[Terrapreta] Char charged vermicomposting trial

[Dan Culbertson]

I was just wondering about using charcoal/terrapreta in worm bins since I'm finally getting around to setting up a few vermiculture bins.  What struck me as a possible "maybe not" is the tendency (as noted by various worm publications) of earthworms to break down rock dusts and things like egg shells into more readily available nutrients.  Might that not somewhat neutralize the nutrient holding benefits of terrapreta making the casting more akin to just plain old worm compost?  In other words, I wonder if the resulting castings would be nutrient charged terrapreta  or just a very good quick release organic fertilizer for soil top dressings.  Also, just how fine will the char particles be after they go through the worms?  Would the worms gizzards make all that stored carbon oxidize faster?  I think there are some interesting questions there, especially since worms aren't just living in our worm bins but are also  a big part of the soil life in terrapreta soils and may affect the durability of the carbon and nutrient sequestration.  I wonder if there is any comprehensive analysis of all the soil fauna and how terrapreta impacts and is impacted by it.  Not just earthworms but nematodes and other critters like cutworms and slugs.  Be nice if it encouraged the good critters and suppressed the nasty ones.

Anyhow, I'll be interested to know if the worms like living in and eating it.

Dan
  The charcoal consisted of about 5% by volume of the total wastes run through the disposal, and the resulting grind process caused a definite color change in the final product.

  Over the next few days I will inspect the bins periodically to see how the worms respond to this new feed.
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