Playing With Worms

Over several years I had tried off and on to master the art of composting in our small yard. And of those tries, 100% of them have failed. Either the soil would remain too wet, there wasn't enough drainage, or it would just smell horribly ALL THE TIME. But, for some strange reason, I picked this lockdown time to again try to compost....this time with WORMS!

With April being Earth Month, learning to compost is a fun and educational activity to do with your kids. Composting is incredibly beneficial for those who garden, even casually, and vermicomposting - composting with worms - helps to enrich the soil and reduce/ eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers. Other benefits of composting include:

• Naturally eliminating food waste
• Reduces greenhouse gases
• Improves soil quality
• Helps clean up contaminated soil
• Helps control erosion
• Saves money
• And it is good for the environment! 

In addition to all of the environmental benefits, having a worm farm to take care of is just fun! Just like any pet, you have to take care of them and enjoy the benefits of watching them grow and even reproduce. 

When setting up my vermicompost bin I did what almost everyone does to learn anything new: turn to YouTube. I had tried the 5 gallon bucket method before for regular composting, but that yielded no results. I decided to try the same method again, just using some little helpers this time. 

Following the methods prescribed in THIS VIDEO (which I will also embed below), I used two hardware store buckets (as opposed to totes) with only one lid. Drilling holes in the bottom, sides, and top helps to ensure drainage and adequate oxygen for your worms (they are living after all). It also releases the gases produced by the composting. Remember, do this in only ONE of the two bins.

Drilling the Bins

After drilling your holes, place the drilled bin into the second. This bin will trap the liquids from the first. You can use this "tea" to boost the microbiological activity in your soil by dumping it directly into your plants or veggie plants (think plant kombucha) or you can scoop some of the casting later and literally brew it like you would a cup of tea.

Getting the worms into their new homes

I ended up ordering my worms from Amazon because of the difficulty some sellers were having with shipping, but Uncle Jim's Worm Farm us always a good place to shop. For around $20 I bought 200 red wriggler worms. When they arrived 90% of them were alive and HUNGRY! We quickly added them to some soil and bedding and put some kitchen scraps in for them to eat.  Given that it was below freezing for the first few nights, we chose to bring them indoors at night to keep them safe.

Adding some food and top bedding

We are around two weeks into our composting and although a handful of the worms are either hiding or have passed on, those in there are showing signs of growth and some of the materials are showing signs of compost. The bedding, we are noticing, is one of the most important aspects to a healthy bin as well as the moisture.

Worms Two Weeks Later

To learn how to make your own vermicompost bin I recommend watching the video below:

as it seem

We have been enjoying checking on our new friends during the week. As minuscule as it seems, it is still nice to know that you are making a difference - and learning a lot of new stuff too! :) 

Grow Your Own Scrap Garden

We have been doing a lot of planting this week. Between homeschooling science lessons and, well, spring arriving, it was the perfect time to put some seeds in the ground and begin a new life cycle.

Getting ready to transplant my scallions. 

Yesterday, while I was adding to and transplanting my endless supply of scallions on my counter, I was reminded of a video a friend shared on my Facebook wall on what is commonly known as "cut and come again" gardening.

A cut and come again garden, or scrap garden, is exactly what it sounds like. A variety of plants, including most leafy green plants,  celery, onion varieties, beets, and even potatoes, continue to grow and reproduce from the pieces we would normally discard, producing a new and endless supply without having to continuously replant seeds.  For instance, have you even had an onion sprout a green stem or some potatoes grow "eyes?" Well, you can plant these pieces into the ground and re-grow the same vegetable.

Some other varieties of "cut and come again" vegetables include: amaranth, basil, beetroot, chicory, coriander, chard, corn salad, dandelion, endive, celery, lettuce, mustard, pak choi, parsley,  radicchio, red kale, and spinach. Many can remain potted indoors to grow during the winter and will easily transplant outdoors. Or, like my scallions, you can keep them on your kitchen counter within reach.

As you can see in the photo, the roots will extend when planted. Some veggies will root better when first soaked in water and then replanted into the soil. 

Creating your own "cut and come again" garden  is a great way to introduce gardening to your children while having fun. It reduces food scraps and will save you money on groceries in the long run...It may also convince your kids to eat their veggies as well. 😉

Preparing some onions and garlic to plant. 

You don't need a lot of room to grow your scrap garden All you need is a small container and a sunny spot. Some vegetables will begin to regrow almost immediately, where as others, like bulb veggies (think garlic and onions) will take some time, but they are definitely worth the wait. It is so fulfilling to have the veggies you need on hand and even more so knowing that you are growing them yourself.


To learn more you can check out the video below.