Vermicomposting Introduction

What is Vermicomposting?

Welcome to this vermicomposting introduction. Vermicomposting is using specific species of composting worms in a controlled environment to turn our kitchen and garden waste into worm castings. Vermicompost is not a compost in its own right, or a fertiliser. It’s a soil amendment that we use for the biota that live within it. These are what our plants have a symbiotic relationship with to help them thrive. It also contains growth enhancers, but we don’t plant straight into it as there are also growth inhibitors.

Why should you start vermicomposting.

This Vermicomposting introduction came about as we’re seeing a lot of concern regarding the increased cost of living crisis.  There are also reports of food shortages due to adverse growing conditions, and import issue in the UK. There was a huge increase in people taking up gardening a few years ago, which saw a massive demand for compost. Unfortunately, this also saw a drop in quality, and a rise in prices. In some cases demand also caused supply issues in some places. It’s possible that this year will also see another increase in people wanting not just a pretty garden, but also to grow their own food to offset costs in the supermarkets.

Vermicompost, or worm castings are a great way to improve your soil and plant health. However, these can also be expensive to get in quantities that suit a large garden, or even for growing in containers to regenerate the compost to prevent having to keep replacing it. Not everyone has the space for huge compost piles- myself included. Yet I used to run huge muck piles, from horse manure, since we had up to 17 horses at any one time. Now, I’m doing something different. I’ve started dedicated Vermicomposting on a smaller scale.

A step-by-step guide

From this Vermicomposting introduction I’m going to show you my experience with a Wormcity Wormery. I’ll show you how to set it up, and manage it through the seasons. Then I show you how I changed its management as I have learned from others to get pounds of castings for my garden. You’ll see how to use the scraps from your kitchen to create a wonderful product to help grow more nutritious food in your own no dig garden. All whilst helping to promote the eco-system that exists beneath our feet, to support the one we exist in above it.

You can see the Wormcity Wormery site here https://www.wormcity.co.uk/shop/