Archive for the ‘Howto’ Category
November 9th, 2009 | 
Author: I’ve compiled a list of facts based upon questions that I receive from people that stop in.
1. How long until baby red worms become breeders?
Baby worms mature in about 4 to 6 weeks and live for about a year. This means that you will have mature breeders about 6 weeks after your red worms hatch from the capsule. You can see how this would exponentially grow your worm population. The time frame and life expectancy is based upon a proper environment.
2. How many worms can come from 1000 worms?
We’ve heard all kinds of estimates about how many worms will come from 1000 worm and we get questions all the time from people worried that their worm population will explode and spill out of their compost bins. This will never happen unless you want it to. The carrying capacity of the bin will dictate the amount of worms your bin will sustain. More food and space will mean more worms. If you take 1000 red worms and move the breeders to a new bin every month it is possible to end up with roughly 1 million worms in about 2 years. This is an estimate based on the very best worm husbandry procedures. In a normally maintained bin with food added weekly you will never grow 1000 worms exponentially unless you move the breeders to fresh bins every month and care for the bins containing the babies.
3. Can I use regular dirt from outside for my worm bin?
You cannot use regular dirt from outside for your red worm composting bin. Red worms require a good bedding made from shredded paper, cardboard , peat moss or coconut fiber. The food should be manure of food scraps. The best bedding is a mixture of all of the items listed. The bedding must be light weight and not compacted so that the worms can move around. The bedding must also be able to have air flow so that anaerobic activity does not take over the bed. Common dirt will not allow for any of this and your worms will soon die. This is why red worms are not good for lawns and gardens on their own but their castings are fantastic. A handful of dirt in the worm bin will help your red worms digest the food you provide so a little dirt won’t hurt.
That’s it for now.
Have some fun facts or questions? Post them here or send them to me and I’ll add them here. Thanks!
Ken
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Protect New Worm Beds From Moles.
Moles are a problem with outdoor worm beds.
Image via Wikipedia
A worm bed that is not protected will eventually fall prey to moles who tunnel around the worm bed eating worms. Mole proofing your worm bed prior to filling it with bedding and worms will be much easier than trying to deal with moles after they are feasting on your worms. This is a list of things that you can do to mole proof your worm bed prior to filling it with bedding and worms. A future post will deal with eradicating moles from worm beds after the fact.
- Moles go under and not over worm bed walls. They will burrow beneath the walls of the worm bed and enter where they will tunnel and eat.
- You will know that you have moles if you see tunnels and paths. If you cover the bed the moles will tunnel between the cover and then bedding leaving a path.
Here are some inexpensive proactive things that will save headaches later.
- Use professional landscaping fabric on the bottoms of the bed. Bring it up around the walls and nail or tack it on the outside of the bed so the moles can’t tunnel in. They will not get through professional landscaping fabric.
- Place a bed of gravel on the ground where your bed will be and then place landscaping fabric or hardware cloth over the stones. You will never have a mole problem if you use stones and then a second barrier of landscaping fabric or hardware cloth.
- Place the bed wall on a solid floor of concrete. The moles cannot penetrate a solid surface like concrete. Plywood and tar can also be used. Concrete is best and it’s easy to clean. If you are serious about worm farming then this is your best bet.
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This is a must for all Gardeners everywhere. Young or old, beginner or experienced, there is valuable information for everybody.
The reason why Organic Gardening Magic is such a greate book, is that, it is very easy to understand. It will teach you exactly what to do, to create the perfect garden just for you.
What can be better than creating your own 100% organic garden, without dangerous chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers destroy the soil, they also kill everything along with pests. But now you will learn cheap and easy ways, to eliminate these problems as well.
This is a must for all Gardeners everywhere. Young or old, beginner or experienced, there is valuable information for everybody.
The reason why Organic Gardening Magic is such a greate book, is that, it is very easy to understand. It will teach you exactly what to do, to create the perfect garden just for you.
What can be better than creating your own 100% organic garden, without dangerous chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers destroy the soil, they also kill everything along with pests. But now you will learn cheap and easy ways, to eliminate these problems as well.
Here is what you will learn when you get the book
How to create your own compost
The Secrets of crop rotation and companion planting!
A Trick to bring your Fall Tomato Plants Indoors!
Why You Should Consider Raising Your Own Transplants
How To Build Healthy Soil
What to do with insects
How to grow Vegetables in little space
Why Pesticide Use Became Prevalent In The First Place!
Simple Steps to Grow Your Own Organic Lettuce for mouthwatering healthy salads!
What is Green Manure and Should You Use It?
Are There Any Benefits Of Using Pesticides At All?
The Four Important Aspects Of Organic Gardening According to the USDA
Grow Organically Indoors!
How to Identify and Cure Plant Diseases
Parasitic Insects and Pollinators
How To Lengthen The Growing Season In Winter!
Tools You Will Need
Raised Bed Gardening Secrets!
Beneficial Insects and The Predator Insects!
Worm Man
Between 1996 and 2004, GM crops enabled Australian farmers to reduce pesticide applications by more than 20 million lbs. (9.2 million kg). Australian cotton producer Rob Newell credits reduced spraying with increasing the beneficial insects and bird populations on his farm, as well as increasing his community’s appreciation for biotechnology.
http://www.monsanto.com/biotech-gmo/asp/videogallery.asp
Worm Man
Growing herbs with flowers attracts beneficial insects and birds that feed off harmful garden pests. Grow herbs with flowers with tips from a gardener and nursery owner in this free video on flowers.
beneficial insects
When I select plants for my garden, I want them to fit into the overall plan producing lots of blooms and color. But I also plant for beneficial insects such a bumblebees. You see, they’ll work hard all summer and into the fall gathering pollen from this bog sage.
Of course, as they ‘bumble’ from bloom to bloom, they’re actually doing me a favor. You see, as they gather pollen, they’re also pollinating my crops.
But on a commercial scale, pollination is big business. They figure the honeybee alone contributes about 10 billion dollars to American agriculture.
Pollination is particularly important to farmers growing crops in greenhouses. You see, bumblebees are now being used as pollinators in this case to help insure a bumper crop of produce such as tomatoes. One single hive can easily cover the hundreds of tomato plants growing in this greenhouse.
Now you may be wondering, if you don’t produce fruits or vegetables in your garden, why attract bumblebees? Well, they’re actually pollinating a lot more than the things we eat. Their pollination benefits birds and other wildlife by producing seeds, berries, and fruit that they’ll eat all winter long. You see bumblebees are just an important part of the lifecycle.
I can honestly say that I’ve gardened all of my life and I’ve never been stung by one of these little guys. But that’s not to say, that if provoked, they wouldn’t get their stingers out. But as a general rule, bumblebees are gentle and content to mind their own business.
From the garden, I’m P. Allen Smith.
Copyright: 2000
P. Allen Smith Gardens
Hortus LTD.
Ken Chiarella
John Dromgoole highlights a few of the good bugs that help keep the garden healty.
beneficial insects
If you’re gardening and hoping to attract wildlife to your garden add as many Echinacea plants as you can cram in your gardening space. They attract beneficial insects like butterflies and when the seeds form they provide a good food source for native birds.
Here, a number of Red Admiral butterflies are feeding on the pollen of a few of my Echinacea plants.
Worm Man