Worms

When I am talking about my four compost bins, I am really talking about a huge worm city. Years ago I got some tiger worms (plus maybe something red - anyway, a mix of compost worms). Traditionally, earthworms live in earth, and work all the way through big bins like mine, and tigers work only in the surface layer. Tigers cannot survive in the "earth", like a garden, and earth worms cannot survive in pure compost, as they need a certain amount of soil going through their guts. Interesting mixture.

Anyway, I have one of those three-decker worm farms, into which the kitchen scraps go (apart from those my mother steals to put into her Gedye compost bin - we have hers and hers worms). Then, what I do is as each layer of compost (plus a fair few worms) is due to come out of the three-decker, I put that into the current tank I am filling. So I think that is the Tiger inoculation. And I throw in a bit of active stuff every now and then from the previous compost bin I was filling - so that is enough to inoculate the "being Filled" bin with earth worms. And there is enough soil on the roots of the weeds for them to be healthy. And the combination thrives, as long as I keep the bins moist. They are cool enough in the middle for them to escape the heat, and the stuff I put in isn't so green that it overheats. And they really reduce the compost down fast.

The other side advantages is that I took the duckie little tap thing out of the bottom of the three-decker, and fertiliser (that I dilute) continually drips out into a bucket (with half a brick in it so it doesn't blow away). Next to it is a large plastic rubbish bin filled with ewe-poo (also on a milk crate, with bucket and brick). I drilled a couple of holes in the side bottom of the bin, put the bucket under it, throw a bit of water in the top (or wait until it rains) and fertiliser drips out of the bottom of that, too, while the ewe-poo breaks down and is taken from the top for use.

Wonderful system, and I do use a bit of other stuff too - dynamic lifter and a tiny bit of artificial stuff, mainly for citrus. So I just run around with the watering can and my various witches brews, especially on the veggies, but on some of the roses as well. And they seem to love it.