First off, I do not refer to parasitic worms - my socks aren't infested with pinworms. That would certainly be cause for a "Gross!" shout (although pinworms are fascinating. Perhaps they'll be the subject of a future post, yes?)
So, what kind of worms do I have in my closet?
Fabulous worms, dah-ling, fabulous worms! They're called Eisenia fetida (genus and species) or, more commonly, they're known as the "red wiggler" or "red worm".
Alright, you say. So, you have a red worm in your closet, eh? What in the heck is it DOING in there?
Composting! That's right guys and gals, I'm the new owner of a vermicomposter - that's a composting bin that uses red wigglers to decompose vegetable, fruit, bread and paper waste into nutrient rich soil and leachate. Leachate, by the by, is a liquid that is packed with nutrients and is a byproduct of the breakdown of your food and paper wastes.
But, why should you even care about this? I can hear you asking already and I just know some of you are rolling your eyes at this point.
Fine, let me show you why you should care...
Here's some food for thought (no pun intended, but punny nonetheless!): How much of your trash consists of food waste? Potato skins, the ends of carrots or peppers or green beans, corn cobs, egg shells, coffee grounds and tea bags, to name a few?
A good bit, I dare say.
This bin allows for those food wastes to be naturally and odorlessly broken down into incredibly rich and healthy fertilizer for your plants and garden (indoor or out).
Well, they can break down in the trash heap instead of my yard or closet! Right?
Wrong.
If you had thrown those scraps into the landfill, I would suspect you would have your plastic trash bag tied tightly. You wouldn't want your trash leaking into your garbage bin, would you? However, here's the problem with that...A tightly tied bag makes those scraps hard to reach by the organisms that are responsible for decomposition. The food turns to a sloggy, soppy mush and instead of going into the ground and replenishing it with vital nutrients, it lounges in a bag for untold years.
Also, just as an aside, how much benefit is the ground underneath that nasty landfill going to reap from the few scraps that manage to get broken down? This is earth that's been horribly contaminated by countless chemicals and waste products. Why not use those scraps to benefit your own garden, houseplants, or local community? All the while, you're keeping more trash out of the landfill!
Now, let's dive back into your garbage barrel, shall we? How much of it consists also of junk mail, newspapers, and magazines?
Aha! I've got you there! I recycle, you say.
Sure, recycling is fantastic! Keep at it! But what's even better than recycling? Reusing. Less energy is expended by taking those paper scraps and composting them then would be spent transforming it into new paper for stamping, writing, and inking upon.
Okay, okay. I get it! So, how does it all work, you ask.
Simply.
Order a vermicomposter from online or at your local gardening store. I purchased the Worm Factory Composting Worm Bin System from Amazon (in case anyone is curious). Of course, the type of bin you want depends entirely upon your situation - where you live, the space you have, and even the color that you fancy.
Let's pretend you've placed an order, okay?
Congratulations! You've received your vermicomposter! Now what?
Upon arrival, follow the instructions that come with your composter to set up your bin and create a bedding for the worms. Here's a healthy tip: Make sure that you have purchased your composting bin before your worms. They'll need a good home to venture into immediately upon reaching your doors. Because you'll need a good number to get started - anywhere from 500 to 1000 worms (that's half a pound to one full pound of these little buddies) - it's easiest to simply order them from a dealer. Oh, and it's imperative that you order the red wigglers.
Why? I can just go outside and collect some after a good rain! What a ripoff, you mutter.
Now, now. Don't be rude. There are thousands of worm species and not all worms are created equally for this job.
Those red wigglers are perfect for a composting bin. They're capable of consuming their body weight in a single day, for instance! Also, they're able to operate within a contained environment more efficiently and capably than other species of worms. Red worms, you see, prefer living in the top few inches of soil as opposed to digging deep like night crawlers.
Nifty, huh? If you want to learn even more about these awesome guys, then I recommend the website Happy D Ranch (they'll even tell you about their mating methods - how cool is that?!)
Have I sold you on the idea of getting into composting with worms yet? They're compact, expedient, environmentally friendly, and simple to maintain! How about another lure - this method allows those of us without yards (apartment, condo, or townhouse dwellers) to reap the benefits of composting which ultimately results in excellent fertilizer and less waste going into the landfills! How fantastic is that? Very fantastic, boys and girls. Very!
So, get out there...dig a little deeper and research which composter is right for you. The more of us that are motivated to act consciously regarding our environmental impact, the better the world will be that we all share!
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