The 5 Pillars of Perfect and Healthy Soil

[@RonguindulMan]

1. drainage 2. airation 3. organic matter, sand , clay 4. beneficial bacteria and fungi 5. good soil coverage

[@neldahargo29]

the best amendment to a garden is the gardener's footsteps every day.

[@everybody2796]

Good soil coveage, i havnt heard anyone talk about this outside of the permaculture community, i'm so glad you talked about the effects of bare soil, even a simple dead mulch, wood chips, leaves can reduce the effects of weather on bare soil.

[@shirleyk623]

I didn't know mushrooms growing is a good sign of healthy soil. That is a good thing to know. Thanks!☺🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

[@jackfanning7952]

Read book, "Teaming With Microbes."

[@halphantom2274]

The mycelium breaks down dead organic matter and make the ingredients available to plants or other organisms. I think, what you want is a continous process of life and death - growing and decay. Trees often live in symbiosis with a special kind of mushroom. Tree gives glucose to mycelium and gets minerals from the soil in exchange.

[@Gkrissy]

Oh yea I learned this when they pop up on my lawn and my woodchips in my garden

[@hopeking3588]

I had mushrooms one time but did not eat it cause I did not know if it was toxic.

[@ForestToFarm]

Great job explaining. So many people look at me like I am crazy when I tell them how important cover is. It just does not fit into that tilling method burned into people’s minds I guess. Keep up the great work!! Terry

[@richardruss7481]

I have watched many of your videos, this is the first time i have almost agreed with everything you said ;) The first minor thing is not all fungi are beneficial, not all fungi are mycorrhizal, and not all fungi that are beneficial have hyphae that are connected for miles, but overall, you are right, if your system is balanced fungi are good. Second, in regards to organic matter, hummus, and compost, your explanation is not complete. Both hummus and compost are organic matter, hummus is organic matter that is slowly decomposing or dead matter that was once alive, compost is organic material that is mostly alive, it can be used as soil itself, or if placed on top of existing soil, it is a mulch and an inoculate. With all that in mind, i think that a gardener can first judge his soil by his earthworms, if they are healthy it is a very good sign. Second is the amount of lipids (the shine on the leaf, the "fat" a plant produces to protect it in lean times) on the plants that you grow.

[@SimpleLivingAlaska]

Excellent video, such a wonderful and straightforward explanation. Thank you 😀 I love finding mushrooms in the garden!

[@skyemanning3978]

This is so true you literally described what my soil was like when I moved here and up until a year and a half ago when I decided to let my chickens and my ducks free range in my yard 100%. Yesterday I just planted a Sam Houston peach tree and when I dug into the ground it was no longer two distinct layers of sand and clay because after a year and a half of my chickens and my ducks doing their business it became that homogenous soil and was still moist without mulch more than a week later since it last rained. I can’t wait to plant my banana plants in the area that I started amending a year and a half ago or I put more than 500 pounds compost and mulch and some topsoil garden soil a good 10 inches maybe and then I would have the ducks pool right next to the area and I would dump it out onto that section to add even more organic matter a lot quicker so I am super excited to find out what that soil looks like now!

[@shealenehelms]

Thank you so much for this. It’s a shame I don’t see this being talked about enough, especially about good soil coverage. This helps a lot!

[@armstronglien2659]

Glad you reminded your audience to go back to this video. I learn a lot. Thank you!

[@jackren295]

Great information! It really shows that anything in nature cannot be isolated or singled out. They are all connected with each other. Otherwise it would not work.

[@sharongodbout9014]

You missed a pillar! Someone willing to get out there and look after that wonderful soil! Thanks Luke! No fair weather gardeners! LOL

[@lucieengen7046]

Excellent video Luke. The fifth pillar is the one I now understand and will ensure I take care of now. Makes total sense! Thank you for clarifying this 🤗.

[@SteadfastTrailFarm]

Thank you! I amended my raised beds with my manure mix (aged goat, chicken and horse poo) with straw and covered with Sunbelt weed cover. I'll remove for planting after last frost! Then top with mulch. Hope that's good!! 😬

[@coleweede1953]

That sounds awesome. You ate going to get big green leaves

[@kevinw9073]

Well done, I have been busy between the rain adding mulch, dead plants, finely chopped up branches and leaves. coffee grounds. When complete, will top off with spreading of grass and leaves. I keep turning the garden over until I spread the leaves.

[@ForestToFarm]

I use cover. Grass clippings. Leaves. Small twigs broken up. Pine needles. My neighbors see how well my plants grow without store bought amendments like they use but still refuse to believe that my natural/organic methods are the way to go. I guess years of following the main steam have them programmed. Good job on this video! Terry ETA: I just realized this is the second time I have posted on this video. Oops😮

[@lindareese4579]

Thank you dear young man...I've learned so much from you.. thank you for sharing..

[@sardar5150]

I make about a ton of compost a year (no exaggeration). I am unable to put on my vegetable garden because phosphorus and potassium are high according to soil tests. I will spread on shrubs and yard instead. I do mulch with leaves every fall...I do not till, I just broad fork. I think its essential to get your soil tested if you want to produce quality food and disease resistance.

[@greatnuvi]

Sarah you are right soil should be tested before amending anything on your soil. Like my case the single worm bin I have is already more than enough to keep my 20 sq meter vegetable garden fertile. In your case you need just nitrogen and since you can produce ton of compost you can do nonstop succession planting.

[@sardar5150]

I would think a soil test would be one of the pillars to ensure healthy soil. I did get recommendations from the lab I tested through. The results made sense because I was seeing some signs of blossom end rot and fruiting could have been better. The high Phosphorus basically put Calcium in a jail cell. I hope those who get soil tests and get recommendations on not to use compost, keeps composting. Just use elsewhere until your levels come down.

[@monaali1898]

Sarah Kimm where do u get your soil tested

[@charlestessier7843]

Last summer was the first time I used soil coverage along with the other things mentioned. Using these methods in clay soil makes all the difference. And if it’s YOUR OWN home made compost, this is in my mind thee key thing we can put in the soil to change it, as you so well put it, OVER TIME. Which can mean up ta a few years impatient ones out there.

[@keithjoyal8981]

Luke, make a new bed. This time make it no dig. The first input of compost is quite large but after that it is no different than any other bed. Do an experiment side by side with a dig bed and an undug bed. Every time we dig a bed the organic matter oxidizes and we break the network of fungi in the soil. I tried no dig and have never looked back! Great vid by the way!

[@Ryan-mq6ko]

500k congrats Luke, well deserved

[@rachelball1174]

I'm in Maryland, and we still haven't had a hard frost. My cherry tomatoes are still producing.

[@Sg4809]

Jealous

[@mickanthony3231]

Thankyou, just watch four of your videos, I’ve beating my self up on whether to use manure or compost in a raised bed, and how to improve my soil...all sorted now. Great content, well explained...keep it up. One question, I live in a very dry summer, mildly wet winter area and was told not to mulch before spring to maximise water absorption in winter...would you mulch in winter to protect the soil?

[@ferdinandbellavance5045]

Thank you so much for the great information, I am new at gardening and learning so much from your video

[@TheMacs1]

Great video! Always enjoy your teaching

[@spoolsandbobbins]

We love you Luke!!!!!!!!!!!! From Nova Scotia, Canada

[@coolsammichherohunter6248]

What time of year do you put in soil amendments? Is it ok to amend now while the beds are empty and leave it over winter. Or wait until the next season?

[@spoolsandbobbins]

CoolSammichHero Hunter I’ve just put compost on all my empty beds to feed the microbes over winter and attract all those beneficial worms etc. Fall is the perfect time for this. Love your question!

[@emalinel]

It depends on which stage your amendenments are at. If you're using finished compost it may be wise to leave that for the start of your next spring (assuming you're not planting anything over winter). However if you have partially unfinished compost, you can easily let that build over fall/winter into spring and that will build last for the next growing season. Like for me, I usually add a ton of organic matter and dried leaves directly to my garden beds during fall and let that decompose (I have a native worm population and I stir now and then) until next spring/early summer. By the time I'm ready to plant all that matter is completely finished

[@brusselsprout5851]

Its gotten so cold so fast. WAH! But it appears I need to go out there to rake the leaves onto the garden soil for over the winter. Thank you.

[@Sg4809]

Wow! I didnt know that about the mushrooms! I saw them in my garden and was hoping it was ok! Thank you!

[@MissMom6]

Great video - especially for new gardeners! All of us need to be reminded again!

[@onthewingsofluv]

Thank you for this great explanation. I appreciate the insight. My raised beds (this is my first year gardening) have had some trouble this year. I purchased compost from a bulk soil supplier to fill them. I don’t know if the compost was still too hot or maybe it didn’t actually have enough nutrients, but my seedlings just grow soooo slowly. It happened in the spring and again for my fall planting. Once the little plants take hold, they did fairly well, but by that time, it seemed like the time to thrive and produce well had passed. I’m trying to diagnose what happened, but I just don’t think I have enough experience to know for sure. I guess it’s an ongoing experiment. Thanks again for all your wisdom and info.

[@morenita0107]

I had a similar problem with store bought compost...I been gardening for a few years and this past season my plants halted in growth....I only use organic everything...I changed some potted plants into soil without that compost and voila..they shot right up! .I did some research and it could have been bad/contaminated compost....sometimes theres herbicide residues in the compost either from animal manure or using contaminated grass clippings for example. Making my own compost from now on!

[@markpnw8745]

How about moss for a winter cover crop? I just can't get rid of it out here in the Pacific North West.

[@thathobbitlife]

Hello from North Portland 🙋‍♀️

[@opencoop4268]

Best explanation I've ever heard for humus. Nice job!

[@farnabyurquhart6970]

Encouraging and reassuring, thanks Luke 👍

[@ronniebrace2917]

Very helpful!! Thanks!!

[@heatherbower5539]

This is great. Very good to think about here in sunny Arizona. Think this is solving some of my problems. Thanks so much.

[@clarisseolivercoupey9944]

very first garden for me this year ! When you sow your seeds directly into the soil of your raised bed, do you cover the area back with your mulch ? Until they germinate maybe then move it around the seedling so they can access the sunlight ? I would love to know since I’m going sow some lettuce kale and spinach as soon as I receive my bag of trifecta+ at the end of the week!

[@marshamahaney6997]

Thanks! I'm so glad to know about the mushrooms. Great topic, well done. 🌱💕🍃

[@jredmmoore]

Luke, what do you cover your soil with when your crops are small? If I’m planting raised beds with rows of crops high intensity I have gaps of exposed soil. For example, when I plant lettuce in rotation there is a gap of about a foot (six inches each side) until those shoots mature. So for approximately four to six weeks the soil is exposed. Should I just continually add compost? What would be a mulch to put on? Crushed up leaves? Wood chips seem like it would be difficult to put them on and remove them without ending up with woody soil. I think this would be a great video for you.

[@jcseiji]

Well spoken: EXCELLENT VIDEO!!

[@leonecrewson9316]

I loved this video! I knew most of it but you just explained it all so well! Thanks

[@dom150]

Hello i have a question for the fifth pilar should i still cover the soil in pots. In those pots i have big plants and the plants do protect the soil a lot from the rain and wind. Just wondering if i still need to cover the soil? Kepp up the good videos also ☺

[@bhanson5541]

Thank you, Luke... will share this! Great information, and thank you for always sharing your knowledge and wisdom! Blessings to you and your family ~ 🙏👏🌱🌿🍃🍂🍁💗

[@yvonneshaub6111]

Greetings Luke..I'm so late watching but thank you so much for this information..it provides security to having lasting crops year after year..my question is .. I've never had in ground crops..I've either containered or raised bed..so how do I get the benefits of clay or sand?.. great video . blessings to you and your family 😇 😇😇 😇

[@sharonlynn3358]

Great info! Does it matter what mushrooms are growing? I have all different kinds ...

[@SherylsAerials]

Great, timely topic.

[@camicri4263]

Great topic! Thanks Luke!

[@charliemaddox3226]

What about silt? That's the third side of the soil texture/structure triangle (Particle size view of the soil) along with sand and clay. Sounds like this is getting mixed in with material makeup view of the soil structure (air, water, mineral, organic matter). Then there is the breakdown of organic matter types. Isn't that where the ability to support soil life comes into play?

[@kirahagan270]

Thank you Luke. I am in the UK and is starting to get very cold. Just tidying up my little veg patch. Thinking about cardboard for coverage. Is that a good idea?

[@slaterdomain]

I use it on my allotment. Look up 'Sheet Mulching"

[@SugarBeeFarm]

Great information Luke...appreciate you so much 💕✌️🌱

[@debbieflores7256]

Thanks Luke!

[@leeannlawie6883]

I am getting into composting. Should I take the mushrooms from my yard and put them in my compost?

[@TheMillennialGardener]

This is a good video. Good info 👍

[@BastetDuPurr]

Can I use untreated wood pallets? The hubs can get a lot of those. I wish to try to garden again. I started in March of this year and the heat killed everything(I live in Puerto Rico) which is very discouraging. But I really want to try again. Maybe I did something wrong plus the heat. I don't know, but I'm willing to keep trying.

[@MegaSagacity]

First! Great Video Luke!

[@edithtorrecillas7714]

Thank u for the information bro 👍👌👋

[@catladycatlady7359]

Did you get a new camera? The small aperture making the blurred background looks sweet!

[@dabzvapelord]

Catlady CatLady sorry to be a nerd that that would be a large aperture

[@catladycatlady7359]

@@dabzvapelord lol No you are totally correct. I just didn't have the time to delete it & retype it all out again & then forgot about it, until I saw your reply just now. 😳😉

[@Daniel-nf8pp]

Good soil coverage. Well said.

[@mikedrecoll3461]

What is a better mix? Top Soil 20%/Sand 50%/Compost 30%, or Top Soil 33%/Sand 33%/Compost 33%? My local company offers both or custom mix ratios. Thanks!

[@kimmurphy6864]

Beautiful content! 😃❤️

[@thathobbitlife]

Love this, I learned a TON of stuff

[@tonyhussey3610]

I like your name

[@9455mike]

Would covering the soil in tha fall with tarps work?

[@jelatinosa]

Wouldn't that negate the aeration aspect, it might negatively affect drainage and moisture since it blocks the rain, and it wouldn't contribute to the organic matter part.

[@ljc9337]

Thanks for some great info!

[@jefffarris9238]

Great video, Luke. My question is: You have said before that you plant in pure, 100% compost. Is that true, or is it more like each year you top off your beds with fresh compost, and then you plant in that plus what is underneath it, which is used up compost that has had a lot of the nutrients sucked out of it?

[@odenttraipser5833]

I see and understand the 2 fingers of the number 2 but turn it around - it looks better :-) Someone turned the lights down as the movie progressed :-)

[@Anghooeyrhymeswithjulie]

Hi, I have a lot of larkspur that comes up in my raised bed. Can I leave that in as a cover crop?

[@brendathompson2249]

what do I do when I have hydrophobic soil in my new garden beds? The soil is 50% peat moss and 50% compost.

[@iartistdotme]

The 5th is the secret that shouldn't be. Nature doesn't like being naked! Thank you.

[@greatnuvi]

...and the cover should promote life not synthetic cover.

[@janetsanford4059]

Does MIgardener have a paper catalog? And how can I get one? Also...the bed that I want to grow garlic in has very wet soil from all the rain we've had in West Michigan. Will it harm the garlic cloves to be planted in the cold wet ground? Our soil is quite sandy. Thanks for your advice.

[@wwthing]

Congrats on 500k

[@hollylaw8272]

Did you get a higher definition camera? Looks nice!

[@lr4386]

500,000 subscribers!

[@PrettyAliceNight]

Great video!

[@krisztinaegernemucsi5323]

Hi Luke! I watch your videos from Europe, Hungary. I like them very much. I'm new to gardening. This was my first year. Your videos helped a lot. Thank you! My biggest problem was to fight against stink bugs. We couldn't eat any tomato, because it looked disgusting and had a bed stink bug smell. Do you have them in your garden too? What do you suggest to do against them? I went to the garden every day and collected 70-80 bugs a day from my 14 tomato plants! So this method was not successful enough.

[@ForestToFarm]

Just a suggestion. Maybe you can find some kind of plant that attracts the stink bugs more so than tomatoes. Then plant a lot of it to distract them from your tomatoes? Terry

[@timadams1994]

Thanks for the info 😁

[@brusselsprout5851]

Yep, there's plenty of leaves! Hahaha! Yep, I'm in this zone and it started raining fast. Brrrr.

[@Godsprodicaldaughter]

Idk if I’m behind but WOOOOOO HOOOOOO 500k Subs!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@SabaKhan-td7vp]

Love ur videos

[@Pasquali369]

You, da man, J!

[@michaelbahr7267]

ha.. when I get mushrooms.. it means I have watered too much. lol..left a like

[@jackiehorsley9263]

I get what your saying I well definitely be working on that

[@morenita0107]

Any suggestions on how to combat root knot nematodes....i have an infestation in my raised beds!

[@richstone2627]

Buy beneficial nematodes and apply to your soil. They will hunt the bad nematodes and eat them.

[@mother8696]

I have a question about Fungi...Not all fungi as I understand is good. Tomatoes and potatoes that develop problems such as blight etc. so how do I get rid of this in my beds to prevent next years crops safe?

[@richstone2627]

You don't. Blight and powdery mildew is in the soil. There is no way to get rid of it unless you dug it up and baked it at about 150 degrees F in an oven.

[@mother8696]

All of it??? Oh my! Does that mean I have to spray my plants for forever?

[@richstone2627]

@@mother8696 I would stop using any spray and work on your soil. Stop using synthetic chemicals. Research the soil food web and work on things to increase the life in your soil.

[@rtrn06]

Could I gather the mushrooms in my horse pasture and add to my compost?

[@sisterinspeed]

What do you think about lasagna gardening? Also could you recommend some cover crops ?

[@Tehstool]

I'm over here waiting for the leaves to fall in my area.

[@Recoveringred]

This is our biggest issue; landscaping pebbles, gravel, and huge chunks of concrete where we want to form beds. I know how to remove the pebbles and rocks but tilling with huge chunks of concrete in the yard is very hard. We have a lot of clay as well as sand as well as concrete. Ugh. I just don't know what to do but hand till it. Anyone have any suggestions? (There was an above ground pool area* the previous owners dumped sand in---zone 6b)

[@spoolsandbobbins]

Lydia Alexandra perhaps clear small sections at a time and build your garden beds slowly? The concrete seems like your biggest issue unless you can make something out of it. Once that is removed you could add soil/mulch on top of the stones over time and your gardens would have excellent drainage. All the best to you!

[@onthewingsofluv]

I’m fairly new to gardening, but I have done a lot of studying and learning with lots of no-till gardeners. Have you thought about not tilling at all? Just remove as much of the concrete as you can & then create your beds on the surface of the soil. Luke has some videos about new beds and Charles Dowding is an excellent resource. He also has a wonderfully rich KZbin channel with so much information. Luke and Charles are my go to channels on gardening.

[@Recoveringred]

@@spoolsandbobbins Thank you for your input. Definitely clearing and making beds slowly but surely!

[@Recoveringred]

@@onthewingsofluv thank you, I will check Charles out! From what I have seen when it comes to compacted soil like ours people do till it once, usually. Our neighbor offered for us to borrow his but the chunks of concrete worry me that we will break it.

[@ayushipathak4556]

Hi @lala, I have a similar situation as yours 3 years ago. Could you please advise what did you do to make your garden better and soil more fertile.

[@shihtzusrule9115]

Fifth pillar, kind of like the Fifth Element.

[@SabaKhan-td7vp]

Haha loved the ending 😂😂

[@SetsuNanami97]

Your camera looks so good today, upgrade?

[@robertowenbennett]

The most important question....What type of grill is that

[@dawahaddict]

Appreciate the Islamic reference with “five pillars” lol masha’Allah

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Am I the only one not seeing the thumbnail?

[@danniellaboling3890]

And here I was frustrated with all the mushrooms popping up in my garden!

[@zinnialady5153]

Lol me too.

[@mikelattimer7909]

What do you think of small ants living underground in the soil of your garden?

[@kathleenlodahl1358]

Rocks, Rocks and more river Rocks and Bermuda grass...

[@s8yme84]

Do you follow ‘red garden’ on you tube ? Really interesting soil Information

[@tommymckiddy7872]

It should probably be mentioned that some plants don't play well with fungi without certain bacteria present. Brassicas definitely do not.

[@Javinkay]

I agree with your pillars but claiming that farmers don’t use them is bold

[@jeremymassimino1176]

Has that rosemary survived your last winter?