INDOOR: VERMICULTURE (WORM BIN)

Transcription

1 INDOOR: VERMICULTURE (WORM BIN) Worm your way (?!) into indoor composting by using worms to eat food scraps. Vermicomposting (worm composting) makes it easy to recycle your food waste and make compost to use in your vegetable garden. Worms can eat half their weight in food scraps each day! Worm bin basics: Use the redworm Eisenia fetida (red wiggler), not the commonly found earthworm from your garden. Redworms are readily available from a friend s compost pile, a local fish bait supplier (you ll need to be specific about the species you need), or online. Setting up the worm bin: Use the plastic bin provided by the SLUG program. Worm bedding, water, and food scraps are all you ll need to add. Place the worm bin where the temperatures will range from degrees Fahrenheit. Keep it away from heat sources (radiators) and cold drafts (doors and windows). A cool dark spot is optimum. Worm bedding: Worm bedding helps keep the worms moist and allows food scraps to be buried to prevent odors. Shredded black and white newspaper works well for grit to help the worms digest and is an additional way to recycle. You can also add coir bricks ground up coconut husks (provided by BNAN/SLUG). Moisture: Worms need moisture, not a flood. Worms are percent water. Because they breathe through their skin, it is important that the worms stay moist. After shredding the bedding, add water and check for moisture: squeezing a handful of bedding should produce a few drops of water. If it is too wet, add more dry bedding. 45

2 Food: Worms need a balanced diet, just like you and me. Here is a list of what they like (YUMMY!) and don t like (YUCKY!). TIP: Cover the food with the bedding to prevent odors and fruit flies from invading your bin. YUMMY! YUCKY! Anything green especially the leafy stuff! Citrus no orange, lemon, or lime; too acidic! Fruits most are OK. Fats, Oils, Salad Dressing creates odors. Vegetables good diet! Breads & Cereals can attract gnats. Coffee Grounds & Filter OK! Sweets no processed sugars! Tea Bags OK! Meat creates odors; attracts unwanted guests (like maggots). Eggshells crushed; adds calcium & Garlic, Onions attracts unwanted prevents acidic conditions. guests. Coir Bricks & Brown Paper grit to help Feces contains bacteria harmful for worms digest ; best bedding for indoor humans to handle. worm bins. Black & White Newspaper grit to help worms digest ; soy-based inks only! Salt, Seasoned Foods yucky for worms. Food scrap container: Store food scraps in a sealed container (to avoid odors). Add small amounts of scraps initially to the worm bin. As the worm population grows, a larger amount of scraps can be added periodically. TIP: Chop or tear the scraps. The more you break scraps down for them, the faster they will work! 46

3 Worm food rotation: You can feed the worms in a rotating pattern, burying the food in a different spot each day. Harvest (two methods): 1) Harvest the compost by placing the worm bin contents on a plastic sheet. A bright light placed overhead will cause the worms to crawl to the bottom of the pile. You can scoop off the compost from the top of the pile while the worms hide from the light. 2) Move the contents of the bin to one side and add fresh bedding and food to the other side. A bright light focused on the side with the worms will encourage the worms to crawl to the other side. When the worms move into the new bedding, you can remove the finished compost. Worm compost uses: Potting mix: Mix together 1/4 part worm compost which adds nutrients, 1/4 part sphagnum moss which holds moisture, 1/4 part perlite which increases aeration, and 1/4 part sand or soil which adds body. Container plants: Spread worm compost up to 1/4 inch deep on the top of container plant soil. Seedling transplant: Sprinkle worm compost in the seed row or the hole where the garden plant is transplanted. 47

4 Compost bin troubleshooting: Problem Probable Cause Solution Worms are dying or trying to escape Too wet Too dry Bedding is used up Add more bedding Moisten bedding Harvest your bin Bin stinks! Not enough air Too much food Too wet Drill more ventilation holes Do not feed for 1-2 weeks Add more bedding Fruit Flies Exposed food Bury food in bedding Drain Flies, Sewage Flies Rotting food Do not feed for 1-2 weeks Add more bedding Maggots Outside flies getting in Oil/Meat added to bin Remove, scoop them out 48

5 OUTDOOR: COMPOST BASICS Compost benefits: Garden plants take the nutrients they need to grow from the soil and turn these nutrients into fruits and vegetables. But if the soil is to provide the necessary elements for our garden plants year after year, the soil nutrients that have been taken out must be replaced. This can be done by composting. Here s a list of the many wonderful benefits of compost:! Improves soil structure by adding organic matter.! Increases the amount of microorganisms in garden soil, which is the best indicator of soil fertility.! Attracts and feeds earthworms and healthy macroorganisms.! Delivers nutrients to soil and plants for optimum growth (usually not including phosphorous).! Makes clay soils airy so they drain.! Gives sandy soils body to hold moisture.! Balances ph (acidity/alkalinity) of soil.! Builds sound root structure. Healthy roots make healthy plants.! Reduces water demands of plants.! Helps control soil erosion.! Reduces plant stress from climate extremes (drought, freezes).! Can extend the growing season.! Reduces the availability of toxins such as lead in the soil.! Reduces the availability and spread of plant diseases and disorders.! Improves the vitamin and mineral content in food.! Reduces reliance on synthetic chemical fertilizers.! Reduces the amount of waste going to landfills. Setting up the bin: Use the bin provided by BNAN (or make or purchase a similar passive composting bin). Place the bin in partial sun and shade. Place the bin near the garden plot, so weeds and other plant material can easily be added to the bin. For each passive bin, reserve two spaces: when the bin is full or compost harvest is desired, move the passive bin to the second space and start over with whatever was not fully composted in the bin s first space. 49

6 Necessary ingredients:! Water (as wet as a wrung-out sponge)! Air! Nitrogen (greens) such as fresh manure, fresh plant material! Carbon (browns) such as black and white newspaper, dead and dry leaves! Microorganisms (bacteria, fungus) such as a teaspoon full of soil! Macroorganisms (beetles, centipedes, earthworms, compost worms, pill bugs, earwigs, dung beetles, slugs, etc.) they ll find your bin Passive composting: A small garden plot can use passive (cold, small bin) composting. Passive composting is less labor-intensive, does not require that all the materials be added at the same time (or within a few weeks), and materials can be added gradually. Compost is generally higher in nitrogen content than with active composting. Area should be at least 3 x 3 x 4. Passive composting takes a little longer, but is useful as it provides a close-by space for plant material removed from the garden and keeps the pile looking neat. Active composting: Active (hot) composting requires a large, regularly turned, tested and monitored site. When properly managed and screened, it can produce compost that does not contain weed seed and plant pathogens. If the SLUG garden does not have space for a passive bin, consider ordering a partial load of compost from the City s municipal site by contacting BNAN in January. 50

7 Materials to put and not put into the bin: Almost any organic material that accumulates in gardens can be composted. Some plant materials, such as tree twigs, corncobs, and thick plant stems (tomatoes, peppers, okra, etc.) take a long time to decay. Tear or cut plant material into small pieces (4 6 ) before composting. SMALL PLANT MATERIAL IS LESS ATTRACTIVE TO PESTS. CHOOSE A RODENT-PROOF BIN IN DENSE URBAN AREAS. YES, YES, YES, YES, YES! " leaves and chopped up brush (if not treated with pesticides) " plant cuttings (if not treated) " fruit scraps " vegetable scraps " grains " coffee grounds " tea bags " eggshells " wood chips (from solid wood) " sawdust (not sanding dust) " wood ash " old potting soil " napkins, paper towels " small plant material (chop it up!) NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! " meat and fish scraps and bones " dairy products " peanut butter " fats or oils or grease " pet feces (contains bacteria that can cause human illness) " kitty litter " weed seeds " weeds that spread by roots or runners " ash from treated charcoal " nonorganic material (plastic, glass, metal) " poisonous plants " any diseased or insect-infested plants " any grass or plant material that has been treated with weed killer " large plant material It s ready to use: Generally, compost is ready to use when there are no visible signs of what was originally put in... When you pick up compost that is ready to use, it will be dark, crumbly, and smell earthy. Ways to use compost: Compost can be turned into the soil (like fertilizer or amendments), spread on the surface around plants like mulch, or used as a growing medium for seeds. Compost that is added as mulch will aid in water conservation. Compost that is turned in will act as a slow-release fertilizer and provide other benefits. 51

8 COMPOSTING AT SCHOOL Should we have a compost site at our school? PROS *can have all the benefits of improved soil, decreased landfill, etc. CONS *can be negative public relations if poorly managed (i.e., attracts pests or is unsightly) Who will manage the composting site?! Will there be signage instructing the proper use of the site?! Who will monitor and maintain what gets put into the bin(s)?! Who will monitor and maintain the site for problems (pests, dry contents, wet contents, etc.)?! Who will monitor and maintain the general appearance of the site? Where should we place the composting site?! The site needs to be sunny (warm) enough to support the composting process.! The site needs to be shaded (dappled or partial shade) enough to keep the contents from drying out on extremely sunny, hot days.! The site needs to be easily watered, if necessary.! The site needs to be close enough to the vegetable plots to encourage use.! The site needs to be big enough to load plant material and unload compost.! Can the site also accommodate the yearly delivery of compost from the City? 52

9 What type of bin should we use?!!!!!!! How expensive is it and who pays for it? Who assembles it? Is it pest proof? Is it large enough? (Each bin should be at least 3 x 3 x 4.) Is it easily relocated or replaced? Is it durable? Is it made of nontoxic materials? Possible types of bins for passive composting: STANDARD ADJUSTABLE BRAVE NEW COMPOSTER BIO-STACK COMPOSTER KITCHEN DIGESTER SLATTED BIN EARTH MACHINE 53

10 COMPOST MYTHS AND FACTS You can spend lots and lots of money, lots and lots of time, lots and lots of mental energy, or you can compost. Composting is a simple, natural process that will happen in spite of the myths and misunderstandings that prevail. The spread of these myths has occurred by word of mouth, misguided publications from solid waste managers and, worst of all, hard-core marketing. We encourage people to compost without getting bogged down in mythology and misunderstandings. Keep composting inexpensive and simple. Help put to rest some of the popular myths and misunderstandings: Bins: MYTH: To compost, you have to have this kind of bin... FACT: An endless variety of commercial designs is available from black plastic cubes with sliding doors to rotating drums to freewheeling spheres. Prices range from tens to hundreds of dollars. Advertisements and popular literature lead many composting novices to believe that an enclosed bin is essential. The reality is that heaps or piles work just fine for composting. If you need to keep your pile tidy to avoid offending your neighbors, consider using wire mesh, or reusing scrap lumber, shipping pallets, cinder blocks, or snow fencing. Urban composters may need to contain their compost in sturdy bins with lids, bases, and small apertures to keep out pests. (A perforated metal trash can is an excellent choice for city-dwellers.) If you want a prefabricated bin, consider volume before you buy: more money often buys less capacity; the highest capacity models generally sell for less than $40. Bioactivators: MYTH: To get your composting really cookin, you need this activator... FACT: While the snake oil of composting (these bacteria-laden materials) does contain cultured strains of bacteria and other additives, the fact is that special inoculants are unnecessary. Recent studies suggest that there are approximately 10 trillion bacteria in a spoonful of garden soil. Every fallen leaf and blade of grass you add to your pile is already covered with hundreds of thousands of bacteria more than enough to do the job. Yeast, elixirs, and worms: MYTH: Have you tried...?! FACT: Some of the recommendations you might hear are just plain foolishness. For example, some people suggest pouring Coca-Cola into the pile to increase biological activity; it will increase, but mostly in the form of yellow jackets and ants. Adding yeast is a common, but expensive and useless, practice. Adding worms or worm cocoons has become popular due to some confusion with vermicomposting. Worms do a tremendous amount of good, but there is no need for the composter to purchase or transplant them: build a pile and they will come.

11 Fertilizer: MYTH: I heard that you should add fertilizer... FACT: Adding nitrogen-rich fertilizer to the pile is wasteful and expensive. More importantly, synthetically derived fertilizers contain high salt levels and other compounds (perhaps even pesticides) which are harmful to worms and microorganisms; they may impair the nitrogen-fixing ability of the bacteria and short-circuit the nitrogen cycle. If you feel that you must add nitrogen (perhaps to a pile made up of only carbon-rich leaves), always try to use organic sources first: spent grounds from a coffee shop, a neighbor s grass clippings, agricultural manures, or dried blood. Lime: MYTH:...and then you should sweeten the pile... FACT: Even if a gardener makes compost with a high proportion of acidrich materials, it is a mistake to add lime to the pile to attempt to produce compost with a balanced ph. Unfortunately, adding ground limestone will turn your compost ecosystem into an ammonia factory, with nitrogen rapidly lost as a noxious gas. Finished compost is always nearly neutral. Odors: MYTH:...I m sure I should do something special to keep it from smelling badly... FACT: Properly building and maintaining a compost pile results in compost that smells like a humus-sweet forest floor. Odors usually result from mistakes: trying to compost grass clippings by themselves, adding too many food scraps (or the wrong types of food), and allowing too much water to get into the pile or too little air, both of which will lead to anaerobic conditions. Rodents and pests: MYTH:...we can t compost because it will attract pests... FACT: Compost piles that contain only hard trimming almost never attract pests. Bird feeders, outdoor pet-food bowls, pet feces, and trash containers are well ahead of properly constructed compost piles as rodent attracters. But because pests are more problematic in urban areas, composters will want to avoid adding food scraps altogether or use a worm box or a completely enclosed bin. Composters in some dense urban areas find that an enclosed compost bin is necessary even when they re composting just yard trimmings. 55

12 Layers: MYTH:...and you have to put the stuff in the pile this way... FACT: Building a compost pile by layering browns/greens/browns/greens (as in a lasagna style) leads to layers of anaerobic activity where the greens (nitrogen-rich, wet) are clumped together and little activity at all where the browns (carbon-rich, dry) are clumped together. If you re building a pile all at once, throw in an armful of browns, then an armful of greens, and add a little water as you go if your materials are dry. Then mix, stir, and fluff after every few additions for a hardworking compost stew. Fourteen-day compost: MYTH:...compost happens faster if you just... FACT: Magazine ads can hoodwink well-intentioned gardeners into thinking that they can and must produce compost in 14 days. Such expectations are not realistic or worthy. Decomposition takes time. While producing compost quickly has some merit, no one should feel compelled to purchase chipper-shredders or other elaborate equipment. In fact, if the material looks like compost after several weeks, it still requires an additional one-month maturation period before it should be used in the garden. Compost calculus: MYTH:...and now for rocket science... FACT: There are lots of books, periodicals, and composting brochures on the market (or on gardeners shelves) that obsess on carbon-to-nitrogen ratios. Gardeners can be overwhelmed by the arcane charts, tables, and formulas. In reality, compost piles thrive when different types of material (moist and dry, green and brown) are mixed together. And while ratios are fine for compost hobbyists or compost managers, regular gardeners need only remember that all organic materials will compost in a timely manner given some prudent attention. 56

13 Compost outdoors troubleshooting: Problem Probable Cause Solution Bad odor, rotten odor Ammonia odor " Excess moisture (anaerobic) " Compaction (lacks air; anaerotic) " Excess moisture " Too much nitrogen (lack of carbon) " Add dry material " Move pile to aerate " Move pile to aerate " Add high carbon material (straw, wood chips, sawdust) Center of pile is dry " Lack of nitrogen " Move and moisten pile Low compost temperature " Pile too small " Lack of moisture " Lack of air " Lack of nitrogen " Cold weather " Add more to pile " Move and moisten pile " Move pile to aerate " Mix in nitrogen source (fresh grass clippings or manure) " Add more to pile or insulate pile with layer of straw Damp and sweetsmelling but will not heat up " Lack of nitrogen " Mix in nitrogen source (fresh grass clippings or manure) High compost temperature " Pile too large " Insufficient ventilation " Reduce pile size " Move pile to aerate Large, undecomposed items in the mix " Low surface area " Remove items, and chop or shred large items Pests " Presence of meat scraps or fatty food waste " Remove from pile, cover with layer of soil, build animal-proof bin, move pile to increase temperature 57

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