Your Container We use wood and plastic containers. Either build or buy, or use your imagination and recycle something like an old dresser drawer, trunk, or discarded barrel. We prefer wood because it is more absorbent and a better insulator for the worms. We use plastic containers but find that the compost tends to get quite wet. However, this can be balanced by adding shredded newspaper, dry leaves, dry grass clippings or cardboard. Experiment and find out what works for you and your worms. There are 3 types and plans located on this website.

Your Worms Where To Get Your Worms? Many compost piles will get worms naturally. However, we supply a unique nightcrawler that has been developed to like heat. Different than all other nightcrawlers, with similar qualities to red worms, our worms are good for composting, would not want to be refrigerated and are also excellent for fishing. The best of both worlds!

FAQs

How Many Worms Do I Need?

We suggest that the correct ratio of worms to food waste should be: for one pound per day of food waste, use two pounds of worms (roughly 2000). However, a worm will eat its weight each day, so if you were consistent, you could keep a 1:1 ratio. Typically, a family of 4, non-vegetarians, will create 5 pounds of worm edible waste per week. If you need more food you can always supplement with shredded newspaper.

What Do I Feed My Worms?

You can compost food scraps such as fruit and vegetable peels, pulverized egg shells, tea bags and coffee grounds. It is advisable not to compost meats, dairy products, oily foods, and grains because of problems with smells, flies, and rodents. No glass. plastic or tin foil, of course.

To avoid fly and smell problems, always bury the food waste by pulling aside some of the bedding, dumping the waste, and then cover it up with the bedding again. Bury successive loads in different locations in the bin. Know your worm bin by turning it, watching the moisture level and watching the worms on a regular basis. You can tell when a worm is happy in its environment.

Where Should I Locate My Worm Bin?

Worm bins can be used indoors all year round and outdoors during the milder months. The advantage of mobile bins is that they can be moved when weather conditions change. Indoors, basements are excellent locations (warm, dark and dry), but any spare space can be utilized, so long as temperatures are between 40-80 degrees F. We know dedicated worm composters who have convenient kitchen counter worm bins. Outdoors, bins can be kept in sheds and garages, on patios and balconies, or in the yard. They should be kept out of hot sun and heavy rain. If temperatures drop below 40 degrees F., bins should either be moved indoors, or well insulated outdoors. History has shown that worms can survive worm bins in colder climates. One of the biggest problems with worm bins is that people neglect them in the colder months. Continuing to tend to your bin and helping the compost process continue, which produces heat, will give your worms the best chance to thrive.

How Do I Maintain My Bin?

If you have the correct ratio of surface area to worms to food scraps, there is little to do, other than adding food. It is important to separate the worms from the finished compost, which is the biggest challenge. The worm bins we design and recommend are dual systems. Whether use a plastic tub, the common toy box design or a larger yard system, the same philosophy can be employed.

Plastic tub: Use 2 tubs and connect them with PVC pipe. You can feed one tub for weeks or months, and when you want to use the contents, quit feed in that tub and start feeding in tub #2. Open the connection and over the next several weeks the worms will migrate through the pipe to tub #2. Be patient, but it will cut down on a lot of worm separating time. Wood toy box or large yard design: Put a ¼ inch screen down the middle and use the philosophy of the tub system. It works great!

Common Problems And Solutions

The most common problem is unpleasant, strong odors which are caused by lack of oxygen in the compost due to overloading with food waste so that the food sits around too long, and the bin contents become too wet. There are 2 solutions: 1) is to stop adding food waste until the worms and micro-organisms have broken down what food is in there, and to gently stir up the entire contents to allow more air in. Check the drainage holes to make sure they are not blocked. Drill more holes if necessary. Worms will drown if their surroundings become too wet. 2) Add more fiber like shredded newspaper, dry leaves, dry grass clippings, sawdust, etc. This will absorb the moisture and odors and help you have a happy bin.

Fruit flies can be an occasional nuisance. Discourage them by always burying the food waste and not overloading. Keep a plastic sheet or piece of old carpet or sacking on the surface of the compost in the bin. If flies are still persistent, move the bin to a location where flies will not be bothersome. A few friendly spiders nearby will help control fly problems!

The Final Word

Taking worms out of their natural environment and placing them in containers creates a human responsibility. They are living creatures with their own unique needs, so it is important to create and maintain a healthy habitat for them to do their work. If you supply the right ingredients and care, your worms will thrive and make compost for you. Happy and successful composting!