CityofMiddletown PilotVermicomposting Program

Thisprogramispossiblebecauseofa grantfromtheRockfallFoundationand theStateofConnecticutDept.of EnvironmentalProtection.Itstartedin 2002.Inanefforttoincreaserecycling efforts,theCityinitiatedasmallscale institutionalfoodwaste vermicompostingproject.Thisproject willtakefoodscrapsfromlocaldining hallsandfeedthemtothewormsto compostthem.Agreenhousewasbuilt toprovideastableenvironmentforthe worms. Benefitsofthisprograminclude: Reductionofwet,highnitrogen wastebeingsentfordisposal Reductionofairadmissionsandash disposal Reductionofsolidwastedisposal costsforparticipatingfacility Increaseinlocalandstaterecycling

Vermicomposting
Aguidetoworm composting

Benefits
Vermicompostismorenutrient richthanothercomposting methods.Italsocontainsworm mucus,whichpreventsnutrients fromwashingaway,andholds moisturebetterthanthanplain soil.Vermicompostcanbeused tomakecomposttea,whichcan beusedasafertilizer. Otherbenefitsinclude: Improvedphysicalstructure Soilenrichedinmicro organisms Moreplanthormonesand enzymes Deepburrowingearthworms Improvedwaterholding capacity Enhancedgermination,plant growthandcropyield Improvedrootgrowthand structure

KimORourkeRecyclingCoordinator
245deKovenDr. Middletown,CT06457 kim.orourke@cityofmiddletown.com 860.344.3526

CityofMiddletown

Vermicomposting:
Vermicompostingisthebreakdownof organicmatterbycertainspeciesof earthworms.RedWigglersorred wormsaremostoftenusedin vermicomposting.Thesewormsare availablefromnurserymailorder suppliersorfishingstores.Smallscale vermicompostmaythenbeturnedinto highqualitysoil.

Whatisit?

Bins
Forsmallscalevermicomposting,a varietyofbinsareavailable.If constructingyourownbin,plasticor woodisrecommended,butplastic requiresmoredrainage.Wedalso recommendagainstpressuretreated wood.Allbinsshouldhaveholesinthe sidesforairflowandaspoutorholesin thebottomtodrainintoacollection tray. Herearesomeadditionalresourcesfor moreinformationabout vermicompostingbins: www.wormwoman.com www.happydranch.com www.mastercomposter.com www.compostinfo.com www.composters.com/index

GKimO Vermicomposting

GettingStarted
Whenstarting,moistbeddingisplacedinthebinandthe wormsareadded.Wastecanbeaddeddailyorweekly.Atfirst donotfeedthewormsmorethanhalfoftheirbodyweight, butaftertheyhavebecomeadjustedtheycanbefedupto theirfullbodyweight.Donotaddnewfoodontopofoldfood untiltheoriginalhasbeenprocessed. Bedding:Wormsliveinandfeedoffthebedding.Bedding mustbehighincarbon,looseandshouldmimicdecaying leaves.Shreddednewspaper,sawdust,hay,cardboard,burlap coffeesacks,peatmoss,agedmanure,ordryleavescanbe used. Temperature:Wormspreferatemperaturebetween55and 70F.Thetemperaturecannotbebelowfreezing(32F)or above89.6F. Food:Wormsprefera30:1ratioofcarbontonitrogen.Brown matter,suchasshreddedpapersisrichincarbon.Green matter,suchasfoodscraps,isnitrogenrich. Suitable:Suitablefoodforwormsincludescoffeefilterand grounds,teabags,platescrapings,rottingfruit,vegetable peelsandmoldybread.Becarefultonotaddtoomuch kitchenwaste,andoccasionallysprinklegardensoiltohelp thewormsdigesttheirfood. Unsuitable:Donotusehighwatercontentmaterialssuch aswatermelonrindsoranythingthathasbeentreatedwith pesticidesorotherchemicals.Avoid addingmeatscraps,bonesorspicedfoods likeonions,garlicorsalt. BinMaintenance:Wormsneedoxygensothe binmustbreathe,soeitherremovecomposted materialregularly,addholestothebinorusea continuousflowbin.Checkmoisturelevelsand oxygenflowatleastonceaweek.KeepthepH slightlyalkaline(above7). Feeding: Topfeeding:organicmaterialisplaced directlyontopofexistingbeddingand thencoveredwithanotherlayerof bedding.Thisisrepeatedeverytimethe wormsarefed. Pocketfeeding:atoplayerofbeddingis maintainedandfoodisburiedunderneath. Thelocationoffoodischangedeachtime, rotatingaroundthebintogivetheworms timetodecomposethefood.Thetoplayer isbeddingisreplenishedasnecessary. Harvesting:Vermicompostisreadytobe harvestedwhenitcontainsfewtonoscraps ofuneatenfoodorbedding.