New to gardening and getting confused

[ClaireG]

Hi everyone,

I'm wanting to make more use of my garden, and as I'm still learning about growing my own veg, and wondered whether I could get some specific advice as I'm starting to confuse myself.

My idea is to grow in containers as I don't have the space or set-up for a proper veg garden. I have inherited a worm composter from the previous owner and I've not really bothered with it for 18 months because I didn't understand it. It's still got lots of worms in it (along with woodlice ) and opening the door at the bottom reveals lots of black compost with bits of eggshell. A few weeks ago, I stupidly chucked in some seed potatoes and now they're growing into plants in there, have I ruined it all?

What is the wormery compost used for? Can I mix it in with the grow-bag stuff I used in veggie and herb pots this year and reuse it next year? or do I need to mix in other nutrients to make it 'fresh'?

What about left over, unused compost? Can I mix it all together and use it for next year's pots?

Sorry, I know I sound like a complete novice, but I wondered whether there's use for what I have if it's re-enriched, as it were!

Thanks in advance

[boundtothesoil]

I noticed that no one's answered your question. I don't have a wormery, but I do make lots of compost. You could always look it up on the internet! Personally, I wouldn't actually grow a crop on my compost heap, as I'm always adding fresh waste to it. I'd pull out your potatoes, chop them up and put them back in, or just let the darkness and added waste smother and starve them - they'd rot down. I'd use the finished compost in all the ways you suggest. As for unused compost, you can always store it in a large plastic bag (like the ones you buy compost in!) if you don't have any immediate use for it.

[Feral007]

If there are still worms in there you need to look after them. Usually the wormeries have several layers, so you put in an extra layer, put some food on the top of it, and when the worms move up into that one, then you use the layer below, so take it out, and put the top one onto the bottom tray. But you may have a different sort, so maybe say what it looks like. Wormery worms can't live in the garden so they die when you put them out.

The compost once they are out can be used alone, but I'd probably mix it 50/50 with something less perfect to make it go further! Also there should be a tap or overflow exit for the liquid and that can be diluted down (about 1/10 I think) and used as fertiliser on the garden.

[Two_Sheds]

I stupidly chucked in some seed potatoes

lesson no.1: plants need light
They need light in order to photosynthesise. Get the spuds out of the wormery and into big tubs

What is the wormery compost used for?

Use it as potting compost. It will probably be quite wet when you open it, so let it dry off for a couple of days before you start to handle it.

Use the worm liquid (your wormery likely has a tap at the bottom) to feed your plants.

[Jonthefish]

Welcome Claire, there is plenty of info on wormeries on the internet, don't give them too much kitchen waste at anyone time, mix it with small layers of shredded newspaper, they love that stuff.

[ClaireG]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I have been doing some research and don't think I have a proper wormery, more of a compost bin with tiger worms in it (I asked the previous owner)! Still have a lot of learning to do!

[Two_Sheds]

I have a wormery and two daleks at school. The worms always move out of the wormery and into the daleks, and the children take them all back again.

I sit on the kerb and have a cuppa tea