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require a reliable supply of nutritive - rich compost to amend the land in your garden beds and container plantings ? It ’s easy to make your own if you permit worms do most of the work for you .
For jillion of years , insect have been nature ’s most prodigious recyclers , damp down organic material and returning the food to the grease . By setting up a unproblematic worm bin , or vermicomposter , you could duplicate the weather condition worms need to miraculously change food for thought bit into usable compost your plant will have it away .
WHY COMPOST WITH WORMS?
Raising dirt ball in an enclosed ABA transit number raise castings ( or dissipation ) that are an awesome source of alimental - rich constitutional thing . insect compost not only outperforms semisynthetic fertilizers in ameliorate root development and yield healthier plants , it also help suppress industrial plant diseases , according to researchers atCornell University Waste Management Institute .
Another grownup plus : compost with dirt ball castings is an environmentally friendly way to recycle kitchen scraps that would normally end up in the food waste . In fact , many municipalities promote the enjoyment of vermicomposting as a means of keeping food for thought waste out of local landfill .
HOW DO WORM CASTINGS DIFFER FROM COMPOST?
Bothcompostand louse castings are plentiful in food , minerals , and microbial activity that help plant thrive . Both also help with soil aeration , grunge porosity , and water retention . However , the organic matter that has been work on through the specialized digestive tracts of worms moderate a higher density and concentration of food as well as beneficial bacteria and enzymes that change waste into a form more easily engulf by plants .
Just how nutrient - rich are worm castings ? accord to theUniversity of Nebraska Extension , they hold 5 times more nitrogen , 7 times more daystar , and 11 times more K than average garden stain . louse casting also tend to be a more logical and reliable root of plant sustenance . When the cast are receive from the controlled environment of a vermicomposting bin , they are barren of weed seed and other contamination that can be present in traditional compost . Vermicomposting is also a dependable way to produce compost indoors during the winter months when your outdoor compost spile is sleeping .
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO START A WORM BIN?
A vermicomposting bin does n’t have to be luxuriant or expensive to keep its residents well - feed and productive . All you take is a worm bin , have intercourse material , worms , nutrient , and a drainage tray .
WORM BIN:
A heavy - duty plastic tote or storage container , with several small mess drilled into it for drainage and flow of air , works enceinte . ( Seethis easy DIY worm binfrom Washington State University ) . But you may also find a all-inclusive change ofcommercial worm bins , including stack scheme that let for easier harvesting . Because compost worms are surface dwellers and be in the top few inches of land , the bins do n’t need to be deep . Generally , a container 8 to 12 inches in depth is sufficient .
Your bin should also have a loose - fitting lid , such as a slice of composition board or sheet of black plastic , with a few slit cut into it . Red worm prefer a dark environment , but they should n’t be deprived of air .
BEDDING:
The bedding is one of the most significant components of a louse binful because it provides a hospitable surroundings for the worm to cultivate and eat their intellectual nourishment . worm also consume the bedding as well as the board flake you provide , so it must be biodegradable .
Many materials make effective worm bedding , including strips of paper ( black ink only ) , cardboard , egg carton , grocery bags , coconut coir , or a combination of these materials . Just check that that the bedding is non - toxic and ripped up into fairly lowly piece . chopped leave also make a just go to bed stuff , but might nurse dirt ball pests that you do n’t need reproducing inside your nursing home .
Because composting worms need moisture , the bedding fabric should be moisten before contribute it to the binful . If you ’re using cardboard or paper , soak it in water and then squeeze out as much moisture as possible until the litter is about as damp as a wrung - out sponge . Loosely fill the binful about one-half full with the moisten bedding and then ruffle it to permit good airflow . Keep in brain that the bedding stuff needs to stay on dampish , so check it often . If it looks like drying out , fog it with urine from a spray bottle .
Tip : Along with the bedding , add a small amount of gumption to your bin , such as a handful of garden territory or sand . compost worms necessitate some backbone to help break down food for thought mote and aid in digestion .
COMPOSTING WORMS:
Only use cherry-red crawler worms ( Eisenia fetida ) in your binful , which you canorder onlineor buy from a local worm farm . Unlike the nightcrawlers you find in your garden , red worms do n’t need to burrow deep into the soil to eat up and survive .
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FOOD:
Finding enough food scraps to feed your worm is seldom a trouble , since they will thirstily devour almost anything . But there are some foods you should avoid because they are hard for worms to digest or can cause foul odors .
DRAINAGE TRAY:
Since food scraps and moistened bedding contain body of water , place a waterproof container ( such as a kitty litter boxwood or upside down formative tote lid ) underneath the bin to collect any drainage .
HOW (& HOW MUCH) TO FEED COMPOSTING WORMS
When add food to your binful , bury it beneath the top 2 to 3 column inch of bed to help mask odors and thwart pesky fly . To aid in the disintegration process , chop larger while of fruits and vegetable into small pieces or run them through a food for thought processor .
How much food to give your worm depends on the sizing of the population . Red wriggler worms can corrode half their body weighting every daylight , so if you ’re starting out with a pound of worms , you should provide them with at least three pounds of food for thought scrap per week . ( you’re able to step by step increase the amount as the worms multiply . ) Also put the food in a dissimilar area of the bin at each feeding to keep the worm from congregating in one spot .
Tip : Although compost worms are generally not picky eaters , there are certain foods that may not please their palate . Check your bin to see what solid food is gone after a few days and what remains , so you may get an idea of their dieting preferences . You may want to keep a diary note how promptly your worm consume sealed foods so you may adjust the menu to their liking .
Stackable worm bin . exposure good manners of Steuwe & Sons
HOW TO HARVEST VERMICOMPOST
After a few month — when your bin is filled with robust , colored compost — it ’s time for harvesting . Removing the worm castings also grant you the opportunity to refresh the bedding and keep your bank identification number going .
The easiest manner to amass the finished compost is to push the bedding and worms to one end of the bin and fill the other end with new bedding and fresh intellectual nourishment scraps . After a couple of weeks , the louse will migrate over to the fresh food and you could scoop out the compost from the other side of the bank identification number . If you ’re using atray - vogue stackable worm bin , this job is a breeze because it ’s designed to assort the composted material into layers .
Another method is to coldcock the contents of the ABA transit number onto a pliant tarpaulin placed under a undimmed light . Because worm are light - sensitive , they will tunnel down to the bottom of the pile and you could then scoop off the compost from the top . you’re able to then move the worm back into their home base after line it with new bedding .
HOW TO USE VERMICOMPOST
Once harvested , you’re able to use your vermicompost immediately or stash away it in a pliant tub . append it to your garden seam as a soil amendment , conflate it into potting commixture , or use as a top fertilization for your indoor and outside plants . Even though vermicompost is wedge - full of good bacteria and nutrients , it also is very soft so you do n’t have to worry about harming your plants by overfertilizing .
lead : try out making a worm compost afternoon tea that you’re able to irrigate into the soil or spray directly onto a plant life ’s leaves . Simply pose one or two scoop of louse compost into a permeable bag made from burlap or an honest-to-god pillowcase and then steep it in a bucket of clean water for 24 hours , or until the tea is light brownish in color . Because the tea is full of good living microbes , it should be applied to your plant within a duo of day after making .
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WORM COMPOSTING DOS AND DON’TS
Red wriggler are highly effective composters as long as you give them a sinister , comfortable nursing home with plenty of nutrient , wet , and oxygen . To furnish the optimum conditions , pay heed to these important disk operating system and don’ts .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long does it take worms to make compost?
Red wigglers are voracious eaters and can turn kitchen scraps into nutrient - productive compost in about two to three months . But keep in mind that it can take a couple of weeks for your worms to get comfortable in their raw archeological site , so give them some time to shape up an appetence .
What are the ideal temperatures for composting worms?
Red composting worms thrive in temperature ranging from 55 ° to 80 ° F , but can tolerate cold or warm temperatures as long as they are n’t extreme ( above 80 ° or below 32 ° F ) . Keep in head , these temps are inside the worm bin , not air temperature . If you move your worm bin outside during the summer , be sure to place it in a shaded locating protected from pelting and malarkey . When the weather condition turns cold , insulate the bin from freezing temperature or move it indoors to a cellar , heated garage , or a corner of your kitchen . In cooler temperature ( 32 ° to 54 ° F ) , worm will work more slowly and you may need to decrease the amount of food scraps you give them .
Does worm compost have a strong odor?
Properly made vermicompost has a slight but inoffensive odor , making a louse bin well - suited for indoor use . If you begin to discover an objectionable smell , it ’s most in all likelihood due to rotting food and not the compost itself . If this pass off , veer back on the amount of food you feed your worm and check that to bury the scraps under a layer of bedding .
What are the cons of worm composting?
In oecumenical , position up and contend a worm bin requires very little crusade . But the bulk of vermicompost you may acquire will be significantly less than what you may make using traditional composting method . You also call for to cater to the specialise indigence of your worms , such as giving them the correct amount of wet and a well - balance diet , to keep them fat and healthy . Monitoring the unconscious process can be fourth dimension - down , and quality can suffer if you do n’t wangle your worm bin correctly .
How many worms should you start with for composting?
That typically depends on the size of it of your bin . broadly , you should initiate out with about a 1/2 pound of worms per straight foot . Keep in intellect that ruby-red composting worm breed quickly , double their population within a few months . you’re able to always add more worm afterwards once you are confident that your bank identification number is worm - friendly .
How long do composting worms live?
Under idealistic term , red-faced worm can live a year or longer in a vermicomposting bin , but once a insect die you probably wo n’t notice . It will just become part of the compost , to be replace by a novel coevals of louse .
Can you use both compost and worm castings?
Yes , using the two together is a slap-up choice and gives your plants the ripe of both domain . Because insect castings are voiceless to produce in large quantity , consider mixing traditional compost throughout your garden bed and then using worm casting as a top dressing during the growing time of year .
