How to Use a Worm Bin Barrel
Worm bin barrels are used for vermiculture, or vermicomposting. That is, using worms as a form of composting waste. Worm bin barrels are easy to build, buy and maintain. Using them for your garden provides a rich source of fertilizer to add to the soil you use in your garden. Worms are a way to recycle your waste; you can reuse materials when making the bin as well, and recycle your food waste into a usable organic fertilizer once the worms have turned the waste into worm poop (castings). Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Construct your worm bin barrel using wood or a large trash bin. You can also purchase a manufactured worm bin if you prefer not to make one yourself. Make sure whatever you use is free of harmful chemicals and has plenty of ventilation. Drill holes in the bottom to release excess moisture and provide a tray to catch the liquid. Add bedding for the worms by shredding paper, cardboard, leaves and by adding other dead plants, straw, sawdust and aged manure.
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Calculate the amount of worms to add by estimating how much waste you expect to produce in your kitchen. Add approximately 2 pounds of worms for every 1 pound of daily food waste from your kitchen. Add your food waste to the bin every day by burying it in the bedding for the worms to eat and pass through as new fertilizer.
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Maintain your worm bin by maintaining a moisture level similar to a wrung out sponge and keep it in a shaded or indoor space. Bring the worm bin inside if the temperature gets below 40 degrees F.
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Separate worms from the finished compost after approximately two and a half months, otherwise the worms can die. Push the finished compost to one side and then add new food and bedding to the other. After the worms have migrated to the other side, collect the compost for use in your garden.
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Tips & Warnings
If an unpleasant odor arises, it is likely that too much food waste has been added to the bin which ends up sitting there and preventing a flow of oxygen from reaching the rest of the worm bin. The contents then become too wet and will cause a stench. Remove the excess food and drill more holes in the bottom to allow for greater moisture release.
References
- Photo Credit worm image by Ksenija Djurica from Fotolia.com
