Worm farm 2.0
A small balcony-based worm farm does not really consume the kitchen waste fast enough, even for a 2 person household. The fact that we’re mid-winter and the worms are outside doesn’t help much either.
The next option was convincing the trustees and property management that a worm farm in the communal apartment grounds is a good thing. It’s easy to sell the benefit but not so easy the fact that ‘composting’ is involved. No-one wants the compost heap close to their home.
Luckily, with the help of Neville, the care-taker and the garden-portfolio trustee, we found a secluded, shady spot that is perfect for worm farm 2.0. We dug a shallow trench in one of the flower beds and placed some worms and veggies in it. Now all we do is add kitchen refuse.
It’s taking a while to get the worm numbers up and the trench needs some redesign maintaining to stop the walls collapsing in but the worms have settled in to their new home and are composting and breeding well.
The plan is to move the compost around – the worms moving to the new food area allowing the castings to be removed and placed in plant beds. There is nowhere near the quantity needed for large-scale use; but a small ground-based worm farm in each flower bed may be the easiest workable solution.
