Have you ever heard of vermiculture? Simply, it is a way to compost your kitchen waste with the help of worms. Vermiculture makes composting really easy by using the natural digestive processes of worms to make a great fertilizer out of organic waste. Composting, the practice of breaking down organic matter to a natural fertilizer, is a very sustainable and eco-friendly way to help your garden grow.
There are a few worm varieties that make good composting partners, but not all worms are good for a vermiculture set-up. In fact, some types of worms can’t be used for any type of composting system. However, a handful of worm varieties do make good organic composting partners. They include:
* Red wigglers
* European night crawlers
* Belgian night crawlers
* Blueworms
Red wigglers or redworms are the ones most suitable for vermicomposting. Ordinary nightcrawlers or earthworms that you may find in your garden are beneficial for the garden, but not suitable for vermicomposting. The red wigglers are surface feeders and don’t require a deep container or deep soil. If you live near a live bait shop, they will have night crawlers, which are good for your garden. Red wigglers are sold in some nurseries, or can be ordered online. Wouldn’t you like to receive a box of worms in your mailbox!
Don’t throw all your kitchen scraps in your vermiculture farm. Worms can eat fruit and fruit peels, vegetables and their peels, pulverized egg shells, tea and coffee grounds, non-greasy leftovers and stale bread. You should not put in meat scraps or greasy foods.
It is very easy to set up a worm composting system right in your home. Your will need these common items to begin:
A bin – a plastic bin or a dishpan with a cover make good containers, or you can buy a commercial worm bin. It doesn’t need to be deep because the worms will hang out and feed near the surface. If you’re using a bin or dishpan, drill a few small holes in the bottom for drainage, and set it on a tray. Keep out flies and rodents with a lid.
Bedding – newspaper is best because it’s easy to find and composts well. Shred it and dampen it before placing it in your bin. You could also add some composted steer or horse manure as a filler. Add a few handfuls of garden soil, and you’re ready to add the wigglers.
Food to compost – you will one pound of food waste per day to two pounds of worms (you buy them by the pound). Bury the food in the bedding, rotating where you bury it each time. Never over-feed your worms. You want it composting, not decomposing.
Keep your worm bin in a room with moderate temperatures that is close to the kitchen for easy access. The basement, a laundry room, garage or a covered porch or patio outside the back door are good spots. The contents of the bin should be moist, but not wet, and never too hot.
Once the original bedding is eaten your compost is ready and you can collect it for use – usually in 3 to 4 months. It will look like dark, rich soil. Move the contents of your worm bin to one side, put fresh bedding and a little soil in the empty space and bury your food wastes there for a month or so. The worms will move over to the new food and bedding, and you can then collect the compost.
So, why not let worms process your organic food waste? They will quite happily turn it into worm compost, one of the best fertilizers you can use. The worms will do most of the work, it is odor free, and your plant will love you for it.
