Worm Composting
Submitted by Richard Spitzer
Worm composting requires the least amount of work, is the easiest, and produces the richest compost of all. It is a viable alternative to traditional backyard composting for apartment dwellers, singles, and families that don’t have yard wastes and large quantities of materials to compost. Even families that do compost yard wastes and other materials in the backyard may keep a worm bin in the house for the ease of disposing of food wastes.
Red wigglers or brown nose worms are used in home composting containers. The containers most used are 10-18 gallon Rubbermaid or Sterilite containers found at most stores. Preparation of the container can be found on this website by clicking on the Demonstrations.
Requirements for the worms are bedding, food, air, and water. Some common and readily available bedding materials are newspaper, cardboard and dry leaves. Many people use newspaper because it is readily available and the worms do love it, but my experience has been that the quality and quantity of compost is not as good as when leaves are used.
I try to use leaves that have been kept wet and are beginning to turn brown. Simply wet the leaves so they are about as wet as a rung out sponge and fill the container almost full. It is a good idea to mix a small amount of dirt or finished compost with the leaves. You may add your worms to the container at this time. If you leave the lid off the box so that the worms are exposed to light, they will soon migrate down into the leaves.
Food may be added on top at this time but use small amounts at first. Food may be most any fruit or vegetable that may have gone bad /or peelings with the exception of potato peelings. The worms can actually break down potato peels, but it usually takes longer. Avoid garlic or onion peelings. Peelings such as banana, apple and cantaloupe work well. Cantaloupe and watermelon are favorite foods of worms.
To finish the container take sections of newspaper folded in half like they come and cut the sections in half. Soak the sections in water and cover the top of the container with the newspaper. Keep the paper wet by misting the paper. This will help maintain the moisture content in the container constant. The worms are surface feeders and will consume the food under the newspaper. When most of the food has been consumed lift the newspaper and place more food directly under the newspaper.
After several months the finished compost will be in the bottom of the container which may be removed, allowing the top portion to fall to the bottom at which time you again fill the container with fresh leaves and continue.
This process is somewhat more time consuming than with newspaper but the rewards of more and better compost are worth it.