How to speed up Compost

I found a nice blog that reminds me that composting IS a process. (I love the word process)

One of the biggest problems with outdoor bin composting is that it isn't a particularly fast process. This can be a little frustrating if you want that compost quickly in the spring to put it on plants. But there are some things you can do to speed up the process of composting.

They talk about several things to consider. One is look at the size of food you put in the compost. chop up large things like potatoes or banana peels and even crush up the egg shells. This helps the food break down faster.

Another thing they mention is that worms faster. Yes, they say worms compost 3 times faster the the standard outdoor bin method. those little guys are on a happy mission. I have started to freeze my food scraps in a large freezer bag, I smash things up once I put them in the bag, then bag in the freezer. When the worms need fed, I grab out 2 cups per bin, let it thaw and put it in. the freezing actually starts the breaking down process of the food, making the job that much easier and quicker for the worms. How cool is that.

little critters in your compost part 5

Pot worms or white worms are small, white, threadlike worms that are found in worm bins when there is a quantity of finished material. They are beneficial organisms that feed on decaying organic. While usually found when the bedding in the bin is slightly acidic, their presence does NOT indicate a pH problem and pH adjustment is not recommended. Pot worms are white, segmented worms, most often mistaken for baby redworms. If you look close enough, their bodies are nearly transparent and their digestive system quite visible when viewed through a hand lens. Potworms do not feed on living plants and pose no threat to the garden or people.

little critters in your worm bin part 3

As we have talked about before, the food scraps you add to a worm bin today, isn't really touched by worms until at least several days later. The food has to start to break down first. How long depends on how quickly a population of microbes can begin to decompose that material, and make it ready for worms to consume. The frustrating part is a great variety of food waste harbors fruit fly eggs, which hatch quickly in the bin. They are actually a good sign of a healthy bin. But can be reduced, but that is for another blog.

If we could only encourage worms to start eating that food waste right away, before most of the flies are born. Actually, we can do this! Just let food waste develop this microbial population before it goes in the bin. If you collect food waste in a counter top food scrap container, try this:
1. cover the container with a towel (to prevent fruit flies from pestering you) and let it sit indoors for a week. For an even better start, sprinkle finished compost or vermicompost directly onto the food waste as you toss it into the food scrap tub.

2. freeze your food scraps until needed. let them thaw out, then put them in your worm bin. This reduces fruit flies and the freeze/thaw also breaks down the food faster. Thus, encouraging the worms to dig in quicker!

little critters in your worm bin part 1

Molds and fungi are common organisms in a healthy worm system and play a large role. They feed on decaying organic matter with tiny enzymes which break down and simplify the organic material. They are also an additional food source to other organisms in the system, including earthworms.Molds and fungi can also serve as an indicator, telling us if the feeding rate is adequate. Mold grows best in still, quiet environments. So a sign you are over feeding your worms is a large amounts of mold and fungi. This means your feeding should be decreased. Mold and fungi pose no threat to the garden or the animals living in the worm bin, but can cause irritation to humans with mold allergies.

Worm Hive stackable worm bin

Introducing the Worm Hive
Now available on our site for several prices depending on the number of layers
This is a multi layered design. Each layer consists of four solid wood sides with an open top and a bottom covered in ¼ inch hardware screen. They are designed to stack and interlock to avoid being knocked off one another.

The top layer is covered with a simple flat wood lid with a few air holes and a handle. The bottom layer rests in a four legged frame which has a fine aluminum mesh on its bottom and suspends the stack overtop of a plastic catch-bin. The bottom layer is filled with some worms, bedding and food scraps then topped with dry shredded paper to help keep away unwanted flies. Continue feeding in this layer until full then place new bedding and food scraps in next layer up, the worms will naturally migrate towards the food leaving a layer of harvestable castings. The open bottom and air holes in the lid help maintain air flow to reduce odor and increase oxygen to worms and beneficial bacteria. Any excess moisture that builds should pass through the box to the catch-bin at the bottom where it can be removed and used to feed plants. Any loose castings will also fall through to the catch-bin for easy harvest. As the worms migrate upwards, the lower level is removed and the castings can be sifted by shaking the layer and allowing them to pass through the screen, this may also help you find any wayward worms that didn’t move upwards. After the layer is emptied, any worms and unprocessed biomass can then be returned to the full layer and the empty one becomes the top. Maintaining this constant cycling of layers also helps extend the life of the box since each layer will be allowed a resting period at the top where it can dry out.

Cloth Worm Bins are here!

Are much wait, we finally have all the information together!

We will have the information posted online soon. They Retail for about $89 each. When you buy a cloth worm bin you have the option to buy 1 pound of worms for only $15. We will have worm bedding kits to come to! what fun!

We have been working on a way to have the wood made from upcycled pallets. More information on that to come!