One Hundred Dollars a Month

Vermicomposting? Worm Castings? Worm Farm? Yikes. Could I do it? Would it smell? Would the worms *gasp* escape? Would the HH not throw a fit about my worm bin in the basement?

Vermicomposting is the fancy name for feeding a bunch of red wiggler worms for the sole purpose of having them do what they normally do. Eat, sleep, make babies, and create castings {the fancy word for worm poop}. Worm castings are the stuff of garden soil legends.

You will NOT believe how easy vermicomposting is! If you manage kids, dogs, and/or chickens then managing a worm bin is a breeze.

Do I have to touch the worms? 😉
Nope. They come in a bag and I could’ve just dumped them in but my two kids are known for collecting worms on a rainy day for my garden, so they played with them a bit as they spread them around the bin.

Does it smell?
No, it actually has the earthy-spring-soil smell. The key is to keep the scraps you’re feeding them under the other paper material in the bin {dampened shredded paper a handful of soil}. This will also keep fruit flies from developing.

Will the worms escape?
No – if you have created a wormy ecosystem they will stay put.

Worm Bin Supplies

• Dampened shredded paper {Soak the paper then squeeze it out well}
• A handful of soil { worms use the dirt like chickens use grit – it helps them digest their food}
• Kitchen Scraps {no meat, no dairy, no grease – just like a compost pile}
• Worms – Red Wigglers love this environment best and are very fast producers
• One dark bin with a lid {Rubbermaid containers work great for this}
• One slightly larger bin of any color to use as a drip tray {no lid needed}
• Drill
• 1/16” drill bit
• 1/8” drill bit

How to make a Worm Bin

There are a million different types of worm bins in just as many sizes, shapes and materials used. Deciding your needs will help you narrow down your choices.

I knew that I wanted to keep my worm bin in the basement because our New England weather is pretty severe on both ends {up to 95* in the summer and down to the single digits in the winter} and I didn’t want to fuss with those details. I knew I’d use a plastic or rubber container because, well, it’s just so easy to pop into Target and pick one up. And finally, I knew I would start out small and who knows maybe I’d become a worm farmer HA!

First I went to Target and chose two storage bins. The bin the worms will live in should be dark colored, not clear. Worms like to be in the dark. Second, grab another bin that fits on the bottom, this bin will serve as a “drip tray” of sorts.

Drill many holes in the bottom of the dark worm bin with the 1/16” bit. Next, use the slightly larger 1/8” bit and drill holes around the top edge of the dark bin. Because the holes are for ventilation, you can’t have too many holes.

Do not put ANY holes in the bottom ‘drip tray’ bin.

Now’s the fun part, which is a bit like making a soup – it doesn’t have to be terribly neat, just chuck it in. First, soak and squeeze out your shredded paper, toss in a handful of soil and your worms. When you add scraps make sure to put it under the bedding. Add worms.

Tips-n-Tricks:

• As soon as the worm arrive in the mail they are most likely a bit dehydrated, pour a half a cup of water right into their bag/box to help rehydrate them.
• Keep the worms under a light for the first two days to encourage the worms to explore their new home.
• To collect the castings, move all the dark, rich castings to one side and add new dampened paper/dirt/food and the worms will migrate from one side to the other.

TA-daaah, you’re done. You are now the proud owner of a worm bin!

This post was submitted by my friend and One Hundred Dollars a Month reader Heather from Massachusetts. If you’ve got a great garden DIY Tutorial you’d like to share it, you could earn you a $20 gift card to Amazon.com for your unique photos and story.

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• Your Garden Pictures and Tips – I’d especially like to see your garden set ups, growing areas, and for you to show us what you are growing this year.
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