Category: Vermicomposting - WormMainea

More thoughts on scaling up

2/12/2023

I recently fielded a question about how much food is needed for large-scale vermiculture. A good rule of thumb is that you want the worms to have access to about 75% of their body weight in food they can eat per day. Which means that you have to estimate how much and how fast the food is rotting in your system, which can be tricky.

In practice, I have found that how much food I need each week depends on the soil temperature of the bins (where warmer = faster breakdown = more food is available per day) and details about what comprises the “food”. Because some food breaks down quickly (leafy greens, fruit, etc.) and some slowly (fibrous husks & stalks, root vegetables, etc.). Also, the size of food pieces and whether it’s been frozen or smashed are factors in breakdown time.

Soil temperature can be controlled (measured, or predicted based on season), but the food mix depends on your source and how consistent it is. I strive for consistency by working with my restaurant supplier, but there are perturbations that you will have to manage on the fly.

A practical & simple tracking system for feeding that is used every time can help manage this (without going too crazy worrying about it). I use a taped date-fed list on my bins and tracking notebook (temperature, food source, and notes about the food that day), but anything that you will use can work. This is especially helpful if you're experimenting or changing/adding food suppliers.

Despite my best efforts, I have days when I’ve got extra food with nowhere to put it and other days with bins waiting to be fed. I note which bin(s) need to be fed next or are good for a while, to prevent overthinking this. My goal is to have most of my bins in active reproduction and growth so I can live with a few being a bit underfed as long as I remedy that in the near term.

Uncertainty and experimentation are part of what I find interesting about vermiculture. I hope you do, too!

Cheers,
Mark

Large Scale Vermiculture at the Maine State Prison

2/20/2019

I was invited to visit the Maine State Prison to see their large scale vermiculture project. The inmates, with the help of VTI Mendes and the support of the warden and Captain Fries, have established a vermicompsting system. They purchased a large (I'd estimate 6'x8') raised bed system that harvests vermicompost by scraping (cutting) from below. It is housed in a daylight basement in one of the buildings and accepts select food waste from the prison kitchen. Everyone involved should be commended for their work (the worms were reproducing without any smell or fruit flies). The project is being carefully monitored and maintained and the dozen or so inmates I met have a very good understanding of vermiculture (they had obviously done some reading!) and asked great questions. They have been working on the system for a little over a year and it is ready to harvest vermicompost. They plan to use some of their vermicompost in their own greenhouse and gardens, but hope to also sell some at the Maine State Prison store. After seeing their work, I suspect they will have an excellent product.

Cheers,
Mark

Barter is Better

9/4/2018

From the blog archive; originally published on February 20, 2010

For the past few years I have had a barter offer on my web site. I've had some great barters that I'd like to share. I have bartered worms for:

Honey
Eggs
Knit yard socks
Fresh vegetables
Herbal tea
Soap
Candles
Hand cream
Pies
Bay rum aftershave

These have been wonderful barters, and I am grateful to receive these items in exchange.

The list is not intended to state everything I will barter for. In fact , I am surprised now how many things are on it! If you want worms and have something to barter, let me know.

Cheers,
Mark

Postscript: In the past eight years the list has grown to include edibles, a truckload of manure, a signed book, and more. Please note that not all offers are accepted, but many are.

Fungus Gnats

8/7/2018

From the blog archive; originally published on February 20, 2010

I get questions like this occasionally:

"When I took the lid off the bin I noticed tiny little black flies flying out... I don't think they are fruit flies because I put out a dish with mixture of cider vinegar, water and a little mild dish soap which always takes care of fruit flies but these guys could care less about it! Please help."

Most commonly these are be fungus gnats (see image). Fungus Gnats are very small 1/32 to 7/16 inch long, long legged and mosquito-like and are usually black, gray, or brown. The larvae feed on moist decaying organic matter and fungi growing in the soil.

I have found the best treatment of fungus gnats to be BTi (Bacillus thuringiensis israelenis) mosquito rings/dunks. To treat an infestation, make a solution of 2 cups of water for about 1/4 of the dunk. Remove the newspaper layer and spray about 1/2 of this solution on the soil daily for 10 days (make fresh solution every 2 days-- one piece of ring lasts 2 or 3 times). Vacuum any adults your can when you open
the lid (dust buster or shop vac work well). Keep the newspaper layer off your bin during the treatment period and do not add food. That should take care of them.

To prevent fungus gnats, be sure to bury any food scraps. If you see mold starting to grow in your bin, replace the newspaper layer and and hold food back until the worms catch up.

Cheers,
Mark

Interesting Vermibusiness Model

7/10/2018

From the blog archive; originally published on January 23, 2010

A grower in Taiwan contacted me to share a business model he uses. It was interesting, so I am sharing it.

Coordinate with local companies who have compostable trash, develop a group of friends to make vermicompost from the trash, sell vermicompost at the Farmer's Market.

Because businesses pay a lot in trash removal, this can be reduced if you find other people to take their trash and make worm compost to sell. You get the business to pay you to have members of your group members to take away the compostable trash ($1/kg). You sell your worms to your group and coordinate having them pickup the food waste. Then you pay the growers weekly to provide you with a fixed (2-5 kilograms) amount of vermicompost per month ($2/kg) and to pickup the trash (compost food removal at $0.25/kg).

You can sell the vermicompost for about $5/kg at a farmer's market in the city or online. Remember you also make money on the first sale of your worms to your growers and coordinating payment with the businesses.

Your growers will benefit because they only pay an initial start up fee and coordinate picking up food and delivering vermicompost to you. They get a monthly check from you for picking up waste and processing vermicompost.

If you can do this in a city (so you wouldn't spend a lot of money on gas), the whole group could make some decent money. Plus, if you coordinate food waste pickup at restaurants, you'll probably become a friend of the owner (because you save them money) and get some meals for free, too!

It takes some time to set this up, but it works!

Thanks Chen for sharing this. I would add that you could also make vermicompost tea and sell to local landscapers.

Cheers,
Mark

Biochar as compost deodorizer: vermicomposting experiment report

12/23/2017

One of the issues that prevents people from composting (indoors and outdoors) is smelly compost in the collection container in the kitchen. I think this is more likely to be a problem for smaller families (we fill our container too fast for it to get very smelly before we have to empty it!) and probably more likely to be a warm season issue.

If you find this is an issue, I have a solution— biochar. At the Common Ground Fair this year, Todd from Char-Cola (www.char-cola.com) came to my booth to ask whether I had used biochar in my compost collection container. I told him that I had not, he offered me a 1 quart sample to try. I did some reading to ensure that using biochar in my worm bins would harm my worms. Not surprisingly, it doesn’t.

Time for a vermicomposting experiment! A few weeks after the fair, I tried about a quarter cup of biochar on top of our compost collection container and then let it sit covered in the basement to get ripe and simulate what some families might experience. I was surprised that it didn’t smell too bad (rotting potato peels and onion pieces can smell pretty bad). I added the food waste with the biochar to a corner of my bin and marked the corner. Whenever adding something new to your worm bin always add in the corners. Over the next month, I observed that bin as I added food waste to that bin with biochar. During a vermicomposting experiment, I monitor that bin and check the corners. If the worms don’t like what was added they will move away. Adding the biochar to the food didn’t cause the worms to move away and when I peeked in that corner the smell was not too bad. I then monitored that bin for 2 months and everything is fine. I have not tried biochar in my outdoor composting bin, but I cannot imagine that there would be any problems.

I would recommend biochar for those families who have concerns about keeping a compost collection container in their kitchen.

Cheers!

Making a Soil Sieve to Screen Compost

5/27/2017

After many years of hard use, I needed to make a new soil sieve. My old one (shown above) was badly rotted at the corners. Even pressure treated lumber doesn't last forever. Note that the galvanized hardware cloth lasted longer than the lumber. Always clean your sieve after using it.

Supplies and resources needed to make a new soil sieve:

PT lumber (2"x4"). Lumber from recycled plastic would have been better, but I could not find it in 2"x4"
Hardware cloth (1/4"). Other sizes would work, too. I like 1/4".
Framing corners and staples (shown later). I used galvanized everything to prevent corrosion from using dissimilar metals.
Total cost is ~$25
Time to complete ~60 minutes

First step is to measure my old one and cut the lumber. I then laid out the cut pieces to make sure they fit together and are square. You want to size it so that it fits over your wheelbarrow to make sieving an easy chore.

Then square up the corners (using a framing square) and attach using framing corner to hold shape securely. I used galvanized nails with these galvanized corners.

Now comes the tricky part-- attaching the hardware cloth. Flip the frame over so you have only wood (no framing corners) and attach the cut-to-fit hardware cloth to the frame using galvanized double pointed staples.

Two tips: 1) cut hardware cloth as close to inside as possible and mount so it doesn't come outside the wood-- this prevents snagging it on your clothes when carrying. 2) Hold staples with needle-nose pliers when nailing to save your fingers.

You did it! Your finished soil sieve should look like this (bottom is shown on left and top on right). Notice that it fits my wheelbarrow nicely.

This one is build better than my old one. I'm thinking it will last for more than 30 years. That means I'll get to pass it to the next generation.

Cheers!
Mark

What's in your worm bin?

11/7/2016

From the blog archive; originally published on November 9, 2009

You may think you have mostly worms in your bin, but you’d be wrong. In fact, your bin is a very complex and diverse ecosystem. You have hundreds of species of organisms working in harmony to turn your food waste into beautiful compost. Your red worms are only a very small population of the other micro- and macro- organisms that inhabit your bin.

Sometimes new users write me with concerns when they notice some populations that bloom in number. Often they fear these organisms will flee the bin and harm houseplants or become a pest in their home. No need to worry. These organisms are happy in your bin where they have food and darkness. They are decomposers, so they do not harm houseplants.

What is really interesting is that these species have slightly different environmental preferences and food requirements. This means that depending on the conditions in your bin and what you are feeding, you may have some population blooms of these other species. For example, if you place a lot of sugary fruit in your bin, you will see mites bloom followed by an increase in the number of springtails. When their food supply weans they will die off.

Bacteria
Bacteria are by far the most numerous organisms in the vermicompost system. They break down organic matter to make it available to earthworms and other organisms in the bin. Remember, your worms don’t eat the food you put in, but the rot that is on the food. Bacteria are essential to your worm bin, just as they are in outdoor soil.

Mold & Fungi
In addition to the bacteria, mold and fungi are busy decomposing the organic matter in your worm bin. They are also an additional food source to other organisms in the system, including earthworms. Because they can grow big enough to be seen, these can be a sign that you have more food than the system can quickly manage and the feeding rate should be decreased. Mold and fungi pose no threat to the garden or the animals living in the worm bin, but overgrowth of these can cause irritation to humans with mold allergies. To keep them under control, feed in small amounts and when you see an overgrowth of these hold back on feeding.

Mites
Mites (reddish brown specks about as large as a typed period) are commonly found on the surface of the bin (if your bin is light colored, you can often see them on the sides near the soil). Mite populations will bloom when you have wet, sugary foods (fruit) in your bin.

Springtails
Springtail are an insect (white or tan) that can be seen fairly easily on the surface of the soil. They are beneficial in the system and have no interest in living plant tissue. Some texts claim that more than 80% of the organic matter on earth passes through the gut of a springtail or sow bug on its journey to becoming topsoil. They are most noticeable after a bloom in the mite population or in nearly finished compost.

Potworms
Sometimes mistaken for young red worms, these are very small white worms. They too are beneficial organisms that feed on decaying organic matter. Potworms are more common when your worm bin is on the acidic side, but they do not necessarily mean that you have a problem. You will see them after adding a lot of citrus.

Tips for keeping your bin running smoothly
Remember: the food waste you add to you worm bin today isn’t eaten by the worms until the other actors in your bin have done their job. Bury your food (adding the amount appropriate to the number of worms in your bin) to bring these organisms in contact with your food to get the process started and next time you have a moment, take a close look at your ecosystem. You may be surprised at the complexity of the system you are maintaining.

As always, your senses should be your guide to vermicomposting. What do you see, smell and feel in your bin?

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on November 9, 2009

Overwintering Red Wigglers Outside (?)

9/9/2016

Without fail I get questions this time of year about keeping worms outside: Can I (How can I) keep my worm bin outside over winter? What about the garage/shed? etc.

I do not take my worm bins outside except to harvest, but here are some tips and tricks reported by others and my own observations about keeping red wigglers outside in cold weather.

First, the facts. You cannot vermicompost in freezing conditions. Red wigglers will die if the soil they are in freezes. I know they can become dormant and cocoons can survive, but in general most will die and your vermicomposting will cease when the pile freezes. In reality, when your soil temp drops down to 40F and below, your composting is so slow as to be stopped. Just like your fridge, things below 40F decompose very slowly.

In my 10 years of vermicomposting I have had worms survive outdoors only one year. It was in my outdoor composter (Earth Machine; see image below). It was 3-4 years ago. We had a relatively warm winter with no long cold spells and little snow cover. I went outside in early March and I took the lid off and discovered 3 red wigglers hanging out in the warm condensation on the lid. First and last time ever. I can only guess they were dormant and found a spot they could survive (not a deep freeze year and sun warmed the container just enough?). Typically, the Earth Machine is a compost popsicle. I wait until early April for the soil temp in the outdoor composters hit 50F, then I bring a bunch of red wigglers out to get them going. I am really bad about mixing the outdoor compost piles, so I sacrifice some red wigglers to do the work for me.

So if your bins are outside, you have 3 options: 1) bring your bin indoors, 2) start over with new worms in an indoor bin, 3) insulate and heat your bin to keep it from freezing.

I cannot use option 1 because of Bert's rules ("No bad smells and not bugs in the house"). Outdoor bins typically have insects, so that rules that out for me. If you (and your family) are OK with that possibility, then option 1 may be for you. These two options are pretty simple.

The more difficult proposition is option 3: keeping the bin outdoors and keeping it from freezing (and ideally between 60-70F).

You could with a big enough pile continue to add a hot manure to keep the soil warm enough. The key would be hot but not too hot (a pile rather than an impermeable enclosure like a bin or tub). I know my brother's horse manure windrow in Northeast PA works year round. They add to it frequently and it can be found steaming with active red wigglers year round. Reportedly, chicken or pig manure will also work.

Others have reported heating/seed starting mats under plastic wading pools in the shed with a styrofoam cover work. This would keep the soil temp relatively constant.

Another person proposed digging a pit below the frost line and insulating the sides and top with closed cell foam insulation and a trap door lid. Then piling hay bales over the door. I don’t know whether this was successful, but my frost line here is fairly deep and it wouldn’t be practical. Also, this would not make sense to me because one of the reasons I started vermicomposting was to NOT go outside to compost in the cold weather.

If you have experience with any of these, please leave a comment.

As for me, I will continue to compost indoors in my basement.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on October 30, 2009

Worm compost tea vs. worm bin drainage

9/9/2016

If you're reading my blog, then you probably know that worm compost tea is great for your plants. I want to make a distinction though: worm compost tea vs. worm bin drainage.

In my mind, worm compost tea is distinctly different from the liquid that drains from some bin designs (what I call worm bin drainage).

Worm compost tea is made by separating the vermicompost from the worms and steeping the worm compost in water to make a tea. My website has complete instructions for brewing up your own worm tea: 1# of vermicompost in a 5 gallon bucket of water.

I don't mean to say that the drainage from a worm bin would be bad for plants. From what I have read it is great fertilizer; however, I'd be concerned about putting it on edible veggies because you do not know what is in it. I have also found a variety of different reports on how to use it ranging from straight (undiluted) to diluted to the color of straw. If I were to use this on salad and other greens I probably diluting it to straw color and bubbling air through it for 12-24 hours using an aquarium bubbler.

If anyone has experience using worm bin drainage, I'd love to hear how you prepare it for use.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on October 8, 2009

Meeting fellow vermicomposters-- Anyone can vermicompost

9/9/2016

I thoroughly enjoy meeting other vermicomposters (new and old). While I do mail worms, I prefer to meet people who are buying from me. This saves them money and allows me to spend a few minutes educating so they get off to a good start.

When I started WormMainea, I assumed those who visiting my site and contacting me would be a narrow portion of the population, Essentially, people a lot like me: frugal, eco-minded people looking to experiment with a different way of composting that allows you to compost inside in the winter.

Well I got it completely wrong! I meet all sorts of interesting people ranging from back-to-earth retiring hippies who want to vermicompost again to apartment-dwelling professionals who want to reduce their waste, from former Everest climbers to college students, from monks to manufacturers of skate-chic clothes, and everything in between, including some frugal, eco-minded composters like me.

I am continually amazed by how many people are interested in vermicomposting and the cross section of the population that contacts me. I enjoy talking with them about how they found me and how they became interested in vermicomposting.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on October 3, 2009

The joys of teaching vermicomposting

9/9/2016

I really enjoy teaching vermicomposting to school children. Their excitement is wonderful, and some of the questions catch me by surprise.

Another observation by teachers has also caught me by surprise: several teachers, especially younger grades, have reported back that after my vermicomposting demonstration and the arrival of the worm bin there has been a change in the snack diet of the classroom .

Children want to participate in feeding the worms. However, only some food can be placed in the worm bin (e.g., remnants of fruits and vegetables and NOT processed sugary or salty foods), so children who want to feed the worms must bring in fruits and veggies.

Who would have thought vermicomposting would make children eat better?!

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on September 28, 2009

Why do you need a garbage disposal?

9/9/2016

The answer is: you don't!

Aside from the gut wrenching fear of recovering an item that has fallen in there with your hand, garbage disposals are very wasteful.

A worm bin and outdoor compost pile make this common household appliance unnecessary. Everything that goes in the disposal can go in your worm bin or your outdoor compost pile.

Some people call their disposal the "pig". Likely, because the disposal takes the place of the family pet pig that would eat the food waste. Vermicomposting is much slower than feeding a pig, but worms are far more manageable for keeping indoors.

Did you know: disposals use about 500,000 gallons of water per day in the United States (both in your sink and during sewage treatment).

Food in the garbage disposal goes to water treatment facilities, and from there into the environment where it's at least three times more likely to disrupt ecosystems (via algal blooms) than it would if it went to a landfill. (Not that it's so great there either...)

Food scraps make up at least 10% of space in our landfills and off-gas methane, a greenhouse gas.

Through composting a typical household can keep 500 lb of biodegradable kitchen and garden waste out of landfills every year! That is per home!!

Do you feel empowered? I do. Feed your soil, not the sewer or landfill.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on May 3, 2009

Retreating snow uncovers presents from neighborhood dogs

9/9/2016

It never fails. With the retreating snow, frozen dog poo is revealed in my yard near the sidewalk. You'll find this also at the beach. I understand this is not always controllable and forgive the owners who forgot to bring a bag. I don't have a dog, but I sympathize with owners who have to clear the yard in the spring. The typical dog produces more than 200 pounds of waste each year, according to the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

What to do with it?

There is a solution, and I don't mean entombing the poo in a plastic shopping bag. Of course, the solution involves worms!

When it comes time to pick up after your pet, plastic shopping bags are bad options. If you choose plastic, you are wrapping something that degrades quickly in something that takes decades to break down.

Instead, use sturdy paper, or plant-based biodegradable bags. The corn-based BioBags, for example, are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to break down in a matter of days (in industrial landfills; probably longer in a home compost pile).

If you chose to compost your pet waste,you should have a separate compost pile for pet waste, and you should not use the resulting soil on anything edible. As always, you want the compost pile to be HOT. The best practice is to ensure optimum temperatures is through layering and turning.

Or you can use worms...
The best solution (in my opinion) is to collect the poo in a bag (paper or biodegradable) or with a shovel and use it to fertilize your lawn (ensuring it is never used for food).

Essentially you are vermicomposting dog poo outside in the ground outside with a fancy cover.

You can make your own a poo-doo vermicomposter to put on your lawn. You dig a hole in your lawn and insert a roll-top garbage can with the bottom cut out. Fill the hole half way with bedrun worms and it is ready to go. Be sure to place it away from low-lying areas of the lawn.

When it is nearly full, dig another hole, remove the garbage can and start again. You can cover the old hole with the sod you dug for the new hole or new grass seed. Like the grass near the septic tank, it will be a lush spot in your lawn.

The response on this has been great from people using it. It makes so much more sense than sending it to the landfill.

If you have worms, you can do this in about an hour with a cash outlay of <$20 to buy a container with a cover (like the Rubbermaid bullet 2 gallon roll top can) that will last for years.

Try this in your yard and let me know how it goes.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on April 4, 2009

QUESTION: What do I do with worm castings in March?!

9/9/2016

I realize that some of you who purchased in the fall processed last weekend when temps in Maine were spring-like. My garden is still under about 2 feet of snow. Many contacted me to ask: what do I do with 15+ gallons of worm castings in March?

Worm castings can be stored in a container like a worm bin. Keep them moist and let the castings breathe (remember that the castings are alive!). You don't want to let the casting dry out if you're going to make great tea (active organisms plus nutrients). Most recipes for tea call for about a pound of castings in 5 gallons of water (dilute to 10 gallons to use).

Castings stored this way will keep for several months-- just in time for real spring! In the interim, use what you have to make tea for your houseplants or soil amendments for seed starters. Just remember that your vermicompost may be full of viable seeds!

Tip of the hat to Bruce Deuley for his valuable contributions to the procedure. You can get the brewed vermicompost tea directions here.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on March 14, 2009

Sourcing food for my herd and dreams of a composter for every home, restaurant, and grocery

8/25/2016

When you first begin vermicomposting (with a pound of worms), it may seem as though the worms will never eat the food waste you produce. Then, as the worms multiply, you develop a nice balance and the worms keep pace with your input.When you have as many worms as I do (18 bins with 4-15 pounds), my family of cannot produce enough to keep them all fed and multiplying. So, I utilize the waste from my local organic grocer (Lois’ Natural Marketplace in Scarborough). Mary and Chris (the chefs at Lois’ deli) kindly set aside coffee grounds and food scraps when I request it.

I am writing about this not to tell you how to feed a few hundred pounds of worms, but to encourage a grass roots movement. Think of this as an alternative recycling opportunity where everyone wins.

Everyone wins because:
My worms benefit from having nice organic veggies,
I benefit because I have a free supply of food and I can trust them to put only worm food in the bags,
Lois’ benefits from having less food waste in their dumpster, and
In the larger scheme of things, society benefits.

That’s right, society benefits. By having less waste go to the dump (or in this case the trash-to-steam incinerator), society benefits because less food waste equals less weight equals less fuel used to truck it around. Also, I learned from Chris of EcoMaine (the company who runs the incinerator) that organics such as food waste are a poor source of energy in the trash-to-steam process. They would rather not collect food waste.

I know I haven’t made a big difference but my little contribution fits the “think globally, act locally” concept.

In the course of a year, I probably keep a thousand pounds of food and yard waste out of the waste stream (both from my home and collections from Lois’). Scale that up a few-fold, and by outdoor composting in the summer and vermicomposting in the winter, we can all make a difference.

This makes me think: can we all reach out to grocers or restaurants in our community to see if they would be willing to set aside food waste for pickup during the spring, summer, and autumn for addition to our outdoor compost piles? Can we bring a 5-gallon bucket with us when we shop to pick up some waste veggies? Can we encourage our fellow gardeners, others in community gardens or garden clubs to do the same?

Originally published on March 1, 2009

Trial and Error

8/25/2016

I've posted new worm bin instructions.

I have posted new instructions for making a worm bin. Earlier this year, I had an accident when drilling in the side of bins, and I am now recommending you make holes in the top of your bins.

I was drilling holes in the side and the drill slipped off the plastic and hit me in the leg. Fortunately, I was wearing pants and I didn't hurt myself.

This scared me and made me think. Why drill holes in the sides?

The worms don't care where the holes are, and the sides are sloped and flex when you try to drill the holes (both of which make it harder than it needs to be).

Holes in the nice flat top would be so much easier. So I tried it and viola! Works just as well and it is much easier.

My revised worm bin instructions are on the Your Bin page.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on November 21, 2008

Vermicomposting is EASY!

8/25/2016

Getting started is a simple process:

The key to getting started and keeping your worm bin trouble free is to follow four simple rules:

1. always bury the food under the worms and the bedding,

2. only feed in corners (alternating every week),

3. keep at least 3 inches of shredded newspaper on top (the newspaper should not be wet, moist like a wrung our sponge is OK. If it is dry, that is OK) and

4. don't over feed them.

Rule 1: burying food prevents fruit flies from finding the food in your bin.

Rule 2: feeding in corners prevents overfeeding because you can observe how much food is left from previous feedings. Corner feeding also allows worms to flee if something is wrong with the food (pH, temperature, etc.).

Rule 3: a nice think layer of bedding keeps your bin from getting too wet and also helps prevent fruit flies.

Rule 4: overfeeding is a source of problems (moisture, smell, fruit flies, etc.). Feeding too little is preferable to feeding too much. Start slowly and ramp up over time.

If you have not already started, I would encourage you to download instructions to build your own bin and get started now.

It is not too late to begin.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on November 19, 2008

Bedding for worm bins and the zen of shredding newspaper

8/23/2016

Shredding newspaper has become my second hobby (next to vermicomposting). To provide bedding for my herd, I shred a lot of newspaper.

I like newspaper because it is free and plentiful. The papers come to my home and yesterday's paper is always available.

Office paper works equally well (for an office bin, your shredded office paper would work great). You want long strips, so a standard shredder works (but not a cross-cut shredder). Long, thin strips are better because cross-cut paper tends to mat when wet and you want your bedding to be airy.

Most non-glossy printed material can also be used since most high-quality laser toner and ink-jet inks are non-toxic. If you are going to use a lot of lot of a single source in your worm bin, check with the manufacturer to be certain. The Portland Press Herald uses non-toxic ink.

There is a technique to shred newsprint. I prefer to hold it by the folded edge (1-2 sections at a time) and shred into 1/8-1/4 inch strips. It shreds really easily and it makes a nice swooshing sound. For a long time Bert thought I was sweeping every morning!

Another advantage of newspaper is that shredding it is relaxing. It sounds strange, but I shred A LOT of newspaper, and I have come to enjoy this quotidian task. It is a morning activity I appreciate after I feed my herd. I shred yesterday's paper in the cellar and listen to NPR while I sip my coffee. It is a few minutes of meditation before I start my day.

Happy shredding!
Mark

Originally published on September 27, 2008

What can you do at home to help save the world?

8/23/2016

In response to Natalie Jeremijenko's charge "...how do we translate the tremendous amount of anxiety and interest in addressing major environmental issues into something concrete that people can do whose effect is measurable and significant?"

I present the following list of things we can do to help the environment:

1. Reduce/reuse/recycle wherever you can: many garden centers will accept plastic pots returned after purchase.

2. Conserve ground water: build a rain garden to reduce runoff, collect rain from gutters for dry days, and water in the morning.

3. Put out native bee boxes: encourage local pollinators. See the Kate's Bee Boxes page.

4. Share your wealth: grow food for neighbors, and encourage them to grow their own and buy locally.

5. Use Best Management Practices & Integrated Pest Management for pesticides and insecticides you may use in your yard. Yes, you'll have to do some research on what you're using, but it will make the application more effective.

6. Grow natives: native plants require less work and are more hardy since they're already adapted.

7. Go renewable: consider renewable resources for mulch, potting mix, etc. What is plentiful in your area and how can it be used?

8. Start a worm bin. If you already have a bin, start a bin for a friend. Worm bins make great gifts!

9. Educate your family, friends, and neighbors: tell them about your successes with the above. You'll be surprised how many will adapt your ideas.

Cheers,
Mark

Originally published on September 24, 2008

Fruit Flies

8/23/2016

This time of year, fruit flies can be a real problem in the worm bin (not that they're bad for composting), but they are annoying to have in your home. The good news is you can get rid of them pretty quickly by following these suggestions.

Let's start first with prevention:

Make sure your compost scraps are covered (especially in the summer). This is especially important if your scraps are kept near a window.
Bury all food deep in your worm bin and keep the bedding layer at least 3 inches deep.
If you have fruit flies in the kitchen or where you keep your compost scraps, assume they are laying eggs on the compost scraps. Either freeze the compost scraps or take them to your outside compost pile.

Dealing with an infestation **First know that fruit flies have a life cycle and there is an end to the problem.** The quickest way I’ve found to deal with fruit flies is as follows:

Remove adult fruit flies from your worm bin and nearby area. You can do this by vacuuming them, using sticky traps, or vinegar traps. You’ll need to vacuum them at least twice a day for 2 weeks to be sure you get all the adults from the eggs of the generation you first removed. Sticky and vinegar traps should be monitored and replaced when needed.
Make your worm bin less attractive to the flies. This means not adding more food to your bin until your infestation is under control. Your worms can go without food for a few weeks. Fruit flies cannot.
Make your bin more dry. Slightly dry bins are less prone to develop flies (addresses a potential pH problem). You are not looking to make a BIG change here only a slight change in dampness. Adding freshly shredded newspaper to the BOTTOM layer of your bin will do the trick. Alternatively, you can upend the contents of your bin and add more bedding over the former bottom contents.
Fruit flies need to fly to mate-- if you fill your bin with newspaper that will also help.
OPTIONAL... I read a tip earlier this year from a fellow vermicomposter (in Australia!) who uses diatomaceous earth (DE) to control flies. Flies are VERY bad in Australia apparently. I have not tried it, but you can get DE from garden centers (or ACE Hardware). DE kills insects and it won't hurt worms, plants or you. I think it is worth a try in combination with the other steps. If you have used DE, let me know how it worked and how much you used.

If you follow these steps you will be free of fruit flies in a few weeks. The most important things you can do are bury your food and kill/remove the adult fruit flies.

Happy composting!
Mark

Originally published on September 4, 2008