If you want to take an inexpensive short-cut, make a simple worm composting system using a tote! If you’re on a tight budget, or just want to get started right away, watch Uncle Jim’s video:
How to Make a Worm Composter in a Tote on YouTube.
There are plenty of feature-rich composters on the market. Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm has composters with multiple trays for easy harvesting, a spigot to drain fluid, and composters that roll or spin. If you don’t want to handle a power tool, order a Worm Kit.
Red Wigglers are specifically suited for composting in a bin. Uncle Jim has been breeding hearty Red Worms for over 30 years — order Red Worms now!
10 comments on “How to Make Your Own Composter for Worms”
I am composting with your 360 system. At present i do not have a place to remove some of the worms. Is it possible to put them in the ground in the yard at this time of the year? If so, how deep should I place them so they will live thru the winter and multiply? I am in the Atlanta, GA area.
Note too that we have had an excess of rain and the ground is saturated.
Hi Grant! I would not recommend adding the composting worms to your garden unless you are planning to add compost-able material to you garden. These worms are surface feeders and can not live off of the debris in the soil. And it sounds like your top soil may be very saturated, and the worms will not thrive in this. I would recommend adding them to a new bin that can be moderated between 40 and 80 degrees and kept about moist as a wrung out sponge.
It looked really easy to make that bin; but, where I live we have weather extremes from really cold during the winter and hot, sometimes in the triple digits during summer. There is no tree in the yard and no covered porch. How would I modify this setup in order to use it indoors?
After raising worms in a tote, is it ok to pour into a rolling bin to separate (castings and worms) without harm ?
James Shaw,
I’m confused by your response. These worms can’t survive in an outdoor garden? I imagined using them for composting and after their population increased putting some in the garden. Are these worms only good for composting and making worm castings?
It depends on the worms you are using. Red wigglers are surface worms, they need compost. Super Reds are earthworms that tunnel semi deep, and generally survive off of the decaying roots of other plants, and actually aerate lawns and gardens due to tunneling.
Can I mix pencil shavings into the Peat Moss? This is my first EVER trying to raise worms, for personal fishing bait. I am tired of paying the high prices at the stores and bait shops. We wanted to go fishing this weekend, but since the crisis of COVID19, all our stores, ie Walmart, Big R and Moms/Pops are completely out of worms and do not know when will get anymore (this I don’t understand). I will be making my own tote bin and I have ordered the 250 Red Night Crawlers, yesterday. While watching this video it showed using shredded newspaper, also, and a light bulb went off in my head about my pencil shavings (yes, I have a full baggy full. why you might ask? because I keep everything that I think will use in the future, such as now). Thanks ahead of time. Be safe.
I have a lot of composting works. Can I add European red worms to the same bed. It is a big bed.
Nope – lead is not healthy for worms or humans to ingest.
Pencils do not actually contain lead, they use graphite now.