Indoor Gardening-How to Make your Own Worm Bin

. How to Make a Worm Bin by Patti Moreno, the Garden Girl A worm bin is a perfect solution for anybody with a small patio or garden. It also works well for condo dwellers where there are rules and regulations against composting. The worm castings (or worm ‘poo’) make the best natural fertilizer, and its power can be extended by brewing up worm tea to apply when watering all your plants. Not only is it great for your garden, but it will help reduce waste in landfills by getting your kitchen scraps to work for you and your edible landscape. At home, I compost kitchen scraps, leaves, and other green matter. My neighbors bring me their leaves, and grass clippings even though I’ve encouraged them to compost the materials for themselves. Then I convert the “waste” into energy. Goodbye, petrochemical poison. Hello, black gold. There are lots of great products on the market to compost kitchen scraps indoors, from super sleek under the counter models to the basic DIY worm bin that I have. Worm bin you say? Why yes, I am a worm farmer and you can be, too. You’ll need a storage bin (not clear) with two lids, one for the top and one for the bottom to catch any fluid. Put 1/4inch holes on the bottom of the bin and along the lip to allow for airflow. Line the bottom with cardboard and fill with a thick layer of shredded newspaper and moisten with water, 1 quart of soil to help the composting process, and a pound of red wiggler worms. Place the bin in a dark area like a pantry or closet in a convenient place for you to access every time you cook. A properly aerated and balanced bin won't stink and if it does it needs more carbon rich material. Carbon rich material is usually brown matter, like leaves, hay, dog fur and less green, like kitchen scraps and the like. A powerful worm bin can digest its own weight in worms, in ideal conditions, every two days! The more worms, the more it can consume and turn into potent worm castings. What can go in the Worm Bin: Kitchen Scraps Grass clippings, shredded leaves, pine needles, Wood ashes, Sawdust, Houseplant trimmings, hair, Shredded cardboard, shredded newspaper, Wooden toothpicks, Paper towels paper napkins, tissues, coffee grounds, Tea bags & grounds, cotton swabs, & Greeting card envelopes, any shredded up junk mail. What not to Put in the Bin: Pieces of wood or large twigs unless chipped, dead plants, rocks, gravel, bricks, rubble, coal ash, oil, meat, fish, bones, cheeses, cooked or baked foods, or dairy waste. Patti Moreno is host of GardenGirlTV.com, where you’ll find ideas, inspiration, and information about urban sustainable living. She lives with her husband, daughter, dog, rabbits, cats, and chickens in Roxbury, Massachusetts.