Vermicomposting:

Letting worms do the dirty work

Anne Kolaczyk
Purdue University Master Gardener
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.
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
Composting bins
Ready made
Layers
Drainage

Homemade
Depth
Surface area
Getting Started
Bin
Style
Moisture control
Aeration
Bedding
Cardboard
Newspaper
Coconut fiber
Old leaves
Wood chips
Seeding
Need a microbial rich substance to start
the bin off.
Compost
Vermicompost
Manure
Dirt
Nothing too fresh though! You dont
want to generate heat from the seeding
substance.
Worms
Not all worms are equal!
Composters, not earthworkers
Redworms Eisenia foetida
Full density is 1 lb per sq ft of surface area
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
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.
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
Second course
Worms eat the microbes that feed on
the decaying food, not the food itself.
Food wont attract them until it starts
to spoil.
Consider pre-composting food
Yum, yum: week 1

A shell of a watermelon
added to the bin
Yum, yum: week 2

That same shell

after 10 days
Yum, yum: week 3

Same shell after

20 days
Care
Add food
Maintain
moisture
Harvest
castings
Harvesting Methods
For compost and restocking
Hand Sort
Halving
Bag trap
For compost only
Dumping
For fishing worms
Hand sort and remove largest
Points to remember
Composting worms dont do well out in your
garden unless your soil is rich in humus. They
need compost for food!
Inside or outside?
Inside:
Space limitations
Bugs
Smell
Outside
Weather
Animals
Size
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.
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
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.
Winter feeding
They should keep eating
Less amount perhaps
What makes worms THRIVE?
T temperature
H H2O
R recycle organics
I invertebrates
V ventilation
E environment and pH
What makes worms CRAWL?

C change of habitat
R rain
A absence of air
W water
L lack of food
Lets get real
Concerns Solutions
Worms in the house They stay put, honest!
Bugs, extraneous Freeze scraps
Fruit Flies Bury in bedding
Soldier Fly Larvae Vinega or wine traps
Slugs
Dont bring in yard waste
Bugs, part of process They help the decomposition
Spiders process. No way to eliminate them,
Mites but they stay with the composting
Micro-organisms material.
Wear gloves if they bother you.
Mold May mean bin needs better
aeration.
Wont hurt process or worms.
More reality
Concerns Solutions
Mushrooms Come from wood chip bedding.
Just bury into bedding.
Smell Properly maintained bin has little
smell.
Stop feeding for a week.
Change some of the bedding.
Remove uneaten food.
Time Except for harvesting, it takes less than
1/2 hour per week
Children/Pets Great learning tool for kids.
Closed bins keep pets out.
Uses
On house plants
In outdoor gardens
Very high in nutrients
Compost tea
Lets compare
Bin composting Vermicomposting
Space limitations

No outdoor space
available

Large quantity of waste
to compost

Limited time to spend

Pathogen control

Ewww! factor

Ecologically responsible
 Bin

Anaerobic Tumbler
Just do it!
composting

Vermi Pail

Sheet