Expert: Greg - 6/5/2007

Question
QUESTION: hi,

i have not seen ur old answers answers database and would be quite sorry if this has been answered earlier.

I am a 17 yr old kid,interested in vermi compostiing.We don't have a big lawn to have a compost hole,but may be a able to adjust a compost bin.

I'd like to invovle minimum capital investments,and things like compost bins are not available in our country.

Our waste is predominantly fruits,vegetable peels and occasionally egg shells.

i shall be happy to know of a vermicomposting advice or technique,(explained in simple words),which:

must not be smelly
shall be easy and not involving regular care
shall not attract flies
shall have a separate compartment for getting prepared compost

can i make a compost bin myself at home(i can design it if get to know how it is made)

i know these are lots of questions,but i'll be grateful to hear a reply from you.

thanks,
peace,
sameer thukral
India


ANSWER: Hello Sameer

Greetings from Detroit Michigan

Thank you for considering Vermi-Composting. This is a great way to recycle waste products. If you balance your matter that goes into Composting, there should not be an undue smell to it. It should be easy, the worms do all the work for you. Proper contents of Green <Nitrogen> and Brown <Carbon> matter will deter flies, but you will get insects of all kinds, this is Natural. This subject is quite a large area as far as the how and why's of how this is to be done, what I am going to do is give you a Web Site that I find is a wealth of Information on this subject.

Again thank you for wanting to do this, and please encougage anyone else, after you have mastered this, to do it also.

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Organics/Worms/

Here is the Web Site, just copy it and paste it into your browser, and The Best of Luck.

        Greg

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks greg for that timely and prompt reply.
i saw the site you recommended,and have learned to make my own composting bin.

but i won't be finding it easy to use for turning and taking out the compost.

i just saw a CNN report,which show cased a lady in japan using vermicomposting techniques.

the good point was that the technology was such that it invovled no hands contact with the worms.the bin provided external tray for collecting the prepared compost and for turning.


i'll make the question simpler for you:

suppose i am allergic to all kinds of worms,is there a bin helping me out to collect the compost?
if yes,tell me its structure and possibly how to make it.

thanks  

Answer
Hello Again

The Worms dig through the Waste and consume it. As it passes through their Digestive system they produce waste called "Castings". This itself is prized among gardeners for its natural Fertilizer propertys.

The reason I point this out to you is, no matter what happens as far as an Allergy to Worms, you may be Allergic to the Castings also.

I would look into this first before you get into any project of a Sophisticated Compost Bin.

A wire mesh with 1/2 squares placed below the Compostable matter is what I think you are looking for. As matter decomposes, it will fall through the small squares, along with some of the worms that wiggle out.

I don't have plans for making a Worm Composting Station, you can Surf around and come up with something for that.

Remember that you will need MANY worms to do this. You can figure out about 1,000 worms per square foot of matter.

I hope this helps explain it a little better
         
         Greg