Vermicomposting, Worm Composting, Worm Composting System
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How do we keep our worms happy and healthy? The saying goes, “An Apple a day keeps the doctor away” but in this case, ” An apple a day, keeps a worm happy :)”
One of the most common misconceptions are that compost worms are able to compost any organic material. This is however not true because worms, just like us humans, are also living beings and their diet must be carefully taken care.
I normally feed my worms vegetables and fruit peels. This is by far the best way to keep them alive and happy! Vegetable left overs are an excellent diet for the blue worms as they do not attract fruit flies. Almost all vegetables are suitable for the worms. Tubers such as onions and garlic,however, are not suitable to be fed to the worms
Fruits on the other hand, is otherwise. Acidic fruits such as orange peels, pineapples, lemon and etc are a big no no for the worms. This is because worms dislike them and will not compost the above. Apples is a good choice and trust me, the worms love the apple cores the best. Watermelons on the other hand, provide a good amount of water content in the worm bin.
Other daily wastes such as coffee grinds and tea bags are also suitable to be fed to the worms. Coffee grinds however must be left isolated for a week or more for the alkaline content to be reduced. Cooked and oily food should be avoided at all means. This is because the worms do not compost the cooked food and it will most likely kill them. Besides that, feeding cooked food to the worms encourages maggots and other pest. This will also make the food rot and eventually emitted a very foul smell. You probably don’t want your backyard to stink!
Remember, a happy worm is a happy you ;)
Continuing from the previous article, another reason why worms tend to crawl out of the compost bin is due to,
2) Lack of food
Common assumption: These compost worms are able to feed on the bedding material and hence we don’t need to feed them any waste.
Solution: Composting worms are just like any other living organisms. They require the basic necessities such as air,water and food. Yes it is true to a certain extend that the worms are able to survive on the bedding material for a few days but this doesn’t give us an excuse not to feed them. After all, it’s an easy task. Remember, do feed your worms regularly with appropriate food :)
3) Bedding material too damp/dry
Solution: If the bedding material is too damp, drill tiny holes at the bottom of your compost bin to drain the excess water. If you do notice that the worms tend to get a little more active during rainy days? This is because their sensitive nature is able to detect the slightest change in humidity and temperature.
If bedding material is too dry, just sprinkle some water over them. You don’t want to drown your worms and upset their environment do you?
Coming up next, what to feed and not to feed your worms!
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We have been acquiring a lot of enquiries recently on how to handle composting worms and the next few posts will be a short and quick reminder on how we keep our worms healthy and alive!
One of the common feedback we often get is, ” My worms seems to be very crawling out of my composting bin often, what should I do?”
First things first, we must always try to understand our worms. Worms are living creatures and they will tend to get uneasy if their environment is not suitable/good. Remember they are sensitive creatures and should be given adequate attention as well.
On of the main reasons why the worms keep crawling out of their habitat is because their environment is not suitable. This could due to
1) Lack of oxygen in the compost bin.
Assumption: Like all living organisms, worms need oxygen to survive as well. Some may debate that they are able to live under the soil hence the need of oxygen is less which is often a misconception. Worms need a similar supply of oxygen as we do. However, they are able to extract their oxygen efficiently from what we would find to be a very uncomfortable environment, like soil. This is because their blood’s haemoglobin has a much greater affinity for oxygen than humans and hence, able to cope with much lower oxygen levels.
Solution:Drill more holes on your compost bins to create more ventilation and aeration in your compost bin. You can also put your compost bin in a cooler/windy place. Alternatively, you can place a damp sheet of newspaper/cloth, something organic, over your worm bedding
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Want to do something good with your old news papers instead of the traditional Karanguni style?
Feel wasted with all the left over fruit peels and vegetable scraps?
What about the fresh cut grass and leaves from your garden?
Turn them into worm castings via vermicomposting!
CALL US TODAY: +65 9386 4388
FREE DELIVERY ISLANDWIDE
BLUE WORMS FOR SALE
FREE DELIVERY ISLANDWIDE
CALL US TODAY: +65 9386 4388
Price: 500g for S$125
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CALL US TODAY: +65 9386 4388
Organic matter serves as a reservoir of nutrients and water in the soil which aids in the water flow in the soil, surface crusting and reducing soil compaction. Most of the time we are all confused between organic matter and organic materials. We often tend to perceive anything organic such as leaves, newspapers or anything which contains carbon atoms as organic matter. But in actually fact, both of them are vastly different.
Organic material by definition is actually anything that was alive and now in or on the soil. For it to become organic matter, it must be decomposed into humus. What then is humus? Humus is an organic material which has been converted by microorganisms present in the soil to resist state of decomposition. Unlike organic material, organic matter are stable in soil and do not decompose further. It is normally resistant towards further decomposition. The rate only increases if the surrounding environment is ideal for decomposition.
In gardening, not only are fertilizers essential for plant growth, but organic matter does play a huge role too with multiple benefits. Organic matter contains an acid that enables plant roots to be more permeable towards water, hence improving uptake of water and nutrients. It also aids minerals to dissolve more easily within the soil which can then be used by the plant. Structurally wise, it reduces soil crusting, especially in fine-textured soils, and encourages root development of the plant. In the ecology terms, it also prevents soil erosion and prevents soil compaction, both of which can cause damage to plant’s roots, and hence the other plant ultimately. Organic matter also serves as food for soil organisms such as bacteria and worms like composting worms. It is simple to produce your own organic matter but remember, both organic matter and materials are two different products all together.