Vermicomposting, (the “official” name for using worms to do your composting), is a great alternative to outdoor composting, especially during the colder, winter months. Using red worms in an indoor compost bin, you simply layer any plant-based scraps with some shredded paper (e.g., newspaper, but avoiding glossy paper and colored inks), wet with some water that has been allowed to sit uncovered over night (to off-gas any chlorine), and then cover the bin and let the little red wigglers do their thing. I’ve been composting all of our kitchen scraps and indoor plant trimmings this way for over three years now, and it’s very easy & low maintenance, especially with one of the commercially available bins.
Vermicomposting produces “castings” (aka, worm manure) which is great for both outdoor AND indoor plants. Vermicompost has NO smell, offers great organic matter to improve soil texture, contains excellent, readily-available plant nutrients, and contains beneficial microbes that should be a part of any healthy soil. There are some great web sites that explain how to get started. (Google “worm composting”)
This is the worm composting bin that I highly recommend. It’s called “Can-O-Worms“. This bin even has a tap which allows you to drain off any excess water, which itself makes a great liquid fertilizer!
You should also consider getting a book or two on vermicomposting. Worms Eat My Garbage was extremely informative and helpful when I got started. For the best price I could find, go to www.discountbooksale.com and search on the book’s title.
Have fun with your worms!
– Mike
You must be logged in to post a comment.