Vermicomposting is an earth-friendly composting technique that uses worms to turn organic waste into rich compost. Put simply, it involves taking food scraps, paper, cardboard and other organic debris and placing it in a bin with worms. The worms will then feed on the organic material, breaking it down into a nutrient-rich fertilizer that can be used in garden by plants.
It’s an efficient way to recycle kitchen scraps and yard waste into valuable plant food.
So why choose this method of composting? Well, below are five powerful advantages of vermicomposting :
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5 Advantages of Vermicomposting
Let’s take a look at the key advantages of vermicomposting which is an attractive method of turning kitchen waste into something useful to plants and soil.
- Faster Composting: It can speed up the composting process by up to four times faster than traditional methods, producing ready-to-use compost in as little as two months.
- Organic Fertilizer: Contains concentrated nutrients that provide different benefits to plants compared to regular soil or commercial fertilizer. The organic matter promotes root growth, helps retain moisture, and makes nutrients more available for plants to absorb.
- Reduced Waste: It can help reduce the amount of organic waste that ends up in landfills since it provides an outlet for kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and other organic materials.
- Environmentally Friendly: It’s an eco-friendly solution since it uses worms instead of energy-consuming machines. Additionally, it helps reduce greenhouse gasses produced from rotting garbage found in landfills by turning food waste into a beneficial material.
- Pest Control: Compost is a natural pest deterrent because it helps create an environment where beneficial insects such as earthworms can thrive and other pests are not as likely to survive.
Why and How to Choose the Right Worm Bin
If you’re ready to start vermicomposting, then you need to choose the right worm bin. The most important thing you need to consider is size—it needs to be big enough for your waste, but not so big that it can get overcrowded. If there’s not enough food for the worms, they’ll try to escape!
Materials
Most worm bins are made of plastic with air vent holes and lids, which makes them easy to store and transport. But if you have the space, a wooden bin may be more esthetic and reduce odors better. Vermicomposting bins are available in different shapes, too—square or round—so choose what works best for your space.
Types of Worm Bins
Before purchasing your bin, decide if you want a stackable or stationary system. Stackable systems are great because they’re easy to store and transport when necessary. Stationary systems are great because they allow worms easy access to new food sources as the old compost is eaten away at—think vertical gardening on a smaller scale!
Whatever type of worm bin you choose—stackable or stationary—make sure it has a tight-fitting lid and at least one drainage hole with some kind of mesh filter. Once you have your bin set up with bedding material like shredded newspaper or coconut coir, add worms and wait for the magic!
What You Need to Know About Composting Worms
There are a few things that you should know about worms before you embark on your vermicompost journey:
Red Wiggler Worms
Most Vermicomposters generally use Red Wiggler worms – since they love to eat vegetable scraps and they breed quickly in a compost bin. They don’t require much space or special conditions, so they are easy to take care of.
The Ratios
It’s important to keep a ratio of 1-lb of worms per 2-cubic feet of composting material. You can always adjust the amount of Red Wigglers depending on how much food waste your household produces.
Keeping Them Alive
Your worms need moist newspaper bedding, enough moisture, and temperatures between 55F and 77F to make sure that they remain healthy. To keep them alive and kicking, you should avoid using any artificial fertilizers or insecticides in your vermicompost bin, as these will kill off the worms!
A Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up a Vermicomposting System
Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up your own vermicomposting system.
Choose a location
The ideal location should be indoors and close to a water source, like in your kitchen or laundry room. It should also be away from direct sunlight and have adequate ventilation. You don’t need a lot of space—you can even use a plastic bin for small amounts of food waste.
Get the right supplies
You’ll need the following items to set up:
- A plastic container (preferably with lid) or bin that is at least 18 inches deep and 18 inches wide
- A screen for drainage
- Compostable material (shredded newspaper, straw, oak leaves, etc.)
- Fresh fruits and vegetables scraps (avoid meat products and dairy)
- Vermicompost worms (red wigglers or red worms)
- Water
Once you’ve acquired all these materials, you’re ready to start setting up the system.
Assemble the box
Start by adding four inches of bedding material at the bottom of the bin—this will give the worms something to burrow into when they arrive. Then add one inch of compostable material on top of that as food for your worms. Add enough water so that it’s damp but not soaking wet. This will provide moisture for the worms and help them break down their food quicker. Finally, you can add your worms to the bin.
Easy Ways to Maintain a Healthy Balance in Your Worm Bin
Maintaining a healthy balance in your worm bin is easy, and it will pay off in the end. Here are a few ways to keep things running smoothly:
Ventilate Properly
Good ventilation ensures that oxygen can flow through the bin, which helps your worms breathe. This can be achieved by adding more bedding material, providing an adequate amount of air holes, and keeping the environment warm but not too hot.
Keep Hydrated
Just like with any other living creature, worms need to stay hydrated in order for them to thrive. The best way to do this is to lightly mist the surface of your worm bin every couple of weeks with clean water. Make sure that you’re not over-saturating the bedding, however—too much water will lead to anaerobic conditions which can cause odors and molds.
Feed Responsibly
Worms need a balanced diet just like us! Ideally, you should feed them something high in nitrogen (like fruit or vegetable scraps) and something high in carbon (like shredded paper or cardboard). Always avoid feeding worms anything acidic or spicy—these can cause digestive issues and kill them if consumed in large amounts.
Overall, vermicomposting is an excellent way to practice sustainability while also enriching your soil with vital nutrients essential for healthy crops.