Arizona Worm Farm

02/21/2025

My Central Phoenix house is in what used to be a citrus grove and lots of my neighbors have citrus trees. And, because most of them use landscapers who were never taught the proper way to prune their trees - lots of them look like lollipops. And then they get sunburned trunks. So they paint the trunk with oil-based paints. And then the trees stop producing fruit and eventually die.

Citrus trees do not need not be skirted (except for aesthetical reasons). If you let the branches reach just above the ground, you don't have to worry about sunburn on the trunks.

If you do skirt them (and you really shouldn't), you should use water-based latex paint on the trunk, ideally a light reflective color like white, as it is the safest option for the tree and won't harm its bark; don't use oil-based paints or acrylics which can be detrimental to the tree's health. And, dilute it to two or three times what the package recommends.

What should you do?

- Prune citrus to eliminate sprouts, remove weak, crossing or dead
branches, or to allow more light in the canopy.
- Do it now. Finish by mid-March here in the Valley.
-Remove all sprouts originating from the trunk. Most sprouts are
best removed by hand when they are small.
- Remove branches at the collar using a three-part cut.

Want hands on instruction? We have a class for that here at the farm - we will walk you through exactly what to do and let you practice on our trees.

https://www.facebook.com/events/510491982158114

Pictures and some advice from the UofA Cooperative Extension. Written by Glenn Wright.https://extension.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/2024-08/az1455.pdf

02/20/2025

Yep, I'm nagging! I put the tomato timeline for the Phoenix area on a chart so you can see that clock ticking.

Get your tomatoes seedlings in the ground right away. Tomatoes won't generally set fruit when the ambient temperature is over 100 degrees. If you plant them now (especially cherry tomatoes), you can be eating them by April 10th and can continue to expect to harvest for two months.

I put the average temperature for day on the chart. We have been over average - so you probably have even less time than expected.

We can extend the productivity of the plants with shade, mulch, and highly-microbially active soil. But, in the Phoenix area, you can count on 100 degree days coming at you like a runaway train.

If you are new to gardening, consider one of our Tomato basics classes. An expert? We have advance tomato growing classes as well. Details here: https://arizonawormfarm.com/classes-1

We have starts in these tomato varieties available now:

Sun Gold
Super sweet 100
Yellow pear
Red pear
Big Beef
Beefsteak
Black Krim
Brandywine
Cherokee purple
Celebrity
San Marzano

Amish Paste

02/18/2025

It's not too late. Our insect based Nutrient+ can be added now!

Healthy soil and thoughtful care are the keys to thriving plants. 🌿

Castings, worms, shade, water all work together for long-term success. But let’s face it—sometimes life gets in the way.
When the heat lingers longer than expected, or you forget a step (we’ve all been there), Nutrient+ is here to help get things back on track. 💪

Think of it as your garden’s safety net—use castings, teas, and good practices regularly, but know that Nutrient+ has your back when you need it.

Available at our farm and at all Nurseries locations.

02/14/2025

Starts available 2/14/15 💘

Tomatoes:
Sun Gold
Super sweet 100
Yellow pear
Red pear
Big Beef
Beefsteak
Black Krim
Brandywine
Cherokee purple
Celebrity
San Marzano
Amish Paste

Peppers:
Yolo Green Bell
Habanero
Chile de Arbol
Tomatillo, Verde & de Milpa
Ground Cherry, Goldie

Zucchini, Noche & Black Beauty
Yellow Squash, Goldfinch & Patty Pan
Eggplant, Galine
Bush Beans, Provider
Spinach, Viroflay & Auroch
Kale, lacinato
Swiss chard
Leeks, Early Giant
Bunching Onion
Melon, Crimson Sweet, Sugar baby and Cantaloupe
Cucumber, Marketmore & Suyo long

Flowers:
cornflower
hollyhock
scabiosa, pincushion
cosmos, sensation
marigold
dahlia
calendula
alyssum
yarrow
statice
Ranunculus
Guara

Herbs:
Basil, Genovese & Thai
Sage
greek oregano
Italian parsley
Lavender
Rue
Thyme, English & Creeping
Peppermint

Succulents:
octopus agave
ice plant
spruce cone cholla
elephant food
aloe

Ground cover:
Kurapia

Fruit trees:
Mulberry, Pakistan
Moringa
Apricot

02/13/2025

We had a customer come in this morning to buy some BSFL Nutrient+. She had a massive white fly infestation in the fall. She blasted the leaves with water to remove the eggs and then fertilized heavily with our new insect-based fertilizer. The science textbooks say that the emulsification of the larvae (which we do to make it) also releases pheromones, which are semiochemicals used for signaling danger or marking territories. Which would keep new flies and bugs away. Our customers have confirmed it works!

Now is a great time to add Nutrient+ to your trees and gardens.

Available at our farm and at Summerwinds Nursery three valley locations.

02/12/2025

Mulberry trees may be the fastest, easiest fruit tree to grow in the Phoenix area. Delicious fruit and shade in the Summer. And, now, only $40 each on Dave Wilson root stock.

They are a bit messy, so you want it in the middle of your yard (not over your car or pool).

We have a few bare root trees available between now and Saturday. We have reduced the prices on these final trees as they need to be planted in the next week.

You can reserve them on-line: https://azwf-tree-sale.square.site/s/shop

Or call us at 602-622-7663 and we will hold one for you. Very limited supply.

02/11/2025

Trying something new because it is the "class" I always wanted to attend this time of year. Want an interesting way to spend what might be a rainy Friday morning?

We have eight or nine varieties of tomatoes ripe in our greenhouse. You can come taste the ripe tomato - and yes, they are very different in taste - and then take home starts of the varieties you like to grow yourself.

This experience will include a tasting of all we have ripe, plus four starts of the variety you like best (mix and match!). We will do this inside our greenhouse where it is warm and dry.

Details are below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1440965946871299/

If you just want a basic tomato class, we have one of those open too: https://www.facebook.com/events/1172012404930056/

02/07/2025

Fresh is best. The most microbially active you can buy. We screened this today for you to pickup tomorrow! It’s going to be a beautiful weekend to get your garden ready for Spring.

01/31/2025

Mulberry tree class in our food forest. Our classes are hands-on - you actually help plant a tree.

For just $85, participants get a 60 minute class AND take home a Dave Wilson Nursery bare root mulberry tree, plus a bag of compost, a half gallon of worm castings, and a bag of mulch - everything you need to have a successful fruit tree.

We have just one more mulberry class - tomorrow morning - still has a couple of spaces left. Details are below.

01/28/2025

Want to plant Spring tomatoes and peppers and melons early next month? Start getting your soil ready now.

We have our composted tested by IAS labs about once a month. Our most recent test shows about 2.29% available Nitrogen (that is good!). Our tests show there is over 40 pounds of Nitrogen per ton of our compost - but your plants can't consume it without microbes cycling it to make it readily available for your plants.

And, that process takes some time. Two to three weeks if you can.

You will have the best results in your Spring garden if you add compost and worms or worm castings this weekend. That will give the worms and the microbes time to get readily available Nitrogen (the element that drives early growth) in your soil. The microbes will take Nitrogen from our compost AND from the air and have it ready for your Spring planting IF you start now.

It is going to be a beautiful weekend to get started.

Want to learn more? We have classes on gardening basics and worms with space still available for this weekend. Details are here: https://app.squarespacescheduling.com/schedule/038c2ee8/?categories[]=Class

01/27/2025

Thinking about getting your garden ready for Spring? Don't roto-till - just add worms! Worms will aerate - plus they will convert your organic matter into food for your plants.

Unsure about how to make it work? We have a class for that:

https://www.facebook.com/events/977067287627374

We will teach you how to add worms to your garden and send you home with two worm habitats and 700-900 worms, plus cocoons and babies.

01/25/2025

I’ve been listening to Rosie on the House forever. It is quite an honor to be recognized by Rosie!

The Urban Farm reminds us that soil is made up of 5 things: dirt, air, organic matter, water and things living in the soil. Need good soil? Tank's Green Stuff 100% Organic Compost and the Arizona Worm Farm - local companies that help you grow a healthy garden!

01/25/2025

Hey! We have a class for that. Want to get a hands-on class on how to put worms in your garden? Come to the worm farm and we will show you exactly how to get the best garden possible. Our class includes a worm habitat and 700-900 worms, plus babies and cocoons.

The next on is next Saturday. Details are here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/977067287627374/

01/21/2025

I flew from Phoenix to Maine last week for a meeting. Left Tuesday, met Wednesday and flew home Thursday. It was 7 degrees. Plus five hours on a plane twice. No surprise, I came home with a bit of cold. You know the type (guys) - I feel bad enough to be cranky but I'm not sick enough to skip work or get any sympathy from my wife who knows I am a baby about stuff like this.

We are working a series of classes here at the Worm Farm around medicinal properties of herbs, so I spent most of the two flights reading studies and coming to the conclusion that both ordinary people and lots and lots of scientists have proven that common herbs can keep you healthy and, if you do get sick, get you healed.

I found a fascinating work by an RN, researcher named Kami McBride that caught my attention mostly because it is so easy to add health improving herbs to our diet. The details are below, but here is the headline:

Cinnamon - It aids in digesting grains and is the chosen spice for meals that contain grains, cold dairy, milk, yogurt, ice cream or desserts and smoothies. Plus, it is delicious! We should all have a shaker next to (or instead of) our salt shaker to add it to almost everything we eat.

Garlic - Garlic contains several sulfur compounds that are anti-microbial. Garlic boosts the production of white blood cells helping to fight off bacteria, parasites and viruses. If you are sick, eat food with lots of garlic. (So, we grow cauliflower and garlic here and some is ready - roasted cauliflower with garlic is today's healing lunch!)

Paprika - paprika is high in vitamin C and contains the important antioxidant nutrient beta-carotene.

Rosemary - Rosemary improves circulation, relieves headaches and is calming to the nervous system.

Turmeric - Turmeric has many specialties, including the ability to enhance immunity.

Even better news, Garlic, Rosemary, and Turmeric can all be grown easily here in Phoenix.

More details:

Cinnamon - It aids in digesting grains and is the chosen spice for meals that contain grains, cold dairy, milk, yogurt, ice cream or desserts and smoothies. Cinnamon increases warmth and circulation and supports efficient digestion of fats and cold foods. Cinnamon helps counteract the congestion that is often accompanied by dairy foods. You will be pleased with what a few cups of this sweet and spicy brown bark can do for menstrual cramps. It relaxes the uterine muscle and calms painful uterine spasms.

Garlic - Garlic has been clinically studied as a heart medicine for more than thirty years and its usefulness in supporting people with hypertension and diabetes is well documented. Garlic prevents blood clots and protects arteries from age related stiffening. It lowers high blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke. With cardio vascular disease being a major cause of death in the United States, pass the garlic press please. Garlic contains several sulfur compounds that are anti-microbial. Garlic boosts the production of white blood cells helping to fight off bacteria, parasites and viruses. It is effective against many anti-biotic resistant strains of bacteria. If you are getting sick, eat garlic.

Paprika - Packed full of beneficial nutrients, paprika is high in vitamin C and contains the important antioxidant nutrient beta-carotene. Its flavonoid content has paprika weighing in as an important substance for the cardiovascular system. High flavonoid spices are tonic to the heart, reducing the risk of heart disease by protecting the capillaries, veins and the entire cardiovascular system.

Rosemary - Rosemary improves circulation, relieves headaches and is calming to the nervous system. Drinking rosemary tea in the morning especially during the fall and winter really helps to stimulate circulation, bringing energy to the brain and all parts of the body. Traditionally this herb is used to reduce fatigue and enhance mental clarity. Studies show that rosemary is effective in slowing the growth of several bacteria that are involved in food spoilage. Rosemary has proven more effective in food preservation than many common food preservative additives. So, if you are marinating or cooking up some meat, do what people have done for thousands of years with this herb, wrap the meat in rosemary.

Turmeric - Turmeric has many specialties, including the ability to enhance immunity. It is full of antioxidants such as vitamins C and E which are key nutrients in supporting the immune system. Turmeric slows the development of some cancer cells and stimulates immune cells that fight cancer. In addition to bolstering the immune system, clinical results attest to its’ anti-tumor and anti-cancer effects.

The material above came from Kami McBride, the author of The Herbal Kitchen. She has developed and taught herbal curriculum for the Master’s program at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and at the University of California San Francisco School of Nursing. She can be reached at https://kamimcbride.com/

01/20/2025

came to visit and made this nice profile:

Visit a worm farm in Arizona with the kids! See how food and plant waste can become fertilizer via Red Wiggler worms.