16 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

This might look like a tutorial, but it's not. I'm just posting pictures of my DIY worm bin project. Most of it's very specific to the materials and tools that I have, so if anything, it may just give people some ideas.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
This is what it looked like when it got invaded by some slime mold one time.
 

 

 

 
 
It was quickly eaten by all the mites and springtails.
 

 

[Gregory2455]

That is pretty cool, I would totally grow that slime mold as long as it doesn't grow out of control.

[dermy]

Awesome. I've never had slime mould before, just that fluffy mould that grows around a food pocket. How many worms do you have? I know you lost some didn't you?

[AntsAreUs]

What exactly are you farming worms for? Fish?

[dspdrew]

Awesome. I've never had slime mould before, just that fluffy mould that grows around a food pocket. How many worms do you have? I know you lost some didn't you?

I lost them all.

 

What exactly are you farming worms for? Fish?

It's called vermicomposting. The worms eat your garbage, and turn it into very nutrient-rich soil/fertilizer they like to call "black gold".

[Gregory2455]

What is black gold used for? Is it just a fertilizer?

[dspdrew]

Pretty much. People actually pay a lot of money for that stuff. You add it to your potting soil. The liquid can be poured into your plants as fertilizer also; they call that worm tea.

[LAnt]

Are you planning on starting it up again?

[dspdrew]

Maybe.

[BugFinder]

Wonderful worm bin.  We have more in common than I originally thought, now i'm going to have to post some pictures of my worms

[dspdrew]

Haha, nice. Let's see them.

[BugFinder]

I have two worm farm setups I use to recycle kitchen waste, and create compost.  One I bought, the other I made from materials I bought, and I love them both.

 

This one is called the Worm Inn.  I really like it because of how low maintenance it is, how easy it is to harvest castings and compost out of the bottom, and the way it provides leachate, dripping it from the bottom into the bucket below it.  That leachae always supercharges my fruit trees every year, making them explode with fruit.  Disadvantages:  Because of the contact the material inside has with the air on the outside (one of it's best strengths, btw) it dries out fast, and you really have to remember to water it.  The waste you add doesn't provide enough moisture like it does with other worm systems.  I empty the bucket below it into my garden, and I another one near by full of water that has rested (allowed the chlorine to exit the water) that I pour into it.  Within about 24 hours the bucket below is full of leachate.  I do this at least once a week in the summer.  The more the better.  If you let it dry out the worms will die of course.  Not a disaster though if it happens, as when you re-moisturize it, any eggs in there will hatch and you'll be back up and running in a few weeks.

 

 

This is my other setup.  I essentially just took rubbermade 18 gallon storage containers, drilled holes the bottom of all but the bottom one, and in the lid for the top one, and nested them inside one another on top of some bricks located in the bottom one.  It has worked great for me for many years generating lots of compost.  Disadvantages:  High maintenance.  Because of the lack of contact the material inside has with outside air, it gets anaerobic pretty fast.  That will sour the system and kill the worms or force them to leave it if allowed unchecked.  To prevent that I toss all the material every week. I have an extra bin that is empty, and I toss one of them into it, and another into that one, and so on until I've tossed all the bins and the last one I tossed is now empty.  That one becomes next weeks empty bin.  That doesn't harm the worms at all, and keeps the system oxygenated, which keeps it cooking along nicely, making lots of compost.  A real advantage to this system is that it is infinitely expandable, just keep adding bins until you have met the needs of your waste stream.  Mine has 5 bins now.  Another advantage:  Because of the heat this baby generates, it cooks compost fast if you keep it tossed weekly.

Edited by BugFinder, December 21 2014 - 11:52 PM.

[dspdrew]

That's pretty cool. I would have something larger if I had the room for it. Mine has nothing in it right now. I need to get it going again.

[dermy]

That is an awesome worm inn! I have followed Bentley [have you heard of him?] and his Worm Inn Over-Feeding Challenges.  had a worm bin but the only thing t survive was my Isopods

 

 

That second bin looks awesome! I want to try that someday with Isopods and see how they would fair vs. Worms.

[BugFinder]

Thanks for the kind words.  

 

That is an awesome worm inn! I have followed Bentley [have you heard of him?] and his Worm Inn Over-Feeding Challenges.  had a worm bin but the only thing t survive was my Isopods

 

 

That second bin looks awesome! I want to try that someday with Isopods and see how they would fair vs. Worms.

 

Thanks for the kind words.  Yes I know of Bentley and love his website!!  It's a small world to find worm lovers among my ant loving friends

[dermy]

Yes it is I wish my worms survived better [they aren't red wigglers they are "lets see what happens worms" ]

 

Drew get your bin setup again like me sometime haha!

[BugFinder]

What is black gold used for? Is it just a fertilizer?

 

I wouldn't say "just" fertilzier...  The lechate you can get from it is a great fertalizer, but there are so many other uses for it.  The worm castings are full of nutrients and can be added to soil to amend it, or can be used as an awesome seed starter.  It can also be left in the compost you are creating to make wonderful soil.