A Beginner’s Guide to Vermicomposting
So you want to get into worm farming? Yay! Vermicomposting, the fancy term for composting with worms, is an easy and eco friendly way to recycle food scraps, that turns into nutrient rich compost for your garden.
One of the first things you’ll want to do is check the moisture content of your worm bin bedding. Worms thrive in a moist environment, but too much or too little water can cause problems. Here’s the sweet spot: the bedding should feel like a wrung out sponge, damp but not dripping.
- Too dry? Lightly mist the bedding with water until it’s just right.
- Too wet? Add dry materials like shredded newspaper or cardboard to soak up the excess moisture.
Keeping the moisture levels balanced is key to happy worms and healthy compost!
Worms, like us, need oxygen to stay alive and active. To keep the airflow going, gently aerate the compost once a week. Use a garden fork, or even your hands if you don’t mind getting a little dirty, and lightly turn over the bedding.
Why is this important? Aerating prevents anaerobic (oxygen-deprived) conditions that can create unpleasant odours. Plus, it keeps your worms lively and productive!
Feeding your worms is where the magic happens! Every few days or once a week, add your food scraps to the bin. Instead of dumping everything into one pile, spread it evenly across the surface of the bedding. This makes it easier for the worms to munch through their meals and reduces the chances of attracting pests.
Harvest your compost
After a few months of taking care of your worms, you’ll notice beautiful, crumbly compost starting to form. This is often referred to as “black gold” because it’s so good for your plants.
When it’s time to harvest:
- Move the finished compost to one side of the bin.
- Add fresh bedding and food to the other side.
- Allow the worms to migrate naturally to the fresh area, then scoop out the finished compost.
What to feed your worms??
Not all food scraps are created equal! Here’s a quick cheat sheet of what worms love—and what they’d rather avoid.
Worm friendly foods:
- Fruit and vegetable scraps (but go easy on citrus peels!)
- Coffee grounds and filters
- Tea bags
- Crushed eggshells (great for calcium)
- Shredded paper and cardboard
Foods to avoid:
- Meat, dairy, and oily foods (these can attract pests and smell bad)
- Large amounts of citrus fruits (too acidic for worms)
- Spicy foods (worms don’t like the heat!)
- Processed or salty foods
Worm farming isn’t just good for the environment, it’s fun, rewarding, and surprisingly easy to do once you get the hang of it. You’ll reduce food waste and improve your garden soil. Happy worm farming! 🪱
If you’re interested in building your own worm farm, we made a digital plan that you can get at our Etsy Store. https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Plantedinthegarden
