In our last post we talked about attracting bees to your garden to give your pollination efforts a boost. Today, we continue on our “insect kick” by letting you in on one of your best compost tips: vermicomposting.
Vermicomposting is the use of worms in your compost in order to speed breakdown time and increase nutrients in the finished compost. Why add worms to your compost pile? Well, because vermicomposting:
Once you’ve gotten started on vermicomposting, you’ll wonder how you ever did without it. Here’s the quick and dirty on how to use worms in your compost heap.
Vermicomposting bins won’t be like your standard bins, which are normally either vertical or in a cylinder. For worms, you’ll want something more shallow, as worms feed near the top.
You can either create or purchase vermicomposting bins. Your bins should be about 12″ deep. The length will depend upon the total amount of waste you’ll be composting. A quick rule of thumb is to weigh the garbage you intend to use for your compost for one week if possible. Then provide one square foot for each pound of waste you plan to compost.
You can purchase vermicomposting bins, which will come with aeration, drainage and will be the appropriate depth for your little wrigglers. However, if you wish to make your own, keep these tips in mind:
Your worms need a place to live, so provide bedding for them. The bedding should retain moisture and should also encourage the worms to thrive.
Making bedding for your vermicompost bins is easy. Fill the bins 2/3 of the way to the top with any of the following:
BEFORE placing the bedding into the bins, do the following:
Different worms may work well for composting, but the “gold standard” for vermicomposting is the red wiggler (Eisenia fetida), also known as the red hybrid, tiger worm or manure worm. Use about a pound of worms to each half-pound of garbage you plan to add (total) to your bins.
You can obtain worms the old-fashioned way – digging them up in your yard – or you can order them online or even try a bait store.
Add compost materials SLOWLY to your bins so as not to accidentally crush or unduly disturb your worms.
Be sure to keep the environment moist but not soaking wet. Don’t let the compost bin get too cold. A good compost thermometer can help you determine whether your worms are in a comfortable environment.
See this video to find out what to add to a compost pile (your red wigglers will love all the same additions) and check here to find out when your compost is ready. We hope you enjoy your vermicomposting experience. It’s fascinating to watch nature at work in your own garage or side yard, and it’s a great learning tool for kids, too.
Comments will be approved before showing up.
f you’re new to gardening you might have some great idea of what gardening is in your head. But there are some cold hard truths about gardening that you should know and accept with all your heart if you wish to become a true-bloodied gardening aficionado.