The leaves are changing colors, which means it’s the time of year to get your vermicomposting bin ready for the colder season. Even though it’s cold outside, you can still compost your kitchen scraps using worms. The worms will produce free, all-natural fertilizer. If you are from a warmer climate that doesn’t dip below 57°F, your composting worms will probably not die, but they will slow down due to lower temperatures. However, if you live in a colder area, then you may want to take precautions so your worms will not die.
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Vermicomposting, Hot Composting or Cold Composting?
Composting is composting, right? Wrong! Let’s talk about three different types of composting: hot, cold, and vermicomposting. All these styles of composting break down organic matter. They all result in finished compost to use in your garden soil. However, they each require a different amount of labor from you. And they each take a different amount of time to start producing finished compost.
Read MoreContainer Gardening Using Vermicompost
When you think of container gardening, you probably think of flowers. Surprise! You can also grow herbs, vegetables, shrubs, and even trees in containers! Basics of Container Gardening Find out the needs of your plant and make sure to give it what it needs. Choose a location that has the right amount of sun for that specific plant. Select a container with drainage holes. Make sure your container provides enough space for the plants’ roots. Some plants, such as parsley and leaf lettuce, can be planted in shallow bowls just six inches deep. At the other end of the spectrum, small trees need a 15-gallon container, which is about 16 inches wide and 16 inches deep. Water as often as needed. Smaller containers will need to be watered more often than larger containers. If you get cold winters, the roots of perennials, trees, and shrubs in containers could freeze and be damaged. You may need to move these containers to a sheltered spot during the coldest season. Use a light soil mix in your containers.
Read MoreHow to Grow a Butterfly Garden Using Compost
Are you excited about the idea of growing a garden that butterflies love? Looking forward to beautiful fluttering wings? If you want to attract butterflies, it’s not enough to offer the adult butterflies a bit of nectar. You must also create a garden that is hospitable for their offspring–caterpillars. Your plants will need nourishment. Organic finished compost is safe for both plants and insects. Start in advance by composting kitchen scraps. The fastest way to compost at home is to use composting worms. Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm has composting bins and composting worms to make plenty of finished compost. Nectar Isn’t Enough for Butterflies The mistake that many gardeners make is that they plant flowers that offer nectar for adult butterflies, then do nothing more. Like other creatures, butterflies are driven to eat and survive–and to reproduce as well. So in addition to finding a meal today, butterflies need to find plants that their future baby caterpillars can. When butterflies find those plants, they lay their eggs there.
Read MoreVermicompost Holds Water: Tips On Watering Your Garden
Did you know that composting with worms can help keep your garden’s soil moist enough? Using composting worms to break down kitchen scraps results in vermicompost (literally: worm compost). Just by keeping a worm bin, you will have a ready supply of vermicompost to use in your garden. Vermicompost in the soil nourishes the plants and adds air pockets. The air pockets allow proper drainage, helping to regulate soil moisture. Most people are busy and want to be efficient about watering their plants. There are two main ways to save time watering plants. The first is to choose the right plants. The second is to improve water retention by adding compost to your soil. Choose Plants for Dry Areas If you have a spot in your yard that tends to be dry, or you live in a dry climate, choose plants that do well in dry areas. Otherwise, even watering multiple times a day may not be enough to keep your plants healthy.
Read MoreComposting Worms and Container Gardening
Container gardening means growing plants in containers instead of a garden bed. Composting worms can play a role in successful container gardening. Growing plants in containers instead of the ground solve many gardening problems. If you’re concerned about your soil, don’t have much space, or want to convert lawn into a garden bed, planting in containers may help. Just like any growing medium, the soil in container gardens will need fertilizer. The easiest and cheapest way is to start a separate bin that uses worms to break down kitchen scraps quickly. This is called “vermicomposting.” Vermicomposting results in worm castings (worm poop) that is more powerful than regular finished compost. This concentrated organic fertilizer is ideal for container gardens. And, once your worm bin is established, the fertilizer is free and self-replenishing. We recommend using a tray-based composting bin for convenience.
Read MoreUsing Compost to Plant String Beans
If you have been following Uncle Jim’s blog, you will know how beneficial organic compost is to growing strong, healthy, and productive garden vegetables. The combination of well-chosen organic seeds, organic compost, and a little TLC on your part will guarantee healthy fresh vegetables all summer long.
Read MoreGet Through Tough Times by Composting with Worms
“Waste Not, Want Not” is a wise attitude during tough times. Is money tight? Are resources scarce? Growing your own food provides inexpensive nutrition, under your control. Throwing away kitchen scraps is wasteful. You could use composting worms to turn trash into organic fertilizer. This fertilizer will help plants grow strong, without added chemicals. And, once your worm composting system is set up, the fertilizer is free! Worms come to the rescue when you need “back to basics.” Where to Grow Food Suburban and urban dwellers should have no problem finding a piece of land to grow vegetables and fruit. Even a small plot will make a difference.
Read MoreSpring Is Coming! Get Your Worm Bin Ready for Spring Composting
As winter yields its grip and the weather begins to warm up, it’s time to prepare for productive composting. You will need to check what effect the Winter has had on your compost bin. Also, you need to take the necessary steps to bring it back to productivity. No doubt there will be organic fertilizer to be harvested and used on your garden. You might need to order worms and other supplies. Check Your Bin Do not disturb your outdoor worm bin until there is no chance of freezing weather! Otherwise your worm colony could be damaged. Search online for “last frost date” for your locale.
Read MoreHow to Add Worm Castings to Your Garden and Lawn
Composting with worms results in highly nutritious worm castings. Your lawn and garden need nutrients to grow. Therefore, putting worm castings in the soil will help your plants grow strong. How do you harvest worm castings? Where can you apply them? Worm castings are also known as worm poop. Vermicomposting, or composting with worms, means maintaining a special bin filled with bedding and composting worms. We recommend Red Worms for most composting projects. If you also want fishing worms, then European Night Crawlers can do double-duty. Just feed your kitchen scraps and garden waste to the composting worms. They will eat through the organic material and produce fluffy, dark worm castings. Worm castings are also called “black gold” because they are the perfect soil amendment. Vermicomposting reduces waste and makes excellent organic fertilizer. Follow these steps to grow lush gardens and lawns.
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