Using Worm Castings & Worm Tea

A Healthy Worm Bin

Worm Tea Coming Out of the Spigot

Worm Tea at a ratio of 1:5 (tea:water)

Sprayers are EASY to use to cover a large garden area

Kids can help spray worm tea in the garden

HOW DO I USE MY VERMICOMPOST & WORM CASTINGS?

Vermicompost is a mixture of humus, worm castings and decomposing matter.  Worm castings look like rich soil, it is dark and crumbly. Most food will be broken down and active microorganisms will have dwindled.  Both are gold for the garden. Use them sparingly and with clear intent.

• Plant your seeds in it
• Use it for transplants – use a small handful when planting them
• Place it around the base of your plant to give it nutrition
• Make worm tea from the worm castings for spraying the leaves of your edibles

WORM TEA MAGIC

If you have a worm bin with a spigot, after a few months you’ll have worm tea. This tea will last up to 3 months if stored in the shade. Spray it on all of your vegetables with a 5:1 ratio (water:worm tea).  This will strengthen your plants, make tastier veggies and prevent insect infestations and disease. If you only have castings, you can make your own tea.

Quick and Easy Worm Magic

• 1 cup worm castings or large handful
• 32 ounces of water (non-chlorinated)
• 1 tablespoons of molasses

If you have highly chlorinated water like we do in Los Angeles, let the water sit for 24 hours so that the chlorine evaporates or boil the water until the chlorine smell dissipates.

DIRECTIONS:

Mix together into a glass jar with a lid and let it sit for a few hours uncovered. Then screw the lid onto the jar and shake vigorously.  Pour this magic potion over your plants at the base. You can also spray it onto your leaves, but be sure to strain the castings (use a cheese cloth) so that it doesn’t clog the spray bottle. The most convenient method is to use a  2 in 1 Sprayer that allows you to spray your whole garden effortlessly.

Where Did the Worms Go?

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I sat down the other day to write my next entry about worm composting to discuss how easy it is, how great it is, etc. etc.  After all, I’ve been successfully raising my worms for over a year. But before I began writing, I decided to visit my little worms to see how they were doing. I hadn’t fed them in about week or so and thought they might be hungry. And to my chagrin, I found that my worms were DEAD, GONE!!! Oh no, what did I do wrong? My heart sank, my urban farmer confidence shrunk, and I felt so sad.  I noticed a few things: ants, a white fuzzy mold, tiny white, thin worms (were those new baby red worms?) and lots of critters running around that weren’t worms.

I called Malibu Urban Worms (the place where I bought my once vibrant worms over a year ago).  I awaited their response with baited breath.  Meanwhile, I looked up “dead worms in worm composter” in Google and got a few answers, but none that satisfied me. I wanted to speak to the expert myself.

Thankfully, Lara from Urban Worms called me. She told me not to worry, that sometimes the worms die from the heat or overfeeding.  After our worm discussion, this is what I concluded:

1. I may have fed the worms too much food (typical of a New Orleanian, always trying to overfeed those we love).  This is a no-no for worms because it can cause the bin to overheat and kill the worms. Usually a little pile of food in one corner of the bin is enough for 7-10 days or more. I had put two piles in each corner. Obviously too much.
2. I need to keep the temperature gauge (that usually comes with the worm bins) inside the bin so that the temperature is always visible when feeding or checking the worms.  The ideal temperature is between 40˚F – 80˚F.  If the temperature begins to approach 80 degrees, you can cool the worms off by adding a little cold water into the bin.
3. Have no fear. Just like with gardening, we learn from trial and error.  I bought some new worms at our local nursery, gave them some food and am ready to help them flourish.

And for the other activity that I observed in the worm bin?

• The tiny little white worms? They are called enchytraeids or pot worms. They are beneficial in that they assist in breaking down food material in the bin.
• The ants? They come into worm bins when the bin is a little too dry. Ants do not hurt the worms and will go away when the moisture returns.
• The fuzzy white mold?  This is just part of the food breaking down.  Just stir it into the rest of the worm castings.
• The other critters?  They are  a normal part of a worm bin ecosystem.

It has been a couple of weeks now and my new worms are fabulous.  Soon I’ll have more castings and worm tea to feed my garden.

Starting a Vegetable Garden

Organic Veggie Garden

Here’s a simple list to get you started:

1. Find a spot with enough SUN (minimum 6 hours). If you’re not sure how much sun you have you can buy a sunlight tester.
2. Decide what you LIKE to eat and then plant it. I suggest starting with lettuces and greens . They’re easy and grow quickly.
3. Start with a SMALL garden box or pot. You can make a box, buy one or use a pot.  Check out this link: All Things Cedar 3-Piece Planter with Trellis
4. Get great SOIL – this is KEY.  Go to your local nursery and pick up E.B. Stone organic soil – it’s fantastic and you won’t need to fertilize for a month after you’re first planting.
5. Plant organic seeds or buy seedlings.   You can try these greens or Lettuce Q’s Special Medley Certified Organic Seeds 1000 Seeds. Swiss chard is a great option because it’s sturdy and pretty easy to grow.
6. WATER – Only water every few days, over watering KILLS edibles. Read your seed packet for guidance.

GARDEN TASKS:

Take a 5 minute peak at your mini-farm everyday – just to make sure they’re happy and no bugs have moved in.  If you skip a few days, it’s fine (I certainly do). And then watch your garden grow. Harvest & enjoy.