Starting out with a worm bin

monkeyman_2006

18 years ago

What exactly do you do?

Do you.....

Only put moist newspapers in (or leaves) and then add worms and then add food scraps?

Do you mix bedding with compost and then put the worms on top?

Do you just bury the worms?

Can't figure this out

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

username_5
18 years ago
I don't think it matters much. The Can O Worms I just got says to put the cardboard it came wrapped in on the bottom of the tray to prevent bedding from falling through although I don't think it would fall through anyway.

On top of that it says to put the coir it came with, but one can use peat, leaves, newspapers, whatever 'brown' fibery type material one wants.

The food goes on top of the bedding and then the worms will hang out in the bedding while they do their thing.

A damp newspaper is placed over the top of the worms:food:bedding according to the instructions.

Anyway, before too long the worms take everything in the bin and turn it into poop and they then live in that so... they don't seem too particular ;-)
sqh1
18 years ago
monkeyman..I would highly recommend reading, "Worms Eat My Garbage", by Mary Applehof. You could find it in your local library perhaps. It is an easy read and full of good information when starting up. I checked it out so much the library suggested I just go ahead and buy it..:)
Related Discussions
Should I start a worm bin?
Q
Comments (13)
Our worms are very spoilt, they have a ranch. We and our neighbors on both sides feed them. Even our dogs feed them. They reward us with piles of worm doo-doo along the edge of the driveway. This is my 'compost' zone, in the middle is a small open bottom box that is our kitchen scraps bin. All around in this shady area is where I dump leaves, twigs, grass clippings. Pine needles and podocarpus leaves drop a lot. Periodically I'll lay down some cardboard, an old cotton rug or heavy towel - then cover with leaves. The worms love it. We also bury our dogs land mines. We dig a hole, but you could also do some sort of wire mesh thingie I suppose. At any rate, add a doggie doo pile and a scoop of pine flakes bedding. When the hole gets near full, fill in the top with soil/sand. Your worms will love you more. Our one neighbor came over one afternoon during one of our consecutive freezing nights and asked me what the smoke/steam was she saw when she left for work in the morning. I laughed and pointed out our kitchen compost 'bin' with various plants sitting on top to keep them warm. It gets very hot inside there but the worms don't seem to mind. ~dianne
...See More
Starting a worm bin in Charlottesville
Q
Comments (5)
I haven't seen a local (to Roanoke) source either. I believe I ordered my worms from an outfit in PA originally. If you are absolutely desperate to get worms right away, you could try a local bait shop. Most carry red worms, but you'll pay more and not be exactly sure of what you're getting. I would think ordering worms a little later in the year (once the weather has cooled a bit) would be a good idea, even in warm weather you can expect some worm death during shipping. And you can start with a single one pound order of worms and let them multiply on their own, rather than getting several pounds and spending more than you need to. Unless of course, you would rather have more or are starting a large bin. I started a COW with one pound and had a full bin within three months. The vermi-forum has lots more advice and experience, obviously. My only advice is "don't worry!" The worms will take of themselves for the most part, if you provide a nice home and some food for them. And don't over-feed, you'll know by the smell when you do, or if sour crop breaks out. (Yuck.) Good luck and have fun with your bin! Kent
...See More
starting a worm bin
Q
Comments (8)
I am new to this and have a rubbermaid bin. I do get some earthworms in it because I drilled holes in the bottom (its outside). If your son is catching them to resell I am wondering if a hole in the ground might work better (and attract more) He would need to add stuff to it to keep them happy so they stay. Im thinking leaves, kitchen scraps, coffee grounds. That would keep them happy and make them want to stay. When he is ready to seperate to sell he can just dig the hole. I say this because I started lasagna gardening last summer. Areas that had no worms are loaded now, and a using a hole or even pile may be easier to maintain with less worry of bin failure, which may be more likely with soil in the bin instead of paper or coir. Not sure if my thoughts are true, just some things that I would worry about trying to keep nightcrawlers contained in soil. (and after finding the many my daughter decided were her pets in different things in her room) :) Good luck and let us know how it goes Carey
...See More
Help starting a worm bin
Q
Comments (3)
rubbermaid bin with lid-- drill small-ish holes in bottom-- keep lid on-- fill with shredded b&w newspaper, leaves, and put kitchen waste in, always put it under the dry stuff- add more dry material if it starts to look too wet. keep a layer of the dry stuff that on top to discourage flies. you might get the soldier fly maggots but just try to ignore them, eventually they should go away (they don't hurt anything). once it seems finished (all black castings)... get a new bin with lid, drill holes in the bottom, fill it with fresh material, take the lid off the finished bin, and put the new one inside of it (put a couple bricks in the bottom one, to give it some air/space-).. and put the lid on the new bin. keep adding material to the new bin, and eventually, the wigglers should migrate mostly to the new bin. this seems to be the easiest, laziest, cheapest way to do vermicomposting, IMO. all this i learned from the good folks on here.. been doing it several years, & it works great. i have about one full bin per season, which for a small garden is all you need. this is in addition to my regular compost pile, in the yard. it stays by the house (on grass, in shade)- but i move it on the porch if it gets 100 or above, or when there's a freeze. sometimes they die off but they always come back.
...See More
squeeze
18 years ago
it's actually best to set up a bin with bedding and some feedstock, like chopped up kitchen scraps, a week or more before you add the worms so the material has a chance to start decomposing and become microbially active - fresh organic material is of no use to worms and they'll ignore it until it is being worked on by the bacteria that are really the worms main food, to the point that they'll hightail it outta there lookin for food

if you have some finished but fresh compost, that's ideal - just lay the worms in on top, they'll dive in soon enough, especially if you don't put a lid on to make it dark, as they avoid light

Bill
wormmainea
18 years ago
Yep, they prefer their food a bit 'aged'. Some food ages quickly, like strawberries and banannas. If you bruisse htem up and mix in with coffee grounds, you'll find your worms in the mix in a day or two.

For new bins, I always add a few handfulls of worm castings and moist newspaper to the bottom, then worms, then more newspaper. I put food in one corner (I rotate food additions to my indoor worm bins to simplify harvesting for sales), but this is not necessary.

Here is a link that might be useful: WormMainea

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Houzz TV: Make a Worm Bin for Rich Soil and Happy Plants

By Annie Thornton

A worm-powered compost bin that can fit under a sink turns food scraps into a powerful amendment for your garden. Here’s how to make one

Full Story

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES A Quick-Start Guide to Bird-Watching for Fun and Learning

By Alison Hodgson

Set out some seed and grab your field guide. Bird-watching is an easy, entertaining and educational activity for the whole family

Full Story

ENTRYWAYS Organizing Starts at the Door

By Bneato Professional Organizing

You don't need fancy bins and containers to keep your entryway tidy — just a system that sticks

Full Story

FUN HOUZZ 14 Things You Need to Start Doing Now for Your Spouse’s Sake

By Mitchell Parker

You have no idea how annoying your habits at home can be. We’re here to tell you

Full Story

606

DECLUTTERING 5 Ways to Jump-Start a Whole-House Decluttering Effort

By Laura Gaskill

If the piles of paperwork and jampacked closets have you feeling like a deer in the headlights, take a deep breath and a baby step

Full Story

304

By Marianne Lipanovich

Late summer and late winter are good times to plan and plant cool-season crops like salad greens, spinach, beets, carrots and peas

Full Story

By Laura Gaskill

Establishing order at the outset will help prevent clutter from getting its foot in the door

Full Story

By Ventana Construction LLC

Ask these questions before signing with a contractor for better communication and fewer surprises along the way

Full Story

169

MORE ROOMS Fresh Start: Organizing Your Craft Room

By Kelly Porter

10 ways to stash your arts and crafts supplies in style

Full Story

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Steps to Get a Garden Off to a Glowing Start

By Amy Renea

Grow a lush, balanced garden from an empty patch of yard or neglected landscape spot with these easy-to-follow guidelines

Full Story

Starting out with a worm bin

Comments (4)

username_5

sqh1

Related Discussions

squeeze

wormmainea

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US