GARDENER'S READING ROOM
Organic Gardening

All Worms Are Not Created Equal

Did you know that: earthworms act as miniature plows and fertilizer spreaders, aerating the soil, turning dead organic matter into fertilizer, and placing that fertilizer near your plants' roots?

Did you know that: earthworms act as a barometer for soil health? Rich soil is usually rich in worms!

Did you know that: earthworms cannot proliferate where chemical fertilizers and pesticides are used too heavily?

All worms are not created equal. For vermicomposting (turning food scraps into black, nutrient-rich humus), red wigglers are the best! They process the largest quantity of food waste of any worm species, and unlike earthworms, they reproduce well in captivity. Red wigglers produce very high quality compost out of food waste we would otherwise send to the landfill. Composting with worms is also a good way for kids to get involved in gardening—and to learn to respect even the earth's humblest creatures.

Getting a worm bin started is easy. Sky sells nice cedar worm boxes, or you can use a large plastic or Rubbermaid container (you'll need some drainage holes in the latter). Sky's box with 2 pints of red wigglers is well suited for a family of four, composting 3 to 5 pounds of food waste a week.

Place your worm bin where the temperature stays below 80º in the summer and above 40º in the winter. Give the worms several inches of barely dampened bedding: shredded newspaper, coconut fiber, peat, or leaves. Feed your worms vegetable and fruit scraps, pasta, bread, even coffee grounds and filters. No meat or dairy, please! Just bury the food waste in the bedding and let the worms do the rest.

Worms Eat My Garbage, by Mary Appelhof, will give you a fuller understanding of red wigglers' needs. You'll find it, plus everything you need to get started, here at Sky Nursery.

By Deborah Abbott
Skylights Spring 2006, Vol 20, No. 1

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