Worm Your Way into Composting

Worm Your Way into Composting

Wise gardeners and smart householders know that recycling a home’s organic waste into compost cuts down on garbage and gives organic matter back to the soil, contributing to nature’s cycle which promotes sustainable living.

The question posed . . . if you live in an apartment, or don’t have room for a proper garden, how can you compost?

The red, wiggly secret is in the worms. Worm composting is an easy and eco-friendly way for apartment dwellers to compost their food scraps. To start, you need a large sealed container, some wet newspaper, leaves, and other plant scraps, some sand as a bedding mix, and worms. Worms can be found in a friend’s compost bin, a fishing supply shop or a farm’s manure pile. Many cities have compost hotlines that can help you set up your own colony.

Drill holes in the bottom of the bin to allow aeration and drainage. The bin itself should be slightly elevated and a drain tray should be placed underneath. If you don’t allow for some oxygen flow, this might get you some rich smells. Fortunately, these are correctable.

Add the worms to the bedding and then add your food waste over time. The worms, with some help from other microorganisms, will convert the entire contents into rich, earthy compost, an eco friendly fertilizer which can be used to top up potting soil.

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You can also make compost teas by steeping the compost in a bag (old nylons!) inside a bucket of water for a few days, and stirring or using a fish tank pump to increase oxygen flow. Compost tea can then be sprayed on house plants to increase their ability to resist pathogens.

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Lisa Roth Collins, RHN
Lisa Roth Collins is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN) and is the Marketing Manager at NaturallySavvy.com. She is passionate about health and wellness and tries her best to make healthier choices every day for herself and her family. Her journey to natural health was driven by her own struggles with digestive discomfort, depression, and anxiety. Lisa returned to school in 2014 to study nutrition at the Canadian School for Natural Nutrition. She threw herself into her studies so she could learn as much as she could to help herself feel better and thrive. Upon completing the program and being certified as an RHN, Lisa began her work at Naturally Savvy where she has been able to help so many people learn to make healthier choices for themselves. Through her work, she has connected with so many incredible people in the industry whether other authors, influencers, or brands. Plus, she is affectionately known as "Techie Spice" because of her ability to wrap her head around technology. Every day she gets up with a renewed sense of energy and ready to make a difference. You can read all of Lisa's content here. In her spare time, Lisa loves to try new recipes, make delicious and nourishing meals, and she is an avid reader. For more information about Lisa, check out her profile on here.