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Uncle Jim’s Blog

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Red Wiggler Worms’ Life Cycle and Stages

  You know those slimy red worms that you use when you compost organic scraps in your yard? Well, they’re scientifically referred to as Eisenia Foetida. This is one name for red worms, but they also have many others – like tiger worms, manure worms, and red wriggler worms. To get the most out of composting, you should understand how these worms grow and develop. However, red wiggler worms’ life cycles and stages can differ for each specimen. Factors like a moist environment and overfeeding can either prolong their lifespan or not. This article will explain all the stages in…

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How to Raise Nightcrawlers For Composting

Close up picture of nightworms

Vermicompost is one of the most nutrient-rich organic fertilizers you can add to your garden, yard, or pot soil to help your plants grow, develop, and thrive. It’s made by using different types of worms, bedding, and food scraps – worms eat the green waste and turn it into vermicompost, also known as worm castings, through digestion.  Among different species, nightcrawlers are some of the most commonly used worms for vermicomposting as they offer numerous benefits to the soil and plants that grow from it.    This blog explores how to raise nightcrawlers for composting. So, if you’re looking to…

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Vermicomposting 101: Do Worms like Coffee Grounds?

A hand putting coffee in the ground

When you’re sipping your favorite cup of delicious coffee (whether you had some brewed at home or had ordered a cup from your favorite coffee shop), did you ever wonder where these things go afterward? Well, turns out coffee grounds can still be quite useful. Besides having to use it as part of your skin and hair regimen or as a soil and garden supplement, you can also use these as food for your compost worms. If you’ve been wondering if worms like coffee grounds, the answer may surprise you. There are actually a number of ways that your worm…

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Indoor Gardening Tips to Make Your Indoor Garden Thrive

A woman tending her indoor garden and potted plants

Nowadays many people are trying indoor gardening as it offers many benefits, like having your own fresh veggies, fruits, and herbs. While indoor gardening seems tricky when first starting, it doesn’t have to be with the best indoor gardening tips you’ll find in this blog. Besides offering the chance to grow fresh and healthy produce, it also adds vitality to your home, making it look and feel refreshed. If you’re thinking about starting your indoor garden, here are valuable indoor gardening tips to help your plants thrive!   What Is Indoor Gardening? Indoor gardening refers to growing plants you’d normally grow…

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The Secret to Soil Success: Should I Put Earthworms In My Garden?

Hand putting earthworms in the soil

Are you a gardener looking for an easy and effective way to invigorate your soil structure and provide natural fertilizer for your plants using nothing but organic matter? The answer may be as simple as introducing earthworms to your little paradise. Earthworms are probably the best healthy soil amendment you can introduce to a garden. They improve garden soil not only through soil aeration and loosening but also because they increase nitrogen levels in the soil. So, composting worms is a no-brainer! Read on to learn more about how these little wigglers can help you nourish a thriving oasis using…

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How To Catch Worms: 4 Easy Methods

Detail of a fisherman holding a worm

Fishermen always need good old worms. However, catching them can get tricky unless you know the exact methods of how to catch worms. Fortunately, there are several ways to catch these tiny animals, and none of them are difficult with the right tools and a bit of patience.   While worms are very popular amongst fishermen, they can be used for many other purposes too, such as for feeding birds or making vermicompost – a rich, eco-friendly soil amendment.  Regardless of why you might need to gather worms, here are x simple ways to do that! What Species of Worms…

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Can You Compost Bread

Composting bread

Jump to Section Can Bread Be Composted? Bread in Compost: Which Ones to Use Composting Bread: Traditional Composting vs Vermicomposting Adding Bread To A Regular Compost Pile Adding Bread To A Worm Compost Bin Frequently Asked Questions Can Bread Be Composted? We’ve all been guilty of throwing out stale or moldy bread that we either bought too much of or just simply forgot about. What if Uncle Jim told you that your moldy/stale bread can be composted as a green organic material? Bread is nitrogen rich, which is an energy source for microorganisms when composting. This will turn the kitchen…

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What is Composting

Compost bin

What is Composting? Have you ever wondered what you could do with your kitchen scraps, yard waste, and other organic materials besides throwing them away? When you combine organic food waste with a few other composting materials, you get nutrient-rich compost. Composting is the process of converting organic material (typically food scraps) into valuable organic fertilizer that promotes soil health. It is an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers. The composting process speeds up the decay process by providing an ideal environment for fungi, bacteria, and other beneficial microbes to slowly eat away at the organic matter, producing “black gold”…

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Composting in A Bucket

Compost bucket

Starting Your Composting Journey There is an option for every skill level in the composting world, from the different types of composting to the wide variety of materials you can use. From a simple compost pile on the ground to those bulky compost tumblers, there is a way for you to compost your kitchen scraps. For this blog post, Uncle Jim will show you how and why you should be building a compost bin for your home. How to Make A Compost Bin Using A Bucket The start to your composting journey does not have to be complicated. All you…

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