Step by Step Guide to Worm Composting

Vermiculture is the fancy word for worm excretion which is worm compost. Heres how to do your own worm composting.

Get a Container

For best results, acquire a container that is eight to twelve inches deep. In addition, wood is an excellent material for your worm compost as it absorbs moisture and insulates the worms. There are some who prefer a rectangular shaped plastic container; however these tend to make the compost soggy.

Have Plenty of Holes in the Bottom

After choosing your container, you must now drill holes for release of excess moisture as well as for allowing air flow. Each hole should be at least two inches apart from the last and spread across the entire bottom. Once this is completed, place the container on some bricks to keep it off the ground. This step allows for the air to flow around and through the container. Another bonus to this step is that a tray can be placed underneath the container to catch any excess fluid which can then be used as liquid fertilizer. If you notice your compost seems excessively wet, simply add more holes to the bottom.

Line Bottom with Shredded Newspaper

Place newspaper that has been shredded into one inch wide strips and has been dampened with water from a spray bottle into the bottom of the container. Next, simply add about one cup of sand. The sand assists the worms with digestion.

Save Kitchen Scraps

About a week before you purchase your worms, start collecting kitchen scraps to feed the worms. The kitchen scraps you save are just like for home composting. Do not use animal proteins like meat, bones, cheese, milk, or oil products like salad dressing or mayonnaise. All raw vegetable and fruit leftovers, coffee grounds, used tea bags and egg shells are good.

Buy Worms

The best worms for compost are red worms or red wigglers as they thrive off of organic materials such as rotting vegetables. The standard amount of worms you will need is about two pounds for each day of food waste. This works out to be approximately two thousand worms.

Cover the Container

When placing your container outside, a wooden board works best as it keeps the worms in darkness just as they like it while keeping the soil moist. In addition, it also prevents predators from getting in. If your container is indoors, a simple plastic lid cover will suffice.

Collect Worm Castings

Within four to six weeks from starting your worm compost you will start to notice the bedding becoming darker. Finally, in about two to three months, there will be very little of your original bedding remaining. If you wish to collect all of the compost or castings at once, simply pour the container onto a tarp or old shower curtain liner. The next step is to shine a light over the piles to ensure the worms move to the bottom. Once you are sure they are at the bottom, begin scooping the castings until all that is left are the worms. Place new bedding, the worms and some of the castings back in your container and start all over again.