Well as many know already, we had some family issues over a five week period or so which I kind of neglected my earthwormponics. The past couple weeks I began working with it again and made a modification last week which apparently has helped in bringing it all back again.
Anyone unfamiliar with the start of this system can visit the earthwormponics main page.
The modifications include adding one capful of liquid organic seaweed (iron) and one capful of activated EM-1 (effective microorganisms) along with the regular feed I have been using for the worms.
From the picture below you can see this tomato plant is now towering over the roof of one of the buildings. The plant itself is at nine feet tall and still growing. This is from where the stem comes out of the growing medium to the top of the plant and does not include the bucket itself. In fact there are new blossoms which opened and another bunch which should be opening just above these up in the next day or so.
9 foot Earthwormponics tomato plant
The tomatoes, bell peppers and lettuce I have grown using this process have a superior taste, even over regular organic plants in the soil not just by my input but from others I have given some to try. In fact two of the three people who have tried the produce grown in the system have come back to purchase their own earthwormponics kit!
I have also planted some new seeds three days ago for Romaine lettuce inside under a fluorescent light so as to take pictures of these as they grow. For leafy vegetables such as lettuce there is no need for a fancy, high priced lighting system, just a basic fluorescent light does fine!
I did start the new lettuce off by adding the capful of activated EM-1 and organic seaweed as well.
The astonishing fact I found while growing lettuce is just how fast it grows cutting down the time it takes to grow in half. While growing Romaine lettuce in the ground takes 60 – 65 days to produce, the earthwormponics system takes just 30 days and produces a thicker healthier leaf! In fact even though I started this to be able to grow organic lettuce for my rabbits year round inside they do not get it all as I have to make some salads for myself using the lettuce and tomatoes grown in the system!
Have you thought about mixing in an aquaponics system to the mix? Should increase your yeilds by a third more.
David
I was looking at aquaponics first, however the need for controlling the environment caused me to hesitate some as well as I read a number of folks have some issues with fishy taste in some of their vegetables such as radishes. I have someone nearby that I am going to look over there aquaponics system in the future, however from what I have heard from him my system is actually ahead of his. Now it could be due to me doing something right and him doing something wrong or it could be the earthwormponics is just effective if not more if done correctly. Time will tell.
Bruce
Hi All,
I have never had a problem with fishy tasting Vegetables. I do believe that worms can help aquaponics 4 fold I set up about 4 years age a side by side experiment. The aquaponic set up using worms in the grow beds grew quicker and stronger. I also never had to add iron or sea weed emulsion ever. The bed with out worms and a spray of worm tea just did not perform as well. Both aquaponic systems out grew the land based gardens two fold. Regards, Barry.