In the first part of this three-part home composting series, we looked at the easiest first step in home composting: Bokashi. It is a great first step because it can handle all of your food waste, does not create unpleasant smells, and can be done in a small space.
Today we will look at a method that has all of the benefits of Bokashi, and more: vermicomposting, or composting with worms. Worms can process some paper waste as well as food waste, they can disinfect pretty nasty organic waste, and they create excellent plant food high in nutrients. So if worm composting is so great, why did I save it for Part Two? Well, for one thing, worms love Bokashi pre-compost and quickly take it to that second step: turning it into beautiful, rich compost ready for planting. But the real reason that I waited is because some folks might need convincing to take on this lovely livestock creature, the composting worm.
Worms are the most forgiving “pet” you can imagine. To set up a worm bin you simply need an appropriate ventilated container, and an appropriate mix of moistened paper waste and food waste. Given an abundance of food and the right conditions, they multiply quickly to meet the need, processing your food waste efficiently. When food supplies dwindle, they decrease in numbers, and their dormant cocoons will await the next influx of food for their next wave of population growth. Worms like similar temperatures to humans: 50-80 degrees. They do not need a lot of space, so you can simply keep compost in a medium plastic bin. They don’t need a lot of attention, so you can just check on them when you want to add food or harvest the compost. You can keep their bin pretty much anywhere indoors in the shade: under the kitchen sink, or in a utility room. With a few adjustments you can even keep them outside through the winter successfully. A plastic garden claw and rubber gloves can help with harvesting compost. With appropriate temperature, airflow, and moisture, a worm bin can be one of the easiest types of compost to maintain, and provide some of the highest quality material for your garden.
Worms clean waste so well that in some countries they are even used to process sewage, turning it into irrigation water without secondary treatment! Worms eat pathogens and support beneficial microbes that, in turn, eat more pathogens. They also treat both high and low pH, bringing them to a more neutral center. If they can do all that, they can certainly take care of your food scraps to create an excellent, clean compost that will be great for your plants. And if you have an abundance of worms, go ahead and put them out in your garden as well to work their magic on your soil. For detailed
For detailed information on building or buying and maintaining a worm bin, search for “NMSU Vermicomposting” to find the excellent Vermicomposting Guide H-134 by John Allen of NMSU’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Science.
Kimi Ishikawa is a Cibola and McKinley County Master Gardener who lives in Prewitt. If you have any gardening questions please call:
NMSU Cibola County Extension Service Phone: 505-287-9266
NMSU McKinley County Extension Service Phone: 505-863-3432
References
Sinha et al, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia (2008) Sewage treatment by vermifiltration with synchronous treatment of sludge by earthworms: a low-cost sustainable technology over conventional systems with potential for decentralization. The Environmentalist
Arora et al, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India (2014). Pathogen removal during wastewater treatment by Vermifiltration. Environmental Technology
Gupta, ABES Engineering College, Ghaziabad, India (2015). A Review on Effectiveness of Earthworms for Treatment of Wastewater. International Journal of Engineering Development and Research