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How Composting with worms is done
from:Composting with worms is a method to recycle your unused food that would normally be thrown away. Recycling unused food garbage by composting with worms yields an earth scented soil conditioner that is rich in nutrients. This method of composting can be done year round either indoors or outdoors. In addition, composting with worms provides people in the confines of an apartment a way to recycle their food waste into rich compost.
To perform composting with worms you will need a container that equals about one square foot of surface area per weekly pound of food waste. Your container should be made of either plastic or wood. Wood seems to be absorbent of the excess liquids created by the fermenting process combined with the worms digestive process. Your container needs to have holes drilled into the bottom for aeration, venting and moisture drainage. You container must also have a cover to help provide cool, dark conditions for the worms.
After you have acquired a container, you will need to furnish the container with a layer of bedding. This is where the worms will live and to bury food waste. For bedding, you may use shredded newspaper or cardboard, sawdust, seaweed, chopped straw, dead plant material, shredded aged and dry leaves or even mature compost or aged manure. You must moisten any dry bedding materials used before adding them to the container. The bedding should be moist like a wrung out sponge, filling about three quarters of the container and loosely packed with air pockets for odor control and ease of movement for the worms.
Next, you will need worms. The two types of earthworms that work best for composting with worms are Eisenia foetida, also known as red, red wiggler, brandling or manure worms and Lumbricus rubellus, which are often found in mature compost and aged manure.
Finally, if you keep your bin for composting with worms indoors you will want to store your compost bin in the basement, under the sink or any other warm dry and dark spare space that is between 40-80 degrees F in temperature. If you decide to store your bin for composting with worms outdoors, you will want to store it on the patio or balcony, in the shed or garage or even in the yard out of the hot sun or pouring rains. Anytime the temperature drops below 40 degrees F where your bin is stored, it must be moved inside or insulated well.
If your bin for composting with worms is set up correctly, there will be little or no maintenance beyond dumping the composted contents every 2-3 months.
Composting News
Indiana college establishes food composting program - Muncie Star Press
Indiana college establishes food composting program Muncie Star Press Goshen College began composting its dining hall waste recently, beginning a pilot for a program Sustainability Coordinator Glenn Gilbert said has been in ... |
Kingston alderwoman proposes composting program - Kingston Daily Freeman
Kingston alderwoman proposes composting program Kingston Daily Freeman KINGSTON — A city alderwoman is proposing that the city set up a composting system to deal with the disposal of leaves collected at curbside ... |
Jericho Village University helps build community - BurlingtonFreePress.com
Jericho Village University helps build community BurlingtonFreePress.com A March 28 class about composting with worms promises to be a sure attraction for kids. Reed Sims will teach youngsters how to raise red worms to produce ... |
Nature becomes a classroom - Martinsville Bulletin
Nature becomes a classroom Martinsville Bulletin Students take part in the various phases of gardening, even bringing scrap foods from home for composting. Scrap foods from school meals also are added to ... |
Compost workshops bin sale planned - Wausau Daily Herald
Compost workshops bin sale planned Wausau Daily Herald To register, send check payable to UW-Extension to Home Composting/Vermicomposting Program, UW-Extension, 212 River Drive Suite 3, Wausau WI 54403. ... |
Manure spreading business sees composting demand increase - The Prairie Star
Manure spreading business sees composting demand increase The Prairie Star The Goddards own a custom manure spreading business and are now branching into a manure composting business. They are helping fellow ranchers turn a supply ... |
Byxbee Park 'only site that works' for Palo Alto's composting needs - San Jose Mercury News
Byxbee Park 'only site that works' for Palo Alto's composting needs San Jose Mercury News A new composting site likely won't be built in Palo Alto any time soon, unless voters are willing to sacrifice parkland. ... Palo Alto comes up short on composting options |