Your composting questions, with Charles Dowding

I envy the compost bays from the big gardens, like the one Charles Dowding has built. I got the chance to speak to him recently and I asked him, "Would you do your composting differently if you were in an urban garden like mine?" and some other questions about home composting.

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[julieyoung]

At last! After gardening for 40 years and listening to GQT, I now understand compost, seed mix and mulch after your fantastic explanation. You are a gift to the gardening world. Thank you, thank you thank you! 🙏

[carmelbell]

Two of my favourite gardeners/youtubers in one video! Lovely & positive interview ❤

[weredavid_n_babs]

Great Vid ... especially w Charles being there to add his input.
As to the "having to chop everything by hand" issue ... I've tried a few different powered shredders over the years, and the one that seems to really work & can handle almost everything & anything my reasonably sized urban garden creates, is the Bosch AXT 25 TC ... not the cheapest but "it just does the job I need it to do"

[timflatus]

Two of my biggest gardening inspirations! That was mulch edifying!

[cherylhowker]

1:08
Before I get eating,
I invested in a hotbin 2 weeks ago and have filled it to the dust full point. Really hoping it helps turn my slow compost pile around and helps me physically with my back not having to turn the pile as it puts me in bed for 3 days up to a week each time I turn it- a pallet that is halfed back to front- works well but does me in

[leehoeppner]

Great video. I also have a 200l hot bin and yes it breaks down all waste very quick but like yours is a little wet. What I do is move the wet compost to my dalek and let the worms finish it off for a month or so. Comes out perfect.

[annmcdonald]

Such wonderful advice from both yourself and Charles. So good I've watched it twice. Happy composting.

[stutube]

Fantastic, Eli & Kate. Getting a sit down with the bold, Charlie. That's brilliant!! Well done.

[GardenerScott]

Great video that shows how composting actually works in a home garden. Your point about using compost for different purposes, particularly mulch, is a key takeaway for gardeners. Wonderful to see your interaction with Charles. :)

[gailcollins]

That was one of the best compost how to videos I have seen. Simple achievable without too much ‘recipe’. I have a hot compost box never get enough to fill it to the top often and it rarely gets very hot for long (live in Northumberland) but still get non smelly lovely compost from it about twice a year. Excellent interview with Charles too - bonus! Thanks for your efforts to share as always

[Oktopia]

Ah, we get two for one today! I love it! I have one cold bin, one hot bin, and a two-bucket bokashi system inside my house. I have spent three seasons working on it in the Norwegian Zone 4 climate. I'm ever expanding and thinking about how to get more compost. Thankfully I have an equestrian center down the road and neighbours with fruittrees that shed into the road. I use lawn clippings, leaves, and even cardboard too. On top of that, I source nettles, comfrey, and other weeds and even collect urine to water the compost with. Just don't make my mistake of forgetting about nettle seeds :)

[JohnWood-tkge]

I have two large pallet bins and wish I had room for five more. With horse goats and chickens plus yard waste and coffee ground collecting I can fill them easily. Plus you know you can never have enough compost!

[TheFarmyardGarden]

Really enjoyed this video Eli. Great advice from Charles and yourself on composting. It always sounded so complicated to me, and composting scared me. However, I’ve just taken the cover of my first batch of compost and I’m astounded. It actually looks like compost! Fit for purpose and everything. 😂

So good to see the different uses for composts at different stages too and to not keep it going too long as that’s unnecessary.

Thank you for a great video

[storymotionproduction]

Fantastic video and thank you for the peek inside, it is good to know what everyone else's is looking like 😉 yours does look drier than what I'm working with in my hotbin mini so I think i need to add more card and paper. Im chopping everything up as small as i can but its tough work when you have loads to do. I keep a couple of sacks of woody clippings and leaves next to the bin to add in with my greens to help with air circulation and thats working well. I want to sieve mine so it looks better on the beds because once the rain goes through, i end up with twigs all over the surface 🤦🏻‍♀️ Superb video, I really enjoyed it, thank you for the time you spent creating it 🙏

[toni]

My two favourite gardeners in one video! I learnt more about composting in this than I have in any other I've watched and I've seen other good ones before. I watch you because like me you are in Scotland and I want to learn more about gardening in this climate. You mentioned Kate made you the large sieve, gonna ask my husband to make one for me as that type of thing is his strength in our little unit of two.

[Veggiesrule]

Brilliant and informative video you really have a super knack of getting the info over 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 I was struggling to get seeds to germinate in the new peat free compost until I started to mix my sieved home made compost in with the peat free. It obviously introduced all the beneficial microbes that the seedings need because whoosh they put on super growth 👍🏻

[matthubbard]

Brilliant post as ever Eli, great advice from both you and Charles, many thanks 😊👍

[pennyhewitt]

Great video thanks. Never thought about using my compost in bought compost. Will give it a go next season. Have always used it as a mulch as aways been too wet.
However learnt a lot more these pass few months and adding more dry stuff.
Every day a learning day 😊

[PippaRose]

This is a coincidence- I watched your video Eli on compost yesterday, and Charles' video about he does it this morning. Now I have the pleasure of watching you both together. Brilliant! I need to get better at composting 😆

[chicosgarden]

Excellent video Eli & Charles, it gave me a lot to think about for purchasing my first compost bin. I loved seeing you beam interviewing Charles.