How to Turn a Backyard Compost Pile

Master Composter Denny May goes through the steps to a successful winter backyard compost pile using the GEOBIN composting system.

Пікірлер: 111

  • @michaelschwab8982
    @michaelschwab8982Ай бұрын

    This was fun to watch and Extremely informative! Most of all, I enjoyed the presentation. It was real. A video of an expert sharing what works! Thank you so much!

  • @tdg1945
    @tdg1945 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for explaining why the pile needs higher Temps.... To kill off seeds! ❤️ No one has explained that part! ❤️

  • @knoxurbanhomestead
    @knoxurbanhomestead3 ай бұрын

    "Watch out youre stepping on the garlic!" sign of a true gardener. lol

  • @jess8935
    @jess8935 Жыл бұрын

    Hands down the best compost video on YT. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. 🙏 I’ve bought the same geobins as a beginner composter.

  • @mwendyt
    @mwendyt Жыл бұрын

    Would love to see more videos from this master gardener I am sure he has lots of wisdom on growing and such ❤❤❤

  • @emptynestgardens9057
    @emptynestgardens90573 жыл бұрын

    Seriously the BEST composting video ever!! I've been looking at content on this subject for the past 2wks. To actually see it being done is extremely helpful!!! Thank you so much!!

  • @Mrs.TJTaylor
    @Mrs.TJTaylor2 ай бұрын

    I love my Geobin. I didn’t think I would when I first set it up, but now I want a second one. So easy and tidy!

  • @neiltaylor4
    @neiltaylor44 жыл бұрын

    What a pro! I really enjoyed all of the science behind it. Let's get more videos with this guy!

  • @DT-oy3kj
    @DT-oy3kj3 жыл бұрын

    Loved the way you showed how it is done. It seems a lot simpler for a novice urban gardener like myself than some of the other KZread videos that got so technical and use fresh manure 💩 . Thank you!

  • @D.A.Hanks14
    @D.A.Hanks142 жыл бұрын

    I have found that by building tall piles and covering them to contain the heat, I get a much better result. When you make your pile as tall as possible, it acts like a chimney. Instead of wasting that heat right out the top, it stays in the pile, albeit further up. While it may only be around 125 at two feet, at four feet, it's in the 160 range. It will cook down much quicker. Also, shredding those leaves will make a huge difference, particularly since they are oak, which contains a lot of lignin. You're essentially trying to compost thin wood chips.

  • @markglidden8766

    @markglidden8766

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes, run a lawn mower over the leaves to chop them up. Pick up the leaves with a lawn mower bag so they are ready to go into the compost.

  • @ericsmith5324
    @ericsmith53242 жыл бұрын

    Excellent video! Thanks for the help. Those Ecobin setups are huge and affordable for anyone who wants to do this.

  • @Girlkellyn
    @Girlkellyn3 жыл бұрын

    He needs to be my gardening role model.

  • @khonthainaidc
    @khonthainaidc3 жыл бұрын

    Wow 😮 that steam!!!! Amazing to see, very educational. Thanks for both of you.

  • @steem23
    @steem233 жыл бұрын

    Best compost video I have yet seen. Thanks for the great info!

  • @hughcannon3569
    @hughcannon35692 жыл бұрын

    Thanks, very informative. I've always saved grass clippings, but didn't know for certain how to incorporate food,manure etc. properly.

  • @MrTrenttness
    @MrTrenttness3 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much! I never planted anything but I now I have a place to. I'm planting potatoes until I'm good at it.

  • @skippingalong769
    @skippingalong7692 жыл бұрын

    I wish I could follow this guy. Thank you for sharing this video.

  • @digitalis_
    @digitalis_ Жыл бұрын

    Very informative, exactly what I was looking for thanks!

  • @johng3621
    @johng36212 жыл бұрын

    This was very helpful. Thank you!

  • @marathonglass2
    @marathonglass23 жыл бұрын

    Love your video Danny. Well done. Clearly gives me the next steps I need, now that my 2 Geobins are full of leaves and starting to break down. Thx so much. You might have a career in acting! lol

  • @jenniferchen3483
    @jenniferchen34832 жыл бұрын

    Thanks a lot and no questions 🌼

  • @monicaburton7230
    @monicaburton72302 жыл бұрын

    This was a great video. Thank you..

  • @natureboy6410
    @natureboy64104 ай бұрын

    Let the established pile cook about 5 days, then every 3 days, turn that pile inside out. Dry stuff goes on the inside, wet stuff goes on the outside. Keep everything moist, like a wrung out sponge. In about 30 days, you'll have a pile of compost that you can use. 🤗

  • @kafinn5302
    @kafinn5302 Жыл бұрын

    Great explanation 😊

  • @dinahmckim2443
    @dinahmckim24433 жыл бұрын

    Great video.

  • @glomontero6011
    @glomontero6011 Жыл бұрын

    Thank s for the info. I’m working on one or two.

  • @phildevaney498
    @phildevaney4987 ай бұрын

    I’ve inherited a bunch of shredded leaves from a yard service. I have five hot piles going right now, with a ton of leaves still left. Unfortunately, after turning three of the piles last week I ended up in the ER with chest pain. Will see tomorrow if the cardiologist will let me keep turning my piles. (Tests show it wasn’t a heart attack 😊)

  • @teslaee2000

    @teslaee2000

    5 ай бұрын

    I was the guy in the video is in good shape. I'd have been out of breath .

  • @richardyin8698
    @richardyin86984 жыл бұрын

    i think you just sold me on a compost tumbler.

  • @magpie1492
    @magpie1492 Жыл бұрын

    Fabulous!!

  • @bimalalimbu9915
    @bimalalimbu99153 жыл бұрын

    Good sir I'm form nepal thank u sir

  • @aok2727
    @aok27277 ай бұрын

    I do love using coffee grounds but it’s as good to use what you have

  • @KatelynAnn710
    @KatelynAnn7104 жыл бұрын

    Thank youu

  • @creator2383
    @creator23833 жыл бұрын

    HI! Good video for composting. Can you tell me where is a good place to buy straws? Thanks!

  • @lynnlovessoil
    @lynnlovessoil4 жыл бұрын

    If you mow over the leaves first it will break down faster.

  • @crossing3790

    @crossing3790

    3 жыл бұрын

    mowing over several times speeds up the process extremely. you are absolutely right

  • @joniboulware1436

    @joniboulware1436

    2 жыл бұрын

    No mowing over leaves with common bernuda, it will grow in the bin or garden later.

  • @heidiborton5284
    @heidiborton52844 жыл бұрын

    Hi! Love this video! Can you turn the compost over right in the bin without unlatching the whole thing?

  • @0anant0

    @0anant0

    3 жыл бұрын

    Not easy to get to the bottom where the completed compost material is.

  • @Dr_Peeper_ICU

    @Dr_Peeper_ICU

    3 жыл бұрын

    Possible, very tricky and it will end up being too "homogeneous" and not layered as well as. I know it's not actually homogeneous but I think you will get the idea.

  • @ourworld7206
    @ourworld72062 жыл бұрын

    How long does it take to make compost by using this technique ? Thks.

  • @amyjingli2810
    @amyjingli28109 ай бұрын

    hello,where did you get sticks which can make the GEO bin stabilized

  • @lalamartin6033
    @lalamartin60333 жыл бұрын

    I have an apple tree, too many grass clippings and garden waste...do I still need to add cardboard.

  • @neryalbanez5368
    @neryalbanez5368 Жыл бұрын

    What about when it rains ,and o did it but it seem like my last year grass looks like is growing roots in my compost

  • @robertfrisby582
    @robertfrisby5824 жыл бұрын

    I would like to know what people do to keep tree roots out of their compost piles? I have put plastic down first before but that didn't work for very long.

  • @profmarisalester1446

    @profmarisalester1446

    3 жыл бұрын

    You don't want to put plastic down because then you don't get worms helping breakdown your scraps and compost

  • @lynnodell1795
    @lynnodell1795 Жыл бұрын

    What happens when it snows? Should the pile be covered?

  • @attorneydad
    @attorneydad4 жыл бұрын

    Hey Emily, thanks for the video. It's about 4 months later, can you post an updated video to see how it looks now?

  • @emilymay4661

    @emilymay4661

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Matthew, thanks for the comment! I will see if I can make that happen - it's a little trickier now with social distancing in place!

  • @KB-2222

    @KB-2222

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@emilymay4661 social distancing is bs and covid is too

  • @mikewright3029
    @mikewright3029 Жыл бұрын

    the hotness needs air or it stinks. it looks like every time you turn it you add more greens to each layer and all the stuff from the original pile is considered browns now. is that right? also, please. do you have a recommendation of where to buy the stakes you're using and what size?

  • @bsod5608

    @bsod5608

    Жыл бұрын

    You are right about the greens being mixed in. Coffee grounds is high in nitrogen, and therefor is considered "green". "Browns" are low on nitrogen and high on carbon rich, sawdust, and old leaves are typixal browns. I use rebar in a suitble size for stakes usually. Its really cheap and easy to get from local building material company. But almost anything works, it is not subject to high forces..i sometimes use left over building material, or branches from trees as stakes.

  • @hdwoodshop
    @hdwoodshop4 жыл бұрын

    Do u cover the pile? Please show how you start it.

  • @emilymay4661

    @emilymay4661

    4 жыл бұрын

    No, the pile is left uncovered. It's started just how it's pictured in the video: layers of carbon and nitrogen (or leaves and vegetable waste) mixed with water!

  • @garthwunsch
    @garthwunsch3 жыл бұрын

    I used to compost this way... converting to the Johnson Su bioreactor. Lots of info on KZread. Oak is also really hard to break down. When it stinks, it’s gone anaerobic, and that kills all the beneficial bacteria and fungi. Compost meds to be aged or matured, not prepared “as fast as you can”. Professor Johnson and his wife, Dr. Su make this point quite clearly. Coffee grounds are good - they are quite high in nitrogen... and the filters are great carbon source.

  • @aletheist2709
    @aletheist27093 жыл бұрын

    Have you looked into using a Compost Crank? It's a bit less work than turning the whole pile.

  • @joeshmoe7789

    @joeshmoe7789

    3 жыл бұрын

    He did it the best way. The crank would be good to do a little in January or early February.

  • @abuffalow
    @abuffalow2 жыл бұрын

    Can you use would chips instead of leaves? I have a tree company that brings me the chips after they have chopped up trees.

  • @bsod5608

    @bsod5608

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah, but woodchips are slow. Really slow to break down. Its not hot composting anynore, it is a fungi dominated process that takes more or less years. Look for " johnson su bioreactor" for more information on breaking down wood chips

  • @joniboulware1436
    @joniboulware14362 жыл бұрын

    I Geo Bins. So easy. Has anyone tried connecting two of them to increase the size and get those hotter temps?

  • @cadistics

    @cadistics

    2 жыл бұрын

    Good idea! It's connected with plastic connector keys, so you probably could if it was supported with enough of those metal fence posts (used in this video) around the perimeter, to prevent sagging. Here is a video that shows the connector keys: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pWiJr8SqkdDVdJM.html

  • @lalamartin6033
    @lalamartin60333 жыл бұрын

    So are grass clippings considered Carbon, or Nitrogen....? If they dry out from green to brown...do they change from nitrogen to carbon

  • @venessamarquis5293

    @venessamarquis5293

    3 жыл бұрын

    I was wondering the same thing!

  • @Kyaide

    @Kyaide

    3 жыл бұрын

    Grass is considered nitrogen or the 'green' category. If you want to add nitrogen to your pile then they should be green when you add them. Once it's dried or turned brown it could have less nitrogen to contribute to your compost pile. Hope that helps.

  • @kendonkendon5680

    @kendonkendon5680

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes green grass clippings are nitrogen which is what you want for the pile to heat up for about 2 weeks after that it will trun brown and doesn't matter because the pile is almost done

  • @ruthtaylor8666
    @ruthtaylor86664 жыл бұрын

    my husband is again composting on the island as he is concerned about rats and or mice- what do you think?

  • @0anant0

    @0anant0

    3 жыл бұрын

    with this open design, not easy to keep the vermins away

  • @datapatch7381

    @datapatch7381

    3 жыл бұрын

    Need a sealable compost bin if there's rats.

  • @joeshmoe7789

    @joeshmoe7789

    3 жыл бұрын

    No meats or dairy. Bury food scraps in the middle of leaves until they break down.

  • @jubblybits6155
    @jubblybits61552 жыл бұрын

    Should be 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen. In the spring and summer use cardboard (free) or pelletized animal bedding ($6/40 pound bag at tractor supply) for a carbon source.

  • @PhinaLovesMusic
    @PhinaLovesMusic Жыл бұрын

    Anyone know what those spikes are called?

  • @akunkhususgaming
    @akunkhususgaming2 жыл бұрын

    Whats name of black circle thing?

  • @apriln2108
    @apriln2108 Жыл бұрын

    What size geobin?

  • @cats6745
    @cats67452 жыл бұрын

    what if you don't have leaves and grass to begin??

  • @atommachine
    @atommachine Жыл бұрын

    could i use grass instead of kitchen waste?

  • @bsod5608

    @bsod5608

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes

  • @ceacillea
    @ceacillea2 жыл бұрын

    How often do you turn the compost?

  • @connecticutwormsgardens

    @connecticutwormsgardens

    2 жыл бұрын

    He said a couple times early in that it needs to be turned once a week. I've been composting for decades and I find that once a month is adequate but if you're aiming for absolute fastest, maybe once a week is better but I don't strive for that, it's back breaking work especially when it starts breaking down. The more broken down it is the heavier it becomes and turning it gets old real fast..... Most of my compost bins now are vermicompost, compost made with worms. They do all the work and enjoy it

  • @ceacillea

    @ceacillea

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@connecticutwormsgardens Thank you so much. I did not catch that. It is indeed tough work. I had two smaller natural developing compost bins. One with fly worms and one with red worms. My two chickens loved browsing in the fly worms one. I covered the one with red worms. Although the chickens do not really eat the red worms (kind of surprises me) they 'turn over' the compost heavy with their paws, so I am a little protective of that bin and cover it. But I do not know how to 'air' that bin.

  • @irenecammuca7112
    @irenecammuca71124 жыл бұрын

    Is it ok to have sticks in your compost?

  • @emilymay4661

    @emilymay4661

    4 жыл бұрын

    Sticks will break down more slowly than leaves and vegetable waste, so they can slow down the composting process. But some people do use small layers of sticks every so often in the compost to improve aeration, especially if you aren't able to turn the compost pile easily or frequently. So really it's up to your process and your preferences!

  • @irenecammuca7112

    @irenecammuca7112

    4 жыл бұрын

    Emily May what about dog waste? I know you can use manure but can I use dog waste?

  • @emilymay4661

    @emilymay4661

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@irenecammuca7112 I would not recommend it. It's possible to compost dog waste, but you'd need to ensure consistently high temperatures (5 straight days with >165 degrees) in order to take care of roundworms and other parasites that can be harmful. Those temperatures can be hard to achieve in a backyard setup like this one.

  • @irenecammuca7112

    @irenecammuca7112

    4 жыл бұрын

    Emily May ok thank you very much

  • @valeriesalazar2743

    @valeriesalazar2743

    4 жыл бұрын

    I personal like to put sticks at the bottom of my pile to promote good air flow.

  • @katiejon17
    @katiejon172 жыл бұрын

    Would ash be considered a nitrogen component?

  • @connecticutwormsgardens

    @connecticutwormsgardens

    2 жыл бұрын

    No Ash comes from trees. It comes from a brown source and is pure carbon. The only nitrogen sources are plants and vegetables, leafy greens. Or something that was originally that way. Coffee was originally a bean which is why it is nitrogen, Ash was wood Which is carbon. Be careful with Ash, too much will raise the acidity level in the bin and kill off all the beneficial bacteria

  • @katiejon17

    @katiejon17

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@connecticutwormsgardens Thank you for this detailed reply!

  • @daytonagreg8765
    @daytonagreg87654 жыл бұрын

    Dumb question, Why can’t you do 4x4x4? Looks like you have plenty of room. What’s up? Thanks

  • @0anant0

    @0anant0

    3 жыл бұрын

    Its because of the total length of the roll of Geobin. You can, however, put two of them together.

  • @joeshmoe7789

    @joeshmoe7789

    3 жыл бұрын

    The new bins are 216 gallon and I get it up up to just over 140°. He doesn't have enough nitrogen. (grass, coffee, food scraps)

  • @johnspack8017

    @johnspack8017

    2 жыл бұрын

    I get temps over 150 in 2 days by shredding leaves, some grass clippings, coffee grounds and alfala pellets. Urine also helps. This done in Chicago at Thanksgiving in cooler weather. Pile is smoken! 3ft by 3ft by 4 ft

  • @evegrowing7749
    @evegrowing7749 Жыл бұрын

    I use to think the same thing, more girth = more heat, but that’s not necessarily true.

  • @evegrowing7749

    @evegrowing7749

    Жыл бұрын

    kzread.info/dash/bejne/X4quqZOPlbzdibA.html

  • @beepbopboop3221
    @beepbopboop32213 жыл бұрын

    Is chicken manure nitrogen?

  • @ajrwilde14

    @ajrwilde14

    3 жыл бұрын

    yes

  • @JB-mn4ff
    @JB-mn4ff Жыл бұрын

    We'll done @emilymay3228! I teach composting occasionally and this video mirrors the most effective way to supercharge the process for fastest results. Recommend summarizing the key points for short-attention span watchers.

  • @mikewright3029
    @mikewright3029 Жыл бұрын

    a few months?.... doesn't it only take one month when you keep flipping it like that?

  • @TheSmiley316
    @TheSmiley3163 жыл бұрын

    Can't hear u properly

  • @conduit242
    @conduit2424 жыл бұрын

    3:1? That's more like 100:1

  • @0anant0

    @0anant0

    3 жыл бұрын

    Maybe the '1' got composted already

  • @TheSamba37

    @TheSamba37

    3 жыл бұрын

    It's a chemical ratio, not a volume ratio. He's definitely a bit heavy on the browns though. It'll all still breakdown and the ratio doesn't matter as much as some people make it seem.

  • @kendonkendon5680

    @kendonkendon5680

    Жыл бұрын

    3 parts nitrogen to 1 part carbon then and water ....then repeat 3 parts to 1 part and water..hope this helps

  • @hdwoodshop
    @hdwoodshop4 жыл бұрын

    I have 2 cats that generate lots of dirty kitty litter. Can that be composted?

  • @emilymay4661

    @emilymay4661

    4 жыл бұрын

    I wouldn't compost kitty litter in a home compost that's used for human consumption - it can contain toxoplasmosis, a bacteria that some cats carry that can infect humans.

  • @datapatch7381

    @datapatch7381

    3 жыл бұрын

    No don't use kitty litter! It will make your produce toxic.

  • @Flies_the_limit
    @Flies_the_limit3 жыл бұрын

    Tractor.