Worm Composting

Worm composting is the practice of using worms to eat food scraps and other natural materials which are then digested into a valuable soil nutrient known as worm compost, or vermicompost. The process is actually quite simple: the worms eat the food scraps and those become compost as they break down through the worm’s body and exit as castings, or worm manure. This compost is nutrient-rich and can be used to enrich soil and nourish plant life by turning those messy food scraps that would otherwise go to waste into rich, crumbly, black compost.

Worm composting is ideal for apartment dwellers or those with little or no outdoor space since a worm compost bin takes up much less room than other composting methods and many are even odorless. Worm compost bins offer the perfect conditions in which to harvest this rich compost. Most bins consist of multiple stacking trays and as worms finish digesting the scraps in one tray they move up to the next level in search of more food. Simply empty the finished castings out for use in your garden and refill the tray to continue the cycle. Some worm compost bins also include an additional tray for compost tea and many have the option of adding additional trays if you want to obtain even more of this rich compost.

Worms require a moderate working temperature between 50 and 80 degrees allowing worm composting to be done outdoors during warmer seasons or indoors year-round. The worms work quickly and can convert most kitchen scraps into valuable compost in less than two weeks. Conveniently, they are self-regulating and can double in number every three months but will never overpopulate your bin.