Worm Composting
What is Worm Composting?
Worm composting (vermicomposting) is using worms to turn kitchen waste into nutrient-rich humus (the organic portion of soil).
Why Worm Compost?
Worm composters are small. They're the perfect size for apartments, schools, condos and offices.
You can reduce your household or apartment waste by 20 to 30 per cent.
Equipment & Supplies
You'll need…
- a dark, dry area with a temperature between 4°C and 27°C
- a container with small drainage holes in the bottom and a tight-fitting lid with small ventilation holes
- bedding materials:
- shredded damp newspaper
- sterile soil
- dried leaves
- peat moss
- straw or torn cardboard
- Red Wiggler worms (Don't use regular earthworms.)
How to Worm Compost
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Cut up the food before putting it in your worm composter. (This quickens the process.)
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Find an empty spot in the composter and bury the food at least 5 cm (2") deep. (Food buried too close to the surface might attract fruit flies and cause odours.)
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Bury the waste in sections, moving clockwise as you add more.
DON'T feed your worms:
- meats, fats and bones
- cheese or other diary products
- mayonnaise and salad dressings
- cooking oils, margarine or butter
Best Foods for Worms :
- fruit cuttings and peelings
- vegetable cuttings and peelings
- tea bags (tear them open first)
- coffee grounds
- breads (with no spreads)
- cereals (with no milk)
- crushed egg shells
Harvesting Worm Compost
When to Harvest
Harvest the compost 3-4 months after you add new bedding material. After you separate the compost and the worms, the worms can be reused and the finished compost can be used as a nutrient-rich supplement for your plants, garden and lawn.
How to Harvest
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Add food to only half of the bin for about a week. This will make the worms move to the side with the food, leaving the other half empty.
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After a few days take the finished compost from the empty side.
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Replace the empty side with fresh bedding and fresh food.
Tip: Worms don't like light.
To harvest faster, shine a bright light on the side without food, and the worms will bury themselves deeper to avoid it.
Worm & Compost Suppliers
E-mail us or call Public Works at 905-791-9499 for a list of worm and compost suppliers.