composting

landarch 4/16/2012, 5:08 pm

just an update on creating new compost...I started a new batch with horse manure, cow manure, lawn clippings, kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, and shredded leaf litter. here's a pic. I am also working on a rolling compost bin...I have a 55 gal plastic barrel with screw-top lid...just need to drill a few air holes. I need to pick-up a few more barrels to create a a gravity irrigation system that will warm in the sun. pics on this to follow when I can find the time. I also need to look into composting worms.
composting Dsc01115

TN_GARDENER 4/16/2012, 6:55 pm

landarch wrote: I also need to look into composting worms.

If your compost pile is exposed to the soil below, I suspect you will have worms in the manure in just a couple of days. Worms seem to love composting manure so long as its not too hot down there (I routinely fish a few worms out every time I turn my pile and transplant them in to my garden).

landarch 4/16/2012, 8:42 pm

I have plenty of earthworm activity, but aren't red worms different than the typical earthworm?

**camprn** 4/16/2012, 11:17 pm

earth worm will do the job, all over the planet. When your pile is hot, they will migrate out, down into the Earth. When the pile cools they will come up into the pile and do their thing making lovely worm castings. Wink

TN_GARDENER 4/17/2012, 8:53 am

landarch wrote:I have plenty of earthworm activity, but aren't red worms different than the typical earthworm?

I suspect there are several different types of worms out there. I agree with camprn, the worms you find will do the job.

I'm giving my worm box a second try this year. So far, so good. I've been gathering worms and putting them in my homemade box and garden. I'm sure some are escaping, but that's fine because some are staying put and doing their thing. Last year, I let the box get too hot and it ended badly (especially for the worms Very Happy

).

landarch 4/17/2012, 9:41 am

I amended my existing soil last year with leaf litter and coffee grounds...and when I dug into some areas this spring to put in my new boxes earthworms were everywhere...I imagine it just takes time for them to migrate up into my new Mels Mix.

I have great earthworm activity right where I have my compost pile. It's amazing how hot a compost pile gets just after one day of adding green material.

**camprn** 4/17/2012, 9:49 am

That's great! Earthworms love, love, LOVE spent coffee grounds! If you bring the worms to the garden the soils will get very juicy and a great growing place.

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