i was so gung-ho last week! i made a daily schedule for my posts, hoping it would motivate me to post every day...but i got super busy near the end of the week and skipped Thursday and Friday. i'm still going to try to stick to it as much as possible, so here's the schedule:
Monday: apartment update (things are always changing...slowly...)
Tuesday: a how-to or a recipe
Wednesday: 1stDibs pick list
Thursday: an inspiration post (place, designer, blogger, photo, etc)
Friday: free post
seems reasonable, right? right. then lets get to it...
as far as the apartment goes, most of the projects have been put on pause. i'm waiting for my wallpaper man to get a break so he can come do my kitchen, and until that's taken care of, i dont have in it me to start in on the living room. the place is too small for more than one room to be in disarray, and i'm alright with taking one thing at a time. i've still got 2 sets of chairs that i need to refinish, and i think that'll be my next project.
but while i'm waiting for the kitchen to be wallpapered, i've begun a little something on the side. i'm going to start worm composting! thats right, i just placed an order through Uncle Jim's Worm Farm for 500 red wriggler worms...see, you really CAN buy just about everything on the internet!
i've always been a recycler, but lately i've been eating so many veggies that my trashcan quickly fills up with broccoli stems, apple cores, bell pepper insides, the list goes on and on...unfortunately my sod isn't doing so well (due to poor soil quality since it was compacted under asphalt for so long) which sparked my interest in fertilizers and composting. i didnt know a thing about it, but a few google searches later, and i'm now quite knowledgeable on the subject of vermiculture (this is a great site for info). its easy and much cleaner than one might think-- the set-up directions are simple:
1. get a large container with a lid-- i am using a big rubber tub w/a snap-on lid
2. drill finger-sized holes in the bottom for drainage
3. drill several smallish holes in the top for ventilation
4. shred newspaper or cardboard and dampen it
5. fill the container with the shredded 'bed'
6. sprinkle in some sand to provide grit for their digestive system
7. add the worms!
9. save your compost material and bury it in the bedding a couple of times a week
10. harvest your "black gold" (worm dirt) every 2 months or so!
this is what mine will look like
i'm really looking forward to doing this, as it's both fun and environmentally friendly. the 'soil' that the worms produce is probably the best fertilizer that you can find and many people pay top dollar for worm 'castings'. i hope to use it in my potted basil and succulents, in my window boxes, on my poor dying lawn, and next summer when BF plants a new batch of heirloom tomatoes.
I'll post photos of my new pets as soon as they fly in and are settled in their new home.
3 comments:
Good luck with the vermicomposting. I'm looking to start my own bin soon, but I've been trying to get worms from local farms. I got a list of suppliers at the Griffith Park Composting Education Facility, but I've left messages with three of the suppliers and none have called me back. If it comes down to it, looks like I'll have to order some online as well. Anyway, happy composting!
I have several hundred worms in potting soil that need a good home, if anyone is interested. Please leave contact info. Diana
YEA! thank you for blogging about composting on the cheap. I always thought you had to have some big fancy airy specifically-for-compost box, so I've been putting it off. Can't wait to get my hands on some wormies. :)
Post a Comment