Vermicomposting Part 2

This is a follow-up article on how to establish a worm bin for composting of food scraps. The Activity: The care and feeding of red worms. Why: Red worms (Lumbricus rebellious, and Eugenia fetid) are great composters. By having a small worm bin in your home you can turn your non-greasy kitchen scraps into vermicompost (worm castings or waste) for your garden. The project can be educational for children and adults alike. It will reduce the amount of food your family contributes to the landfill. Vermicompost is a unique soil amendment. It poses no threat of nitrogen burn damage even to potted plants because the nitrogen it contains has a slow release characteristic due to a mucous coating which occurs naturally. It is rich in water soluble nutrients, contains trace elements, enzymes and beneficial organisms. Unlike manure based products it is not high in salts and has a neutral ph. Vermicompost is not used widely because it is expensive to buy. If you produce your own, you not only get a really good product, but save a bit of money too. In about 4 months you should be ready to harvest the castings for use as compost. The worms will go back into the bin along with new bedding and the process can continue. How: Once you have constructed or purchased your worm bin and purchased your worms, you can prepare the bedding for your worms. (For worm bin information see last weeks article, or go to http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/easywormbin.htm for a cheap, easy plan.) Peat moss, sawdust, shredded newspaper or shredded corrugated cardboard are ideal bedding options. The bedding must be moistened. The paper or cardboard should be moistened to about 50-75% water by weight. You can weigh the bedding and then add two to three times that weight in water. Or just add the water slowly till the bedding has a moisture content resembling a damp sponge. Resist the urge to use materials from the

outdoors (such as dry leaves). Even though these might be suitable for the worms, you may be introducing pest species to your bin. Avoid using other paper products that have printing on them, newspapers are printed with non toxic soy ink, other publications use different inks which might be harmful to the worms. The bedding should be about 8 deep in the bin. Once the bedding is in place put the worms in the bin and leave the lid off for about one hour. The light will cause the worms to burrow into the bedding during that time. After that leave the lid on except when you are working in the bin. Worms are generally fed once a week. Push aside the bedding to make a hole and add the food scraps in the hole. The food should be added to a different spot in the bin each week. Fruit and vegetable scraps are good additions, as are coffee grounds and tea leaves. Egg shells (rinsed) and even stale or moldy bread can be added. Do not add citrus products, the worms may tolerate small amounts of citrus, but citrus can lower the pH (make it too acidic) and that may damage the worms. If your scraps are in large pieces consider a rough chop in the food processor or with a knife before adding the scraps to the bin. Chopping will make the decomposition process go more quickly. Do not add greasy or oily foods, dairy products, meat or fish. While the worms are capable of digesting these foods, they will likely turn rancid before composting completely, causing unpleasant odors, and possibly attracting pests. Monitor the worm bin regularly to make sure the worms are actively working on the food. If the bin becomes smelly and food is not being composted by the worms there may be too much food, or the bin may be too acid. Try removing some of the food and hold off feeding for a bit. Maintain the bin in a temperature range between 50 and 75F. This is the temperature in which the worms will be most active and productive. Be sure to drain the bin of compost tea on a regular basis. Use that to water your houseplants. If the bedding starts to dry out, add additional moisture slowly. The worms can drown if too much liquid accumulates. Do not replenish the bedding. It will decompose and become part of the vermicompost. Bedding is replaced after harvesting. Look for an article later this year about methods for harvesting the vermicompost. The worm population can double in 90 days if it is healthy. You should be able to gradually introduce larger quantities of food as the number of worms increases. When: Whenever you have the time and the desire. Order your worms and get your bin ready. Whats Needed: A worm bin, red worms, shredded newspaper or cardboard, food scraps, a scale (optional), water and a sense of adventure. When you have questions, CSU has research based answers. Get answers to your horticultural questions by calling the Master Gardener Volunteer Help Desk at 520-7684 or emailing CSUmg2@elpasoco.com. Visit: http://elpasoco.colostate.edu/hort/hort-bloom.shtml for other articles written by Colorado Master Gardeners.

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