Friday, February 6, 2009

Worm bin

OK so you may think I am truly crazy but, when my husband asked what I wanted for my birthday next week I knew it would be the perfect time to ask. I told him I wanted a worm bin for the basement. Now as you may have guessed by now, my husband really is not all that interested in my gardening adventures (except when he is munching down on fresh, homegrown vegetables). Oh don't get me wrong. He loves me and puts up with some of my crazy ideas but, he really objected to me wanting a worm bin. Well because this is all I wanted for my birthday, he just kinda rolled his eyes and gave into my crazy desire to have worms at pets.


Making a worm bin is actually pretty easy. The first step is to get a container to hold the worms. The one I purchased is pretty nice and it is made from 99% recycled plastic. The cost was just over $5 including tax. The first thing I did in preparing the container was to drill lots of small holes in the bottom.


The next step is to drill some holes around the top to allow for proper air circulation. I used a 3/4" spade bit to drill all away around the top of the container. The worms need the ventilation to allow excess moisture and heat escape.




Place some cardboard in the bottom to keep the holes clear and to absorb excess moisture. The worms also enjoy snacking on the cardboard itself!






Now fill the bin with damp torn up newspapers. (Note: the ones in the picture are probably a little too wet so I later mixed in some dry strips.) The worms will eventually turn the newspaper and cardboard into castings or as my husband deems, "worm crap".


The last step is to add the worms. The only other thing to do is to feed the worms sparingly until it is determined just how much they will eat in a few days. If you overfeed the worms, the bin may develop and odor and this is something I cannot let happen less they be banished outside! Oh yeah, don't forget to put something underneath the bin to catch any liquids that may develop and drain out. This is the best stuff for nourishing your young seedlings.

I'll post updates as the worms turn my scraps into lovely, usable castings so don't forget to come see me again in My Little Corner of the World. Kim

4 comments:

zillalatte said...

Do you plan to add any soil? Even a few cup fulls?
Why is it that hubbys just do not see our green thumbs as sexy? My guy just laughs and lets me give it a try, as long as it is not his lawn!
Hope it keeps worry free,
kellie

Kim said...

I'm only going to add the little bit the worms come with. My compost bin is frozen solid so I cannot add any compost and I don't want to add store bought stuff in case there are any chemicals...I'll post later on how things go. Kim

Anonymous said...

I think it's great, Kim! I wouldn't add any soil, either. I'm as new as you are to it, but I heard you're not suppose to add soil.

As for your husband... You had me literally laughing out loud... I can totally relate! LOL

Blessings,
Angela

zillalatte said...

they look great Happy Birthday!