How To Start A Worm Composting Bin
“What’s that set-up on the side of your deck?”
This is a question I get frequently nowadays. It is always in relation to the stacked wooden structure off to the side of our deck, never in relation to the new additions of colorful pots planted with various mosquito-repelling plants.
That “set-up” is my very own worm compost bin. Yep. Worm Composting.
WHAT IS VERMICOMPOSTING?
Vermicomposting or worm composting uses worms to help break down waste more rapidly. It is faster-moving than traditional bins and because of that, generally less odorous. There are many different ways to go about setting up a worm compost – from digging a hole in the ground (if set up properly, the food scraps keep the worms up in your compost instead of wriggling away) to the arrangement I have with trays.
WHY?
The next question I inevitably get is “why”?
A little backstory – I grew up on a couple of acres outside of a relatively smaller town in Florida. We always had a couple of pigs and chickens around, and we grew small amounts of fruits and vegetables every summer. I grew up knowing about composting in the general sense: a couple of tumblers towards the back of our lot and of course, the pigs… and that was about it.
Fast forward to my adult life and learning more about sustainability. Couple that with joining the Boy Scouts of America organization for a little help in the action department, and I decided that I wanted to try something new and definitely out of my comfort zone: worm composting. After going through the Scouts Handbook, and reading up on Boy Scouts of America’s partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and their Leave No Trace principles, along with the Outdoor Code, I knew I wanted to do more in keeping this beautiful world we live in preserved for our next generation of Scouts. I wanted to find a way to lessen the number of food scraps that I was throwing into a plastic bag, where they wouldn’t be able to naturally compost. I wanted to decrease my trash footprint and do more to decrease the amount I was contributing to landfills (where this food that I could have been composting, instead decomposes in a different way that releases methane gas to the environment). Depending on the type of landfill, that methane has the capability of contributing even more to global warming.
NEXT STEPS
As I was doing my research into vermicomposting, I noticed that most of the containers being sold were plastic… which for me, did not make much sense since I am working to reduce the amount of plastic I use on the daily. I found a few different types of blueprints to build my own system, but decided to go with purchasing from a company who makes beautiful wood projects.
After the parts arrived, I set everything up and let it sit outside for a full week. Every day I walked outside and eyed the little “house” apprehensively. I finally drummed up the courage to hit “buy” on the worms that had been sitting in my cart on Amazon.
They arrived.
I am going to tell you, I have had goldfish and other pets as a kid. I have never been more nervous to receive an animal as I was to have a box of red wigglers show up on my doorstep.
The funny thing about setting up worms is pretty much everywhere I read said to use newspapers as a form of bedding to get them comfortable. I do not ever… ever have a newspaper handy. I gathered any number of clean scraps from junk mail and got lucky with a few of my Amazon orders that came with plain brown packing paper. I shredded it all up and made what I hoped was a comfortable “bed” and added my pile of worms. I really wasn’t sure if I was grossed out or grossly fascinated. I guess both.
I gave them about a week to get settled into their new home and to start eating the paper I put in and then I went for the next big scary jump. I added a day’s worth of food scraps: fruit peelings, rinsed-out eggshells, and some vegetable scraps.
I checked that worm bin twice a day for about four days. This is the opposite of what ALL directions tell you to do. You are supposed to give those little guys lots of peace and quiet to do their jobs. I finally went out of town and let them have their space. When I came back, I found them happy and moved up to the next tray and their next level of meals!
I added a bit more. A week later I realized that I had over-added when I found cucumber shoots growing in a layer. I proceeded to definitely be very grossed out as I “weeded” my worm tray (insert the crying laughing emoji here). We got a boatload of rain and my poor worms ended up with a soggy environment. I moved them under shelter.
I have now had these worms for about three months. They are still alive. I am still learning. I always encourage everyone to try it. After going through both Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA handbooks, I am still amazed at our opportunity for learning and growth. If you are looking for a project that will be both beneficial to the environment, feeds and encourages curiosity and has a low-risk, high-reward structure, look no further! The best part about worm composting is that it can be done pretty much anywhere. If it doesn’t work out, you will have an amazing batch of fishing bait for your next Scout adventure!
QUICK RUNDOWN
Worm Bins
Newspaper/brown paper (no shiny ink)
- Start the worms on a bed of newspaper/brown paper and let them chill for a couple of days
- Add food scraps after a few days
- Repeat!
Limit food scraps to unprocessed foods – think fruit and vegetable scraps and CLEANED eggshells (they will attract critters you don’t want if you don’t rinse them first). Light amounts of grass clippings and leaves are great to add every now and then as well to keep their diet “balanced”. Definitely do not add meat, bones or dairy!
Happy composting
