Vermiculture: composting kitchen waste with your own worm farm

by Samantha Hacker
Worm farm for turning kitchen food waste into compost at home

 

If you are looking for an eco-friendly way to manage your kitchen waste while enriching your garden soil, your very own worm farm might just be the answer.

What is a worm farm compost bin?

Worm composting does what it says on the tin. Your compact composting bin comes with a community of worms that will help break kitchen waste down into compost more quickly.

Worm composting, also known as vermiculture, is a method of using worms to recycle food scraps and other organic material into a valuable soil fertiliser. Here’s how it works:
Special composting worms, such as red wigglers, are placed in a bin with bedding material like moist newspaper strips or cardboard.

You add food scraps to the bin – starting with just a little at first. The worms consume these scraps and break them down into nutrient-rich compost.

Key benefits of worm composting

The worm farm produces nutrient-rich vermicompost, often referred to as “black gold”. Creating this extra-nutrient fertiliser in your own kitchen is a cost-efficient way to fuel your garden, saving you trips to the garden centre. It contains essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in forms readily available for plants. You can harvest a continuous supply of liquid fertiliser (or worn compost tea!), ideal for all your indoor and outdoor plants.

By composting at home, you can significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and lower methane emissions by trimming your food waste down to pretty much zero.

Worm composting is straightforward and doesn’t require significant effort or investment. Worms do most of the work, breaking down organic material quickly and efficiently.

Can I use any kitchen scraps?

Once your worms are settled in and going, they can process up to 1kg of food waste weekly. Worms love:

  • Fruit and vegetable scraps (e.g., banana peels, apple cores, carrot tops)
  • Coffee grounds and tea bags (ensure tea bags are plastic-free)
  • Crushed eggshells
  • Bread, pasta, or rice (in small amounts)

Avoid in large amounts:

  • Citrus, onion, and garlic scraps (these can make the compost too acidic)
  • Meat, fish, and dairy (can attract pests and cause odours)

If you’re looking to reduce waste, do your bit for the planet and help your garden grow, worm composting might just be the solution for you. Check out the Plastia Compact Worm Farm Compost Bin - Complete Starter Pack.

 

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