Vlad : Vermicomposting in a Trench

[Converse]

  For those just catching up...a bit ago ( week or so) Vlad asked a question about a vermicomposting strategy using a trench...I told him I'd answer....been out 'wrangling redworms' and such....so now here it is...the short version anyway:

 

Hi Converse,

If one were to dig a trench say, 70-80cm wide by 70-80cm deep by how ever long (4-5 metres) and line it with geo-textile and put down some straw bedding (probably not very absorbent)...could you dump half composted veggie scraps and rotting leaves mixed with straw in the first metre or so of the trench, let the worms do there thing, then move them along by putting down an other big pile of (fresh) more of the same next to the first one...and so on and so on til you get to the end of the trench (or winter comes), harvesting castings as the move forward?

Speaking of winter, could you then put down bedding (straw fresh leaves, composted cow manure and some veggie scraps) and place a big pile of fresh NON-composted cow manure (it's non-grain fed) next to that for some warmth, and then cover the whole thing with bales of straw? Will the worms gravitate into a "comfort zone of warmth" over the winter?

Or is this idea just stupid? I have a LOT of ALL of the above materials and a lot of space. I've only ever kept a small home-made plastic worm bin(s) and was very, very pleased until they turned into worm-cicles this winter. Any thoughts or suggestions on the trench would be vastly appreciated.

 

 

Hi Vlad,

   There are many strategies to deal with harsh winter conditions and hot season conditions.  First off, I hope you did not get rid of those bins that contained the ‘worm-cicles’.  What we tell people out in this area is that if they forget, and leave their vermicomposting bins out where they may freeze clear through, there is a good chance that after the Spring thaw, their bins will ‘rejuvenate’.  This is because, while the redworms themselves may die from being frozen, the cocoons are very hardy.  Often times when the bin is allowed to warm up and reach favorable conditions, the cocoons that are present will hatch, and the composting bin can be re-started.  Of course, the best option is to avoid this freezing in the first place, which is why you were asking me about trench vermicomposting....

 

    There are a few ways to do this...there are people in Maine and Alaska who dig holes in the ground and place the vermicomposting bins in the holes and cover them up with straw and then a board over that.  This makes it more convenient to continue vermicompositng, in that all one has to do to  add food matter or retrieve the composted matter is lift the bin out of the hole.

 

  The trench strategy you described in your question is absolutely workable!  I have a way too-long explanation to post online, so I am sending the answer to you in a private message.  Been working on it as time allows for the past week.  But I wanted you to know (and the other readers here to know) that this is not only possible, but a good strategy for many locations, with a few management issues to consider.

 

Look for the message I sent you…and happy vermicomposting!

-       Converse 

 

[Converse]

  The vermicomposting terrace idea:

[Converse]

  SO where did all the stuff I typed about the terrace go?  Not funny....I am a very slow typst....and I hit the add reply button, and now it is gone?  I'll add it again later .  Don't have time to re-do it now...Hopefully it will "magically' re-appear from cyber-land...not sure why the body of the stuff I typed is not there...sigh...

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Sometimes weird stuff like that happens to me to on this site too...or while typing e-mails. If you notice it happens a lot (which can get real annoying) you can do your typing in MS Word or Notepad or whatever, then just copy and paste that text here on the forum...

Don't sweat it. You've given me much to chew on...The placement of the trench as far as the roof slope is concerned is a bit of a double edged sword...See under that slope where the water/snow would run off is well draining soil due to decades of cow/horse manure/compost being kept against that wall...so it drains real nice (even though I've pilfered most of the good stuff... I f I placed the trench further away down the slope there would be no run off from the roof directly falling on the trench, but the soil is much more compact and full of clay and drains rather poorly.

I might somehow make a make-shift canopy that can be removed/placed... winds are quite brutal here but I could anchor whatever canopy structure to the brick wall and the direction of the winds would be in my favor...Anyhow thanks for all the wonderful info on the various worms. So far I don't think that I had E. fetida, but have not identified them yet. The previous links you posted on the dichotomy of various worm species should prove quite helpful (and interesting at any rate...social functions be damned)...

[Converse]

 Do you have any worms that seem to be thiving in your manure piles?  If so, no matter what spieces they turn out to be, these would most likley be great candidates to shovel into your trench with your heavenly worm smorgsbord menu.  My gut instinct would be to go head with the place for your trench you described, and add a temp. shelter as you decribed for the worst of your weather. As long as you really notice it has drained in the past.  You can test the trench before filling it with "food", by adding water.  Or you can dig a perk hole, and do a perk test before digging the trench.

    From the sounds of it, the terrance idea would be a great thing at your place too.  I'll add that again later.  I just stopped in a while for a break....From enjoying the sun.  Sorry abut the wet weather at your place.  That is what our Spring usually brings.  I'll take your suggestion about the Word document thing before re-posting.  That way I won't lose it again.

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Thanks Converse. The perc test sounds like a good idea. Just so I don't go all ANSI with it...What percolation rate would be acceptable for such a project? (expressed in whatever kind of terms...doesn't have to be anything 'technical' necessarily)...

Though I've got to tell you, the terracing has me really intrigued. I'm all for labor saving designs (though at times the way I seem to go about certain stuff, you wouldn't think it :)

[Converse]

 

    Vermicomposting using a terrace:

 

    Vlad, You mentioned that you have clay soil.  Using some sort of raised bed can  make soil gardening easier if you have clay soil. One early strategy I used in vermicomposting was to create a terrace for a wormbed.  I layered a thermophyllic compost section below, creating a heat source to help the redworms survive the  winter weather.  Here is how I made it:

      First, I went down slope a bit and created a retaining wall using rocks piled.  There is no shortage of rocks here in the Columbia River Gorge…Lots of basalt rock. It is a volcanic area.  Mt. St. Helens is about 40 miles from us as the crow flies. This retaining wall was just eyeballed up. Nothing fancy.  The wall can be made from local resources.  You could even create a wall using your local clay soil (you mentioned digging out a trench for vermicomposting – that might be a good use of the dug out clay soil). I filled in this area with malted barley, which is the spent grain we get from a local brewery.  It makes wonderful hot compost!  I added barn matter from our neighbor, since at the time we did not have enough, and fallen maple leaves I collected from the community.  Great hot compost mix!  This almost filled the retaining wall area. It was roughly an area 15’X 20’, and deep enough to generate its own heat. From a side view, it would have looked like a triangle. On top of this, I put a generous layer of barn matter and redworms and a thin layer of malted barley.  I topped it all off with a thick layer of maple leaves  and straw to insulate it all from the harsh winter.  The redworms had a place they could burrow down into to stay warm at the coldest point of winter, and a ‘never-ending’ source of food.  This worked wonderfully.  All winter long we dug up the bed in different places to harvest redworms, and found them to be thriving. 

     In the Spring we had a very wonderful place to plant a garden.  We were surprised at the results.  We planted short season dwarf corn.  It is supposed to get 4-5 feet tall.  It grew 7 feet tall, and produced like crazy!  We had a hard time convincing friends we had not planted field corn! The squash we planted among the corn went crazy too!   The corn gave the redworms the shade they needed in the hottest part of the summer.  This was a win/win situation! 

 A few years ago we moved this terrace so our beds are closer proximity to each other…We do know that this is an excellent strategy for vermicomposting, and for gardening.

    A few words of caution here:  If you get a source of "barn matter" to use, please be sure that the source is not from animals that have been heavily or recently "wormed"  These de-wormers can have disasterous results on your vermicomposting efforts.   Also keep in mind that there has been ample discussion on this forum about the safety measures needed if using manures and the possibility of associated E. coli and such.  Use cautions.  You can age this matter before using it in a vermicompositng situation, or hot compost it first.  Time is also your friend in this.  ALso, some local hays (in the USA, I do not know about in other countries)  have been treated with chemicals to keep other weeds and non-desired grasses from growing among them.  There have been accounts where people have used the left over straw and hays as mulch for their gardens, and could not get crops to grow.  The problem was traced back to the treated hay.  Some people have even blamed this on those treated hays when they have used manures  on their gardens from animals fed these treated hays.  The lesson here is: know the source you get alll these "inputs" from and ask questions.  Another reason why AP makes so much sense!  Also, make sure you know that if you put hay down in a vermicomposting bed  the redworms will not 'kill' the seeds that come with the hay.  That is why using straw is a good strategy- no seed heads. Horse manure will contain all the seeds they consumed, just ready to germinate where ever you put them. 

     We have also in recent years taught a portion of the Master Recycler Classes for a local government agency.  Our section of the class is on composting and vermicomposting.   We have been able to show people that you can create a vermicompositng site/raised bed, and garden right in it. We do this at our place.  Why create a compost pile and then have to move it all over to another place for gardening?  It just takes a little planning, and a lot LESS work. One of the students in the a Master Recycler Class did this too and  called it her “garbage garden”.  She lives in an area that has constant harsh winds and very cold, but drier winters than our area.  She proudly showed me photos of her “garbage garden” bed prior to planting.  And then I saw her at the local farmers’ market the following summer, and she raved about how great her garden was producing., and how easy it was.  One less step!  Success!  Redworms will not “attack” your plants growing in your gardens. They will spend the time as your full time gardening crew, aerating the beds and ‘fertiliziing’.  We even over winter carrots in our wormbeds. that we use to double as garden plots.  Redworms will only consume dead and decaying matter.  It is easy at the end of the gardening season to cut down stalks and vines and leave them there for the redworms to munch on all winter, prepping the area for next years’ garden again.

  SO for those of you who may use AP for some of your gardening, but still do some soil gardening, a terrace makes a great spot for vermicomposting on sloped land.  A raised bed also makes great sense just about anywhere.  Easily cut out a step and just grow your garden right in the vermicomposting bed.

  I hope this is helpful.  If anything here needs clarification, just ask away!

[TCLynx]

Thank you Great Stuff.  Now I wish I had a hill to build a terrace on.

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Yeah thanks a bunch Converse. Great info once again. I'm really gonna have to think about how and where I want to do this.

I hadn't thought about the use of de-wormers for animals...

I might even have to try something like what TC and yourself suggested...cutting out the middleman and growing directly atop worm beds...And keep a big worm bin to harvest clean castings from for use as worm tea foliar. I'm excited about the potential insecticidal properties...

The 'garbage garden' sounds good . I sometimes get stuff growing in the compost pile. At the moment there are tons of potato plants thriving in there. I've decided to quit turning the pile and just let 'em grow. I can start another pile elsewhere...

Thanks again