School wormery

Wormery at a local school 

Made in 2006 With pupils. This design has separate lids for different days of the week, to encourage the spreading of the material throughout the length of it. Dimensions: 8 foot, by 2 foot, by 2 foot. 

Much of the waste going in was playtime fruit waste (2007), such as orange peel, apple cores, and banana skins. This became far too acid for worms, and in fact a much better way to compost fruit waste is not  to use worms  !  The acidity will simply kill them off.

Fruit waste is very wet, so it should be mixed it with dry fibrous materials such as: shredded paper, straw, hay, garden waste; and a little soil.  Otherwise it goes slimey and 'orrible. It can get anaerobic (no air) and acid, and that will slow up any decomposition.

It should be composted in well aerated containers with good drainage. Rat proofing may not be so essential, but to be sure, then rat proof with chicken wire (the finest 1 cm mesh) or in another way, and have a good lid.  

I am working on school fruit waste composting systems (2011), and hope to have an example of a good one to show here, rather than preach about it.