Since you dont say how much castings you think you might have or how big your bins are. Im guessing you wont have enough to spread over the entire garden. It takes me back to when I first started , the first year I like you was limited on my vc . So I ended up mixing what I had into a few potted plants and maybe some around a rose plant. Glad to hear your wife has come around to letting you bring the worms inside, that will allow your worms to be more active and therefore your will get more vc. But I stray, It was the second year when I had accumulated enough castings to use in the areas I wanted. Remember go light on the vc mix 20% or even less is plenty. Also if and when you spread any around the base of any plants be sure to mix under the top soil dont leave it lay on top.

One year I did something I read online. I mixed about 4 cups of vermicompost around an established rose plant. A few weeks later that rose had exploded at least 1/3 taller than it had been and my neighbor even noticed and came over to talk about it, enough said.

I start a number of seedlings under lights not only for my own & our daughter's garden, but hundreds of plants to donate to our local community garden. I start the seeds in a sterile soilless mix that I make up myself (coir or peat, vermiculite and perlite), but once they have their first set of true leaves and are ready for potting on, I mix some vermicompost into a slightly heavier mix: a little less vermiculite & perlite, add some leaf compost I get from our local compost facility and which is what I use in my raised vegetable beds. I feel this prepares the roots for the outdoor garden. Until seedlings produce their first set of leaves, they do not need any fertilizer since the nutrition stored in the cotyledons is sufficient for growth.

I'm sorry I cannot give you exact proportions for the mix I use - it's kind of like watching your grandmother mixing up an old, familiar recipe: I do it by what looks & feels right. :-)

When setting my plants out into the beds, I mix a couple of tablespoons of vermicompost into each planting hole. If planting seeds, I sprinkle a line of compost along the furrow before sowing.

I also mix in a couple of tablespoons of worm compost to the soil as I re-pot my houseplants in the spring.

Castings can go pretty far. You didn't specify how much is a limited amount. My preference in order is: Seed and plant starter #1 - 10% mix with a good potting soil.

Worm Tea - use within 24 hours. (make small batches)

Side dress plants in garden - make sure to cover with soil or mulch

Best advice for you... get more worms!

i put my vermicompost on top of the soil in my rose pots. about one cup twice a summer. i always have some worms in my pots, but i think that's okay.

hummersteve why do you say to cover up the compost? i'm probably missing something, but what? :)

carol