Did you know that you could produce the best compost in the world right on your own back porch? Well you can, with a little help from one of Mother Natures little wonders. They’re small, they work in the dark, and all they ask is that you feed them a little every day. In return, they will provide you with a wonderful material to help your plants thrive! Got worms? You don’t? Well you need to get some! Worm castings are a nutrient rich, mellow compost that is very easy to produce. Why throw your kitchen scraps in the trash when you could be using them in your garden? Here’s how.

     First you have to build them a home. Construct a box that is one foot deep, two feet wide, and three feet long. Drill some aeration holes in the bottom. The lid can be wood with hinges or something as simple as cardboard or plastic. You can use any scrap lumber that is not treated. Plywood would be ideal. Place the box in a handy spot that is out of direct sunlight. 

     The next step is even easier than the first. Shred 8-10 pounds of newspaper into 1 ½ inch strips. Add one cup of sand or sandy loam and about four gallons of water into the mix and your ready to add your worms. One pound of worms is fine to start with. The worm of choice here is the Brown Nose Worm. You can order them direct from Rabbit Hill Farms (see below).

     The paper provides a home and nutrient and water retention. Now you can begin to make use of those scraps that used to go in the trash. Worms consume about half their weight in food each day. If you produce one pound of waste each day, you will need two pounds of worms to consume that waste. If you find that the food waste is not being consumed and is starting to rot then cut back on the amount that is placed in the bin. To add the waste to the bin, simple pull back some of the bedding material, add the waste and cover it with the bedding material. Every 2-3 weeks you will need to add some new bedding material.

     In two to three months you will find that the pile has decreased in size. Your homemade worm compost is ready! Move the finished product to one side of the bin. Place new bedding with some scraps on the other side. In three or four weeks, all the worms will move to the new bedding. Remove the castings and add more bedding and scraps. You can harvest your worm castings every two months. After a few months you may find that there are too many worms in the bin. Screen the material, remove the excess worms, and place them in your garden.

     Worm castings can be used as a top dressing on any plant. For established vegetable plants you could use one cup per plant worked into the soil once a month. For houseplants, use ½ inch worked into the top of the soil. Worm castings work in several ways. It provides nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It is also biologically active, providing life to the soil. The microbial population in the castings will help your plants fight off disease. You can even make compost tea that is wonderful as a foliar spray. Soak some of the castings in a bucket of water for one week. Strain the solids out, leaving the ‘tea’. Apply with any mist spray bottle.

     To order one pound of worms, send $24.00+tax ($25.62) to Rabbit Hill Farms, 288 SW CR0020, Corsicana, TX 75110. In 2-3 weeks you will receive 1200 to 1500 worms that are a mix of breeders, young worms, and egg capsules. Let the vermi-composting begin!