The red wrigglers are ready to go into the worm bin. For the prospective worm farmer ready to try a more intensive style of composting, here are some tips to keep the worms happy in their new home.
What is Worm Composting?
Worm composting involves a worm bin and a lot of red wriggler compost worms. Often the bin is simply a large container with holes drilled in it to allow air to flow through. In the beginning, the bin contains approximately 1 pound of worms and shredded paper as worm bedding. Some use peat as well. Over time, as compost is placed in the bin, the worms eat it and turn it into soil. Rich compost tea drips from the holes at the bottom of the container, and the tea is wonderful for plants.
Common Problems With Worm Bins
Worm farms or bins are not quite as simple as outdoor compost bins. As in outdoor composting, a worm farmer alternates layers of household compost with brown materials to balance the carbon and nitrogen in the bin. With an outdoor compost, it’s easy to be a little neglectful. Worm farms require thought and management, but it’s entirely possible to keep the worms happy and productive.
Give the Worms Some Comfortable Bedding
A good balance of carbon (“browns”) and nitrogen (“greens”) makes a successful compost. Soil microbes need carbon-rich materials to slow down the breakdown of the green materials. Since kitchen waste is made up of greens, it’s especially important to add brown materials like shredded paper. A thick sheet of bedding also serves another purpose. Place compost under the paper, and it provides a barrier so that animals and odors don’t emerge from the bin.
Chop That Compost!
Worms are masters at turning chunks of kitchen waste into soil. However, sometimes these chunks can be very large for the worms. Instead of dropping a melon peel into the bin, chop it into pieces that are smaller than the size of an adult’s palm. Making a cake? Crush eggshells before they go into the bin.
Help! The Worms are Moving!
Worms don’t like to shake, rattle and roll. When the worms first come home, they seem happy. The next day, they are all crawling to the top of the bin rather than in the soil. Moving the bin and the worms has caused them to migrate.
Keep the worm farm in a relatively quiet, dark, and stable place. Don’t keep it on top of the clothes washer! Worms move towards the surface of the compost when it moves, and excessive movement may even cause the worms to emerge from the bin.
When Worm Bins Get Wet
There is moisture on the lid, worms are crawling up the sides, and there is a sticky mess in the bottom. Whoops! It’s quite possible to overfeed a worm bin. A small family may be able to get away with one worm compost, but two are likely necessary for a larger family. It’s also possible to neglect the proper balance of greens and browns. To expedite the composting process in the bin and to avoid a mess from an excess of green material, keep on adding those browns!
Worm composting provides a glimpse into soil life that few gardeners ever get to see so close at hand. It’s an intensive process, but it rewards the gardener with rich compost, even from a worm farm located in a small urban space.
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