Comments on: Vermicomposting Trenches – 2009

By: Woody

Woody — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:52:55 +0000

What about water flooding, ie. heavy rain? It looks like the trenches would fill up with water quite well with a good rain storm.

By: mike

mike — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:04:25 +0000

Bentley,

You could try to order or if you find up there “Castor Beans” they are the ultimate mole killer down here. We use human hair around our garden to keep the deer and other wildlife out of it for the smell. We would use it in our worms too BUT it comes not seperated when we pick it up so it has bleached or tints and stuff in it so I did not want to risk those chemicals in my bins even if only a miniscule amount.

The castor beans look like a small chestnut shell. They are prickly on the outside but more in the shape and size relevant to a one garlic clove but the moles love these. They then take down with them and it kills them but doesnt kill any other animal like a dog or cat form what we have heard about them. I do not know much more about them. An old guy from the mountain top here told me about them in a flea market. They also go by the name around here anyways “mole beans”. Just a note for you to look at. Nothing more as I am no scientist LOL

By: Bentley

Bentley — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:24:45 +0000

FOREST – that is hilarious. You can tell your husband that I will indeed be growing LOADS of tomatoes, along with plenty of other produce – thanks to these trenches.

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DAVID – Good question. I have been using manure from multiple sources. Most of it has been bedded horse manure (which the worms go gaga over), but there has also been some cattle and even goat manure. Pig manure could certainly work as well, but I’d suggest mixing it with bedding and letting it age/compost first. Same goes for avian manure – but you may need to leave it in an outdoor pile for a fair bit longer. It needs to be well moistened, composted and containing much lower levels of salts and ammonia than the fresh material has.
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HOWARD – keep me posted, Howard. I enjoy hearing about others’ experiences with these methods.
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RAY – another good question. I don’t have to worry about them, although I’m convinced there was some sort of shrew feeding on worms in my trench last year. Luckily a neighborhood cat decided to protect my property – I found a dead rodent in the bed, and saw it carrying another one away (on another occasion). There are also various ways you can potentially repel these critters.

By: Ray

Ray — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:05:14 +0000

how about underground varments,moles that love worms,do you have them up there,Ray from Califorina

By: THE BERWICK WORM FARM and WASTE SYSTEMS

THE BERWICK WORM FARM and WASTE SYSTEMS — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:08:00 +0000

Very good article as usual. I have not tryed trench composting yet but Im getting ready for outdoor composting this winter up here in Maine. Im going to try it your way. Wish me luck.

Howard

By: David from England

David from England — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 09:44:23 +0000

Hi,
Great blog – got me started!
Very interested in your new trenches cum windrows. You say your main feedstock will be aged manure and I was just wondering whether it will be horse, cattle, pig or A.N. Other.
Keep up the good work.

By: Forest Garden Girl

Forest Garden Girl — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:10:41 +0000

Bentley,
I was reading your blog (I have been an avid follower for a while now) and my husband decided to lean over and give me a big hug. He glanced at my computer screen and saw…

“My main foodstock of choice this year is aged livestock manure.”

He started busting up laughing and said, “I thought he was going to say tomatoes, or something — just food — you know, HIS main foodstock.”

I had to share that little bit of humor with you. That’s exactly what people get when they read over your shoulder- Out of Context!

Love your blog.
PS. My husband helped me sort my worms and castings today!