Q&A: Why I Don't Shred Leaves, The Field Trials, & Why I Narrate Videos

[@IndoorHydroponix]

You were made to narrate this stuff. Your videos never seem to stray off topic and are clear and concise. Which makes them enjoyable. Well done again.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Indoor Hydroponix ! I appreciate your supportive feedback!

[@sajidsha8298]

Hello Patrick. I am an Indian and I have a small garden at my home. With the help of your videos I am trying new thing with my garden. Here in India we can't grow veggies like yours because it's too hot here and most of the leafy greens won't sustain. We grow more climbers. I was seeing Zukini and Kale for the first time in my life. They are very nice to see. I have a lot of cats like yours in my house. Lol

[@OneYardRevolution]

Hi Sajid! You have a lot of wonderful options for what you can grow in your climate. Best wishes with your garden and say hi to your kitties! 😺

[@rickschulte8594]

i watch your videos with much confidence, you recently responded to me when i wrote you, with very soft rounded words, and a quick turn around. I can tell you know what you are saying in helping other garden lovers, and i do appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us so we to can grow a lot, with less cost and more efficiently. Thank you sir, Sincerely Rickie.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Rick Schulte Thank you so much for your vote of confidence, Rick! I really appreciate it.

[@seedaholicgardens9085]

+Rick Schulte ditto!

[@LuisFilipeMagro]

Ditto!

[@Downeastwaves]

Thanks! Glad you block out the noise. Peace and quiet or so nice. Today was cover the garden day, completely in a thick blanket of leaves.

[@citytrees1752]

Thank you for quality narration. It makes all the difference to the quality of the video. Some people are making videos that last 20 minutes instead of 10 because they ad lib with too much irrelevant chatter and repetition., instead of taking the time to narrate relevant information only. You make your videos about your viewers. This is why I have subscribed to your channel. Quality.

[@Manders160]

I love that you narrate! It keeps things succinct so your videos are shorter with the same amount of info (or more) than videos two or three times in length. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@simplifygardening]

Great tips Patrick about removing the background noises by replacing the sound altogether. I never even thought about that and could be stealing that little golden nugget for future videos. Thanks mate.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks! I'm glad it helped. I may have to resort to this technique again this spring/summer. Lots of construction projects in the area.

[@iminidaho2004]

And on behalf of all of us, THANK YOU for doing the voice over. Don't love the videos of great info where all you hear is the wind blowing, dog barking, etc... I hope others take your example to heart.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, iminidaho2004 ! I'm glad you find the voice overs helpful. Sometimes I really don't have a choice!

[@ingerhaugland6763]

Love rewatching your old videos. Informative and very enjoyable. After a long day in the garden chipping branches, then a hot bath and some yoga, this was the perfect calm and comforting thing to watch as I eat my veggie soup and head off to bed. Good night ^_^

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks so much for watching, Inger! I'm honored that my videos are a part of your nightly relaxation.

[@anthonysinclair5721]

Best gardening channel I've watched in my seven years (so far) of gardening , probably watched them all at least once , maybe twice! Merry Christmas! 🎄

[@ShelitaRN]

awesome Q/A I love how you do the narration, to me it adds diversity and order, you're not jumping around all over the place and give tons of content in such a short time! I would have never thought you were doing it for the purpose of noise reduction! Cool!!

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

I could not agree more. I have seen Patrick cover material extremely well in 3-4 minutes when others take 15-30 to do the same!

[@ShelitaRN]

☺ so true it's a skill I need to master! Lol

[@OneYardRevolution]

Shelita Williams Thanks, Shelita! That's a great point. Narrating the videos does help me cover more ground in less time. Ideally, I'd like to do a blend of narration and talking directly to the audience.

[@OneYardRevolution]

***** Thanks, Stephen! I appreciate your kind words.

[@suburbanhomestead]

OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening It's all about script writing!

[@Zerkbern]

Your audio edits are always well done. Your edits just in general are good. I know how much time this takes and I appreciate it. SO many YT videos are done just raw and warty....I like well edited videos if for no other reason that it shows the creator CARES about his finished product and is trying to do his/her best. Keep it up.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Zerkbern ! I appreciate your kind words, and it means a lot to me that you appreciate the "behind the scenes" part of putting out videos. Thanks!

[@jimwilleford6140]

You are just so good at explaining, and I hear every word. Your rationale, you are generally able to point to. Your garden is beautiful, in all ways.

[@chapman1569]

We like to listen to your videos, they are relaxing and very informative. We prefer the narration, it is quieter and your voice is prefect , not irritating.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks!

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

Excellent video my friend ! I at one point asked the third question to you followed up by myself trying to shoot a video and being frustrated by pipeline planes, vehicles and local construction. I came back to your response I already understood deeply lol.

[@OneYardRevolution]

***** Thanks, Stephen! Yeah, it's definitely a challenge, especially in the summer. This time of year it's pretty quiet, so it's much easier to do. ;-)

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

I have noticed lol. I need to get my mic :)

[@simplifygardening]

As do I lol. time for me to start recording the garden when its quiet for this very reason Stephen. Its such an easy thing to do but it never occured to me until Patrick mentioned it here

[@judyr7582]

Excellent communication skills. Short and concise, packed full of excellent information. With my time. Thank you. 🙏🌱🌾🍁🌺🌼

[@jadvla]

So much for quiet ,idyllic gardens--I was laughing so much! Here I thought you lived somewhat countrified . That sounds like my neighborhood- weed whackers, traffic. But when I look at your videos, I see what I would like to have. I wouldn't want you to change a thing! I've enjoyed the shared videos with you and Stephen and everything else. Keep on keeping on! Viva gardening!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Julie! Fortunately, the garden is often very peaceful. However, summer weekends are almost always noisy, especially during the day. ;-( I look forward to hearing about your garden this spring and summer!

[@kellinigh2398]

I think some people dread silence and so fill what they think is emptiness with needless sound. I am a little silence greedy because in the silence outside the wind and subtle movement of the garden exists. After learning to love a garden it is music enough to simply be in it. And if you have the right C:N ratio you do not have to make noise shredding leaves for the compost either. Compost decisions are about simplicity and pragmatism. This is a an affordable, quiet (as possible) one yard revolution. Great video. Happy Solstice!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Kelli Nigh ! We love silence too. Our idea of a vacation is to rent a cabin in the woods and do NOTHING. It's a great break from city life. Happy Solstice!

[@wendiland]

Noise is one of the challenges when it comes to filming outdoor. Especially on a perfect day outside and you're ready to film then the noise begins...love your videos! Always so informative and clear. :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

Wendi Phan Thanks, Wendi! I really appreciate it! Yeah, it's tough to find quiet time, especially on the weekends.

[@TheSchellb]

Thank you for this information. Leaves have help my gardens so much. I have so many trees, so the best way to bag them is to mulch them first. I get about 4-5 large black bags used for construction uses, otherwise without mulching them I would have about 40 bags of leaves. I like your method of composting them, I will have to give that a try.

[@jimwilleford6140]

I am learning a lot from you,... your presentations are reasonable, logical and your garden a testament...Thank You.

[@ogadlogadl490]

Give this man his own tv show!

[@jimwilleford6140]

I have learned and continue to learn so much from your experience, and your stick to the point presentations.

[@SheriFischerSherGarden]

Excellent video. Thanks for the tip about covering the compost in the winter too. I had never thought of that and believe I try that in a few days. Have a good holiday!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Sheri Fischer ! Yeah, I was able to keep that pile from freezing despite record cold temperatures, and red wigglers survived the whole winter in the pile. The plastic covering really helps. Happy Holidays!

[@fxm5715]

In this video you answered a question I wrote a few minutes ago about the benefits of biochar when added to poor soil. Thanks! I'm loving your channel.

[@seamusnalaoch6409]

Outstanding, Patrick -- I hope you considering doing more Q&A sessions. I like the format a lot. Off topic, you've been inspiring me on a lot of gardening fronts, notably leaf collection for the winter compost bin. Went a little OCD this fall -- collected more than a thousand pounds of leaves, and supplemented the rather massive pile with coffee grounds. Also just got a compost thermometer, and it came in at a toasty 149 degrees. Thanks again for a ll the great work and information.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Seamus Nalaoch ! It sounds like you and I suffer the same affliction (obsessive compulsive leaf collection) ;-) I'm glad to hear the pile is nice and toasty. I started our pile in early November and it's still cooking along at nearly 140 degrees. I just keep adding coffee grounds and leaves as it cooks down. Thanks for watching and sharing your experience!

[@anngalbraith6192]

Wowzas!! Even more incentive to try this method - thank you for sharing your experience!

[@linetteguiliani3312]

I love your videos!!! The narrative is very explanatory with no interruptions and, calms me down (jijiji). I always learn something new with your videos.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Linette! I appreciate your kind words and am glad you find my videos helpful.

[@billwest1945]

I remove the soil from the previous seasons vegtable garden and utilize it for lawn topsoil or flower gardens. I replace the soil with a base of shredded leaves and top it with unshreded leaves. I keep a smaller separate pit where kitchen scrapes and coffee grounds are covered with leaves. I use this practice to keep worms healthy and soil diseases specific to garden vegtables minimized.

[@katsmama813]

Again....very helpful and informative. Good to know that things like mulched leaves and worm castings, which are plentiful ...AND CHEAP, can add so many nutrients to my soil. Thank you, Patrick.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, kats mama ! I'm glad you found the video helpful!

[@royhoco5748]

I purchased a used cement mixer on craigslist and I fill my cement mixer with leaves, toss in a few rocks and pulverize the leaves. I bypass the compost pile and add these pulverized leaves directly to the garden beds where they serve as a winter mulch, preserve moisture and attract worms and other beneficial organisms and add nutrients as they break down in the soil. I also substitute pulverized leaves for peat and coir in my potting soil mix. The cement mixer serves a dual purpose as a soil mixer. I add measured amounts of composted soil, pulverized leaves, perlite or vermiculite, worm casting or azomite to the mixer and mix the soil. This thoroughly combines the ingredients without much work. I also use the pulverized leaves as bedding for my worm farm.

[@dkulikowski]

Thank you for another great video, Patrick. I love your style of recording. Straight & to the point. Also, your honestly is greatly appreciated by me. I always look forward to your videos. WOW, I couldn't believe all the noise in your neighborhood. Since I am not a computer person, I didn't know of this editing that you and apparently others do, by voice overlay. It really makes me appreciate my natural surroundings even more than ever. Barking dogs are what sometimes drives me into the house.

[@OneYardRevolution]

LARK'S GARDENS Thank you for your kind words, Lark! Fortunately, the neighbor's construction project is mostly finished, which brings the noise level down a bit. Yeah, sometimes it would be next to impossible to make a video without doing the narration separately.

[@thomasgronek6469]

Super video, with outstanding audio. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Happy gardening to you and all viewers. I do however, have a problem. our garden keeps getting overgrown from the plants themselves. Every year we plant the tomatoes further and further apart from each other, but we still have the same result: the plants grow SOOOOO big, that there is no space to walk. Will it ever end? No need to answer. Thanks again for a great video and audio!!!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Thomas! That's a great "problem" to have!

[@cynthiannenicholas5156]

I miss your videos Patrick! I had to laugh that this particular video popped up this morning. I have leftover leaves bagged and stored and was debating what to do with them. They were from my sister who lives in an urban area. I just mow over mine out here in the country. I was considering using them for my Pathways between the raised beds.

[@dell177]

This weekend I raked up a large pile of leavrs (90% maples) and shredded them with the lawn mower. I spread the shredded leaves over the garden beds and will do the same again around when I clean out the gutters after Thanksgiving. I've been doing this for 37 years now.

[@coopstere]

I agree with your rock dust conclusion. According to Dr. Elaine Ingham every soil has everything it needs to grow a successful garden as long as it has quality compost and the right microorganisms. That's primarily what I concentrate on. Though I have used azomite and sea 90. Thanks for your videos!

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome! Yeah, I wouldn't recommend a trace mineral amendment unless there was an actual deficiency, which usually is not the case and can be determined with a soil test.

[@MelleBeky]

Nice video... I m so impress about your compost from last year, leaf turn into perfect compost soil... Can t wait next year to try it!

[@44beamish]

Thank you , I will only be mulching a few leaves now.

[@austinwilloughby3439]

OYR Frugal! Where are you? Love the videos! Need more! Thanks!

[@TruckTaxiMoveIt]

Thanks for showing good better and best and letting us know when good is better than the best in certain circumstances

[@alfonsomunoz4424]

Thanks for the educational videos. So far I've shredded leaves exactly zero times in my life...still end up with great compost.

[@HuwRichards]

OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening , Hello Patrick great video. I agree about shredding leaves because we have many months where we don't need any amendments so plenty of time for the compost to decompose. I also think narration is very good and engages viewers in the video, I find narrating much easier when it's too windy outside I know I can still make videos. Merry Christmas and have a great new year!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, HuwsNursery - Grow Organic Produce Inexpensively ! I like the idea of blending narration with talking to the audience. Hopefully, I'll be able to find some quiet time in the summer to make it happen. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@jaaguitar]

Mower to shred & collect leaves is a good option. Just needs blades setting high and emptying a few times.

[@mypointofblue5260]

Thanks for sharing! Good questions and answers! :)

[@saintmichael2759]

Thank you. Fine garden you have there sir.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks!

[@Mrbfgray]

I don't worry much about compost speed because it's only an innitial delay, you still get out what you put in it makes no diff how long it takes. I have two piles--one that's old and decomposed I draw from and another that's fresh and adding to. I don't spend a lot of time on them, mostly just pile up and forget, with occasional summer watering and maybe some turning. HOWEVER I do prefer to mow the leaves so they don't "mat out" and prevent water from penetrating. (LOVE the cat!)

[@pokemonone5630]

Your voice sounds beautiful, love your garden, I am going to collect some leaves soon

[@HighDesertGarden]

Very good Q&A Patrick. Nobody would ever know that there was so much noise around your garden area. Your garden looks so serene and you do such a great job with the audio. I don't think that I could live with all that noise; time to move :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Phillip! Fortunately, the neighbors are now done with most of their home renovation, so hopefully things will quiet down.

[@maryc954]

Hi Patrick! Your videos always have nice sound quality. You have a great voice! Thanks for showing the before and after on the compost. That was an amazing transformation! Will have to look more closely into composting the leaves. :) Happy holidays to you and yours! :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Mary! Leaves really do make great compost, not to mention mulch. Happy Holidays to you and yours too!

[@mumbaibalconygardenerhobbies]

OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening​ . This was an amazing and funny video with a wonderful visitor! When I started uploading my videos a few months ago I looked up tutorials and one of them asked this- why do you want to make a you tube video? Does your video bring any value to its viewers? Well your videos bring ALOT of value to all of the online gardening community! Thank you!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thank you, Mumbai Balcony Gardener ! That is very kind of you to say! I'm glad you enjoyed Oscar's appearance. He shows up almost every time I turn on the camera. ;-)

[@jimsmij]

Nice job, once again, Patrick. Keep up the good work.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Jim!

[@TheWholesomeGardener]

I could watch your videos all day! Thank you Patrick & Oscar!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks! That's very nice of you to say.

[@antoinettewood804]

Your videos are so informative. My favorite!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Antoinette!

[@stelebar]

i always appreciate your clear presentation of information

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, stelebar !

[@raymondj8768]

those cherry tomatoes look great so did the black rich compost great job !

[@donpettinger885]

I always wondered why it was so quite and peaceful in your yard . Now we know... :) Love your videos.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Don! Fortunately, that construction project is over, so it's much more quite now. :D

[@FesterWerks]

Great video! I'd say it will be quite helpful for many (like me :) ). Love seeing the kitty too. When I narrate videos it seems to allow for easier editing and makes it easier to make sure I get my point across. If I flub it or mis-time it, I can always edit, re-write or re-cut it without worrying about matching the background sounds. The rockdust/biochar was most helpful, as I have crap for soil in the raised beds right now.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, FesterWerks ! Oscar is a great little gardening companion. You make a great point about narrating simplifying video production. That's another excellent reason. I highly recommend collecting leaves for mulch and compost. They're full of trace minerals and hold up very well in a mineral by mineral comparison with rock dust.

[@elysejoseph]

Sorry to be so late Patrick, been so busy with Christmas, my mail box is literally exploding with notifications of my friends videos!!! Hope you had a great Christmas and wish you, Karen and Oscar all the best for the upcoming year!

[@OneYardRevolution]

No worries, Elise! Thanks so much for watching, and Happy New Year to you and your family.

[@MegaBuckBuck1]

Really enjoy all your videos, thank you.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, MegaBuckBuck1 !

[@RainbowGardens]

Thanks Patrick!

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're welcome, Donna!

[@dedave123]

Love your videos, voice and tone. As good as you are in gardening, you deserve a larger lot. Are you planning, at some point, to move to a house with a bigger back yard? Thanks again for all the helpful tips.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Dave! We're not planning to move in the near future but a larger garden would be fun.

[@mikeross4]

Patrick, your views on Rockdust are interesting as here in England the majority of people who grow vegetables for exhibitions or competitions swear by Rockdust but the scientific research and trials that have been carried out on it have shown that it has no benefit - or harm.

[@MrMac5150]

You do make quality videos. Happy Holidays Pat.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, MrMac5150 ! Happy Holidays to you as well!

[@MarkusBurrer]

I make now Bokashi with Biochar and at the same time compost from leafs and wood mixed with rock dust. I will mix this later to the soil. I hope this will give anything my plants need

[@stewiepid4385]

@2:33 We have Puss! Now I know this gardener is for real! Hello from Michigan.

[@sherthom5672]

The noise in my garden is endless lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Rather than mowing all at the same time, my neighborhood has opted for the one-at-a time, sequential option, so the weekend is never "too quiet".

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

I know jay sequence. Or the one person who starts and stops so often it takes them an hour !!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Sher Thom I know exactly what you mean, Sher - lawn mowers, leaf blowers, garbage trucks, construction, tree removal, music, etc. There are many perks to living in a city, but I would definitely enjoy more peace and quiet.

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

Every time I am in the country the silence is so nice !

[@AlbertaUrbanGarden]

The country would be so nice :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

bo ter berg If only I could forget... if only I could... ;-)

[@Albopepper]

Oh man! The background noise. Thank-you!!! It's such an irritating dilemma. In our busy lives, we only get so much time to make videos. Then when we have time, the weather may be bad or just simply the outdoor lighting is poor. Then once that perfect situation presents itself, the neighbors decide to be as noisy & irritating as possible! ugh! Yeah, sometimes I just have to do the narrating. Not always, but sometimes you just gotta!

[@OneYardRevolution]

+AlboPepper What I do now is keep my individual talking-to-the-camera segments short enough that I can usually get through them after a few tries. But, yeah, the disruptions are a huge challenge.

[@MeanOldLady]

+AlboPepper - I hear ya. 2 neighbors having a constant bark-off back & forth with their dogs on the front end & the weird guy raising fighting roosters at the back end! Argh! =P Fortunately the neighbors on the sides are quiet & agreeable.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+M Halvaresh I know the feeling! ;-)

[@bettythompson246]

AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening iî

[@kevinbradleygardeningandou9767]

Hi Patrick, have a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Kevin Bradley Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too, Kevin!

[@TheAbledGardener]

Patrick, the noises on your earlier videos was hilarious, that is my backyard to a tee. Then trying to edit out all the noise leaves you with a video that just looks crazy. Thanks for giving me a great laugh. Voice over is the way to go ;-)

[@OneYardRevolution]

***** Thanks, Kim! It sounds like you know exactly what I'm talking about. Going forward, I hope to have a good blend of talking directly to the audience and voice overs. As long as I keep the segments relatively short, I can usually get them done without interruption.

[@TheAbledGardener]

OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening I understand, I try and keep them sort also, but I find it hard to speak in general terms, I feel the need to explain everything (it runs in the family to explain everything, usually with talking and drawing diagrams) lol. Your videos are very well done and I hope to get close to that point at some time. Take care and Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@OneYardRevolution]

***** Merry Christmas to you too, Kim!

[@gardeninginnorway478]

Man, I would have gone mad surrounded with that noise, haha.. I understand well why you narrate your vids. Nice update by the way! All the best, Halvor.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Gardening in Norway Thanks, Halvor! Fortunately, we have quiet times in the garden too - just not as often as we'd like ;-( It's definitely not as quiet as where you live!

[@suburbanhomestead]

I completely get why you narrate, I've got the same problem, patrick. :-) (besides it is one less thing to worry about while shooting a scene)

[@OneYardRevolution]

I couldn't agree more. Now I'm trying to move more to a blend of talking to the audience and narrating. I've noticed you have done the same. I think it's a good balance, and if I keep the "live talking" parts relatively short, I can usually get them in without interruption.

[@suburbanhomestead]

That is a recipe for success

[@simplifygardening]

Maybe I should think about doing more narration as it does take the stress off and the 15 takes for a scene it sometimes takes lol, Patrick nails it every time

[@meehan302]

That is great and beautiful compost. Have a pleasant Christmas and a peaceful New Year Best wishes. Patrick.

[@SagittariusWoman912]

I love how you cluster different plants together. I thought you had to plant like plants together.

[@OneYardRevolution]

+Cassandra Reid Thanks! Planting a wide variety of plants together helps reduce pest damage, because pests have a harder time finding their intended target.

[@shadyman6346]

You are a great teacher. I have learned so much from your videos. Thanks, all the way from the South!

[@Stiller.Permaculture]

Argggg, the noise! I dealt with the same problems on the one acre city lot I had. Now on sixteen noise-free acres I can work in peace. Thank goodness!

[@OneYardRevolution]

That sounds great! I'd love to eventually move to the country.

[@ReSprout]

I have a garden channel, too, and I LAUGHED AT LOUD when you showed the clips from your yard. This is a FOR REAL problem! I garden in the front yard, near a busy road and I still have not figured out how to talk to the camera out there without the sound of ambulances, leaf blowers, trash trucks, and whooshing cars, destroying a clip. Love your trick with overlaying the peaceful sounds! (Also, I will be skipping the leaf shredder purchase which I've been considering.)

[@edwinreffell6201]

i do not use rock dust. but do use biochar, not much because i like to make my own in small amounts at the allotment. it is fun. the soil i have is clay and silt. it is quite rich but i am unsure how much microbes there are in it. since it has no need of anything to increase the amount of water it retains i got a littlle worried about adding biochar, my soil is very hard work to dig so i intend to add lots of leaves and compost, layers of cardboard and newspaper, coffee grounds, ash, and if i can find the right type some sand. in a word anything that is good and free. it can take whatever time it needs but this year i have covered my compost with straw mats I found and cut to size. so it ought to stay warmer than previous winters. we are not allowed to have plastic round anything over winter as it gets shredded to bits and spread over the whole area or becomes an extra addition to your allotment soil. if i find any more straw mats i shall cover the sides of my wooden compost bin with them. i think that would give both warmth and air and would be what i consider optimal. in my flat i have a very small worm compost from which i hope to finally get worm droppings. as time goes on i hope the compost worms will multiply so i can use up my kitchen scraps. it is fascinating. the trouble is i have been poorly most of this year and am too far behind with everything. if it were August and not the latter part of December there would be a good chance of getting everything done. now i must lie down as i still have to struggle with a bad cold so my stomach at times feels terrible so i get too little sleep and am very tired.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Edwin Reffell Hi Edwin. I like the approach your are taking with your allotment soil. Leaves will work wonders over time to soften and loosen the soil. I hope you feel better very soon, and best wishes with your garden next year.

[@naturallivingdesigns2383]

There is no other way to put it Patrick...I LOVE your videos!(-:

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Eco Oasis! I love what you guys are doing too.

[@RobsAquaponics]

Luckily our neighbours are a fairly quiet mob.. One neighbours dog loves to stick his head over the fence & have a "chat" to me while filming now :-D Cheers Patrick & all the best..

[@suburbanhomestead]

Apparently Everything is friendlier where you live Rob. (Or maybe it is you :-0

[@OneYardRevolution]

You're a lucky man, Rob! Our neighborhood used to be very quiet, even serene, but it has gotten noisier in recent years. Say hi to your neighbor the next time he "chats" with you over the fence. ;-) Cheers!

[@McDowallManor]

It's because you live in a place where people are scarred to draw attention to themselves or their property mate. Too many hoodlums. LOL.

[@OneYardRevolution]

McDowall Manor The hoodlums here are even more noisy!

[@McDowallManor]

OneYardRevolution | Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening All those Urban Terrorists with their leaf blowers, electric saws, lawn mowers....

[@GottabKD777]

Awesome. I’ve been sceptical about rock dust.

[@jackmustang8705]

Great videos please keep them coming... I bet your glad the construction noise is gone as well!

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, Jack! I'm glad they're done next door, but now they're doing construction 2 doors down! Eventually, it'll quiet down.

[@edwinreffell6201]

thank you, your youtube channel is among the favourites i have recommended on my homepage which is all about our allotment society here in the beautiful but vandalised and therefore notorious immigrant suburb of Husby and consequently in Swedish. having access to about 60 or more cultures here i do not need to travel which suits me fine now that i am retired. it also means i get given seeds for all sorts of exotic plants which nevertheless can be grown and some even thrive here where it was +4 C at Midsummer this year and dark and gloomy when our summer should be at its brightest. our normal June weather came in mid September instead and instead of around minus 10 C we had over +3 C until last week, i.e. into the later half of December. we had a very mild winter last year too. perhaps that is why June 2014 was the coldest for 50 years and the summer months on the whole were a catastrophe. i fear therefore for next year's summer too. i do not mind mild winters but do not like it when spring is too warm for my summer stock to form buds -they did so in September- and July was so hot most of the seedlings that had survived June shrivelled and died. one of the things I need done is installing Venetian blinds on my glazed balcony which faces south. the outside weather was even above 20 C in the spring up to 26 C followed by a high of 13 C the next day, steadily going down to 4 C at midsummer followed by up to 32 C in the shade in July which meant over 40 C in the shade on my glazed balcony. it boggles the mind.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thank you for your kind feedback, Edwin Reffell ! Our weather has been crazy too. Last winter was one of our coldest on record, while the winter before was very mild. So far this December has been on the warm side. Sadly, I think erratic weather will be the norm going forward.

[@markdraeger4721]

Just wanted to add my opinion, the main reason for using charcoal/ biochar is to minimize the relaese of carbon into the atmosphere and keep the carbon in the ground with the biochar and it also holds nutrients and minerals for a long time for a slow release just my opinion and the rock dust is good for soil that lacks enough minerals but like you said most of us that do Garden and use compost have plenty of minerals already thanks for the video keep them coming

[@sergeantklein6026]

It’s too dry in New Mexico so shredding is a must In my hot tumbler I’m usually rushing so I suck them up through the yard vacuum/blower and it’s enough

[@kirkjohnson9353]

I have trouble with noise my garden at times too. So one of my garden tools is Bose noise cancelling headphones with an mp3 player loaded with music and lectures.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Great solution, Kirk!

[@rhythmriderful]

High rainfall Fiji. We really need to keep the nutrients from leaching out. Besides bio char we make from the jungle slash, we have been blessed with a endless supply of feather rock washing up onto our shores from a Vanuatu volcano. It mixes naturally with seaweed where it naturally composts at the high water line where the rain washes out the excess salt.

[@HealthyLifeFarm]

Totally awesome video Patrick! I must have been on vacation when you posted this one. Your compost looks so rich. We have so many pine needles here instead of leaves and they don't decompose like leaves. We did have a few oak trees fall that we can maybe get wood chips for next year. Anyways, love all your videos and I can understand the noise. I think airplanes use our house to line up for landing. (LOL) Happy New Year! :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, lovers4healthylife ! I hope you had a great vacation! I think a lot of people can relate to the noise. ;-( Happy New Year!

[@bobbrawley2612]

I noticed from a tape recording I made out in a large expanse of a lawn that the microphone was picking ou bird calls loud and clear from 100 yards away. So in your beautiful garden your recording picks up the backup alarm as though the truck is backing up to the garden yet the truck could of been 600 feet away

[@troyb4533]

While I like growing your greens channel, I really enjoy your approach to gardening.

[@GrowandMow]

Nice video. Good explanation. That noise was terrible. Sounds like your right next to a construction site. Hopefully they will get whatever they are building done and it can quiet down some.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, gardening4fun ! Yeah, the neighbors rehabbed their entire home. Fortunately, the works is mostly done now!

[@debbiehenri7170]

Ha, yes, well I live in as rural a place as can be - and yet there are tractors, farm animals, quad bikes, chainsaws, guns, an engineer hubby working in his shed, and RAF jets zooming close overhead - sometimes very close. You'd never get a word in some days. With regard to your reason not to shred leaves, I don't bother any more either - but for a reason different from composting. Winters have suddenly become quite a bit drier and somewhat windier here in the last 2-3 years, and the great thing about putting a thick mulch of whole decaying leaves over borders, etc - they let the rain percolate through, but the leafy layers don't let that moisture evaporate quite so quickly as when finely shredded. Plus there's the time, the effort, and the fact you are paying for a machine to use energy. There's plenty of other jobs in the garden to spend time on!

[@przybyla420]

It’s a bit impatient if you ask me. I was trying to make compost for a ton of young trees but now I simply mulch them deeply. It turns to duff, and I only have to move it once. And they are deep mulched over winter this way. Smarter not harder. It has gotten much drier and windier here in winter (western Oregon 🇺🇸) too. The story is the winds have changed from the CO2. I think we’re drying up all over. We still have the same average rainfall, it just comes in a dozen storms and rains like Kansas (I grew up here and it never rained like it does now, ever). But with the dry air and wind in summer, our evaporation to rain ratio has changed dramatically, and as I said, the rain comes rapidly so a lot floods away instead of percolating.

[@yes350yes]

Good idea since I dont really have a good way to shred leaves and its a pain anyway I will follow your lead. I do the same start my pile usually in Nov. and let it work till spring. Appears you have all the leaves you need at your disposal, but I usually just go to our small town park and rake up a couple large bags and they dont care that I do that.

[@yes350yes]

This past winter I had my pretty close to 3x3' turning it thruout the winter and I was afraid it wouldnt finish but by the time spring came the pile had cooked down to a nice crumbly smaller pile so I know it was finished. I could only get the heat up to 130 F. at the highest and could never get it back there again.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks! Yeah, whole leaves will take a little longer to break down, but it doesn't really matter if you're not in a hurry. I didn't even try to get the pile I built last fall cooking and the compost was finished by June.

[@CountToBen]

I shredded leaves my last year but it was a decent amount of work. My method now is making a large leaf pile in the fall and innoculate it with composting worms and cover it with plastic. The worms shred the leaves for me.

[@OneYardRevolution]

CountToBen That's great! We rely on worms to shred the leaves we use for mulch. They also move into the hot compost piles after they cool down.

[@markogilvie969]

I was intrigued by your practice of covering the compost bin with plastic sheeting. Obviously a great way to capture solar warmth, but you miss out on rainfall unless you remove the plastic cover once in a while. So how do you keep the pile moist?

[@luckyb3859]

Shredding makes the bin hold more. I only shred when the equipment I use shreds, such as the leaf vac or mulching mower with a bag. I rake on some days when that's the best pick up method. I use a leaf blower until the pile is large enough to deposit in the old trash can. I have used a string trimmer inside an old trash can to reduce the bulk, but I attempt to bury them in the garden beds in a timely fashion, weather permitting. Skip the string trimmer inside the can step, if possible. Yesterday, the bin was smoking hot under a 5 ft bin height in less than 10 days time and I thought they might ignite!

[@countryrose763]

Do you water the leaves. Mine didnt decompose in my bin!

[@crazysquirrel9425]

I used double shredded and unshredded leaves for a stable longer mix. I place them in black plastic bags, toss in some water and used coffee grounds, loosely tie the bags, and let them sit outside all winter in the sun. For faster breakdown you can use sugar water. Biochar is best intended to be a permanent home for soil bacteria. It does hold nutrients and minerals but if the existing soils is ok, it would be of little benefit. What usually causes mineral loss is not adding in fall leaves or comfrey tea. And planting over and over in the same spots. Maple leases are the gold standard for composting leaves! Walnut the very worst. Oak is slow to break down (lasts longer). Comfrey is the gold standard for minerals and activation. Just be 100% certain where you plant it. Very hard to get rid of it. VERY hard. 2 years after planting it, you can harvest the leaves about 3 times a season, maybe 4 if the plant it there longer. The roots can go as deep as 12 FEET bringing up minerals. And a tiny piece of the root can grow another plant. So do not rototiller it or you will have loads of them. I plan on making charcoal out of wood this winter and soaking it in comfrey tea I am making. Then mist in the soil in the spring. Tired of one bushel of tomatoes out of 17 plants Grrr....

[@wildchookMaryP]

I love your leaf compost. I wish I have tons of leaves for my garden. I have one tree in my yard and the leaves are not like the ones you lot have over there. I also love how you narrate your videos, you speak very well and the information you shared is nice and clear. I am not a confident speaker and words can sound wrong LOL, on my first video, it sounded like I said strippers instead of drippers. I understand about the noise especially if you want to do a video as I live off a busy road. Merry Christmas!!! Cheers!!! :)

[@OneYardRevolution]

***** Thanks, Mary! I really appreciate your supportive feedback. I have to concentrate on speaking clearly too. My wife always complains that I mumble, and she's right. Making videos has really helped me to speak more confidently and clearly. Merry Christmas!

[@donbirkholz6842]

I use several truckloads of leaves and it is easier for me to shred and till the leaves into the soil. For mulch around the trees, I do not shred the leaves.

[@MrChip123472]

Wow that's a great idea on how to film when combatting noise. I have the same issues being in an urban area as well. I'm starting to doubt the value in rock dust as well. I have two big bags of it I bought last summer and now I'm just happy that I didn't have to invest a ton of money into it. I'll still experiment with it, but I'm not going to use it on my whole garden.

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks, MrChipGardener ! Yeah, swapping in some audio with birds chirping can really save an otherwise good clip! As I mentioned in the video, leaves have a good amount of trace minerals and compare very well with rock dust. And they're FREE!

[@vanhalenps4]

Hi what kind of tomato plant is that at 2:25? It's amazing

[@OneYardRevolution]

Thanks! Those are Sweet Million Cherry Tomatoes.