Thank you everyone for your comments. We made this video to explain the limitations of compost. We still make compost for our garden. But understanding why compost is not the best tool to increase organic matter and the life in our soil we have the know-how to develop more eco-logical techniques, providing longer-term benefits. For more information on using this eco-logical approach watch this video next - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-b_SD4RORwPw.html If you would like to read more about the science of retaining organic matter in soil - see the scientific papers listed in the description below the video.
This is really fascinating, thank you. In practical terms then are you saying: 1. Leave plant roots in the soil 2. Always have plants growing in the soil 3. Have a diversity of plants growing in the soil 4. Leave the roots in the soil once annuals have died 4. Some nutrients in the growing plants can be supplemented by compost but the plants themselves are doing the donkey work of contributing to the soil ecosystem health
I’m thoroughly enjoying your videos. And feeling hopeful for my ability to keep gardening. Weeding gets harder and harder every year. Time to work with nature!
Dr Christine Jones states that root exudates provide 5 to 30 times the carbon compared to surface residues (similar to a mulch) so maximising exudates is the best way to improve soil. For compost I read that French horticulturalists use unfinished compost so in addition to introducing soil microbes you are providing a food source for them as well. Interestingly, the resulting slow release of CO2 is claimed to provide a high CO2 micro-climate just under your plants leaves similar to CO2 injection in commercial greenhouses.
Thanks, Michael for providing the additional information. I've added a few of the scientific papers on organic matter retention in soil in the description below the video - you may have read these.
This is what I was wondering about. I’m not expert and never want to be 😅 but I simply use my vermicompost as a planting into source and then use just lawn clippings that are what most would consider unfinished organic matter breaking down as a mulch barrier for elements. The vermicompost usually has cocoons in it and wormies so I introduce those back into the soil which is where I actually got the worms from. Didn’t buy a single one. So maybe in that regard I’m doing what video is saying. But I do like to be wrong so I can learn a little more because I feel unsure, thank you for any information!! 🤙
You ask the question 'How do we improve our soil?' then don't really answer it. You've taken the broad term of 'compost' and wrongly assumed all compost is alike which it obviously isn't. As far as getting roots and their exudites into the soil, then as long as you're growing something in that soil it's getting those. So the answer is: Grow plants in your soil to make it more healthy.
Yes, that's it - As you say growing plants in our soil is the best way to improve our soil. Don't get me wrong, I use compost. But because plants supply root tissues and root exudates as well as leaves and stems, and therefore a more balanced diet for the microbes and invertebrates in our soil, I prefer using living plants. You can see that we're switching from prioritising feeding our plants to feeding our soil organisms. This is because they are the ones who maintain the soil infrastructure, recycle nutrients and resupply them to our plants for reuse. I go into more detail about this eco-logical approach to improving our soil in this video - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-b_SD4RORwPw.html
@@LearningfromNaturebut we make compost from growing plants. Compost is a by product of getting roots into the ground. We can’t create compost without growing plants in some shape or form, therefore by making compost we are implementing your implied best solution to improve soil by default. Is your video mainly aimed at those who buy commercial compost, spread their purchased commercial compost on the ground, but don’t grow any plants in their soil?
Hi Steve, thank you for your comment. The purpose of the video is to highlight the limitations of compost as a tool for improving soil. Please see my pinned comment above.
When starting a home vegie garden with a depleted soil structure, compost adds some structure to the soil in the form of broken down organic matter. Each time we add compost this helps improve this soil structure. By adding additional mulch and liquid organic fertilizers, this garden will continue to improve over time. This has been my experience. Managing larger fields for crop growing would require green manuring and your methods would also assist. Would u agree?
Thanks for your comment. As I s explain in the video, we can't go wrong adding mulch, compost and other bio-ferts to give our soil an initial boost. But, longer term our soil organisms will better manage the nutrient recycling and soil infrastructure if we also provided with root tissues and root exudates from growing living plants.
Thank you,what would you suggest sowing as a good edible covercrop??could I use creeping Charlie(not edible...but very good ground cover and easy to pull out of the ground
Hi, as we all grow in different climates, soil and other growing conditions, I suggest taking a look at this video - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1MsCQ0gd1b8.htmlsi=XSNYSLZnprVMuX6v. It explains how choose the best plants. If you want more clarification after watching the video - let me know! 🙂
Please!I want to ask a question. Can soil organisms live in waterlogged soil? In our region,rain season long about 5 months.Soil is always wet in this time.
No worries! Wet soil doesn't matter so much as how much air can get in your soil which will depend on your soil structure. Other wise your conditions will be anaerobic. In these conditions anaerobic bacteria can produce toxic compounds that can limit root growth and predispose plants to root diseases. Have you seen our videos on how to reduce waterlogging? - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Be2tXVfmbj8.html and ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TBOmpamvUTI.html
Hi thanks for your question..There a few subtle points in the video that are easy to miss because the video introduces a very different approach to growing food. It took me some time to get my head around that we can grow food relying on Nature by working with Nature - and I am an ecologist! Can I suggest watching the video again and let me know if you have any questions? I often refer people to this video because it goes into more detail about this eco-logical approach to improving our soil - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-b_SD4RORwPw.htmlsi=v-7bGCzTyIOIdVzN
@@LearningfromNature Thanks for the recommended video - unfortunately it's all extremely theoretical. What is your recommendation in easy langauge: How to improve soil quality without compost? Just using various different plants (permaculture)?
Hi Robert. Yes when we grow plants and 'weeds' adapted to our soil and other growing conditions we grow from our strengths. You may be interested in watching this video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1MsCQ0gd1b8.htmlsi=AgX1kC6y3a5uaD8b
Many years ago I had a veggie garden on land that had been coastal heathland. It was also just sand! Because in these situations we don't have the benefit of clay to help store water and plant nutrients, increasing the organic matter in our soil is paramount. As you would have heard in the video, the best way to do this is by growing and managing our plants to increase the supply of leaves, stems, root tissues and root exudates to our soil. I don't normally promote our publications - but Shameen I know that our Eco-logical Gardening or Eco-logical Farming Handbooks would really help you! The pdf versions are not expensive! www.learningfromnature.com.au/handbooks-on-growing-food-ecologically/
Hi Sam, root exudates are secretions plants release from their roots to feed soil organisms. They are a complex mixture of sugars, amino acids, organic acids, enzymes, and other substances.
Perhaps you were unable to understand, It made perfect sense to some of us. The root Exudates from cover crops are more beneficial, I personally use both, Plus I have the ability to not be rude and obnoxious
Thanks for the comment. It wasn’t my intention to be mysterious. If there’s something specific you would like to know, please ask and I will answer as directly as I can.
Yes you are right - cover crops are one of the tools we can use depending on our climate and what food we grow. See our video on cover crops - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yFsxQD4BfDc.html
Hmm..composts are not the same, what you are saying is true for the typical hot compost/aerobic, there is a lot of carbondioxide release However, if you have facultative microbes like in Bokashi...the nutrient cycles does not release so much carbondioxide as you say. Another key method to make the compost slow release and long term is by adding it to Biochar. Once nutrient cycling begins...then you are doing things regeneratively and long term. Also, The type of soil amending you are talking about is fungal dominant which is great for trees and other species later in succession But for vegetable garden/farms, bacterial to fungi ratio requirements are different.
Thank you for your thoughts You raise several interesting points. Can I respond by referring to the main purpose of the video (see my pinned comment above) and also ask you about the Bokashi compost? Are you referring to the CO2 release before or once the compost is added to the soil?
