Ever try that toothpick-in-the-avocado-pit trick?

I have composting worms in three bins in my backyard. I used to blog about them. The other day I was harvesting some worm castings (aka poop, humus, black gold, etc) to amend my soil in the backyard and I came across this avocado tree, happily growing under several inches of worms and rotting food. So many times I've tried to force a seed to root in a glass with no success. Now I know that I can grow avocado trees in my worm bins. They are indeed my lovely and productive worms!

My worm family.

Here you see my three bins of worms and my one bin (under the green concrete leaf--thanks Susan) of mostly castings ready to be spread wherever...my so-called vegetable garden I guess. I have an almost dormant blog about my worms, mylovelyworms.blogspot.com.

I have really neglected them recently, meaning the last couple of years. I guess I feed them enough (fruit and vegetable waste, coffee grounds, bills and junk mail). I just don't check often enough about moisture levels, carbon to nitrogen ratio, heat, that sort of stuff. But they are tolerant, and their population quietly rises and falls in response to my attentions/neglect. Worms have a lot of dignity. And they ask so little of me.

Say what you want about her, her husband, her politics, his politics. She's one cool first lady.

credit TBA

I inherited another worm family.

A friend found that vermicomposting wasn't for her and asked if I'd like to adopt her brood. More than happy to oblige.

I harvested yesterday and will record the results over on Mylovelyworms.

My worm composting.

I started my worm composting in March. These pictures were taken at various times, including last night, since then. My only complaint is that they are basically pretty slow producers of castings. Reliable, but slow. Most people don't even notice the bins in my cluttered kitchen, right next to the computer. Oliver pays them no mind.