Immediate Care of Living Products
If you have recently ordered any PC Living Products (Living Material, EM, or Johnson-Su) please make sure to read all the information on this page carefully so you are clear on how our shipping process works, what is required of you, and how to take the best care of these products once they reach you.
Important Shipping Info
All orders ship out Monday-Friday, but they can require as much as 2-3 days of prep time - so an order placed late in the week may not ship until early the following week.
Because these products contain living organisms it is very important that you closely monitor your tracking (provided shortly after order was placed) and that you are able to intercept the package very soon after its arrival.
Please also refer to our living product guarantee so you are clear on customer responsibilities relating to these types of shipments and how to make a claim in the event of any serious issues.
Choose your product(s) to learn how best to care for and store them:
Effective Microorganisms (EM)
Prior to opening, the bottle can be stored at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, for up to 18 months.
Once you start using it, we recommend trying to squeeze out as much air as you can between uses and keeping the lid tightly secured.
Johnson-Su
We recommend using this product as soon as you can for maximum biological benefit. Make sure the bag remains tightly closed at all times to avoid drying out (there are small air holes for oxygenation). Store at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
For more information: Johnson-Su Product Guide
Living Material (LM)
We take great care to ensure that your Living Material arrives in the healthiest state possible, but don't be alarmed if it doesn’t seem like there is much going on in the mix when you first open it up!
If your aim is to grow a population of Red Wiggler worms, it’s important to note that the worms and cocoons can be very well hidden - especially after shipping (which can result in 10-20% moisture loss). With proper care, your Living Material should spring “back to life” very quickly once it is in your system!
Temporary Storage of Your Living Material
We highly recommend adding the Living Material to your system as quickly as you can, but if you aren’t quite ready, you should be ok to store your bag in a location with moderate temperatures (16-26°C), and out of direct sunlight, for up to a week without any issues. Partially opening the bag can help with airflow, but be careful not to let the contents dry out too much.
Adding a small piece of water-rich food like a cucumber or melon slice can give your worms something to feed on, but it's not critical since there is also nutrition in the mix itself. NOTE: If you have a small plastic tub (should be opaque), you can also empty your bag into that, and add a few water-rich scraps. This type of set up can provide you with an even longer-duration, temporary storage solution.
For a more in-depth coverage of this topic, be sure to refer to these LM resources:
Living Material Product Guide
Living Material Resource Page
Using Living Material as a Starter Culture
Have Any Questions or Concerns?
Thank you so much for your order! Always remember that we are here to support you on your composting journey. Don’t ever hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions or concerns that come up along the way!