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Composting Article
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How Composting with worms is done
Composting with worms is a method to recycle your unused food that would normally be thrown away. Recycling unused food garbage by composting with worms yields an earth scented soil conditioner that is rich in nutrients. This method of composting can be done year round either indoors or outdoors. In addition, composting with worms provides people in the confines of an apartment a way to recycle their food waste into rich compost.
To perform composting with worms you will need a container that equals about one square foot of surface area per weekly pound of food waste. Your container should be made of either plastic or wood. Wood seems to be absorbent of the excess liquids created by the fermenting process combined with the worms digestive process. Your container needs to have holes drilled into the bottom for aeration, venting and moisture drainage. You container must also have a cover to help provide cool, dark conditions for the worms.
After you have acquired a container, you will need to furnish the container with a layer of bedding. This is where the worms will live and to bury food waste. For bedding, you may use shredded newspaper or cardboard, sawdust, seaweed, chopped straw, dead plant material, shredded aged and dry leaves or even mature compost or aged manure. You must moisten any dry bedding materials used before adding them to the container. The bedding should be moist like a wrung out sponge, filling about three quarters of the container and loosely packed with air pockets for odor control and ease of movement for the worms.
Next, you will need worms. The two types of earthworms that work best for composting with worms are Eisenia foetida, also known as red, red wiggler, brandling or manure worms and Lumbricus rubellus, which are often found in mature compost and aged manure.
Finally, if you keep your bin for composting with worms indoors you will want to store your compost bin in the basement, under the sink or any other warm dry and dark spare space that is between 40-80 degrees F in temperature. If you decide to store your bin for composting with worms outdoors, you will want to store it on the patio or balcony, in the shed or garage or even in the yard out of the hot sun or pouring rains. Anytime the temperature drops below 40 degrees F where your bin is stored, it must be moved inside or insulated well.
If your bin for composting with worms is set up correctly, there will be little or no maintenance beyond dumping the composted contents every 2-3 months.
Composting Specific links
Composting News
Recycling and Composting Drive Success of Diversion and Recovery Goals at 2012 ... - MarketWatch (press release)
Recycling and Composting Drive Success of Diversion and Recovery Goals at 2012 ... MarketWatch (press release) Eighty-two percent of tournament materials were recovered from the waste stream through recycling, composting, material reuse and charitable donations - far exceeding the goal of 70 percent. While the tournament ran from January 30 to February 5, ... |
Composting 101: It's not that hard to get started & environmental benefits are ... - CultureMap Houston
Composting 101: It's not that hard to get started & environmental benefits are ... CultureMap Houston By Tiffany Harelik Consider this: Every year we send millions of tons of food waste and yard clippings to landfills that could otherwise be composted. Austin event production company Green Fern Events (GFE) is offering tips on composting to the next ... |
Toss that toothbrush onto the compost heap - Kansas City Star
Toss that toothbrush onto the compost heap Kansas City Star The toothbrush is designed to fully compost within 3 to 6 six months when sent to a commercial composting facility. Simply sending the toothbrush and caseto the landfill will not allow it to biodegrade because that kind of site is not designed for that ... |
Compost operation at crossroads - Cape Gazette
 Cape Gazette | Compost operation at crossroads Cape Gazette By Melissa Steele | May 18, 2012 Photo by: Melissa Steele Bruce Blessing sells compost and fertilizer produced at his flower stand on Route 1 south of Milford. His compost business is applying for a new permit after his previous permit expired Dec. |
Compost cheaters add to trash debate - Northwest Cable News
Compost cheaters add to trash debate Northwest Cable News In the last six months, haulers with Portland Disposal and Recycling say they've noticed a big increase in people sneaking trash into their green compost bins. The trend started around the time the city of Portland started its new curbside composting ... |