Composting using earthworms has been around for quite a long time and naturally pun intended there is a reason why the practice is in such widespread use by organic farmers and gardeners, whether they manage a large operation or just a home-based garden and compost fueled by passion and hard work.
This is because earthworms are very useful and practically easy to use when making compost. There are just some things people need to remember when composting using worms, and they are not at all that hard to remember.
Red worms are beneficial to anyone who wants to have a composting operation whether they may have a large space they can use or whether they have limited space to work with. However, red worms prove very beneficial to those who have smaller spaces at their disposal including those who live in condominiums or in crowded spaces like in urban settings.
People can use earthworms, with a small compost box, to make compost which will utilize things about to be thrown out like leftovers and spoiled food. This not only minimizes the things you throw out of your household, it also gives you a way to provide nutrition for either your garden plants or potted plants in the home. The added bonus is that not only do you recycle and save money, youll also be helping the environment and lessening waste.
For composting using red worms, you just need the following: a worm/composting box, soil, bedding, and water.
You might also want to get a scale if you want to be exact and of course, you need to bring your enthusiasm while doing this.
One important thing to remember is that red worms, or any worms for that matter, need a lot of moisture. This is because much of their bodies are made of water too and they thrive in environments where there is a lot of moisture. For bedding, you can use shredded paper, corrugated cardboard, shredded newspapers and the like mixed with some soil and sand and of course, water.
Now water is important for red worms, but its also important to add just the right amount as you dont want your bedding to be too mushy. Usually, a ratio of 3:1 is just right. For example, 3 pounds of water for 1 pound of bedding. You also need to remember that you should only make a red worms compost box that is proportional to the amount of food (e.g. leftovers, fruit peelings, etc.) you are going to put in there. You should have two pounds of red worms for every pound of food you are going to feed them in a span of 24 hours.
Furthermore, you should also make a box that is proportional to the amount of food you are going to feed the red worms. If for example you estimate you are going to be feeding them 4 pounds of leftovers in a week, you should have a compost box with an area of 4 square feet.
Now there are also a lot of things to not do when using red worms while composting. These are like not putting any meat and dairy products in the box. If you have a friend whos already composting using these little fellows, youre in luck as practicing individuals usually are better teachers. Ask them what they do while composting.
Always remember though, to have fun while composting using red worms.