Making Potting Soil | Live Free or Die: How to Homestead

we’re making some potting soil today and

we’re making some potting soil today and any good potting soil meets three

any good potting soil meets three

any good potting soil meets three criteria it retains moisture for a long

criteria it retains moisture for a long

criteria it retains moisture for a long time it drains well and it has enough

time it drains well and it has enough

time it drains well and it has enough fertility to get the plants off to a

fertility to get the plants off to a

fertility to get the plants off to a good start in life if you grow out a lot

good start in life if you grow out a lot

good start in life if you grow out a lot of potted plants every year like we do

of potted plants every year like we do

of potted plants every year like we do you could wind up spending hundreds of

you could wind up spending hundreds of

you could wind up spending hundreds of dollars a year on on good potting soil

dollars a year on on good potting soil

dollars a year on on good potting soil it’s good to learn how to make your own

it’s good to learn how to make your own

it’s good to learn how to make your own soil we’re gonna start this potting soil

soil we’re gonna start this potting soil

soil we’re gonna start this potting soil out with a bucket full of sand got to

out with a bucket full of sand got to

out with a bucket full of sand got to have sand in your potting soil to make

have sand in your potting soil to make

have sand in your potting soil to make sure it drains well next what you want

sure it drains well next what you want

sure it drains well next what you want to do is you want to pile up a bunch of

to do is you want to pile up a bunch of

to do is you want to pile up a bunch of leaves or wood chips you let them rot

leaves or wood chips you let them rot

leaves or wood chips you let them rot down for a year or two and you scrape

down for a year or two and you scrape

down for a year or two and you scrape off the top and you’ll see some nice

off the top and you’ll see some nice

off the top and you’ll see some nice black stuff underneath this is the

black stuff underneath this is the

black stuff underneath this is the component of the mixture that’s gonna

component of the mixture that’s gonna

component of the mixture that’s gonna hold a lot of water the the sand and

hold a lot of water the the sand and

hold a lot of water the the sand and this this woody organic matter provides

this this woody organic matter provides

this this woody organic matter provides a nice Airy substrate for the plant to

a nice Airy substrate for the plant to

a nice Airy substrate for the plant to hang out in but it provides little

hang out in but it provides little

hang out in but it provides little fertility we got a secret ingredient

fertility we got a secret ingredient

fertility we got a secret ingredient that provides the fertility that this

that provides the fertility that this

that provides the fertility that this material is lacking all right on to the

material is lacking all right on to the

material is lacking all right on to the next step now time for the screwed

next step now time for the screwed

next step now time for the screwed ingredient we take the rabbit poopies

ingredient we take the rabbit poopies

ingredient we take the rabbit poopies and we shovel them over here into this

and we shovel them over here into this

and we shovel them over here into this bath tub and there’s red worms in here

bath tub and there’s red worms in here

bath tub and there’s red worms in here and they eat up the rabbit poo peas and

and they eat up the rabbit poo peas and

and they eat up the rabbit poo peas and then they poop out our fertilizer of

then they poop out our fertilizer of

then they poop out our fertilizer of choice and worm castings worm castings

choice and worm castings worm castings

choice and worm castings worm castings are awesome they’re really expensive too

are awesome they’re really expensive too

are awesome they’re really expensive too if you try to buy them catch on the flip

if you try to buy them catch on the flip

if you try to buy them catch on the flip side bunny rabbits so now we’re going to

side bunny rabbits so now we’re going to

side bunny rabbits so now we’re going to mix up our potting soil all right so we

mix up our potting soil all right so we

mix up our potting soil all right so we got we got our sand we got our rotted

got we got our sand we got our rotted

got we got our sand we got our rotted down woodchips and we got worm castings

down woodchips and we got worm castings

down woodchips and we got worm castings there’s a whole web of symbiotic

there’s a whole web of symbiotic

there’s a whole web of symbiotic relationships taking place in the soil

relationships taking place in the soil

relationships taking place in the soil the sand enhances the potting soils

the sand enhances the potting soils

the sand enhances the potting soils ability to drink this is a sponge

ability to drink this is a sponge

ability to drink this is a sponge essentially so this holds moisture in

essentially so this holds moisture in

essentially so this holds moisture in the potting soil mixture this has all of

the potting soil mixture this has all of

the potting soil mixture this has all of the nutrients that that a plane

the nutrients that that a plane

the nutrients that that a plane needs to get get a good start in life

needs to get get a good start in life

needs to get get a good start in life let’s go ahead and sift these materials

let’s go ahead and sift these materials

let’s go ahead and sift these materials so that they’re more manageable as you

so that they’re more manageable as you

so that they’re more manageable as you can see this mixture is becoming coarser

can see this mixture is becoming coarser

can see this mixture is becoming coarser and coarser so longer I’m sifting it and

and coarser so longer I’m sifting it and

and coarser so longer I’m sifting it and that’s because the nice fine stuff is

that’s because the nice fine stuff is

that’s because the nice fine stuff is slipping through this sieve and I’m just

slipping through this sieve and I’m just

slipping through this sieve and I’m just gonna kick this stuff off to the side

gonna kick this stuff off to the side

gonna kick this stuff off to the side and chickens and tea plants have at it

there’s a nice sifted stuff as you can

there’s a nice sifted stuff as you can see now let’s dump in our worm castings

see now let’s dump in our worm castings

see now let’s dump in our worm castings all right I think we got this pretty

all right I think we got this pretty

all right I think we got this pretty well sifted check this aside let’s throw

well sifted check this aside let’s throw

well sifted check this aside let’s throw in our sand once we have this all mixed

in our sand once we have this all mixed

in our sand once we have this all mixed up we’ll just pack this away into

up we’ll just pack this away into

up we’ll just pack this away into buckets under the house and Buster that

buckets under the house and Buster that

buckets under the house and Buster that when we’re ready to plant some trees