Questions tagged [vermicomposting]

Using worms to produce compost

Vermicomposting uses worms to produce compost, typically from vegetable food waste, bedding materials, and worm casts (vermicast).

Vermicompost is considered an excellent nutrient-rich fertilizer.

Vermicomposting typically uses red wigglers, white worms, or common earthworms.

Small scale vermicomposting units are available for home/kitchen use. These are generally much smaller than a home outdoors compost bin, but they work quickly and usually produce a higher quality product.

Use this tag for all questions about vermicomposting.

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How do I keep red wiggler worms alive overwinter in the Northeastern USA?

I'm going to be moving into my first house soon in Westchester County, NY. I've done a lot of container and patio/balcony gardening and am looking forward to having a real backyard garden. I want to start composting with worms but am not sure if…
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Wormery failure in mass worm die-off ... any advice?

Last fall our household of two people invested in a small, 3-tiered, commercially-available wormery that came with all components (bedding, lime, worms). All seemed to be going well until we brought it inside to protect it from sub-zero (C) winter…
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What is the risk of soil contamination via leaf mulch/compost?

Soil in the city I live in is quite often contaminated with nasty things like arsenic and lead. Levels are sometimes twice or more what's considered acceptable. For this reason, people usually garden in imported soil in raised beds rather than…
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Which inks which can safely be added to vermicompost bins?

I've heard that the inks used on newsprint are generally soy-based and thus suitable for use in vermicomposting bedding. Presumably the ink used to mark corrugated cardboard boxes is also safe, since this is another commonly recommended bedding…
intuited
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What are the foods that I can put in my vermicompost?

I just got yesterday my worm compost and I am so happy about that. My question is what are the foods that I should and shouldn't put in my vermicompost? I've done my research and in general they say that I should put fruits and vegetables and…
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Gathering worms for vermicomposting

In my area it is very hard to buy a worm that is a good fit for vermicomposting. There is a vacant lot in my area and I am thinking if gathering worms there might be a good idea? Questions: Is it sufficient if I gather worms there? Will the worms…
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Can I put scratch paper on my vermicompost?

I have lots of scratch paper here and am wondering if I should put it in my vermicompost or just throw it away. Would it be dangerous for worms? Will the soil benefit from it? As for the type of worms that I'm using, I am still looking for the…
Cary Bondoc
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What's the best C:N ratio when vermicomposting?

I know that for 'regular' composting without worms you need a carbon-nitrogen ratio of something between 25:1 and 30:1. Is the same true for vermicomposting? I'm not sure if it matters, but I'm using tiger worms in a closed worm bin. EDIT: I tried…
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How do I know vermi-compost is done?

So a friend of mine gifted me with a bucket of worms mixed with dirt and food. It was a living colony and I maintained it so, even growing properly. I've followed quite a few proper rules, also taking into account prior post on how-to-make-compost.…
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Is it safe to put animal manure on vermicompost?

I've searched already regarding this topic, it seeem that in this question the OP is not using worms. In this article it states that Don’t feed the worms pet waste or any “hot” manure. “Hot” manure is uncomposted animal waste and its addition may…
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Vermicompost cockroaches

I have a nice garden which I have made using vermicompost. Plus I have used cow dung manure. I get a lot of flying cockroaches in that. How to get rid of this.
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Composting Bin - Experiences

I am very much in favor of getting a composting bin (like the one below). Before I do that, I want to get your thoughts on the following: Does it attract unwanted pests/rodents (bugs, mice, etc.)? Does it create an undesirable odor that can bother…
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How to properly pick worms?

I am not sure if this will fit here or on lifehacks.SE. I have an African night crawler escaping from my vermicompost bin and it's really hard to pick them up carefully without hurting them. Things that I've tried so far: Pick them using my hand -…
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Is it beneficial to drop earthworms or red wrigglers into container plants?

Maybe it isn't worth much in smaller containers but at what size might this become beneficial? How many worms? Would I need to layer the bottom with additional food for them to eat? Would what the worms excrete actually be usable by the…
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Is it possible to have an odorless/near odorless indoor vermicompost?

Is it possible to have an odorless/near odorless indoor vermicompost system? Somewhere in the range of 3-7 gallons. What about purposing something like this on the scale of 65 gallons? Does size have an impact on odor? (That particular one may not…
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