Skip to main content

What is Worm Composting

What is Worm Composting?  

Worm composting (or vermicomposting) utilises special composting worms to turn kitchen waste into compost and liquid feed for your garden.  The worms and kitchen waste are put in a container know as a wormery, wormeries are much smaller than conventional compost heaps or bins and can be kept by the back door of your house for convenience.  The compost produced from worm composting is very different to conventional compost, it is great for boosting lawns or spreading on flowerbeds.




Worm Composing - the facts

 Will it smell?
The answer to that is: when fed properly (see below) there is virtually no smell, only a pleasant aroma, typical to a woodland floor (dendrobaena worms are native to woodland areas, where they compost leaves and dead vegetation.

Worm Casts: the by-product of vermi-composting (composting with worms), is one of the best known natural plant fertilisers. It is virtually all utilised by the plant. ie. If you potted up a plant in 50% sand and 50% worm cast, you will eventually be left with only the sand, and very small amount of inert worm cast.  You can produce these casts yourself by feeding your compostable kitchen waste to your worms.

How Many Worms Do I Need? Dendrobaena worms will consume half their bodyweight of food a day so if you are composting 1Kg of waste per day, then you will need 2Kg of worms.


Where Can I Buy Worms?  The answer to that is simple... Buy Worms Here!!

Find out about home composting and buy wormeries or return to our composting home page.

What Will They Eat?

  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Fruit waste Vegetable waste Cereal waste,
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Paper waste (non-shiny)
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Tea bags & Coffee filter paper,
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Old flowers and non-woody plants & brown leaves.
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Contrary to popular belief, DO feed worms eggshells better if crushed, as this aids digestion of other food products.

Take care when feeding:

  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Large quantities of bread - this can attract mites
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Potato skins, Onions, garlic and ginger - They take a long time to consume and may cause mould in your compost, or unpleasant odours
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Coffee grounds are acidic, and are rarely touched by worms, but will attract ants. Although they are useful for restoring a neutral pH to your bin if it becomes too alkaline.

Don't Feed:

  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Citrus fruits Contains Limonene which is toxic to worms;
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Dog and Cat faces too acidic;
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Meat, Fish or Dairy products attract flies and rodents;
  • http://web.archive.org/web/20110527162545/http://www.thecompostshop.co.uk/_common/img/leaf.png); list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; background-position: -2px 3px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat;">
    Anything deep fried (Fried Bread, Chips etc) worms don't like the oil.

Worms for Fishing

Dendrobaena worms are ideal for fishing, and are up and coming in the angling world. They are proven to live longer on the hook, giving less frequent bait changes. When diced they make an excellent ground bait.