Summer 2024

Composting in Small Spaces

by Lorraine Frey

Vermiculture, also known as worm composting or vermicomposting, is the practice of raising worms to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost for plants. It's a sustainable gardening technique that can reduce waste and improve soil health. Vermiculture is also a popular way to compost in small spaces. As composting popularity has increased, homeowners in small spaces or restricted situations have been looking for composting options that can work for them. These possibilities range from small, enclosed outdoor composting bins to worm composting that is practical indoors.

Vermiculture has been practiced by many cultures for centuries and remains an important part of Indigenous and traditional agricultural practices. In the United States, it became popular in the 1970s as part of the emerging organic food and gardening movement. Vermicomposting at home can be done cleanly and is a good solution for apartment dwellers. You can process all organic waste and create a powerful fertilizer for your garden or houseplants. A worm compost bin can be placed under the sink, in a closet, behind the couch or in the garage if the temperature is in the 65-70 degree Fahrenheit range.

Set up a worm bin at home in small spaces. Repurpose old bins, buckets, a bathtub or get heavy-duty storage containers as shown below for your worm composting bin. If you go this route, it’s a popular process to purchase two containers of the same size, which are stacked, as described below. The picture below shows two, 14 gal cold weather-resistant bins with snap-on tight lids. 
Ventilation is critical. On the bin, that will be the top bin, drill holes, all the way around, three inches from the top. Also, drill multiple holes in the bottom of that same bin, for drainage. Have several empty tuna cans available (see photo below for desired size) Place these cans on the bottom of the second bin, so that when you put the first bin into the second bin, the tuna cans will create enough height so that the air gets through to the worms.

Bedding

There are many options for bedding on the inside of the stacked bin. The ideal bedding is a woody material that can absorb moisture and provide aeration. Shredded cardboard or paper, peat moss, coconut coir, straw or hay. Mix water into the bedding until it feels like a wrung-out sponge, then put it into the bin and fluff it up. The worms should be able to easily wriggle through the bedding. You can also add some finished compost to provide grit for the worms and introduce microorganisms to help break down the contents of the bin faster.

Temperature

Worms used for vermicomposting survive a wide variety of temperatures but they thrive best in temperatures between 55 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. In this temperature range, worms eat the most food, produce the most babies, and create the most castings. Their activity will slow down if the temperature is outside this range. They need moist bedding in which to live. They will eat the bedding and convert it into castings along with their other food. This may mean putting an outdoor worm bin in a shaded location, at least in the summer.

Types of worms

Red Wigglers are the standard worm species used for vermiculture and vermicomposting. A pound of worms need at least one cubic foot of space to thrive. A 14-gallon tote, three-fourths full, provides about 1.5 cubic feet of area for the worms. The amount that worms eat depends on the temperature, level of decay in the food provided, and their level of happiness. The rule of thumb is that a pound of worms will eat one to two pounds of food in a week. You can purchase red wigglers online or at some Garden Centers.

Composting is a valuable contribution to improving the environment and natural ecology that benefits us all. While some of us face space or rule restrictions, there are solutions that can enable everyone to participate and contribute to improving the environment and natural ecology, which benefits us all. Vermiculture is clean, with little or no odor. The soil doesn’t require turning as the tunneling wrigglers provide aeration. It repurposes kitchen waste material. As to placement, there are countless possibilities if you use your imagination.

Sources: CARecycle.CA.Gov
Gardenerspath.com