What’s in Worm Leachate?

Garden Professor Jeff Gillman analyzed worm leachate (the liquids the flow our of your worm bin) from a home vemicompost setup. It’s pretty strong stuff! Gillman concludes, this could be a great liquid fertilizer if it were used properly. I’d recommend diluting it somewhere between 1:1 and 1:5 worm juice : water before applying it, and I’d only apply it once every week or two. If you want to use it, try it on something that you’re not too concern...

Read…

DIY Project: Reconnect with Nature

...rself somewhere away from noise and people. It is possible to do this in a garden, or even among your potted plants, but it is easier to do in a natural place. A quiet beach. In a meadow. By a lake. Up in the mountains. Go alone, or have your companion(s) leave you alone for a while. 2) Walk to a place that feels inviting. You’ll know it when you see it. 3) Sit. It’s best to sit on the ground if your body allows it, to be in direct bodily contact...

Read…

Cat Litter Compost, Installment #3

...e mix that forms the worm bedding, so cat poo will become worm poo and the garden will be delighted. That’s how I plan to dispose of all of it, bit by bit. If I didn’t have the worm bin, I’d call it done and spread it under fruit trees or ornamental plantings. Lessons Learned: 1) Make sure your pile is accessible and easy to turn. Due to lack of yard space, I put my litter in a 50 gallon drum in a narrow, hard-to-access–and hot!–side yard. This me...

Read…

Self-watering terracotta seed-starters!

...tering containers for seedlings. Most anyone who has ever tried to start a garden from seeds has had the experience of having seedlings die or go shocky due to a heat wave or a day or two of neglect. Starting seeds in a self-watering container makes a whole lot of sense. These containers can go up to a week between waterings. Even better, Anne’s seed starters are made out of terracotta instead of plastic. We’ve tried out her 6-pack model. It’s rea...

Read…

Saturday Linkages: Of Tiny Shops and Margarita Dermatitis

...raised bed: http://www.ruralize.com/Genes Projects/ferrocement/ferrocement garden bed.html The Agony and the Ecstasy of Gardening with Children: http://www.nwedible.com/2013/06/the-agony-and-the-ecstasy-of-gardening-with-children.html … Live light Join the Aussies in a Plastic-Free July: http://www.plasticfreejuly.org/the-challenge.html Stuff to worry about With 2 Weeks’ Worth Of Trans Fat, Long John Silver’s ‘Big Catch’ Dubbed Worst Restaurant Me...

Read…