4-H Vermicomposting

1
4-H Vermicomposting

• A fifth-grade school
• enrichment program

2
Lesson 2 Setting Up a Worm Bin

• Objectives
• How to set up and maintain a worm bin
• Review
• What is vermicomposting?
• How do castings help soil and plants?

3
Contents of a Worm Bin

• Earthworms
• Shredded paper as bedding
• Handful of soil
• Food scraps such as vegetables, fruits, coffee
  grounds, and eggshells

4
Worm Bin Construction and Storage

• Worm bin should be made of plastic or untreated
  wood

• Drill holes along top sides of bin to provide
  air for worms and in bottom for drainage

• Keep worm bin where temperature is between 55
  and 77 Fahrenheit

5
Worm Bin Bedding

• Composed of shredded black and white newspapers,
  paper, bags, and cardboard
• Do not use glossy paper or magazine pages!

6
How Do We Prepare the Bedding?

• Soak in water about 20 minutes
• Wring it out like a sponge
• Fluff it up before putting in bin
• Fill bin 1/3 to ½ full with bedding
• Keep bedding moist
• Mist dry bedding if needed
• Add more bedding as it disappears

7
Dos and Donts of Food in the Worm Bin

• Meat, fish dairy attract pests, and grease can
  coat the skin of worms, preventing them from
  breathing
• Add up to ½ pound of food scraps per day if have
  1 pound of worms

Do add Dont add
Fruits and vegetables Meat, fish and dairy products
Coffee grounds Bones and grease
Eggshells Pet waste
8
Do Not Forget!

• ALWAYS cover food with bedding
• Make sure 2 to 3 inches of bedding cover food at
  all times
• These steps help prevent fruit flies, mold, and
  odors

9
Worm Bin Record
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
Bury food scraps in a different place each week
so they dont pile up in one area. Label top of
worm bin with numbers to designate where food
will be buried each week
Journal entry
Date Oz. of Food Scraps Temp Burying Location Comments
9/1 8 68 1 Set up worm bin. Added bedding and food scraps.