The Easiest Compost Method for Small Spaces!

I am very excited to share this incredibly effective composting method for small spaces! After running this experiment over a few months I can safely say that the concept works very well and I feel it could offer a huge amount of cost-saving for growers with limited gardening area. The best thing about this method is that it is free, and doesn't sacrifice any growing space to place a compost bin for example. Enjoy!
The initial concept video: • Make Compost from Your...
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[@bbales2305]

HI again Huw. After your first vlog about this I was so excited with the idea that I started one in my first allotment last year. The ground in this allotment was SO worm deficient when I started the garden January 2022 and although it got a bit better over the year it stayed behind .BUT the soil out of the compost pad was just LOADED with worms after 3-4 weeks! SO cool. I dug all the healthy ground up and took it to my new BIGGER allotment! I recommend this method to ANYONE. It's pretty much a no brainer as long as you do the lasagne thing and not too thick. Thx for introducing the method!👍👍

[@daniellebissonnette3304]

What I like about this approach is how it makes the compost available right where you need it, instead of having to load to a wheel barrow, carrying it and unloading it. Saves time and energy. Thanks for sharing. I imagine it would also inhibit weeds in this area.

[@one_field]

Both great points!

[@ecogarden3622]

I bought 2 of your books. Not for myself, because I've been gardening since I was a little kid, but for my sons, who are your age. The books are great for anyone starting their adventure with growing vegetables. I read with pleasure. It will be a really valuable gift. I don't even regret that I had to import them from the UK to the EU, because it was worth it.

[@ecocentrichomestead6783]

Another thing about compost pathways is that it makes for easier hand weeding. One just pulls weeds and drops them in the pathway. 😊

[@Mopsipop]

Huw, I love your channel. Everything you explain is so down to earth and intelligent. Works in Germany too❤😊 Gardeners unite, no matter where your gardens are situated! We are brothers and sisters..... 👭

[@UllricLex]

Viele Grüße an dich. Obwohl es auch gute deutsche Gartenkanäle gibt schaue ich Huws am liebsten 😊

[@Mopsipop]

@@UllricLex genau.... Huw ist so natürlich und man merkt ihm die Liebe zur Natur an....Ich schau da auch immer etwas neidisch zu... wer hat schon so einen gut organisierten, großen Garten ??? Immerhin : über meine Gurken und Tomaten, den Mangold, die Kräuter und den tollen Romana und Bataviasalat hab ich mich auch gefreut.

[@UllricLex]

@@Mopsipop Mangold will ich nächstes Jahr auch mal unbedingt probieren sowie verschiedene Kohlsorten die ich bisher noch nicht hatte z.b. Stammkohl für die Blätter.

[@Mopsipop]

@@UllricLex dann mal viel Vergnügen mit den kohlweisslingen... Bzw dem abdecken mit Gaze.... Sonst hast du Fleischbeilage 😋 Mangold hat das problem nicht. Ich hab auch gute Erfahrungen mit stangensellerie gemacht. Da hat man immer was für Suppe oder salate. Was ich noch wärmsten empfehle ist sibirisches strauchbasilikum. Sehr robust und aromatisch , im Gegensatz zu anderen strauchbasilikumsorten keine Blüte, sondern nur Blätter.

[@UllricLex]

vielen Dank für die Tipps 🙂

[@risasb]

You and I were in the same issue of Permaculture Magazine (#90), as I was beginning my descent from strength and activity. I read your article with interest and concluded the future was in very good hands. 🏆 Yes, we always did this but never bothered with raising the beds very high. They had no borders to speak of, and every spring we raked the pathways onto the beds and laid down new pathways, and that was our compost, mulch and raised beds all of a piece.

[@jez770]

Very cool! What were you laying down as the pathways?

[@cherylhowker1792]

It’s a fab idea so long as you don’t own dogs that to eat what you put down… I thought about doing this when you first started , I have a bin and a compost roller bag too, new, But when I started putting the green stuff down my young dogs, under 2 years old, started to nick stuff and eat it. Which one gave em upset tums as not used to it and 2 ment that the stuff I was trying to compost wasn’t there…. We now have woodchip paths for now. As that will break down too.

[@thelittleholding]

We love a compost video 👏 -G&R,x

[@Just-Nikki]

My husband and I noticed our paths we’re looking like rich soil due to laying mulch and simply dropping soil and compost out of the sides of our wheelbarrow as we wheeled it back and forth. We started being more intentional a couple of years ago and it is great! We have compost set up in a couple of areas on the property but we might as well use as much area as possible.

[@808quake]

I was not intended to make compost but I noticed the soil between beds became so rich after several years of stashing leaves, stems and straw. Some are self-seeded like lettuce and cilantro. Thank you, Huw

[@hitachicm721f]

I have a Victory Garden, or would you would call an Allotment, and this is one of the most creative garden ideas I've come across over the past few years. Thank you.

[@moragpotter4609]

Brilliant idea, thank you! I’ve been a gardener in Worcestershire for over 26 years and gardened in Cheshire and Oxfordshire before that. Now we have moved to the north side of a hill on an Orkney island, we have significantly different growing conditions, and so much more space! There is already a greenhouse and polytunnel and a large wooden bin full of wonderful compost, but the previous owners had grassed over several veg beds. So we are starting our very first no dig beds with the compost (mostly over six years old 😊) and some of the many cardboard removal boxes we still have! Loving the idea of the compost paths, which I can see us implementing this year. We were going to mulch the paths with shredded prunings of the numerous fuchsia, hebe and escallonia hedges, so now we will be also adding green prunings and weddings once they appear. I have recently bought your Beg growers handbook and am working through it, such fantastic tips and ideas, proving that every day is a school day! 😊 Thank you for such an informative channel, keep it up! 💕

[@quantafitness6088]

The daffoldils in the background are beautiful! We don't have them in Sweden yet so it a treat to see them.

[@RussHjelm]

I've been harvesting the mulch/compost out of my pathways already and I'm amazed at how much I've been able to get. It will easily meet most, if not all, of my mulching/composting needs this year. Digging out the paths also helps provide drainage for the beds, and retain moisture to give back to the beds. Win-win.

[@kevinbond2521]

The Linda Woodrow method from The Permaculture Home Garden. Great use of space. I've used it between chicken tractors too.

[@HuwRichards]

Never heard of this! Will have to look it up - thanks!

[@AngelaH2222]

My temporary pathways are made from thin prunings and twiggy leafy stuff, it keeps feeding the plants growing next to them, and less need to have to burn any prunings... Actually this year I decided not to burn, and have dug out trenches to redo some paths with larger prunings and woodchip over the top,, they feel nice and springy to walk on😊

[@rrichards1210]

What a brilliant concept and so thrilled you have done this follow-up video to show it works. I am making a garden in a spot away from the house and down a hill. Doing this will mean I won't have to cart weeds and rubbish to the bin near the house. Plus if looks like a great way to keep the weeds down between the beds. So a win-win!

[@dogslobbergardens-hv2wf]

@Disabled-Megatron and I'm certain you'll be basically creating a huge worm-bin between the beds. This is a really promising technique, I'm stoked about it.

[@Awakeningspirit100]

Thank you so much for this information. I have a 22x12 garden & was sure there was no room for a compost bin. Now I will make a compost path!

[@bonniemiller5896]

Thanks so much for conducting this experiment, Huw. I have a compost tumbler for kitchen waste but did not want to sacrifice garden space for a compost pile. This looks fantastic and I am starting to use this method now. Thanks again.

[@slaterdomain]

I've been making compost pathways for 2 years now... now my new double plot is one massive compost. I have marked areas for beds and netting, using logs for the walls. I'll keep piling organic matter on them. Then I rake the paths until I get all down to the clay soil and pile that on and start again. (You wasent the first ;) 😅 I'm a gardener and never clean up after myself. My clients beds are always getting covered in leaves and the grass clippings. Some don't like it, but then they see the wildlife coming back and realise that a mulch is key to a healthy border. Gotta feed those worms! Irrigation and aeration ❤

[@TAMSTERMAN]

Thanks. You’ve probably saved me a good few quid in the future. Appreciate your knowledge sharing. Shout out for your good-yourself, Charles dowding and the Venus project. May the world be a better place

[@cadileigh9948]

I read and used Ruth Stotts system when in California 50 years ago where i first gardened for veg seriously. Flat composting worked fine but needed a lot of watering. 30 years later back in South Wales with an allotment I'd had for 20 years I broke an arm and was unable to do any serious composting turning etc. That's when I becan to use no dig throughout. Walking to the allotment I would pick up large flat sheets of cardboard from peoples big purchases and also their grass cuttings put out for recycling. The nettles that had grown on site i could slash with a hook one handed and I built lasanya compost over 1/3 of the plot which I couldn't manage. It might have just been perfect weather for such a system that year and I doubt it would work so well now I'm back in the rain forest north of Huw but next year the compost just needed rakeing forward over the allotment and results were excellent and admired by the exminers who had the other plots

[@nextchancenow7153]

I tell people to use these small space to breakdown/pre compost material for use later as mulch, bin fill, or to add into a small pile to compost over winter. I’ve spent the last 4 years piling along a fence, building usable growing space about 10 ft a year with homemade, passive composting (over 40 ft now being used this year)

[@dogslobbergardens-hv2wf]

This is a real "Why didn't I think of that?" moment for me. We have a local source for free ramial woodchips and we keep rabbits, so there's no shortage of "brown" and "green" material for this project. I will definitely be doing a couple pathways in this manner this year! Thank you for the video. 🙂

[@maxiemills6982]

I noticed on your overhead drone shot that your raised beds don't all line up in straight lines. I love this. I have six raised beds so far and mine came out a little wonky. The ideas of a bit of a mess in the garden appeal to me greatly. When some weed pops up in the yard, if I like it, I put water on it. If I don't, it goes to the compost bin. I have had very poor luck with my compost for the last couple of years and have changed things around this year. I am also going to start tossing a good deal of it in my pathways. Planting in Spokane Washington is still two or three weeks away but my prep is already started. Thank you so much for the videos.

[@NowGardening]

Brilliant idea and incredibly easy to put in place. I have an area of my garden with leaves and green material that I have been walking and rolling the wheelbarrow over for a few months simply because it’s in my way. It’s breaking down beautifully. If I had thought of your idea and turned it a few times, I’m convinced it would be useable compost by now. Lesson learned for next time!

[@trekaboutvintage]

I really love this idea. In my small garden, I have a fir tree which overhangs a portion of the area. This year, I have just raked all of the fir needles into the areas where I had planned to add bought-in wood chip for paths. Of course, the rankings include a lot leaves and other bits, too. I'm hoping that walking on these paths will break down the needles much faster, since they take absolutely forever to break down in my small compost pile. Meanwhile, I have free paths! Thanks, Huw!

[@lola8590]

I love this!! I’m going to be doing this and my small compost bins. Brilliant Huy!!!❤️

[@GinaFortenbury]

I LOVED this! As someone who’s garden is very small this will be VERY useful. Thank you

[@glynisreynolds446]

This is an inspirational idea 😃 Trust you to think out of the box and realise the potential of our paths 👏👏🇬🇧

[@geraldinesisk2702]

Compost tea is great for small garden!

[@KyleW1719]

So Glad to see the follow up on this. It's such a great idea, I'm glad it was successful! Great work!

[@ruthjohnson1001]

I watched your video and it make me want go out to my yard and get motivated do with the compost path. And I done it! 😊

[@carltaylor4942]

Thanks, Huw! What a brilliant idea! I never thought of using the actual garden paths as compost bins.

[@klaudiaw3038]

I have watched your concept video a year ago and did a very similar thing. Actually, I've started and cannot stop! That how amazing it is . What's more, but that's not for small spaces, instead of separating leaves in the autumn, I've been mowing the ground as soon as the grass started to grow and I am forming piles of dried leaves, dried grass and fresh grass and herbs clippings all mixed in the mower. The piles are formed on the grass and because they are high enough (15cm and counting) the grass/weeds underneath it die. I believe I can plant potatoes in those piles this year and switch to eg some cucurbits next year!

[@GrownToCook]

What a brilliant idea Huw! I mulch my paths with just wood chips but have been experimenting with using them as mulch once they are partially broken down. It only works for some crops though and not for beds where I want to sow directly

[@victoriagolmehdi8506]

I cleared the wood chip paths laid over the last two years and added the partially rotted down wood chips to the compost bins to continue to break down for use this coming Autumn. I then refreshed the paths and will do the same next year. I love the idea of lasagne paths and will try this on one part of the plot. Thanks Huw.

[@julie-annepineau4022]

Great experiment and fantastic outcome. I have space but I may still experiment with this

[@josiebridges3583]

Oh, Huw, I have just the perfect area for your idea, behind my big pots of greens. I will remove the artificial turf path and cover it with carboard and start composting there. Thank you.

[@davidjhannington9406]

I'm now trying this approach at my allotment, between my pallet collars for the pathways.

[@DawnBarb]

Hey hey from iowaaaaay! (Iowa, United States) I have a big, beautiful black walnut tree in my growing area. Great…. I’ve tried raised beds, but the tree roots are insane. Last year I stated investing in grow bags. Added to the collection this year. I remember watching you start this process last year. Im going to do it this year between the bags!thank you! I just love watching and listening to you!

[@DesertHuguenot]

We just yanked out two ~9 foot tall black walnut trees I started a few years ago because of juglone. 😭 Nobody told me about that toxin. Good luck to you from Missouri!

[@DawnBarb]

Unfortunately our tree is about 40 ft tall and been here since well before we moved in. Heartbreaking though to have to take out trees! Even black walnuts!

[@DawnBarb]

Sending my best to you!😊

[@elisabetk2595]

@@DawnBarb Black Walnuts is one of my favorite trees - as long as they are far away from any house, driveway, garden, etc. The dense shade is the real killer with them. The bigger issue is that they stain everything in sight.

[@CardsbyMaaike]

our allotment council would have an aneurysm hehe but I like it. I'm thinking to do an inground wormery, saw a few youtube videos about it, seems handy, just the odd bucket in the middle of beds

[@jimshirey2293]

Brilliant idea... just what I've been looking for. Thank you.

[@sandraconner6968]

I've been doing this for a year now, sort of, not thinking about it being compost! Now I need to use my bounty for my beds!

[@christinamartinhellohope]

Great idea! I must say it takes ages for my compost to actually break down so I use a combination action of homemade compost and bought compost because otherwise I just wouldn't have enough. But I have a spot I've earmarked for dumping stuff on and seeing how it goes! I might even pop a pumpkin seed in...

[@tmontero8492]

G E N I U S! Why not! Thank you for changing my way of thinking! I have plenty of square feet of pathways that can be put to good use!

[@HuwRichards]

Perfect! :)

[@In-Gradina-lui-Ion]

Great way to create your own compost for your natural food vegetables

[@compticny3138]

We have used kitchen scraps and grass clippings covered with wood chips for pathways in the garden. Between the biological breakdown and the mechanical (walking on them), we end up with plenty of partially broken-down compost that we use to cover the beds at the end of the growing season.

[@mariap.894]

Compticny@ Any rats? Since I started composting kitchen scraps, they found them! Before, it was only leaves and cardboard. No problems, but now is "NYC subway"

[@compticny3138]

@@mariap.894 Maria, never had problems with rats, but field mice until the neighbor's cats put a big dent in their population.

[@mariap.894]

@@compticny3138 I guess I'll have to get a cat. Yesterday they ate about 2lbs of tomatoes again. They are a nightmare! Thanks and best of luck🌻😍👍🦋🪴💜

[@klaracurk5859]

This is genius! 🎉 I am going to do it this season! Thank you for always beeing 2 steps in front of us, in front of our thinking😁 epic!

[@mwatson3302]

Heya! The great youtube channel, Edible Acres, does this as well! What a great system, I will have to try it

[@4103marshy]

Genius idea! Thank you for your videos and creative thinking. Love watching them every morning to get my mind ready for the growing season

[@gordonwood1594]

A few years ago I found myself with al large amount of grass clippings and no where to put them. My compost bin was full and there was no space in my small garden. I covered my paths with grass clippings and covered the clippings with thick cardboard. I improved the appearance with a layer of twigs and hedge clippings. When I raked off the twigs, six months later, I found the cardboard and grass had turned into excellent, rich crumbly soil. I don't know if it qualified as compost but it was perfect for my needs.

[@marylawton7643]

I like this idea I always have lots of grass clippings never know what to do with them I will follow your idea

[@colmwhateveryoulike3240]

We do this in work. A permaculturist told us about it. Works a treat. We also have massive compost bays so it was more about the paths and every little bit helps than the space.

[@HuwRichards]

Fantastic!

[@marylawton7643]

If there was such a thing as a compostableholic then that’s me I have so many bins it’s unreal I am in the process of trying out this way on the pathway surrounding my raised bed I put all my cardboard boxes on and weeds from my raised beds can’t wait to see how it turns out Thank you for such a good idea

[@kojiikokoaka_jun34]

I’m a noob I’ve just started I’m always worried that If i use weeds it would create more weeds?

[@marylawton7643]

@@kojiikokoaka_jun34 as long as there are no seeds on the weeds you should be ok you can think of more weeds as extra compost material that’s how I see them now

[@sarahbarton2089]

Brilliant. Easy and effective. Thanks a LOT

[@kaoutar-el-allam]

What a brilliant idea. Thank you very much!

[@adriennemeager297]

On my goodness now I know how to make the most of a small area where I can use as a compost..result. Thank you so much 😁

[@bevmainwaring2889]

Brilliant idea, I will definitely be trying this! 🎉😀

[@izebdeh]

This is an awesome Idea! Buying compost is probably the most daunting part of starting for me 😂

[@benedictvanheems]

Love this Huw. Very smart indeed and am astonished how much compost you got from it - nice work!

[@mq9413]

Brilliant, thanks for the info. You've given me another compost alternative, cheers!

[@HuwRichards]

Glad to help :)

[@klaudiaw3038]

My garden grows wild since 15+ years and I feel stupid carrying some stuff back and forth on a wheelbarrow. I've watched the concept video a year ago and I was like: "Good one! That makes perfect sense. That's what I need". And now, since I'm creating new beds I'm actually thinking about doing same size bed as path and use one for growing the other for walking and composting switching the areas each year... this way I don't even have to move the compost lol

[@petervany4342]

Such a great idea. Thanks for sharing

[@TheAllotmentGardenandKitchen]

I love making compost and it is one of the best things veg growers can do. Thank you for the video Huw and keep up the good work. Kind regards. Gary

[@joolsmonash9855]

What a brilliant idea!!

[@jeannamcgregor9967]

My compost bins are in a narrow shady space next to the driveway in which I can grow very little else. It would be nice to have them right in the garden, but it does make it very easy when I bring in a load of city green waste compost or horse manure. My husband was concerned they would smell and the neighbors would complain, but as gardeners know, if it's done right it smells good!

[@socloseagain4298]

Wow this looks too good to be true Mr. Huw! 😲🤗

[@helenlatimer9230]

WOW. thank you so much. I will! Be doing this.

[@iamportersinger]

Love this idea!

[@reneford6774]

That is amazing! Thanks for sharing the results, definitely something I am going to try.

[@3mmamh154]

I have two big compost bins, once a year i empty the one and turn the other. I also have 5 big pots (one is always empty) that i compost in over the winter. I turn them once a week which takes me 20mins and love seeing how many worms are in there. I then use these pots to grow beans and pumpkins up my wall. Might give the pathways a go once i have built some veggie beds.

[@Constantinului]

Thank you brother ! Great idea

[@EighteenandCloudy]

This is such a clever use of space!

[@amysnipes4245]

I love this idea! Thanks.

[@HuwRichards]

Glad it's useful for you! :)

[@TinaReid]

What a fantastic idea! Thank you Huw!

[@UrbanHomesteadMomma]

What a great idea!

[@ZicoTheMysticalWarrior]

Fantastic idea, the only issue I can think of would be with seeds from either weeds or composted veg but like all brilliant ideas this is so simple.

[@elisabetk2595]

We dug trenches 8-12" in a couple of paths when we re-arranged our 20'x20' allotment-type plot and filled them up with leaves which are in ready supply there as well as whatever green was at hand. The main reason we did it is that our heavy clay soil is a sticky mess when it's wet, and walked on it compresses into basically concrete that is impossible to get weeds out of (and we have bindweed, sigh). It turns out that pulling weeds from those paths was incredibly easy, and fewer weeds too even though the soil was alive and rich.

[@Moneypenny76]

Hi Huw, interresting idea. Did you have any more problems with slugs around this composting area?

[@auntyree5131]

i was thinking the same thing dose it attract slugs and snails next thing your beds are full of them eating all my crops not so sure

[@David-xh9cw]

The obvious question. Huw probably won't have had problems as he's on top of his slug population and is able to attend to the garden regularly. I suspect others will have bigger issues if they can't keep on top of the population. I'll be trying this myself in a few years time once my plot is more established, definitely a large amount of good compost produced there which may even make up for a few losses to slugs! Sow a few extra plugs to account for losses and you're flying!

[@auntyree5131]

@@David-xh9cw thank you

[@DesertHuguenot]

I was wondering this too. I use untreated local mulch in my garden to retain moisture in the hot summer. Would I do better using chips that were aged one year?

[@mrs.t4382]

This just seems too easy!

[@hollydimig3998]

This is awesome

[@daveswords2112]

That's an original idea we'll done m8. Seriously genius stuff.

[@timwells3056]

Great idea

[@Cici1791]

I've actually been doing this for years in the pathway of my community garden to recycle weeds and other garden debris without sending all that material to the landfill. The only difference is I make big piles along my wide path, and plant any extra squash, tomatoes or other seedlings into them once the compost is ready in the spring.

[@woodworks2123]

Great video and idea Huw a great amount of compost from that space

[@dane2487]

Anyone had any trouble with rats and slugs with this method? In your small typical urban garden I imagine this would be pretty ugly and may cause a few issues. Im sure it has its place like others have said though so nice to see this - thanks Huw! The hotbin doesnt take up much space so thats what I went for

[@thatgirlthatgrows]

What a great concept! I would never have thought of this, thank you!

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

Excellent video

[@wingfeatherfarm]

This is genius, well done!

[@anne-mariemcandrew9893]

Please could you do a video on your runner ducks, what their coop is like/feeding/cleaning out etc xx

[@hafizasakhi9312]

Good idea

[@JennySimon206]

You're a freaking genius and just tipped me over the edge of figuring this out for myself. I just moved somewhere with nowhere great for a compost area. I'm doing some Hugelkulture and burying it along with kelp I drag off the beach and whatever else I can find. I'm renting so I don't think I can transform the lawn but around the edges I can grow. Along the driveway too but it's a lot of shade so I'm stuck with perennials. Focusing on medicinals and pruning the trees and bushes as much as I think I can get away with. I don't think I can put pathways thru the lawn but I can around it where there's some beds. I got a chip drop but they gave me a cedar. Can I use cedar on the bottom of the compost path? U can't huh? I'm gonna use the cedar elsewhere and get another chip drop

[@trekaboutvintage]

I have cedar paths in my garden. They work beautifully AND after 2 years they are really breaking down. Has not been a problem for me in growing. Cedar is native around me and everything grows just fine in cedar forests. Hope that encourages you to try!

[@Nina-9a]

This is very helpful. Thank you, Hew!

[@roseramjit7084]

Really love your garden

[@lisag9493]

What a great idea ,, 👏👏👏

[@anthonyhoughton6625]

That's brilliant Huw.

[@HuwRichards]

Thanks Anthony!

[@lynnmacro3044]

Great idea, I’m going to start tomorrow!

[@HuwRichards]

Best of luck Lynn!

[@originalwoolydragon8387]

Brilliant! I'm starting one ASAP!

[@belly3778]

Did you notice an increase of slugs due to the decomposition of greenery? Love the idea though! 👍

[@Simpledily]

This is a great practical idea! well done.

[@HuwRichards]

Thank you

[@TheLeahsKitchen]

Brilliant!

[@walbiramurray5762]

Thanks so much for this, simple and brilliant!

[@LittleCountryCabin]

Love this! Thank you 😊