HOW TO GROW WORMS FOR YOUR GARDEN

How to Get Worms!
I started a little project in a "dead zone" of my new garden. The soil wasn't great, and a gigantic mulberry tree shades this 10 X 12 area most of the day during growing season.

I decided last year to throw my extra leaves etc. on a pile and just let it compost itself. This spring, I had need for some compost so I scraped some of the composted material up and put it into my wheelbarrow. There were big "fish worms" all over the place. It was then that I thought of digging a "compost trench - spade wide by spade deep. Then ever few days take the kitchen potato peels, coffee grounds, egg shells, vegey cutoffs, onion skins etc. out to the trench; throw it in and fill that small area with dirt from the trench making. A few weeks later when I was laying down another trench -about 5 foot long and 10 inches wide by 8 inches deep - I accidentally dug into "last weeks" trench beside it. The worms were rampant!

Now - here it is, January 14, in zone 7,(Arbor Day Hardiness Map) and I am still dumping vegetable garbage in those trenches. Hopefully, we will get a little moisture before spring to help things along and keep the worms happy. If it starts to get dry, I will wet the area down a little. The soil should be rejuvenated too.

I will borrow from this area and replace for an additive to my potted plant mix. And, I should have a ton of fish worms for what ever reason. (There is a small lake just 2 blocks away that is kept well stocked with Catfish.) Now, I'm afraid to chop down that mulberry tree. What will happen to my worms and my compost endevors? Next I plan to add a little scoopful of store-bought cattle manure whenever I add the kitchen scraps. I understand worms love it! Hope it works for you folks.
GrandBob