Worms? Under my sink?

It's more likely than you think. I recently decided to make myself a worm bin. Now you might be thinking that I'm insane (I might be) but there are many benefits to having worms in your house, especially if you're a gardener.

Nope, nothing here under the sink.

• Worm excrement, known as worm castings, is said to be the best organic fertilizer.
• They eat food scraps, meaning less garbage for you.
• Worm bin is compact and sits under the kitchen sink.

I can list a few disadvantages to operating a bin

• Food might end up smelling if improperly disposed of
• Worms were a bit expensive (but the compost they produce is also)
• Worms could potentially escape if conditions within the bin aren't suitable
• "Normal" people will think you're weird when you tell them

They're eating her.. and then they're gonna eat me

For my worm bin, I was able to scavenge a trash can which I thought would make a perfect bin. The worms need air to breath, so I drilled some holes along the top of the bin to provide ventilation. Next, I filled the bottom of the bin with dampen newspaper, which will act as bedding for my worms. The worms were placed into the bin next, followed by my food waste. A final layer of newspaper and a garbage bag to cover the top finishes off the bin.

One man's trash is another creature's next meal

Now you may be wondering how worms produce such a fine compost. Worms have a unique digestive system which breaks down the food they eat into rich, organic matter. Everyday, they eat their body weight in food, meaning 1 pound of worms eats 1 pound of food waste daily. Within a few months, the worms should have recycled all of the food I have given them, leaving behind nutrient rich compost.

Creepy (also slimy)