Harvesting Vermicompost Made EASY!
I have started to let the worms/microbes do a little more work, and me a little less. That is working out great! I approach everything from a vermi-gardener standpoint...so here is my take:
let me start by clearly identifying these terms (just to be clear):
1. Worm Habitat--worms, stuff they live in, cocoons, bedding, food, any misc. creatures, etc.
2. VC or vermicompost--broken down worm habitat, but still not fine crumbled castings--still teeming with microbes
3. Castings--well processed worm poop that is declining in nutrient and microbe count--what you usually see for sale in enclosed bags with no oxygen to even keep any leftover microbes alive.
I look at these as nutrients for my garden like I think of bread--the worm habitat is unmixed, unprocessed ingredients that when mixed together and baked, make wholesome, whole grain bread. The VC would be the finished, good for you, whole grain bread. The castings are white, entirely processed, and no good for you "wonder" bread.
When the worm habitat is starting to break down, but before the time I would normally harvest for good VC (not castings), I do a quick turbo-light harvest of material.
Turbo Light Harvest: Remove top bedding to get to lower "working" layer of worms/worm habitat
1. Dump bin contents, or as much as you want to harvest, onto a tarp, bin lid, shallow pan
2. Place in strong sunlight or under a strong light
3. Worms will "dive" deeper to avoid light
4. About every 5 minutes, scrape worm habitat off along the top and sides until you are to the bottom--where all the red wigglers are!
5. Place worms back in their bin with combination of fresh half decomposed organic compost, any large stuff from worm habitat that needs more processing, old bedding, and more bedding if needed.
Since things are not completely broken down yet, there is still adequate food for micro-organisms, any hatching cocoons I missed, and any worms I might have missed.
I place this "worm habitat mix" in a shallow cardboard box with a small rind of melon or pumpkin up top and cover with a damp newspaper and shut the box (I just do a simple over/under with the lids). I then forget about it for 2-3 weeks. Voila! I open box, see more red wigglers than you would ever imagine (around the rind of food), take the worms out and place back in a working worm bin, and check the readiness of the VC for use. Most of the time it is about right at this point, if needed, I shut it back and let it "process" for another week or more--and usually find yet a few more worms! At this point, my hope is that any cocoons have hatched, and any worms are too immature to have "laid" any more.
This process has greatly reduced my stress level and eye strain, as I am not nearly as stressed about finding every cocoon and teeny tiny baby worm in the VC (I was a little obsessed about that before--hate to see any living creature harmed). I can quickly go through the mix and it doesn't take all that long.
Oh yeah, and since the cardboard box is too damp to use again, but is teeming with micro-organisms and already decomposing...I just tear it and the damp newspaper up and add to a worm bin at that point. I am harvesting a lot more and working a lot less this way--and I think I am saving a load of worms.
As you can see, I don't think the castings are the best source for your garden or tea use, but this process is just the right mix--and you can keep on feeding your working worm bins without a problem.
let me start by clearly identifying these terms (just to be clear):
1. Worm Habitat--worms, stuff they live in, cocoons, bedding, food, any misc. creatures, etc.
2. VC or vermicompost--broken down worm habitat, but still not fine crumbled castings--still teeming with microbes
3. Castings--well processed worm poop that is declining in nutrient and microbe count--what you usually see for sale in enclosed bags with no oxygen to even keep any leftover microbes alive.
I look at these as nutrients for my garden like I think of bread--the worm habitat is unmixed, unprocessed ingredients that when mixed together and baked, make wholesome, whole grain bread. The VC would be the finished, good for you, whole grain bread. The castings are white, entirely processed, and no good for you "wonder" bread.
When the worm habitat is starting to break down, but before the time I would normally harvest for good VC (not castings), I do a quick turbo-light harvest of material.
Turbo Light Harvest: Remove top bedding to get to lower "working" layer of worms/worm habitat
1. Dump bin contents, or as much as you want to harvest, onto a tarp, bin lid, shallow pan
2. Place in strong sunlight or under a strong light
3. Worms will "dive" deeper to avoid light
4. About every 5 minutes, scrape worm habitat off along the top and sides until you are to the bottom--where all the red wigglers are!
5. Place worms back in their bin with combination of fresh half decomposed organic compost, any large stuff from worm habitat that needs more processing, old bedding, and more bedding if needed.
Since things are not completely broken down yet, there is still adequate food for micro-organisms, any hatching cocoons I missed, and any worms I might have missed.
I place this "worm habitat mix" in a shallow cardboard box with a small rind of melon or pumpkin up top and cover with a damp newspaper and shut the box (I just do a simple over/under with the lids). I then forget about it for 2-3 weeks. Voila! I open box, see more red wigglers than you would ever imagine (around the rind of food), take the worms out and place back in a working worm bin, and check the readiness of the VC for use. Most of the time it is about right at this point, if needed, I shut it back and let it "process" for another week or more--and usually find yet a few more worms! At this point, my hope is that any cocoons have hatched, and any worms are too immature to have "laid" any more.
This process has greatly reduced my stress level and eye strain, as I am not nearly as stressed about finding every cocoon and teeny tiny baby worm in the VC (I was a little obsessed about that before--hate to see any living creature harmed). I can quickly go through the mix and it doesn't take all that long.
Oh yeah, and since the cardboard box is too damp to use again, but is teeming with micro-organisms and already decomposing...I just tear it and the damp newspaper up and add to a worm bin at that point. I am harvesting a lot more and working a lot less this way--and I think I am saving a load of worms.
As you can see, I don't think the castings are the best source for your garden or tea use, but this process is just the right mix--and you can keep on feeding your working worm bins without a problem.
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