We collected the castings from our vermicompost bin for the first time yesterday. I ordered 500 red wrigglers last summer, and they've been eating, pooping, and multiplying like crazy ever since. We started an additional bin a few months ago because we have so many worms now.
For the last few weeks we've been putting food scraps on only one side of the most established bin (and feeding the new bin normally) so that most of the worms would congregate on one side. Ben was so kind to pull the castings out of the other side of the bin last weekend and pick out all of the worms from it so that I could use the castings while transplanting this week. The castings will help to prevent transplant shock, add organic matter, and give the plants a boost of nutrients for a good start.
We collected about fifteen pounds of castings, and there's still a lot more poops in both bins. I added the castings to the bottom of the holes when I transplanted the artichokes and tomatoes on Monday. I hope the plants enjoy it.
It has also been great having worms in the basement every time we want to go fishing down at the pond. I suppose we can give them to the chickens for a treat too.
Speaking of chickens, they moved out into the Hen House last Sunday! They were beginning to fly out of the brooder, and the coop is totally chicken-ready. So, why wait? Their yard isn't fenced in yet, but they can just live in the Hen House until it's ready. They'll enjoy being in their own house more than being all cooped up in our spare room anyway. The fence won't take much longer to build.
The girls adjusting to their new home
I'm so glad to see my babies grow up!
I'm so glad to see my babies grow up!
I am thinking of trying vermicomposting this winter to use up the food scraps since there is no breakdown of anything during our winter. Your tomato plants look so nice. I really wish we lived further south some times. I just started my seeds.
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