| Food waste is generated daily at an alarming rate as | | | | Then you can add it your leftover kitchen waste but |
| the world population grows. If we are not caring | | | | you need to sort them out first as not all are suitable |
| enough to protect the environment, the food waste | | | | for the worms. You can put leftover fruits and |
| can easily fill up all the landfill in no time at all. | | | | vegetable but not of citrus fruits such as oranges or |
| Fortunately, there are better ways than throwing | | | | pineapples. Avoid spicy food and salty food such as |
| away all the food waste into the rubbish dump. | | | | chilly, curry, salt, garlic and onion. |
| Worm farming is a great way to turn your leftover | | | | Tea bags, coffee grounds, crushed egg shells, bread |
| food waste into a natural and rich fertiliser with the | | | | are great for them too. Other waste such as |
| help of the worms. These little creatures can easily | | | | vacuum cleaner dust, rotten leaves and hair are also |
| eat up your leftover kitchen scraps and convert | | | | suitable as worm feed. Please don't give them meat, |
| them into valuable worm casting or worm compost. | | | | fish or chicken as these could be oily and fatty and |
| Even if you live in a small apartment or flat, you can | | | | not their favourite. |
| easily placed a worm bin either in a balcony, as long | | | | The food can be layered alternately in between the |
| as it is cool and shaded and away from any direct | | | | bedding to avoid any unpleasant smell from the |
| sunlight. | | | | worm bin. Then you can add in the worms. The best |
| If you buy the worm bin, it normally comes in a | | | | worms for this job is usually the red worms which |
| stackable plastic trays or containers with maybe at | | | | you can initially get from the local worm farmers or |
| least 3 containers. The bottom most container is | | | | suppliers. |
| usually attached with tap or spout to drain away any | | | | Given the right condition, the worms can eat away |
| excess water. This water known as worm tea is | | | | and digest the food waste about half their own |
| excellent to be used to your plant but it has to be | | | | weight daily. For example if you have 500g of |
| watered down first as it is highly concentrated. | | | | worms, they can easily eat up 250g of food waste |
| Ok, now that you got the worm bin, place it in a cool | | | | daily. What they excrete ie the worm poo or worm |
| and shaded area of your home, maybe on the | | | | casting is great as natural fertilizer for your plants and |
| balcony, at the back of your kitchen or in the garage. | | | | gardens. The worm castings are free from any |
| Line up the second container with damp shredded old | | | | chemicals and able to protect your plants from any |
| newspaper and make sure that it is not wet or | | | | diseases. |
| soggy. You can also add in any egg cartons which | | | | When the food and bedding is almost finished, you |
| has been torn into small pieces, some saw dust and a | | | | can line up the top container with a new set of |
| layer of soil to make it more homely for these little | | | | bedding and food waste as described above. The |
| creatures. Make sure that the bedding is loosely piled | | | | worms then would simple migrate to top container, |
| and not tight to allow for easy movement of the | | | | leaving behind the worm castings which you can |
| worms. | | | | collect and use for your plants. |