How big should my worm bin be?

Asked by: Patrick Henry

The shorter, bottom bin does not need a top. A bin made of rubber or plastic and that is approximately 15 inches deep, 25 inches wide and 5 inches high works great. The extra length allows you to scoop out the extra liquid or “worm tea” for use elsewhere (e.g., in the garden, for plants, shrubs, etc.).

How big of a worm bin will you need for your 1 lb of worms?

Example: bin is 1.5ft (18 inches) by 2 feet (24 inches) regular storage bin, your surface area is 1.5 x 2 = 3 sq ft. 3lbs of composting worms would be the most you would want to buy. The Worm Factory and Worm Factory 360 both are recommended to start with 1 lb of Red Wigglers.

How deep should worm bins be?

The container depth should be between eight and twelve inches. Bins need to be shallow because the worms feed in the top layers of the bedding. A bin that is too deep is not as efficient and could potentially become an odor problem. Worm boxes can be purchased or made.

Should you mix your worm bin?

There is definitely no need to completely mix up your worm bin contents. The worms themselves – along with various other critters do a lot of mixing on their own.

Can a worm bin have too many worms?

Adding too many worms when starting the bin, unhealthy conditions developing in the bin, unpleasant food items being added to the bin such as a lot of raw onions, citrus fruit skin, fermenting fruit, alcohol, etc., can all cause worms to crawl and try to escape from the bin.

How often do you water worm farms?

Once every week, pour about five litres of fresh water into the Top Working Tray, which will flood down through the lower trays, ensuring the entire worm farm remains very moist. The sudden ‘flood’ will not harm the worms. Adding water is especially important in the hotter months of the year.

How fast do worms multiply?

Worms are ready to breed once they mature from 50 to 90 days. Earthworms are hermaphrodites; they can be male or female (a great advantage!). They can perform both male and female functions and mate every 7 to 10 days. The mating process takes around 24 hours.

How often should you change worm bedding?

After worms are added, bedding should be kept moist but not soggy and the top 6 to 8 inches turned every 7 to 10 days to keep it loose. About every 6 to 9 months the old bedding should be replaced with properly prepared new bedding. To change bedding, remove the top 5 or 6 inches (where most of the worms are).

Can I use potting soil for worm bedding?

Because it is intended to drain quickly, potting soil is a poor choice for a worm bin. Worms must have some moisture, but not enough to pool in the bottom of the bin. Worms not kept moist have trouble burrowing and often fail to reproduce.

Do worm bins need air holes?

Like people, worms need air to live so be sure to have your bin sufficiently ventilated. Some people also prefer to drill about 10 holes (1/4- to 1/2-inch each) in the bottom for aeration and drainage. A plastic bin may need more drainage — if contents get too wet, drill more holes.

How wet should worm farm be?

Ideally, the worm bedding should be at about 80% moisture. The bedding should definitely feel moist but when you squeeze it, no water should drip out. Also, when you squeeze it you should not hear crackling of dry paper or dry leaves.

Do worms multiply in worm farms?

Sparse populations of worms may be slow to reproduce, but as a general rule, a worm at least 60 days old can find a mate and produce a cocoon that contains an average of four babies. Typically, a population of composting worms doubles every three to six months.

Will worms eat eggshells?

eggshells – worms simply can’t eat them. They will still be there when you remove the worm castings, and you’ll have eggshells in the garden. Eggshells are good for the garden, so if you crush them up, and put them in the worm farm, they’ll end up adding calcium to your soil.

Do worms like cucumber?

Keep these ratios in mind when feeding. If you’ve added a lot of watery food, like lettuce, melon or cucumber, make sure to balance it with some paper. Temperature: Keep your bin a cool location out of direct sunlight to prevent your worms from getting too hot.

Do worms eat tea bags?

Worms will eat anything that was once living, Leftover vegetable scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings. Tea leaves / bags and coffee grounds.

What is toxic to worms?

These are just some of the reasons you should avoid putting the following food scraps into your worm composting bin or worm farm: Meats, bones, fat and anything oily or greasy. Dairy products including butter, sour cream, milk, whole eggs (egg shells are ok) and cheese.

Do worms like banana peels?

Bananas are a great and inexpensive snack for both us and our worms. Those peels are desirable to compost worms no matter what shape they’re in. They’ll make short work of what otherwise would have taken up space in your trash.

Do worms like tomatoes?

Let’s dive in! *Tomatoes are slightly acidic, but worms still seem to like it and will tolerate it just fine in moderation. Whether you have an abundance of melon rinds, spoiled apples or fruit trimmings, you can feed them to your worms by slicing them up into manageable portions. Think of it this way.

Do worms like wet or dry soil?

Earthworms naturally thrive in soil that is beneficial to their health. These creatures prefer cool, moist soil. According to Nanette Londeree of the Marin Rose Society, earthworms are made up of about 80 percent water by weight and lose about 15 percent of that water daily, so they need moist soil.

Do worms prefer dark or light?

Worms do NOT like light! They prefer dark. All of the worms hurried into the corner furthest from the light and huddled together! We even had one crawl under the paper towel.

Do worms like gravel?

Gravel, sand, dead leaves, and potting soil were chosen for the experiment because they have different characteristics which will give a good variety. I believe that the earthworms will like dead leaves the best because it is organic matter which is a food supply.

How long does a worm live?

Worms can live as long as four years. When worms die in the bin, their bodies decompose and are recycled by other worms, along with the food scraps. Worm castings are toxic to live worms.

Why are my worms dying in my worm farm?

Usually, worms dying in vermicompost systems can be traced back to one of a few problems: incorrect moisture levels, problematic temperatures, lack of air circulation, and too much or too little food. Keeping a worm farm means constantly checking it for these key items.

Do plants grow better with worms in the soil?

Worms often leave their nutrient-rich casts in their tunnels, providing a favourable environment for plant root growth. The tunnels also allow roots to penetrate deeper into the soil, where they can reach extra moisture and nutrients.