Vermicomposting

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Vermicomposting
Joan Leonard The Ohio State University
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Why Worms?

• Year-round composting
• Eco-friendly
• Educational opportunity
• Easy and fun
• Great source of organic fertilizer

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Worm Basics

• Container
• Bedding
• Food
• Worms

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The Worm Condo

• Snap-lock ornament boxes
• Drill holes ¼ in all bottoms except base
• Base will be catch basin for excess liquid

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• Snap-lock ornament boxes
• Drill holes ½ in all bottoms except base
• Base will be catch basin for excess liquid
• Drill holes in sides for air exchange
• Screening in bottom bin above catch basin

• Drill holes in sides for air exchange
• Screening in bottom bin above catch basin
• Cover with black trash bag

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Bedding

• Shredded paper or cardboard, moistened
• Add fresh manure if available

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Bedding

• Layer bedding and add to the bin as it decomposes

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One Mans Trash

• No meat, oils, bones
• Citrus in small amounts
• Chop up large herbaceous stems/rinds
• Egg shells OK
• Add water if too dry

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Which Worms?

• Red Worms Eisenia foetida
• Eat ½ their weight in food each day
• Double their population about every 3 months
• Grow to be 3-4 long, slender
• Like temperatures to be 70-80F
• Do well in shallow compost bins

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Worm Poop!

• Now What?

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Worm Sorting

• In the layered system stop feeding when layer is
  full and worms will migrate to other layers. Give
  them a week or 2 to migrate.

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Roll Up Your Sleeves

• Spread out compost on a tray and manually pick
  out worms.

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Tea Time

• Tea is not the runoff captured under the bin
• Vermicompost is potent stuff

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One Lump or Two?

• Bucket
• Rain water or city water left to sit overnight
• Aquarium pump for circulation or agitate manually
  at regular intervals
• Compost
• Worm-free
• 110 rule of thumb

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Brew-Ha-Ha

• Put compost inside a nylon stocking or coffee
  filter and soak
• OR
• Add directly to water and stir in
• Agitate with pump or shake/stir often
• Let sit for 2-3 days
• Remove tea bag (or filter) and serve

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Incorporating compost

• Again 110 maximum rule
• Heat treat to kill seeds
• Seeds germinating in your bin are a good sign

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Support Global Worming!

• http//www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/soilecol/index.h
  tm
• www.redwormcomposting.com
• http//www.agbio.ca/DOCs/Vermiculture_FarmersManua
  l_gm.pdf