Composting with Worms

Selecting the Worms:

• There are over 4,000 species of worms and not just any worm will do.
• Go to an organic nursery (sources) and ask for one pound of "red worms" or "red wigglers".
  Red worms are a kind of earthworm that are specifically adapted to eating rotting vegetable matter. Other species will not work for this kind of composting, finding this home too stressful. Red worms will love the new home you've made for them.
• Place the red worms, along with the soil they came in, into the container.
• Add approximately two inches of dry shredded newsprint and cover the container.
• To feed your worms, dig a small hole, place the "garbage" in it and re-cover it.

What to Feed:

• Any non-greasy leftovers
• Fruit and vegetable peels and scraps
• Bread
• Coffee grounds
• Tea bags
• Ground up eggshells
• DO NOT feed the worms any meat, bones or dairy products!

How to Feed:

• Feed your worms twice a week, each time making a new hole.
• Before adding more "garbage", check the last feeding hole.
• If the "garbage" is all gone, your worms need a little more.
• If "garbage" is still in the hole, they need a little less. But do not throw away the scraps! You can save them in a coffee can in your refrigerator until the next feeding.

Since the worms will also eat their bedding, every two or three months you will need to add more. This is also when you get to harvest your compost!

Maintaining the Container:

• Push the earthy contents in your container to one side.
• Add new, damp newsprint strips mixed with a little soil to the other side.
• Bury new "garbage" in the new bedding side only so the worms will move to that side.
• Give the worms a few weeks to move and then remove the finished compost!
• Refill this area with fresh, damp bedding.