One of the most efficient ways to compost your kitchen and garden scraps is to use worms. You can buy them at your hardware store, all ready with a composting bin and some starter material.
You want to get a multi-level composting bin so you can move the worms into a new layer when they have eaten all the material in the first layer.
You also want a bin with a tap at the bottom so you can easily get the waste liquid. The liquid is rich in plant nutrients and should be diluted with water before pouring onto the root area of your plants. Sometimes you can see the nutrient rich liquid can be found for sale at local markets. It is called 'worm wee' or 'worm tea'.
When you get your worms home, you need to set up the bins for their use. You need some moist, shredded newspaper or similar for a bed for your worms. You can add a small quantity of chopped kitchen scraps or garden scraps. The mixture needs to be moist but not dripping. The worms love moist, dark beds so it is a good idea to keep the top layer of bedding covered. Some like to use plastic, which sweats and leaves the surface moist. Others prefer moistened carpet underlay or similar heavy material. The worms will eat this material so it must be natural and not contain any poison or chemicals.
Eventually everything that is placed inside the bin will be eaten, so don't put in plastic, chemicals, or anything that doesn't rot. Some kitchen scraps like onion, orange peel and strongly smelling foods are not suitable because they smell bad and the worms don't break them down quickly, or at all.
The fastest way to get your worm compost ready is to chop everything into fine pieces first. Some people put everything into the blender and then pour the finely chopped mixture onto the worm beds. Everything has to be eaten by the worms so larger pieces take longer. Never put sticks or similar large items into the worm beds. They take too long to be eaten and will just be left. You can add a little every day but don't let too much uneaten scrap food sit or it will smell bad. Mix it into the top layer of the bedding material so the worms can find it easily.
When the worms have eaten through their bed, you will want to move them to new beds and use the composted material in your garden. To find the worms you just lift the carpet or lining and expose the surface to the light. Worms hide from the light so just keep exposing the soil to the light as you remove it and the worms will run to the unexposed area. Leave some of the original bedding with the worms in and move it to the next bed or tray. Add your fresh, moist, shredded newspaper and some finely chopped food scraps and start the process over again.
When you have removed the worms and all the compost, you should wash and disinfect your tray before starting the next bed. Composting is all about using bacteria and worms to break down food and garden scraps but you only want good bacteria. Keeping everything clean ensures you have a healthy environment for your worms and your garden.
You may notice you have more worms than you started with. This is great because it means your worm farm is functioning well enough for the worms to breed. The more worms the faster they can compost your scraps.
The composted worm dirt can be mixed into your soil. It's especially great for the vegetable garden. All those nutrients will make your next crop of vegetables full of vitamins and minerals to make them even more healthy.
You want to get a multi-level composting bin so you can move the worms into a new layer when they have eaten all the material in the first layer.
You also want a bin with a tap at the bottom so you can easily get the waste liquid. The liquid is rich in plant nutrients and should be diluted with water before pouring onto the root area of your plants. Sometimes you can see the nutrient rich liquid can be found for sale at local markets. It is called 'worm wee' or 'worm tea'.
When you get your worms home, you need to set up the bins for their use. You need some moist, shredded newspaper or similar for a bed for your worms. You can add a small quantity of chopped kitchen scraps or garden scraps. The mixture needs to be moist but not dripping. The worms love moist, dark beds so it is a good idea to keep the top layer of bedding covered. Some like to use plastic, which sweats and leaves the surface moist. Others prefer moistened carpet underlay or similar heavy material. The worms will eat this material so it must be natural and not contain any poison or chemicals.
Eventually everything that is placed inside the bin will be eaten, so don't put in plastic, chemicals, or anything that doesn't rot. Some kitchen scraps like onion, orange peel and strongly smelling foods are not suitable because they smell bad and the worms don't break them down quickly, or at all.
The fastest way to get your worm compost ready is to chop everything into fine pieces first. Some people put everything into the blender and then pour the finely chopped mixture onto the worm beds. Everything has to be eaten by the worms so larger pieces take longer. Never put sticks or similar large items into the worm beds. They take too long to be eaten and will just be left. You can add a little every day but don't let too much uneaten scrap food sit or it will smell bad. Mix it into the top layer of the bedding material so the worms can find it easily.
When the worms have eaten through their bed, you will want to move them to new beds and use the composted material in your garden. To find the worms you just lift the carpet or lining and expose the surface to the light. Worms hide from the light so just keep exposing the soil to the light as you remove it and the worms will run to the unexposed area. Leave some of the original bedding with the worms in and move it to the next bed or tray. Add your fresh, moist, shredded newspaper and some finely chopped food scraps and start the process over again.
When you have removed the worms and all the compost, you should wash and disinfect your tray before starting the next bed. Composting is all about using bacteria and worms to break down food and garden scraps but you only want good bacteria. Keeping everything clean ensures you have a healthy environment for your worms and your garden.
You may notice you have more worms than you started with. This is great because it means your worm farm is functioning well enough for the worms to breed. The more worms the faster they can compost your scraps.
The composted worm dirt can be mixed into your soil. It's especially great for the vegetable garden. All those nutrients will make your next crop of vegetables full of vitamins and minerals to make them even more healthy.
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