Vermicomposting is a fantastic way to turn your kitchen scraps into incredibly nutrient rich soil for your houseplants and your garden. I recommend starting this process now, indoors, while we have a slight lull in our seasons and spring fever has yet to fully set in. A properly created worm bin will not emit unsavory odors nor will these creatures escape during the night to find their way into your slippers (two common myths).
The first step is to purchase your hungry friends or glean a handful of them from someone who already has their vermicompost going. You might be surprised to find out which people amongst your community are avid worm lovers. Red Wigglers or Eisenia fetida (their scientific name) are a very common worm to use for this process and good news, they are not invasive.
There are a number of different worm bin designs and you can get as creative as you like. Or you can go with the very practical design of drilling holes into the sides and bottom of an old Rubbermaid bin. The keys to remember when creating the home for your new friends are that they like air but not light, they like moisture but not standing water (hence the holes in the bottom of the bin), and they like the same temperatures that you do; between 55 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. As for food, consider feeding your worms what you would normally put in your compost bin. It’s a good idea to stay away from meats, dairy, and cooked foods as well as salts, oils, citrus and onions. Those last few items are particularly harmful to worms and beneficial bacteria.
Here are a few links for purchasing quality worms and how to set up your bin!
https://unclejimswormfarm.com/
http://www.planetnatural.com/product/red-wiggler-worms/
https://preppers101blog.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/how-to-set-up-a-simple-homemade-vermicomposting-bin/
Good luck and have fun!
Calie Ramisch
Landscape Gardener and Volunteer Coordinator
Fort Williams Park Foundation calie.ramisch@fortwilliams.org