Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Home Worm Bins

Food for a home worm bin:


Fruit and vegetable scraps are always a safe bet .

Collecting kitchen scraps in small lidded bucket allows them to age for a while
before adding them to the bin. Aging encourages microbial colonization while
the food is breaking down. This will happen in the worm bin actually but the
worms won't start feeding on the materials until they are starting to rot.

You can also add tea bags and coffee grounds with filters to your bin. Be moderate with this material as it can be very acidic. Worms love orange veggies! Pumpkins, butternut, as well as any variety of melons.

These materials will break down into liquid so watch that your material doesn’t get too wet for the worms. Too much water robs the bedding of air.

Foods to avoid: dairy; meat; onions, citrus fruits and garlic.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Pet Waste Composting with Worms (How-To)

{Do Not add worms right away. Let your waste and materials set a while (10 days). This will allow the worms to acclimate easier and cut the risk of harming the worms (uric acid, amonia).}

To begin your pet waste vermicompost pile, dig a good sized hole in the ground, approx. 3' accross and
2'-3' down. Less depth is okay if you are not able to dig any further. Line the bottom of the hole with a thick layer of shredded leaves.

Then you simply start adding your pet waste. Each time you add waste, do so with more bedding material and water if needed.

Cover the pit with black plastic sheeting to retain moisture, keep the worms shaded and to control the amount of water the pet waste recieves.
Once the worms are acclimated, they should thrive on all of the rich food. This will allow you to add waste without fear of harming the worms.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Pet Waste Composting with Worms (How-To)

Let your worms manage your pet waste!

Start up a completely separate system, preferably outside.

There is a health concern. Cat and dog wastes contain

potentially nasty pathogens. Cat wastes have an added danger. It can also

contain a parasitic protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii. This can be a serious threat for pregnant women

or those with compromised immune systems.

All of that being said, the worms still manage to turn your pet poo into valuable vermicompost for flower

gardens and lawns. My next post will have the how-to information for starting this composting system.

Stay tuned :O)

Debbie (Worm Lady)