verm:vermiculture

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verm:vermiculture [2025/12/23 14:44] – Dave Darbyverm:vermiculture [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Vermiculture (worms)+This topic is part of [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. 
 +====== Vermiculture (worms) ======
  
  
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-## What is vermiculture?+===== What is vermiculture? =====
  
 Worm composting, or 'vermiculture', means using small wriggly red worms to produce [compost](/cpst/composting) and liquid fertiliser from kitchen, garden or agricultural waste. The most common compost worm is _Eisenia fetida_ (common names tiger worm, red worm, brandling worm or red wrigglers). They can be found in gardens living under stones, flowerpots and logs, and in large quantities in compost heaps and manure piles. They live in decaying organic material and feed on the bacteria which grow there, so they naturally migrate into piles of decaying matter such as heaps of leaves, compost or manure. If the conditions suit them (i.e. not too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry or too acidic) they breed, and soon the heap is teeming with wriggly red worms. They are different from earthworms in that they are smaller, and live on decaying matter at the surface rather than burrowing deep underground. Worm composting, or 'vermiculture', means using small wriggly red worms to produce [compost](/cpst/composting) and liquid fertiliser from kitchen, garden or agricultural waste. The most common compost worm is _Eisenia fetida_ (common names tiger worm, red worm, brandling worm or red wrigglers). They can be found in gardens living under stones, flowerpots and logs, and in large quantities in compost heaps and manure piles. They live in decaying organic material and feed on the bacteria which grow there, so they naturally migrate into piles of decaying matter such as heaps of leaves, compost or manure. If the conditions suit them (i.e. not too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry or too acidic) they breed, and soon the heap is teeming with wriggly red worms. They are different from earthworms in that they are smaller, and live on decaying matter at the surface rather than burrowing deep underground.
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-## What are the benefits of vermiculture?+===== What are the benefits of vermiculture? =====
  
 Wormeries are good for dealing with cooked food waste (including small amounts of meat and fish) which you might not wish to put into a normal compost heap because doing so would encourage rats. Wormeries are usually rat-proof, unlike compost heaps. It's much better to compost all your food waste at home, as any that goes into your black bags will usually end up in landfill, where it will break down anaerobically, producing various types of pollution including large amounts of greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. Wormeries are good for dealing with cooked food waste (including small amounts of meat and fish) which you might not wish to put into a normal compost heap because doing so would encourage rats. Wormeries are usually rat-proof, unlike compost heaps. It's much better to compost all your food waste at home, as any that goes into your black bags will usually end up in landfill, where it will break down anaerobically, producing various types of pollution including large amounts of greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change.
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 It can be educational and fascinating to keep a wormery, and a wormery is a good use for a shady corner of the balcony or garden where not much would grow. It can be educational and fascinating to keep a wormery, and a wormery is a good use for a shady corner of the balcony or garden where not much would grow.
  
-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Buy or make yourself a wormery, buy or find some redworms or tiger worms (also known as brandling worms), and start composting with worms! Buy or make yourself a wormery, buy or find some redworms or tiger worms (also known as brandling worms), and start composting with worms!
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-### Get a wormery and some worms+==== Get a wormery and some worms ====
  
 It is very straightforward to make a suitable wormery from old plastic boxes (or wooden ones) using basic DIY skills. You will easily find plans and youtube videos showing different methods of doing it, but in essence a wormery is just a light-proof box with a lid, some ventilation holes (preferably covered with fly-proof mesh), and provision to collect and drain off the worm liquid. Factory-made plastic wormeries are usually a set of stacking trays each about 3-4 inches (75-100mm) deep: this design can be convenient as it is space-efficient and makes removing finished compost easier, as the worms will always move into the top layers of freshest material leaving just compost in the bottom layers. Home-made wormeries are usually just a single lidded box about 2ft (600mm) deep, though a shallower box with a bigger surface area will work just as well or better. It is very straightforward to make a suitable wormery from old plastic boxes (or wooden ones) using basic DIY skills. You will easily find plans and youtube videos showing different methods of doing it, but in essence a wormery is just a light-proof box with a lid, some ventilation holes (preferably covered with fly-proof mesh), and provision to collect and drain off the worm liquid. Factory-made plastic wormeries are usually a set of stacking trays each about 3-4 inches (75-100mm) deep: this design can be convenient as it is space-efficient and makes removing finished compost easier, as the worms will always move into the top layers of freshest material leaving just compost in the bottom layers. Home-made wormeries are usually just a single lidded box about 2ft (600mm) deep, though a shallower box with a bigger surface area will work just as well or better.
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 You can find suitable red wriggly worms in large quantities in some compost bins, manure piles, and piles of decomposing leaves. Alternatively you can buy wormery worms from several UK websites, or from fishing shops where the same types of worms are sold as fishing bait. You can find suitable red wriggly worms in large quantities in some compost bins, manure piles, and piles of decomposing leaves. Alternatively you can buy wormery worms from several UK websites, or from fishing shops where the same types of worms are sold as fishing bait.
  
-### Using the wormery+==== Using the wormery ====
  
 Worms prefer a mixed diet, so don't only feed them your cooked food - give them veg peelings, outer leaves, and damp cardboard and newspaper too. When you add cooked food, bury it just under the surface to discourage flies. If space allows, add the food to a different corner of the wormery each week, and cover with damp newspaper or cardboard. Although this is an ideal approach, most wormery owners just chuck it in anywhere and close the lid! Do break up, slice or chop the food and vegetable waste which you add to the wormery - a big chunk of bread or half a cabbage will take ages for worms to break down. Worms prefer a mixed diet, so don't only feed them your cooked food - give them veg peelings, outer leaves, and damp cardboard and newspaper too. When you add cooked food, bury it just under the surface to discourage flies. If space allows, add the food to a different corner of the wormery each week, and cover with damp newspaper or cardboard. Although this is an ideal approach, most wormery owners just chuck it in anywhere and close the lid! Do break up, slice or chop the food and vegetable waste which you add to the wormery - a big chunk of bread or half a cabbage will take ages for worms to break down.
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 </WRAP> </WRAP>
  
-### Overcoming problems+==== Overcoming problems ====
  
 The commonest problem which affects wormeries is that they get too wet. If the outlet tap blocks, then the wormery can fill up with worm-output liquid and the worms will drown. If the tap ever stops dripping, check for a blockage (often consisting of worms, food or compost particles, or a slug or snail). You can unblock the tap by poking a length of stiff wire up it. Better still, remove the tap and fit a larger outlet pipe that won't be so prone to blocking. The commonest problem which affects wormeries is that they get too wet. If the outlet tap blocks, then the wormery can fill up with worm-output liquid and the worms will drown. If the tap ever stops dripping, check for a blockage (often consisting of worms, food or compost particles, or a slug or snail). You can unblock the tap by poking a length of stiff wire up it. Better still, remove the tap and fit a larger outlet pipe that won't be so prone to blocking.
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/gardening). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [How to build a worm farm](https://modernfarmer.com/2013/05/how-to-build-a-worm-farm/) - [How to build a worm farm](https://modernfarmer.com/2013/05/how-to-build-a-worm-farm/)
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 - [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermicompost) - vermicompost - [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermicompost) - vermicompost
  
 +
 +===== Related topics =====
 +
 +- [[soil:Soil|Soil management]]
 +- [[vegg:Vegetable growing]]
 +- [[urbs:small-space gardening|Urban / small-space gardening]]
 +- [[cpst:Composting]] 
  
  
-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  • verm/vermiculture.1766501096.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2025/12/23 14:44
  • by Dave Darby