Composting with Worms (Vermicomposting) Explained
- weissangie121
- Jul 10, 2024
- 5 min read
Composting is a fantastic way to reduce your household's waste while creating nutrient-rich soil for your garden and pot plants. Reducing the amount of waste, you send to the landfill is important because as the kitchen scraps rot and decompose in landfills, they release copious amounts of methane gas into the atmosphere. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that also contributes to the breakdown of the ozone layer.
Traditional composting can be a long, labour-intensive process and is not practical for people living in apartments, gated communities and other places with restricted outside space. Whereas worm composting can be done anywhere. You can even create a kitchen scrap-eating wormery directly under your sink. It is a fast and versatile alternative to produce that “black gold” soil to make your plants, vegetables, and flowers grow better. Read on to find out if vermicomposting may be the thing that turns you from a kitchen waste thrower to a kitchen waste recycler.
Only use red wiggler worms (Eisenia fetida)
Worm composting, also known as vermicomposting, uses the digestive power of red wiggler worms (Eisenia fetida) to transform food scraps into a soil supplement that will nourish plants. It's a simple, odour-free process that is not as “icky” as you first imagine. In fact, it can be quite fun and educational for the whole family, providing a unique opportunity to learn about the natural processes that sustain life. Best of all, you can do it right at home, even if you live in a small space like an apartment.
You can purchase red wiggler worms online or from a local wormery. They are different from the common earthworms in that they don’t need deep layers of soil to burrow and eat. They also are voracious eaters, and each worm can eat half its body weight of vegetable matter each day. Then they poop. That poop, or castings, as it is called, is what you need to harvest and mix into the soil where your plants grow.
Red wiggler worms like to live in heaps, unlike earthworms, which are more solitary creatures and need to burrow deep into the soil to thrive. That need for living in high concentrations, and shallow burrowing makes Eisenia fetida the perfect species for living in worm bins. They also reproduce quite fast. Each worm produces a cocoon with multiple baby worms inside. It means that once you purchase your initial worm colony, it will grow naturally.
They are typically 2 to 5 inches in length and about ¼ inch in diameter. Their bodies are segmented, and they have a reddish-brown colour with distinctive stripes or rings.
Red wigglers thrive in temperatures between 55°F and 77°F (12.8°C and 25°C). They prefer environments rich in organic matter, such as leafy green vegetable scraps, cardboard scraps, manure, and decomposing vegetation. They do not fare well in soil but prefer the damp underside of decomposing organic matter. They need darkness and access to air.
What You'll Need for Worm Composting
The first step is to gather the right materials. For a basic worm composting setup, you'll need:
A bin or container can be a plastic storage bin, a wooden crate, or even a simple plastic storage box. Make sure it has a lid and drainage holes in the bottom.
Bedding material: Shredded newspaper, cardboard, or coconut coir make excellent bedding for your worms.
Food scraps: Worms will eat a wide variety of kitchen waste, including fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, and eggshells. Eggshells, in particular, are important when you are starting your colony because worms’ guts are similar to chickens, and they need hard pellet material to break up the food in their stomachs. Eggshells that have been dried and finely crushed provide good food-grinding material for your worms.
You must also add ventilation, such as a small mesh screen or air holes in the lid, to allow airflow. Your worms will die in airtight containers. If you are not using the commercially available, made-for-purpose systems, consider having a second bin on hand when it's time to harvest your finished compost.
Preparing the Worm Bin
Start by adding 4-6 inches of bedding material to your bin. Moisten the bedding with water until it has the consistency of a damp sponge.
Next, introduce your worms. A good rule of thumb is to start with about 1 pound of red wiggler worms per square foot of surface area in your bin. Gently place the worms on top of the bedding.
Finally, begin adding your food scraps. Bury them a few inches into the bedding, leaving some space between each new addition. Avoid adding meat, dairy, or oily foods, as these can attract pests and produce unpleasant odours.
Caring for Your Worm Bin
Maintaining your worm bin is relatively easy, but there are a few key things to keep in mind:
Moisture: The bedding should always be damp but not soaking wet. Use a spray bottle to lightly mist the surface as needed. If your bedding is too dry, your worms may be unhappy and start trying to climb out of the box.
Aeration: Fluff or stir the bedding occasionally to allow air to circulate. This prevents the bin from becoming compacted and anaerobic. You can use a small garden fork meant for pot plants.
Temperature: Worms thrive in temperatures between 55-77°F (12.8°C and 25°C). Avoid placing the bin in direct sunlight or near heat sources. Also, if you live in a cold climate, ensure your bin is insulated or indoors during winter months.
Food: Continue adding food scraps as the previous additions are consumed. Chop or shred larger items to help them break down faster.
With proper care, your worm bin will become a self-sustaining ecosystem where the worms continuously work to convert your food waste into nutrient-rich compost.
How Long Does It Take to Produce Compost?
The time it takes to produce finished vermicompost can vary, but you can generally expect it to take 2-6 months. Factors like the size of your bin, the volume of food scraps added, and the worms' activity level can all affect the rate of decomposition.
You'll know the compost is ready when it looks dark, crumbly, and has that earthy smell. At this stage, you can harvest the finished compost and use it to enrich your soil. Simply separate the worms from the compost, either by moving them to a new bin or using a screening process.
The worms can then be returned to the bin to continue the composting cycle. Remember to always leave some finished compost behind, as it contains the microorganisms and nutrients that the worms need to thrive.
Getting Started with Worm Composting
Vermicomposting is a fantastic way to reduce your household's waste, create nutrient-rich soil for your garden, and teach kids about the wonders of nature. With just a few simple supplies and some basic care, you can set up a thriving worm bin and start enjoying the benefits of this sustainable practice. Worm castings also tend to be a more consistent and reliable source of plant nutrition. They contain 5 times more nitrogen, 7 times more phosphorus, and 11 times more potassium than ordinary garden soil. When the castings are obtained from the controlled environment of a vermicomposting bin, they are free of weed seeds and other contaminants that can be present in traditional compost.
So, what are you waiting for? Get out there, get a box going, and let the worms do the work for you! Happy composting!
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