Worm Compost Bin

A worm compost bin is an effective way to let nature take its course with your kitchen scraps! A worm composter is a shallow box that you fill with compost material and red wriggler worms. The worms then eat their way through the waste, creating a healthy compost as they go.

You can make your own worm compost bin very easily or you can purchase a ready made worm composter. We will look at both types so you can decide which kind best fits your needs.

Homemade Worm Compost Bin

To make your own worm box, you will need a sturdy box that is approximately 24″ X 18″ X 8″. It is better if the box is on the shallow side since the worms tend to live in the top six inches of material in the box. So if it is deeper, you will only get effective composting on the top portion. Worms need moisture, food, air, dark, and warmth in their living place. You can create great worm bedding by adding moist newspaper strips to your compost box. The strips of newspaper will create a perfect bedding space for the worm, while providing the moisture and allow for air pockets. As far as food goes, you will want to use primarily raw fruit and vegetable scraps that you will bury into the newspaper bedding strips.

Worms are very hard workers and they will continue to make compost until there is no more material to create it from. After about three to five months, you will notice that there is very little bedding material left in the bin. It is now time to harvest the compost. You can collect the compost in a couple of different ways. Just a note, when you are getting ready to harvest your compost, do not add food to the box for two weeks before you begin the harvest.

The first way to collect the compost is to move all the material in the box to one side of the box, then add fresh bedding and food to the other half of the box. Continue adding new food only to the fresh side of the box and within the next two to three weeks the worms will slowly move to the fresh material. If you allow the ‘old’ side of the composter to dry out, the worms will move to the moist fresh side quicker. You can cover the fresh side and leave the old side open to help it dry out. After you remove the finished compost, fill the remaining side of the compost box with fresh bedding and food and let the process begin again!

You can also harvest your compost by dumping the entire contents of the box onto a tarp outside. Make cone shaped piles and expose them to sunlight to help them to dry out. As the piles dry, the worms will move to down in the pile. Scoop of the top layer, then allow the pile to dry further. Again scoop of the dry portion and continue until you have all the compost harvested. Fill the box with fresh bedding and then add the worms and food and start over.

Ready Made Worm Compost Bins

Although making your own worm bin is not hard, sometimes it is easier to find something that is ready made. Many of the premade worm bins have multiple layers arranged as shelves or drawers allowing you to create a lot of compost in a small amount of space. Many of these compost bins also have a collection area and spout for compost tea. A nutrient rich liquid that is the byproduct of composting.

First we will look at the Worm Factory 5-Tray Worm Composter. This composter has a great system that allows the worms to move to the next tray as they exhaust the food supply in the one below. Simple add worms and organic material to the bottom tray and then, as the worms use up all the food in that tray add the next tray above it. The worms will migrate up to the fresh source of food, leaving the finished compost behind.

Another great premade compost bin is the Worm Factory 3-Tray Worm Composter. This worm compost bin has the same features as the one above, but it is a smaller model. It contains only three trays where the other has five trays.

Finally we have the Can-O-Worms. This is a round compost bin that incorporates trays like the ones above, It’s unique design allows for indoor as well as outdoor use. It has a spout at the bottom to collect the compost tea which plants love!

Red Wiggler Worms
If you are going to have a worm compost bin, you will need worms! You can find quality worms that are raised just for gardeners. The One Pound (#1) VermipostPro Red Wigglers for Organic Gardening and Composting are perfect for adding to your worm composter. These worms will work hard on your compost and they reproduce rapidly so you can double your worm population in three months!

As you can see, worm composting is a great way to create healthy compost and compost tea for your garden. It is inexpensive to build your own worm compost bin. But there are many great ready made bins on the market as well. You choose, there is bound to be one that is perfect for you.