Make Soil at Home Continued...

homes: 55 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Best type is a clay or ceramic planter that is 6” to 12” deep. Try to get one that is wider than deep because the surface area is where most of the action happens. It needs to have a drainage hole and a tray or plate to prevent any liquid or soil from getting on your floor – just like with a potted plant.

5 Lid for the top of the planter. Make sure it is thick enough to block light, fits well enough to keep unwanted insects out, and allows a little airflow to pass. A stainless-steel pot lid will work great if you also glue a bit of fun fur around the edge to allow air to pass in the space between the lid and the pot.

6. Separate the worms from the finished compost when the bin gets full. This takes time, but it is relaxing to spend time with your worm friends. Make sure not to expose them to sunlight, because that is harmful to them.

7. Pro tip: let the worms separate from the finished compost by themselves. You can add a level to the bin by finding another planter that will fit on top of the original one. You will continue to feed this top part as usual. The planter must have a hole in the bottom, so the worms can migrate upwards to where the food is. You can even add a third level, which will increase the time that the bottom level is allowed to compost; giving more time and space for the worms to self-separate into the upper 2 levels.

8. Once the top section is full, the bottom section will have nicely finished compost, ready for use. Empty it into your houseplant or garden soil, then use the empty container as the top section, which is where the food is placed for worms to migrate up to – and the process continues.

What not to do...

1. Do not overfeed; if the worms cannot keep up with the amount of food, the bacteria that causes rotting smells will take hold – and no one wants that. It makes a bad environment for worms and humans. If any unpleasant odors do begin to emerge, add more shredded bedding on top, but no more food until it settles. They are resilient, but within limits.

2. Do not feed worms meat, avocados, citrus, glossy paper, oily/greasy food or paper, or food that is already very rotten.

3. Do not put your worm bin out in direct sun or outdoors in freezing weather, they will die.

4. Do not capture worms from outdoors and imprison them in your worm bin. Most types of worms are not suited for indoor settings and will escape or die trying.

5. Do not add soil from outside; it is unnecessary and can introduce unwanted guests.