Choosing the Right Worms for Worm Farming

Worm farming is done for several reasons.  Composting, the production of nutrient rich soil and providing live bait are three of the most common reasons for worm farming.  Some worms do a better job at their duties than others so it is important to know how to choose the right worms for your worm farm. (Of course here at Sustainable Gardening we will focus on the first two reasons.)

Composting is one of the most common reasons for worm farming.  Worms are used to compost waste and discarded material naturally and without adding to the local landfills.  To do this, the worms eat fruit and vegetable scraps, along with other compostable items such as paper products, leaves, cotton rags and egg shells.

Image via WikipediaIf composting is the primary reason for setting up a worm farm, choices should be made for the appropriate types of worms that are known as being the best for this option.  The Red Wiggler, or Eisenia fetida, is reportedly the best worm for composting.  These worms reproduce easily and are extremely hardy.  The trait that makes them best as compost worms is their ravenous appetites. 

Because of their eagerness to devour anything edible, Red Wigglers produce a high quality substance resulting in a nutrient rich soil that is so desirable with worm farming. 

Worms used for garden and lawn farming are typically available in sets of three different varieties of worms.  The Red Wiggler and the Night Crawlers are often two of the types of worms in these sets.  The third worm is usually Pheritema, or Florida Wiggler which are worms that burrow deep into the soil. 

Image via WikipediaOver 3000 varieties of worms exist.  The worms mentioned here are the most commonly used and readily available on the market today.  They can be found at various online distributors - even Amazon.com!  Local worm farmers can be found through online directories or by looking up the topic in the local telephone book.

Most types of worms are typically made available as adult worms, young worms and egg capsules.  Typically sold by the pound, the number of worms per unit will vary depending on their age and size.  Egg capsules yield a higher number of worms per unit once hatched.

A worm farm will be most successful when the appropriate worm is chosen for the job at hand. While most worms will compost discarded items and waste and act as live bait, some have some small traits that make them the best choice for a worm farm with a particular purpose.

Worm Composting Resources:

Video - Worm Composting How-To

Here is a great video on worm composting, which shows you how to set up your own worm farm or compost bin. Some suggested resources are below, or you can also get worms from the website mentioned in the video. This is a great way to compost in winter - you can have your compost bin right under your sink (so you don't have to go out into the snow to empty your compost bucket!), and the worms will eat down the garbage quickly to avoid odors. It's easy-peasy - check it out!

worm composting
worm composting your food waste how-to


Worm Composting Resources:

What is Worm Farming?

If your compost is at a standstill right now due to the frigid temperatures, you may want to consider trying worm composting (sometimes known as vermiposting), or worm farming. Worm farming has been around for years on various scales.  While the reasons for worm farming are not widely known to the general public, those who participate are big believers in the benefits that these worms have on the environment.

Many worm farmers commercially culture worms for profit.  Specific breeds of worms are bred and are typically kept in breed specific quarters.  Commercially raised worms are typically sold for composting.  Some worm farmers distribute to landfills providing a natural method for composting waste. 

These specifically bred worms are also used for soil fertilization.  As worms dig through the soil, they aerate and stir up the soil carrying water with them.  The waste that is composted by the worms is broken down into a substance that can be better used by the soil, improving the fertilization of the soil.  A healthy soil is then produced for better growing plants, vegetables and crops.

Image via WikipediaIn recent years, the supply of worm farming equipment and accessories has made it easier for individuals to make a hobby of this technique.  Household sized bins are on the market in a variety of shapes and sizes.  Home owners and apartment dwellers have been given the opportunity to raise their own worms for waste compost and soil fertilization.

Worm farming provides worms with a nutrient rich diet of what many times is thrown out with the garbage including discarded fruits and vegetables.  Other compostable materials include paper products and cotton rags, leaves, egg shells and hair.  Excreted by the worm is a nutrient rich substance called vermicompost or worm compost.

Worms are also farmed for bait.  Small bait and tackle shops often receive their livestock inventory from worm farmers providing fishermen with various worms to use as live bait.  Fishermen who fish on a larger scale than the hobbyist often use these worms for bait for anglers and other large catches.

Many different worms are available depending on the job.  Each variety of worms is used for its own reasons.  Red worms are commonly used for composting while the Belgian worms are good for both composting and bait.  Home owners looking for worms to work lawns and flower beds will find success with Night Crawlers and Wigglers. 

Image via WikipediaWorm farming can also be an excellent educational tool.  As using worms provide a more space effective way for composting, small kits can be purchased and even hand made to be used in a classroom setting.  Students are able to participate in the project learning about how composting occurs.  Using natural methods for composting and reducing waste in landfills is easily demonstrated by classroom worm farms.

Worms can be farmed just about anywhere.  With the various systems available on the market today, home owners can raise their own supply of worms outside or in an apartment.  Providing the correct amount of moisture, light, bedding, temperature and food will ensure a long living worm population.  In return, the reward will be a natural way for composting without filling up local landfills.  As a result, nutrient rich soil is provided that can be used right away or stored for use during gardening season. 

(Stay tuned to this blog for more on worm farming later this week!)

Giving your Indoor Plants Enough Light

The three things that all plants need to survive are food, water, and dirt.  Plants create much of their own food when enough light is provided.  The water and dirt part of the equation are pretty straight forward as long as you follow the recommended care instructions and don’t forget to water your plants.  But how do you ensure that your indoor plants are getting enough light?  Finding the right location in your home may require some trial and error before you find the perfect spot.

Image by vigilant20 via FlickrBefore deciding on what type of plants you will have in your house, look into the light requirements.  The four categories that describe the different light requirement for plants are low, medium, high, and very high.  If you have a sunroom or skylights in your home which get a lot of light, and can position your plants in or under them you can purchase plants that need high or very high light exposure.  Be aware that some plants can get too much sun, in which case the light that comes in from a regular window should suffice.

There are options you can utilize if you want a certain type of plant and know that your house is not going to provide it enough light.  You can purchase specially designed grow bulbs to supplement the amount of light the plant is getting.  Be aware of the light requirements for your plants when choosing this lighting method.  Although plants require a lot of light to grow there is such a thing as too much light too.  The exact ratio for your plant may differ but a good guideline to follow is about 14 hours of sunlight to 10 hours of darkness.

Your plants will let you know if they are getting too much or not enough light (either they will begin to look dry or will become limp).  Try different locations in your home to find the best place for them, and optimize the growing conditions for your indoor garden.

Indoor Gardening - Video

Here is a pretty cool video of a pretty extensive indoor garden. He also is re-using packaging for growing his garden, so it's a "green" gardening effort, which is awesome! This is an organic garden as well, and it looks like it's doing pretty well, so it's awesome to see that growing veggies indoors is not only possible, but affordable as well (he shows the lights he is using, which can be found easily and affordably at Home Depot or other home or garden supply stores).

Check it out, and get inspired!

Indoor Gardening



Other Indoor Gardening Resources:
    

Indoor Gardening News

Image via Wikipedia
Got the winter blahs?  Here are some recent articles on indoor gardening to brighten your day! Just because it's cold and snowy outside doesn't mean you can't enjoy a lovely green garden indoors. Check out these tips for some ideas on how you can make your indoor garden beautiful this winter.

Healthy Plants Indoor Gardening Tips | Home and Garden Tips
Bring nature inside and start an indoor garden to make your home more colorful, but be careful to follow these indoor gardening tips. Plants are so soothing to look at and many indoor gardeners feel that they add that extra little spark ...
Publish Date: 01/10/2011 9:50
http://www.maxforourport.com/healthy-plants-indoor-gardening-tips.html

Indoor Gardening with Garlic Greens |Indoor Garlic Gardening
Growing your own garlic greens during the winter is an inexpensive way to feed two needs: a gardener's need for growing and a cook's need for something tasty.
Publish Date: 01/12/2011 9:00
http://www.westerngardeners.com/indoor-gardening-with-garlic-greens.html

Indoor Gardening- Precocious Herbs
With the gaining popularity of organic gardening or herb gardening, many find it a convenient option to have a indoor garden.
Publish Date: 01/16/2011 4:23
http://lifestyle.ezinemark.com/indoor-gardening-precocious-herbs-31e1db80a15.html

Watering and Fertilizing your Indoor Garden Plants

Unless it is the middle of summer and there has not been enough rain, watering your outdoor plants is usually not necessary (or not very often).  But indoor plants rely on you as a source of water and extra nutrients in the form of fertilizer.  It is important to know the individual water and nutrient needs of each plant to keep them healthy.

Image via WikipediaAs mentioned, individual plants will require different amounts of water to keep them growing optimally.  But what all plants do like is moist soil.  If you are worried about over-watering your plant, make sure that the pot you choose has a good drainage system.  With holes in the bottom of the pot or gravel inside the pot the soil and plant will soak up the necessary water and the excess will run out through the bottom. (See our previous blog post on choosing good pots for your indoor garden.)

If your houseplants are not thriving no matter what you do, there are two things to look into.  If you are using tap water to water your plants there may be too much chlorine or salt present.  A solution to this is to use distilled or filtered water or you can leave a container outside to collect rainwater - which is also more sustainable and healthier for the planet.  This may just be the change you need to make to grow healthier plants.

Choosing to fertilize your plants is another way to give them a boost.  Fertilizer contains nutrients and elements that plants need to grow.  Indoors plants do not need as much fertilizer as their outdoor counterparts do.  Because of a slower rate of growth, feed your plants minimal fertilizer (and always opt for natural, non-chemical fertilizers - you don't want to be bringing extra toxins into your home!).  In the winter time you can probably skip this step altogether.  The spring or summer time is the best time to fertilize indoor plants.  This is during their growing phase when they need the extra nutrients the most.

A Few Good Natural Fertilizers To Try:
 

Temperature Regulation for Indoor Plants

Keeping your indoor garden happy throughout the year can mean doing some form of temperature regulation, which can vary through the different seasons. Depending on the individual plant different temperature and humidity levels are recommended.  But in general, plants don’t like it too hot, too cold, or too dry (with certain exceptions of course).  Finding and keeping a balance is important to the survival of your plants.  To make it easier on you, the gardener, select plants that thrive in similar weather conditions to the inside of your home.

Image via WikipediaConsistency in temperature is important to plants.  Once you find the ideal temperature, try and maintain it daily.  It is okay for the plants to be colder at night time; this is natural as the same happens outside in nature when the sun goes down.  An average temperature range is 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit (18-23 degrees Celsius) during the day and a drop in temperature to 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit (15-18 degrees Celsius) is acceptable.  As this is within the temperature range most houses are kept at this should not be hard to maintain.

You may be tempted to place a plant beside a sunny window to keep it nice and warm.  Just remember that exposure to extreme temperature ranges is not good for a plant.  It can get overheated during the day and then too cold at night.  Give the plants natural sunlight but doing so on a windowsill is not recommended except for plants that like that type of thing (or if your windows are very well insulated).

Inside a house is a lot dryer than outside.  A lot of plants like at least some moisture in the air.  Controlling the humidity in the house will help the plants (and you!) if it tends to get dry inside - especially in the winter season of heaters and fireplaces.  You can purchase a mister or humidifier for your house, or another option is to get the plant’s leaves wet.  By taking a spray bottle, you can lightly spray the leaves or you can use a cloth or sponge.  (But take care of any special instructions your plant may have, as some do not like to get their leaves wet.)

With just a bit of care, you should be able to maintain a climate that is comfortable for both you and your plants, so that you both live long, happy, and healthy lives!

Indoor Gardening Resources:
 

Why You Should Start an Indoor Garden

The aesthetic appeal of having plants inside your house is the reason the majority of people decide to start gardening indoors.  Whether you have researched and planned yet or not, there are additional benefits that are derived when a green space is created inside your house. 

Image by Martin LaBar via FlickrThe décor aspect of inside greenery is a given, plants add to and beautify space – indoors and outdoors.  The different plans choices available include various colors, sizes, shapes, flowering vs. non-flowering...and this is just the tip of the plant life iceberg. 

Just as trees and plants are crucial to our air quality outside, plants can provide the same service for you inside your home (especially important during the closed-in, cooped up winter months).  By taking in carbon dioxide from our breathing, plants flourish.  If you smoke inside your home (which hopefully you don't!), plants can help clean the air of the excess carbon dioxide.  Besides the exchange of oxygen for carbon dioxide, plants will purify the air from other unhealthy elements such as air-bound mold particles.  This makes them a natural air filter for your home.

Image by Rob 'n' Rae via FlickrIt is well known that gardening is a relaxing past-time.  Having an indoor garden will give you the benefit of this relaxation year round when it is too cold outside to garden.  If you live in an apartment, an outdoor garden may not be possible.  Gardening inside is only limited by the amount of space you want to dedicate to it in your home.  Beautifying your living space and caring for living plants makes owning an indoor garden a peaceful endeavor.

Another benefit of indoor gardening is you can decide how much time you have or want to dedicate to caring for the plants.  If you want a plant that has to be watered less go for a cactus, or if you want the challenge of coaxing a flowering tree to blossom buy a camellia.

Keep your eye out for more indoor gardening ideas coming to this blog throughout the winter months - we've got to keep our green thumbs moist and at the ready for when spring rolls around!

Related articles on Sustainable Gardening Indoors:

• San Francisco Bay Area Sustainable Indoor Gardening / Hydroponic Store Opens in Pacifica (prweb.com)
• Tips On How To Get Started With Indoor Vegetable Gardening (backyardgardeningtips.com)
• How To Enjoy Indoor Hobby Gardening While Keeping Your Finger Nails Clean (prweb.com)
• Go Green With Your Own Indoor Garden (abcnews.go.com)
• Blooming Clean Air (thegreengirls.com)

Why Try Hoop-House Greenhouses?

Having a greenhouse will give many benefits to a gardener, whether he is a mere hobbyist or an expert plant cultivator. However, there are many things to consider in having a greenhouse, not to mention the expenses that come with building greenhouses.

A good alternative is to own a hoop house type of greenhouse. These are very simple greenhouses which can be assembled very easily. There are many advantages in having a hoop house greenhouse, here are some of them:

Image by meganpru via Flickr-Availability of more growing time
A hoop house greenhouse provides a gardener more time to cultivate his favorite plants. An extra 3 to 4 months can be gained by planting more crops in the greenhouse.

-Inexpensive way to cultivate
Hoop house greenhouses provide an inexpensive way to help greenhouse enthusiasts to get started in cultivating crops - construction and materials are generally quite simple and affordable.

-Crop protection from predators and extreme weather conditions
Hoop house greenhouses are built to protect plants from different adverse conditions which can be brought about by weather conditions and different crop predators. They provide sturdy and efficient covering for the plants against these factors.

-More varieties of plants can be grown
Because hoop houses will allow longer growing seasons, more varieties of plants can be grown in the hoop houses.

-Increased income and savings
One can cultivate different crops which can be equated into additional income or savings. One can actually sell fruits and vegetables which are grown in the hoop houses or can plant crops which can be consumed by the family, therefore avoiding the need to purchase these from the supermarket.

There are many reasons why gardeners have adopted hoop houses for their gardens. Here are some more pertinent facts about hoop houses:

-Most growers recover the cost of building their hoop houses in a single season of planting.

-There are no permits required in building hoop houses since they are not considered as permanent structures.

-The growing seasons can be extended by using hoop houses. Hoop houses usually extend growing seasons by as much as 4 months, but by adding layers of insulating film and an inflation blower, one can extend the growing season by more than four months.

-Hoop houses are usually made from galvanized steel. The galvanized hoops serve as the framework for the greenhouse. The material is low maintenance, very sturdy and very economical.

-Hoop houses are characterized by natural regulation of its temperature. There is often no need for extra equipment which can be an additional cost. The hoop houses are warmed by the natural sun and are cooled by the wind. One can roll the sides up and open the hoop house doors to be able to provide ventilation to the plants inside as the season gets warmer. This is a very cost effective way of cultivating plants in a greenhouse.

-Hoop houses can often be built even in places where winds and snow are prevalent. Hoop houses are normally built from sturdy frames which are designed to handle heavy winds and can even withstand the harsh effects of snow. One can position the hoop house perpendicular to the winds to maximize the ventilation for the plants. One should also remember to do some maintenance when the snow comes. You may need to occasionally brush off the snow if it starts to accumulate, so that your plants can get sunlight. (However, if a hard cold snap is predicted, you may want to leave the snow on the hoop house for a couple of days to provide extra insulation during the cold spell.)

Image via Wikipedia-Hoop houses can be built quite tall and gardeners can use the vertical space to be able to plant more crops. Adding purlins will allow one to hang baskets, tie up tomatoes and other plants. The baskets can then be used to plant ornamental crops or other types of plants.

-One can customize his hoop house in terms of the creation of doors or windows. The traditional hoop houses have a built-in door and a couple of windows for ventilation.

-There are other functions that hoop houses can fill when the planting season is over. They can serve as a chicken coop if one installs poultry netting. They can also be used to grow orchids or other ornamental plants.

-Hoop houses can be relocated easily. Relocating hoop houses can be done without disassembling the structure.

There are many reasons why people turn to hoop houses when they want to have a greenhouse. Aside from the multiple benefits that plants can get from being sheltered by hoop houses, these greenhouses are very economical and won’t dig deep into the gardeners’ pockets.

Aquaponics Greenhouse - Video

Here is a really cool video showing a great little greenhouse used for an aquaponics system. This could also be used for more traditional gardening styles, and should hold up well and keep your plants nice and snug throughout the winter, and it also shows a great use of vertical space. It's pretty simple, though he's got some more advanced technology in there to manage his aquaponics system. There are also some cool shots of his lovely vegetables growing happily!

If you have other cool greenhouse ideas, feel free to share below!

Aquaponics Greenhouse Tour
This is a Harbor Freight 10x12 greenhouse that is used for an aquaponics system. It's not as big as my regular garden, but I can start it 2 months earlier! You can also get details by viewing my blog at web4deb.blogspot.com . Thanks for viewing! Plea...


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Related articles on Greenhouses:

• My Top Idea Refined: A Greenhouse in a (Half)-Shipping Container (shindyapin.tumblr.com)
• New technology improves greenhouse, plant microclimates (sciencedaily.com)
• DIY Bottled Gardens - Turn Your Old Glass Bottles into a Pop Bottle Greenhouse (VIDEO) (trendhunter.com)

Using a Mini-Greenhouse

Dead-winter is just beginning in many areas, so thoughts of gardening may still just seem like a wistful dream. But why not plan ahead for next winter, and try to keep your garden going throughout the year? You may want to think about the possibility of a greenhouse. We will be doing a short series this month on greenhouses, so that you can put plans into place to have a great garden year-round!

Some people may think of a greenhouse as a huge glass-walled contraption similar in size to a house or small barn, but they actually come in all shapes and sizes. A good greenhouse need not always be big and spacious. Although those requirements are ideal for big plant growers and commercial greenhouses, those who only have a small area for a greenhouse can also have their own by building a mini version of a greenhouse.

Image via WikipediaGardeners who are much into planting and growing crops but have a limited garden space have the option of building a mini greenhouse. This mini greenhouse can actually be placed anywhere such as on balconies, patios, backyards, and decks as the typical size is just around 6 square feet. Though small, it also provides the same benefits that the regular greenhouses do.

Mini greenhouses are also ideal for those who are just beginners in the greenhouse technology. Before venturing into building a big one, it is best to learn how a greenhouse works and know the different things needed to have an ideal growing condition for your plants. And this learning process for beginners can be done by starting with mini greenhouses.

A mini greenhouse can be used to start plant growth before the cold season in a particular area. Once the weather gets better and warmer, these healthy plants and crops planted inside the greenhouse can now be transplanted outside into the garden. This will allow for earlier harvesting of crops. A huge selection of seeds can also be planted in the greenhouse which makes planting a lot more fun for hobbyists and gardeners.

There are a good variety of herbs and lettuce that can be grown healthily and successfully in mini-greenhouses even for the whole year. Other delectable vegetables such as Swiss chard, spinach, and kale can also be planted and grown inside the mini-greenhouse. These would make for a great bowl of salad with freshly-picked greens even during the cold season.

Image by Pat Dalton... via FlickrMini greenhouses are also useful with tender perennial plants. The greenhouse can protect them from ice, snow and frost during the winter season. They can be placed in plant containers and stay healthy inside the mini structure until spring begins. Once the weather becomes friendly enough, these plants can then be again transplanted into the garden outside.

The decorative plants commonly found inside the house can be given a healthy change by placing them inside the mini greenhouse and placing them outside during the summer months. This mini structure can offer tropical plants a humid climate. Miniature greenhouses, just like the regular large ones, maximize the amount of sunlight and make the most out of the heat absorbed. It also provides needed protection for plants from rain, wind, destructive insects and other pests in the garden such as rabbits.

Since mini gardens or greenhouses can be very light because of their small structure, they may be easily blown by wind or knocked over by pets and kids. Thus, it is recommended that these small gardens be placed or mounted into a wall or garage rather than being a free-standing structure. It is best to place them in a location where there is enough sunlight, but they are safe from other outside factors as well. There are also do-it-yourself greenhouse kits available in the market that include complete instructions and step-by-step guides for a beginner to build a mini greenhouse quickly and easily. These kits can also be inexpensive and can commonly accommodate up to three shelves.

So should one really choose to have a full-sized greenhouse or just go with a miniature one? Even if a large space is available for a full-sized greenhouse, having a small one may be more practical - especially to start with. If the main purpose of having a greenhouse is to grow only a few plants, germinate seeds, or provide protection during the colder season, having a mini greenhouse is just fine. Also, the cost to maintain small greenhouses are significantly lower than the full-sized ones.

Many gardeners find great success with greenhouses, even a mini one. This structure can prove to be a good investment and yield better results than just doing the traditional gardening. And if one really finds happiness in caring for plants and harvesting a few crops, greenhouse-gardening can definitely offer lifetime enjoyment.

Examples of Mini-Greenhouse Kits:
 

Winter Gardening News

While I've already started drooling over seed catalogs, I know that summer is still a long ways off, at least for those of us in Central Ohio!  Here are some good recent articles on winter gardening (including some lovely and very inspiring pictures), that may help you stave off the winter blues, even if you can't yet start planning your next summer garden.

Image via WikipediaEnjoy, and Happy New Year!

Urban Garden Casual » Winter Blues, Gardening Blues, and ...
And the gardening blues really play loud when the dark days of winter go on and on and I am waiting for the gardening catalog. So this year I am going to try a new treatment to my gardening blues that is windowsill gardening. ...
Publish Date: 12/31/2010 6:47
http://urbangardencasual.com/2010/12/31/winter-blues-gardening-blues-and-windowsill-gardening/

Winter Gardening Myths Broken! - Shelterpop
Think you know everything there is to know about winter gardening? Think again. Our expert dispels four of the most common myths. Perhaps the most co.
Publish Date: 12/23/2010 12:00
http://www.shelterpop.com/2010/12/23/winter-gardening/

MulchMaid: Winter-hardy gardening - Portland style
Although she knows it will return in spring even if it decides to die back, these next few days will tell her more about its visible contribution to the winter garden. This pine and rhodie mash-up epitomizes the ...
Publish Date: 12/31/2010 13:19
http://mulchmaid.blogspot.com/2010/12/winter-hardy-gardening-portland-style.html

Related articles on Winter Gardening:

• Winter Indoor Herb Gardening - Understanding The Technique Of Rising Indoor Herbs (backyardgardeningtips.com)
• Gardening Blues. Cures for Garden Sadness Syndrome (green-talk.com)
• How to Plant a Winter Vegetable Garden (alternativeconsumer.com)
• Kinds of Plants Which Grow Well in Winter (brighthub.com)