Making A New Worm Bin

[MamaToBoys]

Hello,

I plan on starting a worm bin in our back yard. I found a really cheap and easy style to make consisting of plastic tubs with holes drilled into them.

Here is a link to the directions:

http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/easywormbin.htm

I found a nice shady place in the back yard. My concern is that we do have rats. We have other wildlife too, such as raccoons and possums, but I think that rats are my main concern.

Has anyone here had a similar worm bin and how has it worked for you. Did rats get into it or were they pretty uninterested.

Thank you,

Jennifer

 

[kaydee]

My worm bin had a firm base & lid on top so no vermin could get in or knock it over. Getting the balance right between juicy wet stuff & drier stuff is quite important but it is really trial & error. You do need to check & drain the reservoir at the bottom frequently or else the liquid rises up the bin & the worms can actually drown in a worst case. The smell of the liquid is unspeakable - beyond horrendous. Works though. Just dilute it as per instructions & water as usual. Good luck.

 

[ChanellG]

My worm bin is a blue storage tub with holes drilled just as you described. I drilled holes in the bottom as well as the sides so that the worms could find their way in. It took a little while because I started my compost near the end of the winter, but once the worms found their way in they went right to work. I now have two bins going, though I stopped putting stuff into the first one so I could start harvesting and using the compost. I've started sifting it with a plastic colander, and it is sooooooo tedious, lol. I can only get a few quarts at a time before I get tired of doing it.

I never had any trouble with odor; I keep a lid on both storage bins - the first one I drilled holes in, but it rains so much that I didn't do that with the lid on the second bin. I compost a lot of kitchen scraps so I try to remember to add paper (cardboard tubes from tp and paper towels most often). I also add dried leaves on occasion, though I'm starting to pile up leaves for leaf mold.

Composting in a homemade bin with worms is as simple as making your bin accessible to worms by leaving holes or an opening on the bottom. Using multiple bins instead of large composters or open piles means you can manage the compost easily and be able to use it sooner.

Have fun!

 

[MamaToBoys]

Thanks. I will stop worrying about the vermin!

 

[Shellyann36]

My worm bin is a blue storage tub with holes drilled just as you described. I drilled holes in the bottom as well as the sides so that the worms could find their way in. It took a little while because I started my compost near the end of the winter, but once the worms found their way in they went right to work. I now have two bins going, though I stopped putting stuff into the first one so I could start harvesting and using the compost. I've started sifting it with a plastic colander, and it is sooooooo tedious, lol. I can only get a few quarts at a time before I get tired of doing it.

I never had any trouble with odor; I keep a lid on both storage bins - the first one I drilled holes in, but it rains so much that I didn't do that with the lid on the second bin. I compost a lot of kitchen scraps so I try to remember to add paper (cardboard tubes from tp and paper towels most often). I also add dried leaves on occasion, though I'm starting to pile up leaves for leaf mold.

Composting in a homemade bin with worms is as simple as making your bin accessible to worms by leaving holes or an opening on the bottom. Using multiple bins instead of large composters or open piles means you can manage the compost easily and be able to use it sooner.

Have fun!

I did the same thing years ago and it worked out well. I had to dismantle mine when we moved and I never started it back again. The fellow that I gave the worms to was sure happy.

 

[ChanellG]

I did the same thing years ago and it worked out well. I had to dismantle mine when we moved and I never started it back again. The fellow that I gave the worms to was sure happy.

I thought I was going to have to go out and buy worms. It had been my intention to do one of those indoor systems where you can collect the liquid at the bottom and use that while waiting for the compost to be ready. I was thrilled to see them appear in the outdoor bin and to grow and multiply so quickly. I usually freeze fresh scraps so I don't put too much food in the bin for the worms at one time, but I piled it all up the other day and they have been making fast work of it. I'm very happy with the way things have turned out. I may add more dry leaves today though since there are a lot from the Japanese maple lying on the ground.

 

[Shellyann36]

I thought I was going to have to go out and buy worms. It had been my intention to do one of those indoor systems where you can collect the liquid at the bottom and use that while waiting for the compost to be ready. I was thrilled to see them appear in the outdoor bin and to grow and multiply so quickly. I usually freeze fresh scraps so I don't put too much food in the bin for the worms at one time, but I piled it all up the other day and they have been making fast work of it. I'm very happy with the way things have turned out. I may add more dry leaves today though since there are a lot from the Japanese maple lying on the ground.

I put cardboard on the ground outside and collected the worms that automatically were attracted to it. I placed the cardboard on the ground right before dark and gave it a good thorough soaking with the hose and then collected the worms the next morning. I did this several times to accumulate my worms. I kept my container inside. I have never thought of the idea of freezing the scraps.... Now you have my brain moving again. LOL I still have that container.

 

[ChanellG]

I put cardboard on the ground outside and collected the worms that automatically were attracted to it. I placed the cardboard on the ground right before dark and gave it a good thorough soaking with the hose and then collected the worms the next morning. I did this several times to accumulate my worms. I kept my container inside. I have never thought of the idea of freezing the scraps.... Now you have my brain moving again. LOL I still have that container.

I just emptied the freezer of all the scraps. I was amazed to see the level in the bin start to go down really quickly. I've finally finished sifting the compost in the first bin and have blended it with purchased potting soil. Now it's time to start over. I left a bit of compost in the bin and now I have to start gathering starter materials to begin again. As I was almost done emptying that first bin I found one large worm that I relocated to the second bin.

 

[Shellyann36]

I just emptied the freezer of all the scraps. I was amazed to see the level in the bin start to go down really quickly. I've finally finished sifting the compost in the first bin and have blended it with purchased potting soil. Now it's time to start over. I left a bit of compost in the bin and now I have to start gathering starter materials to begin again. As I was almost done emptying that first bin I found one large worm that I relocated to the second bin.

LOL OK I see what you mean. You mean you basically cleaned out your freezer. Earlier this year we got a load of compost soil delivered to the house. (When we planted all of those free flowers.) It was the best $30 that we have spent in a while. I want to get another load to use for our indoor starts for next spring. I have not been out to turn the compost at all this week. I am afraid that the kiddos have kept me very busy inside. I really want hubby to make me one of those turning barrels so that it will be so much easier on me.

 

[ChanellG]

LOL OK I see what you mean. You mean you basically cleaned out your freezer. Earlier this year we got a load of compost soil delivered to the house. (When we planted all of those free flowers.) It was the best $30 that we have spent in a while. I want to get another load to use for our indoor starts for next spring. I have not been out to turn the compost at all this week. I am afraid that the kiddos have kept me very busy inside. I really want hubby to make me one of those turning barrels so that it will be so much easier on me.

Last year I bought compost from a guy who makes it himself in a 5 gallon bucket for $5. I mixed it with potting soil and so it went a long way. This year I had some of my own, but it's going to be a while before the next bin is ready for use so I may have to call the compost guy again. I have a leaf pile as well, but I read it will make mold faster in plastic bags so I have to transfer the leaves and toss in a bit of soil. I'm also going to collect somemore from the yard to toss into the new batch of compost.

This gardening stuff is quite a bit of work, especially when you grow food plants! You have to be in bed early so you can get up early and the "to do" list is never ending.

 

[Shellyann36]

Last year I bought compost from a guy who makes it himself in a 5 gallon bucket for $5. I mixed it with potting soil and so it went a long way. This year I had some of my own, but it's going to be a while before the next bin is ready for use so I may have to call the compost guy again. I have a leaf pile as well, but I read it will make mold faster in plastic bags so I have to transfer the leaves and toss in a bit of soil. I'm also going to collect somemore from the yard to toss into the new batch of compost.

This gardening stuff is quite a bit of work, especially when you grow food plants! You have to be in bed early so you can get up early and the "to do" list is never ending.

Yes the to do list is always long or so it seems! Our compost piles do not generate as quickly as I would like either. I heard that pouring cokes or pepsi on them will speed up the break down process. I have never gotten around to trying this though. When we had chickens and ducks and we mixed their droppings in with the pile it seemed to get hotter faster for us. We have tons of leaves here on the property and they can over whelm the compost pile. We can't put them all in there. Sometimes we just burn some of them instead. It really all depends on how the weather is. This year has been so wet that we should not have any restrictions this fall/winter.

 

[ChanellG]

Yes the to do list is always long or so it seems! Our compost piles do not generate as quickly as I would like either. I heard that pouring cokes or pepsi on them will speed up the break down process. I have never gotten around to trying this though. When we had chickens and ducks and we mixed their droppings in with the pile it seemed to get hotter faster for us. We have tons of leaves here on the property and they can over whelm the compost pile. We can't put them all in there. Sometimes we just burn some of them instead. It really all depends on how the weather is. This year has been so wet that we should not have any restrictions this fall/winter.

If you bag those leaves and set them aside, you can create leaf mold which is a soil amendment that is supposed to be very good for your garden.
Check out this link: http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335845144425/

I've never heard of using coke or pepsi, I guess it's the sugar that makes the difference, but I would imagine doing that would also draw ants and I have no desire to turn my compost into a giant ant colony.

 

[southernmom3]

My husband and I are making a worm bin this weekend. I have never tried to have one before, but I hear it works great for the garden.

 

[Shellyann36]

If you bag those leaves and set them aside, you can create leaf mold which is a soil amendment that is supposed to be very good for your garden.
Check out this link: http://pinterest.com/pin/321796335845144425/

I've never heard of using coke or pepsi, I guess it's the sugar that makes the difference, but I would imagine doing that would also draw ants and I have no desire to turn my compost into a giant ant colony.

Oh I pinned this! It is very interesting. I think we will have to pay more attention to our big pile of leaves now. We are also blessed with several different varieites around the place that could balance it all out! Thank you for the link!

The acid in the drinks are what causes the pile to break down faster. I did not think about the sugar content attracting ants. That is a bad idea.

 

[ChanellG]

Oh I pinned this! It is very interesting... Thank you for the link!

The acid in the drinks are what causes the pile to break down faster. I did not think about the sugar content attracting ants. That is a bad idea.

You're welcome! I wonder if it would make a difference if you put the drinks on the leaves in a bag, or if you watered them down? Then again, I don't know that it's worth the risk to find out, lol. I wish I had collected the dried leaves in the back yard before it started raining again...