How To Make Compost Indoors With No Smell
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Raising worms to create compost doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. That’s the message worm composter Mark Follansbee is determined to get out to people in northern areas where winter limits outdoor composting. Instead of throwing vegetable peelings and scraps down the garbage disposal, worms can turn it into nutritious compost for the garden.
All it requires is a plastic tote or other container you already have. Follansbee details how to set it up on his WormMainea website. He drills several 2-in. holes in the lid of the bin for air holes and covers them with screen, cheesecloth or pantyhose. Shred newspaper to line the bottom. Add 1/2 lb. of food and at least 1 lb. of red wiggler worms. Then top with another 2 to 3 in. of dry shredded newspaper.
“The critical step is to cover the scraps,” Follansbee says. To avoid smell and fruit flies, he pulls the worms and bedding to one side, puts the food scraps on the bottom, and covers them over with the worms and bedding. If scraps have a lot of water, such as watermelon, he adds more newspaper to absorb it.
The amount of scraps the worms can process increases as the worms multiply, starting with 1/2 lb./week for 1 lb. of worms.
“Start slowly and don’t overfeed them,” Follansbee says. “They double in number every 10 to 12 weeks depending on space, soil temperature and food.”
By week 16, they will consume about 2 lbs. of scraps a week. Also, continue to add more dry shredded newspaper as needed (at least a few times a month).
“On a day above 60 degrees with sunshine, dump out the compost and worms. Give the bin a thorough cleaning with diluted bleach or vinegar. While you were away, the worms will have fled to the center of the pile to escape the sun. You scrape off the surface soil and continue until you have just worms,” Follansbee says. Use the compost, and put the worms back in the container, and start the process over. As worms multiply, you can start more bins to make more compost, but Follansbee recommends starting small with just one bin and one pound of worms.
Follansbee sells worms, but notes they are usually available locally in most regions for $25 to $30/lb.
“Once the bin is up and running it’s really easy. My school age daughter is an avid vermicomposter and loves to help,” he says.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mark Follansbee, 33 Arbor View Lane, Scarborough, Maine 04074 (ph 207 885-9745; www.wormmainea.comm).
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How To Make Compost Indoors With No Smell FARM HOME Miscellaneous Raising worms to create compost doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive That’s the message worm composter Mark Follansbee is determined to get out to people in northern areas where winter limits outdoor composting Instead of throwing vegetable peelings and scraps down the garbage disposal worms can turn it into nutritious compost for the garden All it requires is a plastic tote or other container you already have Follansbee details how to set it up on his WormMainea website He drills several 2-in holes in the lid of the bin for air holes and covers them with screen cheesecloth or pantyhose Shred newspaper to line the bottom Add 1/2 lb of food and at least 1 lb of red wiggler worms Then top with another 2 to 3 in of dry shredded newspaper “The critical step is to cover the scraps ” Follansbee says To avoid smell and fruit flies he pulls the worms and bedding to one side puts the food scraps on the bottom and covers them over with the worms and bedding If scraps have a lot of water such as watermelon he adds more newspaper to absorb it The amount of scraps the worms can process increases as the worms multiply starting with 1/2 lb /week for 1 lb of worms “Start slowly and don’t overfeed them ” Follansbee says “They double in number every 10 to 12 weeks depending on space soil temperature and food ” By week 16 they will consume about 2 lbs of scraps a week Also continue to add more dry shredded newspaper as needed at least a few times a month “On a day above 60 degrees with sunshine dump out the compost and worms Give the bin a thorough cleaning with diluted bleach or vinegar While you were away the worms will have fled to the center of the pile to escape the sun You scrape off the surface soil and continue until you have just worms ” Follansbee says Use the compost and put the worms back in the container and start the process over As worms multiply you can start more bins to make more compost but Follansbee recommends starting small with just one bin and one pound of worms Follansbee sells worms but notes they are usually available locally in most regions for $25 to $30/lb “Once the bin is up and running it’s really easy My school age daughter is an avid vermicomposter and loves to help ” he says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Mark Follansbee 33 Arbor View Lane Scarborough Maine 04074 ph 207 885-9745; www wormmainea comm
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