Pacific Composting Blog Posts
Back in 2021 I crossed paths with a great lady named Andrea Blum. She was at a crossroads in her life, and in a very unique position of being able to pursue a “passion project” with most of her energy and focus. Thankfully (for me, and the vermicomposting industry as a whole lol), she developed a keen interest in composting – vermicomposting in particular – while she was going through a program at Gaia College in BC, and decided this was the direction she wanted to head.
She hired me as a consultant in May 2021 and the rest, as they say, is history!
I am currently (Nov 2023) serving as lead consultant and content creator for the venture (Pacific Composting), and feel very fortunate for the opportunity! Both Andrea, and our marketing/graphics/admin (among other things) genius, Layla, are a real joy to work with, and I am excited to see where we head from here.
My blogging here at Red Worm Composting has been very quiet and sporadic for years now (although I am always hoping to get back to it – and may have by the time some people read this), so I thought it would make sense to point people in the direction of some new content (most of it I wrote or at least was involved in), just in case you’re interested.
Fall – A Great Time to Get Your Backyard Composter Going! (Part I of Fall Series) – This is Part I of a 3-part series (originally one big article, but we decided to break it up), focused on fall vermicomposting in backyard composters, a practice that doesn’t get enough attention (in this author’s humble opinion).
Setting Up Your GeoBin for Worm Composting Success (Part II of Fall Series) – In Part II of the fall series, I get into detail about how to set up a GeoBin (likely our favorite backyard composter) for vermicomposting. I use a very similar set up process for most of my outdoor worm composting systems. You may also want to check out my “Earth Machine Vermicomposting” post here on the RWC blog.
Next Level Backyard Composting – Fall Prep (Part III of Fall Series) – In Part III I share some tips for really preparing a backyard system for colder weather, and provide some thoughts about the use of tarps as covers (mainly for GeoBins, but the same advice applies to most backyard systems).
Layered Composting – A Simple Backyard Method to Build Nutrient and Microbe Rich Compost! – This is a compact introduction to the topic layered composting.
DIY Plastic Worm Composting Bins – Not everyone wants to shell out $100’s just to try out worm composting. This article provides an overview of plastic tubs as potential worm composting vessels, along with instructions for two different systems (one basic, the other more advanced).
How to Feed Your Worms to Get The Best Results From Your Worm Bin – A quick and dirty primer on vermicomposting foods and feeding practices.
Setting Up and Managing Your Urbalive for Worm Composting Success! – Over the years, I’ll admit I’ve taken some pot shots at plastic stacking worm bins, for a variety of reasons, but there is no denying the fact that they are popular and – when managed properly – quite effective. Some are definitely much better than others, however, and the Urbalive stacking bin is definitely one of the best, both in terms of aesthetics and effectiveness. 😎
Bedding – The Most Important Material in Your Worm Bin? – When a lot of people (especially newcomers) think about vermicomposting they think about worms turning their kitchen scraps (and other wastes) into rich worm castings. That’s all fine and good, but you always need to balance those rich foods with carbon-rich bedding materials! This article provides a solid overview of this (oh so important) topic.
What is “Living Material”? – It’s a topic that’s been near and dear to my heart ever since I originally coined the term (at least for vermicomposting) many years ago. The name itself refers to beneficial-microbe-loaded, often highly stable (often humus-rich) materials that can be added to composting systems to help the process along. I like to think of them as compost activators on steroids. If this is a topic of interest, be sure to also check out my original “Living Material Guide“.
Adding Eggshells to Your Worm Bin – This small article provides a look at how to prepare and add egg shells to a worm composting system.
Pumpkins – The Ultimate Fall Bounty For Your Worms – Fall is a pretty special time for us vermicomposters, since we often end up with a LOT of amazing waste materials for our precious worm friends. Pumpkins – especially after Halloween – are a prime example, and one that the worms are particularly fond of!
Smelly Worm Bins – Possible Causes & Effective Solutions – One of the turn-offs of indoor vermicomposting can be foul-smelling systems. Unfortunately, this can give the practice a bad reputation among less experienced vermicomposters. Have no fear – there are a variety of ways to prevent and treat this smelly problem!
Compact Cold-Weather Composting Options This was an article I original wrote for the Cowichan Valley Voice print newsletter. It is aimed at those with limited indoor composting experience who are looking for ways to process their wastes indoors during the winter months.
The Plastia In-Ground Worm Composter – Anyone who has spent a decent amount of time reading my content will likely know I’m a huge fan of in-ground vermicomposting. When we learned about a brand new in-ground worm composter, created by the Czech company, Plastia (who also make the Urbalive), I was excited – and we ended up order a bunch to sell here in Canada. This article provides a mini-overview of in-ground vermicomposting and the Plastic in-ground system itself.
Can I Add Red Wigglers to My Garden? – Once you start talking about outdoor vermicomposting, some people are bound to get a bit antsy thanks to all the bad press about “invasive earthworms”. Well, before you toss the baby with the bathwater, be sure to check out this article. I wrote about this topic quite a few years ago here on the RWC blog as well: Do Composting Worms Pose a Threat as Invasive Species?. SPOILER ALERT – It’s not nearly as much of an issue as some would have you believe 😎
Outdoor Vermicomposting 101 – This is Part II of the (Spring 2024) backyard worms series. It provides an overview of some fairly simple-but-effective ways to compost with worms in your yard.
Here I am at the Pacific Composting farm, just outside Duncan BC on beautiful Vancouver Island, in November 2021. I’m holding a leaf from a Big Leaf Maple. Yeah, you can probably see why they call them that!
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