Composting your kitchen waste is an easy and sustainable way to reduce the amount of garbage produced by your household. By simply throwing your food scraps into a worm farm, you can create a fantastic soil amendment that provides everything your plants need to grow healthy and strong.
Setting up a worm farm is easy and can be done in as little as 15 to 20 minutes. With the Vermiterra kit, which contains everything you need to get started, you can have a fully functional worm farm up and running in no time. By following a few simple steps, including preparing the bedding, feeding your worms, and maintaining the bin, you can produce nutrient-rich worm castings all year round.
Key Takeaways
- Composting your kitchen waste is an easy way to reduce the amount of garbage produced by your household.
- Setting up a worm farm is easy and can be done in as little as 15 to 20 minutes with the Vermiterra kit.
- By following a few simple steps, you can produce nutrient-rich worm castings all year round.
Composting Basics
Composting is an easy and sustainable way to reduce the amount of waste produced in a household. By composting kitchen waste, one can create a nutrient-rich soil amendment that provides everything plants need to grow.
To set up a warm farm, one can purchase a vermi terra kit, which contains two composting trays with several holes at the bottom, four legs, one top plate with all the useful information about composting, one composting collection tray, 250 grams of conditioner (dolomite powder), one coco peat break to prepare bedding, one warm blanket, one warm teacup, one pair of hand gloves, one cultivator, one tap, and one user manual.
To prepare the bedding, one needs to soak the coco peat break in seven to eight liters of water and wait for 5 to 10 minutes for it to expand. Then, lay a layer of old newspaper in the bottom and add shaded newspaper and cardboard clippings to the bedding. Worms need bedding that holds moisture well, so newspaper and cardboard are best. Add enough to fill the bin about 3 to 5 inches high. Bedding made of cardboard, newspaper strips, or leaves will hold moisture and contain airy spaces essential to worms.
After adding the bedding, add the worms and leave it for two days for the worms to settle in. It takes up to 2-3 days for the worms to get settled in their new home. Cover the bin with the warm blanket that is given in the kit and close it with the top lid. This will provide shade and optimum conditions for the worms to thrive. Keep the unit in shade, place it under a tree or green net, or store it in a closet, laundry room, or other storage rooms.
To compost effectively, cut kitchen waste into small pieces to help it turn into compost as quickly as possible. The best food scraps to use are peels, leaves, cores, and seeds from fruits and vegetables, crushed eggshells, tea bags, and coffee grounds. It is important to avoid adding meat, bones, any type of dairy product, bread, and excessive amounts of citrus. Avoid large quantities of onion and citrus peels. If they are added in a small quantity, just sprinkle conditioner to maintain acidic levels of the warm farm.
Start slow, adding up to 250 grams per day to understand the process better. After once you understand the process and see your worm population multiplying day by day, you can gradually start adding waste. Bury the food scraps inside the worm bedding and use a cultivator to work these scraps more efficiently. Worms process anywhere between 25 to 100 percent of their body weight of organic material per day. As a general rule of thumb, if you are keeping a good warm bin environment, they should process an average of 50 percent of their body weight.
Cover the bin with the warm blanket that is given in the kit and pour some water on it. Doing so helps in maintaining your worm bin’s moisture, traps any type of odor, and doesn’t attract any type of outside pest. After only eight to nine days, the compost is ready. At this stage, one can add more food scraps into the tray. Vermicompost is the best fertilizer for plants as it can be easily absorbed. Drain the water collection tray at least once in 8 to 10 days before harvesting.
To harvest, let the bin sit under sunlight for 5 to 10 minutes. Due to this, worms will migrate towards the bottom of the compost. Slowly scoop out the upper three to five inch layer of the compost and keep the bottom layer in the tray as it will contain earthworms. The compost can be directly mixed with potting soil or garden soil as a soil amendment, which helps make nutrients available to plants, or it can be used as a top dressing for indoor and outdoor plants.
Setting Up a Worm Farm
Setting up a worm farm is an easy and sustainable way to compost kitchen waste. The process takes only 15 to 20 minutes to install the vermi terra kit, which can be purchased from the vermiterra website. Urban gardening subscribers can use the coupon code UG thousand to get a discount of Rs. 1000.
The vermi terra kit contains two composting trays with several holes at the bottom, four legs, one top plate with all the useful information about composting, one composting collection tray, 250 grams of conditioner (dolomite powder), one coco peat brick to prepare bedding, one worm blanket, one worm teacup, one pair of hand gloves, one cultivator, one tap, and one user manual.
To set up the worm farm, assemble the legs to the water collection tray and fit the tap to the tray. Then, prepare the bedding by soaking the coco peat brick in seven to eight liters of water and waiting 5 to 10 minutes for it to expand. Lay a layer of old newspaper in the bottom of the tray and add shaded newspaper and cardboard clippings to the bedding. Add enough bedding to fill the bin about 3 to 5 inches high.
Worms need bedding that holds moisture well, so newspaper and cardboard are best. Now, put expanded wet coco peat in the tray. Bedding made of cardboard, newspaper strips, or leaves will hold moisture and contain airy spaces essential to worms. Add some water to maintain 50 to 60% moisture. If the bedding is too wet, add shaded paper or shredded dry leaves.
Add earthworms that are given with the organic menu and leave it for two days for the worms to settle in. It takes up to 2-3 days for the worms to get settled in their new home. Cover the tray with the worm blanket that is given in the kit and close it with the top lid. This will provide shade and optimum conditions for the worms to thrive. Keep the unit in shade, place it under a tree or green net, or store it in a closet, laundry room, or other storage rooms.
To feed the worms, cut kitchen waste into small pieces to help it turn into compost as quickly as possible. The best food scraps to use are peels, leaves, cores, and seeds from fruits and vegetables, crushed eggshells, tea bags, and coffee grounds. It is especially important to avoid adding meat or bones or any type of dairy product. Also, avoid bread and excessive amounts of citrus. Avoid large quantities of onion and citrus peels. If they are added in small quantities, sprinkle conditioner to maintain the acidic level of the worm farm.
Start slow, adding up to 250 grams per day to understand the process better. You can add up to 500 to 800 grams per day of food scraps once you understand the process and see your worm population multiplying day by day. Bury the food scraps inside the worm bedding and use the cultivator to work them more efficiently. Worms process anywhere between 25 to 100 percent of their body weight of organic material per day. As a general rule of thumb, if you are keeping a good worm bin environment, they should process an average of 50 percent of their body weight.
Cover the tray with the worm blanket and pour some water on it. Doing so helps maintain the worm bin’s moisture, traps any type of odor, and doesn’t attract any type of outside pest. After only eight to nine days, the compost is ready. At this stage, you can add more food scraps into the tray.
The wonderful thing about worms is that whatever comes out from the back is more nutrient-rich than what goes in. You end up with nutrient-rich worm castings, and one may wash this system is completely odorless. The process can be done all year round, even in the winter season.
After harvesting, drain the water collection tray at least once in 8 to 10 days. Let the bin sit under sunlight for 5 to 10 minutes, and the worms will migrate towards the bottom of the compost. Slowly scoop out the upper three to five-inch layer of the compost and keep the bottom layer in the tray as it will contain earthworms. The compost can be directly mixed with potting soil or garden soil as a soil amendment, which helps make nutrients available to plants. Alternatively, the compost can be used as a top dressing for indoor and outdoor plants.
Continue to compost food scraps after harvesting. Just add fresh food scraps and add 250 to 500 grams of scraps daily to avoid overfeeding. Feed the worms only as much as they can eat. After every 15 to 18 days, five to six liters of vermi wash or compost tea can be harvested. The compost tea or vermi wash can be diluted to 10 to 20
Preparing the Bedding
To start composting, it is important to prepare the bedding for the worms. The vermi terra kit comes with all the necessary items to set up the bedding.
First, soak the coco peat brick in 7 to 8 liters of water and wait for 5 to 10 minutes for it to expand into a bedding. Lay a layer of old newspaper at the bottom of the tray and add shaded newspaper and cardboard clippings to the bedding. Add enough to fill the bin about 3 to 5 inches high.
Worms need bedding that holds moisture well, so newspaper and cardboard are the best options. Now, put the expanded wet coco peat in the tray. Bedding made of cardboard, newspaper strips, or leaves will hold moisture and contain airy spaces essential to worms. Add some water to maintain 50 to 60 percent moisture. If it is too wet, add shaded paper or shredded dry leaves.
Next, add earthworms that are given with the organic menu and leave it for two days for the worms to settle in. It takes up to 2-3 days for the worms to get settled in their new home. Cover the tray with the warm blanket that is given in the kit and close it with the top lid. This will provide shade and optimum conditions for the worms to thrive. Keep the unit in a shaded area, under a tree or green net. It can also be stored in a closet, laundry room, or other storage rooms.
Cut kitchen waste into small pieces to help it turn into compost as quickly as possible. The best food scraps to use are peels, leaves, cores, and seeds from fruits and vegetables, crushed eggshells, tea bags, and coffee grounds. It is especially important to avoid adding meat or bones, any type of dairy product, bread, and excessive amounts of citrus. Avoid adding large quantities of onion and citrus peels, but if they are added in small quantities, sprinkle conditioner to maintain the acidic level of the worm farm.
Start slow, adding up to 250 grams of food scraps per day. To understand the process better, you can add up to 500 to 800 grams per day of food scraps. After once you understand the process and see your worm population multiplying day by day, you can gradually start adding more waste. Bury the food scraps inside the worm bedding and use a cultivator to work these scraps more efficiently. Worms process anywhere between 25 to 100 percent of their body weight of organic material per day. As a general rule of thumb, if you are keeping a good worm bin environment, they should process an average of 50 percent of their body weight.
After eight to nine days, the compost is ready. At this stage, more food scraps can be added into the tray. The wonderful thing about worms is that whatever comes out from the back is more nutrient-rich than what goes in, and you end up with nutrient-rich worm castings. This system is completely odorless, and the process can be done all year round, even in the winter season.
Check after every two to three days and work the scraps into the bedding with the cultivator. If you are going away and won’t be able to feed for a few days, just feed extra food and sprinkle some conditioner before you leave and even add some water to keep proper moisture. By doing so, you can leave your worm farm for up to two to three weeks.
If you feel your worm farm is acidic or too much food is left uneaten, sprinkle conditioner that is given in the kit to stabilize the acidic level of your worm farm so your worms work properly. Add 1 to 2 tbsp at a time and mix well for better results.
As time progresses, you will notice less and less food scraps and more and more compost in your bin. After every eight to ten days, the composition of vermi wash can be collected from the unit. The water gradually percolates to the bottom through the compost, carrying with it nutrients through the unit. Use compost tea or vermi wash as a liquid fertilizer in one to five ratios. The vermi wash contains necessary plant nutrients, plant growth-promoting hormones, enzyme symbiotic microbes, in addition to the macronutrients and micronutrients.
Check the tray after every two to three days to see how much food scrap is left. When all of the food scrap has been converted to compost, it’s harvesting time. Vermicompost is the best fertilizer for plants, as it can be easily absorbed. Drain the water collection tray at least once in 8 to 10 days before harvesting. Let the bin sit under sunlight for 5 to 10 minutes. Due to this, worms will migrate towards the bottom of the compost. Slowly scoop out the upper three to five-inch layer of the compost. Keep the bottom layer in the
Maintaining the Worm Bin
To maintain the worm bin, it is important to follow a few steps. First, cut kitchen waste into small pieces to help it turn into compost quickly. The best food scraps to use are peels, leaves, coats, and seeds from fruits and vegetables, crushed eggshells, tea bags, and coffee grounds. It is important to avoid adding meat, bones, dairy products, bread, excessive amounts of citrus, and large quantities of onion and citrus peels.
Next, add the organic material to the bedding, which can be made of cardboard, newspaper strips, or leaves. The bedding should hold moisture well and contain airy spaces essential to worms. After adding the material, add enough water to maintain 50 to 60 percent moisture. If the bedding is too wet, add shaded paper or shredded dry leaves.
Once the organic material is added, wait for 2-3 days for the worms to settle in their new home. Cover the bin with the warm blanket provided in the kit and close it with the top lid to provide shade and optimum conditions for the worms to thrive. Keep the unit in a shaded place under a tree or green net.
After 8-9 days, the compost will be ready for harvesting. To harvest the compost, drain the water collection tray at least once every 8-10 days before harvesting. Let the bin sit under sunlight for 5-10 minutes to allow the worms to migrate towards the bottom of the compost. Slowly scoop out the upper 3-5 inch layer of the compost and keep the bottom layer in the tray as it will contain earthworms.
The compost can be directly mixed with potting soil or garden soil as a soil amendment, or it can be used as a top dressing for indoor and outdoor plants. Additionally, the collected vermi wash can be diluted to 10-20 percent and used as a pesticide or fertilizer on crop plants or soil.
To ensure the worm bin remains healthy, it is important to check the tray every 2-3 days to see how much food scrap is left. If the worm bin is acidic or too much food is left uneaten, sprinkle the conditioner provided in the kit to stabilize the acidic level of the worm bin. Add 1-2 tbsp at a time and mix well for better results.
By following these steps, maintaining the worm bin will be easy and result in nutrient-rich compost that can be used for gardening.
Feeding Your Worms
To properly feed your worms, it is important to cut your kitchen waste into small pieces to help it turn into compost as quickly as possible. The best food scraps to use are peels, leaves, cores, and seeds from fruits and vegetables, crushed eggshells, tea bags, and coffee grounds. It is especially important to avoid adding meat or bones, any type of dairy product, bread, and excessive amounts of citrus. Large quantities of onion and citrus peels should also be avoided, but if they are added in small quantities, conditioner should be sprinkled to maintain the acidic level of the worm farm.
To understand the process better, it is recommended to start slow, adding up to 250 grams per day. Once the process is understood and the worm population is multiplying day by day, gradually start adding waste. Bury the food scraps inside the worm bedding and use a cultivator to work these scraps more efficiently. Worms process anywhere between 25 to 100 percent of their body weight of organic material per day, but as a general rule of thumb, if a good worm bin environment is maintained, they should process an average of 50 percent of their body weight.
After the food scraps have been added, cover the bin with the warm blanket that is given in the kit and pour some water on it. Doing so helps maintain the worm bin’s moisture, traps any type of odor, and doesn’t attract any type of outside pest. Check the tray after every two to three days to see how much food scrap is left.
If going away and won’t be able to feed for a few days, just feed extra food and sprinkle some conditioner before leaving, and even add some water to maintain proper moisture. By doing this, the worm farm can be left for up to two to three weeks.
If the worm farm is acidic or too much food is left uneaten, sprinkle conditioner that is given in the kit to stabilize the acidic level of the worm farm so the worms work properly. Add 1 to 2 tbsp at a time and mix well for better results. As time progresses, less and less food scraps and more and more compost will be noticed in the bin.
After every eight to ten days, the composition of the vermiwash can be collected from the unit. The water gradually percolates to the bottom through the compost, carrying with it nutrients through the unit. Use compost tea or vermiwash as a liquid fertilizer in one to five ratio.
Check the tray after every two to three days to see how much food scrap is left. When all of the food scraps have been converted to compost, it’s harvest time. Drain the water collection tray at least once in 8 to 10 days before harvesting. Let the bin sit under sunlight for 5 to 10 minutes, and slowly scoop out the upper three to five inch layer of the compost. Keep the bottom layer in the tray as it will contain earthworms.
The compost can be directly mixed with potting soil or garden soil as a soil amendment, which helps make nutrients available to plants, or the compost can be used as a top dressing for indoor and outdoor plants. After harvesting, continue to compost food scraps by adding fresh food scraps and feeding worms only as much as they can eat. Every 15 to 18 days, five to six liters of vermiwash or compost tea can be harvested. The collected vermiwash must be stored in a cool and dry place. The compost tea or vermiwash can be diluted to 10 to 20 percent and can be treated as a pesticide or fertilizer on the crop plants or on the soil.
Harvesting Compost
To harvest compost from a worm bin, it is important to drain the water collection tray at least once in 8 to 10 days before harvesting. Then, let the bin sit under sunlight for 5 to 10 minutes. Due to this, worms will migrate towards the bottom of the compost. Slowly scoop out the upper three to five inch layer of the compost, keeping the bottom layer in the tray as it will contain earthworms.
The collected compost can be directly mixed with potting soil or garden soil as a soil amendment, which helps make nutrients available to plants. It can also be used as a top dressing for indoor and outdoor plants. Vermicompost is the best fertilizer for plants as it can be easily absorbed.
After harvesting, continue to compost food scraps by adding fresh scraps and feeding worms only as much as they can eat. After every 15 to 18 days, five to six liters of vermi wash or compost tea can be easily harvested. The compost tea or vermi wash can be diluted to 10 to 20 percent and can be treated as a pesticide or fertilizer on crop plants or on the soil. The collected vermi wash must be stored in a cool and dry place.
Using Compost Tea
Compost tea is a liquid fertilizer that is made by steeping compost in water. It is an excellent way to provide your plants with the nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy. Here are some steps to follow when using compost tea:
- Dilute the compost tea with water in a one-to-five ratio. For example, for 200 ml of compost tea, add one liter of water.
- Use the compost tea as a liquid fertilizer for your plants.
- Check the tray every two to three days to see how much food scrap is left.
- When all of the food scraps have been converted to compost, it’s time to harvest the vermicompost.
- Scoop out the upper three to five inch layer of the compost and keep the bottom layer in the tray as it will contain earthworms.
- The compost can be directly mixed with your potting soil or garden soil as a soil amendment which helps make nutrients available to plants or the compost can be used as a top dressing for your indoor and outdoor plants.
It is important to note that the collected vermiwash must be stored in a cool and dry place. The compost tea or vermiwash can be diluted to 10 to 20 percent and can be treated as a pesticide or fertilizer on the crop plants or on the soil. Additionally, after every 15 to 18 days, it is possible to harvest five to six liters of vermiwash or compost tea.
Storing and Using Your Compost
After waiting for roughly 10 to 15 days, the compost will be ready to use. The compost is a fantastic soil amendment that provides everything your plants need to grow healthy and happy. Here are some tips for storing and using your compost:
- Drain the water collection tray at least once every 8 to 10 days before harvesting.
- Let the bin sit under sunlight for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the worms to migrate towards the bottom of the compost.
- Slowly scoop out the upper 3 to 5 inch layer of the compost and keep the bottom layer in the tray as it will contain earthworms.
- The compost can be directly mixed with your potting soil or garden soil as a soil amendment which helps make nutrients available to plants.
- The compost can be used as a top dressing for your indoor and outdoor plants.
- The vermi wash or compost tea can be diluted to 10 to 20 percent and can be treated as a pesticide or fertilizer on the crop plants or on the soil.
- The collected vermi wash must be stored in a cool and dry place.
It is especially important to avoid adding meat or bones or any type of dairy product, bread, and excessive amounts of citrus. Large quantities of onion and citrus peels should also be avoided. To maintain the proper moisture level, cover the bin with the warm blanket that is given in the kit and pour some water on it. Doing so helps in maintaining your worm bin’s moisture, traps any type of odor, and doesn’t attract any type of outside pest.
After every eight to ten days, the compost can be harvested. Vermicompost is the best fertilizer for plants as it can be easily absorbed. All the organic material has undergone the breakdown process typically done by the worms. The compost tea or vermi wash contains necessary plant nutrients, plant growth-promoting hormones, enzyme symbiotic microbes, in addition to the macronutrients and micronutrients. Check the tray after every two to three days to see how much food scrap is left. After harvesting, continue to compost your food scraps by adding fresh food scraps and feeding your worms only as much as they can eat.