If you want to help the environment by recycling kitchen waste, why not consider making vermicompost in your own backyard? Vermicomposting is the process of using worms to help you produce a composting chemical, which you can then use in your own home composting system. The electricity required to run aHot-bed style of vermicomposting system is low, costing you even less to run your everyday kitchen composter.
You will definitely be huge pleased to know that it can be made using the same materials that you use for your composting bins. That means that you can use straw bales, feed store-bought manure, shredded paper or sawdust to make your rich black soil.
But if you’re looking for low-maintenance, yet high-quality composting, you might want to consider checking out the Hot-bed style of vermicomposting. This is exactly the kind of system that you can use to create nutrient-rich compost with minimal effort on your part.
The other great thing about the Hot-bed style of worm composting is that you don’t have to keep it covered! Once it’s bedding materials have been added, you can simply add more food scraps on top of the existing bedding materials.
How does vermicomposting work?
In the past, people have used disgusting phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers to speed up the process of decomposition. Thankfully, it is fairly easy to not use these kinds of chemicals, since the process is accomplished through the use of beneficial microbes. These microbes depend on the good temperature, humidity and levels of oxygen in the bin, much like the human body.
But you still need to keep the bin covered in order to protect the microbes and their benefits.
This is actually a very simple process. It consists of gradually introducing beneficial microorganisms into the bin over a period of time. If you Vitamin B-12 deficient plants are added into the bin, they will begin to grow more quickly. This will help assure that the bin is treating the nutrients in the right manner.
All you need to do to maintain the health of your beneficial microbes is to change the bedding and municipality you keep your vermicomposting bin. This is usually done once or twice a month. You may also choose to add more scraps during this process.
Once your bin has been prepared, it is ready for use. Here are some things you should know about your bin and how to use it correctly.
coarse soil – this will be mixed with your fine soil to make the soil easier to use
Water – containing as much water as possible is very important for the microbes to survive
Organic wastes – any organic waste that you can find in your house or out of your waste bin is good enough for the vermicomposting process
Nitrogen – if you want your vermicomposting bin to be colorful and active, you’ll need some nitrogen. This is commonly found in animal manure, fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, eggshells and even hair and fur
Phosphorus – if you want your pile to be attractive, you’ll need the right phosphorus. It helps the cell walls of the organisms to remain stiff and also helps them to produce larger, more complex structures
Potassium -plescium and magnesium are the middlemen. They all have different functions, which is why they all belong in this family.
You can start your own vermicomposting system with a plastic bin or a zinc bin. They are also available in metal and wood. Wood is generally lighter and cheaper, while metal is heavier and more expensive. But if you want a system that’s very basic, inexpensive and easy to build, then plastic is probably the way to go.
