I
t looks as if I got a worm composter just in time: my allotment site has banned the addition of household waste to compost heaps, because they are concerned that it was encouraging vermin. Having written recently about rats and compost, I am not entirely convinced by their argument, but them's the rules, so I have to toe the line (barring the lot of peelings I took down to the plot and deposited on the heap before I spotted the sign...)
So thank goodness the kitchen waste now has a destination other than the landfill: the wormery. I've got around to uploading photos of the Can-O-Worms setup process, which you can see in this blow-by-blow photo gallery. Please let me know what you think.
As far as I can see, the worms seem pretty happy so far. I am gradually adding more waste and they are rooting around. My partner is bemused by my daily worm updates but vindicated in his choice of birthday presents.
i was expecting some kind of viewing window so you could get a good look at the worms in action.
Posted by: louise | February 07, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Thanks for this handy guide! I actually found that the council subsidises can o worms in my area, so I have already one ordered :) Hopefully this guide will help me avoid confusion ^_^
Posted by: Sinta | February 08, 2008 at 09:24 AM
Great pictures - I like the aide memoir! I find that I need all the help I can get these days!!
Karen
http://wigglywigglers.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Karen | February 08, 2008 at 01:52 PM
What great progress. I love the pics of the Can-O-Worms and I hope you don't mind me referring people over this way, so they can be encouraged even more. Looks like I may be needing your Allotment Keeper's Handbook too if we get allotments in our neck of the woods. With best wishes from your new worm buddy.
Posted by: Almost Mrs Average | February 08, 2008 at 05:13 PM
Thats a fairly drastic rule, I hope it doesn't spread to other allotment sites.
Posted by: earthwoman | February 08, 2008 at 06:26 PM
One can-o-worms is going to take a while to handle all your kitchen waste as they take time to get established. Supplement the wormery with a couple of Bokashi bins and you'll be sorted (they can also take cooked foods and meat). Finished Bokashi can be added to either your compost bin, the wormery or straight in the ground (and only takes 2 weeks per bin). They're available from Wiggly Wigglers.
Posted by: Simon Sherlock | February 09, 2008 at 09:09 AM
I agree with Simon about the addition of a Bokashi bucket - always useful if you don't have dogs to finish up those meat and fish bits). You can also buy extra trays for the Can-o-Worms and can add up to another two trays, making five in total.
Posted by: Karen | February 14, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Where can you buy one of these in the USA?
Posted by: Jessica | June 30, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Thanks for the step-by-step gallery. I just set up my wormery this morning but I got mine from a user on Freecycle, so it didn't come with anything - just the actual contraption itself. Having ordered the relevant bits (and, of course, the worms), I got it all up and wriggling a few hours ago.
Posted by: Jay Wilson | July 18, 2008 at 01:59 PM