- Composters are bottomless bins that contain the things that we consider waste, such as dried leaves, grass clippings, table scraps, manure, paper, wood chips, straw and virtually anything else biological in nature. The compost generators are worms that love to eat these things that we humans consider garbage or trash. The worms are more active when there are nitrogen-rich items in the compost bin, such as manure. If you have a dog or cat, you may wish to shovel its droppings into your compost bin on a regular basis to keep the worms happy.
- The worms need a certain amount of heat, usually well up in the 80- and 90-degree range, in order to survive and do their work as quickly as possible. Because some places get pretty cold in the winter, it is necessary to build a compost bin large enough to hold a lot of compost, which creates its own heat. This requires at least a cube-shaped bin about three feet in dimension (3x3x3). With that much space, the worms will be able to reproduce and have ample heat to keep them warm in the winter. Otherwise, they will die, and your compost will not develop to your liking.
- If the pieces of food for the worms are too big, the process may take longer, so it is wise to cut up the stuff you put into the bin so that more worms can get to the pieces all at once and thereby expedite the process. If the food is too big, it will be processed much more slowly, taking upwards of two years or more to create the composted soil that you are seeking. Worms also need to be kept moist, so it is a good idea to pour water into your compost bin every so often to keep the little critters healthy.
- The worms will also need ample oxygen in order to survive, so it is a good idea to either turn your pile of garbage periodically or simply make holes in the sides of the bin to let the air in. The worms dig through the pile of garbage and eat it, leaving behind their odorless, but highly nutrient-rich droppings, which become the actual compost. When the garbage is all gone, what is left is nothing but dark, rich soil that is perfect for use in garden plots or even house plants.
