UCCE El Dorado County Master Gardeners Present

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1 UCCE El Dorado County Master Gardeners Present

2 s

3 Making Worms Work for You Overview Worms Habitat Food Critters in the bin Vermicompost Troubleshooting Wrap Up and Questions

4

5 From Garbage to Soil Amendment!

6 Why Worms? Recycle kitchen scraps Castings Small spaces Easy Fun and great science

7 Three categories Nightcrawlers Earthworkers Composters Deep and vertical Horizontal Top layer

8 Nightcrawlers (Anecic) Vertical burrows, 4 6 deep

9 Earthworkers (Endogeic) Horizontal burrows Top 12 inches

10 Composters (Eisenia fetida and others) No burrows Forest litter, manure Reproduce rapidly

11 Anatomy One big intestine No eyes, ears, bones or teeth

12 The clitellum

13 Reproduction Hermaphroditic Need two to reproduce Cocoon forms on the clitellum of each Cocoon contains the eggs 30 days 1 5 babies will hatch Mature in about 3 months

14 Habitat

15 A Comfortable Worm Bin Has Moisture Air Decaying organic matter Darkness, quiet Optimal temperature

16 Moisture and Air

17 Leachate

18 Other Liquids Compost Extract quick soak Manure Tea soluble nutrients but food safety issues Vermicompost Tea oxygenate, add microbe food Herbal Tea mint, chamomile, etc

19 Worms and Light

20 Temperature Same temperatures we like Optimal 55 to 77 Don t freeze or overheat

21 Bin Choices Build or buy Wood Plastic Concrete block Earth

22 Bedding, Bedding, Bedding

23 More Bedding

24 Greens Browns

25 Maintain Proper Moisture

26 Food

27 Decomposing organic matter Worms eat microbes (not food)

28 Microbe Deli Allow Fruit and vegetable peeling Egg shells Coffee grounds and filters Tea bags Bread Lettuce Watermelon rinds Banana peels

29 Avoid Bones Mayonnaise Salad Dressing Meat Cheese Butter Oil Excess # of citrus peels

30 Test!

31 Test!

32 Optimize Increase surface area ochop oshred Freeze Microwave Pre compost

33 Pocket Feeding Feed a different corner each time

34 Row Feeding

35 Re Cover

36 Mold and Fungi Critters in the Bin Fruit flies

37 Mites More Critters in the Bin Soldier fly larvae

38 More Critters in the Bin Springtails Pillbug/Sowbug

39

40 Vermicompost

41 Harvesting Methods Dumping & sorting Migration Vertical Horizontal Sifting

42 Dumping and Sorting

43 Dump onto newspaper Gently aerate Gloved hands Hand fork If Too Wet

44 Migration Method Prepare new bin Place harvesting bin on top

45 Sifting

46 Voila! Vermicompost

47 The Finished Product RICH STUFF! Humus content Stimulates plant growth Helps control harmful pathogens

48 Using the Vermicompost Concentrated soil amendment Seed starting Transplanting Potted plants Don t let it dry out!

49 Troubleshooting

50 Most common problem Insufficient bedding Causing excess moisture Anaerobic conditions in the bin

51 Troubleshooting Symptom Problem Solution Bin smells bad Poor air circulation Improper food scraps added Too much food Add fresh bedding Remove meat, bones or other animal products Feed less

52 Troubleshooting Symptom Problem Solution Worms are dying Not enough food Bin too dry Bin too wet Too many castings Add food into bedding Moisten until slightly damp Add bedding Harvest

53 Troubleshooting Symptom Problem Solution Fly infestation Food exposed Cover bedding Cover worms Secure lid

54 Wrap up and Questions Worm compost trivia Who is considered the father of worm composting? Charles Darwin

55 UCCE El Dorado Master Gardeners Contact us: (Tues Fri 9:00AM Noon Visit us at 311 Fairlane, Placerville

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