I've Got Worms

I knew that would catch your attention. But don't worry, these are the good kind of worms. So since I dropped cable I have had more time to implement better practices around my apartment. One of those things was setting up a worm composting system. Since I have an apartment, a backyard composting pile wasn't a good option, so after doing some research, I decided to go worm.

I know some of you very squeamish folks might think ewwwwwwwww. But, the composter is very neat, clean, and good for keeping inside. Yes, that is inside, your house/apartment. As long as you take care of it you'll have no stray worms or bad odors. It's the perfect way to stop throwing away food and cut down on your trash. And if you are like me, you'll think being able to tell people you have worms is another great perk. Another great thing about the worms is that any liquid the drains out of the bottom can be collected and then used as a great organic fertilizer for your potted plants or garden.

How it works:
You can get worm composters from Amazon or Etsy or even build your own.The number of trays you want and the size of the composter will depend on the size of your household (and how much you eat). Worms are best to source locally if you can find it, if not, you can order them online and have them delivered to your door...yep get 'em on Amazon. You start with one tray (your working tray) and add about a cup of food and fiber into your composter each day. Keep it moist (I keep a spray bottle of water next to mine) and in a cool dark place. And that's it for about a month or so. After about a month you can add another tray...which becomes your working tray, and that is where you add food to. About a month after you add a third tray, the bottom tray will turn into compost, which you can use for your plants or garden.

What kind of food:

• fruits and veggies and their peels.
• coffee grounds and tea leaves
• egg shells
• newspaper and other non-shiny paper
• grain-based foods (oatmeal, cereal, pasta, etc.)
• dead leaves and plant material from potted plants
• DON'T give your worms meat or dairy

**That's one of my worms in the composter (above right), but the worms are VERY shy. So it's hard to see them sometimes. 

Worm Juice:

Yep, the worm juice is powerful. Collect your lechate (or "tea") about once a week, depending on the size. Mix a cupful of worm juice with a gallon of water and give it to your plants! They will love your worm juice (on the right is the juice, on the left is my boyfriend spraying worm juice on the strawberries in my community garden plot).

Until next time, turn off and keep wrigglin'.
-Becca