My kitchen trash used to smell . . . awful! Coffee grounds, banana peels, lettuce leaves, onion trimmings, orange peels, and plate scrapings all joined with an accumulation of papers, cans, plastic wraps, jars, and bottle caps to produce an unpleasant-and unusable - collection of refuse. Although I emptied the trash can frequently to reduce the odor in the kitchen, I had to hold my breath when I did!

But no longer! I've now solved my problem entirely with the help of Eisenia foetida, the common red wiggler (or brandling) worm. That's right . . . worms eat my garbage! What's more, they convert it to black, earthy smelling, nutrient-rich humus that I use to grow delicious garden vegetables and beautiful houseplants. Operating an indoor worm powered waste converter is easy, convenient, environmentally sound, and inexpensive. It's fun, too. Anyone can do it, and here's how.

VERMICOMPOSTING:THE BASICS

The essential components of a home vermicomposting unit ("vermi" = worm) are an aerated container, some moist bedding, and a few thousand red worms. Because you'll be working with a dynamic process, you'll need to carry out certain maintenance procedures both to keep the worm population healthy and to obtain and utilize the end product. These tasks are scarcely demanding: Set your vegetable waste aside in a small container when preparing meals or cleaning up afterward . . . feed it to the worms once or twice a week . . . and every few months or so, remove the vermicompost and put the worms in fresh bedding.

To determine the size of your worm bin, keep track of the amount of kitchen waste you throw away for a couple of weeks. Use a small bucket or can, and collect such discards as potato peels, citrus rinds, greens, leftover vegetables, eggshells, and bread . . . just about any non meat food residues from your kitchen. Weigh your container to get the average number of pounds per week, then size the vermicomposter accordingly. Your worm bin should provide approximately one square foot of surface for every pound of garbage you'll bury each week. For example, the 8" X 2' X 2' box described here will handle about 4 pounds per week. This bin will be adequate for many one- or two-person households. Another common size is a 1' X 2' X 3' box, which will accommodate about 6 to 6-1/2 pounds of garbage. Aeration is important, and since red worms tend to be surface feeders rather than deep burrowers, a shallow bin with a large surface area is preferable to one that's tall and deep.

BUILD YOUR OWN WORM BIN

For an 8" X 2' X 2' bin servicing a two person household, you'll need the following materials: four 8" X 23-3/8" pieces of 5/8" CDX plywood . . . one 24" X 24" piece of 5/8" CDX plywood . . . a hammer . . . a drill with a 1/2" bit . . . and thirty-six 6d flooring or pallet nails. (These nails have spiraled flutes on their shanks that increase their holding power, a particularly important quality for wood that'll be both damp and dry.)

Alternate the overlap on the sides (see the diagram), and put the box together with three or four nails per side. Hammer the bottom on, then drill nine 1/2" holes in the base for aeration and drainage, and set the bin on blocks, legs, or casters to allow air to circulate underneath. Although the worms rarely crawl out of the holes, small amounts of bedding or worm casts will drop out, so you'll probably want to place a sheet of plastic or a tray underneath the box when it's in its final location.

If you decide you'd like to make a fancy bin, constructed from a more attractive wood, just be sure that you use exterior-grade lumber, since the box will be damp most of the time. Also, avoid pressure-treated or highly aromatic woods-such as cedar or redwood since they may be harmful to the worms.

Used continuously, an unfinished bin should last two to three years. You can increase its longevity by letting it dry out for several days between setups . . . or by using a rotation system with two boxes. Sealing all surfaces with a good finish such as polyurethane, epoxy, or another waterproofing material will extend the box life considerably.