DIY Worm Compost Bin: Cheap and Easy
This DIY worm compost bin is cheap and easy to make. Looking for a great organic way to fertilize your garden? Have you considered using compost tea made from worm castings? Check out the video below.
Why Is This DIY Worm Compost Bin Better Than Others?
There are a couple reasons I chose to construct this type of DIY worm compost bin.
- To start with I didn’t want to use stacked plastic tubs. Not because I feel that it’s harmful to the worms or that it will pollute the worm castings. Because the world doesn’t need more plastic and esthetically, I think wood looks better in a garden. You may wish however to put some sort of plastic container beneath the worm compost bin. The reason would be to collect the worm compost tea (optional).
- Easy to build. This DIY project took only about an hour to construct, required only a few tools, and only a few materials.
- Cost was a factor as well. This DIY worm composter was cheap to build. If you have some scrap lumber it can be free.
- The main reason I chose this type of DIY worm compost bin… it’s easy to harvest the worm castings. Not having to reclaim the worms from the worm castings (aka vermicompost) was a big draw. Worms migrate up to the top trays allowing the vermicompost to be removed from the bottom trays.
- It doesn’t take up much space. I live in an urban area with limited space in my backyard. I have been maintaining a traditional compost pile. Ideally, I’ll be able to eliminate it. Once my worm composter starts producing an acceptable number of castings, I’ll supplement my raised garden bed soil.
Not all worms can be used in a composter. These are the composting red wigglers that love to feed on food waste. Get 1200 live worms shipped right to your door.
The Simple Concept of this DIY Worm Compost Bin
It’s really as simple as just building several of these trays to make this DIY worm composter. Simply construct the 2×4 frame and nail or staple the hardware cloth (metal screen) on the bottom of each tray. The wire mesh has 1/2″ squares. You’ll also need a simple lid to place on top.
What Are Worm Castings?
Worm castings, aka vermicompost, is nothing more than the manure from worms. Worm castings are technically not compost, worms eat compost and produce the worm castings. This vermicompost is an excellent source of organic nutrients and has other benefits as well such as aerating the soil. The worm poo are tiny pellets and when mixed with the soil. They will help provide aeration while providing one of the richest natural nutrients to your garden. Another benefit of worm castings is helping your soil retain moisture. Simply feed your yard waste to the worms in the compost bin. You’ll soon be rewarded with an abundance of worm castings and worm compost tea.
What Do You Feed the Worms in a Composter?
The worms can make use of anything you’d put in a compost pile. This can be yard waste such as grass clippings, leaves, and other plant material from your garden. As far as food waste you’ll primarily want to stick with vegetable scraps in your DIY worm compost bin. Don’t put meat or fats in the worm compost bin. Of note, you should not feed the worms onions and citrus scraps due to the high acidity.
How To Use Worm Castings
Below are a few of the most commons ways to use worm castings in your garden. Keep in mind… you can’t use too many worm castings; they won’t harm your plants even in large amounts.
- Mix with water to use as fertilizer – use a ratio of one cup worm castings to one gallon of water. Once mixed let it stand for a week or so and use as fertilizer or a foliar spray which is said to repel some insects.
- Top dressing – If you have established plants a great way to provide nutrients is to top dress the soil with some worm castings. Just sprinkle them around the base, or lightly scratch them into the top layer of soil, then water the plants.
- Soil amendment or conditioner – whether you’re potting a plant in a container or planting directly in the ground mix worm castings in with the soil.
Well, that’s about it. I hope you enjoyed my DIY worm compost video. My goal was to provide inspiration so you too can start vermicomposting. It’s rewarding to create your own organic fertilizer as well as put your yard and vegetable scraps to good use.
Be sure and check out my other YouTube gardening videos.
NOTE: This DIY worm compost bin was not my invention. I’d like to give credit to Regenerating Gardens with Farmer Rishi for providing the design.