Vermiculture or Worm Composting for Kids

Vermiculture, otherwise known as worm composting was the focus of a topic in one of the recent publications of Natural Awakenings, a magazine carried by Outpost Natural Foods, my place of employment. It's a great community magazine in Milwaukee dedicated to promoting green living. I thought I would consider this vermiculture thing for my kids since the two boys love worms (and fishing) and it's a great way to promote awareness of a green way of living to them.

What is Vermiculture?

Worm composting or Vermiculture is a method of producing nutrient rich worm casting, otherwise known in kid's terms as "worm poop." This substance is not only organic, but a superior organic soil conditioner and plant food for indoor and outdoor plants alike.

Worm Tea

Worm tea huh? And, just what is that? Or, perhaps you don't want to know your thinking? Well, not to worry -- it's not too gross. Worm tea is the liquid that is harvested from the compost that gets diluted with water to sprinkle on plants or into any garden for a natural fortifying boost of nutrients. Both worm tea as well as worm casting will work synergistically to promote healthy, thriving plants.

Worm Composter

For an effective worm composter you'll need an opaque container with a secure lid that has ventilation holes. You can purchase these from Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply, in Grass Valley CA. They have a selection that includes both a deluxe bin for those that want a more upscale type of composter, or there's a do it yourself worm bin kit. Those can also be purchased from Groworganic.com. You can also view tutorials from an educational site called Redwormcomposting.com. That site also lists worm sources that are reputable and of quality.

Worm Composting Tips

Shred or tear old newspapers into strips for good cover that can be placed as a fluffy layer atop the compost to cover the food scraps that feed the worms and repel flies as well.

Use red wiggler worms for composting. These seem to work best according to Peaceful Valley company. In a portion of one to two pounds of red worms that are mature you can convert 3.5 to 7 pounds of food scraps to worm castings in just a weeks time.

Be sure that your worm composter stays moist. Keep a spray bottle of water nearby, or use a fine mist from your hose to keep the wigglers moist and moving.

Remember that worms prefer a vegetarian diet, so stay way from cheese and dairy products, or meat scraps for your compost pile. Be generous with all veggies crushed egg shells, grains and cereal. Chop your veggies well for the best results.

Source: Natural Awakenings Magazine- July 2011 issue