bin, especially tomato and pepper seeds or any other kind of seed for that matter, wholoe or part potatoes I avoid, I have a different bin for this kind of waste.

[@user-yx7dp2pl8t]

glynbo68 thanks for the info,

[@linmal2242]

@@marysunshine4730 Some of my avocado seeds, which sprout continuosly in my compost heap, are now 3/4 metres high. Will not get fruit probably as I live next to a forest so too much shade near Newcastle, Aust.

[@AllTrueIsHim]

Thanks for the great info and footage!

[@PepeFassos]

Good on you mate.. My type of composting 😉👍🌱

[@cjfazio3012]

That’s the best way to do it!!!

[@mulph7738]

Very nice. Some new ideas for me. Thanks from Sweden. Does you get frist in Austalia?

[@sweetdweams]

Great video. We could sure do with some of that rain.

[@quinokin8954]

For an even lazier compost, try the newest laziest composting system. It's just cold compost mulched directly into the soil which your plants are growing in

[@EthanPDobbins]

Works fine to just bury your scraps or throw them on the dirt if they won't stink. Helps the worms too which airate the soil

[@peterturner1582]

I have tried this but I find that the fresh green kitchen scraps attract rats and mice. The breakdown of the carbon layers (browns) also draws nitrogen from the soil so you need to compensate for this as well.

[@okmmauh]

Peter Turner If the garden is just for you then human urine 10:1 dilute replaces the nitrogen

[@peterturner1582]

@@okmmauh Chinese market gardeners have always used diluted urine on their crops as a source of nitrogen but there is no way my family would eat my produce if I adopted this approach...LOL!

[@MegaDavyk]

I tried that with potatoes this year mostly mowed tree leaves and lawn clippings and they loved it.

[@wndrfullife]

Some may be grossed out by this, but I recommend collecting urine. Urine is high in Nitrogen. Nitrogen will heat that compost up in no time! And it is free. I am a very lazy gardener, but I love it, and am fascinated by the science, and experimentation of it all. Love your channel!

[@dawntheodore]

I persuaded hubby to pee on my compost bins. 6 months and I'm using it. 😉

[@jimfulkerson2679]

Yes, just piss on the compost pile and it heat up nicely !

[@spencerwilton5831]

Jim Fulkerson Plus, make urine deters foxes- a valuable side effect here in London where they are a nightmare.

[@myacreagegarden]

This is a great video John! We love making compost but have struggled at times to work out the best method for us! We have very similar conditions to you, being in South West Victoria 🙂

[@PheOfTheFae]

I totally lazy compost in a bucket on my balcony (I'm an apartment dweller)! I don't have worms, either (it gets too cold to leave them out in the winter here and I'd fear a fungus gnat invasion overtaking the apartment bringing it inside... ). Kitchen scraps, paper products, plant pruning - it all works!

[@PheOfTheFae]

@Pink Salt I don't measure or anything, but it definitely takes more browns than greens. In a traditional yard compost, browns would be like, the leaves that fall in autumn, but in an apartment, that means cut up plain cardboard (nothing glossy on it), shredded paper, paper tissues and towels if the towels didn't handle anything uncompostable (but yes, snot on the tissue is fine), wooden matchsticks, incense sticks and ash after burning, pruning from my houseplants, the bamboo handle from a toothbrush after I've cut off the bristles. If I had to guess it's probably in the end 75% browns? But that's because the browns break down and shrink much faster so I'm adding browns to the mix way more over the course of the pail load, and they'll be finished (mostly - not the bamboo toothbrush or the matchsticks yet) but I'll still be able to identify the lemon peels and sweet potato skins and eggshells.

[@mackenziesummey8257]

Just started my channel, love your video!

[@williamgallaher1377]

Mackenzie Lima I subscribed to your channel. Thank you for sharing.

[@breathnstop]

thank you . my compost is just sitting doing nothing for two years. so discouraged. I think i need more moisture and more brown.

[@monicamead1884]

This is great! Thanks for the video. Question - how do you (or does it matter) keep rats & mouse out of the bins? Do they dig into the ground at the sides? We have a bog standard black compost bin & have resorted to putting wire under & up the side near the bottom to stop them nesting!

[@homesteading]

Not good to allow vermin to live and breed in it - not that it is a problem for the compost - but vermin create other problems in the garden. The wire under the bin is great idea...won't stop the worms, but should stop the rats!

[@monicamead1884]

@@homesteading yes, I understand about worms. I love 'em! My question is on your open compost bays, do you have a problem with vermin? If so, how do you control it? Cheers from NZ!

[@iartistdotme]

I live in HOT Florida and it has rained almost every day this summer. My heap had no chance so I decided to just keep adding stuff and use a little dirt to cover it to keep the raccoons and possums and rats out. It hasn't smelled, breaks down pretty good and since it isn't done, and I want to put in a fall garden, I decided to grow my potatoes in it, with dwarf sugar peas, too. I put in a test of 4 potatoes and they are coming up after only 1 week. Maybe the rains will let up a little now that September is almost here but I liked your lazy way and how you did your potatoes and think I will give it a go - don't think the plastic will work but maybe just thick mulch instead.. It is still HOT.

[@linmal2242]

You are lucky that it is hot. Keep turning it to mix the uncomposted material into the hot area and find something to cover it; sacks, bags, hessian, roof sheeting. Anything to keep the possums out.

[@iartistdotme]

@@linmal2242 Possums really take a toll on any worms I get. Having worms is a luxury here in this sandy soil so they steal my most valued helpers. Deer then eat anything else that manages to pop up. Gardening is a labor of love and constant vigilance!

[@indhuskitchenandvlogs]

This is an age old practise in Tanjore -India. We add cow dung kitchen waste and gardenwaste in a big open pit. The worms do the natural composting for months together and we use the final product in the paddy fields

[@chrisdiprose]

tip - freeze your scraps before putting them out in the garden, under the mulch. it will break down much quicker.

[@homesteading]

Interesting...wouldn't really think to put scraps in the freezer!

[@peterturner1582]

@@homesteading Freezing your scraps actually helps ruptue the cell walls and allows for faster decomposition.

[@andrewtreacher]

I add my cold compost straight on the vege garden and plant my vege seedlings straight into the compost. To stop the problem of weeds I cover the ground with a mulch such as leaves or pea straw which stops weeds and reduces the need for watering.

[@elenatwine7073]

Hi, nice video. Just want to know what you put in the trench that looks like yellow powder before you put potato in. Thanks

[@homesteading]

That was a little blood and bone - I did talk about it, but the gremlins got to the audio!

[@martinbrown8385]

cool vid mate , i've got an opinion or 2 you can take or leave , what about starting a comfrey bed or using bokashi grains in your cold composting as well , also moisture is really important to keep the worms creating castings & composting organisms from going dormant , dying off or POQ'ing , stay moist not dry or really wet , green manure is fantastic but its what that green manure is providing in the ground more so than above ground , the diversity of organisms a cover crop attracts to the soil is just as beneficial , maybe even more beneficial than the green manure you harvest for composting above the ground , 90% of what plants take up nutrient wise is directly related to microrganisms consuming plant matter or each other to provide plant available nutrients , also cover cropping is a great way to nutrient cycle , what you take out of the ground must be put back in & cover cropping works well for this , good luck with it mate , we live in a fantastic country & your place looks like a lovely place to be , cheers & all the best

[@homesteading]

Good thoughts. In summer comfrey grows all around my compost heap and is regularly cut and added to the heap.

[@martinbrown8385]

@@homesteading ahh very good , adding bokashi which you can buy or make yourself will help speed up your cold composting a little , do you ever use kelp meal / dried seaweed , you can diy your own seasol really easy , use 1 & a 1/4 teaspoons per liter of water , let it steep/sit in the water for 24hrs , give the container of water & kelp a bit of a shake or stir every now & then over 24hrs , after 24hrs , you have homemade seasol that you can be soil drenched or foliar sprayed , even better than that use aloe vera to soil drench or foliar spray plants , both kelp & aloe are great plant heath tonics & together they have the 2 main rooting hormones found in rooting gels on the shelf at bunnings , so they are both great to use when starting seeds or trying to promote rooting , one other thing , cause you seem to already have green manure or cover crop seed , ever heard of Seed Sprout Teas ? basically sprouting seed , blending the sprouted seed in water ( & a blenda ) , strain out the seed bits then feed your plants with the resulting enzym tea , some seed have naturally occurring PGR's Plant Growth Regulators , Corn seed & Cytokinins , lucerne seed & triacontanol , anyways cheers mate & good growing to ya

[@berylhunter7509]

This is how I do my compost with the addition of any cardboard I find as I don't have many leaves for the "brown" part.

[@justmejo9008]

That's a great tip! Thank you

[@PheOfTheFae]

I'm an apartment dweller and my "browns" are part houseplant/balcony garden pruning, but mostly it's cardboard, paper, and paper tissues. It works! I run junk mail through a shredder and it breaks down SUPER fast!

[@justmejo9008]

Wren Paasch thanks for sharing these ideas 💚

[@uchibauki2515]

Beryl Hunter we’ll see leaves 🍁 in fall season

[@katseyeview9354]

i use food grade large plastic cans. the kind you put dog/animal feed into. i take off the lids, drill a few holes in the sides in a pyramid. 3 each side at bottom, two x side, then one x side nearer the top. when i started this lazy way, my hubby freaked out one cold winter morning because it was smoking. i had just 'stirred" it. my hot one is 3 1/2 feet tall, and about 2' square. oh yes, its on wheels!

[@MelRaranga]

Learning fron this video. Thanks for sharing it

[@karenkmk4035]

I compost the same way, easy. I've also moved to the no dig method (Charles Dowding). Hardly any weeds with no dig it's so much less work..👌

[@Mrbfgray]

Same here--I simply have 2 to 3 compost piles (JUST piles on the ground, not even a defined perimeter), adding to the newest and drawing from the oldest, they aren't big enough to stay or get hot for long.

[@Lou-yn7vz]

Hi, I really enjoyed your cold composting video. I noticed that you had added some substance to the base of your potato furrow before you added your potatoes. Was it blood and bone or lime?

[@homesteading]

It was blood and bone.

[@catfunksfabulousfinds]

Remember the smaller you cut things up the quicker you get compost.

[@lilmisspeace]

Yes! I went to use my compst that's been turning for the last year; there were WHOLE potates and onions, thanks to my 21yo son!! (I put my food scraps in a high powered blender before going to compost bin.) I picked them out, gave them back to the boy and used the rest 🤔😉😂

[@peterturner1582]

@Pink Salt I compost in a series of three rubbish bins and I use about 60% browns and 40% greens. I throw a couple of hands full of my previous batch of compost to act as a "starter" as well as some ground up comfrey. Make sure you drill holes on the base and around the sides and lids of your bins to allow oxygen in. I also turn the compost over into the next available bin to aerate it as well. You can also add a handful of rock dust and some blood and bone. It sounds complicated but it really isn't. Good luck with it.

[@katseyeview9354]

for Yule two years ago i was given an electric tiller. i put it on my second stage compost and turn it, churn it and chop it!

[@MegaDavyk]

I use an old lawn mower to chop stuff up especially tree leaves.

[@Mrbfgray]

Does speed even matter though? I put X in and get Y out regardless of how long it takes, there is only a delay when 1st starting, after that it doesn't matter.

[@mikep7921]

Like I have always said, composting is not rocket science. To many people make it alot harder than it is. a great tip which I got from one of your earlier videos is to grow comfrey around the base of the compost heap and then cut it and throw back onto compost heap. this help to recycle the nutrients which are lost in the ground.

[@OakKnobFarm]

We planted our asparagus directly behind the compost bins for basically the same purpose. Gather the "lost" nutrients in a perennial crop.

[@crpth1]

Or make your compost pile "upstream" of your garden. Whatever leach from it. Will feed your garden without any further input. My preferred method. Can't be easier than this. 😁 When it's finally ready. I use it elsewhere in the garden, because the immediate area is perfectly treated. Cheers

[@marysurbanchickengarden]

How many years does it take to compost like that? I have such hot summers here that all dry and green matter compost quickly. In the fall I'll use quite a bit of it, but start right away adding both green and dry matter so the worms survive winter really well. From April through November I can easily get 4 wheelbarrows full of hot compost. I don't like pulling weeds lol. If it works for you, it's great 😁

[@juanfangio3590]

I love the gloves.

[@jimfulkerson2679]

Yes, and socks are good too ! !

[@jamesreynold6711]

With cold composting like this, do you need to turn it in the same way that you would with hot compost? Or would you just gradually pile it up and leave it?

[@bbunderson]

What about smell. Is it strong? Is it something you just have to get used to?

[@homesteading]

No, we don't notice any smell at all.

[@bbunderson]

@@homesteading mine is a little smelly. Any suggestions? Kind of like a dumpster.

[@linmal2242]

@@bbunderson Add more brown material and a little manure with your greem stuff and keep turning it if on the ground. Aeration will fix that.

[@bbunderson]

@@linmal2242 thank you!

[@OakKnobFarm]

I am also a lazy composter! It works for me, but it's slower and you're right: You get more weed pressure for sure

[@iipriorii]

Picked up a subscriber, Good Sir🧐 cheers 🍻

[@FrenchieFrench1555]

Thank you for the video.Nice accent

[@fionapriddin5377]

Love this and love your channel! Quick Q... would a hot compost kill the worms etc by being too hot? I’ve always wondered?😳

[@homesteading]

Worms generally aren't very active in hot compost.

[@fionapriddin5377]

Homesteading DownUnder damn it... I’m desperate to speed up my compost as I’ve stripped bare this year but I have thousands of worms in what’s left and I don’t want to cook them by covering with a black tarp 🥺

[@marymary5494]

Thank you 👌💕

[@frikandelspeciaal1431]

Nice video we do lazy composting too, how do you avocado in the frosty weather?

[@wildflower8425]

l think they use a misting system to stop frost effects

[@loeysmob]

We have tried the hot and cold composting. Both struggle here due to the weather. Currently we can't do anything with our compost or even get to it. Recently have a new soakage pit put in and my back yard is just mud at the moment.

[@franciscartweni1909]

Great lesson there,thanks

[@pegjames188]

Perennials, soak in a drum of water until well rotted then add to the compost bin,save as much urine as possible to soak bin preferably male, (it's stronger ) reduces composting time considerably, and cover bin with for example a piece of wetted carpet this encourages the worms to work to top of pile.

[@celticgypsy6067]

What about adding it under mulch or layers of cardboard to suppress the weeds.

[@homesteading]

Yes, you could do that.

[@asaadtulpa3368]

Please, I want to know what is the difference between pitmos and compost

[@kenbellchambers4577]

I think you must mean peatmoss, which is the dried remains of huge deposits from a type of moss plant that grows in swampy country. It is used for fuel and it is dried and also is used in potting mixes. Compost is made from any sort of animal or vegetable waste.

[@dianeirvine1384]

Are you from New Zealand the ground looks like it I'm new sub.From invercargill Southland NZ. You compost just like me and it works well. Thanks for video nice to have someone in same season excellent. Don't know why didn't see you earlier.

[@homesteading]

Just across the ditch - Tasmania. :-)

[@geekchick4859]

I think no matter how I tried to compost here in Townsville, it will be hot!!

[@longbunly]

How about meat lemon and bread or rice should we compost in this lazy compost?

[@DovidM]

I’ve not found the weeds growing under the clear plastic to be a bad thing. In summer with full sun, anything that sprouts is killed by high temperatures. In winter, I just pull the plastic back and skim off with a hoe the weeds that are sprouting. It would be a different story if I had a very large bed under plastic or if the weeds were tenacious. But then I would put down layers of cardboard to smother whatever emerges.

[@catherinegrace2366]

Watering the compost really speeds things up.

[@kimburgess2897]

My compost is just inundated with little fruit flies in droves. Any suggestions?

[@gillenzfluff8380]

I just do chop and drop, I can't be bothered to collect stuff to compost take it to a bin wait a year then take it back and spread it. I get more room to grow food without the huge compost bins.

[@crpth1]

I do a lot of chop&drop. But the compost pile is fundamental for those things that don't do well, for various reasons, out of the pile. Like kitchen scraps, etc.

[@gillenzfluff8380]

@@crpth1 I make bokashi with all the food waste including meat then I put that in a hole and plant tomatoes on top.

[@crpth1]

@@gillenzfluff8380. Bokashi is nice, But I haven't done it for quite awhile. No patience, I admit. LOL ;-) In my case I can use a few extra square meters. So compost pile (lazy type) is my preference. My top soil is too thin. The garden area was gained by filling up a slope with stone and "Tout-venant". So anything that involve burying/digging is a big no no. Cheers

[@gillenzfluff8380]

@@crpth1 Bokashi is easy I just dump all the leftover catfood and other smelly food waste in a bottle and pour sourdough starter in and mix it, I never even brought any Bokashi products so it's free. I just make sure the bottle isn't air tight or it might explode, also if you make bokashi in a greenhouse with plants they get extra co2 so they will grow faster.

[@patzimnawoda1964]

What kind of worms could I add to my compost bin?

[@jimmywrangles]

Either worms you can buy at a gardening shop or just the natural ones you have in your garden at home will do. If you're compost is on the ground usually your native worms will do the trick. They'll be attracted by the rotting vegetation and eventually your compost will have enough. They breed pretty quick.

[@linmal2242]

If you are making hot compost then you don't want your worms near it. So google worm farms to work out your best system.

[@InJusticeAustralia]

Awesome

[@WH6FQE]

I wish I had worms in the dirt here so I could do it that way, maybe one day if I am able to transform this dirt back into living soil. As of right now, I have not seen a single worm in the entire yard with all of the digging in it that I have been doing. For now its raised beds and hot compost for me.

[@homesteading]

Having a compost heap will attract worms....and also breed them. Add some worms if necessary.

[@patzimnawoda1964]

What kind of worms?

[@WH6FQE]

@@patzimnawoda1964 Earthworms, red wigglers, ANYTHING. We have absolutely nothing alive in this dirt.

[@WH6FQE]

There is part of the problem because I not allowed to order worms online to add them to the property here in Hawaii. We have a law against importing worms, lol. I have had compost piles going on the property all year, and still nothing yet as far as attracting them.

[@brucea550]

Are there worms somewhere else in Hawaii you could adopt?

[@crash3104]

Is it sewer sludge free though?

[@homesteading]

Not sure what you are referring to - if you make your own it's your choice!

[@jimfulkerson2679]

Just shit in the garden,then burry it worms LOVE IT ! !

[@celticgypsy6067]

I had a cold compost in some cement wash tubs , but eventually it started attracting rats and then I saw a few snake skins in my bush house.😅

[@judithdriscoll2934]

I have had the snake problem, attracted by mice. If I bury the compost it might discourage the mice. I hope so anyway, otherwise it's no composting at my place!

[@bradgibson9159]

Did anyone spot the mouse in the bottom right hand corner at 10:10

[@annierizzo3034]

It could have been a mole or a vole too.

[@chiyan999]

Do you get lots of ants when you leave all this food around in the open?

[@homesteading]

No

[@patricianunez4025]

Too much work for me. I just mow grass and leaves and scatter all over my cottage garden. Table scraps go straight into the garden covered with soil and the worms love it.

[@yellowbird5411]

Same here. But I use broken twigs and branches and cuttings from an invasive plant that grows all over the yard, too.

[@lionolee5480]

Awesome i do same thing! In addition i used everything include weeding all natural material will go straight to compose either directly or my compose pile.😁

[@brucea550]

As long as you have a balance somewhat and worms, that works fine. I have a dozen raised beds and I just rotate areas of them to be a designated compost pile for a month or so. Over a couple years each 4x8 bed has had at least 2 different compost areas. They also get a top dressing of manure and spent grains from the brewery every year. Sometimes, in the moonlight, I swear I can see the worms dancing!

[@jimfulkerson2679]

Wait until darkness sets in, and in the lite of the moon you can shit in your compost pile

[@chimeric7774]

Is that pressure treated wood surrounding your garden? I hope not, because highly toxic chemicals will be leaching into that nice dirt you have if it is...

[@josiahkulwa5318]

Good

[@andreavelez4968]

Helpful! Thank you

[@victorybeginsinthegarden]

trench composting is even lazier 🤣🤣

[@crpth1]

Victory Begins in the Garden - Not if you have to dig the trench. Perfect if somebody else do the digging. LOL :-) Cheers

[@dannyworten5876]

You have apparently have never dug a trench

[@jimfulkerson2679]

Just dig a dam hole and put your waste in it cover, next spring you will have good dirt ! !

[@victorybeginsinthegarden]

@@jimfulkerson2679 that's what I mean

[@kenbellchambers4577]

If I tried your system here in Australia, I would get a billion flies. Everything here needs to be covered carefully with sawdust and hay, or leaves. Exposed stuff would either be producing flies, or scattered about from scavengers. If we are not very careful, compost making can get very unhygienic. I use carbon ratios of 50 to 1. That is a lot of carbon!

[@homesteading]

Technically I am in Australia😄 I don't find fresh vegetable matter attracts flies, in fact it dries in the sun very quickly. If you add meat waste or manures I can see the need to cover them.

[@kenbellchambers4577]

@@homesteading I take it that you are a Tasmanian. If so, it is colder than where I live which is in the semi tropics. I have so many scavengers that I would lose most of my additions to the compost heap to wildlife. Also, I use general kitchen waste with meat and fat etc., which certainly does putresce and must be well covered. But currawongs, magpies, bush turkeys, lyre birds, goannas and the usual rodents are always ready to make a mess. Goannas are a particular annoyance as there is an endless parade of them all day, and every one of them wants turkey eggs. They think my heaps are turkeys nests. On the other hand, the turkeys think it is a rival nest and scratch it to bits and make as big a mess as the goannas!

[@LindaPepin]

Do you have problems with mice and rats just throwing your kitchen scraps in like that? That is my concern.

[@homesteading]

Some...it is well away from the house so not as big a problem as it would be if close.

[@LindaPepin]

@@homesteading Okay... thank you. I wanted the bin closer to the house so I could water it with the hose but I think I'll put it at the bottom of the property away from the house and just let the rain water it.

[@carlduffin]

Just chop it and drop it where it is. No compost heap needed.

[@Lets-see-those-plants]

Too high in nitrogen it'll kill seeds when fresh

[@valdasilva123]

I start seeds in flats and only transplant out when they are strong enough to survive - we have a short season here in NW Montana

[@quinokin8954]

Even the Ancient Egyptians knew it: worms are sacred

[@ruburtoe1]

And bacteria and fungus even holier

[@ikanlele8221]

Mantab

[@rickmartyn9170]

Don't need to compost except for human manure and maybe kitchen waste.Just lay the weeds or grass directly in the paths between the rows or on the rows in your garden

[@sweetvuvuzela4634]

rick martyn 💩in the garden from shit to garden to kitchen

[@jimfulkerson2679]

Just don't get poop on your shoes lol

[@smithlinda8901]

Mister. but the plastic panels that holds compost are very toxic ..plastic fibers

[@homesteading]

What plastic?

[@MrGigi-dz9cv]

There is no perfect compost. Compost is nothing but organic matter decomposing to it's components. Nothing else. A good compost is just that matter completly decomposed. For this, you need: water, turning and time. So simple.

[@brunobassi2440]

over-fertilization does not produce good results

[@walteroconnell7959]

0

[@syeduddin3114]

Too black and dry compost, it should be dark brown

[@linmal2242]

Yu have to get the recipe right. Look up on youtube for the right mix