vermicompost - or worm compost, is the final product of the breakdown of organic material by worms. these worms are used to create a nutrient-rich organic fertilizer and soil conditioner for gardens and potted plants.
i recently got really excited about the upcoming spring (not summer, i'm not a fan of hot weather) and the prospect of planting my very first veggie garden. but like always i got ahead of myself and became super impatient. so i decided to get an early start on the process by creating my very own worm compost bin. by the time the first batch of fertilizer is ready it'll be time to plant my seedlings. it's pretty simple. you'll need: two rubber maid bins, a drill, cardboard, newspaper, dirt, food scraps and worms. here's what you do:
2 large plastic bins - i think i got 18 gallon sized bins. it all depends on the size of compost you want. make sure you use an opaque bin and not clear plastic ones, you don't want sun shining in if you keep it outside. (it should be kept out of the sunlight) one bin is used to store the actual vermicompost and the second is used as a drainage bin. use some bricks or a large wooden block in the bottom of the 1st bin to raise it up so it's easier to lift when you want have access the excess moisture that drains into the bottom bin. and you'll want access to it because it is an AMAZING organic version of miracle grow concentrate. mix it 2:1 with water put it in a spray bottle and use it to water your house plants or pour it in a watering can and use it in your gardens outside.
you'll need a drill (1/8th bit). it works best if you use your dad's vintage drill from the 70's. drill air holes along the top side, bottom and lid of one of the bins. if you find the worms are escaping, cover the holes with a mesh material. i had to do this because i accidentally used a 1/4 drill bit instead of a 1/8.
cardboard clippings - the cardboard is used as a solid bedding for the bottom of the bin. try to stay away from colored cardboard, the artificial dyes are never good for anything. i ripped up a case from the white wine i bought from trader joe's - green fin, good stuff.
newspaper strips - how fitting, the local section of the journal sentinel had an article about a community composting project, "composting picks up steam". click to read it, it's a good one and makes me so proud of milwaukee! cut the newspaper in 1inch strips and gently moisten it. put a layer down over the cardboard and save a large amount for the top. worms LOVE bedding. if you have them, use leaves. be generous.
food scraps - fruits and veggies, tea bags and coffee grounds (with the used paper filters) are fantastic. stay away from dairy and meat products, anything oily or that has a lot of left over spices. i've read that egg shells are perfectly fine and actually encourage reproduction among the worm colony... ;) hot.
dirt - spread a layer over the food scraps before gently introducing the worms to their new home. this would also be a good spot to layer some leaves if you have them and they're not buried under two feet of snow.
worms - use red wrigglers, some common earth worms found in the ground are less likely to survive. here's a tip... get the worms from your local bait shop. a garden nursery will overcharge you and it's not worth paying shipping & handling to order them online. luckily, west allis has bait shop... probably three.
top bedding - spread those left over newspaper strips on top
sit back and let the worms do the work!
so you can't exactly take them for a walk, play in the park, teach them tricks or cuddle on the couch, but until i get a place of my own i'll have to settle for a pet that's more self-sustainable than a puppy.
here's some additional information growing power had to say about vermicompost
