URI Master Gardener program of the Cooperative Extension Education Center:

For gardening information call our Master Gardener Hotline:

1-800-448-1011
Monday-Thursday
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Vermicompost - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Vermicompost (also called worm compost, vermicast, worm castings, worm humus or worm manure) is the end-product of the breakdown of organic matter by some species of earthworm. Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich, natural fertilizer and soil conditioner. The process of producing vermicompost is called vermicomposting ."

A.Word.A.Day--annelidous:

"This week's theme: words having vowels aeiou once and only once, and in order.

annelidous (uh-NEL-uh-duhs) adjective - Of or relating to worms.

[From French anneler (to ring), from Latin anellus, diminutive of anus (ring).]

'The mud in many places was thrown up by numbers of some kind of worm, or annelidous animal.'

Charles Darwin; Voyage of the Beagle; 1839."

Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/annelidous.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/annelidous.ram

The Urban Composting Project

Brooklyn Botanic Garden's Urban Composting Project promotes composting in Brooklyn neighborhoods, community gardens, institutions, and businesses. The Department of Sanitation funds the project, which started in 1993, and operates under Brooklyn GreenBridge, BBG's community horticulture program.

compost@bbg.org
1000 Washington Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11225
Compost Hotline: 718-623-7290

Plastic goods for your compost heap

"Metabolix announced the brand name--Mirel--for its biodegradable plastic made from corn and said it will be used in several consumer products including razor holders and greeting cards."

Urban Composting

How the Worm Turns

From a New York Times OP-ED by Amy Stewart the author of “The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms”

But earthworm taxonomists don’t have it so easy. One has to dig for earthworms, and even though they are blind and deaf, worms are remarkably good at evading the probes and shovels of nosy scientists. There’s also the problem of knowing where to dig. An ornithologist can simply meander through a forest and look up; an oligochaetologist must keep an ear to the ground, so to speak, and try to divine the ideal earthworm habitat.

Pulp Fact

Shaw’s saves by grinding veggies

The results: Shaw’s can offer the waste for consumers and farmers to use as free compost or animal food while incurring reduced costs for sending smaller and lighter loads of it to landfill

Consumers who want to use the waste should talk to the manager of their local Shaw’s store.

Earth Day 2007
Roger Williams Park Zoo - Providence, RI