Tending to my Super Composting Red Wigglers has its perks for sure. Throughout Spring, Summer, and early Fall I harvested much of my Red Wiggler castings, some of which I sold, but most of it was used for my indoor and outdoor plants.
Red Wiggler compost is perfect for pretty much any type of plant or garden and really does a great job providing the proper nutrition and drainage to the soil, which in-turn produces great results for anything growing in that soil.
The temperature has been dropping in Bend, letting me know that fall is here. This is the time to think about techniques to use for insulating your outdoor worm bins. Last winter was my first time having bins outside so basically it was my experimental year. I am happy to report that it was a success and plan on using the same technique this winter.
I made sure to frequently feed the worms delicious fall treats, such as pumpkins, gourds and squash. The worse they looked and smelled the better they tasted for the worms.
I also insulated the bins with hay, lawn clippings and leaves.
For more detailed information, check out my website under the “How To” section.
Keep an eye on moisture levels
I like to keep a layer of moist sheets of newspaper on top of my worm bins and check it regularly on hot summer days – even now in these late summer early fall days when the temperature can hover around the upper 80’s in the afternoon.
The sheets help keep the bedding moist and allow for the worms to make their way to the top layer to consume the scraps. Doing this, also helps with fruit flies. They seem to be contained under the sheets and not flying all around the bin. Fruit flies are more of a nuisance to humans than to the worms.
If you find the bedding to be too dry, sprinkle the bedding with some water. Remember the bedding should be similar to a wet sponge. You should be able to squeeze a little liquid out of it.
For more detailed information, check out “Wonder Worman’s Quick Guide to Red Wiggling”. It’s a quick guide to get you going and you can download it here.
Pumpkins, Squash, Gourds… Oh My!!!
Soon they will be springing up all over town. Here’s a shot of some pumpkins from my mini pumpkin patch garden! Sometime in late October when this little guy is big, round and orange, he will be carved up and made into a Wonder Worman Jack-O-lantern! Of course, nothing will go to waste – every part of the pumpkin will go right back to my Super Composting Red Wigglers. Yum! It’s like pumpkin pie for my Super Composting Sidekicks!
Did you know:
Red Wigglers have five hearts. These amazing, tiny organs are located just below the pharnyx and on top of the esophagus. As with any living creature, these hearts pump blood through the body providing nutrients for growth and survival.
I am learning new facts about my sidekicks every day. I search internet sites and would like to credit
I had honey bees in my bin last month! What an experience for me. It began on a Sunday afternoon when I noticed a few bees, which I thought were yellow jackets, hovering over one of the bins. I thought for sure there was something tasty in there, and they would hang out for the day and be gone by evening. That was definitely not the case! By nightfall, I went to check on the bin and was sure they were gone. I lifted the lid to hear a humming sound. I was freaked out. There was a swarm on the bedding. I quickly slammed the lid and ran inside, realizing I have a phobia. My heart was racing and I was sweating. With the help of my husband, we put up yellow jacket traps, a lot of them! Come Monday morning, I thought they would be gone for sure. Instead they were busy working on making bin number 2 their home, by developing a hive. I called an all natural type exterminator, and they were here within a few hours. He examined the bees and was rather excited to tell me I had a swarm of honey bees. I knew I could not kill them but needed to have them gone! I discussed various options with friends and family, searched the web, and made many, many phone calls. Then by early evening, I had my solution! I found a bee keeper in Bend who was looking for a swarm. She came with her gear, white suit, mask, box and dust pan and broom. I was so happy to see her!!! She charmed the bees into the box by using an old honey comb. After an hour, she had them and was on her way. To see more images click on the image.
