What is vermicomposting?
Why should I vermicompost?
How many worms should I buy to start out with?
What can I use for bedding?
How do I prepare my bin for the worms?
Where should I place my bin if it's kept outside?
Is there anything I shouldn't feed my worms?
What do I feed my worms?
How often should I feed my worms?
How do I feed my worms?
What temperature should my bin be kept?
My bin smells what do I do?
My bin is too wet, what can I do to fix it?
Will my worms escape?
What is the difference between vermicomposting and vermiculture?
What is vermicomposting?
The method of using specific species of worms for breaking down organic matter into rich compost.
Why should I vermicompost?
Vermicomposting is a great way for a person to create their own natural humus for their garden and houseplants. Essentially it is an odorless compost bin where worms do all of the work. No more turning your compost or attracting all of the neighborhood pests with the foul odor in the corner pile. Adding your kitchen scraps as well as shredded cardboard, newspaper, garden trimmings, etc. to your worm bin not only cuts down on the amount of garbage you send to the landfill but provides a free and balanced fertilizer for all of your plants which not only boosts their growth and health, but also the nutritional value of their fruits and vegetables. The vermicompost also makes a fantastic compost tea for misting and watering your plants. The startup cost is low and the process is simple enough that anyone can do it.
How many worms should I buy to start out with?
Generally speaking 1 pound of worms is a good amount to start a bin with. However, this depends on the surface area of your bin. A general rule of thumb is to have 1 pound of worms per square foot of surface area.
What can I use for bedding?
Bedding needs to be able to do all of the following:
Retain moisture
Be loose enough to provide aeration
Be a source of carbon
Not be coarse
Not have a lot of protein
Some examples of bedding material:
Shredded black and white print newspaper (no colored glossy pages)
Corrugated cardboard torn into small pieces
Peat moss
Coconut coir
Aged leaves (they need to have already turned brown before placing them in your bin)
Aged grass clippings or other aged green waste
Aged herbivore manures
Aged wood chips or sawdust
How do I prepare my bin for the worms?
Soak your bedding and then wring it out so that it is about as damp as a wrung out sponge. If you use shredded newspaper, I've found that it is easier to crumple up the newspaper into balls and soak them that way. Then wring them out and rip them into strips and/or pieces. This way they won't get so compacted. If you use water from your hose or tap let it sit for 24 hours in an open container to let the chlorine evaporate. Otherwise the chlorine will harm your worms.
Fill your bin or tray about 3/4ths full and add a handful of garden dirt to the bin to provide grit for the worms. They need the grit to process the food in their gizzards because they do not have teeth. Adding a little bit of crushed eggshell is also helpful.
Precompost a few kitchen scraps in a separate container that is well ventilated and feed the worms after they've had about a week to get adjusted to being in the bin. Add approximately the same weight of food as the weight of worms that are in the bin. For example, if you placed one pound of worms in the bin, put about one pound of food in the bin.
Where should I place my bin if it's kept outside?
Outside worm bins should be placed in the shade where the bin won't get too hot. The best place to put them is on the ground (not cement or any similar surface) so that if the bin conditions become hazardous they can escape safely. If you need to improve aeration, place them on bricks or blocks on the ground.
Is there anything I shouldn't feed my worms?
Foods to limit or avoid:
Meats and bones
Dairy Products
Food in the onion family (onions, shallots, leeks, chives, garlic)
Citrus
Hair
Junk food (chips, candy, etc.)
Salty food - salt is bad for worms just like it is for slugs
Oily or greasy food
Spicy food
Eggs (however, powdered egg shells are good for fixing acidic conditions in the bin and to provide grit for the worms)
Poisonous plants such as oleander
Wood ashes
Grains
Some coffee grounds are okay (they are nitrogenous), but not a lot because they can upset the bin PH
Do not put papaya seeds in your worm bin - they don't break down and leach a toxin into the bin that will make your worms sterile. The rinds and flesh are fine to feed your worms. Do not put anything in that will not decompose such as Styrofoam, metals, or plastics. Anything that has chemicals, insecticides or soaps on it should not be placed in a worm bin.
Food that is best to only put in outdoor bins (because it can smell as it's decomposing):
Cole crop veggies (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.)
What do I feed my worms?
Examples of food that worms love:
Fruits (melon rinds are some of their favorites!)
Vegetables
Tea leaves and bags
Coffee filters
Baked goods
Cornmeal
Bread (simple breads, pizza crust, etc.)
Cooked cereal (oatmeal, etc.)
Aged green waste
Aged manure from herbivores
How often should I feed my worms?
Depending on your worm bin conditions some worms can eat up to 1/2 their weight in about 24 hours. So one pound of worms should be able to eat half a pound of organic matter (half bedding and half food) in one day. Feed your worms once the food you have already fed them has become unrecognizable for the most part. If you overfeed your worms, they will suffer from protein poisoning also known as "sour crop" where they become deformed and die.
How do I feed my worms?
Bury the food under a few inches of bedding to help discourage insects like fruit flies. Bury the food in a different location each time rotating around your bin.
What temperature should my bin be kept?
Optimum bin temperature should be between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit or 21-27 degrees Celsius. Depending on the species of worms you have, some prefer warmer temperatures than others. For example, Perionyx Excavatus, also known as Indian or Malaysian Blues, tend to do better in tropical climates than Eisenia fetida, also known as red wigglers.
My bin smells what do I do?
Usually if your bin smells it is because anaerobic conditions have been created meaning there isn't enough oxygen in your bin. If this happens, immediately remove the anaerobic waste and mix it in a separate container with loose bedding. Then spread it in a thin layer a little bit at a time. As the anaerobes are exposed to oxygen they will die off and be replaced by the bacteria and microbes that will break down the food for the worms to eat. Make sure that your bin has sufficient ventilation.
A smelly bin can also be caused if it has been overfed. In this instance remove most of the food (leaving the oldest items) to a separate container immediately. Slowly add it as the worms eat the food that is already in the bin. Overfeeding can cause protein poisoning which will kill off your squirm. Keep an eye on the worms and if they start to show signs of malformation, remove them from the bedding and food at once, placing them in fresh bedding.
Another reason a bin may smell is the type of food that is in it. Vegetables in the cole family such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts as well as meat and dairy will cause the bin to smell. Be sure you know what is causing the odor before taking drastic measures. You don't want to stress your worms if you don't have to.
My bin is too wet, what can I do to fix it?
If your bin appears to be too wet (it should be about as damp as a wrung out sponge) you can add dry bedding to help soak it up. Another option is to expose the bin contents to the sun for a while. If it gets too dry you can mist it with non-chlorinated water.
Will my worms escape?
If unpleasant conditions for the worms develop in the bin such as too much heat or not enough food, they may leave the bin. It is important to watch the conditions of your bin (dampness, food levels, insect populations, etc.) so that if unwanted conditions develop you can correct them as soon as possible. Providing a friendly environment for your worms is the best way to prevent unwanted escapees. If you have your bin indoors, putting a little light over the bin can help deter worms from escaping from the bin.
What is the difference between vermicomposting and vermiculture?
Vermicomposting is when one is creating conditions to produce as much vermicompost (also known as black gold) as possible. Vermiculture is when the objective is to breed as many worms as possible to create a sustainable harvest.
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