Soil :: The Dirt Guide

Get all the dirt on soil here.

  • Soil Making News
  • How To Compost
  • Benefits Of Green Manure
  • How To Vermicompost
  • Blog
  • Shop
    • Holiday Gift Guide
You are here: Home / Archives for Video

Want to know how worms create compost?

June 26, 2017 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

Vermicomposting or worm composting has gotten very popular. Setting up a bin is super easy, it just takes a trash can or stroage container, some shredded newspaper, a little water, the food scraps and of course, a pound or two of worms. So long as you do not overfeed your worm bin food scraps, you will have a healthy fresh smelling compost bin. The worms will acclimate and multiple which will require incremental increases in the amount of food scraps you give them.

If you would like to set up a worm bin please refer to our instructions at Setting Up Your Worm Bin.

The popularity of worm composting has increased so much that the American Chemical Society produced this informative video for the Washington Post explaining how earthworms aid in the decomposition of organic matter to produce nutrient-rich compost.

Some things I learned from this short video:

  • Darwin wrote his last book about earthworms
  • Earthworms have a gland that secretes calcium carbonate to help the worms digest the carbon-rich organic matter which reduces the amount of carbon thrown off into the atmosphere.
  • Since earthworms don’t have teeth, they rely on their gizzard to crush and pulverize their food.
  • Drilodefensins is an acid found in the gut of the earthworm that enables them to neutralize the poisons that make up parts of some plants.

All of this happens to create worm castings which is nutrient-rich plant and tree loving soil by another name.

Another fun fact: Earthworms consume a 100% fiber diet. If human were to do that, we get seriously constipated. But the worms can do it because their digestive system incorporates all the enzymes they need to breakdown the organic material.

If you have ever been curious about vermicompost or composting with worms, you must watch this short information packed video. You’ll never look at a worm with disgust again. These little creatures are powerhouse workers.

Filed Under: Building Soil, Compost, Vermicompost, Video

Mike McGrath Explains Why You Should Be Leaf Composting

April 5, 2015 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

We’ve written about it many times that composting your leaves each fall will do more for your garden than any store bought fertilizer ever will.

Mike McGrath, hosts a weekly radio program on WHYY in Philidelphia called “You Bet Your Garden.” In this Ted Talk, Mike explains why you should be compost your fall leaves and not put them out for the trash collection.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Compost, Featured, leaves, Video

One Person’s Effort To Increase The Number Of Monarch Butterflies

March 14, 2015 by SoilGuide Leave a Comment

Watch what one person is doing to help revive the numbers of Monarch Butterflies in North America.

$18
MUMTOP Hanging Outdoor Bird Bath - Glass BirdBath Butterfly Outdoor Bird Feeder for Garden Yard Decoration (Yellow Flower Shape)

MUMTOP Hanging Outdoor Bird Bath – Glass BirdBath Butterfly Outdoor Bird Feeder for Garden Yard Decoration (Yellow Flower Shape)

From Amazon
SoilTheDirtGuide may get a commission
Buy now

Filed Under: Featured, Video

The mission of Soil :: The Dirt Guide is dedicated to restoring soil to its proper place. That's right, we must be the disciples of dirt and disseminate the definitive information to the world about its creation and maintenance.

Product Search

Site Search

Shop Shrubs and Bushes at Nature Hills

Topics

  • Books
  • Building Soil
  • Compost
  • Featured
  • Green Manure
  • Healthy Food
  • leaves
  • Nature Hill Bulbs
  • Reviews
  • Soil Erosion
  • Soil Making News
  • Tools
  • Urban Gardening
  • Vermicompost
  • Video

Product Categories

Note: The owner of this site is an affiliate of the products promoted.

Tags

building a compost bin cooperative extension cover crop green manure groundcover how to compost how to make compost making compost making humus nightcrawlers red clover red wigglers red worms soil erosion soil testing turning the compost pile turning under green manure what is compost what is humus worm bins

Categories

  • Books
  • Building Soil
  • Compost
  • Featured
  • Green Manure
  • Healthy Food
  • leaves
  • Nature Hill Bulbs
  • Reviews
  • Soil Erosion
  • Soil Making News
  • Tools
  • Urban Gardening
  • Vermicompost
  • Video
Get Out n About Travel Blog
Hydrangea Planter

Copyright © 2023 News Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Note: The owner of this site is an affiliate of the products promoted.

CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC.
THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.