Your compost bin should be 1 square foot for every pound of food waste you generate in a week. The dimensions of your bin will also depend upon the amount of food waste your household generates in a week. Vermicomposting bins are unique from other composting bins in that they are shallow, and should not exceed 1.5 feet in height. The first thing you will need to begin your vermicomposting operation is a bin. Start out by giving your worms a small amount of food when they eventually start to consume the food, slowly increasing the amount until you have reached your normal quantities. Worms can take up to two weeks to fully adjust to their new surrounds. When you first start your compost bin, give your worms time to adjust to their new surrounds by reducing the amount of food scraps you give them. For most small households, one pound of worms will typically be enough to start. In one day, worms will eat half of their body weight in food so if you generate half a pound of food scraps per day, you can use one pound of worms in your compost bin.

The easiest way to determine how many worms you will need for composting is to weigh up the amount of food scraps you produce in a given week, and divide by seven to calculate your daily average. If you order them online, the cost of each species will vary, but you can expect to find them for approximately $25 per pound (plus shipping). To purchase Red Wigglers or Red Worms, the easiest way is to contact your local bait shop to see if they carry either species, or you can order them online. Red Wigglers (Eisenia fetida) and Red Worms (Lumbricus rubellus) are the two best types of worms to use for vermicomposting because they live within the top 12 inches of soil (perfect for composting), they are able to live in highly populated areas, and they will typically swarm to their food. While any Earth Worm will feed on food scraps, vermicomposting requires the use of worms that are best suited for the environment. This composting method is great for apartments, or locations that do not have enough space for a traditional compost pile.

Vermicomposting is an excellent way to dispose of food scraps from within the comforts of your own home. Vermicomposting is the process of using red worms to break down organic matter into a usable fertilizer.

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