Introduction
The wormery is a fantastic way to recycle food waste and give your garden the nutrients it needs without having to go out and buy expensive compost. It also helps reduce waste in general, as it means less rubbish goes into landfill sites. A wormery is a complete composting system: it includes worms which gobble up your kitchen scraps, leaving behind black gold that can be used in your garden or houseplants.
It’s a complete composting system
Composting is the process of breaking down organic matter, such as dead leaves or kitchen scraps, into a nutrient-rich soil. The result is called compost and can be used to fertilise gardens and plants.
Composting systems have been around for centuries. They are used by farmers and gardeners alike to create rich soil that will improve the growth of their crops and flowers. Composting also reduces waste while keeping harmful gases out of landfills (which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions).
Wormeries provide a relatively cheap way to create this valuable resource at home or in your community garden plot—allowing you to turn organic waste into fertiliser for your plants and soil!
Illustration of Egyptians farming near the pyramids thousands of years ago with their own method of composting
It can be used indoors or out
The wormery can be used in a shed, garage or garden. The only limitation is that you should be able to keep the unit away from direct sunlight and heat sources, and making sure it’s not freezing.
Worms eat all your kitchen scraps – including cooked foods
Another great benefit of using a wormery is that it can handle your kitchen scraps. This includes any cooked foods, vegetables, fruit and grains.
It’s important to note that worms cannot eat meat or dairy products.
The nutrients from the wormery are fantastic for your garden
You can also spread these nutrients on your garden as a soil dressing. The worms have eaten all the food waste and left behind the nutrients, which are in a form that is easy for plants to absorb. You can use this worm compost as an additive to improve the quality of your soil or just scatter it around plants that need extra nutrients.
The wormery is easy to maintain
The wormery is incredibly easy to maintain. All you need to do is add food and water, keep the lid on and watch your worms do their thing! You’ll know that your worm farm is working when you see lots of happy, wriggling earthworms.
You should also ensure that there are no fruit flies around by placing a piece of newspapers, cardboard or moisture mat into the wormery every now and then as these tend to get eaten by worms.
If you’re considering getting one for your home, take the time to explore your options before making a purchase. A good quality bin with plenty of room for food waste will last longer and work better than a cheaper model. You should also make sure that the worms you’re planning on using are suitable for your climate and can survive in their new environment. There are several different types of worm species available so it’s worth doing some research before settling on what type is right for you!