The biggest benefit of a worm farm however large or small, is the worm castings, or vermicompost. Vermicompost is an excellent fertilizer for plants and gardens, and it really has no equal. It has almost no scent as most animal manures do. All plants benefit from using this worm compost.
The benefits of a worm farm aren't just about the plants. While increasing the quality and quantity of plants is the main benefit, the farms are also a great way to save money and improve the environment. Vermicompost is actually a better fertilizer than the commercial chemical fertilizers and it is environmentally friendly as there is no chemicals to leach out and contaminate our water supplies.
An important aspects of any composting system is in the amount of garbage that it reduces. Kitchen scraps and other organic waists are a large portion of a families garbage output. It is estimated that millions of tones of food is thrown away every year. With a worm farm, you will reduce your garbage output and make beneficial use of that waste.
Your worm farm should have very little or no smell. If you have a rotten food or ammonia smell you may need to provide more oxygen. You may have to reduce the amount food for awhile. Also consider the amount of moisture in the bin. To much moisture will slow down the food consumption and may even kill the worms.
Feeding the worms meat scraps can also cause the bin to smell. Worm scraps also invite
unwanted insects and animals to the bin.
The whole purpose of your worm farm is to get vermicompost, that rich fertilizer, the "black gold" of gardening. A small amount of worm compost in one planting hole makes big difference in plant health. Mix it with soil for your house plants and use in your garden a couple of times a year. You will see a burst of growth. It seems to do best when placed near the roots.
In many areas of the country compost tea is popular. The tea is used as a foliage spray for foliage feeding and since it is rich in beneficial bacteria it is also used as an environmentally acceptable pesticide and fungicide.
Compost tea is made by placing an amount of vermicompost in a container of water and bubbling air through the mixture for about two weeks. An air source can be an inexpensive fish tank aerator. The ratio of compost to water is about 4 to 1. Stir the container once a day. If this is to be sprayed, filter the tea first using a fine sieve or cheese cloth.
