How to make a worm farm

Almost half of the household waste we throw away is organic and therefore, ideal for composting. Yet so many of us throw it in the bin rather than recycling it. Problem is, organic waste releases methane as it breaks down in landfill, adding greenhouse gases to the environment. Recycling your organic waste with a worm farm is far more beneficial for both your garden and the environment.  

The Reln Garden 2 Tier Can-O-Worms Composter makes it easy to set up your own worm farm at home. It comes with two trays, the bottom or ‘home' tray is where your worms start. The top or ‘working' tray is where your organic scraps go. The two tier system encourages the worms to move from the bottom tray to the top. A worm farm of this size can digest up to 4kg of food scraps a week. 

Start by setting up the ‘home' tray and attach the legs, making sure you keep the cardboard packaging to line the bottom tray. Put the bedding block in a bucket of water and once it has expanded remove it, crumble it and spread across the cardboard. Then add your new pets – the worms!

Add another tray, called the working tray. Fill it with kitchen scraps – everything from fruit and vegetable peelings to coffee grounds, dust, hair clippings, even torn up newspapers. Worms are excellent recyclers, devouring up to 3-4kg of kitchen waste weekly. They work best in the shade and dark. Lastly, add a hessian blanket for insulation.

Being a worm farmer involves a little maintenance. Worms are thirsty workers, so they need hydration. Turn on the tap regularly to drain excess liquid. This is called worm tea, diluted with water it's an excellent liquid fertiliser. When the trays are full, harvest the castings (or worm poop), a product that's jam-packed with nutrients. Add it to your garden and your plants will grow like crazy.