With the aspiration of growing some top notch cannabis, I knew that having a worm bin would be a great way to reduce input costs for great soil amendments such as worm castings, so a year ago I ordered about 250 worms on amazon and started a little worm farm in my basement in a Rubbermaid bin. It took awhile to really get going and I have tried a few different things over the last year with mixed success at getting the right environment for my little wigglers to thrive. They have definitely grown significantly in population, but I have yet to master the art of having an easy way of harvesting the castings without a bunch of hassle.
On the recommendation of the HOHG guys, I started watching some of Captain Matt's videos about worm farming and gleaned an idea or two about how he's got his worms set up. It got me thinking that I need a continuous flow style bin, but alas, the on going issue of cost of building materials and trying to keep my wife off my case about all the money I'm spending to support my addiction to indoor gardening which includes a worm farm!
The dilemma stood before me about how to keep my wife and my worms both happy, and then I was driving down the road a couple weeks ago and saw several pieces of used electrical conduit and a couple 50Gal barrels with the tops and bottoms removed sitting at the end of a neighbours driveway. I had a brilliant idea for a project that would satisfy my dilemma and pulled a quick U-ey, to pick up the garbage, much to my childrens' objections while en route to grandma's house.
Finally this afternoon, I had a couple hours free from work before I had to pick up the kids from daycare, and so I put this beauty of a worm hotel together. I'm not 100% sure how well it'll work in practice, but I definitely think it'll be an improvement from my current flow. I'll lay down a couple layers of moistened old newspaper on the bottom and then just transfer my entire old bin's contents into their new home and give them a couple weeks to get comfy before I attempt to rake any from the bottom.
For some reason my computer is not letting me add the pics, but I'll add them on my phone in just a bit.
Any feedback from those of you that have been farming these worms for a little while longer or who have systems that are relatively easy to use? I keep mine on a pretty consistent diet of banana peels, coffee grinds and a bunch of other kitchen waste and sometimes some ground up grains. My biggest problem is that it gets too soggy (not entirely wet where it leaches though) and then I get a ton of little brown mites chowing down on all the food.
GW Orton
More important that the will to win is having the courage to begin. -Steve Prefontaine
A look at the inside and bottom.
A look from the front.
I only had enough 4”x 4” for 3 legs so that’s what I went with. Two two Rubbermaid bins in front are my current operation that used to reside in the basement but I think the garage is a better home for them.
GW Orton
More important that the will to win is having the courage to begin. -Steve Prefontaine
@philmebowls Yes, the barrel will contain the worms. I'll feed the bin from the top and rake the bottom to harvest. In theory, by the time the material works it's way to the bottom, it should be mostly castings and should be very few worms hiding out down there. The worms will continuously be moving up towards the fresher food.
The temperature in the garage gets pretty close to freezing during the winter, but for now, it should be fine and they'll get more active during the warmer months.
She's now all filled up.
GW Orton
More important that the will to win is having the courage to begin. -Steve Prefontaine
@philmebowls I've actually already got a little rake like that. It'll work perfectly!!!
There worms seem to be settled into their new home and have been fed so now it's just a waiting game. I'll probably give them a couple more weeks before trying to break the seal at the bottom. Fingers crossed that it doesn't all just fall apart.
GW Orton
More important that the will to win is having the courage to begin. -Steve Prefontaine
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