Build a worm farm
Step 1:
Decide what you are going to use as a home for your worm farm. Two styrofoam vegie boxes are an ideal choice. Put one box on the ground in a spot that isn’t too hot or cold. Under a shady tree that loses its leaves in winter would be perfect.
Step 2:
Poke some drainage holes in the base of the second box and sit it on top of the first one. The moisture (worm wee) will drain though the top box into the bottom one.
Put a 10cm-thick layer of shredded paper mixed with compost on the base of the top box.
Water it gently so that it’s just moist.
Step 3:
Buy your worms. You can’t use earthworms you just pick out of the soil for this job. You need some of the compost worms you buy from the nursery or hardware store.
Put the worms into their new home and place the lid on top. If you don’t have a lid, cover the worms with an old towel or some carpet or hessian.
Step 4:
Once they’re settled in, you can start feeding your worms. What to feed worms: vegetable and fruit scraps, tea bags (no strings), coffee grounds, soft leaves.
Don’t feed them: meat, bones, fat, dairy foods or any plants that have been treated with chemicals.
The liquid (worm wee) that collects in the base can be diluted by adding water so that it ends up the colour of weak tea. Then pour it onto plants every couple of weeks. It’s a totally organic fertiliser that can be used to feed every plant in the garden.
If you have a commercial worm farm, it will have a little tap at the base to drain off the liquid.
“Download project sheet”:Build a worm farm