Oh, What Worms Can Do!

I visited my friend Angela today, a visit we've been trying to arrange for about two months. She's been keeping red worms for nearly five years now, and I wanted to see how she does it. They make easy pets, she says, thriving though neglected for three months at a time. Her son Jackson is a big fan of the worms, too! As luck would have it, I left the camera on, so the battery was completely run down when I tried to snap a photo of her worms and their rubbermaid container home. After our visit, Angela gave me a garbage bag with several pounds of vermicompost, or worm compost, and a few worms to take home.

As many of you already know, Alabama soil is less than fabulous for growing things because of the clay content, which is terrible for drainage and lacking in nutrients. Anthony and I amended the soil when we started the garden, but our hope is to get a good solid three seasons of growing, so that will mean we'll have to diligently amend the soil throughout the year. We have a compost bin in the backyard, but it's soooo slow in breaking down the kitchen and yard waste. I thought having a second source of nutrient-rich, organic fertilizer would be a terrific addition to our little organic garden.

Vermicompost, or worm compost, is composed of red worm castings (informally known as worm 'poop'), worm bedding (something as simple as shredded newspaper), and organic waste in various stages of decomposition. According to a New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension Service vermicomposting guide, this organic material is 5 to 11 time more rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as the surrounding soil and much higher than traditional garden compost. You can check out their comparison by following the guide link. Journeytoforever.org says vermicompost has five times more nitrogen, 7 times more phosphorus, and 11 times more potassium than ordinary soil. If you've ever done a soil test, you know these are the minerals most important to having good, balanced soil for growing fruits and vegetables.

Housing red worms can be fairly simply and inexpensive, although Angela referred to them as 'Goldilocks' worms because they can't be too wet or too dry, and they can't get too hot or too cold--conditions need to be just right, which is really easier than it sounds. Her little creatures are kept on a small, enclosed back patio in summer and winter, which provides just enough protection from temperature extremes. She feeds them the same things you might add to your compost bin: fruit and vegetable scraps, used tea leaves and coffee grounds, and scraps of paper--and they can eat half their weight in food every day. You can also add egg shells, but Angela says the shells never seem to get digested. She also shreds sensitive documents and feeds them to her worms. Great idea! They don't like meats or fats. In roughly 4-6 months, though the worms slow down in winter, you'll have pounds of dark, rich, vermicompost.

The containers for vermicomposting can range from an inexpensive, do-it-yourself Rubbermaid tub (get directions here), or a deluxe worm hotel. Jouneytoforever.org and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Service has plenty of information on the how-to's of vermicomposting.

I see another project in Anthony's future!