Vermicompost for a Greener 2019

from 56.38 Howe Enterprise February 4, 2019

Bulldogs last minute comeback falls short, 55-53

by Michelle Haynes Master Gardeners, class of 2018

If “Start Vermicomposting My Kitchen Waste” isn’t one of your 2019 New Year Resolutions, it should be Vermicomposting using composting worms (not earthworms) to turn your kitchen waste into an amazing garden supplement is simple, low-cost, and effective Googling “How To Vermicompost” will result in thousands of resources, so there’s no need to provide instructions here, but the basic bin structure is a plastic box with drainage holes drilled into the bottom and air holes drilled around the top perimeter. The contents start out as a bottom layer of damp bedding, red wiggler worms, kitchen waste, and dried plant matter; the worms will rearrange the contents to their liking. Owning a worm bin involves emptying the contents, separating worms from compost, and reassembling the materials Let’s look at three handy tools that will simplify your worm wrangling tasks: plastic tote lids, large plastic bags, and tongs

If you have plastic storage bins that break or just don’t need a top, reserve the lids, as they make perfect trays for the leachate that drains from the holes at the bottom of the bin The leachate (not the same as worm tea) includes the liquids released from the food as it breaks down If your worm bin sits directly on the soil, you might not mind the leachate soaking through to the ground But if your bin is in the garage or on your patio, you won’t want that leachate dripping onto and possibly staining the concrete Instead, use a tray (such as the plastic lid) to catch the liquids Here’s a nifty trick: raise the bin on cinder blocks, drill a small hole at the edge of the tray, and let the leachate drip into a container for easy disposal or use (dilute leachate with water before you pour it on plants That’s worth a bit of research too)

When I empty my worm bin, I dump the material onto a large flattened plastic bag, such as the strong 50-pound bags for sunflower seeds or dog food I cut along one side and along the bottom seam, then flatten the bag for a handy 3-by 4-foot mat This is much easier to fold, store, and carry than a 5x7 plastic tarp would be, and it makes clean up a cinch

The purpose of dumping the bin’s contents on the mat is to separate the components The bedding, worms, and unprocessed food can go back into the bin, and the beautiful composted material (that “black gold”) can be added to your plants Tongs are the perfect tool for picking up any of these materials Just be gentle when picking up your worms I actually find that my long, manicured fingernails are the best worm scoops (#WormGirl, #IPlayWithWorms), but that might not appeal to everyone

Diverting your kitchen waste from the trashbin/landfill to a vermicompost bin is a worthy daily routine If you’re already giving your foodscraps to your chickens, your worms will happily help with the items your chickens shouldn’t consume (e g , onions, avocado) A worm bin is for organic materials like fruits and veggies, eggshells, cereal boxes, and coffee and tea grounds, but not for meats Bokashi bran composting can process meats; take a minute to research that To those people who say that the Texas summer is too hot and the north Texas winter is too cold for worms, I say bah humbug The worms are usually well-insulated in their compost, and they can be quite comfortable with a little intervention from you Check out the winter composting article from Uncle Jim’s Worm Farms (https://unclejimswormfarm com/ worm-composting-during-winterand-insulating-your-worm-bin/) Vermicomposting is a simple and seemingly magical process Don’t be intimidated by the discussions on ratios of carbon/nitrogen--dry/wet-brown/green The perfect ratio certainly makes the bin more efficient, but the most important rule is to not let your worms dry out to death And while anything that goes wrong with your bin is probably your error, it won’t happen immediately and you can certainly fix it So, vermicompost in 2019

#JustDoIt

Benny never forgot his Texas roots and was a key player in getting the National Finals Rodeo to move to Las Vegas He never forgot the cowboys after they arrived; he always paid their entry fees for their championship

Georgia Caraway and her friends operate the Howe Mercantile at 107-109 ½ East Haning Store hours are Thursday through Saturday 12 noon until 8 p m All five of Georgia’s Denton history books and her book on taking care of your antiques and collectibles are available at Howe Mercantile She hopes her next book will be the history of Howe

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