Vermicomposting: The Art and Science of Composting with Worms
Gardening enthusiasts use sheet composting, compost piles or other means incorporating both yard waste and kitchen waste for the extent of the growing season. However yard waste is difficult to produce during the winter months because of the ice and snow. On the other hand, disposable kitchen waste is always readily available for disposal. This is where Red Worms and microorganisms are a useful tool called vermicomposting, turning kitchen waste into nutrient-rich, earthy-smelling Vermicompost.
How to Begin Vermicomposting
To begin the art of Vermicomposting you must acquire five basic ingredients.
1. An average size container
2. Easily accessible bedding
3. Abundance of hungry worms
4. Kitchen leftovers which are non fat
5. Water
Container Sizes For Your Worm Bin
Mary Appelhof, author of “Worms Eat My Garbage” found through experimentation that weighing household food waste in pounds for one week and adding one square foot of surface area per pound works wonders. The depth of each container used must be no less than eight inches and no more than twelve inches. These containers or bins diminish in efficiency when too deep and have the potential of causing an odor dilemma.
Take the time to make a few worm boxes or buy them. The most convenient plastic storage containers of all are available in many different sizes. The plastic containers are lightweight, easy to transport, and in some ways more durable than the wooden containers. Most people prefer to keep a variety of the smaller containers on hand as opposed to a larger, heavier, wooden container. The small plastic storage containers are advisable for home, school classrooms, and apartment use. The versatility of these lightweight containers allows for them to fit comfortably under the sink, in the laundry room or under a desk.
Tip:
Keep the lid slightly ajar when using the convenient plastic storage containers as a worm bin.
The larger, heavier, wooden worm bins is desirable for leaving the container outdoors or in a heated garage for a portion of the year. The larger, heavier wooden worm bins provide more efficient air circulation and have the ability to accommodate table scraps from a family of four.
Quick and Efficient Portable Worm Bin
Drill carefully eight to twelve holes, about ¼ to ½ inches, depending on the container size, scattered around the base of the container for aeration and drainage. Be aware the plastic containers require more drainage than the wooden containers. When the contents feel too wet add a few more drainage holes. Have the container resting upon a layer of bricks or a few wooden blocks. Placing a solid tray under the base will allow for the trapping of excess liquid, utilizing late for liquid plant fertilizer.
Whether a plastic container or a large wooden container a cover is required to conserve moisture and offer the worms darkness. A loose laying burlap bag or sheet of dark plastic over the top when the bin is inside works very efficiently. Outdoor containers require more attention. A more solid lid like a garbage can cover capable of keeping scavengers and rain water away. Sufficient ventilation is also necessary because the worms also need air for survival.
Bedding For Your Worm Bin
The vermicomposting system bedding must have the ability to maintain moisture and air which provides and ideal climate for the Red Worms to thrive. Bedding items is easy to find in the office, home, or school classroom. Suitable forms of suggestible bedding are the following.
Shredded newspaper or cardboard makes a suitable base for your Vermicomposting Bin
Paper shreds such as writing paper, computer paper, and newspaper may dry out faster, but is in ready abundance. Ink from the paper, especially newspaper print is basically harmless.
Commercial peat moss is generally very expensive and contains a pH level not agreeable with the worms.
Commercial Worm Bedding is convenient and available in our Red Worm Store.
The Box size determines the amount of bedding for your Worm Bin. Four to six pounds of bedding requires a two foot by two-foot box, while nine to fourteen pounds of bedding requires a two foot by three-foot box. Regardless of the container size, fill 2/3 with prepared bedding fluff as explained below. Smaller containers need adjusting accordingly. Any excess bedding can be stored safely after assuring it is dry.
Worm Bin Bedding Preparation:
Moisten the bedding with water. In a large container filled 2/3 with dry shredded bedding pour enough water to cover the bedding. When the moist bedding has absorbed the water spread it evenly inside the worm bin. Considering the type of bedding used this process may take between two and twenty four hours.
Squeeze out as much of the excess water as possible before adding the bedding to the worm bin. The bedding will have the consistency of a hand rung rag. The bedding at this point is ready to add to the worm bin, fluffed and spread evenly.
The bedding in the worm bin must constantly remain moist. Use a spray bottle to remoisten the bedding when it feels or appears dry.
The Worms:
Vermicomposting Worms are Red Worms (Eisenia foetida) and also called manure worms, red hybrid, Red Wigglers, and tiger worms.
Consistent Fahrenheit temperature ranges between fifty-five degrees and seventy-seven degrees is the ideal temperature range for the red worms. In this setting the red worms will live, thrive, and survive heartily. The bedding however must hover between a range of above freezing and below eighty-four degrees.
How Many Red Worms per Worm Bin?
Depending upon the kitchen waste generated per day in a household will determine the size of worm bin possible. This will then determine the amount of red worms needed. A good rule of thumb is to remember that each half pound of kitchen waste equals one pound of red worms. As with the bedding, be sure to sprinkle and spread out the red worms. The red worms back reacts to sunlight and will immediately begin to burrow under the bedding to get away from all and any light.
Left over Kitchen Waste
There are many left over food items that can play a role in the vermicomposting heap such as macaroni, coffee grounds, vegetable scraps, potato peels, fruit, and tea bags to name a few items. Be aware though that sometimes the seeds will germinate and a surprise plant will begin to grow. Garlic and onion skins are not to the red worms liking, so be careful. Adding a fine grit will help the red worms digest better because they have a digestive system like chickens. Dry and crushed egg shells, corn meal, coffee grinds are just a few of the gritty items the red worms enjoy. All fats, bones, meat scraps and other unsavory food items are items to eliminate. There are a few that believe that a small amount of meat and egg added offers the red worms additional protein, but be very careful not to attract other neighborhood rodents.
Kitchen Scraps as an Additive
When adding the kitchen leftovers proceed with caution. Bacteria evolve slowly and consistently and needs time to grow and spread throughout the worm bin. Making the mistake of adding too much kitchen leftovers too quickly will leave behind a very foul odor. Should this occur, add a small amount of gritty matter and a small amount of vegetable matter. The red worms will do fine because they have the ability to also eat away at the prepared bedding. Once the worm bin becomes established begin again adding the kitchen scraps.
Spreading the leftover kitchen scraps across the top will benefit everyone. Keep the worm bin covered and in a dry, dark place for better efficiency. Many of the red worms will make their way to the surface and eat the kitchen scraps. Another method is in leaving a thin layer of kitchen scraps just below the surface of the bedding by about one inch. Be consistent and spread all the kitchen scraps evenly for a successful worm bin by beginning on one end and working over to the opposite end. The red worms will have already composted most of the kitchen scraps on the beginning end by the time you reach the opposite end.
When orders are noticeable begin to cut smaller pieces of meats, vegetables, and fruits before adding to the worm bin. Citrus fruit orders will linger for a much longer time, so limit the amount of citrus fruits added to the worm bin.
Compost Harvesting
Red worms will begin instantly to digest all the freshly laid bedding, and kitchen scraps when placed in the proper environment. When the kitchen scraps are passing through the red worms system, we call this “castings”. The estimated time lapse is between three and four months to convert table scraps and bedding into a rich, black, natural fertilizer and soil amendment. Worm castings are enriching with over five times the amount of nitrogen, seven times the amount of phosphorus, and eleven times the amount of potassium. These red worms provide the basic structure of the soil and are rich in humic acids.
Periodically make it a point to remove the castings to continue the process with the worm bin. An interesting way to continue this process successfully is by shining a bright light into the worm bin. The red worms are extremely sensitive to light and will automatically move down into the bedding because of the light. Reaching inside the worm bin, scoop out the top layer of castings for the vermicomposting to continue. Each layer of bedding removed causes the red worm to dig deeper into the pile. When you come across a wigglers, small opaque cocoons or worm eggs be sure to remove them and place them back in the worm bin. This is a good time to place additional bedding into the worm bin in order to replace what you removed.
Compost harvesting has a few proven methods and another one is to pile up the darkened, decomposed material to one side, adding new moistened bedding to the exposed side along with kitchen scraps. This process will take a few days so patience is necessary. The red worms will instinctively migrate to the freshly added bedding and start over. Make sure you extract the worm eggs and wigglers and return them to the worm bin.
Vermicompost Usage:
Add a very thin layer of compost to the top of potting soil for potted plants. If you are replanting then add some compost to the body of the potting soil. When an outdoor garden, add a light layer and rake it into the soil so it reaches the base of each new plant. There is nothing to be concerned about with burning and over fertilizing because the Vermicompost mixture is weak and harmless.
Things to Omit:
Bottle caps, rubber bands, sponges, plastic bags, glass and aluminum foil, are some of those non-breakdown items. These are not a good idea to add to the worm bin because they will take up space needlessly. These particular items will remain until you physically remove them.
If you have cats, extra precautions need to occur to prevent the cats from using the worm bin as a litter box. Cat urine will make the worm bin intolerable and carry a very pungent odor. Cat urine is so potent it can kill off the same worms you are trying to save. Toxoplasmosis is also of major concern, especially for pregnant women who can pass the disease along to the unborn child. A simple screen or some other safety device will keep the cat away from the worm bin.
Take precautions to keep all insecticides from infiltrating your worm bin. This may hurt or even kill your worms and this would defeat the entire purpose.
Bedding for the Red Worms must be garden soil free.
Fresh cow, chicken, and horse manure is a bad idea to add to the worm bin because the heat will cook the Red Worms.
In Addition:
If you keep your worm bin perpetually outdoors you will begin to notice other small animals hovering. Never be alarmed because these other small animals will only enhance the breakdown of the compost. A few of these other helpful animals are the sow bugs, the pill bugs, millipedes, and the springtails.
However, there are other small animals that will cause harm to your worm bin. Some of these small animals are the fruit fly, all ants, rove beetles, predatory mites, and centipedes. There are non-lethal methods to rid your worm bin of these small animals such as swatting and traps for the fruit flies and ants. Your worm bin maintained and well constructed will serve as a deterrent for the many larger rodents in your area.
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