Worm Composting Employing worms to make compost is called vermiculture. The problem is that these worms cannot tolerate high temperatures. Add a handful of them to an active compost pile and they ll be dead in an hour. To maintain a separate worm bin for composting food scraps, you need a watertight container that can be kept somewhere that the temperature will remain between 50 and 80 F all year-round. Ready-made worm bins are available, but you can also make your own.
Red worms are available by mail.
Composting tips and troubleshooting Tips Keep a stash of straw, kitty litter, dry leaves, or peat moss near your compost pile. Sprinkle a little on the top of the pile each time you add fresh weeds or kitchen scraps. Try burying your kitchen scraps right in the garden. Hunt around your town for a plentiful source of free organic material. You might try a horse farm, food processing plant, local wood shop, or grounds maintenance service.