Our green columnist KATE ARMSTRONG, of Marsh on the joys of all things wormy

THOSE of you kind enough to read these words will know that four months ago I purchased a worm composting bin.

That’s a bin full of worms. You put in food waste – peelings, tea bags and the like and the worms transform it into lovely compost.

Supposedly a closed system, my bin was full of holes through which the worms promptly escaped. The bin was in the garage at the time and when my husband discovered worms in his drill bits he threatened to sacrifice them on the bird table if a solution wasn’t found.

So I fashioned a worm proof bin from the compost caddy (complete with drainage tap fitted myself ) and moved the worms into the cellar.

Over the next few weeks I mollycoddled those worms. I cut the scraps up into worm size pieces and gave them ripped up newspaper and cardboard – apparently they delight in it. Nothing. Instead of piles of compost I had a bin full of festering food. The arrival of the fruit flies was the last straw.

Fed up with the ungrateful, little liggers I capped the bin with soil and cut off food supplies.

A couple of weeks ago I went to check up on them to find the bin standing in a lake of worm tea. Worm tea is made by worms. It can be used as a superior plant feed and to cure black spot on roses.

Sold on the internet for pounds it was dribbling for free from my poorly fitted tap. It is a sign that the worm bin is working as it should and indeed a quick rummage in the bin revealed healthy looking worms the size of anacondas.

So worm feeding has resumed. Not enough to make an impact on our kitchen waste, true, but I am collecting litres of worm tea. Tomato feed from rubbish – isn’t nature wonderful?

Fancy trying it? Go to www.wasteonline.org.uk . Under c for compost is a link to their compost information sheet. That will tell you everything you need to know including where to buy all things wormy.