The garden that feeds itself
Inside Hacienda Zuleta's one-hectare garden, recycled organic waste returns to the soil as compost.
Hacienda Zuleta is still a working farm in the northern Andes. The main buildings around its courtyard were finished in 1691. The present owners' family bought the estate in 1898, and guests now stay in the old house.
The vegetable garden covers one hectare. Three garden managers grow seventeen kinds of vegetables, three fruits, and the herbs and medicinal plants used in the kitchen. Compost made from recycled organic waste feeds the garden.
At Zuleta, recycled organic waste returns to the garden as compost. Composting worms can turn fruit and vegetable scraps into compost too, even in one covered box. You do not need a garden, although it helps to have a few pots waiting for the finished compost.
A worm bin at home
Buy composting worms, usually Eisenia fetida. They are sold as red wigglers, tiger worms or brandling worms. The earthworms already living in your garden need deeper soil and will not settle in a bin.
Use an opaque plastic or wooden box with a lid and air holes. Fill it with damp torn cardboard or plain paper, then add the worms. Keep the box somewhere cool and dark. Under the sink, a utility cupboard, a garage or a shaded balcony can all work. Protect it from frost and direct summer sun.
Feed the worms fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and tea leaves. Bury the food under the bedding and begin with small amounts. Leave out meat, dairy and oil, and go lightly with onion, garlic and citrus. If the bin turns wet or sour, stop feeding for a few days and mix in dry torn cardboard.
After several months, move the finished compost to one side and put fresh bedding and food on the other. The worms will follow the food. You can then lift out the dark, crumbly compost and add a little to pots or beds.
Grow what you eat
Choose one herb you already use. Mint, parsley, rosemary and thyme all grow well in pots when they have the right light and water. The garden that came before the guest rooms has a simple guide to each one.
Start with a pot of mint, if that is what you use. You will know where it grew and what went into the soil. I trust that more than a label. The Food area explains how origin can guide a choice, while the Food directory covers what is worth buying.
Zuleta also grows medicinal plants beside its vegetables. The Spelled Hand covers what to check when herbs come in bottles. For the garden's water, see how Borgo Pignano holds rain on a slope.
| Where it lives | Somewhere cool and dark, such as under a sink, in a utility cupboard, a garage or on a shaded balcony. |
|---|---|
| The box | An opaque plastic or wooden box with a lid and air holes. |
| The worms | Eisenia fetida, sold as red wigglers, tiger worms or brandling worms. |
| The bedding | Damp torn cardboard or plain paper. It should feel moist, with plenty of air through it. |
| The food | Fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and tea leaves, buried under the bedding. |
| Leave out | Meat, fish, bones, dairy, grease and oil. Add onion, garlic and citrus only in small amounts. |
| Temperature | About 13 to 24°C. Keep the bin away from frost and direct summer sun. |
| Harvest | Expect a useful amount of compost after several months. |
| Smell | Earthy. A sour smell usually means too much food or moisture. |
The short answers
Common questions about keeping a worm bin.
What is worm composting?
Worm composting uses composting worms to turn food scraps and damp bedding into dark, crumbly compost for pots and garden beds.
Which worms do you need?
Use composting worms, usually Eisenia fetida. They are sold as red wigglers, tiger worms or brandling worms. Common garden earthworms need deeper soil and do not belong in a worm bin.
What can you feed a worm bin?
Fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and tea leaves all work. Bury them beneath damp torn cardboard or plain paper. Add small amounts until you know how quickly the worms eat.
What should stay out of a worm bin?
Leave out meat, fish, bones, dairy, grease and oil. Add onion, garlic and citrus only in small amounts.
Can you keep a worm bin in a flat?
Yes. Keep a covered, ventilated bin under the sink, in a utility cupboard or in another cool, dark place. A garage or shaded balcony also works if the bin is protected from frost and summer heat.
How long does worm compost take?
You will see castings within weeks, but a useful harvest takes several months. Warmth, moisture, the number of worms and the amount of food all affect the timing.
Does a worm bin smell?
A well-kept bin smells earthy. A sour smell usually means too much food or moisture. Stop feeding for a few days and mix in dry torn cardboard.
What do you do with the castings?
Use the finished compost as a light top dressing on pots or beds, or mix a little into potting soil.
The property. Hacienda Zuleta's hotel manager confirmed the one-hectare garden, three garden managers, seventeen vegetables, three fruits and compost made from recycled organic waste in August 2026. The dates 1691 and 1898 come from the estate's history.
The worm bin. The practical advice was checked against guides from Iowa State University Extension, University of Maryland Extension and Oklahoma State University Extension.
The photograph. Hacienda Zuleta, from the property's official gallery, used with permission.
Reuse. Quote any part of this page with a link back to it. Educational purposes only, and not a substitute for medical advice.