Composting cress scraps with worms
Scraps from cress, including the stems and the growing medium such as paper or cotton wool (if natural material), are excellently suited for your Bonter worm bin. This soft green decomposes extremely quickly and is a welcome addition to your worms’ diet; they love it.
Can cress go in your worm bin?
Yes, absolutely! Cress is perfect for vermicomposting in your Bonter. It is a very soft and watery herb that is broken down extremely quickly by the worms and microorganisms. The growing medium on which cress often grows (such as unbleached kitchen paper or cotton wool pads) can also be added in small pieces and composted, provided it is 100% natural and untreated.
How much cress can you add?
You can confidently add cress scraps to your Bonter regularly, preferably in small quantities at a time. Due to the fast breakdown and the small amount of cress you usually add, the moisture content is usually easy to manage. Add it as part of a diverse mix of waste. If you add substrate, ensure a good balance with other waste and some dry material, and chop the substrate small for faster processing.
What to do instead? Alternatives & waste management
Cress is ideal for your worm bin, so alternative ways to process scraps are usually not necessary if you have a Bonter! You can, of course, eat unused cress. If scraps remain, the worm bin is the most efficient and sustainable destination. Minimize waste by only buying or growing what you need.
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Tips for safe cress composting
Cress itself requires no preparation; the leaves and stems can go in as they are. If you add the growing medium (paper, cotton wool), first make this quite small to promote breakdown. Mix the cress and substrate with other waste and bury it under the top layer. This helps discourage fruit flies. Due to the fast breakdown and small quantity, cress rarely causes problems in the bin. Your Bonter filters odors effectively.
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Frequently asked questions about composting cress
Can the growing medium of cress (paper/cotton wool) go in the worm bin?
Yes, provided it is 100% natural and untreated material (such as unbleached kitchen paper or cotton wool pads), the growing medium of cress can be composted in small pieces in the worm bin.
How quickly does cress decompose in a worm bin?
Does cress cause odors in the worm bin?
Is cress different from other herbs for composting?
Can the small seed pods from cress go in the worm bin?
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