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1. Getting to know earthworms
There are lots of different kinds of earthworms, there are the "REAL" earthworms, these are the gray guys that you might dig up in your yard or garden, they grow about anywhere and help aerate your soil. They tunnel through the soil and leave little mounds of digested dirt on top of the ground.. these guys DON'T do well in the compost pile, they may visit the edges, but they are NOT compost worms..
Then there are the "night crawlers" which are usually seen at night, especially when it's damp. Fishermen love these reddish, large worms. They are real picky to raise commercially, they don't adapt well to temperature changes and will run away any chance they get, they usually have to be grown in air conditioned, heated buildings that have lights overhead to keep them in their beds, they will stampede in a thunderstorm... If you want to be a worm roper this is the way to go....
Then we have Our guys the Red Wigglers, there are several different kinds of Red worms, but they all have the basic preference for decomposing organic matter as their food staple and can live in varied temperature ranges, they are tough little guys, or at least mine are... I'm sure that it all depends on what kind you have.. they each have their own characteristics. (W)
So, keep that in mind when you decide what your main Vermicomposting goal is.
Setting up your first vermicomposting kit.
 | If you haven't already setup your kit, now is when we are going to do it. If you have already set it up, then review the procedures and see how close you came to doing it "my way". |
| Even if you live in an apartment, you can still do this, so space is not a valid excuse. These "Kits" are real handy and take up a very small amount of space. I keep mine next to my sink, sounds disgusting doesn't it? Well it isn't, the worms stay where they belong, in it! They are very obedient if you don't mistreat them. It's real handy for me right there, plus I don't have garbage sitting around waiting for me to get time to haul it to a kit, that is hidden in some dark corner somewhere, out of sight and out of mind. |
- Since I use the "Cabinet style" Kit, I still have the counter space all around it to use for other things. The drawer is simple to open and put leftovers into. Since it's right by the sink, I don't get lazy and just toss the coffee grounds into the trash, which makes my trash smell a whole lot better now, in fact it doesn't have any smell at all. The only thing in it, is tin cans, plastic bottles and a little plastic wrap.. I recycle the plastic bottles and tin cans when I get them outside. I have a very small amount of trash that goes to the dump...The earthworms remove the smell quickly from the garbage that I put into the kit. (we'll discuss this later)
| There are several different types of containers that can be used for vermicomposting kits and it all depends on your needs, desires and income. You can use almost anything that is inert, doesn't put off its own toxic ingredients. |
Some suggestions for earthworm kits are:
| Old Styrofoam ice chests, old wash tubs, cheap storage containers from the dime store, etc., these are just the units we are going to be "starting" with. They need to be small enough to see fast results and still be controllable. |
| After you get a working knowledge of what's going on, then get your bigger, better units. By then you will have a better idea of which size, what kind, etc., that will best fit your lifestyle and needs. |
Now that you have your Kit in hand, lets poke some drainage holes in it, I burn holes in the plastic ones with a hot steak knife, (don't breathe the fumes), or you can drill them with a drill, it all depends on what kind of material your kit is made from... Poke small holes about every 3-4 inches all over the bottom, (holes should be about the diameter of a large nail) if your kit has a tight fitting lid (I don't like these) then poke holes in the sides and top...
If your kit is the cabinet type, this is not necessary as the air circulates quite easily around the drawer and from under the top, just poke the holes in the bottom of the drawer.
We will be checking to see if you have enough holes as we go along...good drainage is essential and must be based upon your watering habits, there should never be any standing water in the unit. After you water it, the excess should drain out freely in a matter of a few minutes...
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T-Dome Homes Basic Manual