Add the soil, worms, compost and plants

 

We left off part 1 in layering the landscape fabric.  I need to add a tube to fill the water reserve. The fabric has 2 purposes: absorbs water and blocks soil from going into water reserve. The clay pebbles under the fabric also absorb water. These two elements help the soil from rotting while insuring water gets absorbed up.

I made a hole in the fabric. I also cut the pvc pipe on an angle so the water can flow thru and the pipe won’t suction.

I placed my pots to see how many would fit and begin thinking of what to grow in the tub. These empty pots will be filled with worm-loving kitchen scraps. 

We filled the tub with 4” of coir, potting soil and garden soil. Many advise to only use potting soil and coconut brick soil- but that wasn’t within my budget so I had to mix with 1/2 garden soil and potting soil and some coir.

Potting soil and coconut coir are super absorbing materials that will help wicker the water up to the plants. I also lightly misted the soil to help it maintain its moisture. This layer of soil will be like a worm super highway.  They will use this soil to “travel” from pot to pot in search of food.    

Then I added my composting worms with some of their food.  They quickly began to burrow down. I spread them and there food throughout the soil so they could have room to wiggle.

Why 2 pots?  The bottom pot holds composting worms and kitchen scraps that worms like. The top pot holds the plant. The worms travel back and forth from pots to help improve soil with their casting (poop) the liquid and moisture they release help moisten the soil for the top plant. 

When kitchen scraps are about halfway in pot, I cover with an inch of soil and begin adding to a new pot.

 

My plan is to fill the tub with more potting soil and plant in the tub some root vegetables.