Love the information you keep providing the community! If I may, it would have added to the video to see you come back to the sample and identity it on camera for people to see the separation of layers and process of measuring, particularly since there will be some who learn best that way. Cheers!
Great information as always. I’m wearing one of your long sleeve shirts as I watched this episode. It’s very comfortable and perfect for the garden. Thanks 😊
oh also, I followed your vermicompost method and got worms from Uncle Jim, so happy with my worm first worm casting yesterday. Thank you for teaching us newbies
This is a very subjective question, depends on: where you live (geography & geology) and what you want to grow. But for the most part it doesn't really matter all that much unless you're at one of the extremes of more than 90% of sand, silt, or clay; and even then it's still possible grow a backyard crop with some organic matter ammendments. I have a ~35-45% sand/ ~35-45% silt / ~15-20% clay mixture, not counting the organic matter. If I tried to change my soil composition by adding sand, silt, or clay... we're talking yards of material that would have to be roto-tilled in at depth of 12"-18" for it to *begin* to change the soil composition. It's 1000x easier and cheaper to just add compost, manure, grass clippings, etc... in order to build a better soil.
very useful information as always Luke 😊 thanks for this easy, free test. i was going to send off my soil actually. now i will DEFINITELY reconsider. thanks again and keep up the great work!
Thank you Luke! This is genius I would love to see a follow up video that goes into detail interpreting the results (i.e. what ratios you are looking for in different circumstances)
Thanks for the reminder to check my soil. I picked a spent under-performing part of my garden beds to do the suspension test, and came up I have half sand, half silt, no clay in that place, lol. No wonder I keep watering and feeding it and it always seems dead. Can't wait for the DIY soil nutrient test vid :)
We put in raised garden beds last year with all new soil, consisting of bagged garden soil, compost, and aged manure. I'm interested in seeing what ours settles out to be.
I live in SW MI and have bought seeds from you twice now, they had such outstanding germination as far as percent and how fast! Really a great value, hope you don’t raise your prices 😁 Thank you!
I started growing in pots the first year, this year I'm going to try no dig methods and next maybe put in some raised beds. I love your channel and advice. I'm commenting from MN which is close in growing zone to whwere you are producing your show so your lectures and demos are really helpful. Thank you!
Thanks Luke 🙌🏻 I’m the one gardener asking for topsoil 😂 every year I try to add some topsoil and compost. My inground garden is looking better every year🙌🏻
Thanks for the reminder! I did this a few years back but forgot about it! I think I forgot because it came out really good but going to do it again. We are in the teens at night all last week and looks like the next week as well so still nothing in my beds!
Ive been watching your videos for years now and am a fairly new sub. I just wanted to say this is the type of videos i like seeing. This is an amazing piece of art, thanks for your thoughts and knowledge. I am a new 2 year gardener and now have learned alot thanks to your videos.
I literally did this in science class in the 2nd grade!!! Definitely mixing some compost and sand and clay from my yard into my store bought potting mix!
my garden mix last year was compost, top soil/clay from my yard, and store bought potting mix. I thought removing the top soil would help lol but guess I was wrong!
💕WOW!!! Thank you, I love this- what a great video and great information. Can't wait for the next one! 💕 😳 And I totally think we did this in like 5 or 6th grade science class - but little did I know I would need to use it for gardening! Lol This is great!
Thank you so much for the information you gave me through the years. I feel now more than ever it is important to plant. My bed looks great and for some good soil
I would have liked to see the sample settled out with some commentary. I have very strange soil that turns to silly putty with the slightest moisture....I have to heavily amend it. Its called "Waxpool". Very waxy when wet but crumbles well when dry.
Thanks again. I am looking forward to the nutrient test. I am confident about the sand / silt / clay proportions of my raised beds, but I will test to verify. I am not so confident about the nutrient content. I grow a cover crop (rye). I mulch and compost that, mixing it with the leaves I mulched the prior fall. I compost everything organic and ensure I have a hot compost. After two years, I add that to my beds. However, I have never tested the nutrients.
I don't know if you read these comments or not. You have so many subscribers I don't see how you have time! But I'd love to see that same jar after the recommended time with the layers you speak of. I kind of saw it after the few minutes....but it would be neat to see after the final waiting time. 🙂
@@seanaames6855 The trouble with that is when you’re looking at a video a year later who knows where the follow up video is. You have to go in today creator stash of videos and start scrolling way back. So annoying
Yeah I moved to Florida but I still follow you. I can tell you overly loose soil is just as bad as overly compacted! We have mayakka sandy soil and it leaches extremely fast. Even mulch put on top disappears quickly.
You could always just do a Plastic Index of the soil sample using an Atterberg Liquid Limits Machine, then oven dry the sample, and use a Hydrometer to be as precise as possible!
I like how you said you'd show how to do a nutrient test in the next video, and the next suggested video wasn't anything like that nor can I find it anywhere in your videos or playlists
Hi Luke! Hey, why don't you write an easy book of how to intercrop to reduce pests in the garden for beginners. Can you add a simple chart of examples, what goes well together and what doesn't?
