Growing in Straight Organic and Biodynamic Compost in my Raised Bed Vegetable Garden
John from www.growingyourgreens.com goes on a field trip to Sonoma Compost to pickup more compost for his garden. In this episode you will learn why compost should be the #1 soil ammendment for your garden to build fertility. You will also learn about the all new Demeter Certified Biodynamic Compost that is now available at Sonoma Compost. You will also discover the reason why John grows in straight compost and how it is possible, when the “experts” say you can’t grow in straight compost… You will also learn the difference between the Organic OMRI compost and the new biodynamic compost that is now available at Sonoma Compost.
25 Responses to Growing in Straight Organic and Biodynamic Compost in my Raised Bed Vegetable Garden
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@tribalwind Feathers may have been obtained from freshly plucked and slaughtered birds used for meat. The feathers are no good to anyone once they’ve been plucked from the dead chicken…I doubt they pluck a live chicken and leave him/her to free range in their birthday suit!
bulleuston76
March 21, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Hi John, have you conducted a ph test on the bio- dynamic compost you bought? Would be good to see the result which would put those minds at rest who believe it’s not safe (for people or plants??) to plant directly into well matured compost…
bulleuston76
March 21, 2012 at 4:36 pm
MODERN AGRA BULINESS ACTUALLY STARTED ABOUT THE TIME OF THE LATE 18TH- EARLY 20TH CENTURY. DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU SHOOT YOUR MOUTH OFF. STARTING AT THE END OF WW1 PEOPLE WERE BEING TOLD THEY COULD MAKE MONEY IN THE BIG CITIES, SO THE EXODUS FROM THE FARMS, COMBINED WITH THE CHANGE IN IMMIGRATION LAWS, TOOK THE PRODUCTIVE FAMILY FARMER OFF HIS LAND AND LURED HIM INTO CITY LIFE, TELLING HIM HE COULD GET THE SO-CALLED AMERICAN DREAM. BIODYNAMICS IS NOTHING MORE THAN ANOTHER RELIGION.
1fanger
March 21, 2012 at 5:13 pm
When Biodynamic compost was compared to the equivalent non-biodynamic compost of the same age, the biodynamic compost showed a greater biological activity. The 6 months minimum age, recommended by the biodynamic practices, is not such that it is broken down too much (fully mineralized). Since the last 4 months of the process are in a static pile, the rate of decomposition is greatly reduced. It does produce a more stable compost.
growingyourgreens
March 21, 2012 at 5:28 pm
Thanks for your infectious enthusiasm, John. I really appreciate you encouraging people to grow their own food! Gardening is such an experimental process and trial and error are the best teachers, but your steady, positive voice provides us with new ideas and helps pass the gardening obsession along! I really enjoy your videos, learn a ton from you and look forward to what you’re doing in your garden and where you might end up next. Keep it up!
jannemackie
March 21, 2012 at 5:44 pm
@BubbleBeet What you say is very true. I never use organic material that is finished in the composting process. You need those active organisms to break down your azomite and finished compost packs tight and has lost its active enzymes delivering less nutrition to your plants. On the other hand wood material and leaf material until it realy gets going can strip nitrogen from your soil.
martenfisher1
March 21, 2012 at 6:24 pm
This video goes against my knowledge. Unbroken down compost is more active and alive than this stuff he is talking about. They have to add the biodinamic but compost breaking down has natural fungus and worm enzymes that when mixed with the azomite creates a balanced garden. This compost is at the end stage and is coming in closer to be being steriile and no longer active. This is why it has no smell. No more bio activity. I would not buy it. This is also why the one person said it turned to mud
martenfisher1
March 21, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Great video!
DRSelkirk
March 21, 2012 at 8:10 pm
I tried growing in 100% compost and rockdust but had bad results with the mixture being too thick and turning into mud. I had a problem with standing water on top of the beds and the transplants wilted like they werent getting enough air at the roots. I mixed in some Perlite and Vermiculite and it fixed the problem. About 9 parts compost/rockdust to 1 part Perlite/Vermiculite and now the soil drains great and the roots get lots of oxygen.
BubbleBeet
March 21, 2012 at 9:02 pm
Aminopyralid: Know Your Man…
4 days ago by CanarsieBK
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babylonoise
March 21, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Great video, as usual! When I was putting in my raised beds on my front lawn, I called the local “Master Gardeners”, and the person told me that I would not be able to grow in pure compost and laughed at the idea of rock dust. I chanced it and wow was she wrong. My tomatoes grew over 10-feet tall. My basil was nearly chest-high like a hedge! I’ve become a believer in compost (and I add the rock dust in too). Thanks!
OrganicGarden123
March 21, 2012 at 10:23 pm
While I do eat a plant based diet, and strive to “do no harm”, my actions are dictated by my values. I value my health above all else, and strive to grow the highest quality food using plant-based inputs as much as possible. Based on my research, one can grow 100% vegan but IMO it is a lot more challenging. I respect everyones personal beliefs and leave each person to choose how they choose to grow. Im not a fan of labels. If you eat commercial fruit, they are pollinated by enslaved bees….
growingyourgreens
March 21, 2012 at 11:07 pm
John , arent you vegan?
Rudolphs biodynamic farming entails using slaughtered animal parts (often nowadays from factory farms i hear) and a whole bunch of whacky voodooey practices from everything i’ve read on it.
how do you reconcile the two ? research on “preparation 500 and 501. the feathers in compost would also raise my eyebrow,obviously from plucked chickens no? hardly ethical veg.
tribalwind
March 22, 2012 at 12:00 am
Compost said 65 times haha
michaelstanger
March 22, 2012 at 12:31 am
@CelticSouthland Agree. It should be called Chemical Farming.
IllumTheMessage
March 22, 2012 at 1:08 am
put worms in it? yummy.
SMprepnNancy
March 22, 2012 at 1:20 am
I got a tip to use seabird when we amend the beds with composts. rocket fuel.
SMprepnNancy
March 22, 2012 at 1:47 am
I don’t grow in 100% compost.
What worked well for me last year (best garden ever) was putting compost in a bucket, mixing in enough regual soil (gumbo from my back yard near Dallas) to get the compost dirty. Then I put that mixture into rows and planted my garden.
CelticSouthland
March 22, 2012 at 1:55 am
where from do come the rice hulls in CA?
AMRADIO777
March 22, 2012 at 2:47 am
I don’t consider “conventional farming” (chemical farming) to be at all conventional; it is a radical unnatural system that harms the environment and is a danger to our Children.
What folks are calling “organic” is just normal natural farming methods, the same techniques our Ancestors used for thousands of years.
If our Ancestors had adopted some crazy radical convention, such as chemical farming, then we might not be here today.
CelticSouthland
March 22, 2012 at 2:59 am
@keystoneprepper , Or a little trailer he can hook on.
DrowSkinned
March 22, 2012 at 3:23 am
Sonoma Compost generally hands out coupons when they have a “booth” or table at various events, such as Festivals, Fairs, etc. The coupon was for 15% off.
growingyourgreens
March 22, 2012 at 3:44 am
where did you get the coupons from? This is great. I will get it. Travel 60 miles.
myveggigarden
March 22, 2012 at 4:28 am
The half yard cost me about $15 after using a discount coupon.
growingyourgreens
March 22, 2012 at 4:56 am
How much did it cost you??
09NXN06
March 22, 2012 at 5:37 am