Imagine the joy of having a creature around whose waste products were actually beneficial. Imagine being able to feed such a creature with your kitchen scraps, which are then diverted from our crowded landfills. Stop imagining and start researching the fascinating world of vermicomposting. Simplistically, vermicomposting is feeding worms organic material and then using their castings (or waste) to fertilize your garden soil.
Vermicomposting is picking up steam and being implemented in various areas across Canada. Municipalities such as the Region of Waterloo, Ontario are offering vermicomposting workshops to their citizens, designed to get this exciting environmental movement into the average household.
Cathy’s Crawly Composters, based in Ontario, is at the forefront of this “leading edge answer to our organic waste problem.” Using Red Wiggler worms to consume kitchen scraps and coffee grounds, this environmental business is making a positive impact on our planet. The website at www.Cathyscomposters.com is chock full of information and inspiration for you to get involved as well. In addition to selling the Red Wigglers, Cathy’s Crawly Composters also offers workshops and complete vermicomposting systems, as well as books and videos.
Cathy Nesbitt calls herself a “life-long conservationist and caretaker of the earth.” Her interest in vermicomposting grew out a passion for gardening and composting. She recalls taking care of a teacher’s worm bin many years ago and being a little hesitant to handle the squirmy creatures. Since then though, she’s grown to admire them. “I believe my mission is to be a worm advocate and to let people know” (about the enormous benefits worms can deliver to each household).
You may wonder where the worm castings can be used and how to go about using them. Cathy says that the nutrient rich fertilizer is great for indoor plants and exterior gardens.
“The worm compost is best used directly,” Cathy advises. “Gently work into the top couple of inches of soil around existing plants. For new gardens - dig a hole, line the hole with castings, place seedling or plant on top and fill in. Nutrients will be directly available to nourish the plants.”
Worm composting bins run a little differently than your typical outdoor composter, so be sure to educate yourself before diving into this project. Cathy also reminds us that “the internet is a great place to begin a journey in worm composting.”
Getting excited about this program is easy and implementing it is just as simple. Cathy’s Crawly Composters will ship the Red Wigglers and all that you need to get started. They have customers in every province and territory and have even shipped as far as California. Be assured that your garden and plants will thank you for the effort, not to mention the value to our planet.
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