When I first started vermicomposting, I turned to the seminal work on the subject: Worms Eat My Garbage.
The author, Mary Appelhof, built her first worm bin in 1972 and self-published the first edition of the book ten years later. She would go on to sell over 100,000 copies before her death in 2005.
My only fear was that the book would be out of date, although I figured there probably haven’t been huge advances in the practicalities of worm composting!
Fortunately, the 2017 edition has been updated by Mary’s friend, Joanne Olszewski, to include modern approaches, key studies and warnings about invasive worms.
What’s to like about the book?
Worms Eat My Garbage gives you everything you need to get started vermicomposting. The book starts off with a simple checklist, and follows through with step-by-step instructions.
In the instructions, you’ll find yourself guided through:
- What type of worms to choose and how many you will need
- What type of setups you can use, and how to build your own
- The different types of bedding available, and the pros and cons of each one
- What you can and can’t feed the worms, and how to feed them
- How to maintain the worm bin
- How to harvest and use the worm castings
The book is great for the cost-conscious gardener, providing several options for building your own worm system, although the illustrations that accompany them could be clearer. I also like that the book allows for varying levels of involvement and complexity – for example, you can choose whether to use a pH meter to measure acidity or just rely on your nose.
The book also gives you plenty of peripheral information. Want to know if a worm has a brain, if it will survive being cut in two, and how long a worm lives? You’ll find it all in the FAQs section.
What’s not to like about the book?
I’ve been a little bit spoilt by Composting for a New Generation, and I missed the vivid pictures of that book in Worms Eat My Garbage. The book is illustrated by cartoons and hand drawings, and while perfectly easy to follow, I’d like to see a bit more color.
I also noticed that reviews of the previous edition noted it was outdated and didn’t include modern composting systems. While I have the 2017 edition,the Continuous Flow System receives only a brief mention and instructs the reader to go to the resource section to find a link to DIY instructions online.
The updated edition would have provided a great opportunity to explore modern systems and provide instructions on how to build your own. It’s not that there was a lack of space – a whole new section has been added on reducing waste which says little about vermicomposting.
The final verdict
Despite my quibbles, Worms Eat My Garbage is a great option for people who want a clear guide to vermicomposting. It’s engaging, easy to read, the instructions are clear, and it provides everything you need to know to get started.
However, if you just want a quick introduction, and especially if you are interested in regular composting too, I’d suggest starting with Composting for a New Generation, which comes with a succinct chapter on worm farming.
At the other end of the scale, someone who is already worm farming might appreciate a more in-depth approach to vermi-composting, which includes an in-depth approach towards alternative worm farming solutions like the Continuous Flow System.
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Composting for a New Generation
Compost Science for Gardeners
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