TheLeadingArticles.com
Home | About Us | Contact Us   
Your Search Here :

  Free Website Content » Home » Gardening Articles

Vermicomposting: How To Make Worm Castings

By: Ann Knapp

Illustration for Gardening/Vermicomposting: How To Make Worm Castings
We have all heard of composting. Composting is simply the decomposition of organic waste like yard waste and kitchen waste into a very rich and nutritional dirt-like substance. Vermicomposting is very similar to composting, but vermicomposting uses worms to help speed up the composting process, resulting in a final product of a soil-like amendment which is literally loaded with nutrients for plants.

The first thing to know point out is that the worms about which we are talking are not your everyday backyard worms. Those little guys would die in a minute in a compost pile. The worms needed for vermicomposting are called Red Wrigglers. These Red Wrigglers love to spend their time in piles of manure and love eating organic waste, which is why they are so perfect for the job of vermicomposting. The worms that you find in your backyard garden are usually regular field worms which would not be able to survive in a pile of kitchen waste.

When considering what size bin you want to use, the container should be on the shallow side rather than really deep. It should also be wider than it is tall. The surface of the container should be about one square foot for every pound of waste you wish to place in it each week. There should be about 500 red wrigglers equaling about a half-pound for every cubic foot of the container. The container should have plenty of air holes, since air is necessary not only for the composting process, but for the worms' survival as well. There should also be holes on the bottom of the container to allow drainage. There should be a screen covering each air hole and drainage hole to guarantee that the holes do not become worm holes or compost holes as well as air holes and/or drainage holes. If you produce too much organic waste for one normal sized container, it is much easier to maintain several small worm containers than one really big one.

To keep your worms happy, it is important to make sure that they are in an environment with the proper temperature, ventilation, and moisture. The air holes should be able to provide the necessary ventilation. There should be enough moisture to give the compost pile the feel of a wrung out sponge - not too wet, but not too dry. The temperature should be room temperature. Although worms can survive in a wide range of temperatures, anywhere from forty to ninety degrees Fahrenheit, they will be the happiest and therefore do their best work if they are at a comfortable room temperature.

There should be bedding on the surface of the container. This bedding should consist of shredded paper if the container will remain indoors. If the container will be kept outdoors, the bedding can consist of shredded paper or organic yard waste, such as dried grass clippings, sawdust, mulched dried leaves, etc. Yard waste should NOT be placed in an indoor container, because they can cause the compost pile to heat-up significantly which may kill your worms.

You can feed your worms a large variety of foods. Red Wrigglers will eat just about any organic kitchen waste you may produce, including carrots lettuce, cabbage, celery, banana peels, and tea bags. Tomatoes, coffee grounds, and citrus peels can be added into the container but only in moderation, since the acid could kill the worms. They also like to eat small amounts of bread, pancakes, grains, and noodles. Chopping up the food before you put it in the container will help it decompose.

You should harvest the vermicompost every two months or so. You will know that it is ready to be harvested when you can no longer make out the waste or the bedding, since they will have already decomposed. A good way to harvest the vermicompost without taking out the worms is to shine a light over the pile. This will chase the worms deeper into the pile in about ten minutes. You can then scrape up the top layer of vermicompost. Keep the light on to chase the worms even deeper into the pile, and then take out the next layer of vermicompost, and so on. It is very important to not take out any worm eggs that may be in the pile. They will hatch and turn into more worms which could make your vermicompost pile better, or enable you to use them to start another vermicompost container.

Once you have the vermicompost out of the container, you can use it to help just about anything grow. You can add some into your houseplants; you can sprinkle it on your flowerbeds; you can add it into the soil in which you want to plant seeds; and you can even sprinkle it around your lawn to help your lawn grow.

About Ann Knapp
1800TopSoilThe top choice in topsoil and top soil. Nationwide provider of topsoil and top soil in your local area for all your landscape supply. Years of experience in the topsoil and top soil industry to help you with topsoil and top soil for landscape supplies.

Total Views: 48
Word Count: 804 		See All articles From Ann Knapp See RSS Feed for the articles written by Ann Knapp

Related articles from the Gardening category

  • Lessons Children Can Learn Out of Gardening
    Children can learn a lot out of gardening. Find out how gardening can help children understand important lessons of life and how you can get your children to enjoy gardening better

  • Growing Roses--5 Secrets to Growing Show-Quality Blooms
    I have won many ribbons at various rose shows over the years and the five pointers outlined here have been the backbone of my efforts. You don't have to take your roses to the local rose show but if you follow the five tips, you will be delighted with the

  • Pest Control by Chemical Pesticides
    Chemical pesticides are highly toxic and are very lethal not only to pests but anyone handling them, if not used with enough care. Currently, five major categories of pesticides exist; they are the inorganic compounds, organophosphates, chlorinated hydroc

  • Pest Control by Chemical Means
    Pests can pose untold miseries to human kind if not checked timely. Some pests like locusts are known to have wiped out the entire food supply of some African countries in the past. Rats are no less destructive. Birds like parrots and their likes are dest

  • Organic Pest Control
    Effective killing of pests are possible through chemical pesticides. But often farmers have to pay a heavy price for it. The chemicals which are present in pesticides can harm human beings also. Here comes the role of natural pesticides. They are eco-frie

  • Indoor Pest Control Methods
    Indoor pests can bring untold miseries and frustration for many homeowners. The common indoor pests are ants, cockroaches, spiders, fleas, bed bugs and termites. They can disturb the peace of home by biting human beings as well as pets. Also they spread g

  • Guide to the Ultimate Flower Garden: Part 1
    Learn about several flowers that can be added to your flower garden to improve it's overall appearance. Also, find out how to take care of certain plants, and when you can expect to see them bloom.

  • Controlling Pests Through Chemical Methods
    Pests pose serious health risks to humans, animals and plants alike. While some feed on plants and stunt their growth or destroy them outright, others feast on animal and human blood and also destroy household and other articles. Some even act as disease

  • Identifying Common Weed Species Made Easy
    Weeds may be a nuisance because they have thorns or prickles, cause skin irritation when contacted, or parts of the plants might come off and attach to fur or clothes.

  • How To Buy Cost Effective Landscaping Equipment
    All around the globe, designing and caring for one's lawn and gardens is the favorite pastime of many people.

  • Information on Star Cactus
    The star cactus is also referred to as the Sand Dollar Cactus, Sea Urchin Cactus, and Star Peyote Cactus. Usually, the star cactus is a tiny, boneless type of cactus that generally represents the Sand Dollar Cactus, which is one of the primary typical na

  • Cultivating Basil - Growing and Caring for Fresh Basil
    Few herbs demonstrate the difference between fresh and dried as distinctly as basil. This and the ease with which basil can be grown even under the poorest of circumstances make it the perfect herb to plant in your garden.

  • Is Organic Gardening Possible in Modern Times?
    The term, organic, when used in gardening, means finding environmentally friendly ways to work the land and working with, rather than against, nature.

  • No Room For Gardening? Containers Will Work
    Container gardening is perfect for those gardeners who have limited space for growing vegetables. If you find yourself on the short end of space, try container gardening, you will like it.

  • Understanding Your Garden's Environmental Factors
    Your garden plants will flourish when given the right conditions. Some plants will only thrive in a hot, sunny area while others may need a cool, moist and shady area. You need to choose a garden spot that is best suited to the plants you plan to grow.

  • Gardening Supplies An Important Part Of Outdoor Growing Season
    The type of merchandise and the quantity of gardening supplies a person will need will depend on the size and type of their garden as well as their budget.

Related articles from the Home category

  • Bathroom Renovation- Projects that You Shouldn't Handle on Your Own
    Even though the bathroom is typically one of the smallest rooms in the house, it can present some of the biggest challenges when starting a remodel. While most homeowner's can handle basic home improvement projects, there are certain aspects of a bathroo

  • 3 Person Patio Swings Are The Coolest Outdoor Furniture That Are Dying To Be Tried Out.
    Quality Time with family is what you desire? Its time to look at the new furniture on the block.

  • Replacement Cushion Patio Swing
    This article speaks about the use of replacement cushions for patio swings and why one should buy them.

  • Make An Entryway, Porch, Or Mudroom A Functional Work Of Art
    The first thing you and your visitors will notice when they open the door is your entryway, porch, or mudroom making it necessary to have decorative and functional custom closets. Las Vegas apartments or country farmhouse, you need a space that looks good

  • How Personal Touches can Affect the Value of Your Home
    Any major renovation project is as much of an emotional investment as it is a financial investment. While it is only natural to want to put your own personal taste and design style into a project, many home owners don't consider what too much personal s

  • Avoid Spending Too Much on Your Kitchen Renovation
    It is a well known fact that renovating your kitchen is the best investment of any room in your house. The problem is when you are doing any renovation project, especially a kitchen remodel, it is very easy to get carried away and blow your budget. The

  • The Best Season for Garden Design
    Garden Designs can take a long time to do. It is best to time your garden design well in advance of spring. This provides you with enough time to finalize the design and to accomplish any hard landscaping. Having a prepared garden plan has many great adva

  • Starting a Bathroom Renovation
    In today's world of cookie cutter homes, and mass produced materials, it is rare that you are impressed by the looks of a bathroom. What you will find in most houses are stock vanities that were bought at Home Depot or Lowes, usually a builders grade oa
Use of our service is protected by our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions
All Rights Reserved © 2006-2008 TheLeadingArticles.com