Joys of Vermiculture

Kathleen Painter, PhDAg. Extension Educator

Marciavee CossetteWorm Business Owner

What is vermicomposting? Definition: Using worms to

create compost Worms, given food,

bedding, and a home, will produce a nutrient rich soil amendment for your garden!

Vermiculture is a very inexpensive way of recycling “garbage” into worm castings and worm tea!

How is vermicompost created? Supply a proper

combination of “green” and “brown” materials Green materials are high in

nitrogen (N), such as plants Brown materials are high in

carbon (C), like straw and paper

Aim for 2-3 volumes of brown to 1 volume of green

What happens if your C:N ratio is off? Too much N creates a stinky compost! Ammonia gas will be created from excessive N leaking

out into the atmosphere Too much C and too little N will stall the process. Solution: add a bit more C if it’s stinky, or add more N if

it’s not doing anything

The role of worms; which type to use Worms speed up the process of composting Redworms (Eisenia foetida) are used in composting Also known as red wigglers, manure worms, red hybrid, or

tiger worms Redworms are composting worms and live in the top few

inches of the soil. They prefer temperatures from 55-77 F. They are tough worms that can tolerate disturbance and a wide variety of moisture and acidity.

Earthworms are NOT used in composting bins! They are tunneling worms and do not liked to be disturbed. They thrive in cooler temperatures. They do not process large quantities of organic material.

Benefits of worm castings to your plants Compared to ordinary soil, worm castings have: 5 times more nitrogen 7 times more phosphorus 11 times more potassium They are rich in humic acids, which is the organic component of

soil They improve the structure of the soil They are full of life, both micro- and macro-organisms!

Worm castings are non-toxic Worm castings will not burn plants Worm castings will increase fertility and yield

Worm Castings “Tea” A Compost Tea can be made from your worm castings Remove worms from the castings Place in an old sock or t-shirt or cheesecloth and tie shut OR just dump them into some water! Add a small amount of corn syrup or molasses

(2 tablespoons per 5 gallon bucket) to stimulate growth of microbes

An air pump will help oxygenate the environment and inoculate the microorganisms

Let it steep for 24 hours and use within 48 hours

Benefits of worm tea Boosts microbiological activity in the soil, which will help

plants get all the nutrients they need to thrive The good organisms in the tea will help outcompete

pathogenic organisms that can cause disease or infections. A foliar feeding of worm tea will help get nutrients to

your plants quickly, and will help the plant fight infections and pests.

Be sure to use decholorinated water, rainwater, pond or distilled water!

Worm bin leachate This is the liquid that drains out of your worm bin Leachate can contain toxins that can harm plants Worm bins can contain harmful pathogens that can

contaminate the leachate Leachate can be a valuable source of liquid fertilizer Do not use it if it smells bad Use it on plants that you are not going to eat You can also dilute it or aerate it with an air pump

Worm Bin Composters

About $120, depending on the supplier.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/can-o-worms/Planet Natural sells it for $119.95 and offers free shipping.

Worm Bin Composters

http://tinyurl.com/kj94azf

Around $104 from Amazon.Free shipping with Amazon Prime.

Worm Factory 360

Build Your Own!

Free wood bin plans for a 24” by 48” bin are available online.

Seattle Tilth Worm Composting Bin

Wood makes a good bin as it’s porous and allows for air movement.They can be quite heavy, though!

Do not use treated lumber!

Build Your Own: Plastic!

http://queenbeecoupons.com/create-a-diy-worm-compost-bin/

Build Your Own: Plastic!

Elevate the bin with holes inside the solid bin using rocks, wood scraps, etc.

Worm sources

Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm, Pennsylvaniahttps://unclejimswormfarm.com/1000 red wigglers for $22.95 + $12.95 standard shipping2000 red wigglers for $32.95 + $12.95 standard shipping

Note: One pound of red wiggler worms is approximately 1,000 worms!

From Amazon:

Bedding Bedding needs to retain moisture and provide air for your

worms. Do not use regular garden soil or purchased potting soil. The following materials are excellent sources of bedding: Peat moss Coir Shredded paper (fine shred) Shredded newspaper or cardboard

Bedding will need be moistened. Wet the materials in a separate bucket. Remove excess moisture. You should be able to squeeze out just a few drops of moisture.

Feeding your worms Worms, like chickens, need some grit to break down their

food. Crushed egg shells, cornmeal or coffee grounds will work, but you can also put fine grit for chickens in your bin.

All vegetable and fruit waste can be used. The smaller the pieces the easier it will be for them to break them down.

Start slowly or you’ll overwhelm your bin and it will smell and attract pests.

Don’t feed them dairy, fat, oil, meat scraps, bone.

Feeding your worms Start slowly! It takes time for bacteria to form. Your bin will

stink if there’s too much material. If it’s too wet or stinky, add more bedding material Don’t add coarse materials like citrus rinds as they won’t be

able to break them down Leafy greens, juicy melons, small pieces are best! Avoid onion peels and garlic Feed in small pockets or 1-inch layers Cover food with moist bedding.

Keep them in the dark! Worms love a cool,

moist environment If your bin is not in a

dark room, keep it covered so they are in the dark.

Use moistened layer of newspapers or plastic to cover the worm bin if it doesn’t have a lid.

Don’t forget that worms need air!

Harvesting your worm castings If you want to save your worms for creating more

vermiculture, you will need to separate them from the compost.

In approximately 3-4 months, the worms will have digested most of your garbage and the rich worm castings will be ready to harvest.

Worms will migrate away from the light, so you can expose your bin to light and harvest the worm castings on top.

See “New Worm Bin Harvest Method” for good tips. https://youtu.be/PJq21pyENFU

Harvesting your worm castings

Harvesting your worm castings

ResourcesVermicomposting: The Basics and Vermicomposting – Composting with Wormscame from the following websites:

http://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources/vermicompost107.shtml

https://attra.ncat.org/

Resources: Books

Appelhof, Mary. Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up and Maintain a Worm Composting SystemNew: $9.95

Resources: Books

Lowenfels, Jeff and Wayne Lewis. Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition (Science for Gardeners). $24.95 Award-winning garden writer.

Resources: Books

Stewart, Amy. The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms. $12.95 New York Times Bestseller!

Marciavee Cossettemarciavee@frontier.com(208) 267-8888 home(208) 597-4931 cell

Kate Painter, PhDkpainter@uidaho.edu(208) 267-3235 office(509) 432-5755 cell

Thank you and good luck!