[compost_tea] Re: Re: Worm Food & Molasses

From: Kirk Leonard <kirk_at_oregonatural.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 17:29:31 -0700

Ro and I really do want to kick back and listen here for a while but my
tongue is noodging at me (don't think Rojo really cares)because I think I
know
some about vermicomposting (Ro prefers rodents and knows a lot more about
them than I...).

Farm where I have a vermi facility has about 2 acres of wormbeds (+10 acres
compost) and I have a worm greenhouse there, too. Weeds will grow quickly
in big wormbeds or compost piles. If you have tomatoes or peppers in the
feedstock (probably other hardy plants, too, other places) they will too.
In both field and greenhouse beds, I have seen the same thing Scott saw.
Pull a plant up and worms are clustered in the roots. My theory is simple:
Either the worms are there to consume the "cake and cookie" plant exudates
or the micro-organisms gathered there, working with the exudates. Hopefully,
they consume the organisms, not the exudates. Judging by the plants there's
not a problem - but it's a worm feast either way. I think ground worms
(anecic, endogeic) are better behaved in this respect than litter worms
(epigeic). And everything I've heard about worms is they're consuming the
organisms, not the organic material itself, ya.

Doc E told me fungi can consume/convert eggshells and Irene's comments
support that. Worm-working won't, imo. I think that's because worms
consume the fungi first. Probably same with crab shells?

"Wet sacking" sounds similar to burlap to me and I agree it's likely to
boost fungal content. Looking through old Worm Digests today, I was
reminded how good cardboard is for fungal vermicompost content, too.
(Regular newspaper is generally good too, by the way, just not a lot of
color or inorganic inks or coated papers...)

On molasses in teas, I think Mike's comment about "huge air volumes" is key
to working with volumes of molasses. Personally don't have that much air
volume so don't use molasses anymore. As I recall, Doc's 5% molasses
experiments were done with a little KIS machine, which has a relatively
massive air volume (highest I've heard, anyway): air/water ratio on the new
machine I measured was almost 4X. Another reported measure was about 2X.
For most machines, I think, the a/w ratio is less than 1X. Back to
air/water volumes, eh? I do believe it's important, especially if you want
to use molasses, and for basic safety. Question: Is molasses worth the
electric costs and DO risks?

-- Kirk L






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Received on Wed Oct 22 2003 - 21:23:30 EDT

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