Simple Way To Make Vermicompost From Kitchen Waste At Home

Vermicompost is the compost product that produced using worms help usually red wigglers and other earthworms while the vermicomposting is the process to make vermicompost. This worm can help in decomposition of organic material such as vegetables or kitchen waste. Using kitchen waste or kitchen scraps in vermicomposting is the great idea to reduce waste and make something new useful. You can make vermicompost from kitchen waste at your home even in your kitchen.

Read more: The Advantages of Vermicompost

How to Make Vermicompost from Kitchen Waste At Home

Below are the ways to make vermicompost from kitchen waste or kitchen scraps at your home:

1. Looking around your home, which place is suitable to store your vermicomposting bin? In my opinion, the best place is in your kitchen under the sinks. The reason is we can feed the worm easily using kitchen waste, no messy and convenient.

2. Measure the dimension of area under sink. You can build a small wooden bin or use a plastic container that fit with the area measurement or smaller to make vermicompost from kitchen waste at home. The perfect bin should be 8-12 inches deep to easy accommodate the bedding, worms and the kitchen waste as food. Make sure the bin has some holes to give enough air.

3. Make worms bedding. 

Worms like a dark, warm and moist environment. You can use damp shredded leaves, newspaper or straw. Just make layer about 6 inches of the material you choose at the bottom of bin. Proper worms bedding will make vermicompost from kitchen waste successfully.

4. Put the earthworms into bin. 

You can buy healthy earthworms especially red wiggler at garden center. Once you buy it you can reproduce the worms so you can reuse them for next vermicompost production.

5. Feed the worms. 

The difficult thing to make vermicompost from kitchen waste at your home is feeding the worms. As beginner you need do some trial and error to get the appropriate amount of food which is fit with your bin size. You need to cut the kitchen waste into small pieces or even moldy before you feed the worms since it will be easier for worms to eat small pieces. Keep in mind that not all kitchen waste can be used as worms feed. To make vermicompost from kitchen waste successfully, you need to avoid meat and dairy products or greasy items. Lightweight vegetable such as lettuce is easier turn into casting by worms. You can start feed the worms with only a small amount of kitchen waste buried in the bedding. Check the kitchen waste in the bin in a day or 2 days. If the feed is empty and ate by the worms then you can increase the amount but don’t overfeed. This way can prevent a smelly bin.

6. Harvesting. 

You can harvest the casting or vemicompost after the kitchen waste and bedding are broken down and the smell is clean in few weeks. Remove the castings or vermicompost and start the process again.

7. Use the casting or vermicompost to boost your plant growth.

So there are the simple way to make vermicompost from kitchen waste at home. Bin cleanliness, healthy earthworms or red wiggler and appropriate amount of kitchen waste are the key success factor to make vermicompost from kitchen waste at home. Good luck..!

Reference: gardeningknowhow.com ; photo credit: icmag.com