Organic Gardening – How to Make Worm Compost Fertilizer

Worm excretion, also known as Vermiculture, is an excellent way to fertilize your garden organically. Listed below is a step by step guide to get you started on creating your own worm compost fertilizer.

Get a Container

You will need a container at least 8 to 12 inches deep. Wood is better as it absorbs moisture and insulates the worms. A rectangular plastic container is often used, but the compost tends to be soggy.

Aerate the bottom

Drill holes at least 2 inches apart all along the container bottom. Plastic containers may need more holes. Raise the bin off the ground with bricks. This provides air flow to the worms and prevents the materials from rotting. Keep a tray underneath the bin to catch excess moisture that can then be used for liquid fertilizer. If your compost comes out too wet, simply drill more holes.

Line with Newspaper

Shred newspaper into one inch wide strips. Dampen the paper strips with water in a spray bottle until damp. Add about a cup of sand for the worms digestive tract.

Collect and Save Kitchen Scraps

Just like home composting, you will need to start collecting your kitchen scraps about one week prior to purchasing your worms. This will be the food your worms will eat in order to excrete your compost material. It is very important that you do not use animal proteins such as meat, bones, cheese and milk as well as any oil based products like mayonnaise or salad dressings. The best food for your worms is egg shells, raw fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds and used tea bags.

Purchase Your Worms

You will need to have at least 2 pounds of worms for each day of food waste. Surprisingly, this works out to be approximately 2,000 worms. The best variations for composting are red worms or red wigglers as they thrive off of organic materials such as rotting fruits and vegetables.

Cover Container

Worms like it dark and moist, so cover with a wooden board when outside. This will also keep away predators. Inside, heavy plastic will do.

Collect Worm Castings

After two to four weeks, the bedding in the container will start to appear darker. By two to three months, nothing of the original bedding will be left. At this point, you can then harvest your worm castings or compost. First, simply pour the container out in piles on a tarp or old shower curtain liner. Then, shine a bright light over the piles to ensure all the worms move to the bottom. Now you can begin collecting. Scoop away all the compost until all that is left are worms. Finally, re-line the container with new bedding, add worms and some of their castings and begin again.

Rhonda Abrons is a keen organic gardening enthusiast and featured writer on Clivir.com where she shares her gardening knowledge about Organic Gardening Tips and How to Worm Compost.

Home Gardening – How to Start a Successful Organic Garden

To ensure your success at having an organic home garden it is very important to start small. This will allow you to learn and become comfortable without being overwhelming.

Small is Best

Landscape Planting – Placing your starter plants among your existing landscape is quick and easy.

Small Beds – A small area no larger than 10 x 10 feet is the easiest to care for.

Use Containers – This method allows your starter plants to be close by and easy to manage. They can be on a porch, balcony or even near some bushes.

Plan Your Home Garden Location

Water – Having water close to your garden allows for easy access. Having to trudge heavy watering cans long distance can be both back breaking and frustrating.

Close to Your Kitchen – While this is not necessary, it sure is nice to step out of your kitchen to grab your own freshly grown produce.

Compost ” Having a compost pile at hand or at least a good wheel barrel will cut down on your labor.

Grow Your Personal Favorites

When you are purchasing your produce at a store, pay close attention, these are what you want to grow in your organic garden.

Grow what is expensive ” Are there certain vegetables you love to eat, but are very expensive in the store? If the plants will work in your climate zone, try growing them yourself.

Play with variety ” With home gardening, you have the freedom to experiment with diverse types of your favorites.

Keep it Easy

Use Plants versus Seeds – Seeds can create frustration for any beginner. To ensure your journey is enjoyable and easy, try using starter plants from your trusted local nursery.

Amend the Soil – Making sure to mix your soil with peat moss, compost or other amendable materials will allow for a better mixture that will provide your plants with proper moisture and nutrients. Compacted soils constrict plants from receiving much needed nutrients while soggy, clay can result in root rot. In addition, dry soil should be covered with at least two to four inches of mulch. This thick layer will promote moisture retention as well as fend off pesky weeds that steal plants much needed nutrients.

Use Mulch – Having a thick 2 to 4 inch layer in areas where the weather is dry helps to retain moisture for your growing plants as well as fend off pesky weeds.

Rhonda Abrons is life long fan of organic gardening. An experience organic gardener, she loves to share his knowledge and provide lessons about Raised Beds for Organic Vegetable Garden and Custom Soil Mix for Organic Garden on Clivir.com.

What Do Tomatoes and Fish Have in Common? You’d Be Surprised That It’s All About Tomato Fertilizer

What else hits the spot on a hot summer’s day, after tending to your tomatoes, than sinking your teeth into a sweet juicy tomato? Unless you aren’t using the best tomato fertilizer available, then you might not have that option. The best tomato fertilizer on the planet will guarantee the tastiest tomatoes you’ll ever grow.

It just so happens that the finest tomato fertilizer you can use in your tomato garden comes from what may seem like an unlikely source, as it isn’t a treat to your senses. This tomato miracle worker is fish emulsion.

If you want the greatest harvest you’ve ever grown, and the tastiest tomatoes you’ve ever tasted, then fish emulsion is your number one candidate for tomato fertilizer. Your taste buds will be begging you for more. Friends, family and passersby will be knocking on your door, wanting to know what your magic potion is.

The reason it’s the best tomato fertilizer, besides growing the most sensational tomatoes ever, is that it delivers superior nutrition to your tomato plants’ roots. Your tomato plants’ roots are essentially the delivery system that provides nourishment to your tomato plants. Fish emulsion as fertilizer is essential for optimal results.

Pure and unfettered, your tomatoes will be simply incredible. Your tomato fertilizer is your key to success. The nutrients that fish emulsion supplies guarantee super power health, and the nutrients are soaked up as needed. Chelated nutrients will prevent any loss of nutrition to groundwater. Your tomato plants won’t risk any shock like they do when using a synthetic fertilizer.

If you’ve had problems with your tomato plants’ growth or production, chances are that it’s due to the tomato fertilizer you’re using. Fish emulsion will help increase your yields by multitudes. The nutrients it offers are superior to other organic fertilizers, making your results that much superior.

You won’t have to worry about chemicals running off into water sources, or being seeped up through the ground. Your pets won’t be in harms way when they’re playing in the yard. You’ll have a wonderful peace of mind knowing that the tomato fertilizer you’re using is 100% safe for your family pets included. We all know that children and pets can’t help but play in the dirt when the weather permits (or even not sometimes) and your fertilizer shouldn’t be one of your worries when they do.

To be able to sleep at night is a blessing, and using fish emulsion for your tomato fertilizer will keep the thought of chemical poisoning out of your nightmares. But best of all, (not that keeping your kids and pets safe isn’t super important), your tomato garden will be the awe of the neighborhood. Your family, friends and neighbors will be able to enjoy the best tomatoes ever, and you’ll have more to store for the off-season too. Your tomatoes will add the sensation to your favorite tomato recipes, all because you used the best tomato fertilizer on the planet.

Tina Hull is an expert on organic fertilizer for gardens. To learn how to grow more organic tomatoes in your garden please go to her website about organic tomato fertilizer.