Critters that Compost

ECO Farm has introduced dozens of new friends to the farm this month - worms! These wiggly little invertebrates make excellent additions to our greenhouse through the process of vermiculture, or worm composting. By providing our worms with food scraps and other organic materials from the farm, we can harvest compost rich in nutrients to return to the soil and feed our crops. 

Student interns Annika and Bianca, along with farm co-manager Jill, started this project by selecting tubs large enough to house the worms. They then drilled holes in the sides and bottoms of the containers to allow for good drainage and movement of the worms.

Next, it was time to get some worms! Crystal, an ECO Farm volunteer, has a vermicomposting project of her own, and she graciously donated some of her wiggly friends to us to start a new life at the farm.

Back at the ranch (any Bonanza fans?), Annika, Bianca, Jill, and other co-manager Marcus, dug holes to fit the bins underground in the greenhouse. This environment will help keep the worms cool and protected from the direct sunlight, and they will add rich nutrients from their castings to the nearby crops. After filling the tubs with bedding and composted materials - and watering them to keep the substrate moist - we added the worms to their new homes.

Starting a vermicompost habitat is fairly simple, as is maintaining it! We add food scraps and yard waste to one end of the tub at a time, drawing the worms to that side. Then, we can sift through the other end and extract nutrient rich compost to spread out on our garden rows, repeating the process and monitoring their progress regularly. Annika will be visiting the worms weekly to water them, turn the soil, add more material, and make sure these miniature ecosystems are thriving in our greenhouse.

It is important to make sure the substrate stays moist, but not too wet, and that the worms do not get too warm or cold, or you can risk the worms abandoning their habitat. After a few months, the worms will break down the organic material and produce worm poo that is rich in nutrients and beneficial microbes, helping to make the soil more absorbent, improving germination and seedling growth, and even preventing certain plant diseases and repelling pests!

We can't wait to see how much compost we can collect from these small but mighty garden heroes - make sure to follow us to see our continued progress!