How to Compost With Worms at Home

Kitchen scraps transformed into worm compost will fertilize plenty of garden profuce.

Composting is a great way to help your garden, help the environment and save money all at the same time. With reduced amounts of garbage in your can and the landfills, and more nutrients in your soil, you can grow big, healthy produce without chemicals and without the plastic waste of fertilizers and plant food. Worms help composting along by eating the organic matter and turning into a rich, soil-like compost that is perfect for the garden, all within a container; they allow you to compost your kitchen scraps all year long.

Things You'll Need

• A bin with lid
• Red wiggler worms
• Water
• Bedding
• Non-fatty kitchen scraps
• Drill
• Cement blocks, bricks or wood pieces
• Plastic sheeting or pan

Instructions

1. Choose a bin that is no more than 18 inches deep. Any deeper and the bedding may mat down. The worms eat near the top layer. Estimate the size of your bin based on the amount of people and kitchen scraps you use. For example, a family of four that eats at home most of the time should be okay with a 2 foot by 3 foot bin. Make sure it has adequate surface area for maximum "breathing" room.

2. Drill 14 to 20 holes in the bottom of your bin if it is plastic. For wooden bins, drill about 10 to 15. This will allow maximum air flow into your compost worm bin.

3. Set the bin on cement blocks, bricks or pieces of wood to keep it off the ground, allowing maximum air flow. Lay plastic sheeting or a pan under the bin to catch any drainage.

4. Fill the bin three-quarters full of moist bedding. This can be any mixture of shredded paper, cardboard, dry leaves or straw. Use minimal amounts of leaves or straw to prevent rot. Periodically sprinkle crushed egg shells and small amounts of sand in to provide grit for the worms' digestive tracts.

5. Add red worms to their new home. Just sprinkle them over the top of the bedding and they will burrow down to escape the light. You will need about 2 pounds of worms for a 2 foot by 3 foot bin.

6. Feed the worms by lightly spreading the kitchen scraps over the top of the bedding. Start with smaller amounts of kitchen scraps to get the bin going and add more as the bin becomes more established. "Feed" the bin at least once or twice per week.

7. Harvest the compost after a few months, and then regularly after that, by shining a bright light into the bin. This makes the worms want to dig deeper to get away from the light. Then scoop out the top layer of compost and replace with new moistened bedding and scraps. Make sure to put any worms or worm eggs that come with it back into the bin. Use the compost as fertilizer and enjoy.

Tips & Warnings

• You may want to keep the bin in a garage or unfinished basement as worms prefer dark environments that are 55 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit and the bin may produce molds and mildews. Those these are inherent to the compost process; some people may be sensitive to them.

• Don't use night crawlers or garden worms. They will not survive the bin.

• Don't use garden soil in your bin. It may contain bugs, diseases and chemicals that you don't want near your red worms.

References

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: "Vermicomposting: Composting with Worms" by Soni Cochran, Extension Associate
• Environmental Education For Kids: "Composting With Worms"
• City Farmer: "Basic Guide to Worm Composting" by Gillian Elcock and Josie Martens