It’s been a while since I posted an update on my outdoor vermiponics system. I haven’t really done much with it since setting it up other than adding some alpaca manure over top, and a thin layer of grass clippings, so I can’t say I’m too surprised by the lack of exciting results.
That being said, it did produce a respectable crop of basil (which, as you can see is starting to flower), and we’ll be making a nice batch of pesto with that this weekend! The grape tomato plant did very poorly, and I have little doubt that this is simply due to the fact that there wasn’t enough fertilizer power in the bed for the amount of space it had to occupy.
A small “weed” lettuce plant popped up back in July (almost certainly from a seed that hadn’t germinated in my indoor bed) but it hasn’t done much since then.
I would like to try some other leafy greens such as kale once the basil has been removed, but I think I’d better conduct a pretty thorough cleaning of the bed first – will be a good opportunity to see how the worm population is doing!
Stay tuned
8)
It’s still too hot to start my hydro-vermi-aquaponics system.But have you ever used the smaller clay balls?I haven’t found the bigger ones yet.
But one thing i find mind boggling is the redworms ability to survive under water.I even am finding out things through simple experiments.
Those black shallow tubs(and by the way.Don’t just run out and try this with all your worms.it could be bad!)that are like the one pictured.I don’t use lids.But i tested by leaning it toward one end.Then put in extra water.It gets really wet in one end.My worms pile up to get under water.Are they cooling off? Now sealed bins would be a different story.But i have to investigate further!
interesting tidbit of info to share along these lines.
last summer my daughter and i fed my fish a couple of worms which the fish where not interested in, today in the process of turning my fish aquarium into a aquaponics unit i discovered dozens of our little red friends down in the rocks at the bottom of the fish aquarium.