1 - sterilization of feed stock isn't necessary, as the worms will take care of any pathogens if the castings are well finished .... note that the main thing worms eat is the bacteria and other decomposers rather than the organic material

2 - commercial worm breeders use whatever material is most available in their location - woroms process all organic material - worm castings are pretty much equal, regardless of feedstock

3/4/5 - none, you take what you can find, and unless you have someone nearby that produces large quantities that'll be expensive bags of 10-40# - yes it will be more expensive than regular compost - not clear on why anyone would try to garden with 2/3 inert, sterile growing medium unless you plan on some kind of chemical feeding, which sort of negates the compost

I grow some container things in straight compost [hot bin type], but I spread the vermicompost around, don't think it'd be very good in high concentrations because of the structure and texture - I'd recommend useing mostly plain garden soil with as much compost as you can afford

6/7/8/9 - sounds like you need to learn more about composting in general and worms in particular - you won't produce large volumes of vermicompost quickly, and would need a large area devoted to it to get large amounts in any case - you'd need herds of rabbits to produce much, cows would give more volume, but any animal manures [horse is great, if you want otherwise useless animals to feed] are better bin composted, which is faster, and that requires other inputs, like hay, straw, leaves,paper, food waste, plant trash, etc - look around your area and you'll no doubt find easy, free sources of large volumes of waste organics to compost

healthy animals won't create pathogen problems, hot composting would take care of any that happen to get in, and really is adviseable before the manure is used as feed in a worm bin, because manures are all "hot" high N material that can quickly heat up .... not a good thing for worms

zone 8 works fine for me, with an outdoor worm bin that is ignored all winter after filling with finished bin compost, and the worms "finish" it nicely, but with a bin only about 4x8', it's the hot bins that produce most of my compost

Bill

Here is a link that might be useful: about my compost activities

emyers, Im wondering why you dont just use a mix of garden soil and compost for your raised beds? squeeze makes some important points: vermicompost is not normally used (or needed) in large quantities and making large volumes of regular compost is easier and quicker.

Squeeze, trancegemini-
Thanks alot for your feedback.

Squeeze, yeah, I have a lot to learn in general but your answers to my many questions at least get me started down the right path.

Squeeze/trance-
Not coming from an immediate family that does a lot of gardening, I've pretty much taught myself everything I know (and don't know). When I first started thinking about getting into gardening, my step father (who by the way IS an avid gardener) had a friend who did some sort of raised beds and had very productive gardens. I only saw them once but they appealed to me. My step father actually helped me build a couple of raised beds out of railroad ties and his thinking was that they would be less work because of less bending over. He basically just wanted to get me started and it worked. All that was put in those boxes was the sandy soil we have around here.

So, I've read tons of stuff over the past few years and it all kind of started with the original "the square foot garden" stuff, which ultimately led me to organic gardening one way or another. So, I found my "recipe" for potting soil (peat, vermiculite, manure and the idea was to take it to the next level and grow organically.
I've had reasonable success with the new beds I built a couple years back now, and I think I'v finally determined why I was having the problems that I was having.

Now I have some serious down time and a little savings and decided to try and do a relatively small scale experiment that I can duplicat to try and determine if I can go commercial.

I want to keep the number of employees ultimately to a minimum and I'm thinking the raised beds intensive type gardening approach might be the ticket. Recognizing that it's much more expensive up front but then I don't need to pay people to weed etc, maybe I can pull it off myself and with my boys. Time will tell.

Bottom line is I'm thinking that if I use the peat vermiculite and compost blends (vermicompost or not) in raised beds, I'll definitely have a lot more money invested up front but I'll have a more "controlled" environment that should ultimately pay for itself in reduced labor costs. I could be way off frankly. Don't know.

Now that being said, I don't know if it would be problematic or not to go back to the sandy soil we have here, put it in my raised beds and then ammend that with fertilizers, compost and manures etc. My biggest concern when I look at the big picture is the introduction of weed seeds from any form. Maybe it's not a problem with our sandy soil IF I end up putting down the weed block fabric under the beds. Maybe eventually I'll be able to eliminate them over the years.

Anyway, I'm all ears. Talk me out of using the Peat, vermiculite & Compost. My thinking was start with that because I know I can grow stuff in it and it's weed free and potentially organic (for certification purposes) and just build on that with more and more compost over the years, ultimately building a soil that's a pleasure to work in/with.

Any comments appreciated.

Eddie

So,

"Talk me out of using the Peat, vermiculite & Compost."

ok, I'll a try :)

I think its important to understand what the different ingredients do so it will make more sense. Peat moss is used or organic matter for water holding etc, but the problem with it is that it doesnt add anything in the way of nutrients so its pretty dead infertile stuff, where as compost, manure etc will add organic matter plus nutrients.

Vermiculite is for drainage and to add air and is really more suitable for pots and containers not in a garden bed. I think those two ingredients are just a waste of money for what you are doing.

Compost is for organic matter and I have nothing bad to say about it :)

As for the weed mat, I dont think its necessary either. weeds generally sprout close to the surface where it's warm and light so depending on how deep the beds are it might not really accomplish anything. If you do want to put something down at the bottom just use a thick layer of newspaper or cardboard and as that breaks down it will add to the organic matter in the soil as well which a weed mat wont.

I think you have two options. use the sand - there's your drainage right there and amend it with compost and manure etc and as for the weeds, mulch, mulch, mulch. Bare soil will sprout weeds but if you use mulch it will really reduce them, and also lessen evaporation and heat and water stress on the plants.

The second option if you really want to get a better soil than sand, is start shopping around for a suitable bulk mix. something with loam, sand, hummus, organic matter, manure etc and that will be a really good base to start with but more expensive than using what you have. Use vermicompost - about a handful in your planting holes and you are well on your way.

you just keep adding on top periodically with more compost, manure, mulches etc. If you have some nice big compost bays up and running, composting your animal waste - soiled straw/manure etc or try to find other sources for it e.g. stables, farms you may not need to keep buying it in for future use and home made compost will be every bit as good as anything you can buy and if you hot compost that will kill most pathogens and weed seeds too.

You could also set up a vermicomposting system, the worm compost is quite different from regular compost and they make a good combination in organic gardening.

Those are my thoughts :)

and I'll 2nd trancegemini's thoughts - there's no need or justification to use peat, even less to use vermiculite or anything similar, and good worm castings provide an excellent fertilizang amendment, but aren't a great growing medium

a good healthy garden starts with a good healthy soil as the growing medium, and if you have poor sandy soil to start, it'll at least have some of the things a good soil needs, whereas peat and vermiculite have nothing, particularly the microbial life necessary, nor any microbe-food value

compost, compost, compost - it's decomposing organic material that supplies what healthy plants need, which is primarily a living, microbially active soil - it's the microbes that do the job the chemical factories try to imitate, they convert the organic nutrients in a good organic soil into the forms available to plants

and don't go into things with the expectation that you can have a good garden that requires no weeding, you'll be disappointed and frustrated, because there's always "weed" seeds showing up - remember a weed is simply a plant growing where it's not wanted

Bill

Trancegemini & Squeeze-
Thanks for your opinions. The reason I haven't responded earlier is that I've been doing a LOT of thinking & research into some of your ideas.
1. For one, I'm really considering getting the vermiculite out of the equation primarily because I see it breaking down in my existing raised beds. Cost is also another consideration, thus sand as a possible substitute albeit very little water holding capacity.
2. Weeds. Still concerned about weed seed... in a big way. I hear your recommendations on mulching etc and certainly intend to incorporate it in some manner (maybe plastic sheet or maybe just straw/hay/leaves etc... remember this is a commercial application that needs to be able to be repeated). That being said, if I could "eliminate" or at a minimum reduce mulching & weeding requirements it will save labor in the end, ultimately I believe reducing cost. This is an intensive farming operation with most crops grown on 6, 9, or 12" centers, so I'm thinking that once all the annuals get up and running the shade itself will reduce my weed potential problems. The sand I have access to (my sand) is going to have all kinds of grass seed (bermuda +) and roots in it that will be a major problem. I've already experienced that in my 1st beds done with sand. That being said, part of that problem could have been not using the landscape fabric under the beds. This stuff will actually shoot up through 16" plus. So, bottom line is I don't have what I consider to be a very good option that I can get for free.
3. Topsoil. I looked hot and heavy for topsoil sources. Bagged stuff listed as topsoil probably isn't top soil anyway and the bags I broke open (various types)don't seem like they could be any better than anything I could mix myself. The one benefit to them is that they PROBABLY don't have any viable weed seed in them. Another downside is that there is no telling what kind of pesticides may be incorporated into it.
4. Bulk topsoil. So, I started looking into bulk topsoil. There's actually a sand mine about 30 minutes away and I called them to inquire about topsoil and they do sell it. It's reasonable to assume that it is "true" top soil and I got excited when they gave me pricing. After I slept on it I started thinking weed seed again, and there is nothing that they do to sterilize the product to eliminate the weed seed, so, I'm back to square one with the top soil. Even looked at trying to find possible sources of kilns to heat it up to kill the seed to no avail.
4. Worm Castings. Contacted a company that sells bulk worm castings, and yes, there is a HUGE ouch factor to try to replace regular compost with the worm castings. Doesn't seem feasible to me monetarily. So, in discussing with him he mentioned that he had done some work with a relatively local municipality on composting (not worm) and suggested I contact them and see if they are still selling compost. I did, and they are. He said it should be good stuff and mentioned a sovita test that they should have the numbers on for their product. He said weed seeds should NOT be a problem with their compost. He recommended possibly using ONLY compost for my base medium (forget peat and vermiculite and I suppose sand) then incorporating the vermicompost at a 20% rate on top of that. Sounds possible but still very expensive on the vermicasting side of things. But all in all possibilities. Waiting on a call from the municipality to get the sovita test score and to find out additional info regarding the ingredients of the compost etc. My biggest concern about it right now is chemicals/pesticides that could be contained in it, assuming they use things like grass clippings and leaves etc. We'll see. If that doesn't turn out to be an option, I'm at a loss on the whole compost thing until I can get something relative large scale going myself.
5. Blend. So, now I'm thinking I'll use a Peat moss, coarse sand, and compost blend with the vermicompost in lesser quantities than a full replacement for the compost. Not sure of quantites yet. Not sure of a good source for coarse sharp sand in bulk quantities that has no salt content.

Bottom line is this "mix" should be much better than anything I could purchase of the shelf and I know what I'm putting in it. It gives me a starting point that I can continue to build on organically with manure/compost/greensand/dolomitic lime/blood meal (probably/maybe/still a little scarey)/rock phosphate etc.

Anyway, I know this is not quite where you were trying to get me to, but your help is certainly appreciated and has been incorporated into my thought process. I thought long and hard about using my existing soil, but just can't rationalize it for what I'm attempting to accomplish.

Thanks!
Eddie

OK. Now I'm thinking I'm gonna use straight leaf compost or maybe straight leaf compost with some sharp sand mixed in. Vermicompost could be added to this as a supplement.

Anyone have any thoughts on this solution?

I think mostly you are working too hard at this. I think buying vermiculite and peat would add significantly to the start up costs and one of the most important things about starting a new business is to keep outlay to an absolute minimum. You did not say what you will be growing for market and that may make a big difference in what would be necessary. I would suggest getting a copy of Ruth Stout's "No Work Gardening" book. In it she tells about using a heavy mulch of whatever she can find that will rot and covering here entire garden with it. Use whatever manures are avalable cheap or free for the hauling and let the earthworms do the rest. I have found that if you just lay out bales of hay the worms will get right in there and start to work. I consider my garden my worm bin. If things are chopped up pretty fine they just go under the mulch or if they are too coarse they do go for a time in a compost bin made out bales of straw at one end of the garden. Most of my Semi-raised beds get turned once a year but I am not convinced that is necessary. I mainly just want to see what is going on down there. The idea of sand is a good one if you have clay or heavy soil as I do. Once a year I add a bag or two of bone meal. It is expensive but it works for the long term. If you are growing plants to sell in pots I would shy away from that due to the expense. If you are selling produce this would be a good soil ammendment. I also add a bucket full of poultry mash every month or two during the growing season just to stimulate worm growth and reproduction. Egg shells saved up over time or gathered from a restaraunt that serves breakfast go in the mix. I let them sit in a paper bag for a month or two until dried, then pop them in the oven at 300 for about 10 minutes. A potato masher makes fine chips of them. They are a great source of calcium and the leftover egg drippings in the shells has a fair amount of nitrogen . No telling how much though. No weeds from that source anyway. If you do this for a year or so the ground will be soft under the mulch and weeding is much less of a chore. Ruth Stout would say don't weed. Just add more mulch and smother the weed out making it more mulch it's self. I think she had most of it right. She never tilled at all but I can't help but get in there and turn it sometimes. I also think it helps to use different types of mulch in season. Weed trimmings, leaves off trees in the fall(not walnut leaves however), old hay when you can get it. This offers different sources of minerals and nutrients. This is exactly what mother nature does with her soil in the woods. She makes the best there is. Good luck.

emyers,
mulch, mulch, mulch. Weeds can't get a foothold and water needs are greatly stabilized. Vermicastings are great if you produce them, however quite expensive to purchase. Mulch turns into rich soil and will allow the worms to vermicompost on site. Things can't be rushed in nature. Pantience is a vertue when growing food from new gardens.
Good luck!

Eddie,
If you are worried about weed seeds sprouting apply corn gluten meal is supposed to be very effective pre emergent herbicide with the added benefit of feeding the soil. Hot compost (for faster composting) is what I use for mulch as well as soil amendment. Any weeds that sprout are very easy to pull from mulch as apposed to soil. Oh yeah, vermicomposting is quite easy and the compost is very good fertilizer (a bit in a planting hole or under mulch since if placed on the top of the ground it will form a crust). I don't use landscaping fabric or plastic mulch ever anymore since it doesn't work as well as an organic mulch

Can I vermicompost treated dry sewage sludge, cow manure/ dung and bone meal to make compound compost fertilizer