What is Worm Composting?
Also known as Vermicompost, worm composting is a great addition to any backyard garden or for those with little to no outdoor space! You may think worms and cringe, (Beth did at first), but we promise you don’t actually have to touch them. Worms are super easy to care for and give you an expedited “super compost” of what is called worm castings. You will also get “compost tea” which can be made passively or actively by soaking the castings in water or agitating the water to speed up the process (think of it as steeping a tea bag). Keep reading and we will explain everything.
The Compost
Same as every other kind of compost; vermicompost is broken down organic matter that has the help of worms. When composting with worms you mostly use kitchen scraps or other bedding material such as shredded paper, cardboard, or straw. Think of the compost as what comes after the worms “eat” the food scraps. The results are outstanding and produce a nutrient rich “black gold” to supplement your plants.
The Tea
The tea is a super concentrated water-compost. It gives your garden beds a boost of nutrients during the season. Most commercial worm bins have a “tea” harvesting feature or if you use a 5 gallon bucket system, like we do, the bottom bucket collects the moisture that has been strained through all the worm castings (more about this later). If you aren’t using a tea-ready set-up, there are ways to make a “tea” from your castings - you basically would need to wrap your castings in a cheesecloth and soak it in water; hence “tea”. If your just getting into this, we recommend purchasing a bin with the tea feature (they run about $120 on Amazon) or use the 5 gallon bucket method.
The Worms
While there are many different varieties of worms, the best worms for Vermicompost are Red Wigglers (Eisenia Fetida), because they prefer a compost like environment, are relatively hardy, and have a voracious appetite. They say a pound of Red Wigglers will eat up to a 1/2 pound of food scraps a day! (PSA - we haven’t been able to replicate that with out current set up, so we just check on them every few days to make sure there is still some visible food scraps in there before feeding.)
We found our worms through Facebook Marketplace, but you can also purchase composting worms through various internet dealers for anywhere from $25-$40. We would recommend trying to source them locally if possible to reduce the risk of transport loss.
Red Wigglers
- Hardy in a compost environment
- Have a voracious appetite (meaning quick to make compost!)
The Set-Up
Getting set up for worms is simple. We use the 5-gallon bucket method where two buckets sit inside each other. The top bucket has drilled holes through the bottom (not too big! We used a size 1/2” drill bit). The drilled holes allow the liquid (or compost tea) to fall through the bottom. The bottom bucket will then collect the tea (no holes). You also want to make sure to have a lid for the top bucket, and drill small holes (1/8”) in that too as that will allow your worm bin to breathe; preventing excess heat or moisture being trapped inside.
Once the buckets are ready it’s time to get the worms! Place the worms (and the soil they come in) inside the top bucket. Be sure to feed them right away. We recommend adding some shredded paper, newspaper, cardboard, or straw and give the whole thing a light soaking with the hose. Now all you have to do is make sure you continue to feed your worms and place the buckets in a protected area where they won’t get too hot or drown when it rains.
You want to make sure to check on the worms weekly (more often to start until you get an understanding for your environment) and make sure they have enough food. Do you live in a cold weather climate? Move your worms in to the garage and close to the house so they don’t freeze.
When done properly (not over feeding) the worm bin is essentially odorless. The best foods to use are small amounts of fruit and vegetable trimmings from your kitchen. Your worms will eat just about any kitchen scraps with the exceptions of meat or dairy.
Make sure to keep your worms fed, but not too much at once. This will ensure your bin is odorless, you don’t attract unwanted pests, and your worms stay healthy.
Some food items you’ll want to leave for you compost bin (not your worms): Citrus, spicy and salty foods. And be mindful with onions, whole tomatoes, and garlic - these can be used but not in large quantities due to their acidic nature.
Worms will even ‘eat’ shredded paper and grass clippings! You basically can use anything you normally compost, but want to keep in mind that the worms process this and the harder the product, the longer it will take for the worms to digest. Ensure you check the moisture levels in the bin at least weekly and water when dry. The worm castings should feel about the same as a rung out sponge.
You also want to be mindful to not give the worms too much at once because this will lead to other pests being attracted to the bin as well as possibly emitting a foul odor. When we add kitchen scraps to the bin we always use a small shovel to mix everything in to encourage quicker consumption.
And that’s it! Worms are super simple and the casting and tea is completely worth the small amount of work. If you have any questions we didn’t answer please reach out to us! The OLH worms have been with us since June of 2019, so we will continue to share our process along the way! We would love for you to share this article with your gardening friends on Facebook and Instagram - and be sure to tag us! We’d love to see your worm setup. Read about how to harvest your compost from the worms here in our article How to Harvest your Worm Castings.
Happy composting,
L+B
