Good news: worm composting is becoming increasingly popular! The bad news is that we can’t always keep red wiggler worms in stock. Other suppliers include: Wormworx http://wormworx.ca/worm-products/worms/ Address: 2333 Ontario St, Vancouver Phone / Text: 778.321.0111 Email: bottleguys@gmail.com All Things…
Blog Archives
Use of worm casting tea in dry weather
Give plants in your garden and containers an extra boost in dry weather by mixing up some worm tea when you water. Vermicompost tea, made of worm castings and water, contains the nitrogen, phosporus, potassium (NPK), micronutrients and microorganisms that…
Top dressing gardens and lawns in the spring with vermicompost
The early spring in BC is inspiring gardeners to start their gardens now. Vermicompost makes an excellent spring top dressing. No need to till it under or water it in — Mother Nature does that for you. Our recommendations for…
Posted in Red Wiggler Worm Compost
Winter care of compost bins
Depending on your climate, you may be able to keep a bin of red wiggler compost worms outdoors during the winter. My larger bins are kept outdoors here in Surrey, BC since we have mild coastal winters. However anything under…
Posted in Red wiggler compost bin care, Worm composting in British Columbia Tagged with: BC, British Columbia, Canada, red wiggler worms, Vancouver, winter, worm composting
Using dry leaves in a worm compost bin
Autumn leaves can be used with or in place of newspaper or cardboard bedding in your worm composting bin. They will be the carbon-rich brown component of the bin to balance out your green kitchen scraps. If you’re just starting…
Posted in Red wiggler compost bin care, Worm composting in British Columbia Tagged with: BC, red wiggler worms, Vancouver, worm composting
Worm composting in the classroom
Worm compost bins in the classroom are popular because not only are they fun, they compliment science curriculum and social responsibility goals. Allowing students to dispose of their lunch scraps into a worm compost bin is a great goal. Here are a…
Fertilize garden vegetables through the homestretch with worm compost
Vegetables that will continue producing this next few months benefit from continued fertilization. This includes squash, leafy vegetables and your fall or overwintering crops. Use worm compost as a side dressing or mix it with water to make compost tea.…
Sidedress your vegetables with worm compost
Give your plants a quick shot of nutrients by adding worm compost to your beds during the growing season. Worm compost won’t burn plants like other fertilizers. I put a handfull of worm compost around the base of each plant.
Posted in Red Wiggler Worm Compost, Worm composting in British Columbia Tagged with: British Columbia, worm composting, worm tea
Ideal amount of worm compost to mix into garden soil is 20 percent
With the planting season beginning, it is a good time to empty worm castings out of your composter and add them to your garden. When adding your finished worm compost into your garden soil, a good rule of thumb is…
Tomato seed germination and planting experiment using vermicompost
This past fall I heard a talk about improved germination of seeds when they’re soaked in an extract or “tea” made of worm castings (notes on the talk are here). I tried my own experiment which I posted recently. The…
Posted in NCSU Vermiculture Conference, Red Wiggler Worm Compost Tagged with: BC, red wiggler worms, Vancouver, worm composting
Other bugs that may come to live in a compost bin
There are many other insects and bugs that coexist with red wiggler worms in a compost bin. Most are harmless, a few should be removed. Sow bugs (gray isopods), springtails (tiny white collembola), mites, earwigs, beetles, and other species of…
Posted in Red wiggler compost bin care, Red Wiggler Worm Compost Tagged with: BC, bugs, red wiggler worms, Vancouver, worm composting
Climate-smart agricultural techniques using red wiggler worms: article
Interesting article about agricultural practices using vermiculture in Columbia: http://www.trust.org/item/20140120142510-zo6pf/
Posted in Red Wiggler Worm Compost
City of Surrey Composting Resources and Programs
Currently, the city of Surrey “strongly supports backyard composting as a great way to divert some organic wastes generated at home”, according to the city website. The City promotes composting through the sale of backyard composters called Earth Machines to…
FAQ about placing a worm compost bin outdoors
Question: “I am a Surrey resident. If I only use uncooked fruit and vegetable waste, do I need to be concerned about attracting rats? Also, can this composter be placed outside all winter or is that too cold for the…
Posted in Red wiggler compost bin care Tagged with: BC, Canada, compost bin, FAQ, red wiggler worms, Vancouver, worm composting
Worm compost planting experiment
Inspired by studies showing the benefit of soaking seeds in a worm compost mixture, I decided to try my own experiment. Being early November, I decided to try red wiggler compost on my cover crop, fava beans. Here was what…
Posted in Red Wiggler Worm Compost Tagged with: BC, Canada, red wiggler worms, Vancouver, worm composting