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.

43 questions
6
votes
1 answer

Free movement of worms vs siloed containment

Is there a benefit to free range worms over battery worms? i.e. At present my worms live inside a couple of bins (one inside the other, with small holes for aeration and drainage, whilst keeping the worms sealed inside to do their work / as there's…
JohnLBevan
  • 185
  • 4
6
votes
1 answer

Do I need to turn over the soil when vermicomposting?

In most of the websites they say that I need to maintain a good airflow in my worm bin to prevent making it anaerobic, but most websites only says that I need to have a good worm beddings and enough holes. For me it seems reasonable to turn over the…
Cary Bondoc
  • 1,266
  • 1
  • 10
  • 25
6
votes
2 answers

Compost bins: how deep is too deep?

We have two compost bins, roughly 1m x 1m x 1m each. We fill the "primary" bin and then turn it into the "secondary" bin. We stopped catching our lawn clippings about a year ago so we're having to turn the bins less frequently with the reduced…
tristanm
  • 263
  • 2
  • 7
5
votes
2 answers

Can I use vermicomposting leachate to moisturize my worm bin?

I have a two container vermicomposting system with the bottom container having a tap to drain the leachate. I think I am maintaining my worm bin correctly as material feels damp but I cannot wring any water out of it. I spray some water on it very…
user871199
  • 153
  • 2
5
votes
1 answer

Worms stay at corners of the compost bin

Everytime I turn the compost in the bin, once every ten days or so, I notice that almost all worms are in the corners really close together. Lots of them. They are not trying to escape, they just always feed there. When I put a tray on top they get…
5
votes
2 answers

Meshed-hole Direct Composting design - please comment, suggest changes, advise

I've been putting some worms in my raised beds and feeding them the fresher kitchen scraps. I'm starting to run out of spots to place the food, so for the next bed I build I want to put in some-type-of-mesh holes that go 1-2' down and are simply to…
MathCrackExchange
  • 713
  • 1
  • 5
  • 13
5
votes
1 answer

Should I Switch to a Worm Composting Tube?

I'm thinking of taking my worm colony currently in a Rubbermaid and transferring it to one or two worm tubes in the ground outside. I read that red wigglers won't survive the winter but the cocoons do so that's cool. What are some methods that I can…
Dano0430
  • 258
  • 2
  • 10
5
votes
1 answer

Can I fertilize my plants after putting pesticide?

I have a problem with my plants; they have mealybugs, aphids and fungi. Tonight I sprayed them with agricultural pesticide, also cutting the infected branches and even exterminated some plants. I wanted to know how they could be stronger (because I…
5
votes
3 answers

What kind of dust can I use in my vermicompost?

I'm using african nightcrawler worm and I've been thinking whether all kinds of dust can be put in vermicompost. For example: Household dust Dust when I cleaned my laptop, computer or electric fan. Dust from outside of my house (Includes sand, dust…
Cary Bondoc
  • 1,266
  • 1
  • 10
  • 25
5
votes
2 answers

How deep to start my vermicomposter and how many worms to start?

I'm asking a few questions in getting my vermicomposter started. I'm using a 100gal Rubbermaid horse water tank. I'd like to know how deep the bedding should be when I start it and how many worms I need to get it started. I have access to shredded…
Dalton
  • 5,092
  • 1
  • 21
  • 37
4
votes
1 answer

Tiny grey larvae(?) in worm bin leachate

I started a worm bin at the start of spring (side-by-side style, currently about 1/3 full, red wrigglers). So far, it's working out very well. The worms are happy, there are no vermin, the fruit flies that were there in the first few weeks have gone…
craigim
  • 143
  • 3
4
votes
2 answers

How to encourage composting worms to migrate upward

I have an upwards migration worm composting bin that currently has three trays. In recent months, I had done a poor job ensuring that the moisture level in the top bin was reasonable, and it got out of control and got pretty wet for a while. The…
SethMMorton
  • 587
  • 5
  • 14
4
votes
0 answers

How to identify epigeic worms for composting?

I have read that there are thousands of species of earthworms and the ones that are best suited for composting are epigeic worms. Ideally, I would use Eisenia fetida but it's difficult to find them locally. So I have started experimenting by using…
Spinor8
  • 513
  • 3
  • 16
4
votes
1 answer

How do I turn a plastic stock tank into a vermicomposter?

We have a Rubbermaid, plastic stock-tank. It has an unfixable crack in it and we've been saving it incase we could find a future use for it. I've just started getting into composting and I plan to do that, but I thought this might make a good…
Dalton
  • 5,092
  • 1
  • 21
  • 37
3
votes
2 answers

Which is preferred: worm castings or worm casting tea?

I was just wondering, for fast results in plants, which would you prefer: applying worm castings on the top soil or using worm casting tea, and why?
sku
  • 208
  • 2
  • 6