Coffee Grounds in the Garden

...amount to more than 20% of your compost pile. Don’t add coffee grounds to vermicomposting bins. If you’re using coffee grounds as a mulch Chalker-Scott has two suggestions: Apply a thin layer (no more than half an inch) of coffee grounds. Cover with a thicker layer (four inches) of coarse organic mulch like wood chips (Chalker-Scott 2015). This will protect the coffee grounds from compaction. Don’t apply thick layers of coffee grounds as a standa...

Read…

Worm Composting Demo at Summer Nights in the Garden

...Join Root Simple for a worm composting demo at the Natural History Museum’s Summer Nights in the Garden series this Friday August 28. We’re showing how to set up your own vermicomposting system and raffling off a worm bin. Plus it’s the debut of the new WormCam! Grab a cocktail and join us and KCRW DJ, Anthony Valadez. The garden is one of the best in California and the event is freeeeeeeeee. More info here....

Read…

Worm Compost Leachate, Good or Bad?

...eviewed studies showing the benefits of un-aerated worm compost leachate: “Vermicomposting Leachate (Worm Tea) as Liquid Fertilizer for Maize“ and “Vermicompost Leachate Alleviates Deficiency of Phosphorus and Potassium in Tomato Seedlings.” I also found several Extension Service publications touting the use of worm bin leachate. There are some caveats, however. First, it needs to be diluted–at least 1:1 and maybe, according to some sources, as mu...

Read…

Introducing Lora Hall

...graduate degree at Cal Poly Pomona. Her master’s work involves the use of vermicomposting to break down a variety of materials (maybe we can get her to explain this!). You can meet Lora in person and pick up some seedlings and fruit trees at the Highland Park farmer’s market (map) where she runs a booth with Trisha Mazure every Tuesday from 3 to 8 pm. When we visited her at the market last week Lora had a bunch of interesting plants including pur...

Read…

Gardening Classes at Silver Lake Farms

...Local gardening guru Tara Kolla, who we met in the course of writing our book the Urban Homestead, will be hosting a series of very reasonably priced classes at her beautiful urban farm in Silver Lake beginning in March. Topics include vermicomposting, organic gardening and more. Full information on the Silver Lake Farms website. If you’re in the Los Angeles area, we highly recommend taking a class or two, and sign up early as space is limited....

Read…