These simple little creatures fascinated Charles Darwin, and after 40 years of research he published Earthworms, one of his most influential works. He describes them as natural little ploughs tilling the soil. “It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organised creatures,” he said.
Darwin was ahead of his time and ordinary humans have only started to realise the benefits of vermiculture, or worm farming, over the past few years. These hard-working organisms are capable of devouring half their own weight in a single day and a worm farm is the quickest way to recycle kitchen and garden waste. It is a valuable acquisition to any household and easy enough to maintain.
Starting a worm farm is fairly straightforward, and the rewards keep on streaming in as long as the worms are happy. When they are content, they work, and keeping them so is not
difficult at all. They love waste, and it is something all humans produce in abundance. Think fruit, vegetable and garden waste, eggshells as well as cartons and newspaper. All of these usually land in the rubbish bin, but how cool is it to rather play a part in conserving the environment than adding to the problem?
Once you have established a worm farm, you will find that these fat little creatures have become part of the family. You may even go so far as to call them friends with benefits! And the benefits are legion.
Once the organic matter is ingested by the worms, it goes through a process which produces the most wonderful, nutritious compost (worm castings) that could be used as it is. The worm castings contain large amounts of enzymes and beneficial microbes, five times more nitrogen than the original organic matter, 10 times more potassium, seven times as much phosphate and lots of calcium and magnesium.
Worm tea can also be brewed from the compost itself. It is the really good stuff and is brewed by soaking the worm castings in water to produce potent liquid compost. Apart from improving soil health and being an excellent fertiliser, worm tea is also a natural insect repellent.
Leachate is the fluid which drains to the bottom bin and many experts warn against using it on plants, as it contains many bacteria that could be harmful.
We also have a few ideas to share
• Meat trays with lids are the ideal containers and readily available at shops selling plastic or catering ware.
• A basic unit consists of three containers, but layers could be added as necessary. Two of the containers must have quite a few holes drilled in the bottom. The holes must be big enough for a worm to migrate from one container to the next.
• First start with two containers. The one without holes catching the leachate must be placed at the bottom.
• All organic matter goes in the top container. Once it is full, a second one is started with a bit of organic matter, palm peat and shredded newspaper. Clusters of worms are moved to the new container.
• The new bin is put on top of the full one. Worms will migrate from the bottom one when food gets scarce.
• Th
ere is stuff that must not be fed to the worms, like citrus, dairy and meat. Acceptable organic waste includes any plant matter, coffee grounds and tea bags. It is wise to search the Internet for a list of acceptable and unacceptable waste.
• The smaller the bits you add, the better.
• You may think that larger things like mango pips should be avoided, but that is not necessarily so. The worms love to eat all the juicy bits, including the inside. They also love watermelon and large pieces of peel could be added to the bin and removed later.
• You can certainly keep your bin in the kitchen. As long as it does not smell bad, it means that the bin is healthy.
Tips for starting your own worm farm
Some farmers produce worm castings on a large scale in beds,
but worm farms are also ideal for household use. Worm units of different sizes can be purchased online. These are usually shipped countrywide and include worms and good instructions.
Global Worming, to name but one, sells sturdy units of many different sizes, ranging from mini to huge 600-litre units ideal for restaurants. Their after-sales care is also good and they are more than willing to answer questions. You could also build your own unit. There are many websites providing precise building instructions as well as lots of info and it is valuable to do good research before starting the project.
More ideas with your leftover organic matter
Cook a hearty soup or stew
Although the worms enjoy all fruit and veggies, throwing organic matter in the bin is not the only way to get rid of leftovers. You could also store excess cooked or raw veggies in a container in the freezer to later on cook a delicious soup or stew whenever you have gathered enough. And do not only think leftover cooked veggies. Any leaves, such as lettuce, celery, rocket and herbs, are really tasty and healthy additions to any soup. Also add frozen grains such as barley, bulgur, rice, amaranth, quinoa and wild rice.
Although meat products should never be fed to the worms, leftovers could be frozen and later on added to the veggies to serve a hearty, meaty soup. Think smoked chicken breasts, mince, stew, leftover barbeque meat and even prawns and fish. Smoked haddock is delicious in soup and should be tried at least once!
Reuse egg cartons and -shells
Coarsely ground eggshells are a healthy addition to any garden bed. It is said to deter pests and doubles as a healthy fertiliser. It also attracts birds to the garden. Whole eggshells are ideal to plant seedlings in, as they are organic and can be planted shell and all in the garden when ready. Just remember to make a drainage hole in the bottom. Egg cartons can also be used to plant seedlings in – no need to make a drainage hole, as paper drains by itself.
Text: LIEZEL LÜNEBURG. Photographer: TANYA ERASMUS
