Composting Worms
I have been raising composting worms and using the castings as an added fertilizer to my soil for about 5 yrs. I love the results when starting seeds using castings...a natural fertilizer that doesn't burn or breed soil borne diseases and pests!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jessica on -
I have considered doing this, but I go through so much compost during the year I jealously guard my kitchen scraps! Do you start your seeds just in the castings, or do you start then in a soilless medium and add the castings as fertilizer? Where do your worms live?
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Permalink Reply by corine st.georges on -
Hi Jessica,
I use a soiless mix and ammend it with castings to start my seeds. I never have to worry about burning the seedlings this way.I have also made compost tea with the castings for transplants. My worms live in a rubbermaid container inside my porch all winter,and under the deck(in container)for the summer.I would rather give my kitchen scraps to the worms rather than a city composting program. I know what goes in, therefore I know what comes out.I also backyard compost for beds and shrubs but use castings in spring for starting seeds. It takes alot of patience but the end-product is worth it.
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Permalink Reply by Jessica on
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My son wants to know what you've named your worms! I told him "Wriggley".
Our local city composting programme only gets the leftover cooked food and the meat produce from our kitchen. I'm sorely tempted to try worm composting. I put out the compost during the winter, but of course it just sits there, frozen, until the spring. Is your porch heated? Do your worms go dormant over the winter? Do they require dormancy? Geez... I suppose I could probably look this up somewhere online rather than bothering you!
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Permalink Reply by corine st.georges on
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No bother at all. Tell your son that "Wriggley" is a fantastic name for the worms. Most kids are fascinated with these small worms.I am currently trying to incorporate a worm composting program into our local school. Composting in the winter was a huge issue which is why I stated composting with the worms. They stay in a rubbermaid container in my slightly heated porch (16C). The worms do not go dormant in winter just a little less active. They do not tunnel like typical earthworms,they stay very close to the surface. If you google "vermicomposting" there is tons of info available. I think the mistake that most people make when starting out with the worms is the idea of having immediate results.They are small creatures and can only consume a small amount of compost. If for example you have 1lb. of worms,you can can expect for them to consume about 1/2lb. of kitchen scraps every 2wks.It mostly depends on how many worms you have. What you are creating is a small eco-system within your tub...there will be other tiny creatures that become a part of this system but are completely harmless and won't leave the confines of the tub (why would they when they have an ideal home). Again if you are very patient, you will be very pleased with the usage of the castings. I hope some of this was helpful and I encourage anyone to use this method to compost. It really isn't a bother if you have more questions. Have a great day!
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Permalink Reply by Bryan Barret on -
If scraps or food is an issue, go to your local elementary school and give them a clean 5 gallon bucket with a trash bag in it. They will fill it with clean veggy scraps by the end of the day. Tell them what you want and why you want it. The ladies love to help out. Buy them a plant after the first week and you have friends for life. There is no way you can use all the scraps they produce in one day. If you or your spouse work in an office, use the paper that is shreaded. Just soak it in water for 24 hours, ring it out and place it in the bin. Make sure you leave the bucket of water sitting out for a day or two before you place the shreaded paper in it. The chlorine and other chemicals will disolve after one day and then the water is safe to use with the worms. The love to eat paper. If you can poke a hole in the bottom of your bin and drain the natural juice that comes out, it is awsome to use on in door plants. It will boost the soils good stuff and you will have great looking in door plants very quickly. You can also buy worm castings and worm juice online.
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