Worm Composting 101

Being an elite athlete requires dedication to training, conditioning, and nutrition. Tons
of fruit, vegetables, grains, and eggs line the shelves of our fridges and counter spaces.
Food scraps and remnants are often left as forgotten garbage or perhaps left in our
kitchen sinks to be consumed by the garbage disposal. Twenty-five percent of garbage
is food scraps and other items like paper towels and egg cartons, which can all be
composted. Composting is a great alternative for food disposal and an environmentally
beneficial way to eliminate food waste. One of my favorite ways to compost is through
worm composting.

Worm composting is an easy process that requires:
• Composting worms or “red wigglers.”
• Storage tote or wooden bin.
• Shredded newspaper (bedding).
• Food scraps
• Air/water

How to set up your own Worm Composting Bin:

1. Find or make a bin. Similar size to an eighteen gallon storage container. Size depends
on how many people you have in your house and the amount of food scraps produced.
The more food scraps you produce, the bigger bin you will need. Since red wriggles stay
closer to the surface you will want a bin that maximizes surfaces area rather than depth.
At home I use a wood bin but plastic bins are also good, just make sure to add a few
holes for air flow.

 



2. Purchase one pound of red wigglers. You may have to order them online because
they are not native to many states (order online here: http://www.kazarie.com/ or http://
www.unclejim.com/) One pound of composting worms is perfect for a household of 2-3
people.

3. Place bedding to your bin. Bedding helps cover the food scraps and regulate
moisture. The worms will also eat the bedding to help supplement the food scraps. Black
and white shredded newspaper is a good bedding (color newspaper contains dyes that
could harm the worms).

4. Add food scraps and watch moisture content. Most food scraps are high in water
content but you may need to add a little water to your newspaper bedding. You want your
bin to feel like a damp sponge. Worms breathe through their skin so you don’t want it too

dry or too wet.

Here are examples of food scraps to add to your bin:
• Fruit and veggie scraps
• Coffee and tea grounds
• Paper towels
• Egg cartons and shells

These things should not go in your bin!
• Meat
• Dairy
• Oil
• Salt

5. Harvest the dirt! About every six months you will need to empty the dirt that the
worms create. The best way to separate your worms from the dirt is to create many piles
and wait for the worms to crawl to the bottom (they are sensitive to light). Skim off the
dirt from the top of the piles and place the worms back into your bin with fresh bedding.

The dirt from your bin is very nutrient rich and is a great fertilizer for plants,
garden, or yard. You can also share it with your favorite rugby player!