Starting a Worm Farm

Would you like to cut the amount of trash you send to the landfill by 50%? I did by starting a worm farm!

What is a Worm Farm?

Worm farming or vermi-composting uses worms to convert kitchen scraps; newspapers and junk mail into potent fertilizer. Since I started my vermicomposting I have reduced the amount of trash going to the landfill by 50%.

How Do I Get Started?

Starting a worm bin is easy. You can purchase a bin system or build your own. I ordered my worm bin and worms from WormCrusader.com where you will find many resources to help get you started. They even have videos that walk you through all aspects of worm farming.

Through research I discovered there are many different kinds of worms. Red wigglers are recommended widely for vermicomposting because of their voracious appetite. I placed my order for a Worm Factory 360 and 1 pound of worms. The Worm Factory 360 is a square shaped set of 5 stacking tray bins.

The bottoms of the trays are mesh so that the worms can move from bin to bin. The tray bins stack on a pedestal with a built in collection tray for the wonderful byproduct worm tea.

I set up the bin per the very detailed instructions using moistened shredded newspaper and coir brick, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells and veggie scraps.

Worms work best when the temperature is between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit so I keep mine in the garage during the coldest and hottest months and in an attached enclosure the rest of the year.

Once my worms arrived in the mail all I had to do was add them to the prepared bin. Within days I began to notice them turning the contents of the bin into fertilizer! I keep several bins going at once and feed the worms once or twice a week.

What Do They Eat?

Worms like all kinds of paper products including magazines, cardboard, dryer lint, vacuum dust, coffee filters, cardboard egg cartons and junk mail. They also like fruit and baker’s yeast and veggies and limited amounts of breads or cereals. Worms do not like garlic, onion and citrus. These foods can harm your worms so it is important to keep these foods out of your kitchen scraps. Aim for a 50/50 mix of kitchen scraps and fiber materials.

At first you will have to get used to maintaining the right moisture level. Too wet and you can have smelly bin which is not a good sign. But you also do not want a bin that is too dry. Moisture is introduced with your kitchen scraps so it really depends on the types of foods and how moist they are as to how much extra water you might have to add. You get the hang of it pretty quick.

Here is a nearly finished bin!