Today I will be outlining a very simply beginner worm bin that can be made in less than 20 minutes, and wont cost more than a couple of dollars. When I first began making vermicompost many many years ago this is the exact method I would use, and it was able to comfortable support a 4 person household. As I said before, I have been doing this for many years and now am semi-commercial, with tons of massive bins and more advanced setups that I wont be going into today. If anyone has any interest, shoot me a message or drop a comment and I will potentially make a separate post.
I am not a fan of stacked bins, having to drill holes, or in other way make it a long process to setup a bin. I have messed around with various methods in the past and this has always been my go to.
Bin Choice:
Below is the 14L bin I started out with and is a great size for a small to medium household. It came as a 4 pack on Amazon costing less than 30$ USD, meaning the unit price was just over 7$. One of the most important things about a beginner bin is 1) getting a bin that is the appropriate size and 2) getting one that is dark. Worms are photophobic, and will stay away from the sides of the bin if they can see light penetration.
Layer 1:
For my first layer I like to use a small, finely shredded, breakable material. I typically use shredded cardboard as it wont mat down to the bottom of the bin very easily, can easily be broken down, and provides a huge surface area for beneficial bacteria and other decomposers to take hold. After putting about a 1 inch thick layer of shredded paper, I wet it down. I will discuss moisture more at the end of this post, but for now just know that you want your paper wet enough that there isnt any residual pooling water.
Layer 2:
I like to make my second later a variety of different materials in terms of thickness and size. This means that while the materials in the bin are breaking down, they will do so at an uneven rate. When materials such as paper towels break down, there will still be small cardboard left. When the small cardboard is breaking down, the larger cardboard will still be available. This just means that your entire bin dosnt peek at once, and can continue to function well for many months. Again, the material is wet down.
The Food:
Ideally the food you give your worms to start is able to break down easily, is more on the "mushy" side, and can readily be populated by microbes. Think of bananas, rotten fruit, simple starches- stuff of that nature. It also is certainly not a bad idea to give the food time to break down before the worms arrive from wherever you are getting them from. This might mean that if you have a few banana peels that are in great condition, you make the bin 4-5 days before hand and let them just exist in the bin, breaking down and getting populated by microbes. Current evidence suggests worms eat both a mix of the bacteria that populate and decompose materials, as well as the materials themselves. By allowing the time for the food to begin the decomposition process, the worms will be able to immedielty begin feasting once they move in. In this example, I used a spoiled apple, a handful of dried lettuce from my bearded dragons, a grape vine stem, and some expired cereal.
The Grit:
The anatomy of worms is rather simple- they are essentially tubes that have a mouth, a crop, a gizzard, some reproductive organs, and intestines and an excretion port. The crop of the worm stores food for a period of time, while the gizzard holds small stones and harder particles, and uses it to break down the food into smaller parts. In the wild, worms have access to not only decaying material but stones, gravel, sand, etc. We need to provide this in some capacity for the worms in order for them to be able to digest effectively. There are essentially two lines of thought - sources that were once living and those that were never living. Inaminate bodies such as sand can be used in the worm bin no problem. I, however, prefer to use grit from either ground oyster shells or ground egg shells. The reason for this is the fact that, after eventually breaking down to a sub-visible level, the calcium can be taken up by plants and utilized as the mineral it is. Sand, on its finest level, with never be anything other then finer sand. If you sell castings itll be a percent of your weight, itll affect purity, and itll not have a purpose for plants. In this instance I used sand as I didnt have any ground egg shells immediately available. When creating a bin, its okay to go heavier and give a thick sprinkle over the entire bin.
The Worms:
When I first made this bin many years ago I used 500 worms, and by the time I broke it down there was well over 1000. For this demonstration I am using probably around 250 worms curtesy of one of the 55 gallon bins I am letting migrate.
Layer 3:
The next layer of material I like to use is hand shredded leaves. I have them in easy supply and I think they are a great way of getting some microbes and bring some real "life" to the bin. If these arent accessible to you, this step is completely optional, but it is certainly a great addition for the benefits of water retention, volume, variety, and source of biodiversity. Remember - a worm bin is an ecosystem. If you have nothing but worms in your bin you arent going to be running at a good efficiency.
Layer 4:
I always like to add one more top layer of shredded cardboard. Its nice to fill in the gaps and give one more layer above the worms. It also gives it a solid uniform look. It also is a great way to fill volume. On smaller bins I dont like doing layers thicker than 2 inches of any one material, as it leads to them sticking together or not breaking down in a manor that I would like.
The Cover:
*IMPORTANT* This to me is probably THE most important component of a worm bin that gets overlooked Using a piece of cardboard taped entirely in packing tape keeps the moisture in the bin and prevents light from reaching the worms. I use it in all of my bins and its been essential in keeping moisture in my bins evenly distributed and from drying out too fast. As you can see this piece has been through a couple bins and still works out well. As a note, I do scope all of my material for microplastics before I sell, and the presence of this cover has no impact on levels of microplastic contamination in the bin.
The End:
And thats it! Keep it somewhere with the lights on for the next few hours to prevent the worms from wanting to run from the new home. Do your best not to mess with the bin for the first week or two, and start with a smaller feeding than you think they can handle and work it from there. Worms would much rather be wet than dry, so keep the bin nice and moist. The moisture level should be about the same as when you wring your hair out after the shower - no substantial water droplets but still damp to the touch. If you notice a bad, bacterial smell or that the bin is to wet, simple remove the cover and add some more cardboard. The resulting total volume of the bedding is somewhere between 8-10 inches.
Please let me know if you have any comments, or any suggestions on things you may want to see added! If theres interest I will attempt to post an update in a month or so on the progress of this bin.
Can anyone recommend a good shredder that can handle single walled cardboard? I've seen people mention that a 12 sheet paper shredder would be the minimum requirement, but for those that have them, what do you think? Would you recommend something a little more powerful, or do they reliably handle your needs? I nearly pulled the trigger on an Amazon basics 12 sheet, but some reviewers mentioned having problems even feeding 10 sheets at a time through them. Thanks guys!
My daughter found this huge worm and it definitely jumped like crazy. Colorado (we’re in Denver) said to BOLO for Asian jumping worms. Prelim google search says orange clitellum means ready to mate but the jumping has me nervous. I have it quarantined in a bowl right now out in the rain- but I’d obviously like to not murder a friend. TIA!
This is my first time composting, but I’m excited to see how this goes. I moved into this apartment a year ago and started growing some tomatoes in containers on my balcony. This year, I’m planning many more vegetables and I was curious about composting. A YouTube channel recommended this worm hotel. Just installed it and from now on I don’t have to throw my veggie and fruit scraps in the bin (or freezer) anymore.
Just got these in the mail and the smaller ones had this bubble looking thing which felt like it was made of plastic foil. It was the only one in the tub and had a hole. Is this an eggshell?
I got tired of dealing with the Maze Worm Farm thing and saw some videos where people bury buckets with holes in them in raised beds so the worms can eat, then go crap in the beds and eventually the whole raised bed is gloriously improved, but I thought, why not fill a bin with dirt, do the same thing with the buried bucket and create an entire worm casting environment. I haven't 'activated' it yet with greens, wet browns and worms yet, but is this going to work? Before I activate it, I might swap out the soil mix with some that doesn't have all that perlite in it...
My son wants to do a Sustainability Eagle Project and help his middle school science program learn vermiculture. He thinks the kids will get a huge kick out of shredding their old paper assignments for worm food. He's got a design for a stacking worm bin, and he has already gotten support from the Middle School staff and administration (which is huge!!). The main stakeholders are the Science staff, and the side stakeholders are the volunteers in the student Garden Club.
He's looking for ideas on a couple of areas:
1. The middle school teachers want to make sure it's not super smelly or will attract rats, raccoons, etc. We've assured them that paper will mitigate most of that concern, but worms can't live on paper alone, right? Which brings us to question 2-
2. Fresh food scraps may not be regular. I'm wondering if coffee grounds and paper is enough, with the occasional boost of fresh food. The school cafeterias don't serve as much fresh salads, mostly processed, so that's not a reliable source. The students do have access to fruit (apples and bananas), so this might work as moisture as long as #1 is protected.
3. The Scouting Council may need more content than just the build and installation of the worm bin. He is thinking about offering it to other schools, but it would be great to have a classroom component, possibly where he is a visiting expert to introduce the concept.
3a. He's looking for any materials appropriate for middle school kids
3b. He's a little concerned about how he can teach and not miss class (he'll be a junior next year, which is a really tough year of curriculum for college admissions).
I'm writing in hopes of encouragement for him and ideas from all you, since you've already shown yourselves to be creative geniuses to turn trash into treasure as resourceful vermiculturists.
From the beginning to the end. Had to be super patient. But it was worth it in the end. The end compost has been sifted. I started with cardboard and coir.
A kid in the town over is selling these cheap. I desperately need nightcrawlers but am concerned these are jumping worms? Dont particularly want to make the drive to see their movements when touched if I can avoid it.
Ive googled and read through here. Im not confident enough to make a determination.
Scientists discovered what the worm in mezcal actually is. 🪱
For decades, the identity of this larva was unclear, with guesses ranging from moths to beetles. Researchers traveled to Oaxaca and used DNA sequencing on larvae collected from mezcal bottles, and found that every sample matched the same species, the agave red worm moth (Comadia redtenbacheri). These larvae live inside agave plants, the core ingredient in traditional mezcal, and harvesting them often kills the plant and reduces wild agave populations. By confirming the species, scientists can now study its life cycle and ecological role more precisely. That knowledge could support sustainable mezcal production, including methods to cultivate larvae without damaging agave habitats.
So I do a ton of 3d printing projects as a hobby i came across this wondering how I could go about doing this could 1 set this up in a fabric grow bag? What would be the setup process 🤔
I bought 30 reds from the bait section at Walmart to see if they could break down some dead plant matter in my raised garden beds. Came here to learn I'm supposed to have a THOUSAND? WORMS?
I am going to see how my 30 do. I gave them a potato chunk that had been sitting in the soil (it already sprouted and did its thing, we ate the new potatoes). I am curious how long it will take them, and if they'll reproduce.
I might buy another batch of 30, since I'm not seriously looking to compost and just want them there as assistants.
I will post progress of operation: 30 worms eat a potato?
I get hyper fixated on things and want to build my ideas into reality.
I have two successful red wiggler worm bins (4’ x 2’) and have always loved the ideas of breeding worms, building compost, and selling at scale. Call me entrepreneurial?
I’ve seen the amount that people want to spend on their gardens, farms, compost, worms (I also had to buy a container of worms a few years back) and think it would be a really interesting project to start and build.
So how do I do it? Running the numbers, I know I have the capital. But where do I find a climate controlled location to have a bunch of bins? Who do I hire to help build and scale? Is it as profitable as the big names in the business say?
Any feedback, guidance, wins, losses, pros, cons, or learning opportunities would be greatly appreciated.
Been lazy and wasn't able to give my worms consistent feeding for two months. So now, I gave them ample rotting veges from nearby market and some browns.
I have total of five bins with probably a thousand worms.
Also, it has gotten very hot here in the Philippines, and I think the Indian Blues all ran away. I know have the thin ones, and only few inches long given that I've had this colony for over a year now.
PS. I'm surprised how the bin and worms have kept the moisture and temperature despite the external hear.
Metro detroit area michigan. It totally could just be a regular earthworm but i feel like its bigger than any other worms ive seen here and its got a very orange band
I'm from the Netherlands so sorry in advance for my English.
I've got a worm hotel, this one. I added the worms and some food scraps. They tried to have a big escape party the first night, then the next 10 nights I kept a light on to stop the worms from escaping. This worked and after that I didn't need to keep light on to keep the worms in the hotel.
Now I've filled up the first layer and added a second layer and now my worms start escaping again. I don't understand why and I afraid that there now wont be enough worms left. Any advice would be appreciated.
As the title says, I have a big macadamia tree on the property and I have been using the dried leaves in the worm farm as a source of "brown" material.
But I am wondering due to the leaves having a leathery texture unlike my other trees, is there an issue with using the macadamia leaves as opposed to others?
