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Kitchen scraps are an excellent material for composting
Garden composting is a method to grow plants naturally without using synthetic forms of fertilizers. The common organic materials used for composting are animal manure, kitchen scraps, and wood chips. But did you know that worms are also an excellent source of compost? Using worm for compost is known as vermicomposting.
This method also uses other organic materials such as kitchen scraps but with the addition of worms. Some avid gardeners are interested in this composting method because it is a win-win process. You can recycle your kitchen scraps and turn them into natural plant food while giving the worms a happy home to stay. Moreover, it can help you save money from buying those expensive, commercialized plant fertilizers.
Although vermicomposting seems like a dirty method of making your own plant soil and food, a lot of gardeners agree that it is one of the most efficient and practical ways of composting. In fact, several states and cities have encouraged their citizens to give this natural composting a try. The City of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada, for instance, has an agriculture program in which all the residents are given free worm bins.
The program also gives a list of places where you can buy worms for your vermicompost. This makes it very accessible for the citizens of British Columbia to start their own vermicompost. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, on the other hand, also shows support to worm composting through their CalRecycle program. This program focuses on recycling and waste management around California.
Giving free worm bin can encourage people to start their own vermicompost
With this in mind, one can easily conclude that vermicomposting is indeed a safe method that gardeners can take advantage of to grow their plants healthily. For you to kick start your own vermicompost at home, there is one thing that you must have aside from organic materials and worms, of course. That would be your very own worm bins. If you are wondering what is the best worm composters to use for your vermicompost, then this article is for you.
Top 5 Best Worm Composter Reviews For Your Home Garden
#1 Nature’s Footprint- Worm Composter, Green/Terracotta/Black Color
Nature’s Footprint- Worm Composter, Green/Terracotta/Black Color. Via: Amazon.com
This worm composter by Nature’s Footprint has 4 flow-through trays. Thus, it makes the whole composting process quick and easy. It is also available in various colors, namely green, terracotta, and black colors. If you are looking for the best worm composter that you can use indoor and outdoor, then this is the perfect match.
Pros
- The product has four trays but can be expanded to eight trays, giving you more compost for your garden.
- This worm composter kit has the necessary tools to make your composting easy and quick.
- The lid can be used as a stand for trays when harvesting the compost.
- You can use this both for indoors and outdoors. Hence, you can make your compost regardless of the weather all year round.
- This best worm composter is also odorless; thus, it is safe to store inside your home.
- It is made in the USA, as well as giving you a 10-year warranty.
- It also comes with worm ladders, which guides the worms back to the upper tray.
- It has an instructional manual and DVD for your convenience during assembly.
- It also has bedding materials so that you can guarantee that your compost is of great quality.
Cons
- The unit has issues with leg unit.
- Although the trays can be expanded up to eight trays, it is still advisable to use only up to six to avoid damage.
#2 The Squirm Firm- Worm Composting Bin for Kids and Adults
The Squirm Firm- Worm Composting Bin for Kids and Adults. Via: Amazon.com
One of the best worm composters to date, this 4-tray worm bin from The Squirm firm is designed for both kids and adults. Just like the other worm bin in this list, it is also expandable up to 8 trays. Moreover, it comes with a free refrigerator magnet.
Pros
- This complete vermicomposting container system is complete with the necessary tools for you to set up your own worm farm.
- It has worm ladders to help assist the worms in crawling back the upper trays.
- It also has extra accessories like thermometer, scraper, and hand rake.
- It has built-in worm tea collector for your convenience. Moreover, it has a spigot, which helps you drain the tray better.
- This vermicompost kit is highly recommended for novice and advanced gardeners as it has FREE instructional manual and DVD for our convenience.
- Since it has a built-in worm tea collector, you can use this vermicompost bin indoor.
Cons
- Some users complain that the holes are way too big.
- One customer said that the customer service is not very helpful.
#3 VermiHut- 5-Tray Worm Composting Bin
VermiHut- 5-Tray Worm Composting Bin. Via: Amazon.com
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative when it comes to worm compost bin, then this 5-tray worm composting bin from Vermihut is a great choice. Priced reasonably but with great efficiency, this vermicompost bin is perfect for worm farm– may it be indoor or outdoor.
Pros
- This impressive worm compost bin is odorless, giving your home clean air to breath when used indoor.
- The manufacturer offers a 3-year warranty.
- It automatically separates the worms from the worm composts, making it easier for you to harvest the compost.
- The lid has a universal fit, which means it is compatible to almost all worm compost bin available in the market.
- It doesn’t need much maintenance and is very easy to use.
Cons
- It doesn’t come with a rake, so you need to purchase that one separately.
- Flies may get in when not closed completely. So, make sure that the lids can be tightly closed.
#4 Nature’s Footprint- 5-Tray Worm Composter
Nature’s Footprint- 5-Tray Worm Composter. Via: Amazon.com
Eco-friendly products are a new rage nowadays. From the best fertilizers to use down to the eco-friendly hydroponic system. Well, if you want an eco-friendly product for your worm food, then this worm compost bin from Nature’s Footprint is the one for you. Made from recycled plastic, this compost bin is not just environment-friendly but economical as well.
Pros
- It is the best composting bin for kitchen scraps, cardboard, and junk mail.
- It has an odor-free operation.
- It produces solid compost and liquid fertilizer “worm tea,” giving you more compost in a single composting cycle.
- It has a 38-page manual instructions and DVD to assist you in the assembly.
- It comes with a spigot to help you drain the liquid fertilizer from the compost.
Cons
- It doesn’t have a top lid; thus, it is best if you avoid using it indoors. You can also buy a separate lid to cover the top.
- The lid is not tight enough that the worms may escape from the sides.
#5 Can O Worms- Worm Composting Bin
Can O Worms- Worm Composting Bin. Via:Amazon.com
If you want something out of the ordinary and break free from the usual box-type compost container for garden soil and for worm farm, then the best option is for you to buy this round-shape compost bin.
Pros
- It is made from 100 percent recycled plastic. There is no virgin plastic used in the product. It is an eco-friendly product, indeed!
- This is one of the best worm composters that you can use both indoors and outdoors.
- It has a drain spigot to help you harvest the liquid fertilizer.
- It has 2 large trays for your worms and a liquid tray collector at the bottom for the worm tea.
- It also has a ventilated fly proof lid; hence, you can guarantee that no flies or insects can get inside and contaminate your compost.
- It has no awful smell when in used, perfect for indoor use.
Cons
- There’s an issue about leaks, so it is best if you check right after purchasing.
- It is quite heavy to lift.
Worms can help turn kitchen scraps into a soil improver and plant food
Dos And Don’ts In Worm Composting
2018 is the perfect year to give your organic garden a fresh start by incorporating all-natural fertilizer from vermicompost. However, if you are a novice or a beginner in vermicomposting, it is normal that you may not get your desired compost quality on the first try. Buy why settle for a trial and error chance if you can do something to secure the quality of both solid and liquid composts, right? In this section, we are going to discuss the Dos and Don’ts when giving vermicompost a try.
The Dos in Worm Composting:
- When composting, it is important to have a balanced moisture. So, if your compost is way too moist, please add more brown organic materials. If it is too dry, then add more “green” instead.
- Do smell your compost every now and then to check the quality of your compost. If your vermicompost starts to smell bad, then you might be feeding your worms too much that they can’t process the organic materials as fast before they rot.
- Cut or break materials into small pieces before adding them in your vermicompost. This makes it easier for the materials to be eaten and decomposed.
- If you are going to use a newspaper, use the non-colored ones or the black and white text only. This is to lessen the ink as it can be harmful and toxic to your worms.
- Do try several worm food as they might like a particular food as compared to others. This will give you more compost in the end.
- Make sure to give your worms a nice bedding. Most gardeners mostly recommend the best to use and are shredded newspapers.
- Follow the recommended ratio, which is the 2:1. This means that the worms should be twice as much as your compost materials. If you have half a pound of kitchen scraps, then you must have 1 pound of worms.
The Don’ts of Worm Composting:
Don’t mix plastic, glass, metal, or any pesticide in your compost as they can be toxic to your worms.
- Don’t mix plastic, glass, metal, or any pesticide in your compost as they can be toxic to your worms.
- Don’t overfeed the worms as this can encourage the growth of unwanted bacteria.
- Avoid adding dairy products, meat, or oil. They are made from complex compounds and are very hard to decompose.
- Don’t feed hot manure to your worms. This can affect the ideal climate of your vermicompost, thus affecting the quality of your compost.
- Avoid salty and acidic scraps like fresh pineapple leftovers. This can make your compost smell bad.
- Although bugs and flies help in the decomposition of the materials, it is still best if you avoid these flies and insects in your vermicompost. This is because they might bring unwanted bacteria in your compost, affecting your compost and worm tea’s quality.
Check the Moisture Level of Your Worm Composter
The best worm composters are those that can provide your worms the best climate. As you may know, the moisture level of your vermicompost can affect its quality. To help you out in this issue, we have listed three tips to monitor the right moisture level of your worm bin.
- Check the moisture level of the food or material you add to your compost. Sometimes, the food you add has too much moisture in them. For instance, watermelons are watery fruit, so adding them in your compost may change its moisture level.
- Use dry newspapers or cardboards to regulate the moisture of your worm bin. If you think that your worm bin has a high level of moisture, then adding a few pieces of newsprint can regulate the moisture back to normal.
- Consider the weather or climate, especially if you are vermicomposting indoors. The humidity level of your vermicompost can affect the worms.
Test the moisture level of your compost every now and then
Conclusion
Vermicomposting is a great alternative to replace your synthetic fertilizer. However, not all worm castings are created equal. The quality of your worm bin can also affect the quality of your compost. Thus, it is especially important to choose the best worm composters for your vermicompost. Out of the five choices listed above, my personal choice is Nature’s Footprint- Worm Composter, Green/Terracotta/Black Color. It is a complete worm container system with necessary accessories. It also has instructional manual and DVD for assembly. It can also be expanded up to eight trays and is odorless. Lastly, it has a 10-year warranty from the manufacturer.
Have you got your worm composter yet? Comment your thoughts below. Thanks for reading!
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