WormMainea

Preserving Summer: Canning Blackberry Jam

2011-09-16T06:07:00.000-04:00

Thank you to my friend Celina for sharing her family blackberry patch!

We tried a new blackberry recipe this year: blackberry-port jam. It came from Better Homes & Gardens Canning Cookbook (August 2011).

4 cups blackberries
5 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vintage port (we used Sandeman)
1/4 teaspoon groiund cloves

Gently crush berries in a cookpot while heating. After crushing slowly add sugar so it dissolves. When all sugar has been added, then add the port and cloves. Bring to a full rolling boil (stiffing constantly) and continue heating until the mixture sheets off a metal spool. Leave 1/4" headspace in canning jars.
Makes 5 half pint jars.

Some beautiful Maine blackberries

Just thick enough to sheet

We use the boiling water bath method

Bert is carefully filling the jars

Jars are filled and boiling

The finished product: blackberry jam to enjoy for the whole year

Our final product! Blackberry jam to enjoy all year.

Cheers,

Mark

Great deal on the GeoSpring water heater

2011-09-15T11:59:00.000-04:00

I just saw this today.

Lowe's has discounted the GeoSpring water heathers.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_79425-83-GEH50DNSRSA_0__?productId=3127075&cm_mmc=email_promo-_-20110915-_-banner-_-$600_off_water_heater

Follow-up on Air-source Water Heater

2011-08-09T18:38:00.003-04:00

As a follow-up to my post from last October (http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/10/water-heater-wrap-up.html), I am providing an update on my experience with the GeoSpring water heater.

The air-source heat pump is working great. I haven't purchased oil since February 16, and since last May (May 2010) we used only 370.1 gallons of oil. That is a 28% savings (370 gallons vs 517 gallons [average from previous 2 years]). I realize that not all of that is due to the GeoSpring-- we did a lot of air sealing in 2010. But, my boiler has been off since May 15, 2011.

How has this impacted electricity use? That was my biggest question, too.

Here are my results of my electricity consumption for 2011, 2010, and 2009 (in KWH/day):



Month	2011	2010	2009

May	17	18	17
June	19	21	18
July	18	26	20

Do you see a difference? Neither do I!

I think this may be due to replacing the dehumidifier with the GeoSpring (which cools and dehumidifies while it heats the water).Same number of people in my house. Still taking hot showers.

I think this is wonderful. Since I typically used around half a tank of oil each summer (May to October), I am saving around $340/year (100 gallons * 3.40/gallon). The GeoSpring cost me around $2500 (for unit, installation and less state rebate). The ROI is 7 years, assuming oil prices stay level (something I very much doubt). I can live with that. Realize that we had to have a lot of electrical work to accommodate the installation-- your ROI may be lower!

I see this as a very successful energy saving investment. I hope more people consider this as an option.

Cheers,

Mark

Update on Doggie Dumpster

2011-07-03T10:51:00.000-04:00

I've gotten a lot of responses to my Doggie Dumpster post. It has been about year and some of findings and expectations are surprises. Here is a summary of my communication and what I've learned:

1. I thought the doggie dumpster would fill up really quickly. It didn't and I haven't had to move it. I attribute this to at least 2 factors. First, my town put a garbage can at the end of the trail (more people are cleaning up after their pets and using the trash can)-- so I am putting in less waste than I expected. I have an addition once a week or less frequently in Spring and Summer and maybe once every few weeks in the winter (we had a lot of snow cover this year so dogs were walked in the street). Also, while the dumpster filled over the winter, it shrank (and continues to shrink) again when the weather warmed up. I put another half pound of worms in the doggie dumpster in early May. I think the material is draining away into my subsoil. I am on sandy soil, so this is my best guess. If I were on clay, I suspect I would have had to move the doggie dumpster by now.

2. You could use the doggie dumpster for cat waste, but I can think of at least 2 cautions. Cat waste can harbor pathogens that are hazardous to pregnant women. Also, the clay that is commonly used for cat litter can quickly dry out a worm bin. I learned there are other materials, such as corn cob litter. These may be better alternatives if you plan to compost cat waste.

3. I've had some lively discussions about harvesting compost from the dumpster for use in planting beds, and I agree that you could do it if you were really careful. However, I maintain my general recommendation that the material in the dumpster should remain in the dumpster and that the dumpster be moved when (if?) it fills up. I just don't think it is worth the risk-- better to put your doggie dumpster in your perennial bed or orchard.

4. Other critters. All kinds of insects and bugs are commonly in my doggie dumpster. Last summer a large spider spun a web across the inside of the dumpster lid. I commonly see sow bugs in there also. I also have some evidence of a larger animal (?) chewing on my cover. I don't know what it was (mouse, chipmunk, squirrel) but some animal chewed on the lid in January. I saw no evidence that they dug in the pile, but who knows. I keep the lid closed and I have not found it open.

5. I've been putting sawdust (winter) and compost from my outdoor pile (the rest of the year) in to cover the additions of dog waste. My outdoor pile froze and I elected to put sawdust in to cover the winter additions when I could not access my compost. This seemed to be OK, but I didn't make a lot of additions this winter. Sawdust has a high carbon to nitrogen ratio. To have efficient composting you would have to balance that with a nitrogen-rich material (like grass clippings).

Cheers,

Mark

Integrated Pest Management

2011-04-25T19:01:00.002-04:00

What is IPM?

I feel that I must set the record straight as to what IPM is, since there appears to be a lot of misleading information about IPM.

First, here is what IPM is NOT: it is NOT following a weed and feed regimen! People who tell you weed and feed is IPM are misled or trying to mislead you.

OK, so what is IPM?

1. IPM is working with nature to feed the soil. Healthy soil makes healthy plants that can defend themselves and recover from injury. Without healthy soil, the input of resources is required.

2. IPM is choosing the right plant for the use/area/microclimate/sun/water availability. IPM is working with nature not against it. You must understand a plant's needs and your area to select the plant(s) that will require the least input from you.

3. IPM means accepting some losses. Nothing is perfect and you’re not going to win every battle. Nature abhors a vacuum.

4. IPM means identifying the problem and understanding it. What are the pest’s strengths and weaknesses? Exploit the weaknesses and avoid its strengths. IPM requires monitoring—what is working and why? What is not working and why?

5. IPM is a holistic approach. Seeing your yard (garden, turf and perennial beds) as an entire system that can complement the defenses of one another. IPM is not monoculture! This is the whole companion planting concept, but on a larger scale. For example, providing habitat to attract and maintain pollinators for poorly performing orchards. Also, controlling run-off damage through rain gardens that also provide habitat for birds and beneficial insects to control pests. IPM is also looking at a plant’s needs and seeking other plants to satisfy those needs (clover in turf grass).

6. IPM does include synthetic pesticide control as a last fallback alternative. As described above, the synthetic control should be selected to target the pest's weaknesses when the pest is most susceptible. This is not prevention, it is remedial.

Over time, IPM will mean fewer inputs ($ and labor) on your part. When you have good soil and the right plants in place, you have created a system that works naturally.

I have a great example of IPM going on right now. My neighbor (traditional lawn care enthusiast) has a pretty extensive grub issue. No surprise given the overfeeding by the turf maintenance crew last year. Their lawn abuts mien and some of the damage encroaches a foot or two into my lawn. I have been monitoring it and this past weekend when I was overspreading my compost I checked it out. I've put milky spore down a few times in the past 5 years and have very few grubs in my lawn as a result. Milky spore is not like the Berlin wall. Grubs must eat the bacteria and then they die. I know this means they will eat the grass before they die. I'm OK with that. The grubs I dug up were milky white and so I'm going to keep and eye on it and repair it.

Cheers,

Mark

WormMainea Blog is now free of advertisements

2011-04-15T03:44:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed that the blog is now free of advertisements.

For the past year, I have had a donations button and note on my website. I am surprised and delighted by the donations I have received to keep WormMainea.com free of ads. Your generous donations have enabled me to make my blog ad free also.

I will soon have a redesigned WormMainea.com site. Your generous donations have made all this possible.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Cheers,

Mark

More on fungus gnats

2011-02-05T06:06:00.000-05:00

Fungus gnats can be a problem in worm bins-- especially if you have seedlings growing nearby and the seed soil has fungus gnats.

I picked up this tip on controlling fungus gnats from Susan Littlefield's newsletter courtesy of the National Gardening Association (http://www.garden.org/regional/report/arch/reminders/3683)

"Foil Fungus Gnats
If fungus gnats are troubling you and your houseplants, allow the top couple of inches of potting soil to dry out between waterings. Fungus gnat larvae need moisture to survive; keeping the growing mix drier will decrease survival and make the mix less attractive to egg-laying females. Covering the surface of the growing mix with sand will make it less enticing to females as a place to lay eggs. You can also apply beneficial nematodes (Steinernematids or Neoaplectanids) to control larvae in the soil."

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Mark

Evaluation of the DryerNet

2011-01-31T10:05:00.000-05:00

In looking for energy efficiency products, sometimes I come across things that just make sense.

In our home in January we are spending money to head and humidify the air. We are also doing laundry, which involves drying clothes. Typically the dryer dumps warm wet air outdoors. Jim Atkinson (http://dryernet.com/) has produced a product that permits you to keep this warm, humid air in your home. This seems perfect for the winter months here in Maine.

The dryer net is essentially a fabric bag that covers your dryer tube. The cover secures with an elastic band. This catches lint and permits you to vent your dryer indoors (see cautions and caveats below). You do have to keep the trap clean (we clean ours every 2-3 loads).

Dryer net in action in my basement.

Also, you have to disconnect your dryer vent tubing from your outdoor vent. I found it simpler to just buy another dryer vent tube and cover the already installed one to outdoors. The new tube was cut to exit the front of the dryer. Having 2 tubes will simplify things during the season change. As your can see in the photo, I found it better to use a box fan to move this air around (our dryer is located in the corner of the basement and want this warn, humid air up on the main floor).

We find that this heats up the basement and brings some warm air up to the main floor also. Because it is so dry at this time of year, we only get moisture on our basement windows.If we run the fan (which we always do now) that is gone within an hour of completing the dryer cycle.

Some limitations and warnings regarding using the Dryernet:

Only use the Dryernet on electric dryers.

Do not use the Dryernet in a confined space.

You can contact Jim at dryernet@gmail.com

Cheers,

Mark

Virtual Tour of the WormMainea Worm Farm

2010-12-23T06:29:00.004-05:00

I have received several requests to tour my worm farm. I think people are imagining something like you might see on Dirty Jobs (http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/dirty-jobs-worm-rancher.html) where a commercial vermicomposting operation is growing worms in a greenhouse or similar scale operation.

I run WormMainea as a hobby and not as a business, so my scale is much smaller. It really is just a bunch of worm bins in my basement. There is not much to see. Here are some photos of the stacks of bins (does this make it a worm bin farm?). I currently have 15 active bins (this is typically a slow period so I don't need to have a lot of bins going). 14 big bins (2 full for harvesting; 6 that are a week to a month from harvest ready; and 6 that are in active growth) and 1 demo bin (ready to split for shows this spring).

Six bins near the furnace. These are the ones that are almost ready to harvest.

Nine bins shown here (8 18 gallon and my demo bin). These are my ready for harvest bins, demo bin, and active growth bins.

Sorry if you were disappointed, but growing worms is really easy. You don't need anything elaborate. Scaling up is really a matter of more bins and a system to ensure that all the bins get sufficient food and are harvested at the right time (either for castings or worms). After Christmas holiday, I will bring more bins downstairs and split any ready to harvest bins that I don't sell to get ready for the spring rush and demonstrations.

The most exciting part of the whole operation is feeding them (and of course harvesting!). I give my worms a combination of food from our kitchen as well as food waste collected from the deli at Lois' Natural Marketplace (tip of the hat to Chris, the chef at Lois' for bagging the food for me).

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Mark

Vermicomposting Christmas Gifts

2010-12-11T08:25:00.000-05:00

A story that I heard a while back told of a worm bin and pound of worms as the hot item at a Yankee swap Christmas party. I love hearing things like this. I offer gift certificates on my website (see http://www.wormmainea.com/Gifts.html)

I believe that a worm bin and pound of worms make a great gift at any time of year.
Worm bins need not be expensive or complicated. I think a simple bin is really a lot easier to use (and certainly easier to build!).

In my mind, the perfect gift would be a book on vermicomposting (like Mary Appelhof's book Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up and Maintain a Worm Composting System), a pound of worms and a new bin (or a WormMainea gift certificate for these).

If you are already vermicomposting, you can provide the worms and make the bin. If you're an experienced vermicomposter, you can provide a vermi-consultation and skip the book. The more people we have vermicomposting the better.

If you are looking for other gift ideas, I recently created Amazon lists of my recommended vermicomposting supplies, as well as favorite garden tools and books.

You can view these at:

WormMainea vermicomposting tools and supplies.

WormMainea gardening tools.

WormMainea gardening book recommendations.

Cheers,

Mark

Making Kombucha

2010-12-04T10:42:00.000-05:00

First what is kombucha?

Kombucha is fermented tea. Wikipedia has a great summary of history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha

We started drinking commercially produced kombucha a few years ago and really enjoy it. Earlier this year, commercial kombucha became unavailable and I researched making it at home. We found a SCOBY through a local permaculture group, so we started making it at home. I think the fresh kombucha is better than what we got from the store (and MUCH less expensive!).

I don't know about all the health claims, but we have found kombucha settles upset stomachs. In general, we just like it!

How can you make it?

The key to making kombucha is finding a starter culture or SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast). Look on CRAISGLIST or check local natural or health food store postings for people who will share their SCOBY.

Kombucha instructions can be complicated and confusing, so I am sharing simple instructions for brewing, harvesting, and enjoying your own great-tasting kombucha.

What do you need?

2 quarts (plus 1 cup) of water - if your water is not good, use bottled distilled or bottled spring water

A stainless steel pot that will hold that much water allowing top space for water to come to a rolling boil.

2/3 cup of granulated white sugar

Paper towel or clean cloth and rubber band to cover the brew vessel.

A 4-quart brew vessel. We use the jar pictured below. Here's what we use.

Brew vessel with SCOBY and some tea to start next batch

1. First clean your workspace as if you are going to cook a meal. Pour the 2 quarts of water into the freshly washed stainless steel pot. Add one extra cup of water to allow for evaporation. Add 5 tea bags. I always use black tea.

2. Boil the water for 5 minutes.

Everything ready to go. Water is in pot, sugar and tea bags are at hand.

Water is ready to boil.

Add tea bags while water is heating

3. Remove tea bags.

4. Add the 2/3 cup of white granulated sugar and stir to dissolve.

Boil water with tea bags. Remove tea bags and add 2/3 c sugar. Let cool.

5. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (test by checking the pot temp on the inside of your wrist). Warm is OK. Hot is NOT.

6. When cool - pour into brew vessel with the SCOBY and some starter tea (a few cups). Don't worry is SCOBY floats or sinks (it doesn't matter). Don't fill to top-- leave a few inches of head space.

7. Cover the bowl or jar with a paper towel or clean cloth. Secure the cover with the rubber band.

8. Place the fermenting vessel out of direct sunlight. Kombucha brews faster in warm areas.

9. Keep the cover in place during the fermentation process. Also, try not to jostle the brew vessel. Just leave it alone and wait 1 week. You'll see a new SCOBY being formed on top of the kombucha.

10. Taste your tea. If it is too sweet, let it brew another day and taste again. Otherwise, you can harvest...

11. Harvesting! When the taste is right for you (very subjective, since some like their kombucha sweet), it is time to harvest. I keep our kombucha in a milk jar in the fridge with a vented lid. Do not keep at room temp or in a container with a tight-fitting lid, because your tea is alive and can explode if not carefully monitored! Short periods are OK (in fact this is how you get fizzy kombucha, ala GT Dave). I like mine just a little fizzy as it comes out of the brew vessel. Harvest 2 quarts of kombucha. You always want to leave some in the brew vessel.

Harvested kombucha ready to drink for the week. Keep in fridge.

12. Remove some of the SCOBY. You will have 2 after a brew cycle. You can't hurt your SCOBY by handling. You can use tongs or your hands. If you are going to use bare hands, be sure to scrub thoroughly. The 2 SCOBYs may be 'stuck' together. Pull apart gently.

This is the SCOBY. I'm removing this to the fridge as backup.

13. Place one SCOBY in your fridge in clean container with some kombucha. This is your backup SCOBy in case something goes wrong. After a few cycles, you will have spares you can give to friends or CRAIGSLIST.

14. Repeat brew cycle.

Cheers,

Mark

Return Audit Results

2010-11-19T18:16:00.002-05:00

After completing the work for the 2010 Home Energy Savings Program, we had our house audited again.

See related blog (http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/08/home-efficiency-2010-continued-flir.html) for initial FLIR photos and discussion. Since the original audit we undertook a number of retrofits as discussed in related blogs

http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/08/home-efficiency-2010-continued.html, http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/09/air-sealing-top-and-bottom-of-house.html, http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/10/water-heater-wrap-up.html,
http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/11/air-sealing-electrical-outlets-on.html, and http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/11/work-in-attic-air-sealing-and.html

The following show side-by-side photos before and after for same or similar areas of our home. Note that the temperature difference between inside and outside is greater now than when the audit was conducted back in August (44° vs. 65°) as compared to (82° vs. 95°). A greater difference inside vs. outside would mean that any air movement would show up more easily in the FLIR camera.

Before photo of the porch

After photo of the porch.

We didn't make any changes to the porch, so the photos are essentially the same.

Before photo of the attic hatch.

After photo of the attic hatch.

The attic hatch shows a dramatic reduction in airflow. In the recent photo you can see the bolts and wing nuts, but you don't see any air leaking.

Bert's office before.

Bert's office after

I think this photo is pretty impressive also. In the earlier photo, you can see air moving between the ceiling joists. In the current photo you don't.

Basement sill before

Basement sill after

Here again, the movement of air was reduced. The difference in air flow for some of the areas is quite dramatic, but my overall airflow wasn't reduced by a whole lot as measured by the blower door. I was hoping for a really big reduction. I don't recall the exact number right now. Erik said this was to be expected to some extent. Our house was already pretty tight and it would take some more invasive work to drop it much lower. Nevertheless, we did control some important trouble areas-- like Bert's office and the work we did meets the minimum requirement for the rebate-- 25%*. That puts my ROI at between 6-7 years at current oil and electricity prices.

* Erik said: "The final value for my home was 1585 CFM and the final savings [as calculated by the software] was 36%. I've mentioned a few times that EM's software is pretty generous but I'd be comfortable saying real world savings around 25% [that's the number I'm using]. Another question that may arise is whether the house is 'too tight' and that it 'needs to breathe'. The BTL (Building Tightness Limit; the engineered standard for necessary air flow) for your house was 1343 CFM50. That's the point at which you need to begin adding mechanical ventilation to make up for natural air flow. You can compensate with intermittent ventilation to 70% of BTL (940) after which dedicated continual ventilation is needed. So your house is well over the various air thresholds."

I can't wait to save money and be more comfortable this winter.

Cheers,

Mark

Work in the attic: air sealing and insulating the soffits & adding more insulation

2010-11-07T11:19:00.000-05:00

This is a job that I did not do myself. I had the work done by an expert to be sure it was done correctly with minimal damage to the exterior.

All work by Randy Vanier (Vanier Construction, Inc. 207-671-7454).

First, the problem: air infiltration into the house through the soffit and escaping from the proper vent (pink vent in the photos below) into the ceiling of the main floor. As shown in the photo below, Randy discovered that we had no insulation in the eaves either. Lots of work is needed to remedy this.

Surprise! No insulation. No wonder it is so cold in here.

To ensure proper air flow, Randy placed a proper vent in the space above that extended from the soffit area to above the insulation in the attic. As shown in the series of photos below, he then cut pieces of XPS foam insulation and used spray foam to hold everything in place and force any air to move through the vent into the attic space (rather than around it).

Test fitting the proper vent and rigid foam insulation.

Here is how the test fit looks from inside (before proper vent)

First step with spray foam behind foam board insulation and all cracks.

Everything spray foamed tight and sealed so air can only go into the attic space via the proper vent

A side view of the work, note this will be covered by the soffit so it is all hidden

Here's how it looks when finished

So that completes the air sealing the soffits. Next Randy added insulation in the eaves.

Randy was finished at this point, so I added some foam board insulation on top of the batts to make an insulated space that should make the bedrooms warmer and less drafty.

Eave area with the foam board insulation and spray foam.

When budget permits, I may go back and insulate the floor with foam board insulation also. For now, I am calling it quits.

The final step was to add an additional 15" of blown in loose fill insulation to the attic area.

Attic showing additional blown-in loose fill.

I am looking forward to having Erik North back next week to evaluate our home and get the rebate into the State.

More than that, I anticipate we will be much more comfortable this winter while using less oil to heat our home.

Cheers,

Mark

Air Sealing Electrical Outlets on Exterior Walls

2010-11-06T05:41:00.001-04:00

Have you ever noticed a cold draft when plugging or unplugging something on a bitter cold morning? I have at my house. This is a sure sign that you need you need to air seal and insulate!

Standard 2x6 construction means an electrical box leaves little room for insulation in exterior walls. As soon as you have a hole in the wall, you have a path for air to move, and you are making a hole in the wall for electrical service.

This is a reasonable job that doesn’t require a lot of money, but it does take some time to do correctly. Each outlet only takes 2-3 minutes, but moving furniture to access all of them adds a lot of time to the job and if done right, you can't see the change.

What you’ll need:

Screwdriver,
Caulk,
Outlet foam insulation,
Damp cloth.

The process is simple, remove faceplate and fit the gasket to the back of the faceplate (trim as needed).Then make a thin line of caulk on the back of the gasket. Place back on wall and press down to get a tight fit. screw down the faceplate and wipe away any excess caulk.

I found this image online:

I am not using the child-proof covers or plug gaskets, but the wall gasket and caulk seem to stop drafts.

Cheers,

Mark

Water heater wrap up

2010-10-24T13:01:00.000-04:00

Here is the GeoSpring heat pump water heater installed and ready to go.

I am looking forward to a future blog on how it is working. I will wait until I have some usage data first.

Cheers,

Mark

Cat waste and worms

2010-10-18T20:55:00.001-04:00

At the Common Ground Fair this year a number a people asked me about cat waste and vermicomposting.

An obvious concern with pet waste is pathogens and the potential for human contact (see related post: http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/05/making-doggie-dumpster-pet-waste.html). This was a pretty common thread of the discussions. The cautions in that blog all apply to cat waste. And for pregnant women perhaps even more so.

Another visitor had tried this and found that non-clay litter works best. I think newspaper-based litter was preferred. Others mentioned coconut- or pine-based litter. I also found wheat-based litter, but none of my discussions touched on that. I suspect any of these would be suitable for a vermicomposting system.

Another friend wrote in with this article (http://www.amnh.org/nationalcenter/youngnaturalistawards/2005/Eric.htmlA) about a direct vermicomposting system.

All very interesting. I am very allergic to cats, so I must rely on others. Nevertheless, the discussions are interesting and provide an alternative to sending the organic waste to the landfill.

Cheers,

Mark

How well does organic lawn care work?

2010-09-17T06:04:00.002-04:00

In an earlier blog (http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/04/natural-lawn-care-preparing-and-timing.html), I described organic lawn care practices. I think it is time to revisit the lawn to see how successful organic methods are.

This was a hard Summer with lots of heat and not much rain. I watered during the drought when we didn't get rain for more than 7 days. All watering was before 8AM and no more than 1 inch of water. My lawn and underlying soil were fed with worm tea at least once monthly during the summer. I use about 7 gallons on my lawn. I did not mow during the drought (only hawkweed grew and I could pull those by hand) and raised mowing height on my Fiskars push mower during summer months to 4". The next photo shows my front lawn (approximately same angle as previous photos from April).

Same angle of yard as previous photos-- taken September 9.

Even more interesting are other areas of my lawn. Especially those abutting my neighbor who uses traditional methods-- cutting with a riding mower weekly whether it needs it or not (often mowing lower than I am), random (or so it appears) watering, professional (?) fertilization/weed control by lawn service. I will let the photos below speak for themselves.

My lawn on right, traditional on left (property line is between stake and rhododendron)

Opposite angle my lawn on left, traditional on right (property line between stake and rhododendron)

The undeniable fact is that by paying attention to the biology of your lawn plants your lawn will require less work and money and be more resilient to stress-- whether drought, weed competition, or pests.

Cheers,

Mark

Air Sealing-- top and bottom of the house.

2010-09-15T22:05:00.005-04:00

When I started this home efficiency retrofit, I thought I would have trouble hitting the 25% improvement minimum. Now with the heat pump water heater (see photo prior to plumbing hookup), the Real Home Analyzer software is projecting we’ll be at 34%. WOW!

Our new heat pump water heater!

Let’s look at the air sealing component in greater detail. The majority can be done by you. In fact everything you see here I did to remedy the air flow problems in my home (for details see http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/08/home-efficiency-2010-continued-flir.html).

Air Sealing the Attic Access Hatch

All you have to do is add insulation to the top of the access hatch and make a secure seal (gasket) around the lid. In this case, I added 4” of rigid foam insulation to the top (glued to the plywood) and glued the fiberglass pad on top of that. To the surround, I added some self stick gasket. Also, I added some blots and wing nuts to make the attic hatch compress the gasket to make a secure seal. This looks the same from inside my closet (not that it matters much)-- all you can see is the ends of the bolts and wing nuts. See photo of finished product.

Nice and tight-- no more dancing attic hatch on windy days.

Air Sealing the Sill Plate

This is a bit trickier, but only because my basement is semi-finished. Often the photos and instructions you see online are homes where there is no impediment to air sealing. In my house I had to remove the floor insulation and cover.

Floor insulation and cover hanging to access the sill plate area.

With that out of the way, you can see the sill area-- the sill itself is behind that batt of the fiberglass insulation-- remember the fiberglass is not inhibiting air flow, it is only filtering it. Fiberglass insulation is only effective if you have controlled air flow. In my house, I had to work around plumbing & heating pipes, electrical, phone & cable lines-- all of which were typically located in this area. Not a big deal, but it made the job a bit trickier.

Sill area exposed-- note all the utility service lines.

Now you remove all those batts of insulation-- I dropped mine on the floor while I worked.


Insulation batt that will be replaced after air sealing.

Now we can see the sill plate. It is a little tricky in this photo, but he bottom of this piece of wood is resting on the top of the cement basement wall. The size of these areas (in general-- some are smaller!) is approximately (and a little larger than) 9" x 14.5".

Sill plate area exposed.

So I cut a bunch of pieces of 1/2" rigid foam board insulation to that size. These fit the holes (mostly) and left a little space for spray foam. The finished job is shown in the next photo. To control airflow I tried to really have the cement area covered with the blue insulation and spray foam.

Air sealing is complete-- HOORAY!

After the spray foam hardens, go back and add the batt of insulation and replace the floor insulation and covering. Now the job is completely finished.

Air Sealing the Chimney Chase (in the basement)

This was easy and really necessary-- we had a noticeable draft here that you could feel with your hand. Because the chase is in a flammable zone, you have to use fireproof caulk and spray foam. It is twice as expensive as regular, but it is easy to work with and you don't need a lot. All you need to do is seal the spaces around the aluminum pieces.

Air sealed chimney chase in basement.

Close up of sealed chimney chase in basement.

At some point (when the sun is not so strong), I will go up to the attic to seal the top side of the chimney chase the same way.

While you have the basement ceiling pulled open, check that your utility holes are sealed. The oil service holes were not sealed well, so I gently removed the old caulk and sealed them up with spray foam.

Air sealing the oil access holes.

Next weekend I will tackle air sealing the electrical outlets on the first and second floors.

Cheers,

Mark

Home Efficiency 2010 Continued-- decisions, decisions...

2010-08-28T08:41:00.000-04:00

I have had our home energy audit report in hand for more than a week wondering how to proceed.

We are going ahead with many of the recommendations, which included the following:
            Air sealing and insulating the attic hatch.
            Completing basement wall (XPS foam board) insulation.
            Adding insulation to the bulkhead door.
            Air seal the chimney surround with fireproof sprayfoam and fireproof caulk.
            Air sealing our home's envelope (doorways, windows, electrical outlets, and access holes to outside [oil service, dryer vent, bathroom fan, radon abatement system, cable and electrical service]).
            Upgrading the bathroom fan and adding a vent controller.
            Air sealing at house sill (along ceiling in basement).
            Stopping air flow around proper vent at soffit.
            Adding an additional 15" of blown-in attic insulation.

Will these achieve the to a 25% improvement in efficiency? (Recall that the Efficiency Maine incentive program requires us to reach 25% to trigger the rebates. Anything I do will make the house both more comfortable and efficient.) Can/should I do more? There were other air sealing recommendations included in the report; however, these retrofits may lead to more expensive upgrades. Our home energy audit report shows that with 25% less air movement from inside to outside, my home will be right on the line for building tightness limit where additional air sealing. So, to meet 25% greater efficiency may require an air-to-air heat exchanger to meet indoor air quality requirements.

This has had me in a quandary for a while as I try to get more information and decide what to do.After checking with a lot of people, the best way for me to get to a 25% improvement in efficiency without having to install an expensive air-to-air heat exchanger was by adding an air-source heat pump water heater -- GE Geospring (http://www.lowes.com/pd_79425-83-GEH50DNSRSA_4294859091_4294937087?productId=3127075&pl=1&currentURL=/pl_Electric%2BWater%2BHeaters_4294859091_4294937087_?rpp=30) to heat our domestic hot water. ** I am still waiting to speak to the plumber regarding using it as a supplement to our home heating also (we have hydronic baseboard and radiant floor heat). I don't know if this makes sense, but I plan to find out this week!

These air-source heat pump (or hybrid) water heaters are very efficient and have added benefits of cooling and dehydrating the air. I plan to have this unit installed in the basement where we run a dehumidifier spring, summer, and early fall to keep the basement dry. This means that the electricity for the new water heater unit will be replacing an appliance we are already paying to use for half the year.

Even if we only use this for domestic hot water, we will be able to turn off our oil boiler when we are not heating our home-- more than a third of the year (May to Sept). Yes, this is when we use the least oil, but we won’t be using oil to heat water in the middle of the night in July for a shower that won’t be taken until the next day. I suspect this will make the Intellicon (http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2009/06/big-savings-from-small-investment-can.html) function even better during the heating season because the periodic draws on the hot water (e.g. for hand washing) will not occur. I will let you know if this is what I find.

Cheers,

Mark

Home Efficiency 2010 Continued-- the FLIR results

2010-08-12T18:29:00.001-04:00

These photos from Erik (www.freeenergymaine.com) show air leakage in our home in several area. These were generated by using a blower door to create a vacuum in our home. Erik's FLIR camera showed where warmer outside air was getting in. The bottom scale in the images is degrees F.

Air coming in around the tongue and groove ceiling in the porch addition. Not bad.

Air flowing (perrty freely!) around and through the attic hatch. This is really bad and needs to be addressed.

Warm air moving the the ceiling above Bert's office where the outside air was getting pulled in through the soffit escaping the proper vent (see http://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/blocked-proper-vents-causing-ice-dams/) and moving under the insulation above her head (in the winter this would be cold air blowing in and making her cold!).

Here the sill plate is not sealed and is allowing air to come in from outside. When I felt this area it was like a breeze blowing on my hand.

I am waiting for Erik's report to determine the next steps and develop a plan to submit to Efficiency Maine for the rebate.

Cheers,

Mark

Efficiency Maine Home Energy Savings Program-- EXTENDED!

2010-07-24T06:22:00.002-04:00

Efficiency Maine (http://www.efficiencymaine.com/at-home/hesp_program) has been offering an additional incentive ($1000) to get homeowners to improve the efficiency of their homes (air sealing, insulation, and space or water heating improvements).

What is it? If you follow the program and make improvements to achieve either

1) at least 25% increase in efficiency (annual thermal energy savings) you receive 30% of the total project cost up to $1500*.

2) more than 50% increase in efficiency (annual thermal energy savings) you receive 50% of the total project cost up to $3,000*.

*Both of these are increased by $1000 if you sign up by 8/31/10, then complete the energy audit and the Incentive Application Form (http://www.efficiencymaine.com/docs/hespincentiveapplicationform.pdf) must be received by September 30, 2010, and complete all work and the Completion Form (http://www.efficiencymaine.com/docs/hespprojectcompletionform.pdf) submitted by December 31, 2010.

Step 1. You get your house audited ($400-$500). This typically entails inspection of insulation, air leakage (blower door test), mechanical heating/cooling systems evaluation. Sometimes auditors also use infrared imaging to evaluate your home. The auditor will produce a report to guide you in determining the cost/benefit of energy improvements you may wish to make by calculating projected savings and payback information. Note this step must be completed by a Participating Energy Advisor (listed on the Efficiency Maine website).

Step 2. Work with a contractor of your choice to do the work. Remember that you want to get to at least 25% improvement to meet the minimum rebate criteria.

Step 3. Auditor returns and inspects the work and completes the form documenting the improved efficiency in your home.

Bottom line: if you make improvements to your home that result in a 25% increase in the efficiency of your home you can get up to $2500 back from efficiency Maine.

I have done a lot of weatherizing and made improvements to minimize waste. I was skeptical that I could make improvements for less than $5000 that would result in 25% improvement in efficiency. So, I contacted Mary at Warm Tech (207-883-9722) for a Home Energy Analysis. This is not a home inspection, but a visit that includes a walk through of your home to give you an idea of what the audit will likely find. I had a coupon from the Sunrise Guide (http://www.thesunriseguide.com/) for a free Home Energy Analysis. Mary and Roland spent nearly an hour with us and pointed out a lot I could do. They are GREAT!

As a result of their visit, I contacted Erik North (Free Energy Maine, LLC; 207-329-7219;
www.freeenergymaine.com) to schedule an audit. Not surprisingly, he is quite busy doing audits. I scheduled our audit for August 6.

I will post another blog about our audit and the results.

Cheers,

Mark

Mt. Washington Hike

2010-06-26T10:32:00.000-04:00

June 25, 2010. Forecast for nice weather, so I hiked Mt. Washington. I wore my heart rate monitor to see my effort.

Left home at 7:30AM.

9:45 AM started hike from Pinkham Notch (elevation 2022feet, 0 feet climbed, 4266 to go). Saw a young moose on Route 16 running up the road.

Chose Tuckerman Ravine Trail to Lion's Head Trail as my route.

Took brief breaks every 30 minutes. With longer snack breaks on the hour for a cliff bar.

45 min to big bridge over Cutler River.

View from near Raymond Path break.

1 Hour to Raymond Path junction and a snack. My HR to this point right around 165BPM (93% max) with average at 157 (88% max). Felt OK, but certainly feeling it. Needed the snack.

Here's how I looked at Raymond break point. Elevation approx 3700ft (so approx 1700 feet climbed) . It is like a long staircase that doesn't end...

Took a break at base of Lion's Head 1H15min. I've been here before and know that what comes will be a challenge.

Base of Loin's Head

Views as I climbed Loin's Head were spectacular. 30 minutes to ascend from Lion's Head trailhead to the alpine zone and 10 minutes later, I was at the rest point.

View of Boott Spur and split rock (far L).

Nice view of Wildcat Mtn.

Stairs at first turn on Lion's Head. Approx 4000 feet (2000 feet climbed)

Looking East from base of stairs toward Wildcat.

Up the stairs. Ascending Lion's Head is just up, up, up.

More up.

Now I'm about as high as Wildcat Mtn.

And 5 minutes later, higher than Wild Cat.

Panoramic views East and paning South to West from rest point on Lion's Head (approx elevation 4700 feet, 2700 feet climbed; 1600 feet to go)

I was pretty tired at the rest point and looked a mess. Now that the shade is gone, I changed my shirt to a long sleeve sun shirt. Heart rate through the Lion's Head ascent above zone 3 (95-99% of maxHR). In the photo with me, that's Loin's Head directly behind me and Mt' Washington summit in the distance over my left shoulder. Still quite far away.

Large crowd today once I hit the Alpine Garden. Tuckerman's Trail was supposedly closed, but people were climbing both up and down.

Someone with my courage than me checking out the cliff on the North side of Tuckerman Ravine.

Snow on the Tuckerman Ravine headwall.

Took another break at the bottom of the summit cone and ate my second cliff bar.

Made it to the top at 3H8min. Average HR 153BPM (86%max)

There were a lot of people at the summit. Most were in doors because of the cold wind. It was mid 40s with a stiff wind.

Spent about 45 minutes at the summit to eat (2 chili dogs) and refill my Camelback.

From summit cone looking south along Davis Path. That is the Lake of the Clouds and the AMC hut in the center.

View of Tuckerman Ravine Headwall with snow.

More of Tuckerman Ravine Headwall with snow and waterfalls.

I was back at Pinkham Notch base with a roundtrip time of 6H28min.

I left for home at 4:30 and was home by 6:30 (plenty of daylight to dip in the Atlantic!). Felt great to dunk in the refreshing 60F water.

HR data:

Duration: 6H28min

Average HR 142BPM

Below Zone 1: 7min

Zone 1: 98min

Zone 2: 134min

Zone 3: 124min

Above Zone 3: 25min (most of this on Lion's Head)

Cheers,

Mark

Making a Doggie Dumpster-- pet waste composting solution

2010-05-15T06:37:00.000-04:00

First: what the heck is a Doggie Dumpster? This is a neat place to deposit and compost pet waste using worms in your yard. The picture below shows the finished product installed in my yard.

As I have written before ( http://www.wormmainea.com/Projects.html and http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2009/04/retreating-snow-uncovers-presents-from.html), this is a great way to deal with pet waste you pick up in your yard. Far better than putting it in the trash in a sealed plastic bag, because you are composting the waste and using it to fertilize your yard (OK for lawns and perennial plants/trees; NOT OK for garden food areas).

Supplies:

All you need to get started is a roll-top can, 1/2 # of worms, and some leaves, peat, straw, or hay for bedding.

There is not magic to a roll-top trash can, but I think these look OK in the yard and you can open the top with your foot or shovel to make deposits. in my experience, the roll top also keeps critters out of the Doggie Dumpster contents.

I purchased the roll top can for $15 at K-Mart in Waterville. I'm using leaves and I have worms, so those are free.

Construction:

Cut the bottom off of your trash can. I cut the bottom 3/4 inch, leaving me about 16" of can liner. That is a reasonable hole (both from the ability to dig and reasonable volume). My hack saw did the job quickly and neatly. That's really all you need to do.

Selecting a location and installation:
First you want to be sure this is in a place you can be sure that children will not get into it and that this is not in an area that is close to ground water or liable to flooding.

I chose an area in the backyard where the grass could use some help that is out of the way. I used the bottom I had cut off to estimate the diameter of the hole.

After that, it is dig, dig, dig until you can fit the bottom of the can in the hole with the top exposed.

Now you add a thin layer of bedding (leaves, peat, straw or hay) to the bottom and gently put some worms in and cover with another thin layer of bedding. You don't want to add too much bedding, because you want to have space for your additions. I started this one with 1/2 # of worms, you can use more or fewer, but this works for my anticipated input volume. I added about 1 quart of dry bedding (total for top and bottom).

Finally, I back-filled around the hole to fill-in any gaps around the sides of the can. Here is how it looks with the top on.

Use and maintenance:

To make a deposit, add the waste and cover with bedding (leaves, peat, straw or hay). Again, don't add too much bedding, just enough to cover the feces.

Don't bag the poo you put in-- even in a biodegradable bag! The time it takes for the bag to break down would mean that the hole is filling faster than the worms can access the waste.I think this would work best with policing up poo in your yard (where you can use a shovel) or if you already own a pooper scooper (or, or, or, or) then you could pick up as you walk your pet and deposit when you get home.

You should not have to add any water to this because it is below ground level.

I would suggest you add more worms if your getting any bad smells, and perhaps add more bedding.

What do I do when the Doggie Dumpster is full?

You will have to repeat the hole digging process when the pit is nearly full. Simply remove the bottomless can liner (wash your hands thoroughly after touching this!). Overall, the process is easy-- your sod circle from your new hold goes on top of the old hole and you water it in. You don't have to buy a new can, and you can use worms out of your worm bin.

Considerations/Limitations:

I would consider these a great addition to a dog park or trail head; however, if users deposit poo in plastic bags it won't work. It could work with some training or information, but I am reluctant to install one at the Eastern Trail Head because of non-compliance and the potential for failure..

Cheers,

Mark

Building a raised bed

2010-05-08T06:12:00.003-04:00

Building a new raised bed is not difficult, but you will want to plan it out before starting. I am putting in a new asparagus bed to correct my too wet old bed. This blog will review my plans installation. I welcome any comments or suggestions.

Materials

Lumber: I plan to have this raised bed for a while, so I am building it out of hemlock. Hemlock is naturally rot resistant, so I don’t have to worry about ground contact. Hemlock is strong and inexpensive, too. On the other hand, hemlock can warp and will expand and shrink with the seasons. That is not a problem for me. I will reinforce the sides (with some leftover flooring lumber), but a little warping will just give the raised bed character. I purchased 2” x 10” x 4’ dressed hemlock from Maschino Lumber in New Gloucester. You could use rough hemlock to get a more natural appearance, but I prefer fewer splinters. Their price was $4 per board. I used 8 for this so the lumber cost me $32.

Soil: I am filling this bed with a combination of finished hot compost, vermicompost, leaf mold, and peat. It is mostly hot compost with a little vermicompost/leaf mold/peat to increase the organic matter content. I made a lasagna style raised bed with these other additions. Because this will eventually become strictly an asparagus bed, I am being very careful about weds (vermicomposting is not hot composted, so I will battle volunteers if I add a lot of it too close to the surface. I will water the plants with vermicompost tea later, so I don’t need to go overboard with the vermicompost now. Compost and leaf mold are free. I used very little peat, but a new bag is $4.

Other: I used 3” deck screws to hold everything together. Because hemlock warps and shrinks, I chose screws over nails. I already had the screws, but if you were buying them new a medium box costs around $6. I also used hardware cloth (secured with staples). I am using hardware cloth to stop any mice, moles, voles, etc. from tunneling into my raised bed. I’ve suffered from their raids in the past and an ounce of prevention... More on this later.

Design

If you’re going to garden in your raised bed, don’t make it too large. The idea is that you don’t want to walk on the raised bed, so you have to be able to reach the entire area. For me, that mandates a design that is not more than 2 feet from any side. Here a 4’x4’ square that I can walk around is perfect.

I’ve had problems with underground raiders in the past, so I am adding a bit of insurance to deter them to this bed— hardware cloth is stapled to the inside bottom of the frame. ACE sells 1/4" hardware cloth 24” for around $2/foot. I need 16 feet, so $32.

Site Preparation

I removed sod from an area a little larger than my 4’x4’. Then I excavated soil to a depth of approx 16-18”. I want good soil down 2’ deeper than the soil surface, so I have to excavate to this depth. It is hard work, but it will be worth the effort later. Add the excavated soil to your hot compost pile (you can see one of my hot compost material storage piles in the background). I used ground stakes to help me dig straight lines.

Build

When the site is ready, assemble your raised bed. Eight pieces of 2”x10”x4’ lumber is heavy, so I suggest you do this close to where you will be installing. I end screwed the boards (twice each) and braced the centers with a piece of scrap flooring lumber (on the inside so this will be hidden by the soil). When built, place over your hole. As you can see, because the hole is larger, I have to span the corners to position the raised bed frame. I have lots of scrap flooring, and this works perfectly.

Next you staple the hardware cloth to the frame allowing about 10-12” below the bottom. This can be tricky because it is not too flexible and hardware is VERY sharp. Wear leather gloves and a long sleeve shirt.

Filling

Now comes the fun part: adding in your good soil. As mentioned, I am making lasagna layers with leaf mold and peat (over sprinkled with vermicompost). My top layer is finished hot compost. Water down the whole thing when you are finished, and poke with hay fork to remove any air pockets.

Back fill the outside edges to secure the frame, and remove the flooring. Tamp down the soil around the edges and you are finished.

I planted with asparagus and beets. I will add more asparagus next spring. I want to have 2 varieties Mary Washington and Jersey) to give me some diversity for pest resistance. This raised bed cost me a total of $74 and took 3 hours to complete. Although my new asparagus will take several years to establish, I plan to harvest asparagus from this bed for a LONG time. Great recipes for all your home-grown or CSA vegetables can be found here.

Eventually, I will dig out the surround grass and replace with landscape fabric covered with wood chips.

Cheers,

Mark

Vermicomposting for school cafeteria

2010-04-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

For the volume of food typically produced by a school cafeteria food preparation (15-20 pounds per week) you'd need 35-40 pounds of worms. To try to keep costs low, you could start with 30 pounds of worms, which is on the low side and would still cost around $510 (not including shipping), and see how it goes (probably throw some food away in the beginning weeks-- especially citrus & onions).

Because this cost is generally too high, it be better to use a combination of vermicomposting and hot composting. You would start with 2 composts bins: 1 4'x8'x18" bin with worms (20 pounds of worms) and 1 4'x4'x4' hot compost pile without worms. You could feed the worms the correct amount of food per week and put any overflow food in the hot compost pile. Over the summer, only feed the worm bin (feeding 10 pounds of food per week the first two weeks and increasing by 1 pound every week thereafter). When you have filled the hot compost pile (or at the end of the school year) don't add anymore food and just turn the hot pile over the summer. When school starts harvest the hot compost and split the worms into two 4'x8'x18" bins (probably 20-25# each-- they will have doubled after 10-12 weeks). Then your worms will be sufficient to handle the food additions.

You will have to be very careful to BURY the food you add to prevent fruit flies. Even if you are careful, you may want to consider having fruit fly traps (vinegar traps and sticky traps) around just to be proactive about potential problems. It is very easy to have flies on the food in these large collection containers (and in the food) before you add it to the worm bin.

Consider the location of the worm bin carefully. I do not suggest these bins be located in classrooms or near kitchen area. If your worm bin will be outside in Maine then most (if not all) of your worms will die next winter when the bins gets too cold (sustained soil temps at or below 35F). Your bins can be insulated or warmed to keep soil temps above 40F (to keep worms alive) and above 65F (to be able to add food). Alternatively, your bins can be located in a sheltered area (perhaps a trash collection room or area) where soil temps will be maintained above 65F.

Cheers,

Thoughts on Weeds

2010-04-18T09:53:00.000-04:00

What are weeds? A weed is a plant that is growing where you don't want it. I don't know how first coined that, but it works for me.

Most people think of noxious weeds when they here weeds. Noxious weeds would include poison ivy, thistle and other things that can hurt. I would also consider invasive plants, like purple loosestrife, noxious. I include noxious weeds in this discussion. Poison ivy or thistle growing away from where people contact it is no bother.

In general, weeds can be used to tell you something about soil conditions in the area they are growing. For example, plantain in your lawn is an indicator of acidic and compacted soil. Catchweed and chickweed are indicators of healthy soil with high organic matter (e.g., in a vegetable garden, cold frame or greenhouse). This should also tell you that just changing soil conditions to be optimal for what you want to grow will NOT prevent all weeds. Nevertheless, you can use the weeds in your yard as a soil indicator and, in some instances, change the soil to be more favorable to what you want to grow and less favorable to what you do not want to grow. To understand what your weeds are telling you, I suggest a reference book. I use "Weeds of the Northeast" as my source of information. This book has great photos of the lifespan of the plant (helpful for identification) and plenty of information on habitat. I supplement this information with my frequent yard reference: "Rodale's Chemical-Free Yard & Garden: The Ultimate Authority on Successful Organic Gardening".

Ask any organic gardener and you will hear that the key to weed prevention is understanding the weed biology (see above) and controlling weed seeds. Preventing weeds begin with controlling the seeds. If you notice a weed, I suggest that you first remove any flowers or seed heads, then identify what it is and what it is telling you and remove the plant. If it propagates by rhizomes as well as seeds (e.g., red sorrel), be sure to carefully remove those also.

Controlling weed seeds begins in your yard, but also extends beyond your property to upwind areas (wind-borne seeds), animal habitat (viz. seeds transported by birds) and your source of new plants or soil (are you bringing weeds home from the garden center or spreading them with your compost?). Also, realize that seeds can remain dormant in soil for years. Cultivating a new patch of ground can expose seeds that were buried there years ago. All of these other sources of weeds should be kept in mind when you're in your yard.

When you are removing weeds from your yard, remember that some weeds can be eaten. For example spring dandelions make great addition to mixed green salads and you can make wine from the flowers. Eliminating weeds by eating them is good for you (assuming you are not spraying them with something nasty) and feels like justice! There are several excellent references for identifying plants in your area that can be eaten: Stalking the Wild Asparagus and Foraging New England: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Foods and Medicinal Plants from Maine to Connecticut. Many of the plants in these texts include weeds. One word of caution, be sure you KNOW what you are eating (positive identification) and that it was not sprayed with weed killer (I doubt that is an issue if you are reading my blog!).

The goal of organic gardening is not complete domination and the absence of weeds, rather your goal is to stay ahead of the weeds and do what you can to eliminate the noxious weeds and reduce the seed bank of the others. Over time, you will minimize the seed bank of weeds in your yard, optimize conditions for the plants you want to grow, and achieve balance in your yard.

Cheers,

Mark

Your actions and choices can save the world, but what helps most?

2010-04-10T06:21:00.000-04:00

I recently read a book by the Union of Concerned Scientists "The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices ".Written in 1999, the practical advice and suggestions offered in this book make sense more than 10 years later.

Here are my take-away messages from reading this inspiring book.

First some high-impact activities that should be avoided:
1. Limit use of unregulated off-road transportation. Off-road engines (boats, ATV, dirt bikes) are frequently less regulated than cars and trucks,so their per hour emissions are much greater. Look for opportunities to limit use of these and replace old, unregulated engines with cleaner and more efficient choices
2. Reduce use of gasoline-powered lawn equipment. Like off-road engines, gasoline powered tools are often overlooked as sources of air pollution. Use these tools sparingly and choose cleaner options when possible.
3. Replace old wood burning stoves with cleaner/more efficient models. Regular fireplaces and older wood burning stoves are not very efficient and can contribute to air pollution. (The EPA provides more information http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/woodstoves.html and http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/woodstoves.html.)
4. Stop using hazardous chemicals, cleaners, and paint. (Choose less toxic or hazardous products wherever possible. This includes pesticides and herbicides!)
5. Avoid products made from endangered/threatened species. (This is very obvious so to that list I would add non-sustainable products)

The authors also recommend practices that consumers should do to help the environment. These are common sense steps and practices that are worth reviewing:

Transportation. Drive less: combine trips and walk/bike/mass transit/carpool more. When replacing an old car, choose a fuel efficient model (think in terms of gallons per hundred miles, rather than miles per gallon).

Food. Eat lower on the food chain (less meat, more veggies). Buy local or organic whenever possible.

Home and Office. Make your home as efficient as possible (insulate and prevent air leaks; install programmable thermostats; use low-flow shower heads and toilets; maintain your heating system; and consider upgrading heating system or appliances to more efficient model if more than 15 years old). Choose an energy supplier that offers renewable energy.

Give special attention to major purchases. Major purchases (automobile, home, appliances, energy offeror, etc.) are your opportunity to make a larger difference and drive the marketplace to offer more environmentally-responsible choices. You are voting with your dollar whenever you choose to buy products that are better for the environment.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Think about the items on this list and focus on those. Then try to do more (reduce/reuse/repurpose/recycle), but don’t stress if can’t or forget. For example, if you forget to bring a reusable bag when you shop, just reuse/recycle the bag you receive. Don’t beat yourself up about it!

Get involved. What can you do to help spread the word about how you feel and what you have learned? You may want to be a leader in your community, be a grassroots member (contacting elected representatives and other people), or teaching young people or adults formally through after school or continuing education programs or informally to your family, friends, and neighbors. These will also put you in touch with like-minded people from whom you will learn about other things you can do or try.

I know it can be daunting when we read the news and research reports concerning the environmental problems. However, we can all make changes to turn things around. I choose to see this as a series of opportunities to make a difference, rather than an impossible mountain that must be overcome.

Cheers,

Mark

Natural lawn care: preparing and timing top dressing with compost

2010-04-02T05:57:00.006-04:00

I have been pursuing an organic lawn for 10 years. I must admit that until a few years ago, it was not going too well. I would amend my soil based on soil test results, but it was not producing a consistently healthy lawn. Note my objective here is not a golf course-like monoculture of lawn perfection, but a demonstration that organic lawns can be healthy and nice looking with a similar outlay of money as chemical-based lawn care. I have recently, in the past two years of two, been surprised by my results. The change was the result of going to a presentation by Paul Tukey and then reading his book "Organic Lawn Care Manual".

Paul recommends several steps in his book, some obvious and some not. One of the obvious suggestions was to use compost tea to increase the microbial life in the soil. Vermicompost tea is the immediate choice for me. Also, using a grass seed that is low maintenance and hardy in your climate. His recommendations made sense to me, so I decided to try it. After a few years of doing it, I am a believer and I have learned a few things. For your information and comparison, I am including sources and prices in this blog so you can see what I spend on supplies and tools.

One of Paul's not so obvious recommended changes was to top dress the lawn with compost. You overspread the grass with a thin layer of compost-- not so much you smother it! This compost filters down into the turf and eventually reaches the root level. When I stared, my lawn was growing in 2-3 inches of topsoil above sand. There was no way grass would thrive when it could not root deeply.

The other recommendation was to use gypsum instead of lime to increase pH (my soil test told me my pH is still a bit to acidic). Gypsum has calcium rather than magnesium as the cation salt. Calcium prevents soil compaction whereas magnesium promotes soil compaction. I prefer pelleted gypsum because it is easy for me to spread it by hand. According to the results of my soil test and the recommended application rate, I applied 5# of pelleted gypsum. Before you start making changes to your lawn care program, I suggest you contact your local cooperative extension to get a soil test kit. Standard tests for lawn (turf) is $15 plus shipping. That's around $20 for a detailed analysis of what you need to do to address deficiencies in your soil.

Some people like bagged compost, but I prefer to get bulk local organic compost ($203.80 delivered for 4 cubic yards*) and supplement with some (about 1 cubic foot*) of my vermicompost (FREE!). Bulk compost is cheaper and does not make such a mess of the car, but you have to move it around with a garden cart instead of carrying bags.

*Why 4 cubic yards? My total lawn area is a little less than 5000 square feet. If I assume 1/4 inch of compost on the entire grassy area, I will need 104 cubic feet to cover (5000 square feet x 1/12 inches to feet x 1/4 inch depth).4 cubic yards is 108 cubic feet, plus my 1 cubic foot of vermicompost = 109 cubic feet. That is enough to do the job.

The objective here is to add organic material to the soil and correct any nutrient deficiencies while adding more grass seed to fill in any bare areas.

First thing you need to do is prepare the soil. I do this by raking off the dead grass, any stray leaves, and sand from winter and then core aerating. Several years ago I tried powered aerator that I rented and swore I would NEVER do that again. It was a heavy intractable beast that I could not safely control. I found a manual core aerator that is slow but safe. I received a pair of those spiked shoes several years ago and think they may be better for killing subsoil grubs than for aerating. The core aerator leaves little tubes of soil on the lawn that break down. You can rake and core aerate a few days before seeding and overspreading the compost.

The day I overspread the compost, I also over seed with Allen Sterling and Lothrop's Tuff Turf grass mix and white clover (www.allensterlinglothrop.com). I use a mix of 9# Tuff Turf to 1# white clover ($22.50 and $8.25, respectively). I don't actually mix these (the clover seed is much smaller than the grass seed). Instead, I hand cast each over the area of my lawn after raking and core aerating, but before I spread the compost. I've gotten pretty good at hand casting, and I trust it more than the mechanical spreader that I can never get just right. At this time, I also hand cast the gypsum. I purchased gypsum locally for $6.03.

I add white clover to ASL's grass seed mix because I do not consider clover to be a weed. Chemical lawn care propaganda that clover is a "broadleaf weed" is a convenient deception that is based on non-specificity of herbicides and promoting a lawn that is dependent on external inputs (i.e., nitrogen fertilizer). Clover fixes nitrogen (i.e., free fertilizer from the air), and I think it looks nice in the yard. (Pardon me while I step down from the soap box.)

I prefer to move the mixed compost with my garden cart and a shovel. Then I spread it around and break up any clumps with the back of a bamboo rake. The objective is not an even layer over the lawn that you rake in and it goes away. Nope. Instead it is a somewhat uneven layer of compost that is hidden in some areas and really visible in other area.

My tip is to try to time the seeding and overspreading to happen right before a big spring rain event. The rain will water in the compost that is on top of the soil. To get good germination of the grass seed, you want soil temps at least 50F. This is a sweet spot in the year that you can hit if you watch your lawn soil temp with a soil thermometer and keep an eye on the weather.

This year I timed it to finish last weekend (just before our big rain this week).

I will post some photos so you can see that after 2 weeks the compost is gone and the lawn is green. I will periodically water the lawn with vermicompost tea, but I never water during the dry periods we sometimes get. The lawn goes dormant and then I don't have to mow (hooray!).

In time, I hope to build up enough soil under the lawn (6-8") to not have to add compost (3-4 more years at my current application rate), and I am only adding gypsum until the pH stabilizes to a higher level than it is now. At some point, I hope to have to only rake, over seed bare spots and core aerate.

Yes, this is a lot of work. And it takes time to wean your lawn off of chemicals and bring life back to your soil; however, it will pay dividends this summer when you do not have to weed, water, or fertilize. As oil becomes more expensive, petroleum-based fertilizer and herbicides will only become more expensive. Your lawn is an ecosystem that you can nurture using organic methods and free yourself from the expense and danger of chemical lawn care. I hope you try it.

By the way, my total outlay in money (I have the tools I need already) was $260.58 (soil test, 4 cyds of compost, grass and clover seeds, and 5# gypsum). I used all the compost, clover seed, and gypsum. I have approximately 3/4# of grass seed left to patch as needed this summer. That is all the money I will spend this year on my lawn (not counting electricity and a few tablespoons of molasses to make vermicompost tea). I could top dress again in the fall, but I typically don't.

By the way, you can always recruit a helper to make the job go faster...

Kate is using the metal rake. She found that easier for her. I prefer the width of the bamboo rake.

April 5 update: Here is a photo of the lawn after 1 week (below). As you can see, the compost is making its way down into the turf.

April 12 update: Here is the lawn after 2 weeks (below). All the compost has moved down and the grass is a nice healthy deep green.

For more information see: www.safelawns.org OR www.citizensforagreencamden.org

Cheers,

Mark

nb. Terry Soloman (formerly of Vermont Compost) suggested I try core aerating after I overspread the compost (to work it into the turf and soil better). I have not tried this method, but I would welcome your thoughts on this.

What about large families, vegans, vegetarians, and juicers?

2010-03-27T05:53:00.002-04:00

For intensive vermicompost users (e.g., large families, vegans, vegetarians, and juicers), you may need to implement my modified indoor vermicomposting instructions to accommodate your lifestyle. This is good news—you will make more compost than the typical user; however, you may have to spend more money initially.

You will probably need 2 or 3 bins and 4-6 pounds of worms to handle the volume of food waste you make. To find out how many pounds of worms you will need, weigh your food waste for a week. Double that number and that is how many pounds you will need. You can start with fewer worms if you have access to an outdoor compost pile (or don’t mind throwing away excess) while your worms multiply. The best method is to split your worms 1-2 pounds per bin, and rotate your additions among the bins so the bins rest at least 3 days between additions. You will likely have to add a lot of newspaper (or other bedding) with each addition. This is especially true for juicers—for whom I would suggest considering a wooden bin or a bin that does allow for drainage.

All of my other recommendations apply: start slowly, feed on the bottom, and monitor your bins for problems. You will soon be harvesting vermicompost and reaping the rewards of your efforts.

Cheers,

Mark

Can I go on vacation with a worm bin?

2010-03-20T06:28:00.000-04:00

Absolutely. You don't even have to take them to a kennel!

If you've got a fairly mature bin (5-6# of worms and compost), you can leave your worms for 4-5 weeks if you feed them a lot (be sure to bury it deep) and be sure to include food that breaks down slowly (carrots, potatoes, onions, rutabaga, or fibrous things like broccoli stalks). Your worms will be fine, and you may be ready to harvest some vermicompost when you return.

If you are going to be gone for a longer period, you may lose some worms due to lack of food. You can of course have someone feed them while you are away. If someone is coming by to check on your home, they can add some food scraps (be sure they know what to add and how!). Who knows, you make introduce a friend to vermicomposting!

Cheers!

Mark

Starting with one pound or two?

2010-03-13T05:42:00.000-05:00

People often ask whether they should start with one pound or two.

I sell both and I think this is a matter of personality more than anything else.

If you are patient, start with one pound. If you are not and can afford it, then start with two.

I generally recommend starting with one pound. Your up front costs are less (in the rare event that things go awry) and you get to know your worms as you build their population.

Twice as many worms simply means that you can put in twice as much food.

Both bins will eventually end up in the same place. The one pound will eventually catch up, because there is only so much space in a worm bin and you only have so much food to add.

Cheers,

Mark

Correcting wet worm bins

2010-03-03T18:14:00.001-05:00

Every so often, someone will contact me for advice about fixing a worm bin that is too wet. This can occur in plastic worm bins with or without drainage. For the most part, my recommendations of monitoring your bin when adding food and keeping a fresh layer of dry newspaper on top will prevent this from ever happening.

These vermicomposters typically think they have to throw out the smelly, wet mass and start again. You could go that route, but as long as you have worms (assuming you haven't drowned all of them) you can fix this by drying out your bin by adding a lot of fresh newspaper and digging it all the way to the bottom of the bin. While you are in there, gently mix the contents of the bin thoroughly (this won't harm the worms). Then cover the damp mix with more freshly shredded dry newspaper. Don't feed them and watch to see if you need to add more newspaper (you want the bottom of the bin to be as wet as a wrung out sponge).

After week or so, you will notice that the smell is gone and the volume will decrease a bit. At that time, you can resume feeding as described in my blog-- http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2009/12/starting-your-worm-bin.html.

Vermicomposting is trial and error, and I hope you will benefit from my experiences rather than repeat my errors.

Cheers,

Mark

Fungus gnats

2010-02-20T06:29:00.001-05:00

I get questions like this occasionally:

"When I took the lid off the bin I noticed tiny little black flies flying out... I don't think they are fruit flies because I put out a dish with mixture of cider vinegar, water and a little mild dish soap which always takes care of fruit flies but these guys could care less about it! Please help."

Most commonly these are be fungus gnats (see image). Fungus Gnats are very small 1/32 to 7/16 inch long, long legged and mosquito-like and are usually black, gray, or brown. The larvae feed on moist decaying organic matter and fungi growing in the soil.

I have found the best treatment of fungus gnats to be BTi (Bacillus thuringiensis israelenis) mosquito rings/dunks. To treat an infestation, make a solution of 2 cups of water for about 1/4 of the dunk. Remove the newspaper layer and spray about 1/2 of this solution on the soil daily for 10 days (make fresh solution every 2 days-- one piece of ring lasts 2 or 3 times). Vacuum any adults your can when you open
the lid (dust buster or shop vac work well). Keep the newspaper layer off your bin during the treatment period and do not add food. That should take care of them.

To prevent fungus gnats, be sure to bury any food scraps. If you see mold starting to grow in your bin, replace the newspaper layer and and hold food back until the worms catch up.

Cheers,

Mark

Barter is Better

2010-02-14T20:08:00.003-05:00

For the past few years I have had a barter opportunity on my web site.

I've had some great barters that I'd like to share. I have bartered worms for

Honey
Eggs
Knit yard socks
Fresh vegetables
Herbal tea
Soap
Candles
Hand cream
Pies
Bay rum aftershave

These have been wonderful barters, and I am grateful to receive these items in exchange.

The list is not intended to state everything I will barter for. In fact ,I am surprised now how many things are on it!

If you want worms and have something to barter, let me know.

Cheers,

Mark

Interesting Vermibusiness Model

2010-01-23T06:23:00.001-05:00

A grower in Taiwan contacted me to share a business model he uses. It was interesting, so I am sharing it.

Coordinate with local companies who have compostable trash, develop a group of friends to make vermicompost from the trash, sell vermicompost at the Farmer's Market.

Because businesses pay a lot in trash removal, this can be reduced if you find other people to take their trash and make worm compost to sell. You get the business to pay you to have members of your group members to take away the compostable trash ($1/kg). You sell your worms to your group and coordinate having them pickup the food waste. Then you pay the growers weekly to provide you with a fixed (2-5 kilograms) amount of vermicompost per month ($2/kg) and to pickup the trash (compost food removal at $0.25/kg).

You can sell the vermicompost for about $5/kg at a farmer's market in the city or online. Remember you also make money on the first sale of your worms to your growers and coordinating payment with the businesses.

Your growers will benefit because they only pay an initial start up fee and coordinate picking up food and delivering vermicompost to you. They get a monthly check from you for picking up waste and processing vermicompost.

If you can do this in a city (so you wouldn't spend a lot of money on gas), the whole group could make some decent money. Plus, if you coordinate food waste pickup at restaurants, you'll probably become a friend of the owner (because you save them money) and get some meals for free, too!

It takes some time to set this up, but it works!

Thanks Chen for sharing this. I would add that you could also make vermicompost tea and sell to local landscapers.

Cheers,

Mark

Hype about worms destroying old growth forests and reality about red wigglers

2009-12-24T06:58:00.000-05:00

I receive many questions about compost worms escaping from the worm bin to destroy forests. IF you read the story, it relates to worms introduced by fishermen dumping their bait in the forested areas around lakes.

The fact is: earthworms can harm some environments. In nature nothing is as simple as all good or all bad. The earthworm's ability to tunnel through the soil and make passageways for air and water, to decompose organic material and release its nutrients, and essentially "till" the soil is good news for farmers and gardeners. They are actively growing crops that are continually replanted, and where the soil is continually amended with other nutrients (compost or mulch). Earthworms essentially prepare the soil for us. Here the presence of a lot of worms is good.

On the other hand, in forest ecosystems an overabundance of earthworms rapidly decompose the spongy layer of leaves and plant matter that makes up the forest floor and it is consumed faster than it is replaced by falling leaves and other decay. This 'duff' layer is essential to understory development (tree seedlings, wildflowers, ferns, etc.). Without the duff layer, invasive plants have an opportunity to gain a foothold. Here an overabundance of worms can result in harm.

The underlying (no pun intended) problem is that earthworms are not native to most northern parts of the country, including New England. Earthworms in this area were killed during the ice age. The earthworms in your garden are species from Europe that may have arrived with the Colonists (in soil used as ship ballast or with plants) or gardeners spreading compost or mulch from away.

I am not concerned about my red wigglers. Although I recognize they are non-native, they are not hardy in northern climes and probably won't survive our long Maine winter without a source of heat (hot compost pile). Here in Scarborough, my worms would have to cross Route 1 and the Maine Turnpike to reach an old growth forest (http://www.primalnature.org/ogeast/me.pdf).

Nevertheless, we should use good worm management to limit the potential for a problem. If you live in an area that abuts old growth forest, you should locate your outdoor compost pile and garden away from the woods. The University of Minnesota, which has been a leader in researching and spreading awareness of the problem, has some recommendations (and lots of helpful info) in their Great Lakes Worm Watch.

Merry Christmas!

Mark

Starting your worm bin

2009-12-05T06:09:00.002-05:00

Your worms have arrived. Hooray! Now what? I get this question a lot, so here are the step-by-step instructions to get your bin started. I am doing this outside to be sure we have enough light for the photos. I typically start new bins indoors.

Step 1. Gather your materials. You will need your bin, your worms, some food, and newspaper. You should have about half as much food as you have worms. I’m starting with a pound of worms and a half pound of food (such as old salad greens, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells, and banana peels).

Step 2. Put your food in first. Food always goes in the bottom of your worm bin. Your worms will be able to find the food more easily, it will break down faster, and it won’t attract fruit flies. Start feeding in one corner and your worms will completely cover the food.
Step 3. Add your worms. Put them directly on top of the food. Your worms will eat this food as it breaks down and you want them tin contact with it. The next time I feed them, I will put the food in the adjacent corner (the empty corner on the right side of the photo).

Step 4 Add newspaper. Now you fill your bin with shredded newspaper (or other bedding). That is all you need to start your bin. No soil is necessary!

Step 5. Fill your bin to within about 3-4 inches of the top (push down gently to be sure the newspaper is in contact with the worms). You’re finished! Mark your bin with a sticky note where the worms are.

Feed in the adjacent (in the case of my photo) counter-clockwise corner next. In the case of this bin, I will again add ½ pound of food next week ( the same in the 3^rd and 4^th corners the following weeks). When I get back to my original corner, I will feed ¾ pound of food in the corners for the following 4 weeks. When I complete this cycle, I will add 1 pound of food per week. At this point your worms should be close to double the number you originally received and able to keep up.

Remember, don’t overfeed and always put the food on the bottom under the worms. Then cover with newspaper. If you smell rotting food or see mold or fungus in your bin) add less food until the worms catch up.

Cheers,

Mark

Are you wondering what to buy for Christmas?

2009-11-25T05:41:00.000-05:00

A worm bin and pound of worms make a great Christmas gift.
I am not alone in this idea। I had someone come by my booth at Common Ground who told me that a worm bin and pound of worms the hot item at Yankee swap. Also, several people purchased worms and a bin from me this year as gifts for mom.

Worm bins need not be expensive or complicated. I think a simple bin is really a lot easier to use (and certainly easier to build!).

In my mind, the perfect gift would be a book on vermicomposting (like Mary Appelhof's book Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up and Maintain a Worm Composting System), a pound of worms and a new bin.

If you are already vermicomposting, you can provide the worms and make the bin. If you're an experienced vermicomposter, you can provide a vermi-consultation and skip the book. The more people we have vermicomposting the better.

If you are looking for other gift ideas, I recently created Amazon lists of my recommended vermicomposting supplies, as well as favorite garden tools and books.

You can view at:

WormMainea vermicomposting tools and supplies.

WormMainea gardening tools.

WormMainea gardening book recommendations.

Happy Holidays!

Mark

What’s in Your Worm Bin?!

2009-11-20T06:27:00.001-05:00

You may think you have mostly worms in your bin, but you’d be wrong। In fact, your bin is a very complex and diverse ecosystem. You have hundreds of species of organisms working in harmony to turn your food waste into beautiful compost. Your red worms are only a very small population of the other micro- and macro- organisms that inhabit your bin.

Sometimes new users write me with concerns when they notice some populations that bloom in number. Often they fear these organisms will flee the bin and harm houseplants or become a pest in their home. No to worry. These organisms are happy in your bin where they have food and darkness. They are decomposers, so they do not harm houseplants.

What is really interesting is that these species have slightly different environmental preferences and food requirements। This means that depending on the conditions in your bin and what you are feeding, you may have some population blooms of these other species. For example, if you place a lot of sugary fruit in your bin, you will see mites bloom followed by an increase in the number of springtails. When their food supply weans they will die off.

Bacteria

Bacteria are by far the most numerous organisms in the vermicompost system. They break down organic matter to make it available to earthworms and other organisms in the bin. Remember, your worms don’t eat the food you put in, but the rot that is on the food. Bacteria are essential to your worm bin, just as they are in outdoor soil.

Mold & Fungi

In addition to the bacteria, mold and fungi are busy decomposing the organic matter in your worm bin. They are also an additional food source to other organisms in the system, including earthworms. Because they can grow big enough to be seen, these can be a sign that you have more food than the system can quickly manage and the feeding rate should be decreased. Mold and fungi pose no threat to the garden or the animals living in the worm bin, but overgrowth of these can cause irritation to humans with mold allergies. To keep them under control, feed in small amounts and when you see an overgrowth of these hold back on feeding.

Mites

Mites (reddish brown specks about as large as a typed period) are commonly found on the surface of the bin (if your bin is light colored, you can often see them on the sides near the soil)। Mite populations will bloom when you have wet, sugary foods (fruit) in your bin।

Springtails

Springtail are an insect (white or tan) that can be seen fairly easily on the surface of the soil। They are beneficial in the system and have no interest in living plant tissue. Some texts claim that more than 80% of the organic matter on earth passes through the gut of a springtail or sow bug on its journey to becoming topsoil. They are most noticeable after a bloom in the mite population or in nearly finished compost.

Potworms

Sometimes mistaken for young red worms, these are very small white worms. They too are beneficial organisms that feed on decaying organic matter. Potworms are more common when your worm bin is on the acidic side, but they do not necessarily mean that you have a problem. You will see them after adding a lot of citrus.

Tips for keeping your bin running smoothly

Remember: the food waste you add to you worm bin today isn’t eaten by the worms until the other actors in your bin have done their job. Bury your food (adding the amount appropriate to the number of worms in your bin) to bring these organisms in contact with your food to get the process started and next time you have a moment, take a close look at your ecosystem. You may be surprised at the complexity of the system you are maintaining.

As always, your senses should be your guide to vermicomposting. What do you see, smell and feel in your bin?

Cheers,

Mark

What is the best size for my worm bin?

2009-11-06T17:28:00.000-05:00

Really that is determined by what works for you in the space you have.

You can buy manufactured bins online or in progressive stores, but I suggest you save your money and make one yourself!

When I respond to this question, I offer the following suggestions and considerations:

Red wigglers don’t typically dig more than 8” deep into a worm bin, so a really deep bin does not work as well as a shallower bin. You want to have the worms all the way to the bottom of the bin to keep conditions aerobic.

Really large bins (30 or 50 gallon size) can be used for worm bins, but they are VERY heavy when full of worms and vermicompost. If you’re planning to move your bin (e.g., take it outside to harvest using the sun), consider a series of smaller bins. If you're not going to move it, these large bins can certainly work.

Small bins can also work. Some people have shoebox size bins they keep under the kitchen sink. This can work, however, you must closely monitor conditions in your bin and be careful what you feed them. In a small bin the worms have nowhere to escape if the conditions become unhealthy. A friend had a wonderful bin until a bunch of limes were added in a layer to the bin after a Cinco de Mayo party. Soil pH dropped and all the worms died. This is also why I recommend you feed in the corners when you are starting.

I find the standard 18 gallon plastic storage totes work well for me. They are reasonably sized to allow the worms to flee from any bad things you may add, they are not too when full, they don’t take up too much space in the room, and they can be stacked. See http://www.wormmainea.com/Worm_Bin_Instructions.pdf for free instructions for building a WormMainea style worm bin).

The size and style of your worm bin is not important. If it works for you then it is best. The most important thing is that you get started with a worm bin.

Cheers,

Mark

Overwintering Red Wigglers Outside (?)

2009-10-30T06:05:00.000-04:00

Without fail I get questions this time of year about keeping worms outside: Can I (How can I) keep my worm bin outside over winter? What about the garage/shed? etc.

I do not take my worm bins outside except to harvest, but here are some tips and tricks reported by others and my own observations about keeping red wigglers outside in cold weather.

First, the facts. You cannot vermicompost in freezing conditions. Red wigglers will die if the soil they are in freezes. I know they can become dormant and cocoons can survive, but in general most will die and your vermicomposting will cease when the pile freezes. In reality, when your soil temp drops down to 40F and below, your composting is so slow as to be stopped. Just like your fridge, things below 40F decompose very slowly.

In my 10 years of vermicomposting I have had worms survive outdoors only one year. It was in my outdoor composter (Earth Machine http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:MI_dfU_Gk4cwsM:http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HGE6GMJQL._SL500_AA280_.jpg ). It was 3-4 years ago. We had a relatively warm winter with no long cold spells and little snow cover. I went outside in early March and I took the lid off and discovered 3 red wigglers hanging out in the warm condensation on the lid. First and last time ever. I can only guess they were dormant and found a spot they could survive (not a deep freeze year and sun warmed the container just enough?). Typically, the Earth Machine is a compost popsicle. I wait until early April for the soil temp in the outdoor composters hit 50F, then I bring a bunch of red wigglers out to get them going. I am really bad about mixing the outdoor compost piles, so I sacrifice some red wigglers to do the work for me.

So if your bins are outside, you have 3 options: 1) bring your bin indoors, 2) start over with new worms in an indoor bin, 3) insulate and heat your bin to keep it from freezing.

I cannot use option 1 because of Bert's rules ("No bad smells and not bugs in the house"). Outdoor bins typically have insects, so that rules that out for me. If you (and your family) are OK with that possibility, then option 1 may be for you. These two options are pretty simple.

The more difficult proposition is option 3: keeping the bin outdoors and keeping it from freezing (and ideally between 60-70F).

You could with a big enough pile continue to add a hot manure to keep the soil warm enough. The key would be hot but not too hot (a pile rather than an impermeable enclosure like a bin or tub). I know my brother's horse manure windrow in Northeast PA works year round. They add to it frequently and it can be found steaming with active red wigglers year round. Reportedly, chicken or pig manure will also work.

Others have reported heating/seed starting mats under plastic wading pools in the shed with a styrofoam cover work. This would keep the soil temp relatively constant.

Another person proposed digging a pit below the frost line and insulating the sides and top with closed cell foam insulation and a trap door lid. Then piling hay bales over the door. I don’t know whether this was successful, but my frost line here is fairly deep and it wouldn’t be practical. Also, this would not make sense to me because one of the reasons I started vermicomposting was to NOT go outside to compost in the cold weather.

If you have experience with any of these, please leave a comment.

As for me, I will continue to compost indoors in my basement.

Cheers,

Mark

Leaf Blowers are Evil!

2009-10-23T06:10:00.002-04:00

There are few things I hate more than a leaf blower. They are loud, smelly, and potentially dangerous to your health.

In my mind, raking leaves in the fall is an enjoyable, peaceful event that marks the end of summer. The sound of the leaves and the rake moving over the ground, the crunch of the leaves when a child jumps into the pile, the smell of crispy fall air.

Using a leaf blower may be faster, but is it worth it?

All these are lost when you are holding a leaf blower. The electric ones pollute far less than the gasoline powered models (which can be 80 times more polluting than an automobile! http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/conference/ei15/session5/fitz.pdf).

Leaf blowers stir up settled dust, mold, and allergens settled on the soil, making these airborne can cause problems for people with asthma and allergies.

Also, leaf raking is great exercise for you.

Worm compost tea vs. worm bin drainage

2009-10-08T09:38:00.004-04:00

If you're reading my blog, then you probably know that worm compost tea is great for your plants. I want to make a distinction though: worm compost tea vs. worm bin drainage.

In my mind, worm compost tea is distinctly different from the liquid that drains from some bin designs (what I call worm bin drainage).

Worm compost tea is made by separating the vermicompost from the worms and steeping the worm compost in water to make a tea. My website has complete instructions for brewing up your own worm tea: 1# of vermicompost in a 5 gallon bucket of water.

I don't mean to say that the drainage from a worm bin would be bad for plants. From what I have read it is great fertilizer; however, I'd be concerned about putting it on edible veggies because you do not know what is in it. I have also found a variety of different reports on how to use it ranging from straight (undiluted) to diluted to the color of straw. If I were to use this on salad and other greens I probably diluting it to straw color and bubbling air through it for 12-24 hours using an aquarium bubbler.

If anyone has experience using worm bin drainage, I'd love to hear how you prepare it for use.

Cheers,

Mark

Meeting fellow vermicomposters-- Anyone can vermicompost

2009-10-03T06:05:00.000-04:00

I thoroughly enjoy meeting other vermicomposters (new and old). While I do mail worms, I prefer to meet people who are buying from me. This saves them money and allows me to spend a few minutes educating so they get off to a good start.

When I started WormMainea, I assumed those who visiting my site and contacting me would be a narrow portion of the population, Essentially, people a lot like me: frugal, eco-minded people looking to experiment with a different way of composting that allows you to compost inside in the winter.

Well I got it completely wrong! I meet all sorts of interesting people ranging from back-to-earth retiring hippies who want to vermicompost again to apartment-dwelling professionals who want to reduce their waste, from former Everest climbers to college students, from monks to manufacturers of skate-chic clothes, and everything in between, including some frugal, eco-minded composters like me.

I am continually amazed by how many people are interested in vermicomposting and the cross section of the population that contacts me. I enjoy talking with them about how they found me and how they became interested in vermicomposting.

Cheers,

Mark

The joys of teaching vermicomposting

2009-09-28T12:03:00.005-04:00

I really enjoy teaching vermicomposting to school children. Their excitement is wonderful, and some of the questions catch me by surprise.

Another observation by teachers has also caught me by surprise: several teachers, especially younger grades, have reported back that after my vermicomposting demonstration and the arrival of the worm bin there has been a change in the snack diet of the classroom .

Children want to participate in feeding the worms. However, only some food can be placed in the worm bin (e.g., remnants of fruits and vegetables and NOT processed sugary or salty foods), so children who want to feed the worms must bring in fruits and veggies.

Who would have thought vermicomposting would make children eat better?!

Cheers,

Mark

Big savings from a small investment can reduce your carbon footprint!

2009-06-02T16:20:00.013-04:00

A Save is average savings since the unit was installed.

This shows how many burner hours were used for the data.

I save is instant savings (last time the burner ran).

As part of our home inspection for solar upgrades, we had our heating system evaluated. The engineer suggested a $400 upgrade to make our boiler more efficient. The unit promises at least 10% improvement on efficiency of you get your money back. It is a bolt-on installation that can be retrofit to most boilers. Essentially it makes the boiler smarter. It bolts on the side of the bioler and there are some sensors that strap on your return water pipes. It is not a major installation.

The unit is from Intellicon (we have hot water so we installed the HW unit). Cost of the unit plus installation was $400. When we purchased it in Summer 2008, oil proce was $2.89/gallon. I calculated our payback at a little less than 2 years, given a 10% savings on our typical 750 gallons per year consumption.

The unit saves energy by adjusting the burner run pattern according to the temperature of the returning water. We tried it and have been very pleased.

When the weather is really cold (and the return water is much cooler because the home is being heated, the unit does not reduce run time very much), the the unit saves less than during the spring and fall.

The unit shows instant and average savings. Our average savings (as shown in the photo) is more then 20%. We felt no difference in our home temperature. You wouldn't even know you have it installed. Though I confess that I like to go down and see how much I'm saving!

For more information, see http://www.intellidynellc.com/02_pgHW.htm

This year (heating season June 1 to May 31) we used 77% of the oil we used last year, a savings of 155 gallons. At $2.10/gallon, we saved $325.50! I anticipate we will easily meet our goal of a 2 year payback time.

Another option is to install an outdoor reset control (where the sensor measures outdoor temperature), but we elected go with this option.

I encourage you to try one of these to make your heater smarter!!

Cheers,

Mark

Why do you need a garbage disposal?

2009-05-03T08:39:00.004-04:00

The answer is: you don't!

Aside from the gut wrenching fear of recovering an item that has fallen in there with your hand, garbage disposals are very wasteful.

A worm bin and outdoor compost pile make this common household appliance unnecessary. Everything that goes in the disposal can go in your worm bin or your outdoor compost pile.

Some people call their disposal the "pig". Likely, because the disposal takes the place of the family pet pig that would eat the food waste. Vermicomposting is much slower than feeding a pig, but worms are far more manageable for keeping indoors.

Did you know: disposals use about 500,000 gallons of water per day in the United States (both in your sink and during sewage treatment).

Food in the garbage disposal goes to water treatment facilities, and from there into the environment where it's at least three times more likely to disrupt ecosystems (via algal blooms) than it would if it went to a landfill. (Not that it's so great there either...)

Food scraps make up at least 10% of space in our landfills and off-gas methane, a greenhouse gas.

Through composting a typical household can keep 500 lb of biodegradable kitchen and garden waste out of landfills every year! That is per home!!

Do you feel empowered? I do. Feed your soil, not the sewer or landfill.

Cheers,

Mark

The effect of worm compost tea on Amaryllis

2009-04-09T08:06:00.006-04:00

Hypothesis: The Amaryllis that receives worm tea weekly will do better than the one receiving just water.

Methods: We started with 2 identical Amaryllis hippeastrum bulbs. One was watered with worm tea, the other was watered with tap water. Both were planted according to package instructions and were placed on a south-facing window side-by-side. We documented growth for 1.5 months. Start 2/14/09

Results: The Amaryllis receiving worm tea grew faster, bloomed faster and the bloom lasted longer than the one receiving just tap water. Yes, our plant with the worm tea had 2 blooms, but I think that was just chance.

The photos tell it all. Try making some worm tea for your indoor plants.

Cheers,

Mark

Retreating snow uncovers presents from neighborhood dogs

2009-04-04T07:01:00.005-04:00

It never fails. With the retreating snow, frozen dog poo is revealed in my yard near the sidewalk. You'll find this also at the beach. I understand this is not always controllable and forgive the owners who forgot to bring a bag. I don't have a dog, but I sympathize with owners who have to clear the yard in the spring. The typical dog produces more than 200 pounds of waste each year, according to the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

What to do with it?

There is a solution, and I don't mean entombing the poo in a plastic shopping bag. Of course, the solution involves worms!

When it comes time to pick up after your pet, plastic shopping bags are bad options. If you choose plastic, you are wrapping something that degrades quickly in something that takes decades to break down.

Instead, use sturdy paper, or plant-based biodegradable bags. The corn-based BioBags, for example, are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to break down in a matter of days (in industrial landfills; probably longer in a home compost pile).

If you chose to compost your pet waste,you should have a separate compost pile for pet waste, and you should not use the resulting soil on anything edible. As always, you want the compost pile to be HOT. The best practice is to ensure optimum temperatures is through layering and turning.

Or you can use worms...
The best solution (in my opinion) is to collect the poo in a bag (paper or biodegradable) or with a shovel and use it to fertilize your lawn (ensuring it is never used for food).

Essentially you are vermicomposting dog poo outside in the ground outside with a fancy cover.

My website shows how you can make your own a poo-doo vermicomposter to put on your lawn (http://www.wormmainea.com/Projects.html). You dig a hole in your lawn and insert a roll-top garbage can with the bottom cut out. Fill the hole half way with bedrun worms and it is ready to go. Be sure to place it away from low-lying areas of the lawn.

When it is nearly full, dig another hole, remove the garbage can and start again. You can cover the old hole with the sod you dug for the new hole or new grass seed. Like the grass near the septic tank, it will be a lush spot in your lawn.

The response on this has been great from people using it. It makes so much more sense than sending it to the landfill.

If you have worms, you can do this in about an hour with a cash outlay of <$20 to buy a container with a cover (like the Rubbermaid bullet 2 gallon roll top can) that will last for years.

Try this in your yard and let me know how it goes.

Cheers,

Mark

The Magic of Craigslist OR One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

2009-03-28T08:48:00.004-04:00

If you read my solar hot air blog (that sounds funny!), you may have noticed that we replaced the siding and windows on our home. We needed to replace the windows (to more energy efficient models), repair some water damage, and replace some of the damaged siding. Unable to match the color, we elected to replace all of it. When we got our quote, it included dump fees for disposing of the old windows and siding.

I am frugal by nature, so I had an idea: maybe someone would want some the windows and some of the siding. I thought this would avoid sending it to a landfill, and save both me and the recipient a few bucks.

So I listed these for free on Craigslist. It took me all of 15 minutes to post what I had. The response was INCREDIBLE.

The windows were snapped up within a day or two of removing them. And the siding is now gone, too.

Instead of going to a landfill, ALL of it is being reused or re-purposed . The people who came have been happy to get it for nothing and I am happy to have it gone (without sending it to the dump).

Before you throw something away, consider listing it for free on Craigslist. You may be surprised how many people want it.

Cheers,

Mark

QUESTION: What do I do with worm castings in March?!

2009-03-14T07:32:00.005-04:00

I realize that some of you who purchased in the fall processed last weekend when temps in Maine were spring-like. My garden is still under about 2 feet of snow. Many contacted me to ask: what do I do with 15+ gallons of worm castings in March?

Worm castings can be stored in a container like a worm bin. Keep them moist and let the castings breathe (remember that the castings are alive!). You don't want to let the casting dry out if you're going to make great tea (active organisms plus nutrients). Most recipes for tea call for about a pound of castings in 5 gallons of water (dilute to 10 gallons to use).

Castings stored this way will keep for several months-- just in time for real spring! In the interim, use what you have to make tea for your houseplants or soil amendments for seed starters. Just remember that your vermicompost may be full of viable seeds!

Tip of the hat to Bruce Deuley for his valuable contributions to the procedure. You can get the brewed vermicompost tea directions FREE on my website.

Cheers,

Mark

Sourcing food for my herd and dreams of a composter for every home, restaurant, and grocery

2009-03-01T06:55:00.001-05:00

When you first begin vermicomposting (with a pound of worms), it may seem as though the worms will never eat the food waste you produce. Then, as the worms multiply, you develop a nice balance and the worms keep pace with your input.

When you have as many worms as I do (18 bins with 4-15 pounds), my family of cannot produce enough to keep them all fed and multiplying. So, I utilize the waste from my local organic grocer (Lois’ Natural Marketplace in Scarborough). Mary and Chris (the chefs at Lois’ deli) kindly set aside coffee grounds and food scraps when I request it.

I am writing about this not to tell you how to feed a few hundred pounds of worms, but to encourage a grass roots movement. Think of this as an alternative recycling opportunity where everyone wins.

Everyone wins because:

My worms benefit from having nice organic veggies,

I benefit because I have a free supply of food and I can trust them to put only worm food in the bags,

Lois’ benefits from having less food waste in their dumpster, and

In the larger scheme of things, society benefits.

That’s right, society benefits. By having less waste go to the dump (or in this case the trash-to-steam incinerator), society benefits because less food waste equals less weight equals less fuel used to truck it around. Also, I learned from Chris of EcoMaine (the company who runs the incinerator) that organics such as food waste are a poor source of energy in the trash-to-steam process. They would rather not collect food waste.

I know I haven’t made a big difference but my little contribution fits the “think globally, act locally” concept.

In the course of a year, I probably keep a thousand pounds of food and yard waste out of the waste stream (both from my home and collections from Lois’). Scale that up a few-fold, and by outdoor composting in the summer and vermicomposting in the winter, we can all make a difference.

This makes me think: can we all reach out to grocers or restaurants in our community to see if they would be willing to set aside food waste for pickup during the spring, summer, and autumn for addition to our outdoor compost piles? Can we bring a 5-gallon bucket with us when we shop to pick up some waste veggies? Can we encourage our fellow gardeners, others in community gardens or garden clubs to do the same?

There is enough sun for everyone-- the proof!

2009-01-25T08:17:00.004-05:00

We purchased a solar hot air system (Solarsheat) from Maine Green Building Supply back in August and got a 25% rebate from the state. I had been doing research on solar since May 2008 and had learned that solar hot air was the best option for my home (location, slope of roof, position of gable end, etc.). I blogged about this back in June.

We bought a Solarsheat 1500GS/G dual panel system back in August. We completed the installation shortly after January 1. We delayed the installation to change windows and siding at the same time.

We've been AMAZED at how well this system works.

It was sunny and cold yesterday, so I decided to document how well it works. Check out the attached photos. I can only post a few, but I can share a bunch more showing details of the expert installation (thank you to Vanier Construction!) and detailed performance.

You can see that yesterday (cold, but bright and sunny) the Solarsheat blew 150° F air into our home and heated the area to 75° F.

Maine is continuing to offer a 25% rebate on the solar hot air panels. I think every home in Maine should get one. When the sun is out, my boiler does not need to heat my house. I am saving oil every sunny day!

I would encourage everyone in Maine to investigate this.

Cheers,

Mark

Here are some links:

Solarsheat: www.yoursolarhome.com/

Maine Green Building Supply: www.mainegreenbuilding.com

Maine Solar Rebates from Efficiency Maine: www.efficiencymaine.com/renewable_programs_solar.htm

Expert installation by Vanier Construction: 885-9389

Trial and error

2008-11-21T06:35:00.001-05:00

I've posted new worm bin instructions.

I have posted new instructions for making a worm bin. Earlier this year, I had an accident when drilling in the side of bins, and I am now recommending you make holes in the top of your bins.

I was drilling holes in the side and the drill slipped off the plastic and hit me in the leg. Fortunately, I was wearing pants and I didn't hurt myself.

This scared me and made me think. Why drill holes in the sides?

The worms don't care where the holes are, and the sides are sloped and flex when you try to drill the holes (both of which make it harder than it needs to be).

Holes in the nice flat top would be so much easier. So I tried it and viola! Works just as well and it is much easier.

My revised worm bin instructions have been posted to my website: www.wormmainea.com/Worm_Bin_Instructions.pdf.

Cheers,

Mark

Vermicomposting is EASY!

2008-11-19T10:11:00.005-05:00

Getting started is a simple process:

The key to getting started and keeping your worm bin trouble free is to follow four simple rules:

1. always bury the food under the worms and the bedding,

2. only feed in corners (alternating every week),

3. keep at least 3 inches of shredded newspaper on top (the newspaper should not be wet, moist like a wrung our sponge is OK. If it is dry, that is OK) and

4. don't over feed them.

Rule 1: burying food prevents fruit flies from finding the food in your bin.

Rule 2: feeding in corners prevents overfeeding because you can observe how much food is left from previous feedings. Corner feeding also allows worms to flee if something is wrong with the food (pH, temperature, etc.).

Rule 3: a nice think layer of bedding keeps your bin from getting too wet and also helps prevent fruit flies.

Rule 4: overfeeding is a source of problems (moisture, smell, fruit flies, etc.). Feeding too little is preferable to feeding too much. Start slowly and ramp up over time.

If you have not already started, I would encourage you to download instructions to build your own bin and get started now.

It is not too late to begin.

Cheers,

Mark

Bedding for worm bins and the zen of shredding newspaper

2008-09-27T09:59:00.004-04:00

Shredding newspaper has become my second hobby (next to vermicomposting). To provide bedding for my herd, I shred a lot of newspaper.

I like newspaper because it is free and plentiful. The papers come to my home and yesterday's paper is always available.

Office paper works equally well (for an office bin, your shredded office paper would work great). You want long strips, so a standard shredder works (but not a cross-cut shredder). Long, thin strips are better because cross-cut paper tends to mat when wet and you want your bedding to be airy.

Most non-glossy printed material can also be used since most high-quality laser toner and ink-jet inks are non-toxic. If you are going to use a lot of lot of a single source in your worm bin, check with the manufacturer to be certain. The Portland Press Herald uses non-toxic ink.
There is a technique to shred newsprint. I prefer to hold it by the folded edge (1-2 sections at a time) and shred into 1/8-1/4 inch strips. It shreds really easily and it makes a nice swooshing sound. For a long time Bert thought I was sweeping every morning!

Another advantage of newspaper is that shredding it is relaxing. It sounds strange, but I shred A LOT of newspaper, and I have come to enjoy this quotidian task. It is a morning activity I appreciate after I feed my herd. I shred yesterday's paper in the cellar and listen to NPR while I sip my coffee. It is a few minutes of meditation before I start my day.

Happy shredding!

Mark

What can you do at home to help save the world?

2008-09-24T07:00:00.003-04:00

In response to Natalie Jeremijenko's charge "...how do we translate the tremendous amount of anxiety and interest in addressing major environmental issues into something concrete that people can do whose effect is measurable and significant?"

I present the following list of things we can do to help the environment:

1. Reduce/reuse/recycle wherever you can: many garden centers will accept plastic pots returned after purchase.

2. Conserve ground water: build a rain garden to reduce runoff, collect rain from gutters for dry days, and water in the morning.

3. Put out native bee boxes: encourage local pollenators. See Kate's Bee Boxes link on my web site.

4. Share your wealth: grow food for neighbors, and encourage them to grow their own and buy locally.

5. Use Best Management Practices & Integrated Pest Management for pesticides and insecticides you may use in your yard. Yes, you'll have to do some research on what you're using, but it will make the application more effective.

6. Grow natives: native plants require less work and are more hardy since they're already adapted.

7. Go renewable: consider renewable resources for mulch, potting mix, etc. What is plentiful in your area and how can it be used?

8. Start a worm bin. If you already have a bin, start a bin for a friend. Worm binis make great gifts!

9. Educate your family, friends, and neighbors: tell them about your successes with the above. You'll be surprised how many will adapt your ideas.

Cheers,

Mark

Fruit Flies

2008-09-04T11:41:00.003-04:00

I have a FAQ on my web page about fruit flies (http://www.wormmainea.com/FAQ.html), but it doesn't hurt to reiterate.

This time of year, fruit flies can be a real problem in the worm bin (not that they're bad for composting), but they are annoying to have in your home. The good news is you can get rid of them pretty quickly by following these suggestions.

Let's start first with prevention

Make sure your compost scraps are covered (especially in the summer). This is especially important if your scraps are kept near a window.
Bury all food deep in your worm bin and keep the bedding layer at least 3” deep.
If you have fruit flies in the kitchen or where you keep your compost scraps, assume they are laying eggs on the compost scraps. Either freeze the compost scraps or take them to your outside compost pile.

Dealing with an infestation **First know that fruit flies have a life cycle and there is an end to the problem.** The quickest way I’ve found to deal with fruit flies is as follows:

Remove adult fruit flies from your worm bin and nearby area. You can do this by vacuuming them, using sticky traps, or vinegar traps. You’ll need to vacuum them at least twice a day for 2 weeks to be sure you get all the adults from the eggs of the generation you first removed. Sticky and vinegar traps should be monitored and replaced when needed.
Make your worm bin less attractive to the flies. This means not adding more food to your bin until your infestation is under control. Your worms can go without food for a few weeks. Fruit flies cannot.
Make your bin more dry. Slightly dry bins are less prone to develop flies (addresses a potential pH problem). You are not looking to make a BIG change here only a slight change in dampness. Adding freshly shredded newspaper to the BOTTOM layer of your bin will do the trick. Alternatively, you can upend the contents of your bin and add more bedding over the former bottom contents.
Fruit flies need to fly to mate-- if you fill your bin with newspaper that will also help.
OPTIONAL... I read a tip earlier this year from a fellow vermicomposter (in Australia!) who uses diatomaceous earth (I may have spelled that wrong) to control flies. Flies are VERY bad in Australia apparently. I have not tried it, but you can get DE from garden centers (or Ace Hardware). DE kills insects and it won't hurt worms, plants or you. I think it is worth a try in combination with the other steps. If you have used DE, let me know how it worked and how much you used.

If you follow these steps you will be free of fruit flies in a few weeks. The most important things you can do are bury your food and kill/remove the adult fruit flies.

Happy composting!

Mark

The chipmunk

2008-08-30T07:52:00.003-04:00

We netted the blueberry bushes this year as usual, but we had an unusual occurrence. We caught a chipmunk! We net the blueberry bushes every year to improve the number of berries we get. Yes, we leave a few for the birds!

A few weeks ago, I was out walking the yard and garden around 6:30AM. I heard a rustling and discovered a chipmunk badly tangled in the netting. I ran to get my scissors and heavy gloves. I could not cut him out without risking escape while leaving some tangled around his neck (not a good thing!).

So I got a storage bin (intended to become a worm bin) and placed the chipmunk and netting into the bin. Then we all drove to the 24 hour animal clinic in Westbrook. They were willing to remove the netting from the chipmunk for free. Partway through the procedure the desk person came out to tell us that it was going well, but the vet was taking the chipmunk's blood pressure!

They gave him back to us in our storage bin.

Either this same chipmunk was caught twice or two weeks later we caught different chipmunk! This time, we got to him/her before he/she was too badly tangled.

For those of you who are skeptics about neck snares (and I am a recent convert!), I can assure you they work.

I am not sure about whether I'll put bird netting on the blueberry bushes next year. If I do, let's hope the chipmunks are smarter!

Cheers,

Mark

There is enough sun for everyone!

2008-06-13T15:01:00.002-04:00

That's Bert's quote for solar (she has a knack for tag lines!). It is her reply to the question: why consider solar hot air over other options (like changing to a pellet stove) that work at night and when it is cloudy.

We've been continuing our evaluation of solar hot air options. We even went to see one earlier today. It was sunny, but the panel was 15-20% obstructed by overhanging eave. Nonetheless, when turned on, it blew some very warm air into the room. Hot air, not blown very forcefully, but very quietly.

Frankly, I don't see how, if the vents are properly insulated, it would not help to heat a room on a sunny day. I understand that it won't do a thing at night or on a cloudy day, and at those times we will be forced to heat with our oil furnace. Fortunately, we do have lots of very cold, bright sunny days in the winter. Sure this won't do everything, but any help it offers will help me buy less fuel oil next winter and increase my payback.

We're waiting for an evaluation appointment with the other solar installer. I am sure I will learn a lot from the visit, but I don't know whether what I learn will change my position that solar hot air makes sense. Even more so after learning that the State rebate fund is quickly disappearing. My application has been submitted, but I don't have a reservation number yet (so no guarantee that I'll get a rebate).

I suppose my next consideration will be to improve my home insulation/envelope. I have good attic and basement insulation. My problem, I believe, is my windows. They are 15 years old, double pane, but made of wood that it showing it's age. Seals have gone on all of them. I have been replacing the glass, but I am spending a lot of time putting lipstick on a pig-- the wood frames are shot. Unfortunately, new windows are pretty expensive.

After listening to an NPR broadcast about Martin Luther, Bert was inspired and observed that paying for carbon emissions to feel OK about flying around the world, living in a 4000 sq ft. home, or driving in a Hummer are payments for carbon indulgences, not carbon offsets.

Cheers,

Mark

Solar energy confusion

2008-06-11T14:10:00.010-04:00

For the past several weeks we have been investigating solar options for our home.

We are primarily concerned about the dramatic rise in the cost of heating oil. Heating oil is approximately $2 more per gallon than it was last year at this time. That's nearly double!

We have reviewed and considered solar hot water for water, solar hot water for heating and solar hot air systems. While photovoltaic is interesting, the efficiency of these systems and cost (combined with lack of State rebate money) makes them less relevant to us.

After many hours of research and talking with suppliers and installers, I finally had someone out to evaluate my house. He said that my house is not well sited for solar hot water (roof faces E-W rather than N-S), but well sited for solar hot air. Lots of wall space on gable end that faces south.

(Interestingly, I had received a quote for solar hot water from another installer based on some photos of my home and a Mapquest flyover. I wonder what would have happened when the installer came out to do the installation...)

Early on, we decided to get our contractor friend (Randy Vanier from Vanier Construction, Inc.) involved. He gave me a lift home a few weeks ago (flat tire on my bike!) when we were in the discussion phase. I mentioned our latest project, and he expressed interest in solar technology and asked me to share information with him. (I don't think he expected my enthusiasm for research!). He knows far more than I ever will about anything related to construction, renovation, etc. After the success with our porch addition, Bert trusts him implicitly. Not surprisingly, he posed some good questions at the site visit yesterday and discussed other options for future consideration as well (such as ways to move air in the home, ground mounted hot water).

Anyway, we are full steam ahead on the solar hot air project (I think). We are touring a home tomorrow with a solar hot air system (does it really work? what does it sound like? how does it look? etc.). I'm still waiting for another quote. Then we wait for our State rebate reservation number and I need to follow up on a few remaining questions from Randy. The kind people at Main Green Building Supply have been very patient with my many questions.

I will blog more as the project develops.

Cheers,

Mark

Seasonality of worm compost tea

2008-06-07T07:12:00.004-04:00

I am fascinated by making worm compost tea. When we have a rainy stretch, I make it almost every day and sprinkle it all over my yard and garden. I tend to give a little extra to my tomatoes, peppers and blueberries this time of year, hoping for big returns.

I make my tea using the same simple recipe on my website, yet at different times of the year I get very different results. Not just color, but smell. I realize the many variables that could contribute to this-- compost, temperature, the content of my rain water. I often wonder whether different batches are more or less alive and how the nutrients differ among them. If any of you have noted the variability or done any testing, let me know. I am not so much concerned as I am curious.

Also, I'm using a new bubbler this year. I switched to a sandstone bubbler instead of the foam wire. While I don't think I'll ever get the sandstone white again, I am confident the vinegar kills whatever is on it. Unlike the foam bubbler (which I wrapped around my bag) I have to tie it to my compost bag with jute because it floats. In any case, it makes lots of bubbles. The main reasons I switched were the price and concerns over foam rubber and plastic.

Cheers,

Mark

The leap

2008-06-05T10:28:00.000-04:00

So I've finally decided to blog. The concept of blogging seemed so vain, yet I learn a lot reading people's blogs. I hope you will find my blog informative.

This blog will generally be about vermiculture (worm composting and related topics). I will try to cover some of the topics that are often asked by those interested in worm composting. I may also stray into other subjects, but I will most often write about worms.

I'm looking forward to getting this started.

Cheers,

Mark