How to start vermicomposting

What is vermicomposting?

Composting involves the creation of the world's best fertilizer from the natural decomposition of organic material. From kitchen scraps to grass cuttings to dead houseplants to fallen leaves, home composting is easy, cheap, and rewarding. To accelerate and improve the process, you should consider vermicomposting.

Earthworms, when added to the composting process, can strongly enhance the resulting substance. Vermicomposting is the use of earthworms to help create the maximum compost potency. Vermiculture is another newer word which defines the act of using earthworms to create the best compost substance available to gardeners.

While all earthworms can enhance the composting process, there is a species that is particularly successful in their job function. Red Wigglers (don't you just love technical terms?) are the best vermicomposters on the planet. Easily found throughout America and Western Europe, these little guys love to feed on rotting vegetation and food.

Also called "worm bins," composting receptacles using earthworms enhances the process in three ways:

1. They interact with the bacteria that create fertile compost, to improve the process.

2. They can use both "brown" matter (wood or paper shavings) and "green" matter (food scraps or grass cuttings) to create an excellent carbon to nitrogen balance.

3. They create higher nutrient levels than other composting methods.

There are few other ways to create eco-friendly natural compost that is as rich in nutrients and beneficial carbon and nitrogen as using vermicomposting. Introducing earthworms to the process can improve the composting process with little cost and effort. If you're not particularly enamored by the thought of digging your own little critters, you can buy vermicomposting worms, including Red Wigglers, at stores or over the Internet. At minimal cost, you'll have potent ammunition for your compost pile or bin.

How to create a vermicomposting environment

Although vermicomposting is a simple and natural process, you still need to be aware of the proper way to achieve your goal. Here are some tips to create a wonderful vermicomposting environment and some things to avoid.

• Use a pre-made worm bin or build the right device. Unlike a standard compost environment, where you can use a compost bin or simply manage a controlled "pile" of matter, you should buy or build a worm bin to get the most effective vermicomposting results.
  
  
• Control or be aware of ambient temperature. Should you live in a very cold or extremely hot climate, you may face some Vermicomposting challenges. For example, should your outside temperature drop to freezing (32 degrees F), your voracious little diners may not be able to survive. The same unfortunate fate may face them if the temperature reaches or exceeds 90 degrees F.
  
  
• Control water and moisture. Too much or too little moisture can pose problems for your composting enterprise. Unlike the more definitive temperature limits, water and moisture conditions are a bit more intuitive. Visibly wet or dry worm bins are not desirable. Keep your vermicomposting bin moist but not visibly wet.
  
  
• Keep oxygen flowing to your worm bin. Your vermicomposting bin must be able to breathe . While we all know that earthworms like being covered underground, they and the composting microorganisms still need to breathe oxygen. Over-compacting your compost bin can remove needed oxygen. Simply poking holes in your compost might be enough to solve this problem.
  
  
• Don't over stuff your worm bin too often. Adding too many table scraps too often might create a problem. While the earthworms and bacteria are efficient, their appetites have limits. They can only eat and process a finite amount of matter. If food decays too quickly and without their intervention, harmful conditions to your wigglers may result. Too much matter can also create a very unpleasant odor from the formation of ammonia.
  
  
• Careful when adding grass clippings or dead plants. While grass cuttings and other formerly living plant objects are perfect for your vermicompost bin, this excellent relationship changes for the worse if your grass or the plants were treated with a commercial or toxic pesticide. If you have used pesticide on these items, don't add them to your bin.

Vermicomposting is an eco-friendly, useful, natural, and fun experience. You can find many simple plans to build a worm bin using the Internet. Many are also available for purchase at hardware and home improvement stores.

Doing it "right" is easy and takes little time. Use the tips noted above and learn more searching the 'Net or talking to veteran vermicomposters. Your family, friends, and neighbors will most certainly admire your lawn and flower or vegetable garden.