Q. How many worms will I need?
Experts have figured out there are approximately 1,000 Eisenia fetida worms to a pound, but we have never counted them. Those same experts tell us, “on average,” a pound of worms will consume about a half-pound of organic matter a day.

When planning your bin, you can weigh your food scraps for a week and divide by seven to get a “daily average” of what you toss. If that sounds like too much bother, guesstimate. A cup of veggie matter weighs about 8 oz. Take it from there.

Another rule of thumb is to keep about a pound of worms per person in your household, ie. four people in your family, 4 lbs. of worms will likely keep up with your organic refuse. And because worms multiply quickly, if you’re patient, you can start with a small amount and grow the population to suit your family’s needs.