Vermicompost: Our Worm Bin Rocks!

As you might remember, we made a new worm bin after our original bin failed. This new one is doing great! The drainage holes in the bottom have helped keep it moist but not too wet, the shallow shape allows the worms to get to everything faster and the blending of food scraps allows the worms to eat right away. Today we harvest all the rich vermicompost (soil) and sprinkle it into one of our garden beds. Potted plants also LOVE this stuff. I've brought back to life more than one of our failing ferns with a scoop of nutrient rich vermicompost. Why buy chemically fertilizer when you can use worm poop?

Category:

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Tags:

• vermicompost
• worm
• compost
• bin
• apartment
• composting
• garden
• ryanishungry

[pompomwall]

Don't use anything but black and white newspaper and black and white computer paper!

[RyanIsHungry]

i have found that any color paper works just fine. there has been some talk about bad things in colored ink, but i think most things are ok. i've never had a problem with any paper i've given them.

[CimaraNyx]

Mmmmm...worm smoothie! Do you ever make a tea out of the castings and pour it directly into your garden soil? I've seen that done on other videos. Seems like it might be more evenly spread that way. I can't wait to get my worms!

[paulgem123]

Good stuff. I'm going to do that again.

[trailpacker]

Hi Ryan....did you ever notice that you started to have this white fury substance in your bin....just started my bin last week and this stuff is apearing.

[ArizonaAdventures]

Lookslike you got a lot of worm compost! Nice job.

[rightview]

If you just let this batch set (no additional smoothie or new food scraps), how long will it take to be done?

[BalconyGrow]

I find that if I freeze the food first and then thaw it to room temperature, the worms devour it. This also makes it easier on me not to have to mess with it every day and gives the worms a chance to eat their previous meal. :o)

[mujkocka]

i like your cat :-)

[zomgwtfbbqbagel]

blending food can become anaerobic. Use one of those old-type grinders used for meat. It works wonders, and chops food finely, but doesn't turn it into a goopy mess.

[brewingbandeto]

I do the same. I find that this works best because freezing breaks down the molecular structure of the food making it easier for the microorganisms to break it down. Plus if you have a surplus of organic matter you just throw it in the freezer until it is time to give it to the worms. I tried blending the food once or twice, freezing is much easier to do.

[rexenne]

Freezing also helps soften scraps & accelerates it's decomp. I don't have the luxury of having a blender just for the garbage, so I've been freezing our scraps for 5 years with great success.