VERMICOMPOSTING How to Make a Worm Bin

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VERMICOMPOSTINGHow to Make a Worm Bin

• Emily Gianfortoni
• Hanover Master Gardener

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Why Have a Worm Bin?

• Recycles food wastes instead of sending to
  landfill
• Reduces load on sewage or septic systems
• Produces useful organic product for yard or
  garden
• Encourages respect for living things and natural
  cycles

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Why Have a Worm Bin in the Classroom?

• Can be used to teach science and environmental
  stewardship
• Can serve as a conduit of information about
  recycling to homes of students
• Will be a model for other classrooms and other
  schools
• Grant funds available for expanding beyond
  plastic tubs for worm bins

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Eisenia fetida Red WigglerDifferent from
Common Earthworm
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Characteristics of Common Earthworm (Lumbricus
terrestris)

• Soil-dwelling tunnels and burrows
• Does not eat large amount of organic material
• Will not reproduce well while confined
• Lives several feet below surface
• Feeds on surface at night
• Requires cool (45º) temperature

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Characteristics of the Red Wiggler

• Can eat half its weight of food per day
• Requires 70 moisture to breathe
• Ideal temperature 60º to 85º F
• Can thrive in confined space
• Needs good ventilation and drainage
• Needs bedding and food
• Avoids light

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Worm and Cocoon
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Constructing the Bin
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Materials Needed

• Bin made of opaque, flexible plastic, approx. 18
  x 20 x15 inches
• Shredded newspaper
• Water
• Compost or soil
• Worms
• Drill with ¼ bit

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Drill holes in top of bin and part way down sides
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Dampen shredded paper Squeeze out excess water
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Fill bin with 6 to 8 in. of moist bedding
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Add compost
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Place worms in bin
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Choosing a Place for the Bin

• 59-77 degrees F optimal temperature
• Below 59º F feeding slows
• Can not tolerate temperature below 40º
• Will die if temperature hotter than 90º
• Basement or kitchen
• Garage if temperature above freezing
• Outside in shade in warm weather

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Feeding Your Worms

• Bury food in small amount of bedding
• Or wrap in layer of newspaper and place on top of
  bedding
• 1 lb. per sq. foot per week

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Things to Feed Your Worms

• Most vegetable and fruit wastes
• Bread and pasta
• Old food from the refrigerator (no meat)
• Tea bags and coffee grounds
• Egg shells (crushed)
• Pumpkins and watermelons ?

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Things NOT to Feed Your Worms?

• Meat, fish or bones
• Very oily or greasy foods
• Too many citrus peels
• Dog or cat feces
• Raw onions (can produce odor)
• Plastic, foil or other non-organics

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Harvesting Your VermicompostMethod One

• Move bedding and worms to one side
• Place fresh bedding and food on other side
• Leave bin for 2 weeks or more
• Harvest castings after worms have moved

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Harvesting Your VermicompostMethod Two

• Dump contents of bin on sheet of plastic
• Divide into piles
• As worms burrow into piles, remove top layer
• Continue to remove compost from each pile until
  mostly worms remain
• Return worms to bin with fresh, moist bedding

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Harvesting Your VermicompostMethod Three

• Remove 2/3 of vermicompost with worms and dump in
  garden
• Add fresh bedding and food to remainder in bin
• Enough worms and cocoons remain to repopulate bin

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What are worm castings?What is vermicompost?

• Worm castings worm poop
• Worm castings contain beneficial bacteria,
  enzymes, minerals and remnants of plant materials
• Vermicompost worm castings humus
  microorganisms partially decomposed bedding and
  plant materials

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Uses for Vermicompost

• Source of useful bacteria, fungi, nematodes,
  enzymes and plant nutrients for soil
• Use in potting soil (10 to 25)
• Sprinkle lightly in seed beds
• Place small amount in planting hole with
  transplants
• Use as top dressing in garden (1/4 in. layer)

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Troubleshooting Problems Usually Minimal

• Bad odors
• Flies
• Bin too wet
• Bin too dry
• Worms crawling up sides
• Worms dying

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Problem Bad Smell

• Bin too wet remove water with turkey baster add
  dry bedding or peat moss
• More food than worms can eat stop feeding for a
  week or two
• Not enough air add more air holes fluff bedding
• Food on top smells bury under bedding

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Problem Flies

• Fruit flies most common, but also house flies
• Keep bin covered and bury food in bin
• Add food as soon as available or freeze
• Dont overfeed worms
• Dont add food wastes that have already attracted
  fruit flies (e.g. banana peels)

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Problem Bedding Too Wet or Too Dry

• Too dry add water or watery food such as
  watermelon
• Too dry keep covered lay a sheet of black
  plastic on top of bedding
• Too wet give food lower in water
• Too wet add dry bedding or peat to bottom
• Too wet drain off water in bottom of bin

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Problem Worms Crawling Out or Worms Dying

• Worms on sides put bin in light area with top
  off (worms avoid light)
• Worms on sides try not to disturb bin and
  bedding
• Worms dying (fishy smell) make sure worms have
  enough food, air and correct moisture level

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Playing with Worms Is Fun!