I’ve Got Worms! and that’s a Good Thing!

Why Compost ? Approximately 70% of the garbage we send to the landfill could be food for worms (organic waste) It’s a good source of nutrients for your garden Save money on fertilizers

Resources Renewable resource = things that don’t run out or that can be replaced or re-grown Nonrenewable resource = non-living things that don’t re- grow and there are fixed amounts. When they are gone we can’t make more.

Stewardship We are responsible for the resources in our world Home composting food scraps eliminates the need to spend non- renewable resources: Vehicles to pick it up Space to sort it Fuel to transport it Land to bury it

Decompose (Decay, Rot) Compose = to make or form by combining things, parts, or elements Decompose = to separate into constituent parts or elements Food scraps decompose in a compost system leaving a collection of plant nutrients that can be used again to benefit more plants and grow more food. Nitrogen Sulfur Phosphorus Potassium Iron Calcium

From Garbage to Fertilizer!

Close the loop! What comes from the earth can go back to the earth.

The Original Master Composter/Recycler! Worms get their nutrition from decomposing organic material and the microbes - bacteria and fungi –that grow in compost Vermicomposting Use worm castings to enhance soil by RECYCLING nutrients. Worms do it best! Close the loop using nature’s model.

Darwin never met a worm he didn’t like …

No civilization without worms??

How hard does an earth worm work? Check out these amazing facts … Scientist say that if you were to pile up all of the topsoil that worms have made over the past million years in one place, it would be five times as tall as Mount Everest. WOW! Can you imagine being buried under a mountain of dead leaves and organic waste? Earthworms spend their entire lives breaking down this organic matter, so if we lived in a world without worms, we would be living under a mountain of waste.

Why Worms? Recycle kitchen scraps Suited to apartments and households Castings are great for plants Worms can eat ½ their weight in scraps daily It’s fun and great science for children!

Let’s first take a look at worms in general …

Kinds of Worms More than 4000 species of earthworms Very diverse group

Wow! Queensland Turquoise Earthworm

YUCK!!!!!

Oh my! Giant Australian Earthworm

Found in Washington Giant Palouse Earthworm, Driloleirus americanus Large, pinkish-white earthworm up to 3 feet long! Researchers say it spits saliva that smells like lilies when handled! Noted in late 1800’s as numerous in the Palouse Threatened by habitat loss (Palouse bunchgrass prairie) During summer droughts, the worms dug burrows as deep as 15 feet

Kinds of Worms Earthworms are divided into 3 categories, based on the soil layer they live in. based Nightcrawlers go godeep Compost worms live in leaf litter and top layers Earth workers -- sideways

Anecic Worms (Nightcrawlers) Lumbricus terrestris Deep permanent burrows, up to 4 – 6’ deep Cycle HUGE amounts of organic material deep into soil Coat burrow w/ mucus, recognize own burrow! Anchor with tail and forage in a circle Won’t reproduce in a bin

Endogeic Worms (Earth workers) Live in the top 12 inches of soil -rarely come to the surface Create extensive horizontal burrows in upper layers of soil Feed on mineral soil particles and decayed organic matter Aerate and mix soil

Epigeic Worms Your Worm- The Red Wriggler Live in forest litter, duff, loose topsoil layer Build no permanent burrows Reproduce rapidly Eisenia fetida Red wiggler Tiger worm Manure worm Fish worm

Your Worms’ Needs 1.Water (Moisture) 2.Air 3.Decaying organic matter (food scraps) 4.Darkness, quiet 5.The right temperature

Moisture and Air A worm’s body is water They breath through their skin Water standing in the bin can reduce available oxygen- anaerobic conditions AaK! Gasp! The worms will drown too much water.

Earthworms and Light Worms don’t like light

Your Worms and Temperature Worms feed most rapidly and convert food waste best at temperature between 60-78° They like same temps we like! If the bin freezes, or gets too hot in the summer, the worms will die

Climate The worms need to be kept between 50 and 80 degrees to continue to feed on your garbage. The worms may survive in the 40’s but will not survive below freezing temperature. The worms are also at risk of dying at temperatures above 86 degrees. Obviously this means that your worm bin may need to be moved during different seasons. A perfect place for the bin is in the basement, laundry room or in the kitchen during extreme temperatures.

A Comfortable Worm Bin Has it All! Bedding moistened to provide air and water The lid keeps it dark A cool/warm place With yummy food scraps to eat Lots of microbes for company

Earthworms have 5 hearts Well, not really hearts, but enlarged blood vessels.

How Earthworms Move Using muscles -- hydrostatic and setae

The clitellum

Earthworm Reproduction Earthworms are both boy and girl -- hermaphroditic. Two worms join with mucus from their clitella. Then, a cocoon forms on the clitellum of each worm. The worm backs out of the hardening cocoon which contains the egg.

Earthworm Biology  In about 30 days 1-5 babies will hatch from the cocoon.  They will mature in about 3 months.

How Earthworms Eat Worms have no teeth Gizzard, sort of like a bird

 Food moves down to the crop  No teeth - a flap of skin called a prostomium.  Food moves down to the crop where it is stored.  Food moves to the gizzard where is ground up.  Creating castings (ok, its worm poop!) Let’s Eat!! !

Can a worm be cut in half and survive?

So, you know you need red wigglers, but how many? Some vermiculture experts recommend a 1-1 ratio—one worm for every pound of garbage. Mary Appelhof, also know as the Worm Woman, and author of Worms Eat My Garbage, recommends two pounds of worms for every pound of garbage.

Feeding Your Worms

Yum! Red worms like to eat decaying organic matter, they also eat the little bacteria and fungi that live in the compost with them … Red worms eat ½ their weight per day. One pound of worms will eat ½ pound of food per day.

Worm Deli Yummy Fruit Peeling Vegetable Peelings Egg shells Coffee grounds (including filter) Tea bags (string, staple and all) Bread Lettuce Watermelon rinds Banana peels Yucky  Bones  Mayonnaise  Salad Dressing  Meat  Cheese  Butter  Oil

Open a hole in bedding in a corner and deposit food…

Feed from a different corner each time…

Voila! Finished vermicompost in 3-4 months

How to Harvest Dump and sort Screen method- plastic mesh Vertical or horizontal migration method

Dump and Sort Dump and separate in light method

Remove your gentle friends from the bedding and start again

Drain “compost tea” and dilute for houseplants

Worm Tea Fill 1 gallon bucket with water Let it sit overnight Dissolve 1 cup of worm castings in water Stir thoroughly Let sit 12 – 36 hours Apply tea to plants with watering can Best to use tea right away

Worm Castings  Mix with soil to aid plant growth  Try a handful in the bottom of hole when transplanting  Add in with seed starting mix

The Finished Product Wo rm castings - the manure of the earthworm - RICH STUFF ! Contains humus, a complex mixture of nutrients stored in a form that is readily available to plants. Stimulates plant growth Helps control harmful pathogens, bacteria and fungi A valuable resource -- use it selectively and sparingly.

Other Harmless Critters in the Bin Fruit flies come on the peel or rind of fruit. You can avoid them by freezing the peels, or putting wet newspaper on top. Other decomposers you might see: potworms, springtails, black soldier fly larve, mold, rolypolys

Pot Worms Mold and Fungi Springtails Fruit Flies Mites Pillbug/Sowbug Soldierfly larvae

Avoid the problem… Cover bin Don’t overfeed Bury food Cut food up Control moisture & acidity Fruit Flies? Get rid of them… Vinegar trap Vacuum bin When all else fails, change bedding

Too much food Not enough air Too wet Too acidic Stinky foods Wrong food: no meat, dairy or oily foods ODORS?

Carrot Growth Study: Incorporated 20% vermicompost into the propagation media Calcium, Nitrogen, Phosphorous

Closing the Loop Castings are like concentrated plant fertilizer Sprinkle some in the row when planting seeds Add a handful to the hole when transplanting young plants (2 tablespoons per 4” pot, 1/4 - 1/2 cup for one gallon transplants) Mix into the top soil of potted plants Work it into the soil during the growing season Don’t let it dry out!

Lets make a worm bin

Questions?

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