vermicomposting

[FeralFemale]

we eventually want to start this, but could we just throw a bunch of worms in the garden? Would that work the same if we put our kitchen compost in the garden...burying it about an inch in here and there in the soil? Or could we just put it under the mulch? (newspaper and straw)

[Mid Tn Mama]

Yes, you will! They will come wherever you have things they like. Also, they hang out near the roots of things, so when you harvest stuff like okra or brocolli, leave the stalk in the ground as long as possible until you need that space again. They especially love eggshells and coffee grounds.

Don't bother buying special expensive compost worms--red wigglers, they probably don't live naturally in your soil. Use the red worms you have in your garden--they will come if you put organic matter in your soil.

[FeralFemale]

If I bury it, they will come...

[Loriann1971]

The only problem you might run into is other critters coming for a snack. Keep that in mind when you bury things.

I do vericomposting. I started doing it when I was teaching fifth grade...some classrooms have a class hampster, we had a class worm bin. The best part about using a worm bin (either purchased or homemade is getting the compost tea. The bottom of our bin had a spicket and everyday I would dump a gallon of water on the top level and let it run down through the layers and then it would drain back into my jug. We would then use that "tea" to water the plants in our class...great stuff.

[littlebird]

Loriann, I've always thought about doing that with my bins, but was told not to. I'm going to do it today anyway and then leave the bin out to dry out a bit before I bring it inside. I'm glad to know that there's someone else who does this. Seperating worms from castings is a pain.

[catmar]

I started a worm bin 2 yrs ago. My soil is horrible, no organic matter. I'm always burying my coffee grounds & leftover breakfast foods. I occasionally bury ripped up newspapers in a trench with a handful of my worms, I think I'll be able to use that part of my yard next year for planting.

[Loriann1971]

Littlebird, my bin has three levels with small holes in them. The bottom has no holes but has a spicket. When I want the worms to move up I just put the food/scraps on the next higher level...it takes them about a week to make the transition, but then it is easy to remove the bottom tray and take the mostly worm free castings out and use them.