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We hope you can join us for a webinar soon! In the meantime, here are some answers to some of our most commonly received questions about backyard and worm composting:
How can I keep animals away from my backyard compost bin? Animals are typically attracted to compost bins when they smell food. Your first step is to avoid putting in meat, dairy, processed foods or other food waste that isn’t suited to this type of composting system. You should also bury fresh food scraps and top with a layer of browns/carbon such as dried leaves, cardboard, or straw. If your bin is placed on soft or uneven ground and you are concerned about rodents digging in through the bottom, you can line the bottom of your bin with hardware cloth, a metal mesh that can be purchased at home improvement stores.
How do I make worm tea? There are different methods of making worm tea, which can be used as a liquid fertilizer and spray-on inoculant for all types of plants. The simplest method is to place a scoop of finished worm castings (aka vermicompost) into a porous bag (such as cheesecloth, a tea bag, an old t-shirt, etc.) and soak it in a 5 gallon bucket of water for 24 hours. The worm tea is ready when it’s light brown in color. It can be diluted to 50 percent worm tea and 50 percent water and used to water your plants or sprayed on plants to deter pests and disease.
Can animal manure be added to my compost bin? In some cases, yes. The manure of herbivores like horses, rabbits, chickens, goats, quail, and tortoises can be added to a backyard compost bin and are a source of nitrogen. The high nitrogen content in animal manure does contribute to the heating process in the compost pile, so it should be well balanced with carbon sources. It is not appropriate for worm bins. Cat and dog waste should never be added to the compost bin because it contains pathogens that may not be destroyed if the bin doesn’t consistently heat up to a sufficient temperature.
How often should I add compost to my garden? You can add a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost or worm compost on top of your soil at the beginning of each planting season and then mix it into a depth of 6 to 12 inches. For perennials, you can add compost to the soil around established plants twice a year and dig in gently without disturbing the plants’ roots. For plants that appear to be deficient in nutrients or that appreciate more frequent fertilization, compost and worm compost can be added more often.
Can onions and garlic go in the worm bin? Yes. As long as they are added in moderation, onions and garlic do not bother worms. They may generate an odor before they are consumed, but that is the only real contraindication to adding them to a worm bin.
Can citrus go in the worm bin? Citrus fruits and peels should be kept out of the worm bin, as they can contribute to an overly acidic environment that is bothersome to worms and can attract pests.
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