Month: November 2016

This is a follow-up to my video with Kiani Kaina (where he opened a sprouted coconut).  I wanted to show everyone what these sprouted coconuts (baby coconut) trees look like on the inside.  One word of caution for people who have high cholesterol, heart disease, or stroke:  coconuts are delicious but they do contain saturated fat.

 

This is the first in a series of different worm bins I will be showing on my youtube channel.  Worm bins (such as Brian’s) use worms to recycle food scraps into compost. Worms eat food scraps, which become compost as they pass through the worm’s tail end. This compost can then be used to grow plants. Worm compost or vermicompost  is good for plants, since the worms are eating nutrient-rich scraps and turn them into nutrient-rich compost.

Certain foods are not recommended for the worm bin, such as meats, oils, and dairy products.  They take longer to break down and attract pests.  Cooked foods can be oily, which also attracts pests.  Use only raw fruit and vegetable scraps. Citrus fruits are acidic and can attract fruit flies.  Onions and broccoli may have a strong odor.  More variety in vegetable matter makes a better worm bin.

To set up a worm bin, you need a box, moist newspaper strips, and worms.  Worms need moisture, air, food, darkness, and warm (but not too hot) temperatures.  Worm bedding (newspaper strips or leaves) holds moisture and contains air spaces essential to worms.  You can buy worms at your gardening shop, or I usually get them from friends who have worm bins.   Your worm bin should be shallow rather than deep, as worms prefer to live in the top six inches of the soil. Cover the bin with a loose fitting lid that allows air into the bin.

A worm bin is a supplement to a compost and not a replacement for one. Worms  can only eat so much at a time.  Put the scraps in one corner of the bin and cover them with  an inch of newspaper. After a couple of days, add scraps to another corner. If worms get hungry between feedings, they’ll eat the newspaper.

Put the worm bin in a safe place out of direct sunlight because the sun will irritate the worms. Worms like temperatures between 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  The contents of the bin should be as moist as a wrung-out sponge. You may have to spray mist on the paper to keep it from drying out. When the worm castings appear, the bin will stay wet because they hold water.  If the bin gets soggy, put in some dry shredded newspaper. If worms are on the sides or lid of the bin, it is too wet.

Make sure there is no water in the bottom of the bin, as the bin may start to smell, and the worms may die. The worms will multiply, and there will be baby worms in the mix and worm cocoons.   You may find that other decomposers like mites, pot worms and tiny black beetles as well.

If you take care of your worms and create a nice environment for them, they will eat your food scraps produce compost. In 3-5 months, your bin will be filled with compost and you can remove the finished compost from the bin. After a few months, you can add a new layer or remove the compost from the bin.

Worm castings can be very wet. Spread them out on a tray to let air-dry for a few days.  Worm castings (waste) are like fertilizer, since they are full of plant-supporting nutrients.  Sprinkle castings on plants and over garden beds. They can also be mixed with potting soil (20% castings 80% soil).

References:

Coyne K. & Knutzen E.  (July 25 2011)  How to Make a Worm Bin.  Mother Earth News.  Retrieved from http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/garden-yard/make-worm-bin-ze0z11zhir

Fong J. & Hewitt P.  Worm Composting Basics.  Retrieved from http://compost.css.cornell.edu/worms/basics.html