Transcript Worms, Worms, Worms! The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Composting and
Vermicomposting – Building
Healthy Soil!
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes
CBG Sustainability Symposium 2008
Lara Roketenetz and Denise Natoli Brooks
Introduction
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Why compost?
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Contributes to sustainable lifestyle along with
recycling
Reduces landfill waste by weight
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Yard waste (9%)
Food waste (15%)
Reduces landfill waste by volume
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Yard waste (8%)
Food waste (6%)
Why Compost?
Why Compost?
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Adds nutrients to soil –
feed the soil, not the
plant!
Compost is a natural
fertilizer
Compost is primarily
humus – organic soil
matter which allows for
easy flow of water and
air to growing plants
Yard Waste Composting
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Left to decompose naturally, leaves can take
up to 2 years to break down into humus
Outdoor composting accelerates this process
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(4 to 18 months)
Yard Waste Composting
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Many different types
available – from simple
mounds to 3 stage bins
and everything in
between!
Yard Waste Composting
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Recipe
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Layer equal parts of
green and brown waste
Pile should be kept as
moist as a wrung-out
sponge
Allow the pile to “bake”
at 90 to 140 degrees
Turn the pile to let in air
– the more you turn, the
faster it decomposes
Green Waste
Grass clippings
Green leaves
Vegetable garden scraps
Floral clippings
Brown Waste
Twigs
Dry leaves
Straw
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper
Vermiculture
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The use of specially bred earthworms, esp. to aerate
soil and convert organic matter into compost; also
called vermicomposting
Easy winter composting
Great teaching tool for kids
Manageable size
Great for folks with no/small yard
Worms as pets!
Very fine compost- no screening needed
Compost Worms
How do worms produce compost?
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Worms eat organic matter and pass it through
their digestive systems, producing castings, or
“worm poop”
Materials for Vermicompost
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Bin
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Kitchen scraps
Bedding
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not necessary to buy
shredded, non-glossy newspaper
Coir (coconut bark)
leaves, grass clippings
handful of soil
moisture of wrung-out sponge
Worms
Lid with fabric or air holes
Vermicomposting Notes
•Read before you start
•Location
•Fruit fly prevention
•Separation method
• Passive
• Active
What else lives in my bin?
isopod (sowbug)
white or pot worms
fruit fly
mite
mold spores
springtail
centipede
millipede
Responsible Composting
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Do not compost invasive weed
species
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Seeds of certain plants such as garlic
mustard and honeysuckle can live in the
seed bank for decades
Responsible Composting
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Freeze vermicompost
before using it in your
yard, especially if your
gardens are close to
woodland areas
Worm egg casings or
cocoons can hatch and
spread to new areas
Worm ecology
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None of the earthworms
in our area are native!
Native earthworms in
the Great Lakes area
were extirpated with the
last ice age 11,000 to
14,000 years ago
We’ve been invaded!
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Earthworm invasion
began with European
settlement
Invasions continue
through improper
dumping of fish bait,
mulch/compost, tire
treads, road building,
landscaping, any
activity that moves soil
Worms effects on the environment
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Soil in
uninvaded
forests has a rich
humus layer
called “duff”
and is covered
with a layer of
leaf litter
Soil Effects
Soil in uninvaded forest
Soil in invaded forest
Vegetation Effects
Vegetation in invaded forest
Vegetation in uninvaded forest
Compost Workshops
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Nature Center at Shaker Lakes
2600 South Park Blvd.
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44120
216.321.5935
Lara x 240, [email protected]
Denise x 226, [email protected]
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July 8th 6-8pm
September 27th 12-2pm or 3-5pm
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Sign up on sheet!
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