Worm composter

Worm compost (see also pp.46-49) High fertility. Usually only available in small quantities. 

The common earthworms seen in soil are not suitable for use in worm composting bins. 

A worm compost bin is, typically, used to process kitchen and vegetable scraps, which are usually available "little and often." This suits the worms, which cannot process large quantities at once. Remember that they are, in effect, livestock, with limited appetites Excess food will spoil before they can process it, resulting in an unpleasant smell. The worms will not process... 

Extracting the worms When the finished worm compost is spread out, the worms wiii move to gather in the cooier, damper conditions under a sheet of wetted newspaper. They can then be gathered up and returned to the bin. 

Apply as a topdressing for patio pots or house plants—if necessary, remove the top 1 in (2 cm) of the potting mix, and replace with worm compost Water as usual. 

Tiny biack fruit files may appear in a worm bin, especially in summer. They are not a health hazard, but can be annoying. Burying waste as you add it may cut down their numbers. Alternatively, they can be caught in a trap an open jar of orange juice, wine, or vinegar works well, or you can buy lobster-pot-style flytraps. Never use pesticides on a worm compost bin. 

Worm compost made from vegetable waste is a high-fertility soil improver (seepp.34-35), with a fine crumbly texture. 

A soilless potting mix is best as it reduces the weight of the basket. Improve water retention by adding an organic moisture-retainer, based on coarse seaweed meal. Worm compost (see pp.46-49) added to the mix (up to 25% volume) increases the level of plant foods and improves the water-holding capacity. 

Grow beans on a teepee 118 Keep urban honey bees 120 Plant blueberry bushes 124 Grow an apple tree in a pot 128 Start a worm composter 130 Use eco-friendly DIY materials 136 Train a fig tree against a wall 140 Make your own barbecue 142 Plant a tree or climber for wildlife 146 Plant vegetables in a square foot garden... 

You can make your own worm composter, using stackable storage boxes, wire mesh, a drain cock, and synthetic carpet for a lid, but the simplest way to get started is to buy a readymade kit, complete with a supply of the same kind of worms that normally live in well-rotted manure or compost heaps. 

Worm composters are often described as odor free, but many people find that when they lift the lid off to add more scraps, a strong earthy smell wafts out. So, it may be a better idea to keep your worm composter in a utility room or outside the back door, rather than in the kitchen. Even if you like the earthy smell, you may find that the liquid that you need to siphon off too pungent. When draining off this liquid, use rubber gloves and store the concentrated plant food in ajar with a tight lid until you need to use it. Then dilute it 1 10... 

Worm composters recycle 70% of household waste. WWW.homeharvest.com www.composters.com... 

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