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© 2015 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

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Vermicomposting

Presented by: Barb Webb Master Gardener, Master Recycler/Composter Dakota County Fair - August 11, 2015

2 │ MASTER GARDENERS - DAKOTA COUNTY


│ MASTER GARDENERS - DAKOTA COUNTY

MASTER GARDENERS IN DAKOTA COUNTY

Mission: Educate and assist the public by answering

questions and solving problems about horticulture and related environmental topics.




MASTER GARDENERS IN DAKOTA COUNTY

What We Do: Extension Master Gardeners use up-to-date University information to provide education and horticulture resources by Teaching classes to youth and adults Speaking to groups Participating at community events and projects Writing articles Conducting research Answering online and telephone questions Partnering with other state and county organizations




OVERVIEW What is vermicomposting and why do it? Getting started

– Container – Bedding – Worms – Food / Organics

Harvesting Worm Castings Troubleshooting Let’s get real Outdoor vs. Indoor Composting Questions




VERMICOMPOSTING IS…

“using earthworms and microorganisms to convert organic waste into black, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich humus.” - Mary Appelhof




WHY VERMICOMPOST? Can be done year round and indoors Requires less space Not very labor intensive Faster than outdoor composting Converts kitchen scraps into a 100% plant fertilizer Worm castings are completely organic Nutrients in earthworm compost are very easily

absorbed by the roots of plants Retains water Creates a product that improves soil condition and

long term exposure to nutrients




GETTING STARTED




GETTING STARTED

The six components for creating a happy and healthy worm bin. Containers – Buy or DIY Bedding Worms Temperature Grit Food / Organics




CONTAINERS - BUY OR…

Can-O-Worms

Worm Factory

Worm-A-Way




DO IT YOURSELF




BEDDING

Shredded Cardboard Shredded Newspaper Coconut fiber Shredded dry leaves Sawdust Shredded computer paper Wood chips




WORMS

A worm is not a worm is not a worm! Nightcrawlers found in

backyards and in bait shops are not necessarily good composters.




WORMS Best worms for vermicompost bins: Redworms

– aka Red wigglers Manure worm Red hybrid worm Fish worm Dung worm Brandling worm Apple pomace worm Tiger worm

Latin name is Eisenia fetida (foetida)




WORMS Live in the top 12” of soil Can eat more than ½ their body weight in food

every day Generate 75% of body weight in

castings each day Lay one cocoon every week or so Each cocoon produces 3 to 4 baby worms Begin breeding at 4 to 6 weeks of age Worms can double population every 90 days Can live up to 2 years




FUN FACTS ABOUT WORMS

Can worms see? Where is their mouth? Do they have teeth? How do they grind food?




FUN FACTS ABOUT WORMS

If a worm is cut in two, will it grow back?




BIN TEMPERATURE

A cooler bin … Stays moist Worms more active Bedding is thicker Easier to maintain

consistent conditions

Recommended: 59-77° F A warmer bin … Dries out quickly Worms more lethargic Bedding more settled Harder to maintain non-

ambient temperature Additional moisture

required




GRIT

Rock dust Crushed Oyster shells Soil Pulverized eggshells




ORGANICS DO’s Fruit & vegetable scraps Grains & cereals, pasta Tea bags & leaves Cooked eggs & shells Coffee grounds & filters Potatoes Pancakes Banana bread, cake Leaves Plant cuttings

DON’Ts Non-Biodegradables Bones Oily or strongly flavored

foods Pet feces (cats) Toxic materials

– Ex: orange peels – Plant cuttings treated with

herbicides or insecticides




ORGANICS How Much? 1/2 lb of food per sq ft of surface

area (assuming full worm density) per day

The more vegetable matter and the more variety of organics, the better the worm bin

To reduce chance for fruit flies, use fruits in moderation




ORGANICS

Use “smelly” vegetables (i.e. onions, broccoli) in moderation Bury food under bedding Don’t overload system




HARVESTING




HARVESTING Migration Method Photosensitivity Method Sift and Shift Free for all or Meditative Method (aka

Dump and Sort)




HARVESTING Migration Method




HARVESTING Photosensitivity Method




HARVESTING Sift and shift




HARVESTING Free for all (aka Dump and Sort)




WORM CASTINGS

Benefits Contains 5 times more nitrogen, 7 times

for phosphorus and 11 times more potassium than ordinary soil. Rich in humic acids, which condition the

soil, have perfect PH balance and contain plant growth factors similar to seaweed.




TROUBLESHOOTING




TROUBLESHOOTING Fruit Flies

– Avoid putting rotten food in bin – Cut food scraps into small pieces – Don’t overfeed worms – Bury food – Keep bedding moist but not wet – Feed varied diet – Place newspaper on top of bin content – Limit citrus fruit




TROUBLESHOOTING Odor problems

– Bin is too wet – Bin does not get enough air – Food in bin is naturally smelly – Bin contains non-compostables




TROUBLESHOOTING Other critters in worm bin

– White worms, springtails and millipedes living in your bin are normal and won’t hurt worms.

– Centipedes do pose a threat to worms and should be removed.




TROUBLESHOOTING Worm death

– Bin is too wet – Bin is too dry – Bin does not get enough air – Worms aren’t getting enough food – Bin is exposed to extreme temperatures




LET’S GET REAL




THE REALITY

Concerns Reality Worms in the house?? They stay put, honest!

Bugs, extraneous Fruit flies Soldier Fly Larvae Slugs

• Freeze scraps • Bury in bedding • Vinegar or wine traps • Don’t bring in yard waste

Bugs, part of process Spiders Mites Micro-organisms

• They help decomposition process. • No way to eliminate them but they stay

with composting material. • Wear gloves if they bother you.

Mold • May mean bin needs better aeration. • Won’t hurt process or worms.




THE REALITY

Concerns Reality Mushrooms • Come from wood chip bedding.

• Just bury into bedding. Smell • Properly maintained bin has little smell.

• Stop feeding for a week. • Change some of the bedding. • Remove uneaten food.

Time Except for harvesting, it takes less than 15 minutes per week.

Children / Pets • Great learning tool for kids. • Closed bin keep pets out.




OUTDOOR VS INDOOR COMPOSTING

Outdoor composting Vermicomposting

Space limitations No outdoor space available Large quantity of waste to compost

Limited time to spend Manual turn Worm Churn Time to finished product 6 – 9 mos. 3 – 6 mos Temperature 130 – 160 degrees 55 – 70 degrees Ewwwww! Factor Ecologically responsible




QUESTIONS?




RESOURCES University of Minnesota Extension Yard and Garden http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/index.html Purdue University Cooperative Extension www.extension.purdue.edu Apelhof, M. 1997. Worms Eat My Garbage. Flowerfield Enterprises, Kalamazoo, MI. Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/compost_worm.html Master Gardeners in Dakota County www.dakotamastergardeners.org

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/index.html

http://www.extension.purdue.edu/

http://journeytoforever.org/compost_worm.html



http://www.dakotamastergardeners.org/

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