"Vermicomposting"

Worm composting takes very little space. It can be done indoors or outdoors.

What a GREAT contribution to our earth! You can easily reduce your garbage by 25%.

Worm composting is also a great learning experience for children.

The worm castings produce a wonderful soil additive and fertilizer for plants.

The worms require very little attention.

All you need to get started is a properly designed worm bin, bedding material, a little water, some food scraps, and of course some Red Wigglers.

Red Wigglers are the best composters. They do well in small areas. They digest quickly and efficiently. They also reproduce quickly.

Red Wigglers will double their population in about 3 to 4 months. Each tiny tan bead like egg will produce 2-7 worms. The worms are tiny at birth and appear like thin white threads. They then mature to about 1 inch and as adults they become a deep shade of red and reach 2-3 inches long at maturity.

Worm bins can be made of very simple construction. You can buy them commercially built or you can easily make one yourself. The bin must be well ventilated, moist, dark, and must be able to drain. Your bin needs plenty of holes to assure proper drainage and ventilation.

You may use any type of container which has a cover. Even a converted rubbermaid container. However, in climates that do reach extreme tempatures we have found a homemade wooden box works best. The plastic seems to hold alot of heat in warm tempatures. The ideal tempature range for Red Wigglers is 55-75 degrees farenheit. They can tolerate a tempature range of 40-84 degrees.

Even a metal wash tub with small holes drilled in the bottom and the sides works great. Simply cover the top with a burlap bag or an old towel and your set.

A homemade wooden box is a great way to make a home for your worms. Again make sure to drill plenty of holes for drainage and ventilation. And a cover to keep out unwanted visitorsand excess light.

All bins need to be raised at least 1 inch off of the ground.

It is also a great idea to place a container underneath your worm home to catch the drippings. Put these drippings on your plants for a fabulous fertilizer.

Never let the total contents of your bin reach over 14 inches deep as the bottom can settle and prevent air circulation.

More information about Bedding, Food, and Harvesting the castings.

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