A Simple Setup for Washing Salad

Something as simple as washing salad leaves can take up a lot of time as the scale of production increases, and it was important to develop a setup that was appropriate for the current scale of the RED Gardens.
Urban Farmer Curtis Stone - KZbin Channel links
• Breaking Ground with t... Greens Bubbler
• MY BEST SALAD SPINNER ... Salad Spinner
• Harvest to Happiness: ... Harvest Work Station
Help me develop these gardens and make more videos / redgardens
Or use www.paypal.me/... as a simple way to help support this project and the time and energy that goes into making videos. Thanks so much!
/ cjredgardens
/ redgardens
Part of the Cloughjordan Ecovillage, Tipperary, Ireland www.thevillage.ie

[@KWCarothers]

Loved the video, the care, and thoughtfulness that you put into your garden/work.

[@REDGardens]

😊

[@theallnaturalme]

Great idea. Hadn't thought about washing fertility down the kitchen sink!! Also, I love your lowtech salad spinner!

[@REDGardens]

I really like the low tech salad spinner as well - works a treat!

[@Andluth]

Best gardening channel on KZbin!

[@REDGardens]

Excellent! Thanks.

[@s.montfri4924]

I don't know why, but I love this man!

[@REDGardens]

:)

[@peterkoolwijk]

Thank you for another good video. Never realised washing veggies could be an interesting subject. So that's what the little critter is, a baby ladybug. Wondered about that some time...That was usefull information too!

[@REDGardens]

Glad you appreciated the video. As I was making I was thinking to myself that it was going to be really boring, like, who would want to watch a video about washing salad!!! Ladybird larva are so cool!! Such fantastic things to watch go through their lifecycle. And so useful too!

[@SelfhelpVegan]

@@REDGardens a Q cacao as qqq

[@mirandaf2112]

Love your 3 bucket system!

[@REDGardens]

Cool, so do I!

[@Lifegrowsonandon]

@@REDGardensyou need to do a 3 mesh system also

[@MartinMMeiss-mj6li]

Good presentation. I like that you produced a very workable system of washing with nothing fancy, nothing hi-tech, and nothing requiring power, and reusing the water.

[@amandarogers6161]

Just lovely. Also your voice is so calming

[@j.f.french3336]

Wow! Great ideas! Thankyou

[@somehow1294]

very insightful for a very difficult task thanks sir

[@REDGardens]

🙂

[@carolbarnes7520]

I just wish I lived near to your farm so I could buy your salad and veg. You have such a responsible attitude. Carol UK

[@FrancisFenderson]

I appreciate your comments about scale with regards to your current setup. While Curtis and many of the other market gardeners on KZbin are interesting to watch and many of their solutions are quite innovative, they often don’t make sense at a smaller scale. The three bucket solution for washing you’ve presented appears to be a good fit for anywhere between a small suburban home garden up to the multi-plots you’re managing. As always, thank you for sharing your experiences.

[@REDGardens]

Thanks, I appreciate your comment and agree with you. Scale is such an important factor, and its is wonderful to see the innovations that Curtis and others develop at the scale they are working at. I'm that much smaller, and less market driven, so need to develop other solutions.

[@mandlebarhoustache9672]

Your hands look like mine Bruce. Earth stained creases. Be proud of em.

[@REDGardens]

Definitely earth stained, and proud!

[@Bigelowbrook]

Nice job!

[@ichaballer212]

Thank you, very helpful!

[@huder67]

great ideas! excellent channel, very smart.

[@rideswithscissors]

I also use stones, round smooth ones, for areas that get wet so that it doesn't get muddy. They all came out of the ground as I dug my gardens, as there is a layer of smooth river rock under the topsoil here in the Boise Valley. The rocks range in size from minuscule to as big as your head! For heavy use you can first dig a shallow pit and fill that with road mix (crushed gravel and sand) and put the river rock on top. that drains very quickly. I just like the look of the smooth river rock! I built a frame from used lumber and put a porcelain cast iron double basin sink in it for dealing with washing the veggies, and just put a 5 gallon bucket under it, and used that water on the gardens. Water is supplied through a RV (caravan?) grade hose to a tap and a swivel head faucet that does spray or stream. Also great for cleaning up after a barbecue session or outdoor meal! I can just chuck the (biodegradeable) soapy greasy water into the weeds in the "back forty". After I quit gardening for a year (on strike!) I dismantled it, and am now using the frame to screen gravel. I may resurrect the sink set-up if I can figure out where to put it, as my garden configuration has changed. I may have to move a literal ton of bricks!

[@REDGardens]

I do the same with the stones I dig out of the gardens, only they tend to be a lot rougher and sharp. I plan to dig out the full area around where I do the washing/cleaning, and fill it with stones, and provide a drain to down the side of the tunnel (for those times the soil is saturated). An outdoor sink or washing area is really useful. I'm thinking of making one near the back of our house. And using a bucket to collect all the water is a great idea.

[@mandlebarhoustache9672]

I've got a similar set up out back and use it more than any other sink. Mine is gravity fed from rain water resevoir with a solar set up RV pump backup. Yours sounds a measure nicer with the double cast iron porcelain! There is no better garden wash tub out there than that. Cheers.

[@zerogoldfish201]

Thank you for this very practical approach. Besides of the „fertility down the drain“ issue I hate the mess that washing greens creates around my sink. Leaving all the water drops and the dirt particles out in the garden makes much more sense.

[@REDGardens]

I was also relieved to not have that mess in the house, and doing the extra work to flush all the soil and material down the drain. Just doesn't make sense.

[@fxm5715]

I like the mesh spinner idea, even on a smaller scale. I'm thinking one of those mesh bags for running lingerie through the washing machine would be perfect. Pick dinner's veggies into it, then zip it up, dunk and agitate the whole thing in a couple buckets, water the garden with the results. Spin the bag around my head a few times, maybe on a short piece of rope, and then the bag full of clean veggies can be carried into the kitchen for dinner prep. I have to admit that the hand-cranked salad spinner bowl is fun, but keeping the resources in the garden where they are most beneficial has even more appeal.

[@REDGardens]

Yeah, the spinning bag is quite fun to use. I got the idea somewhere a long time ago about using a large tea towel to dry off lettuce if you don't have a salad spinner. One of those mesh bags would definitely work. I'm wondering how much salad you could fit into a mesh spinner before it wrecks my arm, or is too unwieldy.

[@tomoda7602]

6:08 you spin me right round baby right round

[@REDGardens]

lol

[@phatalextran]

i love everything you do . thanhs for the vieo

[@REDGardens]

Ah, thanks!

[@homelife8597]

I really needed this video Bruce. I found myself wasting so much water washing my salads that I felt it was less eco friend than just buying. I wasn’t planning on planting lettuce again this upcoming year, although my lettuce crop was very prolific, but might because of your ideas. Thank you! Btw, you look like a king fu master when spinning your salad. 😂

[@REDGardens]

Glad it was helpful! I hadn't seen that salad spinning in that way, but now that you say it!

[@jimmyfaulkner5746]

This blokes absolutely brilliant . What a great channel

[@REDGardens]

Thanks!

[@shazzam532]

Another brilliant and helpful video, many thanks. Sharon

[@REDGardens]

Thanks Sharon.

[@ThoughtsOnNews]

Excellent info. ☀️ Thank you 🥬

[@REDGardens]

:)

[@islandgyalr]

Thanks for sharing your experiences .. love your videos

[@REDGardens]

Cool. Glad you like them!

[@kellydodge7626]

I love this. I just harvested and thought I washed it well....4 times and just served my family gritty salad.

[@REDGardens]

I hate gritty salad!

[@37mmOHIO]

I'm going to get 3 white buckets tomorrow!

[@sheelaghomalley3292]

A very timely video. I have been planning a washing and spinning system for salad leaves. You have highlighted a few pitfalls and given me such great guidance. Thank you

[@REDGardens]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kitsurubami]

thank you for sharing this tribal knowledge with us. Once i'm able to grow more i will certainly be using this information.

[@REDGardens]

Glad you found it useful. I like the phrase "tribal knowledge" - going to have to use that more often.

[@Theorimlig]

Really nice and simple setup.

[@JulieAshleyLouisiana]

This video was so informative and helpful. I was just looking for a way to keep my Mama from eating dirty salad! This provides so much more helpful information. Well done.

[@REDGardens]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CptSpears007]

Your salad spinner is hilarious

[@REDGardens]

yep, and it works ...

[@jeshurunfarm]

Respect from Africa 🇿🇦

[@whatthefunction9140]

You could do book narrating. Maybe a garden book

[@SuffolkSusie]

I gave a thumbs up 👍but I wish I could give 10 thumbs-up👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍I always feel like I'm wasting water cleaning veggies indoors.. I also subscribed. Thank you

[@REDGardens]

Glad you found my video valuable, and glad you subscribed!! Thanks!

[@MarlonVanderLinde]

Indoors is always a good option if you have your output (non blackwater) to a grey system outside perhaps? We have a separate basin that is greywater (along with shower etc). Perhaps an idea?

[@alir.9894]

I appreciate your articulateness.

[@REDGardens]

Thanks!

[@timothybarr8983]

Can you reclaim containers and other supplies from the recycling in Ireland? Here in Markham, Ont people throw out so much good gardening equipment. Every week I pick from the recycling boxes 5 gallon containers, staging tables, soaker hoses, seed trays. The crisis of today's garbage is a gardener's treasure.

[@REDGardens]

I got a load of buckets from a food producer, loads of food grade buckets , only used once (to transport honey). the recycling system here is pretty closed up, and I live in a rural area so not the good scavenging that is possible in more urban contexts. You are right, so much good stuff is thrown away!

[@Surianiaziz]

Thank you for sharing ❤️

[@stevea616]

Simply brilliant.

[@pgararat7793]

Great. The most interesting and valuable point of this video is how system has been developed. Interesting or not , we faced similar problems and solutions. Thanks for sharing all details. Best regards

[@REDGardens]

Glad you enjoyed it, and interesting that you found similar solutions.

[@bonnieb8099]

This video is very valuable for me I have just planted some lettuces, collards, kale, broccoli, sugar snap peas Thank you very much!

[@REDGardens]

Cool.

[@luckykazivlog8782]

Wow amazing!

[@REDGardens]

Thanks!

[@sdfft820]

Good video. Thank you

[@REDGardens]

🙂

[@yesyoga]

Good job! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼✅

[@REDGardens]

Thanks

[@kilkaruYGO]

very entertaining

[@nickstraw1952]

Beautiful!

[@senhalil]

You are a good person man. Wish you the best

[@REDGardens]

Thanks.

[@mirian593]

Great video thank you 🙏

[@REDGardens]

🙂

[@thomasreto2997]

You give really practical solutions for the very same problems I am coming to realize...thank you for sharing your experiences 🐌

[@REDGardens]

I'm glad that you found my video useful! Thanks for commenting.

[@megpie417]

Bruce I'm binge-watching all your videos, love it! This is so so good for when you're thinking about scaling up a bit!

[@REDGardens]

Hi Megan! So cool that you are watching my videos. Glad you find them useful!

[@bythesea49]

A very informative video thank you so much, you have given me some new ideas,Thank you again.

[@REDGardens]

Great! Glad you got something out of it.

[@wipeoutxl21]

for home use, I grow my lettuce up on my deck. Its high enough slugs dont come up and most bugs dont either. Really cuts down on cleaning salad greens

[@REDGardens]

I can imagine it is much easier up there!

[@StigEtDump]

Love your salad spinning net curtains, I shall do something similar. Thanks

[@tinamoyer5185]

Thank you very helpful i really appreciate you sharing it!!!!🥰🥰🥰🥰🌷🌺🌹🍃🌳🌿🌱🌿🌱🌿🌱 your garden is very beautiful I'm learning!!!!

[@narutoisthebestevaaa]

Spectacular video as always

[@REDGardens]

:)

[@PabloRGNRNDO]

Nice

[@REDGardens]

:)

[@chrisvenables4584]

Thank you for sharing your experience

[@REDGardens]

Glad you appreciate it.

[@marvinalleyne9551]

Just became a subscriber, great video thanks!

[@REDGardens]

Welcome!

[@link_7164]

Thanks for the great info!

[@dusshan1]

in this situation i would consider to make myself a bubbler similar to Curtis stone's design. I am not at that stage yet with my farm project but looking at you it seems you can make long term use of that contraption and it really looks like one-time investment.

[@REDGardens]

Curtis' design for a bubble seems great, and something like that would be very cool to have. One issue is that i don't have any electricity near the gardens yet, so would have to do all the washing somewhere else, which i am hesitant to do. Hopefully I will get electricity connected soon.

[@sonofTMHYAH]

Great insight! Thanks

[@GardinersPlot]

great idea and you save and reuse the water in the process! great video!

[@REDGardens]

Thanks!

[@shylermartin8300]

Thank you.

[@obadiahscave]

Thank you sir

[@ranchoraccolto]

Great¡

[@REDGardens]

:)

[@dianeibsen5994]

Thank you for the fun video. Never thought about using a strainer to extract the bugs from the water so you can reuse the water. great idea! Where is this Farm located? I want to work on a farm😊

[@REDGardens]

🙂

[@ShelljetA1]

Great Video!

[@REDGardens]

Thanks!!

[@jemmafedrick6860]

Really good video!

[@REDGardens]

Thanks!

[@chrismcewan7582]

I've been considering a bubbler and old washing machine spinner too. I think you may be right about scale though and I'm unsure whether the current scale of my operation justifies the time, effort and money required to install these things. Great info as always though, thanks !

[@ceb2-1981]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ-6hHipYsajfNE

[@BobBob-pv5st]

if the terrorists ever attack our lettuce, the gov better send this guy

[@pabloayresvial8287]

i spin the leaves in an onion bag!

[@REDGardens]

That would be a good option, I hadn't thought of using an onion bag.

[@waneyedgeworkshop159]

Hey! Bruce. Have you tried O'Keefe's Working Hands Cream for the chapped hands. You should be able to get it in any pharmacist. My local hardware store even stocks it.

[@REDGardens]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll keep an eye out for it. I realise that my hands look particularly bad in one of those shots, because I had been handling a lot of beetroot earlier and the dye hadn't worn off, but I do need to take better care of my skin.

[@shean7890]

Excellent , the least I can say

[@REDGardens]

Thanks.

[@ShannasCountryCreek]

Great video! Thank you! I'm assuming you toss the soap water (not in garden?)

[@REDGardens]

Thanks. I don't use soap these days, and tend to just dump the water wherever it might be needed in the gardens.

[@ShannasCountryCreek]

@@REDGardens ok great to know. Thank you🥰🌱

[@nickthegardener.1120]

You should check out Dr Stephen Lanka.👍 He is German.

[@REDGardens]

👍

[@Nord_Kitten]

I always just assumed that you always needed to wash your fruits and vegetables before you eat them, no matter where you got them from. I'm surprised other people just think its clean because water is on it.

[@REDGardens]

With stuff that I buy i figure there is a lot of chances of some residue of something that I don't want to eat being on the food. With the stuff I grow I was it just as much, if not more to get rid of the soil and the potential critters. Always washing but for different reasons

[@jasonhunter6125]

How about vertical farming? You don't need to wash that

[@tykwang]

Thanks for the informative video. I was wondering how much do you price the vegetables you sell to your neighbours?

[@REDGardens]

I have a 'pay what you think it's worth' honour system, which seems to work quite well. Saves me from having to figure out prices, and avoids the need of scales, lists, etc.

[@victorybeginsinthegarden]

have you thought about growing head lettuces instead of the loose lettuces for less washing

[@REDGardens]

I do grow heads of lettuce as well, but I find that they need just as much washing, even more to make sure that any slugs are removed.

[@deborahhanna6640]

Depends what you like to eat! I have always heard that Head Lettuce has far less nutritional value than the loose-leaf darker greens. For that reason i hardly eat iceberg anymore- even just on a sandwich i prefer bibb or romaine. Heck for roll-ups or wraps i would even rather use fresh spinach. Head lettuce is dead to me & would therefore go to waste.

[@JohnnyCake12333]

How many pounds of salad leaves would you say you could get through your 3 bucket system before having to replace the water? I... Would like to compete. Kidding but serious about the question.

[@REDGardens]

I figure I usually wash over 2 kg (4-5 pounds) of leaves before changing the water. But that depends on how dirty the leaves are, and I can often get away with just changing the dirtiest bucket.

[@JohnnyCake12333]

RED Gardens thank you for that. Well I can tell you I ran 18 and 19 pounds through it and they came out pretty clean! The only thing is, after 4 hours of washing, which can happen with a lot of salad greens, a bucket of water becomes something of a stale compost tea I realized. The delicate motion of the hand during washing has a very stimulating effect on fungi and bacteria. However, I wonder whether the cool temperature and the movement of the water are enough to keep the water safely pasteurized through some aerobic action. Typically, a compost tea is safely aerobic 4 hours post bubbling, I assume it’s the same for washing greens since it somewhat creates an actively aerated compost tea. I guess it does depend on how clean the greens initially are. I mean, you can create a fungally dominated tea in 4 hours using sporulating mushroom caps and sugar, minus the bubbler. I’m not allowed to use manures in my current garden personally so I think the risk of contamination is low for me overall. No matter what, I think that’s a good idea to replace the first bucket’s water more frequently. And replace all the buckets’ water every 4 hours or so. But this was my first harvest. So far, It seems the real cap on whether greens stay good for some time or not is how well the drying process is tuned in, not replacing the water more frequently.

[@REDGardens]

I have the approach to change the water quite frequently, and the water in the polytunnel, as I'd rather be safe and make sure other people don't get grow or other undesirable stuff in their salad.

[@JohnnyCake12333]

@@REDGardens Yes that is definitely a good move. I have tested my product pretty thoroughly and it would seem it may help to change out the water more often. I've been having many problems with post harvest though. I hope to tune it in soon. I appreciate this video a lot though, it has helped me greatly

[@beware_the_moose]

I feel like I'm the only person who's noticed that slugs absolutely do not like galvanized steel. It works better than copper. I now grow all my leafy vegetables on cheap galvanized shelves which they absolutely won't climb.

[@REDGardens]

I had not heard of that, but it makes sense. Thanks for the tip.

[@deborahhanna6640]

T C probably the heat would burn them!

[@Infiniti25]

Deborah Hanna it might also be a texture thing to the slug, maybe feels like salt?

[@jeffdustin]

What do you think about adding some kind of biodegradable surfactant or soap to your setup? Maybe just a drop or two?

[@REDGardens]

That is an option - someone else suggested hydrogen peroxide to help get rid of potential nasty bacteria.

[@REDGardens]

Vinegar could work, but I wonder how long the leaves would need to be in that bucket for the pathogens to be killed off?

[@mr.p3567]

There is some research that argues for the benefit of some natural “pro-biotics”. I’m no expert, but I believe some leniency is perfectly acceptable when considering the anti microbe methods, specially when non natural chemicals are the potential recourse. We should be cognizant of our gut biome, but let’s also not throw the baby out with the salad bath water. Great methods here, I can’t really critique anything personally.

[@linhfphung7867]

I've had to find so many snails while eating at a restaurant that i am almost anti vegetarian XDD

[@REDGardens]

Linh Phùng That is not a nice thing to deal with at a restaurant!

[@linhfphung7867]

@@REDGardens it isnt but i always find something or another anywhere i eat so i am almost convinced its my eternal karma XDD

[@flowergrowersmith449]

It would be great to invent something where you use pedal power for this. Also, would it be useful to put a drop of bleach in the second bucket to address any e.coli bacteria, which would then be rinsed off in the final bucket? EXCELLENT VIDEO!

[@REDGardens]

The bleach idea is a good one. I wonder what concentration would be needed, and how long the leaves should stay in that bucket?

[@fatbap]

Probably better to use hydrogen peroxide rather than bleach just incase theres any residue left. Peroxide decomposes into hydrogen and oxygen so its safer. Also, you shouldnt wash main crop potatoes unless you know they going to be used pretty soon. They keep MUCH longer if you just brush the soil off them after harvest. Most people peel them anyway so a little soil isnt a problem.

[@REDGardens]

You are right, Hydrogen Peroxide would be a better option. Those were early potatoes, for consumption right away. I agree with you about leaving dirt on the potatoes for storage, as well as carrots, etc.

[@nunyabiznis817]

The amount of bleach used per gallon for storing water safely for a 5 year period is extremely small - it's 8 drops per gallon of water. So I'm guessing it would still be a relatively small amount for washing greens and veggies, too (but probably like 1 teaspoon/gallon or so - 1 teaspoon is roughly 100 drops). Using peroxide or vinegar may work but may require a larger amount to be effective so cost would be a consideration. You'd need to research this & even contact other growers to see what they add to their water. If you do use bleach NEVER add vinegar as it creates chlorine gas which is toxic when breathed in. It can make you pass out or even kill you. Ask me how I know. In fact, never mix any other "cleaning agent" with bleach unless you are certain it's safe.

[@REDGardens]

Interesting. Thanks for the warning about mixing bleach and any cleaning agent!

[@dianeskyuser7016]

I think that's kind of ridiculous I used almost a half a roll of paper towels just drying my lettuce I think I'll just eat it as it comes like I've been doing and I'm 53 and I'm still healthy.

[@REDGardens]

🙂

[@robertoramos2494]

why is this video 10 minutes