Amazing Growth! But Why This Year?

[@user-ge6cn9oq3g]

Congratulations Mr. RED for your abundant harvest, 丰收, which means 'good harvest', is the most primative and joyful happyness since our first farming ancestries. In China, we literaly stick 五谷丰登(good harvest for the five prime grains) calligraphy papers on doors or containers of food, it's the ultimate wish of all peasants, so I'm really glad that your hard and thoughtful work paid back. Since about april last year, I became absessed with veg-garden, I almost watched every post of every big name gardening KZbinrs, and your channel is one of my faverite, and you are my career model for the rest of my life, I'm 40 now, when I done with my current investing project, I will start a RED garden in China. I noticed that you posted less content recently, I was worried about something might happened in your life, although I really want to watch more of you videos, I can toally understand, cause I know life is hard and full of surprises, and I wished all the best for you. Then I learnt that it's because you spent more time with gardening rather than video making, I feel relieved. Just do whatever you want to do Mr. RED, feel no pressure from 'keep the channel running', I can imagine the burden of chores of planning, logging, filming , analysing, copywriting and editing, If you just like to enjoy the pure pleasure of gardening itself, it's totally understandable. Thank you very much Mr.RED❤

[@REDGardens]

That is so cool, and really great to know that you appreciate my videos so much. I hope you do start that project!! Life has been good. And I did enjoy focusing on the gardens. But not making videos was bothering me. That kind of sharing is the whole reason for doing this project. So I am glad to be back at it.

[@bonniepoole1095]

Holy Mackeral! Your gardens are gorgeous! Congratulations on a wonderful reward for all your work!

[@REDGardens]

Thank you! They really are beautiful this year, which was the main reason I wanted to do this video, to show them off! 😁

[@REDGardens]

Thanks! 😁

[@flechelthibaud3387]

I couldn't Say it any better! 😁

[@RoyHolder]

You show a lot of experience knowing how many valuable studies I've seen you publish. Thank you for all your valuable insights, Cheers from South Australia!

[@REDGardens]

🙂thanks!

[@superjake01251]

Glad to hear you're having a good growing season so far. I just wanted to say, I've been watching your channel since you started, way back in 2016. I was 14 at the time and just had a small 1000 sq ft garden in our front yard, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Fast forward to now, and I'm still watching your channel and fascinating experiments, and I'm now running a 3 acre total market garden here in Missouri, USA. Time flies!! Thanks for another interesting video.

[@REDGardens]

Wow, that is so cool, and impressive. Running an operation so big at such a young age, congratulations! Glad that my videos may have been a small part of that journey, that made my morning 😊 I have always thought that the best route to becoming a market gardener is to start with your own vegetable patch for a few years, so that you can really get to know vegetable plants, you climate and ecosystem, and so many of issues and observation skills that are essentially the same regardless of the scale, and build from there. Best of luck with your future growing!

[@titanlurch]

It's good to see you again. I think your approach to soil amending is great . Personally I use granulated chicken shit as my main source of fertility along with home made compost. It is a small garden compared to yours. Have you considered becoming a school for people who are interested in market gardening much like J.M. did here in Quebec?

[@REDGardens]

J.M. does great work, and he has a lot of experience of being an actual market gardener. In my case I am just experimenting and trying things, usually at a much smaller scale, and less optimised than what would be needed in a market garden context. So I don't think I have the experience to teach market gardening, but I would be interested in doing more courses for people who what to grow their own food. I am hoping to start those next year. Of course, a lot of the information and skills are the same, and there woudl be a lot of potential cross over. I like the idea of getting loads of people to grow a lot of their own food, as I think doing that successfully for a number of years is one of the best training and starting point for some people to transition int being a market gardener.

[@user-ge6cn9oq3g]

@@REDGardens There are two words in 'market gardening', JM focused on both of them, Mr. RED and most fever gardening lovers, including me, focused on the latter one. But if you want to make a living on selling crops, which I'm planning to do in the future, you have to understand the 'marketing' part, so I forced myself watched a lot videos of JM and Curtis Stone😄

[@user-qr9db5nj5u]

Your ongoing use of compost and compost tea/extract looks to have hasten your path to a soil that is now regenerative. The lack of pest and disease is the hallmark of this progression. Feeding the soil biology has enabled the soil to become the buffer to the majority of variables that impact the success of plant growth. Congratulations on such a fantastic achievement, have loved watching you learn and pass on your knowledge- well done.

[@REDGardens]

Thank you. Glad you like watching my videos and progress. 😁 Definitely something interesting happening within that soil!

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

Brilliant - congrats Bruce

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@BalticHomesteaders]

I’ve had a mixed year with some abundant growth in a new garden and some disappointing growth in the main garden. I’ve learnt 2 things, one which should have been more obvious but only the unusual weather highlighted it and the other was a pleasant ‘side effect’. Having switched to liquid feed for my plants this year on our relatively sandy soil the benefits of quick access were literally washed away by the unusually wet summer weather we have had. I simply couldn’t keep up with replenishment, just last week Latvia had its worst rainfall storm in 80 odd years and it hasn’t abated. I’ll have to do something about getting more compost into the ground but the only sources really here are what I can make or peat based. The more positive change was having a silage tarp down on a new garden for next year also covered the potato beds and by only removing that part right before we sowed the potatoes the weeds have been nearly totally kept at bay and the potato plants have thrived, of course we’ll have to wait until harvest to see the proof. Love the idea of the reminder and notes system, I am fairly system driven but have relied on a spreadsheet which relies on me looking at it!

[@REDGardens]

Wow, with that much rain it really would be touch to keep up with liquid feeding! Hope you get some form of suitable soil building carbon, it does make a difference. The reminder app has been a real 'game changer' for me, and not just in the gardens!

[@jamesloop]

The plants have a great grower. You’ve got some great methods. I’ve learned a lot from your videos ❤

[@REDGardens]

Glad you have learned a lot from my explorations, that makes it all worthwhile 😁

[@insidethegardenwall22]

Not here in the PNW, we’ve very slow growth until recently mainly because nighttime temperatures stayed low. But one big blessing (not related) is that no rodents as far as I can tell. I’d take the peace of lesser pest pressure over abundance anytime!

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, sometimes we need to appreciate the benefits, even if it is tough in other ways!

[@vinnybeedle1728]

im getting the opposite in Seattle. yes it stayed colder but the garden didnt mind much. rodents have eaten half my beets though.

[@andrewomalley2688]

Good to hear the season is treating you well. We look forward to seeing how the numbers shake out once things are harvested.

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, I was looking at that potato crop, and wondering how big the harvest will be!

[@Ipadstands]

Wow ! Thanks for sharing your awesome garden !

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@opperhoofdgeilebizon]

Doing great, enjoy that feedback the garden is giving you 👌

[@tonisee2]

I am shocked - you have pea trees 😲 Great work and all the best for continuing!

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, they are very tall!!

[@klausnielsen1537]

Indeed they are! I would love to grow similar tall pea beds! Not jealous, but impressed😊

[@minisarefuntopaint]

@@klausnielsen1537 If you want lots of peas from tall productive plants, buy tall varieties that need trellising. Avoid the bush varieties; those stay short. Some of my tall variety get taller than me, and I don't really support them as well as I should. They tend to fall over in high winds. Produce lots of nice big snap peas, though, very tasty.

[@joefization]

Wow! I sure would love growth like that in my garden here in Colorado. Thank you for the education and inspiration!

[@REDGardens]

😊

[@ImGlyn]

Congratulations on a wonderful result for this season from a regular viewer in Melbourne, Australia 👍

[@REDGardens]

Thank you very much! So cool to have people from so far away interested in my explorations.

[@vivienhodgson3299]

I live in central France, and despite the storms in the north and northwest, the blizzards in the east, and the heatwaves in the south, we generally manage to avoid all the weather extremes. I freely admit I am NOT a good gardener, but oddly enough, I've also had incredible crops of almost everything this year. My raspberries were more abundant than usual, and I was frankly sick of strawberries before they were finished! The podding beans and the cherry tomatoes are absolutely laden, and the Worcester apple tree we planted here 20 years ago, which has never produced more than a handful of poor apples, has produced an enormous, extremely early crop. There's something really weird going on with the weather this year, and we definitely haven't had the level of rainfall that Ireland seems to get!

[@REDGardens]

Wow, sounds like just the right combination of conditions to help everything grow so well.

[@charlespalmer3595]

Hallelujah brother! Setting up a nagging calendar made a big difference in my garden as well. I set up my planting schedule with notes like soil temps, etc.. as an annual recurring schedule. What a time saver! I'm so glad to see you using "municipal compost" as the brown ingredient that it IS to make your compost with. I'd say that is the main reason for this years success.

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

Doubtful - given all the tests Bruce has done on the fertility of municipal compost

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, that is a good way of putting it, using the municipal compost as the 'brown ingredient', and adding in all the other stuff.

[@mysticmoontree]

Really appreciate your videos. Its always helpful to see what someone is succeeding with compared to what I'm doing. I am having a lot of success this year too, but man are we struggling with the high temps & labor involved to water everything & we have had an excessive number of strange pests hatch out in droves that I am not used to. I think we need to invest in netting & deffinitely need to get more of our watering automated. We just added pigs to the farm & they are a lot of work, but I am very happy with the results from mixing their maneur in with the chickens'. Don't ever sacrifice your wellbeing or your garden's for a youtube video. We are happy to enjoy your posts when you are able 😊.

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, the automated watering infrastructure and netting have been huge help for my gardens. I have found that the netting makes a huge difference for a lot of the crops, especially the brassicas. Thanks for the comment about wellbeing. I forget that sometimes 😊

[@alieabele7256]

Even though I live and grow in a wildly different climate, the mindset, critical thinking, and inspiration displayed here is wonderfully generalizable.

[@REDGardens]

Thank you! 😁 That has been the best part of having this channel, realising that people around the world, in very different places, can get something out of my explorations and videos.

[@jochalder-royle9130]

Loved the spider/slug video. Has answered some questions for us !! 🤣🤣. I think growing is cyclical…. but in an upward spiral kind of direction, our efforts in conjunction with the weather. Do your best and take the wins, most of the time it will work out.

[@REDGardens]

That is a good way of putting it.

[@iamthatgaby]

I would super appreciate a video on how exactly you use the reminders app

[@REDGardens]

Ok, I'll think about that.

[@pilsplease7561]

2024 has been the first real heavy pest year. I have never had to use much organic insecticides untill this year, got hit with the worst aphid infestation ever this year absolutely nuked a lot of my veggies, same with some earwhigs. I can still plant crops as I have a mild winter so im hoping my winter gardening goes better this year, may put in more cabbages again this fall.

[@flechelthibaud3387]

Congratulation for this Amazing garden and thanks for sharing your experiments. I love the way you organise your work, it's very impressive...kuddos for your work, both in thé garden and on the project.

[@REDGardens]

Thank you! 😊

[@vangal609]

Great video. Love how you amended the lower quality composr... which is what I get as well. Thank you for the great idea!!

[@REDGardens]

It seemed to really work for me. Hope you have success with it.

[@woodchipgardens9084]

There has been an abundance of forest fires in the US and Canada as usual, July was very hot east of San Francisco and my kale looks like its in spring time condition due to increased fish and urine input, I was growing giant strawberries until July came along, I did very well with basil in deep woodchips with constant 96 degree temps and strawberry babies did ok in the same medium with no fertilizer, I piled about 12 inches of dry redwood chips on top of woodchip compost in a raised bed, with enough moisture woodchips can grow anything.

[@REDGardens]

Such different growing conditions and weather to what I have to deal with. And woodchip is hard to find over here, I wish I could get a lot more to experiment with.

[@happyhobbit8450]

Thank you for the update! As you become a better gardener it is reflected in a better garden. I'm trying to think of ways to give my future self a gift. I recently put the quick connects on most of my hoses it's so much easier then walking to the shut off at the other end of the hose or hoses. I also strapped the sprinkler to the laser level tripod so it's easy to move. Inspired to get the soot off the leaves/foliage from the fire down the valley. We drove past the area, about 30 km from us, about 7:30 Wednesday morning. When we came back from Calgary, AB about 8:30 pm we could see the flames but the fire was on the other side of the Columbia river. Later that night the wind picked up ... in the morning (7) it was raining leaving soot everywhere. I spent the next couple days hosing down the plants and trailers and vehicles etc. The soot will be good for the soil but I think it would block the photosynthesis. The flame is out on the fire but it's smouldering pretty good. It's not a threat but keeps you aware of natures power. Our power was out for 9 hours then too so figuring alternative power is challenging -- I need a lot more preparation in that area like generators and extension cords, inverters and what appliances they will run. I live on 6.17 acres on the west side of the Rockies, BC ... facing the island mountain called Jubilee -- they also called it Sleeping Bear. The wet lands and Columbia river are between us and Jubilee with the Purcells on the other side. This is truly God's country and I'm trying evolve with it.

[@REDGardens]

"Giving my future self a gift" is such a wonderful way of putting it. I am going to steal that!! I have not been to that part of Canada, yet. It soulds beautiful, but those fires look horrible!

[@martinsedlak1498]

Same here in Czech republic, the peas were most vigorous I have ever seen (I am gardening for 3 years). Onions were really good. But most of the garden is getting overun by weeds, which are also growing more than usual.

[@REDGardens]

I think you can tell a good growing conditions - a combination of fertility, good soil conditions, enough water and good weather - by how well the weeds are growing. They will always grow better than most crops.

[@howdy9433]

another banger of a video 👍

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@Thuy_Dailylife]

Hello ❤❤All I can say is great, thank you for connecting, always supporting you. Thank you so much

[@REDGardens]

😊

[@kimmyj1512]

So happy to see you again. Congratulations on your amazing garden abundance 🎉

[@REDGardens]

Thank you 😊

[@kimmyj1512]

@@REDGardens could you receive interns or other learners and visitors?

[@tahliel]

The garden looks amazing, and thank you for another thoughtful video. Im curious to see if you will hit 'peak garden' and what that looks like. Perfect soil, perfect water, perfect crop choice, perfect weather, perfect management. There must be a point where the plants have reached max potential, right?

[@REDGardens]

Yes, I have thought of something similar, but not used that 'peak garden' phrase, so thanks for that! What would 'peak garden' look like? How close to that theoretical potential are these gardens, for this soil and climate? Now you got me thinking of how other complex systems seem to work, where there each step closer to that 'peak' gets harder and harder, that precise fine tuning to get that little bit extra, and possibly not worth the effort. If that is the case, if these gardens got a major boost from some simple and fairly blunt changes, then they are a long way from that 'peak', which is exciting! Wow, thanks for the new way of looking at all this!

[@notforwantoftrying1]

2:24 it's not all about temperature, we had very low levels of sunlight this year in the UK with basically nothing but 100% overcast skies for about 5 months straight. Even today, we had a storm in the evening that made it appear as dark as sunset at 1800. No sunlight, no photosynthesis.

[@REDGardens]

Good point. I would love to know how much sunlight is actually needed for these plants, or when the lack of it becomes the key limiting factor restricting growth.

[@writethisthat3613]

great video!

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@nefraial]

It'll be interesting to see if the next few years done with the same adjustments will be just as good or if this simply is just a lucky season.

[@REDGardens]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@GardeningandMyDailyLife]

Những cây đậu hà Lan cho rất nhiều trái ,thật tuyệt vời .

[@REDGardens]

Yes, it is!

[@kendo2377]

I live in southern central Texas and I had an overabundance of green growth this year. I wrote it off as maybe my soil biology ramping up nitrogen from the KNF techniques I've been implementing over the last six growing seasons. I've had slightly above average rainfall and warmer nights so you may be right about the weather.

[@REDGardens]

It is probably a combination of things. I would love to figure out how much the overnight temperature increases can benefit plant growth.

[@user-cg7vz3sy3f]

Appreciate your efforts with the videos, your efforts in the garden are obviously paying dividends your crops are amazing

[@REDGardens]

😊

[@gregbluefinstudios4658]

Quite a lot of little change,s ended up adding up to a much better garden over all! The management/reminder app certainly helped! Better moisture in the soil, better fertility in that compost you brought in then amended... all of it helped. I DEFINITELY love the videos, but I totally understand, something has to give... there are only 24 and a half hours a day (nope, wait... that's Mars - only 24 here on earth!) Thank you for another amazing video

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, I agree, lots of small changes really do add up. The reminder app has been great!

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, I think it all adds up. The app really has been a game changer for me. Thanks!

[@G4r0s]

I am finally finishing building my home and hopefully next year I can focus on gardening, if my mother in law allows me touch her precious garden

[@REDGardens]

Hope you get all the time and permission to grow as much as you want! 😀

[@pilsplease7561]

I am so jealous at how much good compost you can get, the compost where I live is trash and full of plastic and just tends to be not very good, and I just dont have enough material to make my own in any reasonable amounts. I tend to have to buy higher end bagged compost that costs a lot more money because its my only option to get good quality compost thats not tainted with tons of plastics.

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, we are fortunate to have a source of clean compost.

[@tamsinlee6447]

Hi love this, people after my own heart!

[@tamsinlee6447]

Compost, well the local Bulgarians don't seem too! I have only seen one muck spreader in 15 years! Confused, because I live on a patch of alluvial clay (bottom of the valley) and higher up is all red soil clay! Bit like Devon red clay.

[@tamsinlee6447]

I used sawdust in my poultry sheds and keep layering it up all year until a spring clean out. Why? Well, poultry poo high nitrogen, too much really, sawdust robs soil of nitrogen when it rots...so I thought ....mix the two up!

[@tamsinlee6447]

Oh, loads of sawdust as wood burning stoves are the heating of choice here!

[@TheWoodlandOrchard]

You're getting great results. Great information too. Thank you.

[@REDGardens]

🙂

[@izzywizzy2361]

I use that app to organize my life and gardening, I couldn’t do without it!!

[@REDGardens]

I wonder how I ever got anything done in the gardens or in my life without it!

[@mauriciorico216]

Very interesting the reminder app..miss gardening so much.

[@REDGardens]

It has made a big difference for me, and not just in the gardens.

[@jcstatt8698]

This video is so cathartic! It seems to resolve a lot of the "questions" you'd raised in earlier videos. Particularly time/task management and needing high volume nutritious compost. It's very exciting to hear you found harmonious solutions, all while achieving great yields! I love your videos, but if those videos are fewer and further between to let you focus on the garden, I say go for it. I think you're doing some really excellent work with RED Gardens, and I know that when you do come out with a video, it will be quality.

[@REDGardens]

Thank you so much for the comment and suspport 😊 I think you identified a key point, that a few big things seem to have come together this year, or at least I am well on the path to resolving them!

[@Tufarm99]

I am also a gardener in Vietnam❤

[@REDGardens]

😀

[@glassbackdiy3949]

Huge achievement amending the municipal compost into a valuable resource Bruce, Irrigation may have provided more positive benefits then we usually appreciate, if you've not researched REDOX it's well worth your time, Olivier Husson has some mamoth papers which have rounded off my understanding giving me a deep appreciation I was completely missing from soil biology, he also has some presentations on youtube which are much more accessible then his huge papers, it's fundamentally much more inportant then pH, high REDOX is probably the reason you had pathogenic fungus issues on one of your polytunnel crops last year, some aerobic fungi turn pathogenic at high REDOX!! Great to see all your efforts really paying off on the project this year.

[@REDGardens]

Thanks, I feel that accepting it was appropriate, or even necessary, to improve the compsot was a key turning point. I'll have to look into REDOX, thanks.

[@firefly5421]

I was wondering if I had missed a few videos while I've been offline (enjoying and tending to my own garden, hurray!) but it's good to see we're in the same boat - things are going well and the gardens are thriving. While I really enjoy seeing your research come together, I know I appreciate videos more in the quiet part of the year when I have less to do in my own garden. I'm glad that you're finding a stride that suits you and the garden - keep up the great work Sir!

[@REDGardens]

Thank you!

[@REDGardens]

Thank you! Some times I wonder if I should just focus on producing videos from autumn through to late spring. Rather than trying to do it all during a busy season.

[@firefly5421]

@@REDGardens FWIW, I would support that! I know the almighty algorithm may not like it, but I think it kind of suits this area of work. Nevertheless, if you keep on producing in the summer, I just have more to catch up on :)

[@stefflus08]

What I'm seeing with the weather pattern in Southern Norway this year is that it has massively benefitted transplants that got out early into a warm May, but direct sown stuff struggled with drought first and then cool, wet June. This is probably why the farmers are grumbling.

[@REDGardens]

That is interesting. Timing and changing weather seem to have a big impact.

[@DK6060]

Great idea amending the weak compost. Do you add anything to your own compost? I include the amendments that show up as lacking on a soil test.

[@REDGardens]

I use to add more amendments to my own compost but haven't been doing that for a while. I should really start again.

[@user-sm4sf4ff2i]

Cheer~~the process of increasing in physical size.😊

[@Corny80]

How are you handling the iberian slugs? In Denmark our gardens are well and truly inundated with them, people collect them and try do deliver them to public dump sites in large plastic sacks, but are refused as the dumps do not store rotting meat. Now that some fields have been harvested you can see 5-10 slugs pr square meter - all the way into the sunset - its horrific.

[@lisahodges8299]

I had a terrible season in Sligo the slugs were the main culprit. I think it was the warm wet weather. This a is the first year that I have no cucumbers Birdy

[@REDGardens]

Sorry to hear that. Some years there seem to be way to many slugs!

[@llanitedave]

I missed your videos, but I had a feeling that it was because you were busy, which is most likely a good thing. Glad that turned out to be the case!

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, I needed to focus on getting control of the gardens as a solo operator, and with lots of other things going on, I didn't get many videos done. I regret that, but I think it was a useful temporary shift of focus.

[@janericvelure6883]

thank you for sharing, its always intresting, have a couple of bean experiments going this year, inspired by you i belive:) and im a por bugger but i can share that i grew som nice german red rokambole this year, started from bulbilles last spring(2023), i belive its a cheap and god way to get hold of cultivars and multiply your stock, but it sems (to me) a bit forgotten metode in the west, have ben watcing bis pro agro and others from east europe to gets some clues. i think i have 23-25 cultivars of garlic rounds for drying now, and if the rocambole was a indicator of how next seson going to be, then im in for some fun suprises the next years:)

[@REDGardens]

That sounds like an interesting project!

[@nonyadamnbusiness9887]

My guess is that the microbe balance in your soil reached a point that is giving up nutrients to the plants. Soil is one of those natural systems that we don't begin to understand. Every measure I find of microbes in soil comes along with huge margins of error. For instance, somewhere between 10% and 90% of soil microbe species remain undiscovered. So, some years it just seems to click and most attempts to explain it fall short. Of course, your added attention has to be a major factor in getting good results.

[@REDGardens]

That could be part of it, but so much of the evidence points towards simply adding more fertility to the soil.

[@heyy13]

Whatever the reason for your success this year your own behavior is definitely a significant contributor. Excellent video as always.

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@anieti006]

Please can you share the name of the new planning app you are now using? Congratulations!! Amazing looking garden 😊🎉

[@DeadeyeJoe37]

Interesting video! Lots of food for though....literally! :)

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@nekoDan]

Congratulations on the success. Probably a bunch of factors including your years of soil amendments. I agree about the usefulness of the Apple Reminders app. Plus it syncs with your laptop and other devices.

[@REDGardens]

The syncing without laptop is really useful!

[@LOVEisTHEultimateLAW]

love the video ! east canada is bad for me this year, hot humid no rain or dry then too much rain ahah. still having fun 😇

[@REDGardens]

Fluctuations like that can be tough. Glad you are still having fun! 😃

[@kime.7285]

I MUST know what that variety of pea that was! Please share.

[@REDGardens]

it is called 'Ambassador'

[@kime.7285]

Thank you so much! Off to find seeds I go!

[@samuelRi]

Good afternoon, very good, very interesting video. I was researching these days about planting times, days, etc. I would like to know your opinion, perhaps tests, that is, your scientific approach to the subject. Does the moon phase at the time of planting really impact growth and productivity? I have seen some posts on the subject, many people say yes or no, but all based on guesswork. I believe that your approach to the subject will be very interesting. In any case, thank you for the videos.

[@REDGardens]

Thanks 🙂 Planting dates according to the moon phases is not something I have tested, yet. I'd like to say that I am open to trying this out, but I do have to admit a bias against this idea. And with so many other things going on, and the variability of the weather, I rarely am able to stick to the planting and task schedule that I already have. I find I need to be more flexible with things. I do believe that there's likely a small effect, though like many things I have explored, the effect is probably overstated. But I think there are much more important things to focus on in the gardens, including developing soil, adding fertility, weeding, maintaining good soil moisture levels, providing cover and protection for plants, and developing observation and management skills. I think all of these have a much greater impact on the success of a garden, and should be focused on first. Once these are consistently achieved, then I think it is appropriate to explore other refinements, to fine tune things. Before that I fear they distract us from our more important tasks. But, I also think it is important that people should just run with whatever gets them interested and out in the gardens growing food. And if planting dates are one of those things, then go for it.

[@joedecook]

I've often wondering if solar activity can affect growth. With the increased sunspots and solar output, what are your thoughts on it being an additional contribution to all the work you've done?

[@REDGardens]

I don’t know. My instinct is that things like fertility, soil structure, weeding, watering, etc. will always be huge in comparison to any solar impact, but there might still be an impact.

[@happyjohn2035]

Couple of thoughts ocured to me. Are your good results just in your patch or are they the same for your neighbours and your part of Ireland. In the past I have greatly improved municipal compost by introducing compost worms to the stack and leaving it for a year to be converted into castings before applying it to the soil as a mulch.

[@REDGardens]

Good question. There is decent growth overall, including the apple trees in the area which seem to be havign a bumper year. But then some of my neighbours gardens have not really improved much at all, and in my own gardens there is definate difference in the amount of improved growth this year. So, good growing conditions in general, but definitely better in some gardens. Good idea about the compost worms. I'll should try that out.

[@katipohl2431]

Congratulations, this looks really great.

[@REDGardens]

Thanks! 🙂

[@roberthatch2818]

Good 2c u again Massive crop of peas

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@jerrymoore491]

Are you in birr? The midlands got warm weather regardless of the lack of sun.. i bought and used a broadfork at the beginning of the season just as the plants were putting roots deep down into the soil.. i think it was both these reasons that i got beserk growth. More growth than our great summer 2 or 3 years ago

[@jerrymoore491]

I'd love to come visit you're garden aswel sometime if you would have the time for me?

[@REDGardens]

I am near Birr, in Cloughjordan.

[@REDGardens]

Sometimes I am too busy, but I can usually make time for people who make the effort to come to visit the gardens. it is lovely to share them in person. If you do want to visit, it is better to contact me by email (listed in the channel info) than through comments which I don't always see.

[@d0nn13m0n0]

Took me 3 years to give my soil life but now it’s going nuts. Never seen anything like it.

[@REDGardens]

It is amazing when it finally 'pops'!

[@andrewfinnegan797]

Alway awsome video s you do may ask what type of squash or pumpkin you grown this season

[@REDGardens]

Thanks! There are a few kinds, including a large vining variety called 'Crown Prince F1'. I am trying a bunch of more bush varieties this year, imcluding 'Sweet Mama F1', 'Delicata', 'Amoro F1' and 'Harlequin F1', most of which I hhavent grown before.

[@andrewfinnegan797]

@REDGardens nice cant wait to see the harvest and yeilds

[@donalmaddock]

yer playing senior hurling now boy. Beir bua Bruce!

[@REDGardens]

haha!

[@binduliyanage1521]

Sir, may I know the name of the tomato variety you have in the garden please?😊

[@REDGardens]

There are a few varieties there, including 'Ferad', ‘Golden Queen’ and ‘Shirley F1’

[@msjen2245]

My comment may be related. I have been harvesting wild medicinal plants here in the PNW for the past 5 years and I keep marveling at how huge and healthy they are this year. I hate to be suspicious but it seems abnormal. Thoughts? Your garden is gorgeous btw!

[@REDGardens]

I think some seasons in some regions are just bumper years. I forgot to mention in the video that the apple trees around the gardens look like they are going to produce a huge crop!

[@ripaklaus764]

It's because you're a pro gardener now who has mastery over his space :)

[@REDGardens]

😊

[@hughacton5960]

My dream

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@hotmalm]

👌😊

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@aidanomalley8607]

great work, whats the name of the app?

[@REDGardens]

It is just the ‘Reminders’ app that comes default on my iPhone. I am sure there are a lot of other options out there, possibly even better ones.

[@gduck77will20]

motion blur or just me?

[@mysterblue313setstfin9]

W update👍🏾

[@REDGardens]

😁

[@kvikende]

You've done a few videos about biochar but it has been a while since the last time. I was curious if the reason was that results were disappointing?

[@REDGardens]

I just haven't got around to doing a proper trial yet. I hope to every season, but then get too busy.

[@kvikende]

@@REDGardens that's understandable Thank you for making the videos!

[@Somewhereinthedark6067]

What was that new Pea variety please Bruce?

[@REDGardens]

They are the ‘Ambassador’ variety.

[@Somewhereinthedark6067]

@@REDGardens Thank you!

[@michaelmcclafferty3346]

Well done Bruce. I think that you need help in the gardens. You have a lot of expertise and experience to share and mentor. Not sure about this App as it may torment you and take away a lot of the joy of what you do. This advice comes from a lifelong planner , now retired, who can’t stop thinking about three steps in front of him! I got that down to three from five after I retired nine years ago.

[@REDGardens]

Thanks! I use to have regular help in the gardens, but that stopped last autumn. It was great, but I found it difficult managing someone else. As an introvert, I am much better as a solo operator, and happier with a simpler headspace, and I am enjoying being able to do most of the work myself. The app can be a tormenting thing, but I really have benefited from that kind of assistance, just need to keep tweaking how I use it to work better for me. Before using it, I struggled with not being on top of things. For now I am content to replace that frustration of forgetting to do things, with a bit of torment, at least while I am managing such a complicated project! 😁

[@solarcrystal5494]

Another win for record high CO2 levels

[@REDGardens]

I doubt that. An increase from 424ppm to 427ppm CO2 since last year, is not going to be noticeable, or won't produce the change I noticed. If you increased the amount of sugar you added to your morning coffee by 1% each day, you would not notice it being sweeter one day to the next, but after 20-30 days, it would definately be sweeter. If increasing CO2 levels is going to make a change it will be noticeable over decades, not year to year, assuming the other climate change impacts that go along with that increase don't make things worse for the plants.

[@montrealsqueezebox15]

What about increased CO2 levels in atmosphere?

[@REDGardens]

I doubt the annual increase would be noticeable from one year to the next. Going from 424ppm to 427ppm is going to improve things much, if at all when otherclimate related problems are factored in. There could well be a slow and gradul impact in the background on a time scale of decades, but woudl not explain such improvements in one year.

[@alialshamsi4450]

whos chris

[@REDGardens]

Kris is my friend and neighbour who had been working with me in the gardens for a few years.

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

What's happened to this Chris person?

[@REDGardens]

I couldn't afford to pay her, and she got really busy with other things, including her new garden and polytunnel right beside the RED Gardens, whcih are amazing!

[@solarcrystal5494]

The data clearly shows: 1 man alone is more productive than 1 man with a woman trying to help

[@REDGardens]

Wrong! Wtf dude! Sexist comments like that are not appreciated. I am spending more time in the gardens, and growing in less space, so I have more hours to focus on each garden this year, than both of us had in previous years.

[@jf3457]

Corn under a tunnel? Lul

[@REDGardens]

Yep, can’t grow it outside in this climate, so …

[@patrickhannon8372]

Why are you alone ?

[@REDGardens]

Couldn't aford to keep paying Kris, and she got busy with other things, including her own garden and polytunnel.

[@alisonburgess345]

Oh dear - maybe due to elevated levels of CO2 in the atmosphere ??

[@chrisgartenn]

or natural cycles!

[@lordquadrato437]

No, too small of a delta between years.

[@REDGardens]

Doubt that, the increase in CO2 levels from last year to this year is tiny compared to the difference in growth. Nice try though 👎

[@APrettyGoodChannel]

As I understand it CO2 isn't a limiting factor for plant growth. e.g. adding more oxygen wouldn't lead to more humans and animals, it's not the element which is lacking.