We keep a 1-quart yogurt container on the kitchen counter for collecting kitchen scraps.  These containers are nice because they have tight-fitting (insect-proof) lids.    When it’s full, we empty it into the two collection containers shown here.

We keep them under the sink.  Each of them is approx. 5 quarts.  Whatever you use should have an airtight seal to keep insects out.

On average, every 10 days, these two collection containers fill up & it’s time to feed the worms.

The basic idea in feeding your worms is to systematically rotate feeding zones so that the scraps are undisturbed for as long as possible; and when you return to that spot again, the scraps will be entirely eaten (unrecognizable as to orginal material).

Check out this short, 30 second clip showing feeding zones.

If you get in the practice of digging out the entire zone, you’ll make better use of the bin’s capacity.  If you’re using soil warming cables, be careful to not claw into them.

After dumping in half the scraps, sprinkle about 1/2 cup of Sand/Soil mix.  Add the remaining scraps, sprinkle another 1/2 cup Sand/Soil mix on top of that, then cover with castings/bedding.  Mound up as much bedding/castings on top of the newly fed section as possible.  The deeper the scraps are buried, the less chance there is of insects getting in and laying eggs.  Cover with some kind of moisture barier - leaves are best; burlap or old carpet also works.

If you feed your worms every 10 days, you’ll feed the same zone every 2 months (assuming 6 zones).  After your worm population grows to sufficient size, this is enough time for them to fully eat the scraps.  If, when you dig down into a zone and find recognizable scraps, don’t bury it yet; come back a week later.  The exception I make is with egg shells.  If the only thing recognizable is egg shells, I go ahead & bury the batch.

Keeping track of what zone you fed last.
There are at least two good ways to do this.  Relying on memory is not recommended.  My preferred method is to keep a notebook & pen with the other feeding tools & write down the date & zone number of the feeding.

Method number 2, which I’ve done in years past, is to place a marker on the zone last fed.  I used a white plastic yogurt container lid, which served well because it was easily spotted & didn’t decompose.  Whatever method you use, remember that this rotation is key to a optimally functioning bin.