Worm Composter
Do you need a worm composter? Vermicomposting, or worm composting, is one of the most efficient methods of composting your kitchen scraps. And composting, in general, is one of the most efficient ways of dealing with kitchen scraps and yard waste. When you consider that almost 30% of the waste stream of the US is generated by food and yard waste, it makes good “green” sense to try to divert some of that by composting.
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Worm Factory 360 WF360B Worm Composter, Black List Price: Sale Price: $109.95 You save: $10.00 (8%)  Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours  |
Description
Similar in design to the popular Worm Factory 4-Tray Composter (CAD002) the Worm Factory 360 Composter features a thicker sturdier design with an improved base and lid. This composter can hold up to 8 trays instead of 7 and it includes a handy compost accessory kit featuring a coir brick hand rake scraper and thermometer which make maintaining your system cleaner and easier.The Worm Factory 360 composter also features new Thermo Siphon Airflow design which allows air to enter on all four sides of the base exposing the bottom tray to an endless supply of fresh air without allowing light inside. The lids is also vented on all four sides which allows the heat and gases generated during compositing to continually escape through the top.Ideal composting conditions occur at temperatures between 45 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. We suggest using your composter outdoors during the summer and indoors during the winter to maximize efficiency. At capacity this composter can house over 6000 worms which can consume 5-8 lbs. of food and paper waste per week.What is The Worm Factory 360 and how does it work?The Worm Factory is a multi-tray worm composter that helps manage the composting process. Fill each stacking tray with kitchen scraps such as newspaper junk mail vegetables fruits egg shells coffee grounds paper and cardboard into nutrient-rich compost for your garden. Many experienced gardeners consider worm castings to be the very best compost available. Your plants will thrive with this all-natural compost.With ordinary worm composters sorting out the undigested scraps can be a messy inconvenient chore. Not with the Worm Factory 360. In this composter worms start in the bottom tray and migrate upward as they break down waste. This allows worms to separate themselves from the finished compost making it easy to access your nutrient-rich fertilizer and add it to plants and gardens without sorting worms. Additionally nutrient-rich moisture is captured in the collection tray and can
Features
- The Worm Factory 360 has a standard 4-Tray size which is expandable up to 8 trays, giving it the largest volume of any home composter.
- The redesigned lid converts to a handy stand for trays while harvesting the compost.
- Included instructional DVD with step-by-step guide for managing your Worm Factory 360.
- The accessory kit provides basic tools to make managing the Worm Factory 360 easier.
- Built in "worm tea" collector tray and spigot for easy draining.
Traditional composting is always done outdoors, but not everyone has access to a compost pile -- Vermicomposting can be a great solution here. Vermicomposting systems are essentially closed systems which can be kept indoors. However, if you have access and weather permits, you can keep your worm composter outdoors.
So how does worm composting actually work? First, you need a special vermicompost bin. There are a few different types of bins you can buy, but the easiest is a three-bin vertical bin. When setting up your bins you will need to fill the bottom bin with moist bedding. The worms will burrow into the bedding and you will place your food scraps into this as well. A coir mat, or coco peat moss, makes for a good bed. You can also used shredded brown leaves (chop them up using your lawn mower or the chopping attachment to your leaf blower), or strips of newspaper – just make sure to skip the skip the inserts.
Whatever you use, your bedding needs to be the consistency of a well wrung-out sponge. Many people recommend adding a handful or two of soil. This helps the worms to digest the food scraps. Reminder: the bedding needs to be suitably moist. Some bins work better with slightly different types of bedding. Make sure to read the instructions that come with your bin. Then add about a pound of worms to your bin. You’ll want to buy worms specific to this task; usually red wigglers. These are not your typical garden earthworms.
After two or three days, you can begin feeding your worms. Generally, you will be feeding them fruits and vegetable scraps. A large chop is good. Use the waste from fruits and vegetables. You can also add coffee grounds and paper filters, and tea leaves and bags (not the staples or string). Do not add fat to your worm composting bin. Do not add any fish / meat / dairy waste. These things will attract pests. Some people suggest avoiding garlic, onions, and citrus rinds as these can sometimes be rejected by your worms. The best way to handle these products is to “test” them out first. Add a small quantity and see how it is received. If your worms process these items you can add more. Don’t add rotten food to the bin. You may occasionally need to add water to the bin to keep things moist.
To add the food, simply bury it in the bedding. Start at one corner of the box and gradually move across the box. It is a good idea to avoid adding more food until most of the old food has been processed. Once you get to the other side of the bin, start over again until the bin is almost full. Then cover the bin with scraps of moist newspaper and prepare the second tier. After a few days, add food to the second tier. The worms will begin to move into this bin as they clear the lower bin of all food scraps.
Once the worms have cleared the lower bin you will have worm castings left over. Worm castings, also called vermicompost, are actually worm poop, and make some of the best fertilizer you can get your hands on. Castings are beneficial to your plants and to your soil as well. Adding worm castings to your soil can also help your plants ward off insects.
One final note, if you are keeping your worms outdoors there are a few things to consider. The worms cannot survive at temperatures over 90 degrees or under 40 degrees. If you do keep your worms outdoors, it is a good idea to keep the worm composter in the shade.