FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many worms should I order?

A: That all depends on how much food waste you generate. Worms eat about half their body weight in food each day. So, to
figure out how many worms you need, collect your food scraps for a week and weigh them. Now divide this by seven to get
pounds per day, then multiply by two. This is how many pounds of worms you'll need. If you and your family are producing seven
pounds of food a week (one pound a day) you'll need to start with two pounds of worms.

Q: I just ordered some worms. Now what?

A: You should have your worm bin set up and ready to go before your worms arrive. We ship via USPS Priority Mail, so your
worms will arrive in one to three days (We ship worms on the Monday after your payment clears). For detailed instructions click
here: Worm Care and Feeding Guide

Q: What should I use for a worm bin?

A: Worm bins come in all shapes and sizes, from plastic stackable bins to simple plywood boxes. No matter which type of bin
you decide to use, you need to ensure good airflow throughout. Other than that, size is probably the next most important
consideration. You want a bin that is big enough to accommodate the food scraps and other organic matter that you produce on
a daily basis. A good-sized bin for a family of four that produces a pound of food scraps a day is about six square feet.

Q: Which materials make the best worm bedding?

A: Worms breathe through their skin, and in order for oxygen to pass through their skin it must be kept moist. Therefore, any
bedding that you choose must be able to retain moisture. You want the bedding moist, but not soggy (like a wrung-out sponge).
Good bedding materials include aged horse manure, followed by shredded cardboard, newspaper and office paper, leaves,
compost, and peat moss.

Q: My worms arrived. Now what?

A: When the worms arrive simply open the bag and dump the entire contents on top of your bin (you can also dump the packing
material in the bin and tear up the box they came in and add that to the mix.) Worms are very sensitive to light so within a minute
or two most of the worms will have burrowed down into your bin. You can help them out by gently separating them with your
fingers and spreading them out on the top of your bin. Keep a light on your bin for the first 24 hours to force them to stay in the
bin and get used to their new environment.

Q: What do worms like to eat?

A: Compost worms will eat virtually any type of organic matter, from coffee grounds and watermelon rinds to rotisserie chickens
and cardboard. Some people advise against adding meat and dairy products to worm bins, but as long as you are not
overloading your bin with food this should not be a problem. Bottom line: if it lived on land, swam in water, or grew in the soil, a
worm will eat it.

Q: How do I know when "it's done?"

A: In about two months your worms will have eaten all the organic matter in your bin (including the bedding) and turned it into
rich, crumbly castings that you can apply to your lawn and garden. The best way to tell if your bin is finished is to use your nose—
if it smells like sweet earth then it’s done.

Q: How do I separate the worms from the castings?

A: There are many ways to do this but the best way is to let the worms do the work for you. Place a few large watermelon rinds
face down on the top of your bin. Cover the bin and leave it alone for a few days. Come back and turn over the rinds and scoop
up the worms and transfer them to a holding bin. Repeat these steps until very few worms come to the top. Then dump the
castings, refill your bin with bedding and transfer the worms back to the bin.

For more detailed instructions please read the Worm Care and Feeding Guide.

Q: What about compost tea?

A: Compost tea is not the liquid at the bottom of your worm bin. It is actively brewed with specialized equipment to extract and
grow beneficial microbes from the compost itself. Beware of companies selling worm bins with a spigot on the bottom that they
claim dispenses "compost tea." The foul-smelling liquid is called leachate, and it is not suitable or recommended as a foliar
spray. For more information see this fact sheet on compost tea published by the National Sustainable Agriculture Information
Service.

Worms have been on this planet for millions of years, and are some of the hardiest creatures around. If you provide them with a
good environment and feed them on a regular basis you should never have to buy another worm (or bag of compost) again.

Buy Worms Today

Green Mountain Soil
Feed a Worm...Starve a Landfill™

Green Mountain Soil, LLC
211 Edson Hill Road
Stowe, VT 05672
ph: (802) 595-9681
kurt@greenmountainsoil.com