At the 2014 YFoEE summer camp in Bulgaria we had a great amount of interesting lectures and workshops, one of which was a very practically oriented workshop about worm composting.
Red Californian worms produce worm castings, which is basically organic material that has been digested by worms. The final result is an excellent organic fertilizer: humus that is rich in minerals, enzymes and beneficial bacteria, which can be used at all levels from house plants to entire fields.
Dimo Stefanov, from the Waste No Mo farm, walked us through the whole process of worm composting, showing us the procedure, explaining it in detail, giving us valuable tips and letting us try it ourselves.
The process is relatively simple, there are a few rules that should be obeyed, and the results will be fantastic. So, how to do it?
What are worms and worm castings?
Worms are hermaphrodites and they reproduce very fast. 10 worms can hatch from just one egg. Just 1 m2 of organic matter can accommodate up to 20 000 red Californian worms. Each worm is about 6 to 7 cm long, weighs about one gram, and eats their entire bodyweight every day. Their castings, meanwhile, is the name given to the broken-down organic matter that is produced by this process and left in the soil. By recycling organic food, worm castings actually contain more nitrogen, potassium and calcium than the ingested material. This highly nutritious mixture stimulates plant growth and extracts toxins and harmful bacteria from the soil, preventing many plant diseases. All in all, it exceeds chemical fertilizers in all aspects.
What will you require?
First, to get started, you will need two or three buckets and the worms, of course. Place the buckets on top of one another, so that the first contains the second and so on. The first bucket (which will ultimately be on the top) will contain the food waste you decide to use for the composting process. It’s very important to make sure that the bucket has holes on the top and on the bottom. The second bucket (which will contain the first) will be for the soil and the worms. The worms will simply migrate through the holes from the second bucket to the first when they sense food, and migrate back when they’re done digesting it. There is a special advantage and bonus if you’re using three buckets. The third bucket will be on the very bottom (containing the previous two) and its purpose will be to gather water. This is quite useful for the composting process, as well as for watering your house plants – the gathered water is very rich in nutrients and is perfect for keeping your plants healthy. Don’t put holes on the third bucket; it would be wise to use one that has a small faucet, so you can easily drain the water.
Which ingredients to use and what to keep in mind.
There are three very important factors for a successful composting process: oxygen, moisture and balance. The airflow is absolutely necessary, so as mentioned above, don’t forget to put holes in the first bucket. You should also gently mix the compost from time to time so the air can circulate properly. If you’re worried about the smell, you should know that in a successful composting process – there isn’t one. The bad smell is actually a sign that something is rotting, that there is not enough oxygen, so you know you’re doing something wrong. Also, don’t put the buckets in direct sunlight.
The moisture also plays an important role, so if you’re putting mostly dry things in the compost be sure to add water. Dimo explains that the correct percentage should be 40-70%, which can easily be measured with “the hand test”. Just squeeze the compound, and if it stays coherent and doesn’t drip water, it’s ok.
The final thing to bear in mind is the balance of the compost. The objective is to have a varied mixture and a light structure (not too compact). There should be a balance of “green” that is rich in nitrogen, and “brown” that is rich in carbon. The best thing to put at the bottom is definitely something dry to drain the liquid; paper, toilet paper, newspaper (don’t worry, the ink doesn’t bother the worms) or straw, dry leaves, etc. Be sure to shred the paper to small pieces. At the top you can put vegetables, fruit, grass, peelings, egg-shells (rich in calcium) etc. Be sure to chop the fruit and vegetables into small pieces, that way they will decompose quicker. Although horse manure is the best, you could add manure from any animals that feed on grass (so definitely not dogs, cats or humans). Another piece of very important information: never add citrus fruit (lemon, orange, grapefruit etc.), onions, garlic, meat or any cooked food.
A final tip: don’t overfeed the worms! Surprisingly, this is the most common problem people have. If we imagine a 10 litre bucket (the smallest one, perfect for composting in your home), the full 10 litres of food will keep the worms busy for a month. When you reach the top, don’t add more food until the worms have digested everything completely.
And there you have it, a simple and sustainable procedure that you can do practically anywhere. The result is a perfect fertilizer you can use on your yards, gardens, fields and home plants, or just give it to a farmer or someone who will need it. And spread the news!