People who are thinking of creating their own compost heap may consider using worms.  But is that a good choice or a waste of time?  When thinking about how to compost, you have to consider nature's little friends.  They are helpful, but mean you have to consider a few extra factors in creating your compost heap.

When considering using worms for composting, you need to consider that you must build a bin for your worms.  This bin should be a wooden box, metal tub, or plastic basin, as they each allow for proper and necessary air circulation.  You want a shallow bin, no more than 18 inches deep, since the worms eat near the surface and a deeper bin will result in unwanted foul odours.  

To figure out the size of the bin needed, measure your kitchen scraps for a couple of weeks.  Allow one square foot of space for every one pound of scrap materials per week.  It is recommended to estimate a little larger rather than too small as you don't want to crowd the bin.  Before using your bin, always scrub a new bin with detergent and rinse with hot water before you use it.  If you are building a wooden bin, do not use pretreated woods.  They are harmful to the worms and could contaminate your compost.  Make sure your worm bin has 9-15 holes drilled in the bottom to allow for air circulation as well as letting the compost drain of excess moisture.  Keep the bin somewhere relatively cool, such as a basement or alley beside your house, as worms do not like hot living conditions.

So far all you have considered in your efforts to living off the grid is the compost bin for your worms to live in.  But another consideration is the bedding you need for the bin.  Bedding holds moisture in the bin.  Your bedding materials should be biodegradable and free from chemicals and pesticides.  Some suggestions are shredded newsprint or computer paper, shredded cardboard, leaves, peat moss, or crushed eggshells.  Having a good mix of paper and natural materials, like the eggshells, will help your compost to work faster.

So what kind of worms should you use?  Is it as easy as digging up worms in your backyard?  Yes, and no.  You'll want to get redworms.  They are capable of reproducing quickly in captivity and are quick to break down materials into usable compost.  How many worms do you need?  Approximately two pounds of worms is estimated for every one pound of daily scraps.  There are about 1000 worms per pound.  About one pound of worms is sufficient for a 2 foot by 2 foot bin.  If you're worried about the worms reproducing and crowding the bin, that shouldn't be a concern.  The population will level itself out and sustain a number that can be sustained based on the amount of food available and the amount of space.

So are worms necessary to composting?  No.  Is it a better way to go when starting a compost?  That is up to you, and if you want nature's little helpers to give you a helping hand in becoming more Eco-friendly.

More and more people are going organic these days. They are being influenced by the fact that the media is giving a lot more importance to having a healthy diet and a balanced lifestyle.

Because of this there has been a tremendous increase in the demand for organic products. That is why the industries that are related to organic farming and agriculture have received tremendous boost as well.

Raising worms for profit is fast becoming a very good option for most people as a business these days. While some people who may be a little too squeamish would feel that this is a business that they would never venture on, you should hear all the advantages that it has first.

Breeding worms can be very profitable since there is a lot of demand for it right now and the competition is still not that fierce. If you do things right you ought to be able to sell your products right away.

Now starting out on this business is very simple. You do not need a lot of experience or knowledge, you do not need a huge piece of land or expensive equipments. Just simple everyday tools will be enough. You could raise worms in your backyard. All you need is a vessel that will hold enough earth for your little friends.

As for the type of worm that you will be breeding, go for the red wrigglers since this species can reproduce at an amazing rate and is the one best suited for this type of breeding. Once you have established yourself then you can experiment with other species, but in the mean time stick with the trusted ones.

Do not miss the opportunity of a lifetime. Jump in on the bandwagon now and start earning a lot through the help of your little wriggly friends.

Photo by Normanack, License: CC Attribution

Compost soil

Making a wormery is the popular fun thing to do for gardeners and hobbyists alike. Its like combining the enjoyment of having a fish aquarium (only much easier and cheaper) with the productivity of creating usable compost.

You basically are setting up a mini habitat for the red wiggler worm (similar but a bit smaller then the earth worm). You can do this with homemade parts or get everything you need in a kit online. Either way it'll be about the size of a plastic container you would use for storage in your attic. Just drill some air holes, fill it up with moistened newspaper, and add your red wigglers. Find a place in your garage or basement to keep your wormery that won't get excessively hot or cold.

Now you are ready to start feeling your red wigglers so they can start making you garden compost. They will eat about half their body weight each day. Typically they are sold online in lots of 1,000 which weigh about a pound. So each day, for each 1,000 red wigglers in your wormery, you'll need to add a half pound of food. The best part is that the food they are going to eat is table scraps that you were going to throw away anyhow! They'll eat any fruit or vegetable scraps (although they aren't crazy about spicy items and onions), pulverized egg shells, and used coffee or tea (including the filter or bag).

Making a wormery will be both interesting and rewarding. Once you see the benefits worm composting will have on your garden you'll really be loving your new 'pets'. Kids really love to be involved in the whole process from setting up the wormery to nightly feeding to putting the compost out in the garden. As an added bonus if you or your kids are into fishing you'll never have to stop and get worms again
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