#COMPOST

[victusinveritas]

How to Make a Homemade Vermicomposter

Materials Needed:

Three durable plastic totes (preferably Roughneck brand for their durability)

One lid for the totes

A cooler drain or similar item for drainage

Drill with a quarter-inch bit

Bricks or blocks for elevation

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Preparation of Totes:

Start by drilling quarter-inch holes across the bottom of two totes. These holes are crucial for allowing worms to move between layers and for drainage.

Additionally, drill holes around the upper edges of these totes to provide adequate aeration.

2. Setting Up the Drainage System:

The bottom tote will act as your drainage collector. Here, you will need to install the cooler drain. Make sure to place it on the recessed side of the tote for effective drainage.

The drilled holes will allow excess liquid, also known as ‘worm tea’, to drain out, which can be used as a nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer.

3. Assembling the Vermicomposter:

Stack the two drilled totes above the drainage tote. These will serve as the living quarters for your worms and the composting area.

The worms and compost material will go into the top tote initially.

4. Transferring the Worms:

Carefully transfer your worms into the top tote, along with their current bedding and food scraps.

As the top tote gets filled with worm castings, shift it to the middle, making the newly top tote the active composting layer.

5. Maintenance and Harvesting:

Continue adding kitchen scraps and bedding to the new top layer. The worms will migrate upwards towards the new food source, leaving behind rich compost in the lower tote.

Once a tote is full of castings and devoid of worms, it can be emptied into your garden.

Regularly check the bottom tote for worm tea and use it as a liquid fertilizer in your garden.

6. Elevating the System:

Raise the entire setup on bricks or blocks. This elevation helps in easier drainage and accessibility.

[soil-is-alive]

🌱✨️ "Living Soil" Embroidered Crewnecks & Hoodies ✨️🌱

Stay cozy while supporting soil health and sustainable farming 💚💛❤️

🌟 when you sign up for email offers and updates on our website, you get a chance to win up to 50% OFF your order!

🌟 FREE SHIPPING for orders over $50!!!

[nolaplantdaddy]

how & why I use compost tea in my garden! ☕️♻️

if y'all want more info on how to build this compost tea brewer, holla at me in the notes & I can link the schematics.

i hope this brief walkthrough is helpful.

[rejectingrepublicans]

[huariqueje]

Vegetable Patch II - Fiona Willis

British , b. 1953 -

Watercolour and ink , 24.5 x 32.4 cm.

[petula-xx]

It's that time of the year again!!!!!

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - March 8-14

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles!

1. Caribbean reef sharks rebound in Belize with shark fishers’ help

“Caribbean reef shark populations have rebounded beyond previous levels, more than tripling at both Turneffe and Lighthouse atolls[…. The recovery] arose from a remarkable synergy among shark fishers, marine scientists and management authorities[….]”

2. Landmark Ruling on Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Strikes at Oil Industry

“[T]he Ecuadorian government [must] ensure any future expansion or renewal of oil operations does not impact Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation. [… E]ffective measures must be adopted to prevent serious or irreversible damage, which in this case would be the contact of these isolated populations,” said the opinion[….]”

3. America's clean-energy industry is growing despite Trump's attacks. At least for now

“The buildout of big solar and battery plants is expected to hit an all-time high in 2025, accounting for 81% of new power generation[….] The industry overall has boomed thanks to falling technology costs, federal tax incentives and state renewable-energy mandates.”

4. Study says endangered Asian elephant population in Cambodia is more robust than previously thought

“A genetic study of Asian elephants […] reveals a larger and more robust population than previously thought, raising hopes the endangered species could slowly recover. […] “With sufficient suitable habitat remaining in the region, the population has the potential to grow if properly protected,” the report concludes.”

5. Scientists are engineering a sense of touch for people who are paralyzed

“[Engineers are] testing a system that can restore both movement and sensation in a paralyzed hand. [… A]fter more than a year of therapy and spinal stimulation, [… h]is increased strength and mobility allow him to do things like pet his dog. And when he does, he says, "I can feel a little bit of the fur."“

6. Florida is now a solar superpower. Here’s how it happened.

“In a first, Florida vaulted past California last year in terms of new utility-scale solar capacity plugged into its grid. It built 3 gigawatts of large-scale solar in 2024, making it second only to Texas. And in the residential solar sector, Florida continued its longtime leadership streak.”

7. Rare frog rediscovered after 130 years

“The researchers discovered two populations of the frog[….] "The rediscovery of A. vittatus allowed us to obtain, more than a century after its description, the first biological and ecological data on the species.” [… S]hedding light on where and how they live is the first step in protecting them.”

8. Community composting programs show promise in reducing household food waste

“The program [increased awareness and reduced household waste, and] also addressed common barriers to home composting, including pest concerns and technical challenges that had previously discouraged participants from composting independently.”

9. Pioneering Australian company marks new milestone on “mission” to upcycle end-of-life solar panels

“[…] SolarCrete – a pre-mixed concrete made using glass recovered from used solar panels – will form part of the feasibility study[….] A second stage would then focus on the extraction of high value materials[…] for re-use in PV and battery grade silicon, [… and] electrical appliances[….]”

10. Beavers Just Saved The Czech Government Big Bucks

“The aim was to build a dam to prevent sediment and acidic water from two nearby ponds from spilling over, but the project was delayed for years due to negotiations over land use[….] Not only did the industrious rodents complete the work faster than the humans had intended, they also doubled the size of the wetland area that was initially planned.”

March 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[shiftythrifting]

New today!

Future Compost Collection!

[nordicsublime]

Compost

[happigreens]

I love how my compost keeps them safe and warm.

[soil-is-alive]

Isopods, aka roly-polies or pill bugs, - tiny crustaceans with BIG impacts

They’re detritivores, meaning they feast on dead and decaying organic matter—like fallen leaves, wood, and even fungi. 🍂🥀🪵

Here’s why they’re vital for our soil:

🌱 Nutrient Recycling: As they munch through plant material, they break it down into smaller particles, speeding up the decomposition process. This enriches the soil with vital nutrients that plants need to thrive.

🔄 Carbon Cycling: By decomposing organic material, isopods play a key role in the carbon cycle, helping store carbon in the soil and reducing carbon loss to the atmosphere.

🌍 Soil Aeration: While burrowing and feeding, isopods loosen compacted soil, improving oxygen flow and creating a healthier environment for plant roots and microorganisms.

Found on every continent except Antarctica, isopods thrive in forests, gardens, and even urban environments. 🌟 Wherever there’s organic matter to break down, these hardworking decomposers are on the job!

So next time you see an isopod, give it some love! 🤍 They’re working hard to keep our soil alive and thriving. 🌿

[one-time-i-dreamt]

I got a job as the tree tender for my local park but the only way to get to the trees was through a machine that composts tree waste. I got fired for getting to the trees through the front door.

[mauricesmall]

Compost is the foundation of life.

[reasonsforhope]

The new 'compost obligatoire' rules came into force on 1 January 2024. Here's what they entail.

As of 1 January 2024, organic waste recycling is mandatory in France under new 'compost obligatoire' rules.

With support from the government’s Green Fund, municipalities must provide residents with ways to sort bio-waste, which includes food scraps, vegetable peels, expired food and garden waste.

Households and businesses are required to dispose of organic matter either in a dedicated small bin for home collection or at a municipal collection point. Previously, only those who generated over five tonnes of organic waste per year were required to separate it.

The waste will then be turned into biogas or compost to replace chemical fertilisers. Alternatively, it can be composted at home.

The obligation is currently on local authorities to provide an easy means for households to compost or separate organic waste.

While facilities are rolled out, there will not be fines imposed for non-compliance. It is yet to be seen whether stricter rules will be imposed in future. 

One-third of household waste is bio-waste

Organic waste from food and gardens accounts for almost one-third of household waste. When it is mixed with other rubbish, it typically ends up in landfills or incinerators, where it produces heat-trapping greenhouse gases like methane and CO2.

Food waste is responsible for about 16 per cent of the total emissions from the EU food system, according to the European Commission. Globally, food loss and waste generates around 8 per cent of all human-caused emissions annually, the UN says.

It can also contaminate packaging destined for recycling like paper, plastic and glass.

In 2018, only 34 per cent of the EU’s total bio-waste was collected, leaving 40 million tonnes of potential soil nutrients to be discarded, according to NGO Zero Waste Europe.

In France, an estimated 82 kg of compostable waste per person is thrown away each year.

Is bio-waste separation mandatory in other European countries?

Under the EU’s Waste Framework Directive, bio-waste collection is being encouraged this year, but it stops short of setting mandatory targets.

In many European countries, organic waste separation has already been implemented at the municipal level.

Milan in Italy has been running a residential food waste collection programme since 2014. Households were given dedicated bins and compostable bags to kick off the scheme.

Elsewhere, taxes or bans on incinerating bio-waste have encouraged similar schemes, with separate bins and home composting widespread in Austria, the Netherlands and Belgium.

The UK announced plans to roll out separate food waste collection in 2023. It remains voluntary for households in England, but is more strictly enforced in Wales and for business owners.

How to sort your bio-waste

Ideally, all waste - including organic matter - should be kept to a minimum.

This can be achieved through careful meal planning. Consuming, freezing or preserving food before it expires along with using every part of an ingredient also help to reduce waste. Some food waste can even be repurposed into animal feed.

Any food waste that cannot be saved or repurposed should be either composted or separated for collection. This includes uneaten food scraps, baked goods, dairy products, eggshells, fruit and vegetables and their peels, mouldy food, pet food, raw and cooked meat and fish, bones, tea and coffee grounds.

Liquids, non-food products and packaging should not be placed in bio-waste bins.

-via EuroNews.Green, January 2, 2024