Get Wiggly with Red Worms

By: Vicki Duong
Submitted: 2007-06-13 10:56:46
Print this article | Tell a friend | For publisher | Social Bookmarking
Rating:
 

Composting is easy so long as you have the right materials and equipment necessary, but did you know that even the worms are your best friends in this process? Vermicomposting or vermiculture is essentially the process of composting with the use of worms and their castings (i.e., worm waste). An easy and fun way to compost for your garden or house plants, vermicomposting can be done both indoors or out, and requires very little space.

Red worms or red wiggler worms, which are different from earthworms, are the best worms to use for your composting process. You want to stay away from using earthworms because they weren't made to be composting worms; red worms will take your food scraps, eat and digest them, making worm castings full of nutrients for your soil. Earthworms on the other hand, are burrowing worms; they'll aerate the soil and take everything on the surface down with it. Therefore, they'll be absolutely useless for what you want to do, which is compost!

In order to have a successful vermicomposting experience, always remember to feed your worms! Worms need food too, and they love food scraps, another reason why vermicomposting is so easy. Readily available, food scraps like wilted vegetables, fruit rinds, bread and coffee grounds are great sources of food for your worms. Just be sure to never, ever add scraps like meats, fats, oils, or dairy products because the worms will not be able to eat and digest these items properly. Additionally, they smell bad and attract rodents and other animals to your compost bin or heap.

Be sure to bury your food scraps in the dirt about a few inches deep underneath the dirt. This will keep the annoying fruit flies away, not to mention leaving some wiggle room for your little worms. It's always a good idea to bury your food scraps in different areas of your worm bin so that the worms don't get too used to convening in the same spot and so that all areas of the bin receives its fair share amount of worm castings.

After a few months you'll notice that in place of the dirt bedding you laid out for the worms earlier, you have what we composters like to call black gold, rich fine worm castings that are ready to go into your garden. After that you're ready to start over! A fun process that students, young children and adults will surely enjoy, vermicomposting is a terrific and acceptable way to get down and dirty with worms!

For a wide selection in composting and gardening materials such as compost bins, rain barrels, chipper shredders and lawn sweepers, be sure to stop by Composters.com.

Article source: Expert Articles

Most Recent Articles in Gardening category

  • Tour the Outdoor Gardens of Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens - By: Joanne Jones
    Take a virtual tour of the outdoor gardens at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. There are many wonderful sites to see, including pools, water fountains and statues. Plus, see all the wonderful flowers and plants just waiting for you!
  • Simple steps to assure a great quality lawn - By: Jushua Safee
    Lawns being an important part of our homes should be maintained wonderfully so that it creates a center of attention for the outsiders.
  • How to get the right Garden Bridge for your Landscaping - By: Joe Guraro
    The best thing that you can do for yourself if to find out, first of all, what size bridge you want. This will depend on the budget you have and the size of garden you have.
  • Four things to ask when shopping for value-adding wood shutters - By: Jane Muder
    Did you know that exterior wood shutters are a cost-effective way to add value to your home or condo? Before you start shopping wood shutter websites and stores, however, ask yourself the following four questions. The answers to these questions will help you choose the best shutters for your home.
  • Increase your property value by having high quality lawn - By: Jushua Safee
    The real value of a property depends on how it is maintained and the interiors and exteriors of the property. In most cases, lawn and outer looks are the first that appeal most buyers.
  • Tips to ensure your lawn is always green - By: Sarmaad Amin
    For all those people who find gardening, a fascinating work, here are presented some tips to maintain your lawn.
  • How to choose the best quality lawn for your garden - By: Jushua Safee
    Lawn is one of the most attractive parts of the house and can change the complete appearance of the house if maintained properly.
  • An Art of Floristry - By: Christine Layug
    Floristry is sometimes used as an umbrella term referring to the cultivation of flowers as well as their arrangement, rather than solely to the business of selling them.
  • Even In the Desert, Organic Gardening is Possible! - By: Lee Bell
    With some work and persistence you can grow your own organic produce in your home garden, even in Arizona. Read on for some tips.
  • Travel Review of Chihuly at Phipps Conservatory - By: Joanne Jones
    In 2007, Dale Chihuly created an exhibit for the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Garden that featured 28 sculptures. While the exhibit is now over, there are still eight sculptures on display that are spectacular. Here is a brief description of each sculpture and where they are located in the Phipps gardens.