UF/IFAS Extension
Hillsborough County
5339 S County Road 579
Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 744-5519 http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu
Vermicomposting
LYNN BARBER, FLORIDA-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPINGTM AGENT
Vermicomposting is the process of breaking down organic matter into nutrient-rich compost through the
use of worms. The worm castings are the end product, which improve soil structure and texture, aerate
the soil, increase water holding capacity and add beneficial nutrients to the soil. Any old (or young)
worm just won't do. Red Wigglers, Eisenia fetida, and Yellow Tails are two of the most popular
composting worms. They are favored because they reproduce quickly and consume the most food and
bedding (newspapers). Composting worms are good for purposes other than gardening and are an
ideal bait for fishing and a good food source for birds and small pond fish.
Vermicomposting is an alternative to composting, which involves yard and kitchen waste utilizing a bin
or pile outside in the back yard. Worm composting uses a bin also which can be located on your lanai,
front porch or inside your home as you see fit.
Why would you want to vermicompost? Because worm castings, their waste/manure, is an excellent
soil amendment and you can use it sparingly. Both the bedding for the worms and their castings are
nutrient rich. Worm castings can be used as mulch or in a potting soil mixture you create by combining
¼ part of castings, ¼ perlite for aeration, ¼ peat (decomposed plant material) for water holding capacity
and ¼ coarse builders sand for drainage. You can also make worm compost tea by adding water to the
castings to water plants on your porch, lanai or in your landscape. Composting worms aerate the soil,
increase water holding capacity and improve the soil structure and texture.
One pound of composting worms can consume their body weight in food each day. They have five
hearts, one brain and breathe through their skin. The population can double every two to three months
in ideal conditions, 60-80 degrees F. Their lifespan is several years.
Composting worms have a few needs, such as temperatures in the 70-80 degree range. Bedding and
food are also necessary. The bedding is made from shredded newspaper, but not the glossy
advertisements. They have no teeth or eyes and are extremely light sensitive. These worms have a
gizzard, like a chicken, where food is digested and their mouth is in the front section with a protruding
lip-like formation that is a food scoop. Worms are externally segmented and do not have a skeleton.
If you are interested in worm/vermicomposting, there are several commercial available worm bins you
can purchase on-line or you can build your own worm bin. The materials you will need to create a worm
bin are as follows:
Hillsborough County Extension is a cooperative service of Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Employment
Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual
orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M., University Cooperative Extension Program, and
Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating.
UF/IFAS Extension
Hillsborough County
5339 S County Road 579
Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 744-5519 http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu
1, 14- to18-gallon plastic container (Make sure the lid fits tightly or the worms may escape.)
1, 12”x12” square of lanai screen
Duct tape
Shredded newspaper (no slick ads)
Distilled water or rain water
1 cup of coarse sand or crushed volcanic rock
2 pounds of Red Wigglers
Electric drill with 1” spade bit
To prepare the worm bin, drill ten holes (two per side about four inches from the top of the bin and two
in the lid). Do not drill holes in the bottom of the bin because the worm 'tea' will leak through. Cut pieces
of lanai screen to cover the holes and duct tape the screen over the holes on the inside of bin. Rip
newspaper lengthwise into one inch strips (or shred it) for use as bedding (and a food source for the
worms). Moisten the strips of newspaper in water. Wring out the newspaper before adding it to the bin
so that it is as moist as a damp (rung out) sponge. Fill the bin two-thirds full with damp newspaper.
Spread one (1) cup of sand/crushed volcanic rock on top of the newspaper. Add a small amount of
damp shredded newspaper on top of the sand; then add the worms onto the surface of bedding. Add
kitchen scraps. Worms like a variety of food. Their diet includes shredded newspaper, cooked pasta,
vegetable and fruit peelings, egg shells, coffee grounds and filters, tea bags (without the staple), bread
and cardboard. Do not feed worms meat, dairy or fatty foods. Then cover with another small amount of
damp, shredded newspaper.
Additional worm care tips: Feeding: One pound of worms can process one pound of kitchen scraps a
day. Feed them daily, weekly, or as desired. The smaller the pieces of food, the faster the worms can
turn them into castings. Temperature: The ideal temperature for worms is between 60° F and 80° F.
Moisture: Check moisture when adding food. If the bedding is too wet, add more bedding. If the
bedding is too dry, add water. Darkness: Worms are light sensitive. Place bin in a low light location
(e.g. under a sink or in a bathroom with blinds closed, in a shady area, like your lanai or front porch).
Use an opaque bin for your worms to decrease the light.
After two or three months, the worms will have recycled the bedding into rich, dark compost/castings.
There are several ways you can harvest your worm castings. Here are two ways to harvest the
castings:


Empty all of the contents of the worm bin onto waxed paper. The worms will crawl to the bottom. Scoop
the castings off the top.
Gently push all the contents in the container to one side. On the other side, add moistened bedding and
food. After a few days, the worms will migrate to the food and bedding. Remove the castings, but check
for any worms that may still be there.
Hillsborough County Extension is a cooperative service of Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Employment
Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual
orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M., University Cooperative Extension Program, and
Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating.
UF/IFAS Extension
Hillsborough County
5339 S County Road 579
Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 744-5519 http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu
There are several advantages to worm castings. They contain five times the available nitrogen, several
times the available potash and 50 percent more calcium than six inches of good top soil. The nutrients
in worm castings are water soluble which means they are immediately available for plant intake.
Castings hold two to three times their weight in water. They will not burn the root system, unlike fresh,
raw manures.
This is just one more way to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle sending less kitchen waste to recycling
facilities. As always, follow the landscape or architectural control procedures in your deed restrictions
before making changes. For more information about the nine principles of the Florida-Friendly
LandscapingTM Program, or for assistance with gardening related questions, contact our office, the
UF/IFAS
Extension
Hillsborough
County,
813-744-5519
and/or
visit
our
website:
Hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu.
Hillsborough County Extension is a cooperative service of Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Employment
Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual
orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M., University Cooperative Extension Program, and
Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating.
UF/IFAS Extension
Hillsborough County
5339 S County Road 579
Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 744-5519 http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu
December 2015
Hillsborough County Extension is a cooperative service of Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Employment
Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual
orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M., University Cooperative Extension Program, and
Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating.