Vermicompost Tumbler Ready for Action!

The term “vermicompost” comes from the Latin word “vermi,” meaning worms.  It refers to the practice of raising worms to use to convert organic matter to extremely nutrient-rich compost.  For my sustainability project I built a vermicompost tumbler to maximize efficiency in our recently installed vermicompost system.  The tumbler separates our Red Wiggler worms from the fertilizer—their castings.  Because the worms won’t be lost when we spread the castings over the garden, we won’t need to purchase more and the worm pile will essentially maintain itself. 

A vermicompost tumbler works fairly straightforwardly: worms and castings are deposited into the tumbler and the tumbler is spun so that the castings are sifted out through a grate in the side.  The worms remain inside the tumbler and can be reintroduced into our vermicompost pile.

Worm castings are odorless, water soluble, and rich in nitrogen, potash, potassium, magnesium, micronutrients, trace elements, enzymes, and multitudes of microorganisms.  They are known as the purest and most perfect form of plant food because of their ability to aerate soil, release nutrients slowly over time, and retain high moisture levels.

Our garden will certainly reap the benefits of the newly installed tumbler!