Are dead leaves piling up in your yard? Have squirrels already eaten your Halloween pumpkins?
Denverite reader Niña R. used a city program to dump her leaves last year, and she wanted to know: “Would you be able to find out and share when and where Denver is recycling/composting leaves?”
You can also use a lawnmower to turn leaves into mulch for a grass lawn. Many authoritative sources agree that this is unlikely to harm your grass. More on that later.
As a reminder: Many cities prohibit or discourage people from blowing leaves into the streets.
First, if you have a compost bin, you can throw your leaves and pumpkins in there. Denver offers compost bins to all solid waste customers. The city’s compost program also accepts paper leaf bags.
Ace Hardware is providing free compostable paper leaf bags. If you want a free five-pack, you can download a coupon at the Be a Smart Ash website.
But if your compost bin is full, you have other options.
Denver residents can use LeafDrop sites:
On weekdays from Oct. 6 – Nov. 21, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Denver residents can go to the following locations.
Cherry Creek Transfer Station (the only place that accepts hitched trailers that are 6 feet in length or less), 7301 E. Jewell Ave. (Enter on Jewell.)
Havana Nursery: 10450 Smith Rd. (Enter on Smith.)
Central Platte Campus, 1271 W. Bayaud Ave. (Enter through the gates at Bayaud and Navajo, go past the Denver Animal Shelter to dumpsters in front of Building 2 on the right.)
The only weekend dates available are Nov. 8 and 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bruce Randolph High School, E. 40th Avenue and Steele Street.
Cherry Creek Transfer Station, 7301 E. Jewell Ave. Enter on Jewell. (This is the only Denver location to accept trailers up to 6 feet in length.)
Kennedy High School, Newland St. and Brown Pl.
Sloan’s Lake Northwest Parking Lot, W. Byron Pl. and Yates St.
Veterans Park, S. Vine St. and E. Iowa Ave.
All leaves must be in paper bags.
What about other cities?
Some of Denver’s suburbs also offer free leaf recycling. Keep in mind that these sites are generally limited to local residents and may require proof of residency
Arvada will accept residents’ leaves at Stegner Sports Complex,11200 W. 58th Ave. The program is running Nov. 8-22, except Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Broomfield accepted residents’ leaves and other yard waste at its Tree Branch Recycling Facility. It’s open Wednesdays 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Golden will collect yard waste curbside from Nov. 3-7. It must be uncontaminated in certified compostable bags, or in bundles or in your organics cart.
Douglas County accepts residents’ leaves on Saturdays from Oct. 25 through Nov. 15 at 1400 Capice Dr. in Castle Rock. Leaves, slash and grass clippings will be accepted Oct. 25; only leaves will be accepted after that.
Highlands Ranchwill accept residents’ yard waste on Nov. 15 at Redstone Park, 3280 Redstone Park Cir.
Westminster will accept residents’ leaves and pumpkins at 10001 Alkire St. on Saturday, Nov. 15, and Saturday, Dec. 6, from 8 a.m. to noon.
Some cities, such as Aurora, don’t advertise a free disposal option. Aurora instead encourages people to sign up for a paid service.
Do I have to do this at all?
No. If you are able, you could compost the leaves yourself,or just use a lawnmower to turn them into mulch for a grass lawn.
A study from Cornell University found that a site in New York was actually healthier with leaf mulch. An article from Purdue University warns that leaving a thick layer of leaves can kill grass and invite mold, but mulching can improve the soil condition.
“It is important not to mulch in thick layers of leaves all at once, but instead shred them a little at a time,” the Purdue article stated. But “[a]side from saving time and money in removing foliage from the grass, mulching also saves time and money in the spring by keeping grass healthy.”
Local sources agree. “The best thing to do with the leaves on your lawn is to mow right over them and leave them on the surface. It’s much easier than raking them, plus it’s good for your lawn!” reads an article from the Pueblo County Extension office.
“Grass clippings and leaves make good mulch when applied dry or when applied gradually in thin layers and allowed to dry between applications,” states another extension office.
Denverite editor Andy Kenney got tired of bagging his leaves years ago and has mulched them instead. It doesn’t seem to hurt anything.
Denverite editor Andrew Kenney contributed to this article. See if you can find where.
Composting is an environmentally friendly way to improve your garden soil and reduce waste. Yard waste and table scraps can make up a large part of household garbage which could be turned into nutrient-rich amendments for your garden with the right compost recipe.Here’s everything you need to know to learn how to compost properly.
Even if you only have a small garden, learning how to compost is one of the most important activities you can do to save money and prevent waste from unnecessarily ending up in a landfill.
Some people mistakenly assume that compostable materials thrown in the garbage will break down and feed the soil in the landfill. But throwing vegetable and garden scraps in the trash means they will be surrounded by garbage and not have the proper recipe to decompose. Instead, it releases harmful methane gas into the environment.
Composting isn’t difficult, but it isn’t as simple as just throwing your kitchen scraps and garden cuttings into a heap and checking on it a year later. Eventually, those items will break down and create compost, but it is much faster, cleaner, and more effective when you know the proper compost recipe.
So, let’s learn how to compost, shall we?
This post will cover…
The key components of successful composting.
How to Make Compost
Healthy compost results from a combination of four ingredients: greens, browns, air, and moisture.
1. Greens (Energy Materials)
Add 1 part of greens. Green compost ingredients are those with higher nitrogen content, such as grass clippings, kitchen scraps, and garden trimmings.
These materials rot quickly and contain the compounds needed for fast microbial growth. They are usually quite wet and heavy and can get stinky fast unless you balance them with enough brown material.
2. Browns (Bulking Agents)
Add 2-3 parts of browns. Brown compost ingredients are those with higher carbon content, such as paper, shredded woody material, and straw.
Browns are dry and bulky, allowing air to reach the greens. They do not decay rapidly without greens because they do not hold enough moisture.
Are Fallen Leaves a “Brown” for Composting?
Colour alone is not a good indication of what is considered brown materials. Deciduous leaves that have fallen and turned brown, as well as chopped-up tree and shrub clippings, have higher nitrogen balance than true “browns.”
Leaves and chopped-up clippings are excellent for compost and can decompose readily on their own, without needing additional greens or browns. You can choose to compost these materials from the garden on their ownor mixed in with the 1 part green / 2-3 part brown mixture.
Just be sure not to replace the browns with fallen leaves, or your compost will be too wet and stinky.
Colour alone does not indicate whether it is a “green” or “brown” compost ingredient.
3. Air
Packing layers of green and brown materials into a compost bin will not make compost alone. Air needs to be introduced by turning the compost with a fork, an aeration tool, or a rolling composter.
As the microbes work to break down the materials, the compost heap will become warm. The heat in the middle of the pile can reach up to 150 degrees F.
Turning the compost once a week should be plenty, but to speed up the process, mix the compost every few days to introduce more air and move materials from the edges to the middle.
4. Moisture
Moisture is also necessary to give the microbes the best possible conditions to break down the material. After adding the materials, water the compost pile and mix it well. It should be damp but not soggy. In dry months, you may have to add water, and in wet months, you may have to protect the compost from rain.
You don’t want dry not do you want sopping wet compost.
How Do I Use Compost?
Now that you know how simple it is to make compost, let’s chat about what you actually do with it.
I love the look and feel of compost. It’s rich, black, light, and fluffy to the touch. When I pick it up, I just know that it will be pure gold for my plants and my garden.
Creating your compost rather than buying it means you’ll have more of the specific nutrients and organisms that your plants and soil need. You can use it as a soil amendment, fertilizer, and as mulch.
Amend soil with compost manually or more often when you have compost readily available. Spread compost in a thick layer over the soil when the garden is not productive. Compost doesn’t need to be scratched in or turned into the top layer of the soil.
Turning the compost in only disturbs the network of microorganisms already living in the soil. Better yet, add compost directly over the mulch layer that protects soil and decomposes itself.
When I’m adding a new plant to the garden, I also like to mix in a little bit of compost at the bottom of the hole I dug to give the plant an extra boost of nutrients. I really never use fertilizer for my garden plants, instead opting for compost.
You can also make a compost tea. This is a liquid made from steeping or brewing your compost in water to extract beneficial organisms and water-soluble nutrients. Then, it’s applied as a foliar spray to help with plant diseases or as a soil drench, which applies diluted concentrations of soil microorganisms and nutrients.
Choosing a Compost Bin
Compost bins are another major part of learning how to compost. You need to find the right bin to suit your needs; one won’t work for everyone. It depends on your available space and how much compost you’ll need.
You can have one big compost bin or many small ones. The goal is to ensure it’s accessible and easy to add and aerate.
One of my personal favourites is a vermicomposting bin. These work great for small spaces and those who want a closed system. It relies almost entirely on the power of worms, and you’ll get some pretty amazing organic matter for your soil.
Here are some other options for compost bins:
Electric composters are great for those in apartments with minimal or no deck space.
Compost piles where you simply pile it all together are great for homesteads with lots of need and space.
Wood slat bins help to keep things contained and aerated if critters are not a problem.
If critters are a problem, critter-proof bins with lids are good for urban areas.
Rolling composters are also good for urban areas with their closed bins. The bin rolls to help compost degrade faster.
What Will Make Compost Break Down Faster?
Some materials are full of microbes, bacteria, fungi, soil insects, mites, and worms that will speed up the decomposition process. Add just a small portion of one of these compost amendments to really get the party started.
A compost pile can be this simple, as long as you regularly aerate it and watch its moisture levels.
What Should You Not Put in Compost?
Not everything can go in your home compost bin, although some of these can go in city or county large-scale industrial compost bins where the temperatures are consistently hot enough to kill pathogens and seeds.
Before you compost these items, be sure to check your local composting regulations.
Pesticides and herbicides – Keep your garden healthy without introducing pesticides and herbicides into the compost bin.
Compostable grocery bags – These should not go in your home compost bin despite the name. Use brown paper bags instead.
Evergreen clippings – Some evergreens take a long time to compost at home, and some resins can slow down and/or inhibit the composting process.
Meat, bones, dairy, or animal product food scraps – The home compost doesn’t get hot enough to break these down effectively, and it will attract pests, like rats, to the compost pile.
Pet waste – Dog and cat poop can carry pathogens that could be transferred to the soil.
Diseased plant material – Diseased or infested plants may perpetuate the incidence of disease and pests in future years.
Weeds that have gone to seed – Compost may not get hot enough to sterilize weed seeds.
Large logs, thorny branches – Big, woody items will be too large to break down. Chip or grind all large, woody materials instead.
Poison ivy, invasive weeds, and other noxious plants – Don’t risk spreading these plants by composting them.
This compost tumbler was the solution to stopping rats from invading my compost bin.
Composting Shouldn’t Be Gross
If you think composting is yucky or dirty, you aren’t doing it right! Compost should smell fresh, sweet, and earthy. Overly stinky compost is not properly balanced, but it is an easy fix.
Too many greens in your compost will become soggy and smell bad. Compost can also start to stink when it is too wet. In both cases, adding more brown materials and turning your compost to introduce air will help to remedy the problem.
Fruit Flies, Maggots, and Rats, Goodbye!
While composting aims to attract insects and fungi to your compost bin, you shouldn’t need to fight off an army of critters to get into the compost. The best defense against an overly active compost bin is, again, balance.
If you follow this compost recipe and keep a layer of brown on top of the compost, you will only attract those critters that will work for you to make healthy, nutritious compost.
Compost shouldn’t be overly stinky or attract pests.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Compost
How long does it take to make compost?
Compost can take as little as four weeks to make or as long as a year.Ultimately, the more work you put in, the faster your compost degrades. While you can just toss everything together in a heap and wait a year, you can speed up the process.
If you work to accelerate and aerate your compost bin, you will have compost quickly. Quick composting is when you accelerate compost by adding plants.
Traditionally, this combines dried nettle, dandelion, chamomile, yarrow, valerian, and oak bark. The plants are dried, crushed into a powder, and sprinkled on layers between compost. This will give you compost in 4-6 weeks.
What happens if you let compost sit too long?
Generally, compost can sit for a long time without any worry. It won’t stink or rot when it’s properly taken care of by controlling the moisture levels.
However, compost can lose potency over time. The nutrients leach, and the compost will turn finer and finer as the microorganisms get to work. Too much moisture can cause the compost to rot and grow fungi. And if your compost is in a pile and not in a bin, it could disappear altogether, becoming part of the soil.
Should compost be in the sun or shade?
Your compost will be okay in the sun or shade if you properly manage it. Sun speeds up the composting process since it raises the overall temperature. However, it will dry out faster. You may find that you need fewer carbon materials for bins in the sun and need to add water frequently.
Compost bins in the shade will be prone to staying damp and won’t be as warm. In this case, you may need to aerate it more often and add more carbon materials to help accelerate it.
Other Tips for Smart Composting
A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.
Worms have dug their way into my heart, and you’re about to understand why! Using the power of worm castings, you can completely transform your garden naturally. Master the practice of vermicomposting with this guide on how to use worms and kitchen scraps to create the best organic matter.
When it comes to friendly bugs, why do bees, butterflies, and ladybugs get all the love? While I appreciate these beneficial bugs as much as the next person, I’m here to shout out my love for worms from the rooftop gardens around the world.
Whether you think of worms as friends or hard-working employees, they are a welcome addition to my garden every day. Even if I can’t see them.
An unknown practice to many, vermicomposting harnesses the superpowers of the worm to create some of the most potent fertilizers around. With vermicomposting on your side, you will have the fullest, greenest plants in the neighbourhood by far!
Here’s what I’ll be covering today…
Red Wiggler worms (Eisenia fetida)
What is Vermicomposting?
Vermicomposting is the fancy word for having worms as pets. Or, more technically speaking, intentionally using worms to decompose kitchen scraps and carbon materials like paper and straw.
This results in worm castings. And yes, worm castings is a nice word for worm poop.
Why on earth would you want worm poop, you ask? Worm castings have a much finer texture than soil and are excellent when it comes to holding moisture. If you want a balanced garden fertilizer, they are highly nutritious, though the N-P-K values will fluctuate based on the worm’s diet.
Worm castings look like very rich soil. You will see dark brown, teeny tiny bits of material. When you harvest them, you try to leave behind all the worms and take their castings in gratitude.
Worm castings create a very rich, dark brown compost-soil-like texture.
Composting vs Worm Castings
You can add worm castings directly to your soil or as a wonderful addition to your compost.
Similar to composting, you need greens, browns, water, and air in order to make vermicompost. BUT, you need another very essential ingredient…worms!
As mentioned earlier, vermicompost holds moisture. This is due to its high concentration of humus, a carbon-based substance that not only keeps soil hydrated but spongy texture also helps to aerate the soil. Combined with the high levels of nutrients, vermicompost tends to be more valuable than compost in the garden.
You will see that reflected at the store too. You can purchase worm castings anywhere that also sell compost. Vermicompost will have a higher price tag than compost, which is why making your own vermicompost bin is so valuable!
Since you have living creatures in your vermicompost, you need to keep your bin cool. Compost on the other hand values heat to decompose material and this helps to kill pathogens, weed seeds, and other issues. This means that vermicompost may still have some pathogens and other tiny bugs inside.
However, the extra nutrients and benefits of vermicomposting are well worth it. The process is completely safe for you and your plant babies.
Vermicomposting bins are a lot smaller than traditional compost bins, such as the compost tumbler pictured.
Types of Worms
Not all worms are born equal. When it rains, you can’t simply go outside and collect worms off the sidewalk to put in your vermicomposting bin.
For vermicomposting, you don’t use the earthworms you would find out and about in your garden. Instead, you want hungry worms who will happily eat away your kitchen scraps.
Red Wigglers (Eisenia fetida) are the most common worm used for vermicomposting. They don’t like soil, instead opting to survive in decomposing leaves, manure, and other decomposing materials. This is why they thrive in a vermicomposting bin!
Another popular option is red worms (Lumbricus rubellus). They like similar conditions, although you will find them further down in the bin, and they may reproduce a tad slower than red wigglers. But they will happily eat away and create some worm castings for your benefit.
Taking Care of Your Worms
Create a Home
To make a home suitable for a worm king, you need to satisfy their 4 needs:
Browns: the bedding and shelter for the worms to live in. They will also eat this too.
Greens: garden waste and kitchen scraps for the worms to feast on.
Water: typically, the kitchen scraps provide all the water that is needed.
Air: air holes in your vermicomposting bin, along with loosely packed material, are necessary.
You’ll also need a bin itself. See below for an easy DIY version. If you provide all these materials, your worms will quickly get down to business and start digesting the food and bedding. Every month, their population should double, and they will slowly build up the space.
Don’t worry about expanding your worm bin. More often than not, you don’t have to worry about taking worms out or adding more. They’re self-regulating creatures. Once the food or space runs low, the worms will stop multiplying and control their own population. It’s a worm-eat-worm world out there.
Worms will control their own population depending on the space and amount of food available.
Feeding Your Worms
Think of worms as gluten-free, raw vegans. They have a very particular diet! Worms love to eat any raw vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grinds, flowers, and green leaves from the garden.
In terms of kitchen scraps, there are certain things you will want to exclude from your vermicomposting bin.
Like us, they need a balanced diet to stay healthy. Make sure that no more than 20% of the food is made up of one material. A mix is good!
Avoid meat and dairy as well as processed and cooked foods for your worms.
Worms on Vacation
Worms may sound like high maintenance, but they will do just fine on their own. They can easily last a month on their own without any new food being added to their bin. Feed them before you leave and when you get home, and they will happily do their own thing while you’re away.
Troubleshooting
Rotate Where You Place Food Scraps
Some things may go awry with your bin. To make sure your bin is a hospitable place for the worms to live, alternate where you place your food scraps in the bin.
Each week, designate a new corner for the scraps. After a month, the worms will have eaten and digested the first corner of the scraps.
Foul Odour
An odour is also possible and indicates something has gone wrong. Look at your four corners and see if you can get to the root of the problem. For instance, lots of acidic materials can change the pH, and the worms migrate away to the opposite side of the bin where life is good.
Clean out the materials that seem to be causing the problem and replace any bedding as necessary. The bin should be spick and span again in no time.
Fruit Flies
If fruit flies can’t get enough of the vermicomposting bin, make sure the bedding stays on top of the food. You may also want to avoid any fruit or sweet-smelling scraps that attract fruit flies.
And if all else fails, you can make a fruit fly trap and nestle it on top of the bedding to try and capture the pests.
Fruit flies are attracted to sweet-smelling scraps such as fruit.
DIY Vermicomposting Bin
Over the years, I have used many different vermicomposting bins. However, my favourite comes from Pau Farré, who teaches workshops on vermicomposting at City Farmer here in Vancouver, BC. This project and 80 more can be found in my Garden Alchemy Book.
This design works perfectly for my urban garden, staying small but providing plenty of worm castings.
But I also have a worm hotel version throughout my garden that I have shared in my book, The Regenerative Garden. It helps folks work with nature rather than against it by showing the steps to make over 80 permaculture projects I use in my garden.
My favourite vermicompost bin design, that I’m going to show you how to make.
Make sure you’re using two of the same bins so they stack nicely.
Make It!
Using your power drill (or hammer and nails), make drainage holes at the bottom of your two nesting bins. Make air holes on the sides of the bin. The air holes should be spaced around the perimeter of the bin, above where the two bins overlap.
Your worms will need air holes, as well as loosely packed materials to breathe.
Fill one of the tall bins 1/3 full with the mixture of dry bedding materials. Wet down the bedding until it reaches the consistency of a wrung-out sponge.
Add your worms to one corner of the bin. On top of the worms and bedding, add 4 cups of roughly chopped kitchen scraps. Cover the kitchen scraps with another layer of dry materials, leaving them dry this time.
Place four of the wooden risers in the shallow bin to allow room for the leachate to drain. Set down the middle bin on top of the risers, then add four more risers in the bin. Place your worm bin on top and secure it with a lid.
Keep the vermicomposting bin outside in a cool, shady spot in the summer and a warm, covered spot in the winter. The temperature should be between 5-30°C. If you live in an area with a cold winter, move the worms to a garage or place a blanket over the top of the bin if it doesn’t get too cold.
Worms won’t leave the bin, they prefer to stay put.
Harvesting Worm Castings
My DIY vermicomposting bin makes harvesting worm casting bins easy, collecting in one easy bin. When you are ready for worm castings, stop feeding the worms for a few weeks until you notice that all the kitchen scraps have been digested.
Remove the dry top layer of bedding and move the worms to the middle bin. You want to set up the empty middle bin with new bedding and kitchen scraps, just as you initially set up the bin. This time, leave out the worms.
Put your new bin on top of the one that contains all the worms and castings. The worms will now migrate up through the holes to get to the bin with the food. This leaves you with a nice, clean supply of castings to use in the garden. You can harvest worm castings every 3-4 months for your garden.
The nutrient-rich vermicompost will be readily available to amend the soil.
How to Use Worm Castings
Vermicompost is good for any and all plants, including potted plants such as houseplants and succulents. To use worm castings, you can sprinkle them over top of the soil and let the nutrients work their way down.
Alternatively, you can mix the vermicompost with the regular topsoil when planting potted plants inside or in the soil outside. It especially helps to give clay or sandy soil more organic material. They also work extremely well in making a seed starting mix.
The only time you wouldn’t want to use worm castings is when you already have soil rich in organic material. After all, too much of a good thing can turn bad.
Just like adding too much fertilizer to a plant, you can overdo it with nutrients. Use worm castings sparingly, treating it as potent fertilizer.
FAQ About Worm Castings
When to add worm castings to soil?
You can add worm castings whenever they’re ready. Worm castings generally take about 3-4 months to be ready for harvest.
I like to add it especially in the spring and summer during the growing season since it acts as a potent fertilizer. You can leave the worm castings for longer in the fall and winter, waiting to add them to your seed-starting soil mix.
Are worm castings high in nitrogen?
The N-P-K values will fluctuate based on what the worm is eating. Overall, the castings are highly nutritious and well-balanced if you are feeding a good mixture of kitchen scraps.
Can you use too much worm castings?
Treat your worm castings as a potent fertilizer. So yes, too much of a good thing is absolutely possible. If your soil is already high in organic material, you don’t need worm castings. Overall, you could add it as frequently as you might fertilizer, and your plants would be completely fine.
What do I do with my worms in winter?
Worms like temperatures between 5-30°C (41-86°C F). For those with mild winters, keep them in a covered place in the winter. For those with harsher winters, you want to move your worm bin to a garage or place a blanket over the bin.
I’ve lost worms before in the winter. I don’t beat myself up over it, instead starting fresh in the spring with some new worms, bedding, and kitchen scraps.
And that’s it on all things worm poop! Be sure to keep an eye out for more information and projects from my permaculture and garden books, Garden Alchemy and The Regenerative Garden. I’ve only just scratched the surface of permaculture with vermicomposting! Let me know in the comments down below if you are going to add worms to your composting routine.
DIY Vermicompost Bin
Give your garden a major boost with worm castings! Here’s how to build a vermicompost bin that’s small but has plenty of power.
With a power drill (or hammer and nails) drill drainage holes at the bottom of the two nesting bins. Also use the drill to make air holes on the sides of the bins around the perimeter where the bins overlap.
Fill one of the tall bins a third full with a mix of the dry bedding. Wet it down so it feels like a wrung-out spunge.
Add the worms to the bin in the corner. Then top with 4 cups of kitchen scraps that are roughly chopped.
Add a layer of dry bedding, leaving dry this time.
Add four wooden risers in the shallow bin. This will allow room for the leachate to drain. Then, set down the middle bin on top of the risers. Next, add four more risers to the bin. Finally, place your worm bin on top and add the lid.
The compost-loving people of Ruby Hill, Harvey Park and a few other neighborhoods need only wait a few more weeks.
A compost bin in a Capitol Hill alleyway. Sept. 1, 2023.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
I know that every Denverite wakes up each morning with one pressing question on their mind: “When will compost collection start in my neighborhood?”
I have good news for residents of Bear Valley, College View-South Platte, Fort Logan, Harvey Park, Mar Lee, Marston, Overland and Ruby Hill. The answer is in the next few weeks.
Those neighbors should look for a letter in the mail explaining the program and letting them choose their cart size. Deliveries will begin in September.
It’s been a slow rollout for composting.
City Council passed a bill in 2022 upping recycling pickup frequency and bringing free weekly compost collection citywide, subsidized by new fees on trash pickup.
While the policy affects the whole city, rollout has been slow; the first neighborhoods got carts at the start of January 2023, but the city does not expect to cover the whole city until 2025.
This next set of neighborhoods will bring compost cart distribution to about 54 percent of the city.
A compost bin in a Capitol Hill alleyway. Sept. 1, 2023.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
It’s been a slow rollout of Denver’s new pay-as-you-throw trash program.
Pay-as-you-throw expands composting citywide, adds more frequent recycling pickup and charges residents based on the size of their trash bin.
City Council passed the climate policy in June of 2022, and it took effect in January of 2023. But it’s taken over a year for the city to distribute compost bins across the city — an effort that is still ongoing.
Here are the neighborhoods next up for compost bins: Athmar Park, Auraria, Baker, Barnum, Barnum West, Civic Center, Lincoln Park, Sun Valley, Union Station, Valderde, Villa Park and Westwood, as well as parts of the Central Business District and West Colfax.
Residents of single-family homes and apartment buildings with up to seven units should keep an eye out for a letter in the mail explaining the service and giving residents a chance to request their compost bin size. Residents will also receive a pail for the kitchen to keep food scraps and a compost guide.
Why are some neighborhoods getting compost bins earlier than others?
The city is prioritizing distributing compost bins to parts of the city with the lowest trash diversion rates.
That’s because pay-as-your-throw aims to incentivize more compost and recycling and less trash. Residents who haven’t received compost bins yet will get a credit on their trash pickup invoice.
Denver will not finish distributing compost bins until 2025. Since the program began in 2023, trash diversion rates have increased by 3 percent to 26 percent of waste.
Adding compost to your soil is one of the best things you can do for your garden. So, no wonder you want to produce as much of it as possible! When it comes to urban composting, you want to think beyond the traditional, small compost bin so you can get as much of the garden gold as possible.
I gush about composting the same way someone gushes about their partner. Compost is pure garden gold. It’s one of the easiest, most affordable ways to improve your garden’s soil. All while preventing more waste from ending up in the landfill.
In my garden, I don’t use any fertilizer. Most of my garden beds have all the necessary nutrients already in the soil, with compost improving the organic matter, microbes, and soil structure. When using compost, your soil will be able to hold more moisture, be more aerated, and have more nutritional value for your plants.
Compost is pretty cool hey?
While many think composting may be as easy as tossing all your kitchen waste in a pile, it’s not that simple. It’s also not hard to do when done right.
If, like me, you need lots of compost to kickstart a new gardening space, here’s how you can maximize your small space composting system.
Amend soil with compost annually or more often when you have compost readily available.
How to Make Compost
To make compost, you need four key ingredients: nitrogen, carbon, air, and moisture.
Nitrogen is full of “greens” like kitchen scraps, grass clippings, and trimmings from your gardens. You need one part of nitrogen.
Next, you need two to three parts of “browns” as the carbon source. These are typically dry and bulk, like paper, straw, or other shredded woody material.
Compost needs to be turned regularly to encourage air (oxygen) to help speed up composition, as well as moisture.
But unless you have lots of space, it’s hard to make enough compost to feed a new garden with poor soil. And even if you do have lots of space, that probably means you need even more compost than the average gardener!
Spread compost in a thick layer over the soil when the garden is unproductive. It does not need to be turned into the top layer of the soil.
How I’m Managing My Urban Composting System
I’m in my first spring in my new home. The yard is quite neglected, full of poor drainage and patchy grass.
In the back is a large raised bed left behind by the previous owners. About 10 ft by 7 ft, it goes right up against the neighbour’s fence. Because of this design, getting to the back corner without climbing into the bed is impossible.
I built pathways in it last summer, but it is wasted space. So, I’m ripping the whole thing out this upcoming summer to create a more functional gardening bed.
Right now, I’m dumping every ounce of greens and browns I have in the raised bed in hopes that I’ll make tons of compost. I have plans for a food forest, and I’ll need all the compost I can get to feed my neglected soil.
This compost pile is topped with coffee grounds, a great kitchen scrap addition.
How Can I Make Enough Compost for My Whole Garden?
The secret to making lots of compost is to use as many different methods as possible rather than relying on one traditional, small compost bin. Rather than removing any organic matter from your garden or throwing out kitchen scraps, find ways to use it in your garden.
Here are some of the methods I’ll use to utilize compact composting.
Mulching
Mulches are incredibly popular with permaculturalists and gardeners because of the regenerative properties they provide for the soil. The protective layer of organic material keeps the soil temperatures more consistent, deters surface evaporation, and decomposes slowly to add nutrients.
Here’s what you can use in your garden as mulch deriving from nature:
Straw Cardboard (broken into smaller 6–12-inch pieces)
Grass clippings
Seaweed
As a form of urban composting, add a layer of mulch over any of your garden beds in the fall. It will insulate the soil and eventually break down into the soil.
Sheet mulching is the process of building a new garden bed or soil in layers or sheets using various carbon and nitrogen source materials.
Chop and Drop
Chop and drop is a form of mulching where you cut back the plant material in your garden and leave it on top of the soil surface to decompose in place.
This will feed the roots of their own kind, mimicking how they fertilize the soil in nature. Avoid plants that have gone to seed and only use disease- and pest-free materials.
This is an excellent form of compact composting that you can do during the growing season as you work in the garden.
Wild plants and volunteers make great chop-and-drop mulch. Cut them before they go to seed.
Green Manure
Also known as cover crops, green manures are plants that are grown with the sole purpose of going back into the soil. The plants typically are nitrogen-fixing crops.
The plants are pulled or cut down and then chopped into smaller pieces. The top layer turns into mulch on the soil surface (it’s no longer suggested to till it into the soil). Below ground, the remaining roots are left to decompose. As the top and bottom decompose, they provide nutrients and soil-conditioning effects.
To use green manures as a form of urban composting, they work best in larger gardening beds, or if you want to feed a new lawn.
Legumes such as lupines (Lupinis spp.) offer many benefits, such as nitrogen-fixing, erosion control, and attracting pollinators.
Spot Compost
With only one small compost bin, it can fill up quickly. Rather than continuously piling in more, you want to let the green waste sit and fully decompose before adding in more scraps.
Spot composting is an easy way to get into composting. To do so, you can dig a hole directly in your gardening bed, add in your green scraps, and then cover it up.
Kitchen scraps can include raw or cooked food.
Worm Bins
I have pet worms, and so could you! Worm bins are one of my favourite urban composting methods, and they are great for those with minimal space.Vermicomposting is where you use worms to decompose your kitchen scraps alongside carbon materials like straw and paper.
Worm composting directly in the garden bed simplifies the process of vermicomposting. When you use in-bed vermicomposting bins, the worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed right where they are needed.
In-bed vermicomposting solves the problem of what to do with the worms during extremes of hot and cold. For example, vermicomposting in hot weather places (like the low desert of Arizona) is difficult unless you bring the worms inside during the summer months. With in-bed vermicomposting, the worms simply burrow deeper in the beds during the heat of an Arizona summer and then emerge again in the fall.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
How does vermicomposting work?
Worm composting – also called vermicomposting (‘vermi’ = worm) – is the process of using worms for composting food scraps into vermicompost. Worms eat up to half their weight daily in kitchen scraps, and worm castings are the byproduct of all that eating. Worm castings = GARDEN GOLD!
During digestion, the worms secrete chemicals that break organic matter into nutrition readily available for plants. Worm castings and the chemicals secreted during digestion make up vermicompost.
What are the benefits of worm composting (vermicomposting)?
Vermicompost improves soil texture and structure and aerates the soil.
Vermicompost increases the water-holding capacity of soil.
The nutrients in vermicompost are immediately available to plants.
Worm castings contribute to faster plant growth and higher production.
Worm castings are dense in microorganisms and nutrients.
The chemicals in worm castings help prevent “damping off” and other diseases.
Worm castings from vermicomposting
What is the easiest way to make and maintain a vermicomposting (worm composting) bin?
A vermicomposting bin built into your raised beds, containers, or in-ground garden bed is the easiest way to make a worm composting bin.
No need to harvest the worm castings or move the worms inside for extremes of hot and cold temperatures. The worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed, right where they are needed.
Adding worms to an in-bed worm composting bin
When should I add in-bed vermicomposting bins to my garden beds?
If you live in a hot summer climate, do not add worms during the hottest months of the year. In the low desert of Arizona, the best time to add in-bed vermicomposting bins to your garden is from mid-September through May.
Which type of worms should I use for in-bed vermicomposting?
Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of the hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level.
That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you buy nightcrawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.
Purchasing red wiggler worms locally is the best choice. I get my worms from Arizona Worm Farmhere in Phoenix. You can also buy them online.
How do I make an in-bed vermicomposter (worm composter)?
Supplies needed for in-bed vermicomposting:
The 24-sheet shredder I use to shred cardboard for my vermicomposting bins
Bin (see options below).
Shredded cardboard – This shredder from Amazon will shred cardboard boxes (remove tape and labels first).
Kitchen scraps – Perfect worm food includes bananas, watermelon, pumpkin, strawberries, apples, and more. I keep them on the counter in this container until I add them to the bins.
Worms – Red wigglers are preferred. I get mine from Arizona Worm Farm. Look for a local supplier if possible. If you can’t find one you can get them online here. The earthworms typically found in the garden aren’t suitable for vermicomposting.
Bin options for in-bed vermicomposting:
The bin helps designate a place in your garden for the worms to go. Choose one slightly smaller than the depth of your garden bed. There are several options:
A wire garbage can with wide openings is the simplest way to add bins to your beds. They are available at Dollar Tree or Amazon.
Lifting the bin out of the bed is simple when it’s time to collect the finished worm castings.
Shape hardware cloth into a cylinder slightly shorter than the depth of your garden bed.
Wire the ends of the hardware cloth together.
2-gallon bucket (with the bottom removed and holes drilled in the sides)
I used this drill bit (for drilling holes) and a Dremel (to cut off the bottom of the bucket).
If you use this type of vermicomposting bin, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to remove the bottom of the bucket.
Directions for installing and using an in-bed vermicomposting bin:
1. Dig a hole in the garden bed the bin size.
2. Place the bin in the hole.
3. Fill the habitat with shredded cardboard, and wet it down. Allow cardboard to absorb moisture overnight.
4. Add 300-600 red wiggler worms. Red wigglers are preferred. I get mine from Arizona Worm Farm. Look for a local supplier if possible. If you can’t find one you can get them online here.
5. Begin feeding worms – see worm feeding details below.
6. Cover the food scraps with a layer of “brown” materials. Examples: wood chips, dried leaves, soil, and shredded cardboard.
7. Cover the worm habitat. Use a thick layer of wood chips. You could also use a piece of wood or a tile. If you are using a bucket, the bucket lid works well.
8. Check back occasionally and add more food scraps. (Always top with browns). Remove any large pieces of uneaten food.
9. When food scraps are gone, and the bucket is empty, you can harvest the castings. (The worms will leave the bucket and migrate to other areas of the bed). Spread the castings around the garden bed. You can also leave the castings in place.
10. Begin the process over again, starting with fresh shredded cardboard, food scraps, and browns—no need to add additional worms.
How many in-bed vermicomposting bins should you have?
I have one worm habitat in each bed. One habitat per bed is enough to get a continuous flow of microbes.
You can add as many bins as you need to process your food scraps and waste, but you don’t need a high density of worms for a successful garden.
Add at least 300 worms for each habitat. 600-800 is better, if possible.
Worms multiply to fit the space and available food. In a big garden, worms will breed faster.
Feed worms in moderation: Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and other starchy foods
Avoid feeding worms: Citrus, meats, bones, eggs (crushed shells are ok), dairy products, processed foods, salty or greasy food, and pet waste.
Tips for feeding worms:
Add equal amounts of greens and browns each time you feed.
Greens
Fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, bread & pasta (small amounts), coffee grounds, crushed eggshells
Browns
Cardboard, mulch, dry leaves, shredded paper
Make sure worms have eaten previously added food scraps before adding more. Plan on feeding worms about once per week.
Cut or blend food before adding to bins. Smaller pieces of food break down faster and speed up the composting process.
Cover with browns after adding food scraps (greens) to avoid attracting fruit flies.
Remove large pieces of uneaten food. Pay attention to what the worms are eating and not eating.
The bin’s interior should have the moisture consistency of a wrung-out sponge (damp but not overly wet). Spray lightly with a hose if necessary.
Cover with a thick layer of wood chips, or replace the lid on the bucket after feeding.
Frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: I have a ton of black soldier fly larvae in both of my bins. Will they be detrimental to my red wigglers?
Answer: Black soldier flies are unusual in the Phoenix metro area because it is so dry here. They won’t hurt the worms, and within two or three weeks, they pupate into harmless flies (the live fly has no mouth – the only stage of the insect that eats is the larvae) that die within a day or two.
The larvae are voracious eaters, so someone who finds them in the bin should feed much more than normal. If they put buckets or bins in the ground like your setup, they may observe fewer worms in their bucket or bin as the worms will move away from the heat the larvae produce.
The worms are fine and will return when the larvae leave. The larvae don’t bite – if someone wanted to remove them (easiest is with a kitchen strainer) and toss them, that is a fine option too.
Question: I dug into two of the buckets to see how my worms were doing, and they were missing. Not a worm to be found in either bucket.Would you expect the worms to stay in that bucket full of compost, or have they perhaps left their original home and crawled around through the rest of my garden, maybe just coming back to the bucket for their meals?
Answer: The worms go through the beds, and some are in the buckets with the scraps. I’m guessing with the intense heat we are having, they are burrowing down as deep as they can go.
Adding fresh shredded cardboard after emptying the bucket of the worm castings. The worms will return to the bins.
Question: I have two guinea pigs, and feed them alfalfa hay, organic alfalfa pellets, and leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, and parsley. They produce a lot of waste (approximately 1 quart of waste hay and pellets daily). I read that I can add their waste and their waste hay directly to my raised bed gardens, which I have been doing and have been digging it in with a hand spade. Will red wiggler worms compost the guinea pig waste and waste hay?
Answer: Red wigglers will eat guinea pig manure as it decomposes – and they will not eat anything that they don’t like until it decomposes enough for them to eat. A pound of worms will eat about a pound of waste a week. You will likely produce a lot more than that, but that’s not harmful either. The worms will eat what they want, and the rest will feed your beds as it has. Your current process will probably produce good results – the worms will improve it.
Full bin of food and castings. Let the worms complete the food before harvesting the castings.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: How often do you add water to the compost buckets in Arizona heat?
Answer: The beds get watered 2-3 times a week during the summer and about once a week in the winter. The buckets are in the middle of one of the watering grids in my beds, and get watered as well.
Question: Can you add chicken poopto the buckets?
Answer: You can, in small amounts. Too much will overwhelm the worms. Just mix the poop with bedding (anything that was a tree…leaves or shredded cardboard or mulch) and they will do great.
Question: Do the finished castings seep into the garden through the holes in the bucket or does it need to be scooped out?
Answer: Both. It is carried out of the bed by the worms movement. When the worms have completed the food scraps you can also scoop the castings out and spread them around the bed. You then begin the process again, adding fresh cardboard and food scraps. The worms will come back into the bin.
Red wiggler worms are perfect for in-bed worm composting.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: How do the in-bed vermicomposting worms do during the summer? Is there anything special you do to keep them cool during Arizona summers so they don’t die?
Answer: They burrow down into the beds and look for cool spots to stay cool. In-bed worm composting in Arizona is a great option for our hot summers. Beds should be at least 12 inches deep.
Question: Do you ever have problems with ants attacking the worms in the in-bed vermicomposting bins?
Answer: Ants don’t generally attack worms. By making the area more moist, you can discourage ants and make the habitat better for the worms. You can use these ant bait traps.
Question:Will in-bed vermicomposting work in containers?
Answer: Generally, it will work fine. The challenge with worms in pots for most people is that they tend to let plants get root bound and there is less soil than the worms like. As long as you have organic material and space for them to move, they will do great. You don’t need to bury a bin in the container. You can do the same thing if you just dig out a hole and put a lid on the hole.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: Can worms eat bokashi compost?
Answer: Absolutely. Done right, bokashi produces lots of microbes and breaks down waste to make it easier for the worms to consume.
Question: My bed is raised completely off the ground, due to the previous owner PLANTING Bermuda grass (sigh). I’ve been reading that these sorts of beds are not a good home for worms since they may get too hot or drown. We are in Arkansas, so it doesn’t typically get above 100. The bed has good drainage, and a soil depth of about 10″. Do you think worms would be OK to add or no?
Answer: We never worry about drowning worms. They will find dry places to hang out. If she can grow vegetables, the worms will be fine. Fully-raised beds (off the ground) do tend to get hot. She should shade it in the summer, but they will probably be fine. The worst thing that might happen is they die over the summer and she has to add more in September when they start getting cooler nights.
Question: Will chemical fertilizers hurt the worms?
Answer: In small amounts, probably not, but direct contact or a large amount could. The whole idea of worms is to let them convert organic materials into a natural source of nitrogen. The worms should reduce or eliminate the need for inorganic fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers such as inorganic nitrate salt will reduce the pH, but they also kill some of the microbes we like.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: Can I use earthworms or do I need to use red wrigglers for in-bed vermicomposting?
Answer:Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level. That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you are buying night crawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.
Question: Are red wigglers native?
Answer: Red Wigglers are not native to the US – No worm is- they were all killed off during the Ice Age. But, Reds are not considered invasive. Especially in Arizona. They stay where they are at and can’t live in our natural native soils.
Question: Is cardboard toxic?
In our world, it is hard to avoid all chemicals. Cardboard is the most heavily used packaging material, and feeding it to our plants and trees is the best way to make use of a very valuable resource. The benefits of feeding it to our worms (and then our plants) dramatically outweigh any other option. If it’s painted with colored ink from overseas, it is very remotely possible that it has toxic heavy metals. Almost all the inks used in the US (something like 99.3%) are made from soybean oil and are completely harmless. It is also possible (but not likely) that the adhesives include formaldehyde. But, Formaldehyde also occurs naturally in the soil. It is produced during the decay of plant material in levels considered safe.
Question: Can I feed my vermicomposting worms bread?
Answer: Yes. Grain-based items are fine (i.e., crackers, cooked rice, pizza crust, and bread).
Question: What do I do about cockroaches in my bins?
Answer: Cockroaches can be hard to eliminate completely, but the best bet is to aggressively cover the food waste with browns. Adding at least an inch of browns on top will help.
Want more information about composting? This article shares 10 simple steps to get you started.
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Learn how to make nutrient-rich organic worm castings tea for bigger harvests, healthier trees & pest-free gardens. Zach from Arizona Worm Farm shares his recipe.
Worm castings tea, also known as vermicompost tea, worm compost tea, or worm casting tea, is a nutrient-rich, organic fertilizer brewed by soaking worm castings (and other ingredients), in aerated water. It’s a natural way to feed your plants and boost soil health, teeming with beneficial microbes and minerals.
Zach from Arizona Worm Farm has spent the last five years perfecting his recipe, and now he’s sharing it with us so we can learn how to make worm castings tea at home.
How & Why to Make Worm Castings Tea: Zach’s Recipe for a Pest Free Garden
It’s a lot of trouble – so let’s start with why. Quite simply: Your vegetable yield will increase. Your trees will be healthier. Your flowers will be bug-free.
What are the benefits of worm castings tea?
There’s a lot of soil science – pure academic research and decades of field testing that backs up this basic concept: if you suspend microbes in clean water and add air, the microbes will multiply dramatically. When you then transfer that microbe-laden brew into your soils and onto your plants, the microbes thrive and do what they do almost immediately.
Here’s what all those microbes do:
Help produce thicker leaves so your plants protect themselves against frost, sunburn, and pests.
Rapidly convert organic matter from the soil into food for your plants.
Tell your plants there are pests present before those pests arrive, so your plant protects itself from the inside out.
Extend the reach of your plant’s roots so your plants grow better with less water.
Eat harmful microbes.
Improve soil structure through the formation of soil aggregates.
Increase soil porosity, resulting in better aeration and water retention.
Stop the degradation of soil pollutants and provide pH buffering.
Convinced about the benefits of worm castings tea? Let’s talk about how to make it.
Worm castings tea recipe development
Over the last five years, I have run more than 125 experiments where a standard recipe was compared to variations of ingredients or procedures.
We then looked for and counted microbes under a microscope.
Worm castings experiment findings:
The 27-hour brewing time increased protozoa activity.
Humic acid stimulated fungi activity.
Kelp stimulated protozoa activity.
Fish fertilizer stimulated fungi activity and increased nutrient content.
Worm castings resulted in increased fungi content.
I am going to share our recipe and approach – although I will reiterate, that this is a bit of a bother, and you need the correct inputs to get this right.
We sell it fresh every Saturday morning here at the Worm Farm. An easier option is to just come by a gallon or two.
Use fresh and varied inputs for the best tea
Start with as varied and healthy a collection of microbes as possible. Use your castings, fresh from your worm bin, and your compost, fresh from your piles. Use other sources of microbes like hydrated mulch that is breaking down or mushroom compost.
Worm castings from in-bed vermicomposting bins
If you don’t have your own, buy them from a local farm where you can get fresh. The big box compost and worm castings sealed in plastic do not have much microbial life. If you come here to my farm and want inputs for your tea, tell us so we can sell you unscreened material.
Decomposed hydrated wood chip mulch
We don’t screen any of the inputs before we use them to make our tea here. The compost and castings will have larger chunks of wood than our typical commercial product. This mostly serves to reduce microbe exposure to heat and dryness and to avoid breaking fungal hyphae strands.
The other ingredients are humic extract, kelp meal, fish hydrolysate, and Arizona Worm Farm’s BSFL Nutrient +. How many of these you use is up to you. The extra additives will improve the tea but are not essential.
A “tea bag” (You can add the material to the water and aerate it, but the bag makes it easier to spray and use in our gardens.)
A pump that can produce a “rolling boil” – bubbles that make the water look like it is boiling hard – with no heat. We recommend this home brewing kit from Compost Tea Lab. It contains a pump, a bubble snake, and a tea bag.
5 Gallons (19 liters) of pure well water, collected rainwater, or city water allowed to sit out overnight. *see note
12 oz (340g) worm castings
4 oz (113g) of unscreened handmade compost
4 oz (113g) decomposed wood chip mulch (hydrated)
2 Tablespoons (30g) humic acid
2 Tablespoons (30g) kelp meal
2 Tablespoons (30g) fish hydrolysate
2 Tablespoons (30g) AZWF BSFL Nutrient+
Directions
Place the bubble snake in the bucket.
Add 5 gallons of water to the bucket. (see temperature note below)
Fill the compost tea bag with castings, compost, and mulch.
Tie the tea bag to the snake.
Add liquid and powdered ingredients to the bucket.
Turn on the pump.
Replace ingredients in the tea bag with fresh castings, compost, and mulch after 1 hour and again after 2 hours. After the 3rd hour of aeration, take the tea bag out of the bucket. (Add spent ingredients to garden beds or containers.)
Continue aerating the tea for 21-24 hours, but not longer.
Use tea within 2-3 hours. The microbes begin dying when you take the tea off the bubbler. After 4 hours, the numbers return to where you started.
* A note about water: Most city water has chlorine to kill parasites, bacteria, and viruses. It kills the bad stuff but also kills the good stuff. If you only have access to city water, add water to the bucket and let it sit overnight. The chlorine will dissipate. If you are in a hurry, boiling for 15 minutes will have the same effect. Allow to cool before use.
Temperature: Keep water temperature between 60-70°F (15.5-21°C)–above 85°F-90°F (29-32°C) is too hot.
Recipe courtesy of Zach Brooks, owner of Arizona Worm Farm
Printable copy of the worm castings recipe:
How to apply worm castings tea
There are many ways to apply tea – and they are all easy.
As a soil drench: Pour it on the soil around your plants. Add 2 gallons of water to each gallon of tea for a soil drench. Or use it at full strength and then water the soil well.
Foliar feed: Add it to a hose-end sprayer and spray it as a foliar feed.
Just before summer to get plants ready for the heat.
Use it as often as weekly; it only does good. However, more than four times a year is probably not worth the time and money.
2. When setting up new garden beds or adding fresh soil
Apply tea when you set up a new bed (to get the soil ready). For best results, apply it a week or two before you plant, and then keep the soil watered like you had plants in it.
3. When planting new trees
Using worm castings tea when you plant new trees has been shown to dramatically reduce transplant shock and help new trees establish roots.
4. To add microbes when fertilizing your fruit trees
The satisfaction you feel as you turn yard and kitchen waste into organic fertilizer that nourishes the soil, as well as your vegetables, plants, and flowers, is the reward for putting in the effort to learn how to compost.
However, the thought of learning how to compost can be intimidating. The first time I started composting, I was great at growing flies – but not compost. I did not know how to compost, and felt like composting wasn’t for me. It was too hard, too stinky, and there were too many bugs. Can you relate to any of those feelings?
Fast forward a couple of years. I decided to enroll in Master Gardener classes where two crucial things occurred:
I learned the correct way to compost from a local composting expert.
Volunteering at the demonstration garden gave me hands-on experience learning how to compost.
With this newfound knowledge and experience, I was ready to try again. I applied what I learned and put that knowledge to work, and guess what? I was successful and had fresh compost for my garden. Since that time, I’ve added hundreds of pounds of homemade fertilizer to my garden beds.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
How to Compost: 10 Simple Steps
There are as many methods of composting as there are gardeners, but this is the method that works for me using the type of compost bin offered through my city for $5 each. This method can also be adapted to other types of bins.
1. Choose a location to compost
Here are a few necessities for the location:
Plenty of room – the bins I use are 3 feet wide and 2 ½ feet tall. Plan on room for at least 2 bins. Ideally, there is 3 to 4 feet clearance in front of the bins.
Access to water – wetting down the compost with a hose helps speed up the process, especially in dry climates like the low desert of Arizona.
Shade – prevents compost from drying out as quickly and it’s easier for you to work in.
Wheelbarrow access – room to maneuver in and out is helpful.
2. Obtain compost bins
The bins need to be around 3 feet wide and 2 to 3 feet deep (smaller bins won’t heat up as well), have lids, holes drilled in the sides for airflow, and bottomless. For the method I use, you need more than one bin. For smaller yards, 2 bins work fine. Larger yards could use 3, 4, or more bins.
Call your local city to see if they offer bins. This type of bin may also be found online on places like OfferUp and Craigslist. If you live in the City of Mesa (AZ), call 480-644-2221 to request a bin.
3. Gather the correct tools for composting
The right tools make composting much easier. I use the following tools: (click on the name to see the ones I use on Amazon).
5. Understand the difference between green and brown materials
Green Materials
Brown Materials
Nitrogen-rich, wet, colorful
Carbon-rich, dry
Grass clippings
Dry brown leaves
Coffee and tea grounds
Egg shells
Green garden trimmings
Hay and straw
Fruit scraps, peels
Shredded paper
Vegetable scraps, peels
Dryer lint
Green materialsBrown materials
6. Fill the bins
Place alternating layers of green and brown material. Aim for 3 parts brown material for every 1 part of green material. When using food waste, make sure it is buried under a layer of browns to avoid problems with flies.
Mist the layers with water as you add them to assure that the pile is adequately moist. It should have the consistency of a wrung-out sponge.
7. Observe the compost
As decomposition starts, the pile begins to heat up. This is where the thermometer comes in handy. As long as your compost is nice and hot (110℉ – 160℉), you don’t need to do much. Once it cools (below 100℉), go to the next step.
Cooled-down compost that isn’t broken down completely needs to have air and water added back into it to heat it back up.
Use the pitchfork and shovel to move the green and brown materials from the cooled bin into an empty bin, re-moistening as you go. Break up any clumps of grass or leaves. No empty bin? Use the pitchfork to turn the material inside the bin, wetting it as you work.
Once all material is rotated through, watch the pile – it should begin to heat back up (110℉ – 160℉) within a day or so. When the temperatures drop back down again (below 100℉), repeat this step. Once the compost has an earthy odor and is dark brown and crumbly, the process is complete.
This step is why having more than one bin is so important. Ideally, the compost rotates through the bins and then is complete. After moving the material out of a bin, refill it with new green and brown materials to begin the process again. Keep moving the materials through the bins, leaving one bin open to rotate the compost into.
9. Use the compost
Success! A full bin of completed compost is gold for your garden. Use the shovel, pails, and wheelbarrow to scoop the completed compost and add it to your garden beds.
If desired, use a soil sifter like this one from Amazon to remove any large pieces from your completed compost. Toss the large pieces back into the compost pile to finish breaking down.
10. Be patient with yourself as you learn how to compost
The tricky part of learning how to compost is that at any given time, you will be doing several of these steps with different bins.
Be patient with yourself and pay attention to what is going on in each bin. Learn from your mistakes and build on your successes.
Troubleshooting Tips
Symptom
Problem
Solution
Many flies
Green items or food exposed to air
Cover pile with brown materials.
Wet compost – not heating up
Add more brown material
Transfer to a new bin and layer in more brown materials. Do not wet down between layers.
Dry compost – not heating up
Materials may be too large, needs more green
Transfer to a new bin and layer in more green materials. Wet down between layers. Cut down larger items if necessary.
Bad odor like rotten eggs
Materials too wet, not enough oxygen, or too compacted
Transfer to a new bin and layer in more brown materials.
Bad odor like ammonia
Not enough brown materials
Transfer to a new bin and layer in more brown materials.
Compost heats up and then cools down
Compost needs turned
Transfer to a new bin, moistening layers as you go.
Warm only in the middle
Compost pile too small
Aim for the compost pile to be 3 feet wide and 2 ½ to 3 feet deep.
Matted layers of leaves or grass
Material won’t break down, will become slimy
Avoid thick layers – break up layers with pitchfork and remix the pile adding in brown materials.
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Worm composting directly in the garden bed simplifies the process of vermicomposting. When you use in-bed vermicomposting bins, the worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed right where they are needed.
In-bed vermicomposting solves the problem of what to do with the worms during extremes of hot and cold. For example, vermicomposting in hot weather places (like the low desert of Arizona) is difficult unless you bring the worms inside during the summer months. With in-bed vermicomposting, the worms simply burrow deeper in the beds during the heat of an Arizona summer and then emerge again in the fall.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
How does vermicomposting work?
Worm composting – also called vermicomposting (‘vermi’ = worm) – is the process of using worms for composting food scraps into vermicompost. Worms eat up to half their weight daily in kitchen scraps, and worm castings are the byproduct of all that eating. Worm castings = GARDEN GOLD!
During digestion, the worms secrete chemicals that break organic matter into nutrition readily available for plants. Worm castings and the chemicals secreted during digestion make up vermicompost.
What are the benefits of worm composting (vermicomposting)?
Vermicompost improves soil texture and structure and aerates the soil.
Vermicompost increases the water-holding capacity of soil.
The nutrients in vermicompost are immediately available to plants.
Worm castings contribute to faster plant growth and higher production.
Worm castings are dense in microorganisms and nutrients.
The chemicals in worm castings help prevent “damping off” and other diseases.
Worm castings from vermicomposting
What is the easiest way to make and maintain a vermicomposting (worm composting) bin?
A vermicomposting bin built into your raised beds, containers, or in-ground garden bed is the easiest way to make a worm composting bin.
No need to harvest the worm castings or move the worms inside for extremes of hot and cold temperatures. The worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed, right where they are needed.
Adding worms to an in-bed worm composting bin
When should I add in-bed vermicomposting bins to by garden beds?
If you live in a hot summer climate, do not add worms during the hottest months of the year. In the low desert of Arizona, the best time to add in-bed vermicomposting bins to your garden is from mid-September through May.
When adding worms to your beds, nighttime temperatures should be in the 70’s (°F) (21-26°C).
Which type of worms should I use for in-bed vermicomposting?
Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of the hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level.
That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you buy nightcrawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.
Purchasing red wiggler worms locally is the best choice. I get my worms from Arizona Worm Farmhere in Phoenix. You can also buy them online.
How do I make an in-bed vermicomposter (worm composter)?
Supplies needed for in-bed vermicomposting:
The 24-sheet shredder I use to shred cardboard for my vermicomposting bins
Bin (see options below).
Shredded cardboard – This shredder from Amazon will shred cardboard boxes (remove tape and labels first).
Worms – Red wigglers are preferred. The earthworms typically found in the garden aren’t suitable for vermicomposting.
Bin options for in-bed vermicomposting:
The bin helps designate a place in your garden for the worms to go. Choose one slightly smaller than the depth of your garden bed. There are several options:
A wire garbage can with wide openings is the simplest way to add bins to your beds.
Lifting the bin out of the bed is simple when it’s time to collect the finished worm castings.
Shape hardware cloth into a cylinder slightly shorter than the depth of your garden bed.
Wire the ends of the hardware cloth together.
2-gallon bucket (with the bottom removed and holes drilled in the sides)
I used this drill bit (for drilling holes) and a Dremel (to cut off the bottom of the bucket).
If you use this type of vermicomposting bin, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to remove the bottom of the bucket.
Directions for installing and using an in-bed vermicomposting bin:
1. Dig a hole in the garden bed the bin size.
2. Place the bin in the hole.
3. Fill the habitat with shredded cardboard, and wet it down. Allow cardboard to absorb moisture overnight.
5. Begin feeding worms – see worm feeding details below.
6. Cover the food scraps with a layer of “brown” materials. Examples: wood chips, dried leaves, soil, and shredded cardboard.
7. Cover the worm habitat. Use a thick layer of wood chips. You could also use a piece of wood or a tile. If you are using a bucket, the bucket lid works well.
8. Check back occasionally and add more food scraps. (Always top with browns). Remove any large pieces of uneaten food.
9. When food scraps are gone, and the bucket is empty, you can harvest the castings. (The worms will leave the bucket and migrate to other areas of the bed). Spread the castings around the garden bed. You can also leave the castings in place.
10. Begin the process over again, starting with fresh shredded cardboard, food scraps, and browns—no need to add additional worms.
How many in-bed vermicomposting bins should you have?
I have one worm habitat in each bed. One habitat per bed is enough to get a continuous flow of microbes.
You can add as many bins as you need to process your food scraps and waste, but you don’t need a high density of worms for a successful garden.
Add at least 300 worms for each habitat. 600-800 is better, if possible.
Worms multiply to fit the space and available food. In a big garden, worms will breed faster.
What do worms eat?
Good for feeding worms
Avoid feeding worms
Coffee grounds, grains, tea bags, vegetables, fruit, eggshells, paper
Add equal amounts of greens and browns each time you feed.
Greens
Fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, bread & pasta (small amounts), coffee grounds, crushed eggshells
Browns
Cardboard, mulch, dry leaves, shredded paper
Make sure worms have eaten previously added food scraps before adding more. Plan on feeding worms about once per week.
Cut or blend food before adding to bins. Smaller pieces of food break down faster and speed up the composting process.
Cover with browns after adding food scraps (greens) to avoid attracting fruit flies.
Remove large pieces of uneaten food. Pay attention to what the worms are eating and not eating.
The bin’s interior should have the moisture consistency of a wrung-out sponge (damp but not overly wet). Spray lightly with a hose if necessary.
Cover with a thick layer of wood chips, or replace the lid on the bucket after feeding.
Frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: I have a ton of black soldier fly larvae in both of my bins. Will they be detrimental to my red wigglers?
Answer: Black soldier flies are unusual in the Phoenix metro area because it is so dry here. They won’t hurt the worms, and within two or three weeks, they pupate into harmless flies (the live fly has no mouth – the only stage of the insect that eats is the larvae) that die within a day or two.
The larvae are voracious eaters, so someone who finds them in the bin should feed much more than normal. If they put buckets or bins in the ground like your setup, they may observe fewer worms in their bucket or bin as the worms will move away from the heat the larvae produce.
The worms are fine and will return when the larvae leave. The larvae don’t bite – if someone wanted to remove them (easiest is with a kitchen strainer) and toss them, that is a fine option too.
Question: I dug into two of the buckets to see how my worms were doing, and they were missing. Not a worm to be found in either bucket.Would you expect the worms to stay in that bucket full of compost, or have they perhaps left their original home and crawled around through the rest of my garden, maybe just coming back to the bucket for their meals?
Answer: The worms go throughout the beds, and then some are in the buckets with the scraps. I’m guessing with the intense heat we are having, they are burrowing down as deep as they can go.
Adding fresh shredded cardboard after emptying the bucket of the worm castings. The worms will return to the bins.
Question: I have two guinea pigs, and feed them alfalfa hay, organic alfalfa pellets, and leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, and parsley. They produce a lot of waste (approximately 1 quart of waste hay and pellets daily). I read that I can add their waste and their waste hay directly to my raised bed gardens, which I have been doing and have been digging it in with a hand spade. Will red wiggler worms compost the guinea pig waste and waste hay?
Answer: Red wigglers will eat guinea pig manure as it decomposes – and they will not eat anything that they don’t like until it decomposes enough for them to eat. A pound of worms will eat about a pound of waste a week. You will likely produce a lot more than that, but that’s not harmful either. The worms will eat what they want, and the rest will feed your beds as it has. Your current process will probably produce good results – the worms will improve it.
Full bin of food and castings. Let the worms complete the food before harvesting the castings.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: How often do you have to add water to the compost buckets in Arizona heat?
Answer: The beds get watered 2-3 times a week during the summer and about once a week in the winter. The buckets are in the middle of one of the watering grids in my beds, and get watered as well.
Question: Can you add chicken poopto the buckets?
Answer: You can, in small amounts. Too much will overwhelm the worms. Just mix the poop with bedding (anything that was a tree…leaves or shredded cardboard or mulch) and they will do great.
Question: Do the finished castings seep into the garden through the holes in the bucket or does it need to be scooped out?
Answer: Both. It is carried out of the bed by the worms movement. When the worms have completed the food scraps you can also scoop the castings out and spread them around the bed. You then begin the process again, adding fresh cardboard and food scraps. The worms will come back into the bin.
Red wiggler worms are perfect for in-bed worm composting.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: How do the in-bed vermicomposting worms do during the summer? Is there anything special you do to keep them cool during Arizona summers so they don’t die?
Answer: They burrow down into the beds and look for cool spots to stay cool. In-bed worm composting in Arizona is a great option for our hot summers. Beds should be at least 12 inches deep.
Question: Do you ever have problems with ants attacking the worms in the in-bed vermicomposting bins?
Answer: Ants don’t generally attack worms. By making the area a little moister, you can discourage ants and make the habitat better for the worms. You can use these ant bait traps.
Question:WIll in-bed vermicomposting work in containers?
Answer: Generally, it will work fine. The challenge with worms in pots for most people is that they tend to let plants get root bound and there is less soil than the worms like. As long as you have organic material and space for them to move they will do great. You don’t need to bury a bin in the container. You can do the same thing if you just dig out a hole and put a lid on the hole.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: Can worms eat bokashi compost?
Answer: Absolutely. Done right, bokashi produces lots of microbes and breaks down waste to make it easier for the worms to consume.
Question: My bed is raised completely off the ground, due to the previous owner PLANTING Bermuda grass (sigh). I’ve been reading that these sorts of beds are not a good home for worms since they may get too hot or drown. We are in Arkansas, so it doesn’t typically get above 100, the bed has good drainage, and has a soil depth of about 10″. Do you think worms would be OK to add or no?
Answer: We never worry about drowning worms. They will find dry places to hang out. If she can grow vegetables, the worms will be fine. Fully-raised beds (off the ground) do tend to get hot. She should shade it in the summer, but they will probably be fine. The worst thing that might happen is they die over the summer and she has to add more in September when they start getting cooler nights.
Question: Will chemical fertilizers hurt the worms?
Answer: In small amounts, probably not, but direct contact or a large amount could. The whole idea of worms is to let them convert organic materials into a natural source of nitrogen. The worms should reduce or eliminate the need for inorganic fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers such as inorganic nitrate salt will reduce the pH, but they also kill some of the microbes we like.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: Can I use earthworms or do I need to use red wrigglers for in-bed vermicomposting?
Answer:Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level. That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you are buying night crawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.
Question: Can I feed my vermicomposting worms bread?
Answer: Yes. Grain-based items are fine (i.e., crackers, cooked rice, pizza crust, and bread).
Question: What do I do about cockroaches in my bins?
Answer: Cockroaches can be hard to eliminate completely, but the best bet is to aggressively cover the food waste with browns. Adding at least an inch of browns on top will help.
Want more information about composting? This article shares 10 simple steps to get you started.
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Mulch is your secret weapon in the garden. I talk about the need to mulch your garden in nearly every blog post; mulching is that important. This post covers the benefits of mulch, what to use for mulch in different areas of your garden, and the best tips for how to use mulch in your garden.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
Benefits of Mulching your Garden
1. Mulching your garden helps regulate soil temperature
Hot soil is hard on plants. Mulch keeps the sun off the soil, so the soil stays cooler. Thick mulch helps insulate it even more.
Higher soil temperatures slow plant growth, and mulch moderates that temperature.
Mulch shades the soil from the sun’s direct rays causing less temperature variation.
During cooler temps, mulch also helps insulate the soil.
2. Mulching your garden helps slow evaporation
A thick layer of mulch means that less moisture is lost through evaporation. You can then water less frequently, saving water, money, and time!
3. Mulching adds organic matter to your garden
When you add natural mulch in the form of bark, straw, or compost,they are incorporated into the soil and add nutrients and organic matter.
4. Mulching your garden helps prevent and control weeds
Mulching blocks the sunlight needed for weeds to germinate and often smothers existing weeds.
ALL OF THIS TOGETHER MEANS MORE GOOD THINGS GOING ON IN THE SOIL. Increased moisture, fewer temperature fluctuations, and more organic matter lead to more worm activity and more beneficial microorganisms in the soil. That means healthier soil and plants.
Different Types of Mulch:
Compost
Use homemade, bagged, or bulk compost. Compost is high in nutrients and has a finer texture than other mulching options.
A note about fresh animal manure; it must be aged before using it as mulch or compost in the garden.
Where to get it: I make my own and I also love the compost from Arizona Worm Farm.
Composted mulch
Larger texture than regular compost. It is typically made from landscape waste and isn’t completely broken down yet.
Where to get it: Arizona Worm Farm has this available. They call it mulch or city mulch. I also like the bagged composted mulch from A&P Nursery.
Pine needles
Pine needles are very light, airy, and easy to spread. One nice thing about pine needles is they don’t compact. Use a thick layer (3-4 inches) when using pine needles.
Pine needles may lower the pH of soil when mixed in with the soil. That may not be bad here in the low desert where our soil tends to be more alkaline. Pine needles become more pH neutral as they break down.
Straw (not hay)
(Don’t use hay as it often contains seeds). Straw is the stalk left over after grain, like barley, has been harvested. It is dry and hollow, and there is no nutrition left in it. Use a pesticide-free straw.
Gather and save all leaves when they fall. Bag leaves and allow them to begin to break down; this creates leaf mold. Use your lawnmower to run over leaves to shred them. Shredded or small leaves are better at allowing water to penetrate and don’t become matted as easily.
Bark / Wood chips
The larger texture of bark and wood chips means they last longer in the garden. They may compete for some nitrogen as the wood chips break down in garden beds.
These options for mulch are full of nutrients. Grow cover crops in beds when they would otherwise be empty. Do not use grass clippings from Bermuda grass or grass treated with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides.
Cardboard / Newspaper
Cardboard is often used as sheet mulch under beds and in pathways to help prevent weeds. Spread newspaper in beds, but top with something else like compost or soil to hold it in place.
Where to get it: Finally, something to do with all of those Amazon boxes!
Which mulch to use in your garden
Raised and in-ground garden beds:
Smaller-grade organic materials such as compost, composted mulch, shredded leaves, straw, and smaller wood chips are excellent mulch in raised garden beds.
Pathways:
Larger materials last longer in pathways and around raised beds.
Treewells:
All materials are suitable for around trees, but take care to keep mulch away from the base of the tree.
Tips for how to use mulch in your garden
Wait until plants have grown to several inches tall before applying mulch.
Keep mulch about an inch away from the stems of plants.
Add a little extra organic fertilizer below the mulch when using leaves or bark as they can take nitrogen from the soil as they break down.
If you use Garden Grids for watering like I do, put them on top of the mulch. You may have to water a little longer to penetrate the mulch layer.
Plan on applying mulch twice a year in the spring after planting (before the heat of summer), and again after fall planting.
Apply a 2-3 inch layer of most mulches. Less than 2 inches doesn’t give you all the benefits, but a larger layer can be difficult for water to penetrate.
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Worm composting directly in the garden bed simplifies the process of vermicomposting. When you use in-bed vermicomposting bins, the worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed right where they are needed.
In-bed vermicomposting solves the problem of what to do with the worms during extremes of hot and cold. For example, vermicomposting in hot weather places (like the low desert of Arizona) is difficult unless you bring the worms inside during the summer months. With in-bed vermicomposting, the worms simply burrow deeper in the beds during the heat of an Arizona summer and then emerge again in the fall.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
How does vermicomposting work?
Worm composting – also called vermicomposting (‘vermi’ = worm) – is the process of using worms for composting food scraps into vermicompost. Worms eat up to half their weight daily in kitchen scraps, and worm castings are the byproduct of all that eating. Worm castings = GARDEN GOLD!
During digestion, the worms secrete chemicals that break organic matter into nutrition readily available for plants. Worm castings and the chemicals secreted during digestion make up vermicompost.
What are the benefits of worm composting (vermicomposting)?
Vermicompost improves soil texture and structure and aerates the soil.
Vermicompost increases the water-holding capacity of soil.
The nutrients in vermicompost are immediately available to plants.
Worm castings contribute to faster plant growth and higher production.
Worm castings are dense in microorganisms and nutrients.
The chemicals in worm castings help prevent “damping off” and other diseases.
Worm castings from vermicomposting
What is the easiest way to make and maintain a vermicomposting (worm composting) bin?
A vermicomposting bin built into your raised beds, containers, or in-ground garden bed is the easiest way to make a worm composting bin.
No need to harvest the worm castings or move the worms inside for extremes of hot and cold temperatures. The worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed, right where they are needed.
Adding worms to an in-bed worm composting bin
When should I add in-bed vermicomposting bins to by garden beds?
If you live in a hot summer climate, do not add worms during the hottest months of the year. In the low desert of Arizona, the best time to add in-bed vermicomposting bins to your garden is from mid-September through May.
When adding worms to your beds, nighttime temperatures should be in the 70’s (°F) (21-26°C).
Which type of worms should I use for in-bed vermicomposting?
Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of the hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level.
That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you buy nightcrawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.
Purchasing red wiggler worms locally is the best choice. I get my worms from Arizona Worm Farmhere in Phoenix. You can also buy them online.
How do I make an in-bed vermicomposter (worm composter)?
Supplies needed for in-bed vermicomposting:
The 24-sheet shredder I use to shred cardboard for my vermicomposting bins
Bin (see options below).
Shredded cardboard – This shredder from Amazon will shred cardboard boxes (remove tape and labels first).
Worms – Red wigglers are preferred. The earthworms typically found in the garden aren’t suitable for vermicomposting.
Bin options for in-bed vermicomposting:
The bin helps designate a place in your garden for the worms to go. Choose one slightly smaller than the depth of your garden bed. There are several options:
A wire garbage can with wide openings is the simplest way to add bins to your beds.
Lifting the bin out of the bed is simple when it’s time to collect the finished worm castings.
Shape hardware cloth into a cylinder slightly shorter than the depth of your garden bed.
Wire the ends of the hardware cloth together.
2-gallon bucket (with the bottom removed and holes drilled in the sides)
I used this drill bit (for drilling holes) and a Dremel (to cut off the bottom of the bucket).
If you use this type of vermicomposting bin, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to remove the bottom of the bucket.
Directions for installing and using an in-bed vermicomposting bin:
1. Dig a hole in the garden bed the bin size.
2. Place the bin in the hole.
3. Fill the habitat with shredded cardboard, and wet it down. Allow cardboard to absorb moisture overnight.
5. Begin feeding worms – see worm feeding details below.
6. Cover the food scraps with a layer of “brown” materials. Examples: wood chips, dried leaves, soil, and shredded cardboard.
7. Cover the worm habitat. Use a thick layer of wood chips. You could also use a piece of wood or a tile. If you are using a bucket, the bucket lid works well.
8. Check back occasionally and add more food scraps. (Always top with browns). Remove any large pieces of uneaten food.
9. When food scraps are gone, and the bucket is empty, you can harvest the castings. (The worms will leave the bucket and migrate to other areas of the bed). Spread the castings around the garden bed. You can also leave the castings in place.
10. Begin the process over again, starting with fresh shredded cardboard, food scraps, and browns—no need to add additional worms.
How many in-bed vermicomposting bins should you have?
I have one worm habitat in each bed. One habitat per bed is enough to get a continuous flow of microbes.
You can add as many bins as you need to process your food scraps and waste, but you don’t need a high density of worms for a successful garden.
Add at least 300 worms for each habitat. 600-800 is better, if possible.
Worms multiply to fit the space and available food. In a big garden, worms will breed faster.
What do worms eat?
Good for feeding worms
Avoid feeding worms
Coffee grounds, grains, tea bags, vegetables, fruit, eggshells, paper
Add equal amounts of greens and browns each time you feed.
Greens
Fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, bread & pasta (small amounts), coffee grounds, crushed eggshells
Browns
Cardboard, mulch, dry leaves, shredded paper
Make sure worms have eaten previously added food scraps before adding more. Plan on feeding worms about once per week.
Cut or blend food before adding to bins. Smaller pieces of food break down faster and speed up the composting process.
Cover with browns after adding food scraps (greens) to avoid attracting fruit flies.
Remove large pieces of uneaten food. Pay attention to what the worms are eating and not eating.
The bin’s interior should have the moisture consistency of a wrung-out sponge (damp but not overly wet). Spray lightly with a hose if necessary.
Cover with a thick layer of wood chips, or replace the lid on the bucket after feeding.
Frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: I have a ton of black soldier fly larvae in both of my bins. Will they be detrimental to my red wigglers?
Answer: Black soldier flies are unusual in the Phoenix metro area because it is so dry here. They won’t hurt the worms, and within two or three weeks, they pupate into harmless flies (the live fly has no mouth – the only stage of the insect that eats is the larvae) that die within a day or two.
The larvae are voracious eaters, so someone who finds them in the bin should feed much more than normal. If they put buckets or bins in the ground like your setup, they may observe fewer worms in their bucket or bin as the worms will move away from the heat the larvae produce.
The worms are fine and will return when the larvae leave. The larvae don’t bite – if someone wanted to remove them (easiest is with a kitchen strainer) and toss them, that is a fine option too.
Question: I dug into two of the buckets to see how my worms were doing, and they were missing. Not a worm to be found in either bucket.Would you expect the worms to stay in that bucket full of compost, or have they perhaps left their original home and crawled around through the rest of my garden, maybe just coming back to the bucket for their meals?
Answer: The worms go throughout the beds, and then some are in the buckets with the scraps. I’m guessing with the intense heat we are having, they are burrowing down as deep as they can go.
Adding fresh shredded cardboard after emptying the bucket of the worm castings. The worms will return to the bins.
Question: I have two guinea pigs, and feed them alfalfa hay, organic alfalfa pellets, and leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, and parsley. They produce a lot of waste (approximately 1 quart of waste hay and pellets daily). I read that I can add their waste and their waste hay directly to my raised bed gardens, which I have been doing and have been digging it in with a hand spade. Will red wiggler worms compost the guinea pig waste and waste hay?
Answer: Red wigglers will eat guinea pig manure as it decomposes – and they will not eat anything that they don’t like until it decomposes enough for them to eat. A pound of worms will eat about a pound of waste a week. You will likely produce a lot more than that, but that’s not harmful either. The worms will eat what they want, and the rest will feed your beds as it has. Your current process will probably produce good results – the worms will improve it.
Full bin of food and castings. Let the worms complete the food before harvesting the castings.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: How often do you have to add water to the compost buckets in Arizona heat?
Answer: The beds get watered 2-3 times a week during the summer and about once a week in the winter. The buckets are in the middle of one of the watering grids in my beds, and get watered as well.
Question: Can you add chicken poopto the buckets?
Answer: You can, in small amounts. Too much will overwhelm the worms. Just mix the poop with bedding (anything that was a tree…leaves or shredded cardboard or mulch) and they will do great.
Question: Do the finished castings seep into the garden through the holes in the bucket or does it need to be scooped out?
Answer: Both. It is carried out of the bed by the worms movement. When the worms have completed the food scraps you can also scoop the castings out and spread them around the bed. You then begin the process again, adding fresh cardboard and food scraps. The worms will come back into the bin.
Red wiggler worms are perfect for in-bed worm composting.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: How do the in-bed vermicomposting worms do during the summer? Is there anything special you do to keep them cool during Arizona summers so they don’t die?
Answer: They burrow down into the beds and look for cool spots to stay cool. In-bed worm composting in Arizona is a great option for our hot summers. Beds should be at least 12 inches deep.
Question: Do you ever have problems with ants attacking the worms in the in-bed vermicomposting bins?
Answer: Ants don’t generally attack worms. By making the area a little moister, you can discourage ants and make the habitat better for the worms. You can use these ant bait traps.
Question:WIll in-bed vermicomposting work in containers?
Answer: Generally, it will work fine. The challenge with worms in pots for most people is that they tend to let plants get root bound and there is less soil than the worms like. As long as you have organic material and space for them to move they will do great. You don’t need to bury a bin in the container. You can do the same thing if you just dig out a hole and put a lid on the hole.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: Can worms eat bokashi compost?
Answer: Absolutely. Done right, bokashi produces lots of microbes and breaks down waste to make it easier for the worms to consume.
Question: My bed is raised completely off the ground, due to the previous owner PLANTING Bermuda grass (sigh). I’ve been reading that these sorts of beds are not a good home for worms since they may get too hot or drown. We are in Arkansas, so it doesn’t typically get above 100, the bed has good drainage, and has a soil depth of about 10″. Do you think worms would be OK to add or no?
Answer: We never worry about drowning worms. They will find dry places to hang out. If she can grow vegetables, the worms will be fine. Fully-raised beds (off the ground) do tend to get hot. She should shade it in the summer, but they will probably be fine. The worst thing that might happen is they die over the summer and she has to add more in September when they start getting cooler nights.
Question: Will chemical fertilizers hurt the worms?
Answer: In small amounts, probably not, but direct contact or a large amount could. The whole idea of worms is to let them convert organic materials into a natural source of nitrogen. The worms should reduce or eliminate the need for inorganic fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers such as inorganic nitrate salt will reduce the pH, but they also kill some of the microbes we like.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: Can I use earthworms or do I need to use red wrigglers for in-bed vermicomposting?
Answer:Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level. That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you are buying night crawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.
Question: Can I feed my vermicomposting worms bread?
Answer: Yes. Grain-based items are fine (i.e., crackers, cooked rice, pizza crust, and bread).
Question: What do I do about cockroaches in my bins?
Answer: Cockroaches can be hard to eliminate completely, but the best bet is to aggressively cover the food waste with browns. Adding at least an inch of browns on top will help.
Want more information about composting? This article shares 10 simple steps to get you started.
If you enjoyed this post about in-bed vermicomposting, please share it:
Worm composting directly in the garden bed simplifies the process of vermicomposting. When you use in-bed vermicomposting bins, the worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed right where they are needed.
In-bed vermicomposting solves the problem of what to do with the worms during extremes of hot and cold. For example, vermicomposting in hot weather places (like the low desert of Arizona) is difficult unless you bring the worms inside during the summer months. With in-bed vermicomposting, the worms simply burrow deeper in the beds during the heat of an Arizona summer and then emerge again in the fall.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.
How does vermicomposting work?
Worm composting – also called vermicomposting (‘vermi’ = worm) – is the process of using worms for composting food scraps into vermicompost. Worms eat up to half their weight daily in kitchen scraps, and worm castings are the byproduct of all that eating. Worm castings = GARDEN GOLD!
During digestion, the worms secrete chemicals that break organic matter into nutrition readily available for plants. Worm castings and the chemicals secreted during digestion make up vermicompost.
What are the benefits of worm composting (vermicomposting)?
Vermicompost improves soil texture and structure and aerates the soil.
Vermicompost increases the water-holding capacity of soil.
The nutrients in vermicompost are immediately available to plants.
Worm castings contribute to faster plant growth and higher production.
Worm castings are dense in microorganisms and nutrients.
The chemicals in worm castings help prevent “damping off” and other diseases.
Worm castings from vermicomposting
What is the easiest way to make and maintain a vermicomposting (worm composting) bin?
A vermicomposting bin built into your raised beds, containers, or in-ground garden bed is the easiest way to make a worm composting bin.
No need to harvest the worm castings or move the worms inside for extremes of hot and cold temperatures. The worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed, right where they are needed.
Adding worms to an in-bed worm composting bin
When should I add in-bed vermicomposting bins to by garden beds?
If you live in a hot summer climate, do not add worms during the hottest months of the year. In the low desert of Arizona, the best time to add in-bed vermicomposting bins to your garden is from mid-September through May.
When adding worms to your beds, nighttime temperatures should be in the 70’s (°F) (21-26°C).
Which type of worms should I use for in-bed vermicomposting?
Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of the hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level.
That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you buy nightcrawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.
Purchasing red wiggler worms locally is the best choice. I get my worms from Arizona Worm Farmhere in Phoenix. You can also buy them online.
How do I make an in-bed vermicomposter (worm composter)?
Supplies needed for in-bed vermicomposting:
The 24-sheet shredder I use to shred cardboard for my vermicomposting bins
Bin (see options below).
Shredded cardboard – This shredder from Amazon will shred cardboard boxes (remove tape and labels first).
Worms – Red wigglers are preferred. The earthworms typically found in the garden aren’t suitable for vermicomposting.
Bin options for in-bed vermicomposting:
The bin helps designate a place in your garden for the worms to go. Choose one slightly smaller than the depth of your garden bed. There are several options:
A wire garbage can with wide openings is the simplest way to add bins to your beds.
Lifting the bin out of the bed is simple when it’s time to collect the finished worm castings.
Shape hardware cloth into a cylinder slightly shorter than the depth of your garden bed.
Wire the ends of the hardware cloth together.
2-gallon bucket (with the bottom removed and holes drilled in the sides)
I used this drill bit (for drilling holes) and a Dremel (to cut off the bottom of the bucket).
If you use this type of vermicomposting bin, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to remove the bottom of the bucket.
Directions for installing and using an in-bed vermicomposting bin:
1. Dig a hole in the garden bed the bin size.
2. Place the bin in the hole.
3. Fill the habitat with shredded cardboard, and wet it down. Allow cardboard to absorb moisture overnight.
5. Begin feeding worms – see worm feeding details below.
6. Cover the food scraps with a layer of “brown” materials. Examples: wood chips, dried leaves, soil, and shredded cardboard.
7. Cover the worm habitat. Use a thick layer of wood chips. You could also use a piece of wood or a tile. If you are using a bucket, the bucket lid works well.
8. Check back occasionally and add more food scraps. (Always top with browns). Remove any large pieces of uneaten food.
9. When food scraps are gone, and the bucket is empty, you can harvest the castings. (The worms will leave the bucket and migrate to other areas of the bed). Spread the castings around the garden bed. You can also leave the castings in place.
10. Begin the process over again, starting with fresh shredded cardboard, food scraps, and browns—no need to add additional worms.
How many in-bed vermicomposting bins should you have?
I have one worm habitat in each bed. One habitat per bed is enough to get a continuous flow of microbes.
You can add as many bins as you need to process your food scraps and waste, but you don’t need a high density of worms for a successful garden.
Add at least 300 worms for each habitat. 600-800 is better, if possible.
Worms multiply to fit the space and available food. In a big garden, worms will breed faster.
What do worms eat?
Good for feeding worms
Avoid feeding worms
Coffee grounds, grains, tea bags, vegetables, fruit, eggshells, paper
Add equal amounts of greens and browns each time you feed.
Greens
Fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, bread & pasta (small amounts), coffee grounds, crushed eggshells
Browns
Cardboard, mulch, dry leaves, shredded paper
Make sure worms have eaten previously added food scraps before adding more. Plan on feeding worms about once per week.
Cut or blend food before adding to bins. Smaller pieces of food break down faster and speed up the composting process.
Cover with browns after adding food scraps (greens) to avoid attracting fruit flies.
Remove large pieces of uneaten food. Pay attention to what the worms are eating and not eating.
The bin’s interior should have the moisture consistency of a wrung-out sponge (damp but not overly wet). Spray lightly with a hose if necessary.
Cover with a thick layer of wood chips, or replace the lid on the bucket after feeding.
Frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: I have a ton of black soldier fly larvae in both of my bins. Will they be detrimental to my red wigglers?
Answer: Black soldier flies are unusual in the Phoenix metro area because it is so dry here. They won’t hurt the worms, and within two or three weeks, they pupate into harmless flies (the live fly has no mouth – the only stage of the insect that eats is the larvae) that die within a day or two.
The larvae are voracious eaters, so someone who finds them in the bin should feed much more than normal. If they put buckets or bins in the ground like your setup, they may observe fewer worms in their bucket or bin as the worms will move away from the heat the larvae produce.
The worms are fine and will return when the larvae leave. The larvae don’t bite – if someone wanted to remove them (easiest is with a kitchen strainer) and toss them, that is a fine option too.
Question: I dug into two of the buckets to see how my worms were doing, and they were missing. Not a worm to be found in either bucket.Would you expect the worms to stay in that bucket full of compost, or have they perhaps left their original home and crawled around through the rest of my garden, maybe just coming back to the bucket for their meals?
Answer: The worms go throughout the beds, and then some are in the buckets with the scraps. I’m guessing with the intense heat we are having, they are burrowing down as deep as they can go.
Adding fresh shredded cardboard after emptying the bucket of the worm castings. The worms will return to the bins.
Question: I have two guinea pigs, and feed them alfalfa hay, organic alfalfa pellets, and leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, and parsley. They produce a lot of waste (approximately 1 quart of waste hay and pellets daily). I read that I can add their waste and their waste hay directly to my raised bed gardens, which I have been doing and have been digging it in with a hand spade. Will red wiggler worms compost the guinea pig waste and waste hay?
Answer: Red wigglers will eat guinea pig manure as it decomposes – and they will not eat anything that they don’t like until it decomposes enough for them to eat. A pound of worms will eat about a pound of waste a week. You will likely produce a lot more than that, but that’s not harmful either. The worms will eat what they want, and the rest will feed your beds as it has. Your current process will probably produce good results – the worms will improve it.
Full bin of food and castings. Let the worms complete the food before harvesting the castings.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: How often do you have to add water to the compost buckets in Arizona heat?
Answer: The beds get watered 2-3 times a week during the summer and about once a week in the winter. The buckets are in the middle of one of the watering grids in my beds, and get watered as well.
Question: Can you add chicken poopto the buckets?
Answer: You can, in small amounts. Too much will overwhelm the worms. Just mix the poop with bedding (anything that was a tree…leaves or shredded cardboard or mulch) and they will do great.
Question: Do the finished castings seep into the garden through the holes in the bucket or does it need to be scooped out?
Answer: Both. It is carried out of the bed by the worms movement. When the worms have completed the food scraps you can also scoop the castings out and spread them around the bed. You then begin the process again, adding fresh cardboard and food scraps. The worms will come back into the bin.
Red wiggler worms are perfect for in-bed worm composting.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: How do the in-bed vermicomposting worms do during the summer? Is there anything special you do to keep them cool during Arizona summers so they don’t die?
Answer: They burrow down into the beds and look for cool spots to stay cool. In-bed worm composting in Arizona is a great option for our hot summers. Beds should be at least 12 inches deep.
Question: Do you ever have problems with ants attacking the worms in the in-bed vermicomposting bins?
Answer: Ants don’t generally attack worms. By making the area a little moister, you can discourage ants and make the habitat better for the worms. You can use these ant bait traps.
Question:WIll in-bed vermicomposting work in containers?
Answer: Generally, it will work fine. The challenge with worms in pots for most people is that they tend to let plants get root bound and there is less soil than the worms like. As long as you have organic material and space for them to move they will do great. You don’t need to bury a bin in the container. You can do the same thing if you just dig out a hole and put a lid on the hole.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: Can worms eat bokashi compost?
Answer: Absolutely. Done right, bokashi produces lots of microbes and breaks down waste to make it easier for the worms to consume.
Question: My bed is raised completely off the ground, due to the previous owner PLANTING Bermuda grass (sigh). I’ve been reading that these sorts of beds are not a good home for worms since they may get too hot or drown. We are in Arkansas, so it doesn’t typically get above 100, the bed has good drainage, and has a soil depth of about 10″. Do you think worms would be OK to add or no?
Answer: We never worry about drowning worms. They will find dry places to hang out. If she can grow vegetables, the worms will be fine. Fully-raised beds (off the ground) do tend to get hot. She should shade it in the summer, but they will probably be fine. The worst thing that might happen is they die over the summer and she has to add more in September when they start getting cooler nights.
Question: Will chemical fertilizers hurt the worms?
Answer: In small amounts, probably not, but direct contact or a large amount could. The whole idea of worms is to let them convert organic materials into a natural source of nitrogen. The worms should reduce or eliminate the need for inorganic fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers such as inorganic nitrate salt will reduce the pH, but they also kill some of the microbes we like.
More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:
Question: Can I use earthworms or do I need to use red wrigglers for in-bed vermicomposting?
Answer:Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level. That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you are buying night crawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.
Question: Can I feed my vermicomposting worms bread?
Answer: Yes. Grain-based items are fine (i.e., crackers, cooked rice, pizza crust, and bread).
Question: What do I do about cockroaches in my bins?
Answer: Cockroaches can be hard to eliminate completely, but the best bet is to aggressively cover the food waste with browns. Adding at least an inch of browns on top will help.
Want more information about composting? This article shares 10 simple steps to get you started.
If you enjoyed this post about in-bed vermicomposting, please share it:
Changing wasteful and unsound habits now will ensure those habits are carried on by future generations. One recent poll showed that 76% of people are becoming eco-friendlier to help their children live in a better world. Keep reading to learn how to accomplish this.
Are you serious about being an eco-friendly family? Here are great sustainable practices that you should follow.
Related: Being Eco-Friendly Is Hard. Here, 6 Business Leaders Explain Their Most Effective Strategies.
Conserve water
The average family wastes around 180 gallons of water every week. Conserving water is one of the quickest and easiest ways to help the environment from your own home. Conserving water can be anything from limiting toilet flushes throughout the day to setting up a rain barrel to collect rainwater for reuse in the garden. There are water crises all over the world, so it is important that we all do our part to conserve this vital natural resource.
Recycle or sell your old electronics
This activity can be fun for the whole family as it can easily be turned into a scavenger hunt involving your whole living space and vehicles. When you recycle your old electronics responsibly either by donating them or selling them, you are creating a cleaner space for you to live in, and also contributing to the recyclable materials being used to make new products. There are some companies that buy and sell used electronics like Gizmogo, that can make the process of selling your old devices easy and painless.
Some ways Gizmogo makes selling your old devices simple:
Free shipping – They will send you a waybill to print off so you can send your items to them for free.
Expert examination – Gizmogo employs experts in electronics who will evaluate your items so they can give you the best price possible.
Fair price for the market – If you do a little research online at what other places are selling used or refurbished items, you can easily see where your device falls in the mix. Compare that to the price you get from Gizmogo and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Fast payment – Once you decide to accept the offer, your money will be transferred to you in as little as 24 hours.
Data protection – GIzmogo is committed to protecting your data and will wipe your device clean of any personal information.
Compost
Composting is a process that uses kitchen waste and other types of organic waste and converts it into nutrient-rich food for plants. If you have a garden, then composting is especially helpful because it will help your garden grow and won’t contribute to overflowing landfills.
At work, you can implement a compost program. Use sealable containers for compost in your office snack room for employees to add stuff like coffee grounds and discarded food scraps — avoid meat and dairy. Contact your local environmental agency about a composting collection service or drop-off area.
Travel clean
One easy way to reduce your carbon footprint is to replace your mode of transportation as often as possible to clean methods of getting around. Bikes, scooters, skateboards, and feet are all excellent vehicles that can get you where you are going without unleashing carbon emissions.
Where possible, you can also take public transportation for long distances, or trade your vehicle in for an electric moped or hybrid. Even taking one day where you don’t use the car but use another way of getting around can help the environment and provide you with some healthy exercise. You can use this as an opportunity to have a fun walk with the family or do some local shopping in your area.
There are many more easy ways to be eco-friendly and reduce your carbon footprint. From switching to green cleaning products to reducing the use of harmful chemicals, the steps to helping your environment for future generations are plentiful and very easy to take.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The phrase “human composting” sounds like something out of dystopian science fiction without any context — but it’s a new and green way lay the dead to rest. The term describes turning remains into healthy soil, and it’s legal in Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. In addition, the process was just legalized in California and will soon be legal in New York.
Mat Hayward / Contributor | Getty Images
According to Axios, Recompose is a Seattle funeral home leading the way in promoting human composting as a form of interment. Funerals held there have traditional elements; however, rather than taking their final rest in a satin-lined box, the deceased is at the center of a “laying-in” ceremony. In a process Recompose calls “natural organic reduction,” materials such as wood chips, alfalfa, and straw are laid around the body, then sealed inside, launching the process that transforms a corpse into soil.
Axios’s reporting suggests that human composting may be slightly more affordable than a typical funeral. For composting, transportation, and soil donation, Recompose ceremonies cost $7,000, making the process somewhat more expensive than cremation (median cost: $6,515) and cheaper than a typical burial, which averages $8,805.
Families can take urns of soil home for ecological use — gardening soil, for example — and anything left is donated by the funeral home to various causes. Katrina Spade, the founder and CEO of Recompose, tells Axios that while “soil is, on the one hand, very sacred and special to the people still living,” it’s also “just soil.”
“And so to be able to return to the Earth in a meaningful way,” Spade continues, “to the forest, through our conservation partners, I think that’s my favorite option.”
More than just adding fresh topsoil to areas in need, human composting also reportedly reduces the usual carbon output of traditional processes by 1.2 metric tons.
There’s probably a much better term for returning to the earth in such a literal manner than “human composting,” but according to Axios, it’s not as off-putting as you’d expect. Katrina Spade tells the site that Recompose has held 200 composting ceremonies, and 1,200 customers are paying monthly installments for future services.
