Homemade Vermicomposting Unit

Why can't I find a simple recipe? I should probably look around this site a little more but anyways....
I've started a compost bin in a Rubbermaid trash can. Can I just throw some earthworms from the fishing store into the bin or should I construct a 6' deep plywood structure with multiple layers, aeration chambers, and specific species of worms. I thought composting was always done this way with worms, which is why I figured just throw worms in, but what is really needed for fast decomposition with vermicomposting?

Yes - you can use just a rubbermaid tub. It's a little more work when it comes to harvesting and maintaining moisture levels, but it works.

To get it started faster, I recommend making bedding out of some plain cardboard, shredded newsprint, a cup of sand or several eggshells ground up, and decomposing leaves. You know - the leaves under your outside plants that shed during the fall. The leaves aren't a must, but they host beneficial microbes that will help your bin get going faster.

I highly recommend reading the posts at http://www.redwormcomposting.com/

He's got just about every bin type described on the site, information of feeding, bedding, and anything else you'll need to know.

I've started grinding my food in a food processor. Grind it its decays faster the worms seem happy. And since my worms can't eat all of my food fast enough it speeds up the composting in my main pile (which has lots of worms from nature.

pinkpipe said:

Yes - you can use just a rubbermaid tub. It's a little more work when it comes to harvesting and maintaining moisture levels, but it works.

To get it started faster, I recommend making bedding out of some plain cardboard, shredded newsprint, a cup of sand or several eggshells ground up, and decomposing leaves. You know - the leaves under your outside plants that shed during the fall. The leaves aren't a must, but they host beneficial microbes that will help your bin get going faster.

I highly recommend reading the posts at http://www.redwormcomposting.com/

He's got just about every bin type described on the site, information of feeding, bedding, and anything else you'll need to know.

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This site is great. Makes me want to grow strawberries.

The guy that runs the site was pretty helpful when I wrote for help, too.

Btw, I like to blend up the food, too. I save scraps for a few days in a baggy, and then blend it with a little water. The worms process the food a lot faster if it is bite-sized.

Reading the site makes it sound complicated, but isvery very helpful. Are worms really going to be expensive?

Uvalax said:

Reading the site makes it sound complicated, but isvery very helpful. Are worms really going to be expensive?

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Your right the site does make it sound complicated because it blends his hydro/vermicomposting together.

I took 2 rubbermaid containers drilled ¼" holes in the bottom in the sides and in 1 lid. I put the lid that has no holes upside down, put a couple of brick, or some other spacer to allow air flow. Put wet bedding (Its a good way to destroy shredded personal documents. a little dirt or sand on that and fresh raw vegetables, egg shells, coffee and fruit scraps. Half roted leaves from the yard are great. Feed if it stinks your feeding to much, stop for a few days. Keep damp,not wet. When bedding is almost gone put bedding, food, etc in second bin, put lid on that, place inside 1st bin. Harvest 1st bin in a month or so.
Much like plants don't over feed and you'll be OK.
Here is my set up not original just the way I did mine it sets in the garage out of the way. Any cool place is great. Most garages will do.
Don't make it hard. I turned a pile of leaves composting today, it had a lot of worms that I did not introduce to the pile. They'll come and stay if they have food.
Hope this is helpful.

The hydro/worm bin is just a test bin. He likes to do that with crazy ideas to see if it works. If you read through the archived posts, he shows how to make every thing from trench to blue jean worm farms.

pinkpipe said:

The hydro/worm bin is just a test bin. He likes to do that with crazy ideas to see if it works. If you read through the archived posts, he shows how to make every thing from trench to blue jean worm farms.

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I saw that and like all the info now but it would be overwhelming to think that you had to do it that way. I'm thinking about the worm tube for my garden however, I think it could be to hot here this summer for the red worms in the garden. But I like the idea.

Uvalax said:

Reading the site makes it sound complicated, but isvery very helpful. Are worms really going to be expensive?

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Check this out, very simple.

http://wormcomposting.ca/how-to/make-a-worm-bin/

I got my worms for $23 shipped for 1lb (~1,000 worms). I'll have to dig up the link, but that was about the best price I found.

Wet

Wetdog said:

Check this out, very simple.

http://wormcomposting.ca/how-to/make-a-worm-bin/

I got my worms for $23 shipped for 1lb (~1,000 worms). I'll have to dig up the link, but that was about the best price I found.

Wet

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Hell yea man, that was what I needed. Too bad I have the Trash can, not the tub. But, it is a Rubbermaid Roughneck!!

That link would be handy, I've been lookin around a little, found redwormproducts.com with $15/lb worms but elevan bucks in shippin. I'm sure I won't find much less, but would rather go with a small business.

One more thing, they have to schedule a time to drop it off because the worms can't see to much cold. Will this mean I can't have my compost bin outside with the worms??? I haven't seen a month without snow on the ground...

i was thinking 55 gallon drums..plastic ones that were clean with no chemicals ever stored in them with snap ring tops filled half full of compost then you could kick them over on their side and roll them around too to keep the compost stirred up .a couple of cheap car ramps like i already have i could roll the barrel up on them and drain compost tea out of them for the plants too if i wanted..right now i have compost in barrels. i need some spring weather for the barrel plan.

Wow...such a nice information u are sharing with us!!

josephajain said:

Wow...such a nice information u are sharing with us!!

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Hope your being serious man! And Max420 I'm happy someone else is doinga drum, everywhere says its best to use a tub as in you HAVE to use a tub. Since I cant keep it outside in the winter, I'm just gonna lay it on it's side to get the whole more surface area than depth(the main advantage of using the tub).

Uvalax said:

Hope your being serious man! And Max420 I'm happy someone else is doinga drum, everywhere says its best to use a tub as in you HAVE to use a tub. Since I cant keep it outside in the winter, I'm just gonna lay it on it's side to get the whole more surface area than depth(the main advantage of using the tub).

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The tub would be better. Look at the 'store bought' worm bins, usually only 4"-6" deep for each tray.

The layers (?), if I can call them that of food/bedding are important in the sense that the worms move up to feed and such and usually go down to poop and like to keep the two separate.

It won't kill them for sure, but they really don't like to be disturbed and jostled around like mixing compost.

The tubs are only $5-$7 each and would make life easier for both you and the worms.

Wet

Wetdog said:

The tub would be better. Look at the 'store bought' worm bins, usually only 4"-6" deep for each tray.

The layers (?), if I can call them that of food/bedding are important in the sense that the worms move up to feed and such and usually go down to poop and like to keep the two separate.

It won't kill them for sure, but they really don't like to be disturbed and jostled around like mixing compost.

The tubs are only $5-$7 each and would make life easier for both you and the worms.

Wet

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So, should it be the kinda set up were I add shit and let it sit, or can I keep adding compost like a normal pile?

Like should I leave my bin outside to collect while I leave a tub inside to let do it's thing, then harvest and take some partially decomposed compost from the bin to start it again?

Uvalax said:

So, should it be the kinda set up were I add shit and let it sit, or can I keep adding compost like a normal pile?

Like should I leave my bin outside to collect while I leave a tub inside to let do it's thing, then harvest and take some partially decomposed compost from the bin to start it again?

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All you need for the worm bin is kitchen scraps for the food and shredded newspaper or cardboard for the bedding and 1 handful of dirt for the worms gizzard. That's it, no outside stuff needed.

In fact, I would advise against bringing in any outside compost. Too much of a chance to bring in nasties that would be harmful to the worms, especially in a closed environment like a worm bin.

Just add food and bedding materials, let it sit and the worms make the compost.

Easy.

Wet

Hellyea wet, it seems pretty easy, but like everything in mj growing I want it exactly right the first time cause I got no knowleddge on the subject.

Uvalax said:

Hellyea wet, it seems pretty easy, but like everything in mj growing I want it exactly right the first time cause I got no knowleddge on the subject.

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Oh and how would I harvest,if the old layers were on the bottom, and new on top,how would i get the ready worm castings from the bottom and leave the new scrap items ontop

all I can say is make sure once they all find the place they like to eat keep feeding them there. I used the five tray and I finally figured it out to let them gruop on a pile like they all communicate together, then keep adding on to that pile. If you try throwing the pile somewhere else they will all just die without trying to find it. But once they all get the message where the food is you are golden. Also never thro in rotting fruit or bannana peels. Keep to bread or lettuce. They loved lettuce. You want high quality shit use lettuce I found out. The worm people say bread but my kids loved letuce. U tube has a bunch of videos also I found.