Starting a worm farm.
Have you got worms? And no, we're not talking about the bottom dwelling, jump around in your pants worms. We're talking about these beautiful, red composting worms. These compost creating creatures are perfect for the small scale gardener with limited space. In just a small container, these worms will get straight to work, processing all of your garden scraps and rewarding you with nutrient rich compost and potent liquid fertiliser for your garden.
So, why should you get worms? One of the most important reasons is minimising your kitchen waste. In Australia, we waste up to 30 percent of food that we purchase. What a waste of resources and your hard earned money! Instead of simply throwing out kitchen scraps, why not do something beneficial with it, such as feeding it to worms. These worms will eat almost anything! The only items to avoid putting into your farm are onions, citrus peel and meat. Also be sure not to put in rotting food. Would you eat rotten food? The worms certainly wont, and you will end up with a foul stench in your farm which will attract unwanted pests such as cockroaches and flies.
The first step in starting a worm farm is choosing what type of worm farm will best suit your needs. There are many different designs and sizes for many different purposes. You can buy pre-made worm farms, but I would highly recommend making one yourself from up-cycled materials (don't worry ,you don't have to be a qualified builder, they're easy enough to make), or even buying a second hand one from gumtree. If you are making your own worm farm, just be sure not to use anything that will leak chemicals into the farm, such as treated timber.
Once you have your worm farm, you will need to prepare it for the worms. Firstly, you must find a suitable location. The ideal location is cool in summer and warm in winter (easier said than done, I know). This will ensure that the worms have a steady, moderate climate all year round. Next, you can start to fill your worm farm. Start by placing a layer of compost into the farm. Soil can also be used, as long as it is not fertilised, although compost is recommended. Then, you are ready for your worms. You can buy worms from your local nursery, worm specialist or even bunnings (although try support local business, if possible). Worms will usually come in lots of 1000, which is the recommended amount to start with. Once established your worms will breed and you will also be able to add more. As a rule of thumb, there should be 1000 worms for each person in the house. Once you have added your worms, you should put hessian or some damp newspaper over the top to keep the soil moist, but not wet. If your farm gets too wet, your worms can drown, with no worm lifesavers on duty to perform CPR.
One of the biggest mistakes that people make is overfeeding the worms. Be observant of how much your worms are eating. If the food is starting to rot then you are overfeeding them. You may also want to chop up your food scraps and avoid throwing in large chunks. Some people even blend scraps before throwing them into the farm. This speeds up the process and prevents food rotting by making it easier for your worms to eat.
Every couple of months the compost in the farm will be ready to harvest. There are many techniques that you can use to entice the worms out of the ready to harvest compost. Firstly, you can place another level on top, and stop feeding the lower levels, forcing the worms to climb up levels in search of food, leaving the lower levels vacant. Another technique is putting the compost on a sheet out in the sun and placing some damp newspaper over a small section. The worms will seek refuge from the sun in this damp section and you can remove the other sections of compost. The worm wee on the other hand will be able to be harvested on a more regular basis. Check the worm wee levels regularly and harvest as required, as mosquitos like to breed in this part of the worm farm and it can become quite smelly. Some people even pour extra water through their worm farm (if they know that they have good drainage) to force the worm wee down into the catchment. When using the worm wee, be sure to dilute it to 10 parts of water to every 1 part of wee, as it is very potent. Finally, watch your garden thrive thanks to the amazing compost and liquid fertiliser provided from your little red friends.
So, with all of these benefits at such a little cost, who wouldn't want worms? Start a worm farm on your next day off and reap the rewards for years to come.
References
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1620935.htm
http://www.ecohouseandgarden.com.au/documents/3-ehg-factsheet-wormfarming.pdf
http://www.foodwise.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Worms-ONLINE-1.pdf
http://yourenergysavings.gov.au/waste/reducing-recycling/kitchen-food-waste/start-worm-farm
