A weekend to work!

This hardly ever happens!  It's springtime, the weather is beautiful, and I have an entire weekend to work!  My only commitments for the entire weekend are picking my daughter up on Sunday and a community band function on Saturday morning.  This is a total rarity.  So, I got dirty and busy.... and now (it's Saturday night) I have pushed my poor body as far as it will go.  I fear I have collapsed in a pile.  So, I thought I'd blog a little until I gain my second wind!

I cleared out my front flower bed on Friday (I had a vacation day because I was SUPPOSED to go to Chicago to a hockey tournament this weekend, but that fell through) and got it ready for some new plants.

Then, I realized my poor snap peas needed to be liberated from their weedy neighbors.  While I was over in that garden, I saw that my raised strawberry bed was looking a little crowded, too.  My issue weeds there are nettles (and I react ALOT to nettle stings) and morning glories.  The morning glories are a nightmare, and they twist around and choke ANYTHING they can get a hold of.  I did my best....

I started repotting some of the plants in my greenhouse, and realized that I had better start hardening some of those plants off.  If I want them to be ready for new homes, I'd better get going!  Yesterday (Friday) was our official average last frost date (or pretty close to it... and I count conservatively after losing all my plants one year!) so I'm not too far behind.  The thing I'm not happy about is the plants are still so small.  I think I need to bump the dates on all the seed packages up about 3 weeks, because while they will all be perfect for planting in my garden, they are so puny I feel bad selling them.  Though, I know that they will grow big fast as soon as they get in the warm soil in their "forever home".

Vermicomposting 101

Vermicomposting 101

The optimal temperature for a worm bin is 55 to 75 degrees F.

A little about me

I started worm composting about 6 years ago while working at an elementary school as a teaching assistant, mainly to show the students how decomposition works.  It was a fun experience, and the students had a blast learning about worms.  I purchased my first worm bin to get started rather than making one.

Where I got my worms

I bought my first batch of worms from a bait shop, and they ended up being quite expensive when purchased in such small quantities.  My first batch of worms lasted four years- but I forgot to bring them inside one cold fall and they were no match for the Wisconsin winter.  My current batch of worms were purchased at a Garden Expo from Growing Power two years ago.  They are currently thriving!

Some of my favorite links about vermicomposting:

Worm bin basics

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/

Worm bin pests

This website describes various pests that you might see in your worm bin:
http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/wormfarmingpests.html
This website talks about little white worms that might appear:
http://www.wormfarmingsecrets.com/worm-pests-predators/white-worms-pot-worms-in-worm-composting/
Here is a website discussing mites:
http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/how-to-get-rid-of-worm-bin-mites/ 

Make your own worm bin

http://compost.css.cornell.edu/worms/steps.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Worm-Compost-System

My adventures in worm composting

http://thiscountrylifewisconsin.blogspot.com/2013/03/working-with-worms.html 


2016 LGGG Vermicomposting Presentation

Throwback to last spring....

I started a post last spring about some of my trials, but didn't have a chance to finish it.  And, there it sat, dormant in the drafts folder, until I discovered it today.  I love looking back on the pictures from last spring when we're in the midst of a gloomy and dreary stretch of winter.  No holidays to look forward to and no life around us.  It's the best time to look back and make a plan.  

Last spring I was scrambling to finish up the greenhouse and get things organized.  This spring I am excited to have a new tiller and a place to work right away when it starts to thaw.  And, I became a Master Gardener Volunteer over the course of last year, so I'm excited to have a lot of new knowledge!

Cukes- two different types!

A peony and daffodils announce the arrival of spring!

 Caladium~ I planted them, but had no idea how these things were going to grow.  I was surprised to see these crazy spikes emerge from the soil.  These ended up being a win!  They were big and beautiful.  I should start them a little earlier next year.