a blue bin

I am making preparations for new "pets" so to speak- or maybe they should be referred to as livestock? My youngest, I'm sure, is going to name them all "Wormy Worm". I'm getting red wigglers!

This is their home:

It's made out of two plastic totes, eight or ten gallons capacity, don't remember exactly now. Not all parts are shown- There's another tote and lid to this setup. I followed directions like those found here. Basically, each tote has holes drilled on the bottom and around the top edge for aeration. One lid goes underneath to catch any drips, and it's raised on bricks for more air circulation. The other lid has holes in it, and will cover the bin. I'll also put a sheet of cardboard over the bedding, to keep moisture in. I've shredded newspaper into strips for the bedding (color is ok, as long as it's soy-based inks) but still have to soak and wring out the bedding, the day before the worms arrive. (The bin should be only about half full of bedding- I'll probably remove some of this and save it for later).

The second tote is used when it's time to harvest the compost. Supposed to place the second tote with new bedding and food, over the bare compost surface of the full tote. The worms will crawl up through the holes in the bottom of the new tote, to reach the food, and then you just remove the bottom tote full of compost, and put the new tote on the base to start over. Sounds easy enough!

I actually made this worm bin about six months ago, but then never got around to acquiring inhabitants. Now that my garden space is nonexistent, I didn't think much about composting but miss it in a way. Every time I throw food scraps in the trash it feels wasteful. So I decided to make a small bin that will hopefully generate just enough compost to feed my houseplants and little balcony garden. It doesn't quite fit under my kitchen sink, so is placed in a corner of the adjoining room near washing machine. I plan to put it outside in warmer months.

It pleases me that soon my small sphere of living things will be nearly full-circle. My kitchen waste will feed the worms, who will create rich food for my plants, and a few of the plants feed me (herbs, mostly). In a way there's even another part to this cycle, unexpected but welcomed. I regularly use the fish waste water for my plants, but now perhaps the plants will indirectly give a treat back to my fish! I tend to have a seasonal problem with fungus gnats that hatch out of commercial potting soil (more of an irritant than anything else). They like dampness and warmth. And are now attracted to the surface of the aquarium. There are not many gaps in the lid, but I've already seen a few floating in there, dead. And none bothering me! I'm glad of that. Soon there will be fish in there, and I'm guessing the drowning gnats will provide a little protein-rich snack for my fish!