How To Build a Composting Worm Farm
Want to learn how to build a composting worm farm? You’ve come to the right place!
But first, why Compost?
Pollution…Climate change…These issues have long been ignored and swept under the rug. It seems things are changing though as the global warming debate has taken center stage.
Seeing it being so furiously debated in our society as of late, has really made me think about my own imprint I’m leaving on the world. I began to feel guilty about all of the trash I accumulate on a weekly basis, much of which could absolutely be recycled if I actually tried.
My Recycling Solution?
After researching some potential ways to reduce my footprint, I came across vermicomposting as a great way to recycle much of the food scraps and paper products that my fiancee and I would otherwise throw away.
Growing up on Thistle Downs, we always recycled our food scraps , so composting wasn’t anything new to me. But VERMICOMPOSTING, that was a different story.
What is Vermicompost?
Essentially, vermicomposting is the process of using worms to break down compostable material and digest it into worm poop. This worm poop, or worm castings, is super rich in plant nutrients and is invaluable to your flowers and garden vegetables. This is a huge benefit to you as well as the environment!
Which Worms?
Red Wigglers are the worms of choice for setting up a vermicompost operation. They are a special type of composting worm that are highly effective at breaking down organic matter. They will eat both nitrogen based material like food scraps and grass clippings, as well as carbon based paper materials like paper towels, napkins, cardboard rolls and non-glossy newspaper.
After learning how effective Red Wigglers are at composting, this seemed like the perfect way to kill three birds with one stone. I’d be able to cut back on my landfill waste, I could actually recycle my would-be garbage into a wonderful product that my raised garden will love, and most importantly, I get to BUILD A WORM FARM!!!! This is like a little kid’s dream! Who doesn’t love worms?!
Let’s Build a Worm Farm!
This is my first DIY worm farm so I’m not exactly a master, but it’s the same basic design that you can find all over the internet. I’m just trying it out for myself, but I’m sure it’ll work out great!
I’m super excited to get started so follow along with me and build your own Earth-saving worm farm today!!
SINCE WRITING THIS ARTICLE, I’VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO MY WORM BIN. MAKE SURE TO READ THE FOLLOW-UP ARTICLE AS WELL FOR UPDATES TO MY DESIGN: WORM BIN MAINTENANCE & UPGRADES
SUPPLIES
-2 matching storage bins (Only 1 lid needed. These are 18 gallon, but it doesn’t really matter as long as they match)
-Hot glue gun
-Window screen or screen patches
-Screw gun
-1/2″ or 3/4″ drill bit
-1/8″ drill bit
-Scrap wood, saw, and tape measure are optional, but recommended
Step 1: Drill drainage holes
As worms digest the compostable materials, they will create a nutrient-rich liquid byproduct or, ” worm juice”, which will drain to the bottom of the bin. If you don’t have adequate drainage in your bin, the juice will build up and your worms will eventually drown.
Worm juice is such an excellent fertilizer when diluted in water, its very beneficial to collect the drainage into the drainage bin.
Take one of the bins and flip it over. This will be the bin that sits inside the other bin and houses your worms and compost.
Fit your drill with the 1/8″ bit. If you use a larger drill bit, your worms could fall through the drainage holes and drown in the bottom bin. You can either place a screen over the drainage holes or use a small enough bit to minimize this issue. I choose smaller bit.
Drill holes all along the bottom of the storage bin. It is especially important to get the sunken areas where liquid will accumulate.
Your drainage holes should be evenly spaced a couple inches apart.
Step 2: Add Support Blocks
As your vermicompost bin gets full, it will get heavier as the worm castings pile up and the Red Wigglers multiply. I have seen some instances where people add support blocks because their bins have broken under the weight of the castings, while others don’t use support. I’m just gonna take five minutes and add some support blocks real quick.
First, place the drilled bin from step 1 into the other bin.
On the ends of most storage bins, there are usually spacer tabs as you can see here. Under stress (like a bin full of worm castings), these tabs can break and block your drainage, leading to dead worms. The solution is simple:
Measure from the top of the outer bin, to the top of the inner bin like so:
Mine measures 2 inches, so I will cut four, 2-inch blocks that will act as additional support for the compost bin.
Turn on your hot glue gun and put a dab on each support block, securing them into the corners of the outer bin.
Let them dry and you are all set with the support blocks!
Step 3: Drill Ventilation Holes
Your Red Wigglers need adequate ventilation so it’s time to drill some ventilation holes.
To do this, place the holey bin in the outer bin with the support blocks.
The space created by the spacers will show you exactly where to place your ventilation holes.
Fix your 1/2″ or 3/4″ drill bin onto your screw gun.
Evenly space out and drill your ventialtion holes around the circumference of your bin
I put four holes on each of the long sides and two on the ends. I’ve even seen other designs where people only use 2 or 3 holes on the sides.
The holes are evenly spaced around the inner bin. I just eyeballed it because I’m lazy. Turned out great!
I put a couple holes on each end of the inner bin as well.
Step 4: Screen the Ventilation Holes
This is an important step. You don’t want to let flies get into your compost bin, so it’s important to cover the ventilation holes with pieces of screen.
If you have an old window screen just make sure it’s relatively clean and cut it into 2″ squares. I didn’t have one so I found these little 2″ screen patches at Home Depot. They are perfect, and they only cost about $2!
Size up your screen to make sure you have enough overhang on each side.
Make a circle of hot glue around the ventilation hole from the inside of the bin.
Secure the screen to it so there is a solid barrier of glue all around.
IMPORTANT
Don’t press the screen to the glue with your bare fingers! YOU WILL BURN YOURSELF! Instead, use the tip of the glue gun to press the screen around the hole evenly.
Once your ventilation is all screened over, your bin is basically complete! Just add the lid to the top and, Voila!
Step 5: Prepare For Your Wigglers
It’s time to get your newly minted vermicompost bin ready for some worms! Many of the how-to’s I’ve seen suggest getting a jump-start on the composting mixture about 1-2 weeks before actually getting your worms. It is beneficial to the worms if the organic matter breakdown has already begun.
The compost mixture is nothing different than a traditional compost bin. You basically need two things:
What to Put in Your Compost Bin
Green Material- Nitrogen rich material like grass clippings, plant-based food scraps, coffee grounds, and egg shells.
Brown Material- Carbon-based material such as leaves, twigs, paper products, and non-corrugated cardboard
What NOT to Put in Your Compost Bin
DON’T put any MEAT or DAIRY products into your compost bin. These materials will rot, smell awful, and attract unwanted pests to your bin. Even salad that has a dairy based dressing on it should be avoided.
Also, no onions or citrus. The worms don’t like these and will avoid them.
Start with a layer of brown material like leaves or shredded paper products.
Alternate with a layer of green material. This can be grass clippings or food scraps.
Composting Tip:
It also helps jumpstart the composting process to add some previously composted soil to the mix.
This soil I’m adding is from the traditional compost pile I started last spring when I was container gardening. It is also where I put my grass clippings and old microgreen trays.
I then added a layer of food scraps to the bin. As you can see, this isn’t an exact science. Basically, layering the bin and spreading out the material just help to speed up the process. If you toss it all in together, it will still break down.
I spread the food scraps into a layer to help with breakdown. It would also help to break the carrots down into smaller pieces but, ain’t nobody got time for that!
Finally, I just top it off with a little more grass clippings and a layer of brown material and that’s all there is to it!
Put the lid on your worm bin and place it somewhere safe. I’m going to keep mine right on top of the cat shelter I built for the cute little stray that frequents my backyard. (Check out how I built the Cat Shelter HERE!)
Placing your bin in a sunny spot will also help accelerate the composting process by heating up the inside of the bin.
Conclusion
The next step is to give your compost mixture a week or two to start breaking down and then add your Red Wigglers to the bin and watch the magic happen! I will write a follow-up article as soon as I get my Red Wigglers and we can go through the process of how to get them, and what to do with them once you do get them!
UPDATE: Check out my follow up article about getting my Red Wigglers HERE!
I’m super excited about this project, especially because of the positive environmental impact it will have, and the nutritional benefits it will bring to my Raised Garden Bed!
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