Red worms love to eat organic matter. In fact, a single red worm can eat up to its own body weight in food scraps every day! You can't just go out into your yard and dig some up and bring them inside, though. Red worms, also known as red wigglers, brandling or manure worms, are normally found in habitats such as aged manure piles, and often sold as fish bait. They like it warm, being happiest at room temperature.
So for successful indoor composting, you'll need red worms and a suitable home for them.
First, you'll need a container or worm bin. A plastic utility container approximately 24 inches by 16 inches by 10 inches is convenient for storing under the sink or in a cupboard. You can get or build a simple wooden box if you prefer, but plastic or wood, the container needs to be 8 to 12 inches deep, with holes drilled in the top and sides for air circulation and holes drilled in the bottom for drainage. You'll want to put a tray under the container to collect any seepage, and may also want to put the container on bricks to improve the air circulation.
Second, put about a foot a damp bedding into the container to serve as a living space for the red worms. You can use sawdust, shredded cardboard, shredded leaves, dried grass clippings, loam, black topsoil, or newspaper (the kind with non-toxic ink) as bedding material. Whatever material you choose, it has to be about as moist as a wrung-out sponge. You don't want your red worms to shrivel up or drown!
