I LOVE MY WORMS!!

My latest endeavor this week -- starting a vermicompost bin (in simple terms -- indoor worm compost bin).  I am very fortunate to have a wonderful friend that I can talk into doing pretty much any of these crazy things with me!  We started talking about it last Friday -- read, researched on-line, met with the wormlady (an experienced worm composter), and shopped for our supplies.

Our red wigglers arrived on Thursday afternoon.  Laurie and I set about making their new homes.  After much contemplation (most commercial worm bins run $60+ - we wanted to keep the costs to a bare minimum to start), we decided on 5-gallon Rubbermaid containers (on sale at Walmart for $1) and drilled holes in the side  and top for air circulation.  We used plastic 1 1/2" "washers" covered with pantyhose nylon (to keep fruit flies out) on the sides, and I used an upside-down canning ring covered with pantyhose nylon on the top.  We layered pieces of cardboard and shredded newspapers for the bedding, along with shredded leaves and a bit of garden soil.

Then came time to add the worms.  We ordered them on-line from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm for $20/lb.  We ordered 2,000 worms (2 lbs.)  - 1 lb. for each of us.  He was supposed to send them in two separate bags so that we would not have to divide them.  Well, he must have forgotten . . .

 Next, we dumped the worms in.  We then added about a pound of food to each bin, i.e., coffee grounds, tea bags, crushed egg shells, veggie and fruit trimmings (lettuce, tomatoes, banana peels, blueberries, etc.)  We then covered them with torn, moist newspaper, and popped the lids on. 

Red wigglers will consume their weight in food each day (i.e., 1 lb. of worms will eat about 1 lb. of food each day).  They will also reproduce and double their population in about 90 days. The worm castings/fertilizer/compost that they produce is one of the best fertilizers you can use on your plants.  It will take several months to produce the first amount which I will be saving to use in the planting holes when I put my tomato transplants in this spring.

I have checked on my worms several times each day and they look to be very happy and thriving in their new home!  By the way (I know what you are thinking), they will NOT even try to get out of the bin.  They love to burrow down in the moist bedding with their food.  As long as the environment and temperature are right, they won't want to go anywhere!  My friend Leah who lives out in Kingston, Washington, told me in a recent e-mail that she loves her worms.  Now I know what she meant!