Worm Composting
From Hackteria Wiki
Contents
Concept
Worm composting can be done indoors in small apartments, as well as outdoors.
Some basics:
- Compost vegetable matter, even coffee rinds! - except egg shells - BUT no meat, no starch in your compost
- Moisture
- Not in direct sunlight
- Air circulation (turn it over)
- Balance the worm diet and balance YOUR diet! (too much citrus, coffee rinds will acidify, etc.)
There is a lot online on how to start one (links below) - this one aimed for these features:
- One person
- Balcony location
- No need to touch the worms
The design here assumes that the worms are smart enough to want to look for food, which comes from above.
Prototype
Materials and Tools
- Plastic garbage bin
- Plastic receptacle
- Plastic receiving tray
- Metal chickenwire / mesh
- Metal support rods
- Cutter for plastic
- Cutter for Wires
- Drill (to make airholes)
- A ziptie for a handle
- Salad turners for "tossing the compost" for aeration
Worms
Can you dig up worms yourself in the garden and do this? Probably yes.
Otherwise, look for suppliers in the neighborhood.
- Local farmer
- Online stores (see links below)
Build it
Observations and Improvements
Surprisingly, and luckily, hardly any worms try to escape from the bottom! There was never a need to "separate" the worms from the compost, which most articles suggested to do. But here are some things to do differently than this version.
- Need a bigger bin!
- Make the "bottom window" to take out the compost a bit higher off the ground, to catch the brown water
Links
Other articles
Worm Sources
- vers la terre (FR)
