Worm Pouches

Portable worm farms are easy to make and provide a constant source of fertiliser to ensure garden plants thrive. To make your own worm pouch, take a piece of shadecloth. Sow both sides together and leave the ends open – it needs to look like an open ended tube. Fill the tube with worm food, kitchen scraps are ideal - but remove the onion and citrus, because worms don't like these - and then chop them into small pieces to allow the worms to get through them more quickly. Then add to the tube some wet cardboard or newspaper, and then the worms. Get special composting worms. These are available from most garden centres or hardware stores. Put them straight in and fold the tube ends over – your portable worm farm is ready for the garden. By placing it at the base of a young plant, it acts as a constant source of fertiliser. As water passes through the castings nutrients are taken through to the root zone. Worm castings are so mild that it's good for all plant species. The shadecloth also allows worms to move back and forward into the topsoil, although composting worms usually like to stay close to their food source. Another advantage is that the worm farm is wrapped up so cockroaches and flies aren't a problem. Top up the worm farm with food scraps once a week and watch your plants thrive.