Kids just love creepy, crawly things, so worm composting makes the perfect project for young gardeners. Disney horticulturist Jason Platzer shows how to make a worm compost bin that will not only yield soil-enriching compost but will also teach children the value of recycling and good agriculture.
Materials
- Plastic bin: about one-and-a-half to two feet tall, with holes poked in the sides to allow air to circulate.
- Strips of newspaper: dipped in water, wrung out and placed in the bottom of the bin.
- Worms: The best kind of worms to use are red worms or red wrigglers, which are different from the earthworms that live in your garden. These worms have a voracious appetite, reproduce quickly and don't mind confinement. Look for them in tackle shops or through mail order. The scientific names are Eisenia foetida and Lumbricus rubellus.
Procedure
- Keep the bin in a dry environment, with a constant temperature of about 60 to 80 degrees.
- Place about two pounds of worms (about 1,000) in the bin.
- Feed them any daily scraps of bread, cereals, fruits, vegetables, coffee or tea (about four ounces per day). Do not include high-fat items that will spoil, such as meat, oil or bones.
- Bury the food under the worms so it will not rot in the "open" air. Just wait until the scraps start to spoil; they won't touch food that is perfectly fresh. Once the food rots, the worms will suck out all the bacteria, and the castings they produce from the food will be rich in nutrients.
Compost
- Use a small scoop to collect the castings, which have the consistency of coffee grounds and will be deposited on top of the compost. (Most of the worms will stay buried underneath the scraps.)
- Add this nitrogen-rich fertilizer to plants, first combining it with soil if desired.
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