Vermicomposting: Letting worms do the dirty work

1. Vermicomposting: Letting worms do the dirty work Anne Kolaczyk Purdue University Master Gardener

2. Vermicomposting Composting worms eat decaying organic matter and turn it into worm castings (worm feces). The result is vermicompost, a mixture of worm castings and composted material such as the bedding in bin.

3. Why do it • Ecologically responsible • Reduce waste in landfills and sewage treatment plants • Provides valuable additives for your plants • Saves you money • Worms for fishing

4. Composting bins • Ready made • Layers • Drainage • Homemade • Depth • Surface area

5. Getting Started • Bin • Style • Moisture control • Aeration

6. Bedding • Cardboard • Newspaper • Coconut fiber • Old leaves • Wood chips

7. Seeding • Need a microbial rich substance to start the bin off. • Compost • Vermicompost • Manure • Dirt • Nothing too fresh though! You don’t want to generate heat from the seeding substance.

8. Worms • Not all worms are equal! • Composters, not earthworkers • Redworms Eisenia foetida • Full density is 1 lb per sq ft of surface area

9. Worms, worms • Worms become mature at 10 weeks • Will produce 2 to 3 cocoons a week • Each cocoon holds 2-5 babies • Cocoons take 3 weeks to hatch

10. And more worms • In 6 months, 8 worms will multiply into 1500 if conditions are right • They will stop breeding if there is not enough food or space.

11. Food scraps • 1/2 lb of food per sq ft of surface area (assuming full worm density) per day • kind • Vegetable scraps • Egg shells • Coffee grounds • Bread • Plant waste • No meat or bones • No pet waste

12. Second course • Worms eat the microbes that feed on the decaying food, not the food itself. • Food won’t attract them until it starts to spoil. • Consider pre-composting food

13. Yum, yum: week 1 • A shell of a watermelon added to the bin

14. Yum, yum: week 2 • That same shell after 10 days

15. Yum, yum: week 3 • Same shell after 20 days

16. Care • Add food • Maintainmoisture • Harvest castings

17. Harvesting Methods • For compost and restocking • Hand Sort • Halving • Bag trap • For compost only • Dumping • For fishing worms • Hand sort and remove largest

18. Points to remember • Composting worms don’t do well out in your garden unless your soil is rich in humus. They need compost for food!

19. Inside or outside? • Inside: • Space limitations • Bugs • Smell • Outside • Weather • Animals • Size

20. Outside for me • I bought a Rubbermaid deck bin. Holds 10 cubic feet. • Placed on north side of house where it got very little sun. • Positioned near electrical outlet.

21. Preparation • Assembled bin • Placed on styrofoam insulation sheet • Drilled holes in sides for ventilation • Covered holes with screening using glue gun to keep out bees

22. Winterizing • Place large covered bucket or container in middle of bin. Fill 2/3 with water. • Put birdbath heater into water. Cut hole in cover for the cord. If extension cord is needed to reach outlet, wrap joint securely with plastic. • Fill worm bin with bedding so it almost reaches top. • Wrap sides with sheets of styrofoam insulation. • Cut piece of foam insulation to lay on top of bedding. • When temperature falls below freezing, plug in heater. It should create a core that is not frozen where the worms will gather.

23. Winter feeding • They should keep eating • Less amount perhaps

24. What makes worms THRIVE? T temperature H H2O R recycle organics I invertebrates V ventilation E environment and pH

25. What makes worms CRAWL? C change of habitat R rain A absence of air W water L lack of food

26. Let’s get real

27. More reality

28. Uses • On house plants • In outdoor gardens • Very high in nutrients • Compost tea

29. Let’s compare

30. Just do it!