Worms and Compost
My 360 Worm Factories live nestled under a Juniper hedge that keeps them cool and dry all year round. The bricks on top keep them safe from raccoons.
All uncooked vegetable scraps except citrus go into my worm compost bin, along with used unbleached paper towels, crushed egg shells, coffee grounds etc. I find myself buying carrots and beets with leaves on knowing that the worms will love them. Some leaves, weeds and dead flowers from the garden also go in.
Every 6 weeks or so, I put the compost from the bottom (fourth) floor around the garden, then that layer becomes the new top floor. I follow the directions and add coconut husk, minerals and pumice stones to the new top floor, along with shredded paper to ensure the right ration of "green" and "brown" matter (nitrogen and carbon).
To make the compost tea, I fill a 5 gallon bucket with rain barrel water or hose water left in the sun for 24 hours to lose any chlorine that kills the microorganisms we are trying to grow.
I then put a cup full of the worm compost into an old sock or tights (using a funnel made from a yoghurt cup) I tie it to the handle of the bucket, letting it dangle into the water. Then I add about half a cup of molasses as feed. I drop in the stone bubbler on the end of a small fish tank pump. After 24 hours, the tea is ready to use, either by spraying or pouring. I dunk orchids and indoor plants in the tea.
This sounds yucky and complicated but it soon becomes habit and worms are a lot less work than most pets. At first, I recommend using disposable gloves and a set of kids plastic garden tools to work with the compost and minimize yuck factor or worm phobias. : )
