UPDATE: We have modified this original design to a shallower, more airy worm bin. Check out our new design here, ryanishungry.com Cheers! Good Luck! ————————————– Barb Finnin is part of the amazing Freshtopia team. She’s a certified master composter- her specialty is Vermicomposting with worms. We were super excited to learn that we could compost in our city apartment with a homemade worm bin even though we don’t have a yard. Throwing food scraps away in the garbage is not something either of us enjoys, so having a green alternative has been more than satisfying for our sustainability goals. After 4 weeks, our worms are happy and thriving. Find out more about Vermicomposting and other forms of composting on Wikipedia. Visit Barb at Freshtopia.net. Runtime- 9:47
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25 Responses to Apartment Composting 101: Vermicompost with Barb Finnin
Good tips for apartment dwellers. The biggest prob most apartment people are that they have no space therefore they cannot do their part to reduce organic waste going to landfills. This video is great plus worm castings are fantastic for plants.
@Hectorsgarden1
You want to be careful not to overfeed as the excess food may rot create a toxic environment for them.
A worm will eat about half their weight in a day, so 2 lbs of worms will eat about a pound of food in a day.
Start slow. I would let the worms acclimate in their new bedding for about 24 hours before adding food..
When you do, add a little, then check back in a couple of days to see how fast they are eating and adjust.
As the population increases, you can add more.
I have been saving alot of my food scap for about a month now. I am waiting on my worms to arrive. Do i keep my scraps in the frigg or do i put it in a 5 gallon bucket till the worms get here? Thank you for any info.
Hectorsgarden1
November 23, 2011 at 10:22 pm Reply
@9aspengold5 i think the issue is glossy, more magazine-like stuff, rather than newspaper with colored ink.
mushymcsquishy
November 23, 2011 at 11:11 pm Reply
Great video! Really was the final thing that pushed me to start apartment composting. I have one question, and it’s really my biggest concern- how often do roaches get attracted to these bins? I live in NYC so it’s a big concern of mine to wake up one morning with roaches everywhere…
@Elledoubleyou13 That happens. Since you just started, there’s nothing for the worms to eat yet. They eat the bacteria that breaks food down, not the actual food. I leave my scraps in a bucket for a couple weeks and drain the liquid before putting it into the bucket.
PonderaProject
November 24, 2011 at 12:03 am Reply
About the toxic colored ink: I have two pet rats and asked my vet about using colored newspaper for toys and bedding. She did some research and said that colored newspaper ink used in the past was toxic to rats but the inks currently used are fine; however, the same does not go for magazine inks. I would assume (but don’t know for certain) that this is the same for worms.
@RyanIsHungry Thanks for the speedy reply, appreciate it 🙂
Elledoubleyou13
November 24, 2011 at 4:31 am Reply
@Elledoubleyou13 worms on the lid is normal. ours is like that too. i think they just like to move around. if there are a lot of them on the lid or sneaking out, there might be too much liquid or it’s too acidic.
I live in an apartment and made a worm bin a few days ago that I keep in the kitchen- but in the late afternoon and night time I always find worms sitting up in the lid. Is this normal? or am I doing something wrong?
Elledoubleyou13
November 24, 2011 at 4:56 am Reply
If you take tolet paper empty rolls cut them down them length wise the put the machine cut side into your shredder it will work nicely for bedding. If you want to take it a step further cut the strips into smaller pieces. Or have a shredder that shreds and cuts into bits.
@RyanIsHungry
it depends what color & paint is used on paper. some have lead in them or other petro chemical compounds. newspaper should not be used for that reason!!! ur worms wont die from it but it is still toxic! Just dont put any glossy paper in ut worm box.
@supersonicavengers chang the newspaper on top form time to time and no smell, there is something on bottom to catch the leakage and the leakage is also great for soil also known as worm tea (though i wouldn’t drink it, it’s for plants) and the worms are small but you only need tiny worm holes. Atop that the worms should be happy there with no reason to leave and will only populate to the point needed never over that so you’re safe
ThreeEyedTeddyBear
November 24, 2011 at 7:28 am Reply
@HairbyJUXTA
You do need to change the paper on it cause over time the smell does get through, anywhere from once a week to once a month or so will do ya fine and you may wanna kinda start fomr scratch, get as many worms out as ya can, clean the bin very well make sure not le leave soap behind and then go at it again
ThreeEyedTeddyBear
November 24, 2011 at 8:25 am Reply
What do you suggest for preventing fruit flies?
My bin was overtaken by them, and we had to move it to the balcony, but now I’ve been told that I have to trash the entire thing before summer arrives.
Seems like lining it with material to cover the hole might help in the beginning, but what do I do now that mine is riddled with gnats?
Good tips for apartment dwellers. The biggest prob most apartment people are that they have no space therefore they cannot do their part to reduce organic waste going to landfills. This video is great plus worm castings are fantastic for plants.
GreenCrusaders
November 23, 2011 at 9:45 pm
@Hectorsgarden1
You want to be careful not to overfeed as the excess food may rot create a toxic environment for them.
A worm will eat about half their weight in a day, so 2 lbs of worms will eat about a pound of food in a day.
Start slow. I would let the worms acclimate in their new bedding for about 24 hours before adding food..
When you do, add a little, then check back in a couple of days to see how fast they are eating and adjust.
As the population increases, you can add more.
LouMahoney
November 23, 2011 at 9:55 pm
I have been saving alot of my food scap for about a month now. I am waiting on my worms to arrive. Do i keep my scraps in the frigg or do i put it in a 5 gallon bucket till the worms get here? Thank you for any info.
Hectorsgarden1
November 23, 2011 at 10:22 pm
@9aspengold5 i think the issue is glossy, more magazine-like stuff, rather than newspaper with colored ink.
mushymcsquishy
November 23, 2011 at 11:11 pm
Yuck, worms in the kitchen.
paisleyyama
November 23, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Great video! Really was the final thing that pushed me to start apartment composting. I have one question, and it’s really my biggest concern- how often do roaches get attracted to these bins? I live in NYC so it’s a big concern of mine to wake up one morning with roaches everywhere…
renata161616
November 23, 2011 at 11:49 pm
@Elledoubleyou13 That happens. Since you just started, there’s nothing for the worms to eat yet. They eat the bacteria that breaks food down, not the actual food. I leave my scraps in a bucket for a couple weeks and drain the liquid before putting it into the bucket.
PonderaProject
November 24, 2011 at 12:03 am
About the toxic colored ink: I have two pet rats and asked my vet about using colored newspaper for toys and bedding. She did some research and said that colored newspaper ink used in the past was toxic to rats but the inks currently used are fine; however, the same does not go for magazine inks. I would assume (but don’t know for certain) that this is the same for worms.
ShandiGP
November 24, 2011 at 12:51 am
Great video ladies, one of the best on the web on this subject.
I3addogy
November 24, 2011 at 1:33 am
I tried to go to freshtopia . net and I got a “Site Forbidden” message. Help!
936Dancer
November 24, 2011 at 2:03 am
@HairbyJUXTA Fruit flies are actually beneficial to a worm bin, unfortunately they are ANNOYING and can spread disease.
Problems with gnats and fruit flies are due to excessive moisture/inadequate drainage, and/or poor ventilation.
mmmmmarcus
November 24, 2011 at 2:59 am
I’m new to vermicomposting, but my friend who introduced it to me did say that colored ink is toxic to the worms, so be careful!
rhuber89
November 24, 2011 at 3:36 am
Woa through the whole thing I kept hearing a serious draft goin through the house:((
p.s. cute worms:))
jrock99618
November 24, 2011 at 4:02 am
@RyanIsHungry Thanks for the speedy reply, appreciate it 🙂
Elledoubleyou13
November 24, 2011 at 4:31 am
@Elledoubleyou13 worms on the lid is normal. ours is like that too. i think they just like to move around. if there are a lot of them on the lid or sneaking out, there might be too much liquid or it’s too acidic.
RyanIsHungry
November 24, 2011 at 4:36 am
I live in an apartment and made a worm bin a few days ago that I keep in the kitchen- but in the late afternoon and night time I always find worms sitting up in the lid. Is this normal? or am I doing something wrong?
Elledoubleyou13
November 24, 2011 at 4:56 am
If you take tolet paper empty rolls cut them down them length wise the put the machine cut side into your shredder it will work nicely for bedding. If you want to take it a step further cut the strips into smaller pieces. Or have a shredder that shreds and cuts into bits.
Allen2045
November 24, 2011 at 5:00 am
@crock703 I’m wondering if you can’t just use bait worms. And then, when there get to be too many worms, use them to go fishing?
MorganBatChava
November 24, 2011 at 5:40 am
@echicao we have a shredder too, and it’s a great way to make the newspaper bedding.
RyanIsHungry
November 24, 2011 at 6:11 am
i am very interested to know this too. my plants have attracted them too.
mujkocka
November 24, 2011 at 6:16 am
@RyanIsHungry
it depends what color & paint is used on paper. some have lead in them or other petro chemical compounds. newspaper should not be used for that reason!!! ur worms wont die from it but it is still toxic! Just dont put any glossy paper in ut worm box.
larsinla
November 24, 2011 at 6:33 am
if i put the newspapers in the shredder will it work too?
echicao
November 24, 2011 at 6:52 am
@supersonicavengers chang the newspaper on top form time to time and no smell, there is something on bottom to catch the leakage and the leakage is also great for soil also known as worm tea (though i wouldn’t drink it, it’s for plants) and the worms are small but you only need tiny worm holes. Atop that the worms should be happy there with no reason to leave and will only populate to the point needed never over that so you’re safe
ThreeEyedTeddyBear
November 24, 2011 at 7:28 am
@HairbyJUXTA
You do need to change the paper on it cause over time the smell does get through, anywhere from once a week to once a month or so will do ya fine and you may wanna kinda start fomr scratch, get as many worms out as ya can, clean the bin very well make sure not le leave soap behind and then go at it again
ThreeEyedTeddyBear
November 24, 2011 at 8:25 am
What do you suggest for preventing fruit flies?
My bin was overtaken by them, and we had to move it to the balcony, but now I’ve been told that I have to trash the entire thing before summer arrives.
Seems like lining it with material to cover the hole might help in the beginning, but what do I do now that mine is riddled with gnats?
HairbyJUXTA
November 24, 2011 at 8:55 am