In our sharehouse the scrap container is always overflowing and the compost bins are so stuffed full that it takes three or more inhabitants to turn it. (It is amazing how difficult it is to find the requisite crew, twice a year if we’re lucky!) And why do we have the world’s most finicky chickens? I’ve detailed my trials with their refusal of snails before, but why do they refuse perfectly good veg scraps? Spoiled little beggars!
But one wasn’t enough, oh no to handle six people we had to expand the enterprise! And with our never ending supply of broccoli boxes we could do it all for free!
The Drainage Container
This is where all the excess water from the worm farm goes to prevent the worms drowning. You can collect “worm juice” by placing a plastic container underneath. Dilute this juice to look like weak tea before applying to your garden to prevent burning your plants.
The jury is out on whether “worm juice” is the miracle elixir people claim it to be, but as it is in effect diluted worm castings it is still beneficial for the garden, just don’t expect your plants to sore skywards with a backing choir of angels.
The Worm Residence
Protected from the elements, sun, rain and cold. The worms within are not your hardy garden variety earth worm, their delicate little red worms that live at the surface of forest floors in places like the Amazon. They need things Well drained, but moist, well-ventilated, and protected from extremes of heat and cold.
Placing the farm in a sheltered corner close to the house is a good idea. Being from the southern hemisphere we chose the south side of our house, under an eave, protected from the western sun and next to our back door.
ingredients
tools
step 1
Cut the end off you plastic soft drink bottle, this is your drainage “tap”. Un do the lid when you want the jucie to flow into your container. I tend to just leave it off and empty the container underneath regularly. Just make sure your worm farm doesn’t dryout by regularly watering it.
step 2
Mark and cut a hole the same size as the bottle mouth in the centre of the bottom of the drainage poly box. Thread the top of the bottle through the hole and tape in place on both sides.The lid side should face outward.
step 3
Elevate the drainage box on bricks high enough to easily place the worm juice collection container underneath.
Place two bricks inside to weight the box down, and to create “worm islands” for any worms that fall through so they don’t drown.
step 4
In the second box punch drainage holes 6cm apart with a screw driver in the bottom. Place a piece of shadecloth or hessian in the bottom to stop the worms falling through before the farm is established, you won’t have to worry about the hessian breaking down because these worms are surface dwellers and as the worm casting build up they will move upwards.
step 5
Punch ventilation holes in the top edge as well at a similar spacing to allow the farm to “breath”.
step 6
Mix together the ingredients for the worm bedding and place in a 6 cm layer on the cloth. This will be both their bed and all they food they need for the next two weeks while they get settled.
Coco coir, shredded cow manure, aged compost, shredded newspaper/paper and garden soil to add a host of friendly bacteria.
The bedding material should absorb moisture, create pockets of air, contains elements high in carbon so it is slow to breakdown. The worms will be able to snack on this as they settle in, but will prefer the veg scraps when added.
step 7
Water this in and test to see the farm drains properly before adding the worms. If you have bought warms they will have come with their own bedding, but we just took a yogurt container full from an older worm farm.
step 8
Add damp carboard or hessein on top to keep the bedding moist and dark, thes worms are very UV sensitive.
step 9
Add lid and leave for two weeks.
step 10
After 2 weeks add finely chopped food scraps. No acidic citrus or onion,they won’t eat it. The finer, the quicker they will digest it. A worm will eat half its body weight in food a day. They will double their population every 90 days so over time you can add more scraps without worrying about them going mouldy. Ground up eggshells will prevent the farm from getting to acidic and smelling, it will also help the worms digest their food by grinding it up in their stomach. Just feed them small amounts at first, don’t add more until most of the last scraps are gone.
Dilute the worm juice with water to 1:10.
Don’t worry if you go away, the worms will eat the bedding and carboard. Just don’t let it dry out!
