Worm farms are cool, guys. They're even cooler when they're a nice, easy, DIY worm farm. Isn't it fun to take items you weren't using and transform them into something beautiful, functional, and useful?
Today, I'm transforming a broken plastic bin into a worm farm. This is such an easy way to start a worm farm and I'm excited to share with you.
For the step by step DIY worm farm guide, keep reading! And for you visual learners, I'll include a video as well!
What is a Worm Farm?
If you want to know more about what is a worm farm and/or more about my worm farm, you may like this post all about how to start a worm farm. I share with you how to start a worm farm and share with you what my worm farm looks like. Over the years, I've expanded my worm farm. But it all started here. With the DIY Worm Farm.
I started worm farming because I had very little space in my apartment to make compost, and worm farming was my solution. Turn your problems into solutions, right? Little did I know how much I'd love worms!
When I was gifted a stacking worm farm for Christmas, I was so eager to get started. But the idea of a stacking worm farm was intimidating. So I decided to keep it simple and start an easy DIY worm farm in a single plastic tote.
Why start a Worm Farm?
Starting a simple, DIY worm farm is a great way to get started worm farming. One tote, a few layers of greens, grit, browns, and compost, and you're good to go. And guess what else, kids love it!
Kids love these kinds of worm farms because you can actually see the layers of materials transform over time. And, when they're feeling friendly, worms slither past the clear plastic to make an appearance, such a fun experience for kids to learn about one of the most important creatures on the planet-worms!
DIY Worm Farm Checklist
Want a checklist of items to get started? Check out this Free Quick Start Guide. It's a simple PDF you can take with you to the garden when it's time to setup your worm farm. I also have this ebook as a more comprehensive guide!
And when you view the Worm Farm Quick Start guide on a device, you can click the links to get items you may need to get your worm farm started.
How to Start a Simple Worm Farm
To setup your easy DIY worm farm, you'll just need a plastic tote, some brown materials, some green materials, a little grit, a little soil or compost, and of course, worms.
Step One: acquire old plastic bin - put something that would otherwise be sent to the landfill to good use!
Step Two: acquire worms - check your local gardening facebook groups, ask a fellow garden plot neighbor, check your local fishing supply for red wigglers, your local farm supply store, or get some online at Uncle Jim's Worm Farm!
Step Tthree: create your layers! Layering a worm farm is key to getting great worm castings. Why? Because it mimics nature! And when we can mimic nature, we can yield abundance. You can follow the layering section of the quick start guide or do as follows:
- layer one: browns (about 2")
- layer two: food scraps and grit (about 1/2") *be sure to feed your worms worm friendly food scraps! no citrus, meat, dairy, bones or spices)*
- layer three: compost or soil (about 2") + worms
- Repeat this layering process a few times & always cover with browns (this keeps flies and predators away by masking any food odor)
-
an old plastic tote -
browns (leaves) + greens (food scraps) -
about 100 worms from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm -
left over soil and compost as bedding
Optionally, you can water your bin down with just a sprinkle of water to help the layers get to know one another. However, unlike a stacking or flow through worm farm, you really want to make sure you don't overwater this DIY bin.
Remember, worms like moisture, but not too much moisture. I'll include a post on troubleshooting your worm bin here eventually! For now, remember the goal is to have the moisture level similar to that of a damp sponge.
DIY Worm Farm Setup Video
Hello fellow visual learners, check out this video to see the DIY Worm farm Setup in action:
Where to store your DIY Worm Farm?
Keep your worms in a cool and dark location if possible. Away from predators (like mice and vermin). And keep them ideally between 55 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. We keep ours on the north side of our fence line so it's generally shaded!
Thanks for reading! Happy worm farming!
Natalie
