How To Start Your Own Vermicomposting Bin (And Get Incredible Soil Out Of It)

Vermicomposting, also known as worm composting, is a type of composting that has worms eat natural material, such as vegetable and fruit peels, and then break them down through digestion.

Vermicomposting and composting are similar in the sense that their goal is to break down organic matter into a nutrient-rich soil amendment that you can add to your garden.

The differences lie in the amount of time the two processes take, how and where they're done, and what their end results are.

"One of the biggest advantages of vermicomposting is that worm compost often has a much higher nutrient content than traditional compost," adds Matt Eddleston, a gardener with over 20 years of experience and founder of Gardening Vibe.

Composting also requires more physical activity because you need to layer the compost pile and turn it often, about once a week. It usually needs to be done outside and can be difficult when the weather turns in colder months.

Vermicomposting has more flexibility when it comes to weather and space requirements. You can keep your worm bin anywhere where temperatures aren't too extreme, indoors or outdoors.

"You can do it indoors in an apartment, even when you don't have a lot of space," says Eddleston. "A worm bin fits easily in the corner of a room."

Chemical fertilizers or pesticides can be detrimental to soil health and wildlife. Worm castings are a safe and natural way to revitalize areas where soil has been overused or lost nutrients.

Although it may be tempting to dig around in your backyard and look for worms yourself, not all worm species are suitable for composting.

"Purchase the appropriate species from a supplier for your area rather than collect worms from your yard," Angelo Randaci, Earth's Ally master gardener and horticulture expert, suggests. Yes, worm suppliers exist!

You can also look into Indian blue worms and African nightcrawlers "but they are better suited to tropical environments," says Randaci. 

To get the process started, all you need to do is fill the worm's bin with a mix of food scraps (green and brown) and "bedding" such as shredded paper, cardboard, straw, hay, dry leaves, dirt, or wood chips.

Feeding worms is one of the most important parts of the process, but you'll need to pay attention to what and how much you're offering them.

Worms can eat a variety of organic materials including fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and tea bags. But you'll want to avoid citrus fruits and peels since they're acidic and worms have a difficult time digesting them. You shouldn't add any animal or dairy products to the bin, either. 

In addition to food waste, your worms will also eat their bedding. "Your worm bedding is also food for worms. You want to have a higher content of bedding than food waste," says Randaci.

When you buy your worms, you should get information on how much they eat. Follow it closely; the key to maintaining your bed is making sure it has the right amount of food (and therefore, moisture) at all times. When the system is out of balance, you'll be able to tell pretty quickly.

"If you overfeed [the worms], then the excess will rot, causing a bad smell," explains Eddleston. "Rotting and heat buildup can occur and even kill the worms," adds Randaci. 

Moisture can also build when you overfeed. According to Randaci, "You add moisture every time you add food waste because of the high water (80% or more) content of the vegetable."