SUPER EASY COMPOSTING! No Rules, Just COMPOST!

Don't make it too complicated! Sure, you can make 30-day compost, like we're working on, or you can stretch it out longer... or make a Johnson-Su bioreactor... or you can just THROW THINGS ON THE GROUND

Simple composting requires almost no rules. In fact, "no rules compost" is what nature does. Something dies and it falls on the ground - and it rots down into the soil. It's that simple. You don't need a complicated compost bin, you don't need a perfect C/N ratio, you don't need to hot compost, or thirty-day compost, or Berkeley Method your pile, etc.

All these can be good composting ideas, but they aren't necessary. You can start a compost pile today with no infrastructure. Get our there and compost everything!

[fishinghole]

The other day, my friend asked me, " Hey, do you have a hobby?" And I was like, "Yeah, at the end of the day I like to drink Merlot and watch David the Good YouTube videos and write comments." And my friend was like, "That's cool." And I was like, "Yeah, I know."

[codyduncan]

I'm now a near-absolute proponent of "just THROW THINGS ON THE GROUND."

I work my tiny little garden in San Francisco. It's nice because it never freezes. Tomato plants last 2+ years (if you keep pruning them back so they don't outgrow their roots' ability to support the big plant). However, it also never gets warm, so plants just put along at a snail's pace all year, and the compost piles don't really get hot, so the carbon-heavy plants break down really slowly.

The soil here is awful rocky sand. I have switched to planting many things (like canna lily, and the ever-aggressive mint) just because they churn out organic matter that I can cut off and scatter around the ground. Even with the low temperatures, after one year of chop-and-drop the whole garden has a nice layer of rotting organics where there was, before, just hard sand that couldn't absorb or hold moisture. It's filled with roly-poly bugs, millipedes, and tons and tons of spiders (which I attribute to the presence of all the other bugs, and whom I credit with a noticeable decline in insect pests).

The only other tip I would have for those who may not be going full homestead: Plant your trash. All my mint, rosemary, potatoes, onions, leeks (and more) were grown from either scraps, clones made from scraps, or produce that was about to turn.

[thadrobinson]

I'm a chef. After reading Compost Everything I realized the resources I was allowing to slip through my fingers. Every day we throw away boxes, so I'll save one or two and fill them with compostables-- vegetable scraps, egg shells, bread, etc. I usually get 20-50 pounds of compostables a day. I also tried burying the bones left over from making veal and chicken stock under a melon patch and boy are those melon plants happy. The most common "weeds" in my yard are now tomato, pepper, and cucurbit sprouts popping up from all the seeds in the compost. I also have plenty of cardboard boxes to lay down as biodegradable weed barrier.

I'd urge anyone who feels short on compostables to cultivate a relationship with a restaurant or two. You'll be doing them a favor by saving them dumpster space and waste haulage fees, and they might be interested in buying super fresh specialty produce from you.

[icugysz]

Bagging mower=cheap shredder.
I throw it on top of the leaves/grass and run over it with the mower, then dump the contains of the bag in the compost pile. Simple done. Woo! 😃🌱🐢
David, great point about the forest floor and the gutters! Love the new ending of videos.

[aspicyproduction_Luke-Seippel]

When my pile looked like that i spread it out, fluffed it up with my little electric tiller and piled it back up. Next day it was so hot i couldn't touch it, within a week it was ready to rock. Nice going man, ive been following this compost saga since you started it. It was awesome to see the the change every time you turned it. Keep thowing stuff on the ground!

[betsyoman]

We made a version of your swamp water barrel last summer. We happen to have some glass windows to cover it, so that kept it warm and cooking up here in the north country. We took fertilizer (water) out of it a few times last summer and added more weeds and stuff. I assume it froze over the winter, since we had about 3 feet of snow (I think). It thawed out and got warm and we found it bubbly a few days ago! We filled it to dilute the strength a bit and took out several gallons for the new garden plants. We then added tall green grass and shavings from my husband's wood shop, and filled it with water again. I hoope we're doing it somewhat right, but I figure something's better than nothing.

[lonestarcj]

Your middle name is Compost. Thank you for the inspiration. I just started my first suburban compost pile and turned it after 4 days. It didn't start because it was way too dry. I turned it and soaked it as I went so I decided to start over and turn in 4 more days.

[geoffoutdoors]

Started composting last year and this is my first year actually using my compost in the garden . Used all kitchen scraps and some yard clippings👍

[danfay]

What I have been using is shredded cardboard, coffee grounds, grass clippings, wood chips, leaves and chicken manure. So far so good. We had rats last year or I would put more spoiled food in the compost pile. I do have a worm bin that takes care of slot of our food waste. I wouldn’t have done any of this with out your videos. But I stay for the music!!

[patti]

Exactly what I started doing last fall after finding your videos
Wow!! You were, and are SO RIGHT!!! I told of my experience in a video you recently made, and it's amazing what burying your scraps will do for your soil 😊.
It was an experiment for me because I didn't have a good place far enough away from the house to throw them without attracting critters.
So, I picked the area where I wanted to plant, and that's where I began. I buried "if the ground wasn't frozen, " and around here, it's usually not that often.
What was red Ga. clay, now had some of the darkest and richest soil.. it was jaw dropping. Yea, I get a little excited when it comes to seeing my clay change to usable soil 😂. As David said.. if you don't want to, or can't compost in piles.. bury those things!!! ⛏️

[WhatDadIsUpTo]

I'm autistic and extremely structured, but in a good way, which can be explained in its entirety with one word: focus

For example, I compost to create awesome soil for my trees. I grow only oak trees in my greenhouse. I'm constantly chided by people saying I'm stupid to have a greenhouse and not grow "food " just oak trees. The simple answer is, I can't eat ANY plants (because I have EXTREME allergic reactions to plants).

Who doesn't like an oak tree? I love oak trees, so that's my focus.

[lettytinycreations]

I learn a lot from you because I used to be one of those who got hung up about the ratios and just was getting to be to much to keep track and wanted to quit but I didn’t quit because my kids will not let me quit now we get carrots from our tiny garden and other stuff as well. Thank you for your informative videos and keep doing what your doing

[jeanmuehlfelt]

I was part of a presentation team that had to donate many hours at lecturing venues. We had honed our knowledge and had fun earning the last phase of our Master Gardener certifications from Purdue Univ. At the end of one such lecture, a friend from church, who was older than dirt, whispered to me .... "what do you think we did with dead cows and sheep on the farm?" 😊

[joniboulware]

Composting is addictive once you start. I can't handle traveling and putting scraps in the garbage. HOAs that forbid composting need to have statutes enacted to outlaw such rules.

[angeliquehobbs]

I’m composting everything!!! I have solider flies in my bin. 🙌🏼 I have some happy chickens.

[oreopaksun]

You lost your bovine supervisor, so I think she decided you have graduated the 30 day compost class. Congrats!

[advillwertz]

Man, that's a nice looking river bottom behind you. nice.

[spir]

I laughed when you talked about all the questions and concerns composters have. That’s me for sure. I also am not a structured person, and appreciate you putting it in the context that we shouldn’t get caught up in the details, just do it however you can. Happy gardening

[deannewilliams]

Uh oh, did I hear some calypso music before my favorite song??!
Im also using plastic jugs with the top cut off and flipped over like a funnel, holes in the bottom that I put kitchen waste, grass, & dandy lions 🌼🦁🌼 I fill it with water when I water the garden. Sometimes some 5-1-1 fish emulsion. Poor worms, every time I dig a hole for a new seedling I cut at least one in half. I think I may have more flowers growing than vegetables lol. I will fix that with the pattypan squash seeds I finally found locally. 👍🏻

[teresaholland]

You’re so very true very practical very smart and I super enjoyed every video. I watch him multiple times thank you and your family. God bless you. Keep up the good work, David.