Whether in the garden or in the kitchen, there are many projects you can create yourself. We will provide step by step instructions and photos for all our projects.
To help keep it affordable and green we try to use salvaged materials when possible. Garage sales, flea markets or salvage yards are excellent sources for materials. You can make your garden very unusual by using unconventional materials to make functional and artistic additions to your gardenscape. Think out of the box!
Featured Project
Worm Bin
GGC reviewed several videos about beginning Vermiculture farming which is the farming of worms for the production of their castings or manure.
The Vermiculture Worm Bin is easily expandable for little cash and minimal effort.
The Worm Bin requires little skill and less than $40 to construct a permanent producer of vermicompost and reproducing worms to enrich your soil.
What you will need:
- (3) 15 gallon plastic tubs with lids
- 3 plastic dish sink strainers or 2 square feet of screening
- Super glue
- Drill with 3/8 inch paddle drill
- Bag of worms
- Torn paper or cardboard
- Shredded newspaper or paper
- Peat moss
- Plant-based kitchen scraps
What to do:
- Make a vent hole in one lid at least 3″ in circumference for aeration.
- Cut screen to fit your vent and superglue it in place.
- Drill a series of 20 1/2″ holes evenly in the bottom of 2 of the tubs.
- These will act as standoffs so that worm manure tea will drain and collect to use.
- Put a 2nd tub that has holes in the bottom into the 1st tub.
- Put a couple of untreated wood standoffs again in the corners about 6 inches high.
- Put a layer of torn paper or cardboard in the bottom of this 2nd tub and fill to 6″ with peat moss.
- Wet the contents until it is moist enough to squeeze a drop out of a handful.
- In the light, open your bag of worms as soon as it arrives onto the peat moss in the 2nd tub.
- The worms will penetrate the soil within fifteen minutes (to get away from light).
- Set a 3rd tub with holes and side vents into the 2nd tub. Fill with shredded paper and fresh kitchen scraps.
- Put the lid with the vent on and find a place free of vermin and predators.
- Keep barely wet but do not let dry out or worms will try to get out.
- Clean out the bottom tub when all scraps are used up and only castings are left by sifting out any worms and putting them back into the tub with fresh scraps and shredded paper and a shovel full of soil to get them going again. They don’t need 6″ of peat, just at first.
- Keep cycling the tubs as the worms move upward thru the holes to where the fresh scraps are after the bottom tub is used up.
- Your worms will multiply so you will have to get more tubs, give them away or put them in your pots or garden beds.
Put a couple of pieces of untreated wood or plastic cups in the corners of bottom tub that has no holes.
* Keep your worm bin out of extreme temps above freezing and below 95 deg F. Also, keep in the shade if outside.
Resources:
Our experience with Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm was excellent, easy and quick, the worms were all living. The Green Garden is enjoying the benefits of vermicompost and a luxurious growing medium.
Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm has an amazing worm school and plenty of free Vermiculture information.