My first "harvest"

This morning, I lifted up the worm factory to look in the bottom to see how much worm compost had been created my my crawly roommates.   Using the scraper/spatula that came with it, I scraped a bowl full of material out of the bottom tray.  After watching the DVD on worm composting that came with my factory, I learned that a little of this material goes a long way and that just a spoonful should be put on plants at any one time.  Strong stuff!  

So, I have decided to conduct a science experiment.  I have two pansy pots--neither of which is doing very well--outside.   I opted to apply a little of the magical material on the sicker-looking one (on the right in this photo) and only water on the one on the left.   Each week I'll repeat the process and examine the state of the two plants after 3 weeks.  

Stay tuned for the results.

But, today a larger crisis hit my backyard as a large branch of a tree in the next patio broke off, falling on the branch below it, which then caused both to kind of crash into my back yard--barely missing my science experiment flower pots.  Science has so many variables sometimes.  Tree cutters are coming tomorrow to carefully (I hope) bring down the fallen branches.  Good thing we weren't having a Sunday brunch with the NY Times outside at the time!