Worms Eat My Garbage [Paperback]

Mary Appelhof (Author), Mary F. Fenton (Illustrator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0942256107 | ISBN-13: 978-0942256109 | Publication Date: November 1, 1997 | Edition: Revised

The definitive guide to vermicomposting-a process using redworms to recycle food waste into nutrient-rich food for plants. Newly revised and updated, this 162 page manual provides complete illustrated instructions on setting up and maintaining small-scale worm composting systems. Topics include different bins, what kind of worms to use, sex life of a worm, preparing worm beddings, how to meet the needs of the worms, what kinds of foods to feed the worms, harvesting worms, and making potting soil from the vermicompost produced. A 63 page bibliography, 24 annotated references, a glossary,and comprehensive index make this a valuabe reference book as well as a practical manual.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"... people ... will thank [Appelhof] for showing us ... how we can eat better food by growing gardens with wormpower." -- Pete Seeger, folksinger, environmental activist

"You might say that Kalamazoo has become the epicenter of vermiculture (a fancy name for worm composting) ..." -- Anne Raver, The New York Times

"[This book] supplies everything you want to know about worm composting but didn't know where to ask." -- Green Living Magazine

About the Author

Mary Appelhof, prepared by master's degrees in biology and education, has spent the past 25 years working with earthworms to develop a system for using redworms to process organic waste. As a leader in recycling and composting, she has received the National Recycling Coalition's "Composter of the Year" award and Renew America's special merit for the environmental success of her work.

Product Details

• Paperback: 162 pages
• Publisher: Flower Press; Revised edition (November 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0942256107
• ISBN-13: 978-0942256109
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #450,349 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > Science & Math > Environment > Recycling

More About the Author

Mary Appelhof, prepared by master's degrees in biology and education, has spent the past 25 years working with earthworms to develop a system for using redworms to process organic waste. As a leader in recycling and composting, she has received the National Recycling Coalition's "Composter of the Year" award and Renew America's special merit for the environmental success of her work.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

98 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hey! I loved this book!, November 21, 2001

By 

Taiji 218 (The Frozen North) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Worms Eat My Garbage (Paperback)

This was a fun book about the little creepy crawlers! It gives a very solid scientific introduction to the little critters and answers most of your basic questions about worms. The focus of the book has to with vermiculture--the use of worms for developing super-rich compost material for organic gardens. Vermicompost is without a doubt the best composting material available for organic gardeners, and setting up your own vermicomposting bin is the best way to get yourself some of this richly organic fertilizer.

The book details how you can set up your own vermicompost bin, either by making it yourself or by purchasing a commercial worm bin. It also even describes how some school systems have saved themselves bundles of money by having worms eat the schoolkids' lunch scraps rather than pay for commercial garbagemen to haul the stuff away!

I would most strongly recommend this book for anybody interested in either worms, vermicomposting or organic gardening. It's a very fun read!

61 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must" Book for Home Vermicomposters!, December 20, 1999

By 

G R DEMBROFF from The Happy D Ranch Worm Farm (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Worms Eat My Garbage (Paperback)

Mary Appelhof's book is both amusing and educational. This is the "Vermi Bible" for most people who compost their household waste with worms (vermicomposting).

This 2nd edition includes description and discussion on commercially-available vermicomposting bins. Unfortunately, with the excitement and growing interest in worm composting, there are bins now available that are not reviewed in the book. (I guess we'll need a 3rd Edition!)

For the beginner as well as the worm hobbyist, I recommend this book highly.

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "user friendly" guide to recycling kitchen food waste, January 14, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Worms Eat My Garbage (Paperback)

Now in its revised second edition, Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof is a practical and "user friendly" guide to recycling kitchen food waste, producing fertilizer for house and garden plants, growing fishing worms, and saving money, all through the process of a worm composting system. Worms Eat My Garbage is a simple, effective, "how-to" guide covering everything from how to set up a worm bin, to what types of garbage are best for worm composting, to taking care of the worms, to effectively saving money while reaping the benefits of the process. Worms Eat My Garbage is easy-to-follow, thorough, and enthusiastically recommended reference for environmentalists and gardeners.