Avid gardeners and organic produce experts have waxed lyrical for many years about making compost in the garden and how it is the best way of disposing of food waste and feeding plants. Many of us have tried to compost but may have found it to be hard to keep on top of or, alternatively, have succeeded in making an amazing feed for plants and grasses. Either way, you may have noticed that worms and maggots end up getting involved and infiltrating your waste heap. Whilst maggots and worms are usually a bad sign, in this case it’s a good thing. Maggots and worms will consume food waste quite quickly and will produce the right kind of compost that is required for feeding plants and soil. So why not use worms to your advantage and have them do what comes naturally to them?
Choosing The Right Wormery
You may have browsed through our Wormery section and feel overwhelmed by choice, the selection on offer is vast. Here are a few simple questions to ask yourself to help you make the decision:
How many people are in your household?
It seems obvious but the more people in your household, the more food waste you create. Although, some smaller households can create vast amounts of organic food waste for many reasons. Maybe they have a plant-based diet and do not use a lot of food packaging or they entertain frequently. Alternatively, a large family that eats out a lot would not produce much food waste as they do not cook habitually. The best way to tell is to monitor how much you change the food waste your local council collects. For example, a family could be filling their caddy up every week for pick up. In this situation, a larger or four tray Wormery would suit them best. If you’re not quite filling a food waste bin up every week but still produce a fair bit of food waste, is may be good to try the three tray Wormeries. We also have spare trays that you can add if three trays turn out to not be enough. Each tray holds 15.5 litres (around 2 stone) of waste.
One or two people living together would usually benefit from a small wormery such as the Midi Wormery or the Junior Wormery. Or those living in a flat may find the Stainless Steel Indoor Wormery beneficial as it fits well on a kitchen worktop, so there is no need to store outside. This could also be a great option for those who do not cook a lot or are not at home often.
Have you owned a Wormery or composted successfully before?
Essentially, this is the difference between getting a deluxe or a standard Wormery. Our deluxe Wormeries have a Composting With Worms book (along with other helpful extra items), which explains a lot of what someone may need to know about worm composting. This is perfect for beginners or those getting back into it.
Do you have any pets?
Without going into too much detail, pets produce poo, worms can eat this poo. Our Pet & Dog Poo Wormeries have Bokashi Bran supplied which is a rich bran that helps worms break down the waste, so it is best to add Bokashi as you add the waste. In addition, any cat litter that is organic (wood or paper based NOT clay or silica gel) can be added to these Wormeries. Just do not over fill it.
If you wish to use a pet poo wormery, do not forget that this compost cannot be used on fruit and vegetables, only plants. Also, take care when handling the waste.
Where Does A Wormery Go?
Due to a Wormery being enclosed, it is best to keep it in a shed or garage out of the sunlight and rainfall. This will stop the compost over heating or rain flooding the Wormery and killing the worms. Worms work best at 18-25 degrees Celsius they are slower at 10 Celsius or lower and temperatures over 30 are to be avoided.
If you do not have a shed or garage, you are able to keep it out of direct sunlight and rainfall in a bush or under suspended tarpaulin if you need to keep it outside. Anywhere that is not in direct sunlight and there is nothing tight covering the Wormery (they get oxygen from the little holes and gaps built in) is perfect.
Organic Living
Many of us have started being more cautious about the plastic we use and how to save water and electricity, some may have started composting too. The more we do to become eco-friendly, the more we think about what we can do next. You may even already compost, or at least send food waste with your bins, but composting does have another level. Wormeries create liquid feed for plants and a rich vermicompost that is perfect for helping plants grow. It is really is the most natural way to grow in your garden.
Have you started a Wormery and want to share your story with us? Why not inbox us on Facebook or tag us in your photos on Instagram and Twitter. We’d love to hear from you.
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