Green Living

Plywood, pressure-treated hardwoods and snow fencing for containers and prunings, sawdust and twigs for materials are the wood which should be used to build a compost pile.

Specifically, the corner posts to a compost bin or container have to be pressure-treated whereas plywood and snow fencing can be used as lids and on sides. Clippings, sawdust and twigs - which need to be piled up on the bottom of the pile if they are incorporated into the heap - may be used as compostable materials. Other than the bottom layer, clipped/pruned/trimmed wood and sawdust must be cut down in very small pieces and sprinkled in light layers.

You can recycle any type of plastic including PET, HDPE, Vinyl, LDPE, PP Polypropylene, etc. For specific items in these categories and current recycling prices check the link.

All plastics are recyclable. But not all recycling companies can deal with every kind of plastic. Many will not take polystyrene (styrofoam), for example.
Plastic bottles and containers are usually marked with the Resin ID Number on the bottom (1 to 7 ) within a triangle with three chasing arrows. That sign does not mean it can be recycled. It merely tells what kind of plastic has been used. All plastic can be recycled, even styrofoam and cling wrap. However some kinds may not be economical to recycle in your area. You have to check with your local authorities or the recycling plant just what plastics they will accept.

Yes, a compost heap can be considered a food source -- but not for humankind or wildlife -- even though not all edibles can go into the pile.

Specifically, the carbon-, nitrogen- and oxygen-rich materials which constitute a compost heap accept only limited amounts of human-friendly edibles. For example, it cannot have dairy and meat products or greasy, oily foods. The above-mentioned, approved materials will become food sources for microorganisms whose predatory behavior contributes to anaerobic decomposition.

Nothing in the compost pile should be attractive to human and wildlife palates.

You can make a worm farm from two or three plastic boxes, like recycling crates or even polystyrene boxes. They should fit tightly together to discourage cockroaches or rats.

The bottom box or tray catches the worm urine which is an excellent garden fertilizer, when diluted with 10 parts of water.

The other two boxes have plenty of holes in the bottom to allow drainage and air, and also to let the worms climb up to the food.

The middle box holds the worms in their bedding which can be coconut fiber or peat moss.

Put the food scraps from your kitchen into the middle box. It should have a lid or a layer of wet sacking or newspaper as the worms do not like sunlight. When the worm castings fill it enough for the worms to reach the next box, then put their food into the top box. The worms will gradually migrate into the top box, and you can then use the de-wormed middle box as humus for your garden. It will then become the top box when the other box fills up.

Or you can buy commercial worm farms which contain all the above. This is just a very rough guide. You'll need to know a little more about temperature, moistness and what kind of food. Check some more information in the Related Questions below or search WikiAnswers for "worm farm". ... if, like me, you're not interested in "humus" or worm urine for your garden, but only want worms for fishing or for sale to others, just use one (1)10-gallon plastic tote with lid (available at walmart for <$5). Drill 1/8 inch holes around all 4 sides and the bottom, about one hole per square inch, for air. Then drill a larger hole (1/2 inch) in the bottom for drainage. Then put in 6-8 inches of moist (not soaking wet) peat moss (you will have to soak the peat moss in water a while). Then order yourself a pound of worms (you can get them on the internet for around $40, including shipping). When the worms arrive, just dump them on top of your peat moss. All the lives ones will dig down into the bedding, and you can discard the dead ones. You can feed them corn meal, or table scraps and kitchen waste. However, you should avoid giving them meat, dairy products, and fats, not because it hurts the worms, but because it makes the bin stink. Acidic foods, like tomatoes or citrus peels, WILL hurt the worms, by throwing off the pH in your bin. One thing that is very good for worms is egg shells. But only BOILED egg shells. If you use raw egg shells, you'll have an odor problem, as well as a potential disease problem. If you have a bunch of raw egg shells, you can just boil the shells for 5 minutes. Egg shells contain calcium, which not only balances out acidity, but promotes reproduction. Also, I have found that the thin, flexible membrane on the inside of an egg shell is a very popular place for worms to lay their eggs. You also need to keep the bedding moist. Not soaking wet, but just moist. Worms need moisture. For optimum breeding and egg hatching, you want to keep your bin between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. So don't expect many babies in the winter. But even in the winter, you want to keep your bin above freezing, in fact, above 50 if you can. Move it inside your garage or basement - that shouldn't be a problem if you stay away from feeding them things that cause odors. Actually, if you're raising your worms outdoors, the VERY best thing for worms, both as bedding and food, is cow manure (or manure from any other ruminant, or hebivore, species, but avoid dropping from carnivorous animals like dogs, cats, or humans). These instruction are for raising the common "red wiggler" worm, also known as "manure worm" (scientific name Eisenia foetida). They may also work for other species of small earthworms. However, they will not work for Night Crawlers and other large worms, that like to burrow deep into the ground, up to 10 feet deep in some cases.