Compost with Worms

Compost adds valuable organic nutrients to the soil whilst improving soil texture. It`s also good for the environment if you can compost the fruit and vegetable waste from the kitchen, leaves and prunings.
 

But if you live in an apartment or on a small property, then you`ve nothing to compost. Right? Wrong!
 

Every household produces food scraps that can be re-used, and there are ways that you can do composting, without a compost bin. You can do it on your own property, without worrying about smells, large piles of rotting plant matter and so on. You can use nature`s very own composters - Worms !
 

Even if you`re a squeamish type of person, and don`t like to touch worms, you shouldn`t be put off having a worm farm, as they don`t need to be handled, in fact, when you lift the lid off to feed them, they vanish from sight as they don`t like light.
 

Worms are really the ultimate `pet`. You can feed them whenever you want to, or when you remember to. They don`t mind being abandoned when you go away on holiday. They are useful and eat your scraps, even turning it into something that you can re-use. And lastly, it can be a great project for kids, who can look after them without too many worries on your part!   So you see, earthworms are not only good for fishbait! They are really useful and helpful in a garden because they increase the amount of water and air that penetrates into the soil. They also break down organic matter like leaves and grass into nutrients that can be absorbed by plants.

How does it all work?

Firstly you need a worm farm and some worms. Most commercially available worm farms will have good instructions on how to start it all off, but basically you put the worms into the farm, (you don`t even have to touch them!), provide them with some food, and set the farm up in a shady cool spot that is out of direct sunlight.

The worms will eat their way through your `rubbish`, processing it into castings, which can often be seen on lawns, giving the appearance of little mounds of dirt on top of the grass. Liquid is also produced, although most of it comes from the `rubbish` as it decays before it is consumed. Both the by-products of a worm farm are great for your plants. The liquid (which I`ve nicknamed Worm Wizz, bottled and given to friends for their gardens) can be diluted and used as a liquid fertiliser on most plants. The castings, once cleared of worms, can be used as mulch in the garden, or mixed straight into the soil, or even added to other ingredients to make a potting mix. So even if you live in an apartment there are uses for these products.

FAQ's

	What happens when I go on holiday?
	What do worms eat?
	What shouldn`t I feed my worms?
	Can I feed garden refuse to my worms?
	Do my worms need water?
	Can I put my worms in the garden?
	What temperature do they cope with?
	Will they attract flies?
	Will my worm farm smell?

What happens when I go on holiday?

Leaving an established worm farm for 3-4 weeks without adding food is not a problem. Just feed them a good quantity of food waste before you leave, make sure that they are in a cool place under cover. They will eat up the food you`ve provided, and then go into a semi-dormant state after that.

What do worms eat?

As a general rule, worms will eat anything that was once living, although meat scraps aren`t a good idea as they can attract flies. Worms will eat:

	tea bags, coffee grounds
	vacuum cleaner dust, hair clippings (even from the dog!)
	crushed egg shells
	vegetable scraps, fruit and vege peelings
	torn up, soaked newspapers or egg cartons.

What shouldn`t I feed my worms?
If you don`t know where it came from, it`s probably safer not to use it to feed your worms e.g. manure from horses or dogs, which contain worming chemicals that could kill your worms.
 

Can I feed garden refuse to my worms?
Not usually. General garden refuse (lawn clippings or hard prunings) should be composted in conventional ways. Worm farms function best when fed soft organic matter.

Do my worms need water?
They don`t necessarily `need` to be supplied with water, although, having said that, the worms can cope with some. This will provide you with a more steady flow of liquid fertiliser.

Can I put my worms into the garden?
There are two main types of worms generally found in a garden. Composters, used in worm farms, are also found in piles of mulch that are decomposing. The other main type of worms is earth workers. These are the ones that can be seen leaving little mounds of dirt on the top of your lawn.

If you put composters into your garden, they will die from starvation and dehydration. If you have a thick layer of mulch they may survive as they need moist conditions. If you don`t have this type of environment, don`t introduce compost worms into your garden.

What temperatures can they cope with?
Worms can tolerate temperatures ranging from 10-30deg C. If it gets colder than that, you can move them into a basement or shed. You can also increase the amount of food that you give them, as this will create some warmth as it decomposes.

Will the worm farm attract flies?
No it shouldn`t. Some small flying insects, e.g. fruit flies may be seen. Excessive numbers of these can suggest that you are perhaps over feeding them. If you slow the rate of feeding, and cover the waste with soaked newspaper this will help.

Will my worm farm smell?
The only smell you should notice is a `rainforest` sort of smell. If it smells any more than that, it suggests that bacteria levels have built up due to uneaten food wastes. Stop feeding them and stir the food scraps.