When conditions in the bin become unbearable, your worms may attempt a mass escape. Worms are attracted to moisture and like condensation. Worms are attracted to moisture and condensation. So the odd worm on the lid or sides of the bin is nothing to worry about. But if you see hundreds (if not thousands) of worms clumping together, then that is a sign of stress. And your worms may be trying to escape.

Reasons Why Your Worms Are Trying to Escape

What Should You Do When You Find Your Worms Are Trying to Escape?

Often the reasons why your worms are trying to escape can be a bit of a mystery. Has there been any drastic changes which could throw things off kilter? Do you worms appear deformed or discolored? If you can’t immediately work out what the problem is, you may need to do some detective work.

Temperature Is Too Hot for Worms

Temperature is an obvious one. Worms like the same temperatures as humans between 60°-80° F or 15°-26° C. Make sure the bin is in the shade and doesn’t get too hot. On extremely hot days, add a frozen water bottle in the bin to create a cool zone. In Summer, I move my worm farm indoors to prevent a mass extinction.

Worm Bin Is Too Acidic

You can use a pH meter to measure acidity in the worm bin. Have you been overfeeding or do you have the greens vs. browns balance wrong? Are you adding too many acidic fruits? If your worm farm smells rotten or mouldy, your worm farm could be a little bit toxic.

It doesn’t hurt to add some eggshells or crushed limestone into the bin occasionally to help neuatrlize acidity.

Bin Is Too Too Wet and Anaerobic

Worms will try to escape a wet soggy mess. I don’t blame them. They can down in it.

Check the moisture levels in the bin. Have you been adding too many foods high in water content?

Perform the “squeeze test” or use a moisture meter. Squeeze the worm bedding in your hand and check whether any water drips out. The bedding material should feel like a damp sponge, moist but not dripping.

You should also check whether the drainage is blocked. If excess moisture continues to be a problem, consider drilling some holes to increase air ventliation.

Add lots of bedding to reduce moisture and condensation build up.

New Worms Settling in to New Bin

It can take a couple of days for your worms to settle into their new environment. Put a bright light over the bin. It will encourage the worms dig down. After 24-48 hours, you can put the lid on like normal.

Overfeeding And Adding The Wrong Foods In the Bin

If you feed them the wrong ingredients like meat, onions, dairy etc… then your worms will try to escape because the soil will not be suitable for them.

Overfeeding will create a toxic environment for your worms. Remove any rotten or uneaten foods.

Someone I know was adding a lot of sugar cane mulch into their worm bin. Unbeknown it is low in pH. A week or so later they found worms with “string or pearls” (also known as protein poisoning) and hundreds trying to scape.

How to Stop Worms Escaping

You can put some plastic mesh or nylon stockings over the holes in your bin. This will stop the worms from escaping without effecting aeration or drainage. I always add a thick layer of carboard covering the holes in the bottom tray holes to detract the worms from venturing down below.

Make sure you have a lid that snuggle “snaps” to the top.

The post Why Are My Worms Trying to Escape? appeared first on WormFarmGuru.

I have a pet Kavoodle. Her name is Gypsy. Getting rid of dog poo is a never ending problem. A medium sized dog produces 180kg of poo a year. That’s a lot of poo! Putting pet waste in the rubbish bin is not sustainable. Most people I know use biodegradable plastic bags. But biodegradable plastic bags don’t degrade as as quickly as you think under landfill conditions. There’s a better way. You can compost dog poo in a worm farm.

I have been using the Tumbleweed Worm Buffet in-ground worm farm for a few weeks now to compost dog poo. I’m quite happy with the new system. I use a scoop to pick up the poo and just pop it in the worm farm. No plastic bags. Out of sight out of mind. The worms don’t seem to mind (they don’t really have a choice). It’s good for the environment too which is a plus.

Benefits of Composting Dog Poo

Worm composting and dog poo: the perfect combination. There’s so many benefits for composting dog poo:

• Contained in and easy to manage. One spot where everything goes
• Minimal smell
• In ground worm farm can be hidden
• Environmentally friendly – keeps dog poo away from landfill
• Fertilizes nearby plants and trees
• Fast and efficient

Rules for Composting Dog Poo in A Worm Farm

A dog poo worm farm works the same as a normal worm farm. Except there’s a couple extra rules you need to follow:

How to Setup A Dog Poo Worm Farm

In ground worm farms work well for dog poo composting.

You will need:

1. Buy an in ground worm farm or DIY using a bucket with an empty bottom. I have a Tumbleweed Worm Buffet in ground worm farm (the Tumbleweed Worm Feast in-ground worm farm is very similar).
2. Handful of composting worms. These are not the same as the worms you find in your garden. Red Wiggler composting worms are the best. You can buy them online here. I just grabbed a couple handfuls of worms from my other above ground worm bins.

The base of an in ground worm farm needs to be buried (you guessed it) in the ground. So you’ll need to dig a big hole. I was surprised at how far down I had to dig for the Worm Buffet. It was at good 1.5 feet deep. Make sure you can easily open the lid and empty dog poo in.

Then to complete the setup, add your composting worms with some worm bin bedding material. Remember to add carbon materials like newspaper or carboard often. This helps to neutralize acidity in the worm bin and keep everything in balance.

Other Notes

Worms like the same temperatures as humans. If the temperature gets below 40° F or 4° C, your worms will start to die off. But their eggs will survive and hatch when conditions get warmer. So depending on where you live, composting dog poo in a worm farm may be seasonal.

The post How to Compost Dog Poo in A Worm Farm appeared first on WormFarmGuru.

The base of an in-ground worm composter is buried in the ground. This allows worms to come in and out. Surrounding plants have direct access to the worm castings and leachate as well. So no harvesting is required. When there are problems, worms can freely move out and return when conditions improve.

Here’s our top picks for the best in ground worm farms:

Name	Image	Description	Price
Tumbleweed In Ground Worm Farm		Large capacity. Looks like a tower. Has a foot pedal to easy lid opening. Made from insulated plastic.	Check Price
Tumbleweed Worm Feast In-ground Worm Farm		Smaller capacity. Only the lid is visible above ground. Made from recycled plastic.	Check Price
Biogize Compost Worm Tower		Small to medium capacity. Bucket is buried in the ground. Made from polyethylene.	Check Price

Tumbleweed In Ground Worm Farm

This worm farm is quite popular for composting pet poo. It’s made from insulated plastic which helps to maintain the ideal temperature for worm composting. Remembering that worms like the same temperature range as humans do. The base of the worm farm is buried in the ground. It is a tall worm farm, 20 inches (or 50cm) high, with large capacity. The foot pedal makes it super easy to feed your worms.

Pros:

• Very easy to use – foot pedal to open the lid and do not need to bend down
• Large capacity
• Well insulated

Cons:

• Not very aesthetic – massive eye sore
• Comes with screws, washers and nuts for assembly

Tumbleweed Worm Feast In Ground Worm Farm

The Tumbleweed Worm Feast is a nice little aesthetic worm composter. The bin is completely buried in the soil and it has no bottom. It’s perfect for a raised garden bed or vegetable bed. I like how it’s small and doesn’t protrude much. You can easily hide it in your garden. Given it’s size, this worm farm can be very complimentary an existing composting setup.

Pros:

• Easily blends into your garden
• Works really well for small vegetable patches / raised garden beds

Cons:

• Small capacity – not able to produce a lot of worm castings
• Reports that it can be a bit difficult to assemble
• The plastic is not very strong.

Biogize Compost Worm Tower

Similar to the Tumbleweed In Ground Feast Composter but slightly bigger and made from more durable plastic. It’s described as a pail or bucket with holes. When it’s buried in the ground it looks OK. It’s a good idea to place a rock on the lid.

Pros:

• Medium capacity – not too small or too big
• Can be hidden from view in the garden
• Lid has some holes for ventilation

Cons:

• Basically just a bucket with pre-drilled holes and a lid

Conclusion

Overall, I like the Tumbleweed Worm Feast In-Ground Worm Farm the most. It doesn’t dominate your garden. And it’s very complimentary with other compost bins. However for composting dog poo, The Tumbleweed In Ground Worm Farm is better suited for this.

The post Best In Ground Worm Farm Reviews for 2021 appeared first on WormFarmGuru.

Summary of Worm Farm Supplies – Our Top Picks

Item	Image	Purpose	Price
pH and Moisture Meter		Use to help maintain a healthy worm bin environment	Check Price
Refrigerator Magnet		Helpful reminder on what foods should go in the worm bin	Check Price
Kitchen Compost Container		Handy container to collect your kitchen scraps for composting	Check Price
Fish Tank Air Pump		Use to oxygenate worm tea and increase bacteria	Check Price
Dolomite Lime		Use to lower pH	Check Price
Worm Blanket		To cover your food scraps, keep moist and dark	Check Price
Worm Farm & Compost Conditioner		Helps to maintain a healthy worm farm environment	Check Price

pH & Moisture Meter

pH and moisture can be tricky to get right. So why don’t you just use a meter to eliminate the guess work? It’s super easy.

Insert the prongs into the bedding to get a pH and moisture level reading. The ideal pH is be between 6 – 7. And moisture levels should be between 60% and 75%.

Check Price

Refrigerator Magnet

Get a fridge magnet so you can quickly check what foods you can add into a worm bin.

This infographic includes tips and advice on how to feed your worms. Which will will help everyone in the family.

Check Price

Kitchen Compost Container

You’ll need a container in your kitchen to collect your food scraps. And then when the container gets full, you can empty it out into your compost bins.

I always curate the food scraps to make sure I don’t add the wrong foods into my worm bin.

Check Price

Fish Tank Air Pump

Worm tea is made using a handful of worm castings mixed with bucket of water. You can accelerate bacteria growth in worm tea by adding more oxygen using a fish tank air pump. This will significantly increase the number of microbes in your worm tea and enhance it as a liquid fertilizer.

Here’s my setup.

Check Price

Dolomite Lime

Occasionally, worm farm supplies such as Dolomite Lime are needed to neutralize acidity and increase the pH. Sprinkle it in your bedding to help fix pH issues.

Check Price

Worm Blanket

A worm blanket creates a comfortable environment for your worms. It will keep the bin dark and moist; enabling your worms to thrive.

This blanket is made from 100% natural coir fibres. So it will slowly break down. A worm blanket should last between 4-6 weeks.

Check Price

Worm Farm Conditioner

Sprinkle conditioner every couple of weeks to neutralize acidity and balance pH levels in the bin.

Made from natural minerals. It also improves soil health and will reduce odors and pests in your worm farm.

Check Price

The post Worm Farm Supplies – What I Use and Recommend appeared first on WormFarmGuru.

I’ll be honest with you. I’m slightly afraid of seeing spiders in my worm farm. In Australia where I live, we have some of the worlds most venomous spiders such as the Redback Spider. You can understand why I don’t like stumbling upon a spider in worm bin.

I don’t really mind small spiders in the worm farm. Most spiders are harmless and are fine to leave alone in the bin. But I can’t stand the large ones, especially if they’re aggressive when disturbed.

Why Do I Have Spiders in My Worm Farm?

Spiders will keep coming back if conditions in the bin are right. Spiders prey on insects. If it gets either too wet or too dry, it’s more likely that there will be more insects. If there are more insects, spiders will likely move in.

How Do I Get Rid Of Spiders in My Worm Farm?

Here’s some tips on how to eradicate spiders in the worm bin:

1. Worms can only eat a small amount each day. Overfeeding worms will result in excess food rotting away which attracts insects. Avoid overfeeding so that spiders have no insects to eat.
2. Always keep the bin moist. Spiders prefer dry conditions. Give the bin a good drench if you need to bring the moisture level back up (but don’t go overboard!). Pressure hose the spiders so they know they’re not wanted.
3. Repel spiders using peppermint, citronella, cinnamon, tea tree, or cloves. Just add a bit here and there as worms have sensitive skins and it can irritate them. You can use oils too. Spray along the sides, lid, legs etc… You can also add some Diatomaceous Earth (DE), which is fossilizd dried sediment, on top of the bedding.

Redback Spider in Worm Bin

I’ve seen a few Redback Spiders in my worm farm. Cupboard Spiders are often mistaken for Redback Spiders. They look similar but their venom is less potent. Redback Spiders are more aggressive. And a little known fact is not all Redback Spiders have a red stripe.

Identifying Spiders in Worm Bin

Some musuems provide a service to help identify local animals or objects. I sent a picture to Musems Victoria. They confirmed that the spider (pictured) in my worm bin was in fact a Cupboard Spider.

This is a species from the genus Steatoda, probably Steatoda grossa. There are currently 7 described species in this genus in Australia, they are commonly called cupboard spiders or brown house spiders. They can be variable in colour from having some white marks or crescents on the abdomen to no marks.

These spiders are from the same family as the Redback but are not as dangerous. Treat them with caution though as a couple of bites have caused some issues. They have no interest in people and will not seek us out but be careful if cleaning undisturbed areas which may have some webs. Don’t put your hands into anything if you can’t see what is in there or if you’re not wearing gloves.

Museums Victoria

The post Spider in Worm Bin – How to Clear Them Out appeared first on WormFarmGuru.

Starting a worm farm is a great way to recycle food waste at home. It creates the perfect organic fertilizer for your plants and soil. And once you understand the fundamentals, worm composting is easy and fun. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to start a worm farm.

Worm Facts

Let’s get some worm facts out of the way to start:

• Worms will become paralyzed if exposed to light for too long
• Worms breath through their skin and have no lungs
• The average lifespan of a worm is about 2 years
• Worms are hermaphrodite – both male and female
• Adult worms have a ring called a clitella
• Baby worms hatch from cocoons

What is Vermiculture?

Vermiculture, or vermicomposting, is the process of creating compost using worms.

Worm Castings

After worms digest organic materials, they release waste from their bodies called worm castings. 

Worm castings are regarded as the richest natural fertilizer known to humans. Worm castings contain more nutrients and bacteria than any other fertilizer. It’s also a great soil conditioner; improving soil structure, water retention and drainage. 

Worm Casting Benefits

Some other benefits of worm castings are:

• All nutrients are water-soluble (immediate plant food)
• Helps to repels pests that feed on plants
• Protects plants from disease
• Aids nutrient absorption and stimulates plant growth
• pH neutral
• Heavy metal free
• Cannot burn plants

Worm Tea

A liquid fertilizer, called worm tea, can be created by steeping a few handfuls of worm casting in a bucket of water. This can really give your garden a boost. Many people enhance worm tea using a fish tank air pump to increase bacteria.

Worm tea is often confused with worm farm leachate. Worm farm leachate is the the excess liquid drained from a worm farm. Do not use worm farm leachate as it can be more harmful than good for your plants.

Worm Composting vs. Normal Composting

Vermicomposting creates superior compost compared to normal composting. The finished compost, called worm castings, is also more versatile. You can create a liquid fertilizer called worm tea for instance.

Normal compost tend to be bigger and bulkier. Hence why you don’t see them indoors. A normal compost bin needs the occasional turning with a pitch fork or shovel. Compared to a worm bin which doesn’t require much effort to maintain. Normal composting generates more heat which can help to kill pathogens, weed seeds and bad bacteria.

Worm farms are more limited with the foods you can add. You can add citrus, onions and starch foods in a normal compost bin without problem.

Worm farm are more efficient at breaking down foods. You may need to wait only 2-3 months to harvest your worm castings. Whereas a normal compost bin may take 6-9 months until ready.

Choosing a Worm Farm

When choosing a worm farm, there’s a few things to look at:

• Price – This depends on your budget. In general, for higher quality or a larger size, you can expect to pay a little bit more.
• Design – Some worm farms are easier to use than others. Most systems use trays allowing you to easily expand by adding more trays. Flow-through worm farms such as the Hungry Bin and the Worm Inn are becoming increasingly popular.
• Air Ventilation – Airflow helps the decomposition process and worms need oxygen to perform at their best level.
• Drainage – A worm farm bin should also have a drain system. Insufficient drainage of excess liquid can lead to all sorts of anaerobic activity. Worms breathe in air through their skin and will drown if the bedding is too moist.
• Size & Shape – The shape of the farm can also be an important consideration depending on where you want to store it. If you only have a small amount of food scraps or not much space, then a smaller worm farm is more suitable.

Commercial Worm Bins

For most people looking at how to start a worm farm, there’s only 2 types of worm composting systems you need to care about:

Product Reviews & Comparisons

We’ve done an big article on the best worm farms with reviews and product comparisons etc…. Here’a a quick summary:

Name	Image	Price	Description	Suitable For
Worm Factory 360		Check Price	A high quality designed stackable worm farm with 4 trays expandable up to 8.	A good worm farm for outdoors that comes with lots of extras bundled.
Worm Cafe		Check Price	A basic stackable worm bin that is rectangle with 3 trays.	A basic worm farm for beginners.
Hungry Bin		Check Price	A high quality innovative flow-through designed worm farm which has a large capacity.	If you have a lot of food waste and need a larger capacity worm farm.
Urban Worm Bag		Check Price	A unique flow-through designed worm farm that hangs from a stand and has terrific air ventilation.	If you’re looking for a worm farm that is highly breathable.
VermiHut 5-Tray		Check Price	Compact and comes with 5 trays.	A more affordable option.
Can O Worms		Check Price	Round with 2 trays. Medium size.	A basic worm farm for beginners.
Homestead Essentials 5-Tray Worm Composting Kit		Check Price	A basic stackable system that is compact with 5 trays.	A lightweight worm farm that is affordable.

For beginners, I recommend you get a Worm Factory 360. It’s reasonably priced, well designed and has a lot of good reviews. If you’re looking for efficiency and size, then go with the Hungry Bin. If you want to compost indoors, take a look at the Hot Frog Living Composter.

DIY Worm Farms

It can be more affordable to create your own DIY worm bin.

Probably the most common and practical method is to use tote plastic containers. Drill some holes in the bottom, add a spigot tap and you’re set. Wood is an excellent material for a DIY worm bin.

I don’t recommend using styrofoam or polystyrene boxes as a DIY worm bin as it wont last.

Accessories

If you’re a novice with how to start a worm farm, some worm farm supplies and accessories will help you along the way:

• a pH meter to check acidity levels
• a moisture meter to ensure the bin is not too wet or dry
• a worm farm thermometer
• a fridge magnet guide for feeding worms; handy to have

Composting Worms: Where To Buy

Red Wiggler worms are the most popular species of worms for vermicomposting because they are:

• prolific breeders
• very tolerant to varying environment conditions (more than other species)
• don’t mind the occasional disruption or handling (unlike other species)
• live in the top later of material only

Nightcrawler worms tend to burrow deeper in the soil and only come to the surface at night to feed. Blue worms and African Nightcrawler worms are more suited to warmer climates. Whereas European Nightcrawler worms prefers cooler conditions.

If you’re in the US, I recommend you buy 2000 Red Wiggler worms from Uncle Jims online. In Australia, you can buy a box of worms from Bunnings.

It may take a week or two until your worms settle into their new home. You do not need to add any food initially.

Worm Care & Maintenance

Once you know the basics, maintaining a worm farm is easy and fun. When you’re reading about “how to start a worm farm”, don’t take things too seriously. Keep it simple! Worms are very forgiving

Feeding Worms

Important. What do worms eat? Be conscious of what you feed your worms. Worms thrive on a balanced diet and prefer to eat their food as it begins to decompose.

Keep a 50:50 balance between Greens and Browns. Greens include vegetables and fruits whereas Browns include paper and cardboard.

It’s very important not to overfeed your worms as this can lead to serious worm farm problems. Remember that worms can only eat roughly half their body weight everyday.

Worm Food List

Here’s a list of foods to feed your worms or avoid:

Worm Bin Bedding

Compost worms live near or on top of the soil surface. Worm bin bedding creates a habitat for your worms to thrive in.

Worm bedding is a long term food source for worms. In fact, up to 50% of a worms diet may consist of its bedding.

It’s best to add a variety of bedding material in the worm bin. The Carbon-to-Nitrogen ratio in a worm bin should be 20-35:1 or higher. To achieve this, add about the same amount of bedding as the food you add in. When in doubt, add more paper.

Worm Bedding Materials

Here’s a list of some bedding materials you can use:

• Brown cardboard (cut into small pieces)
• Paper (not bleached white office paper, shredded)
• Newspaper (not colored, shredded)
• Aged compost
• Aged horse or cow manure
• Coco coir or coco fiber
• Peat moss
• Straw and hay
• Fall leaves and other yard waste
• Wood chips

Some worm farm kits include some starter bedding material. If not, go and get yourself a coco coir block.

Regulating Temperature

It’s important to regulate the temperature in your worm bin. Compost worms can tolerate a wide temperature range, but they like the same temperatures as humans, between 59° – 86° Fahrenheit or 15° – 30° Celsius.

When the worm bin temperature is not ideal, worms will become less productive. And in extreme temperatures, your worms will likely suffer and perish if no action is taken. In Summer, I move my worm farm indoors to prevent a mass extinction.

Mositure Level

Keep check of the moisture level in the worm bin. Worms need moisture in order to breathe oxygen through their skin. If a worms skin dries out, they will suffocate. And when it’s too wet, they can drown. Too much moisture will deprive oxygen and create a toxic environment for your worms.

Make sure any excess liquid, called worm farm leachate, is drained. It’s not uncommon for the worm bin drainage holes can get clogged up with worm castings. I always leave my spigot tap open to prevent flooding.

You should not need to add any extra water into the worm bin. There should be enough moisture supplied by the food scraps you add.

Water Content in Food

Here’s a list of fruits and vegetables and their percentage of water content for reference:

The Squeeze Test

The “squeeze test” is the standard. Squeeze the worm bedding in your hand and check whether any water drips out. The bedding material should feel like a damp sponge, moist but not dripping. Or you can buy a moisture meter.

Acidity Level (pH)

If your worm bin smells rotten and vinegary, then it’s likely the acidity in your worm bin is too high.

pH is a measure of acidity between 0 (acidic) and 14 (base or alkaline), where 7 is neutral. A good pH level for a worm farm is between 6 and 7 . However most species of composting worms and quite tolerant of acidic conditions.

A handful of agriculture lime of crushed eggshells will help to neutralize acidity.

Keeping It Dark

Composting worms are surface eaters are very sensitive to sunlight, so keep the worm bin dark at all times. Consider using a worm farm blanket to cover your worms. You can also use an old cloth, towell or heshian bag.

Harvesting Worm Castings

It can take 2-3 months until you can harvest your worm castings. But you can create worm tea with a just a handful of worm castings any time.

For tray based worm bins, simply empty the bottom tray full of finished worm castings. And then rotate the trays so that the bottom tray becomes the top tray. For continuous flow systems, simply release the bottom and the finished worm castings should fall out.

As an organic fertilizer, sprinkle a handful of worm castings on top of the soil surrounding the plant. Or use worm castings to rejuvenate soil and potting mix. Apply worm tea as an liquid fertilizer for your plants.

There are a couple of different methods how to harvest worm castings. Some are more effective are separating worms from finished compost than others. I just put my worm castings straight into the garden and pick up any stragglers. Having some worms in your finished compost is often unavoidable.

Worm Farm Problems

Every now and then you’ll encounter some worm farm problems. Proper worm care and bin maintenance will help to prevent issues from occurring. This includes:

• making sure you do not overfeed your worms
• stick to the right foods and providing sufficient bedding
• ensuring your worms are comfortable (i..e temperature, moisture and pH levels)

Why are my worms trying to escape? When conditions in the bin become unbearable, your worms may attempt a mass exit.

Here’s a list of common worm farm problems and how to solve them.

Environment

Worm Appearance

Unwanted Pests

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Resources

Some of my favorite websites (besides https://wormfarmguru.com):

• Worm Farming Secrets https://www.wormfarmingsecrets.com
• Red Worm Composting https://www.redwormcomposting.com
• Worm Farming Revealed https://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com
• Worm Composting HQ https://www.wormcompostinghq.com
• Urban Worm Company https://urbanwormcompany.com/

There’s plenty of books as well which talk about how to start a worm farm:

You can also connect with other vermicomposting enthusiasts on Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Vermiculture/

Conclusion

So now you know how to start a worm farm. Vermicomposting is not only good for the environment, it’s great for your garden. Owning a worm farm is inexpensive, easy to maintain and fun. I hope you’re convinced to start a worm farm at home and good luck!

The post How to Start A Worm Farm – The Ultimate Guide for Beginners appeared first on WormFarmGuru.

Check Price

Pros:

• An Expandable System – A multi-tray composter, which allows it to be highly adjustable. 4 stacking trays are included and the composter can hold up to 8 trays at once.
• Simple Assembly – The assembly process is pretty easy. You can unpack and assemble the whole thing within 5 minutes. Included in the package is an instructions manual that’ll guide you through every step.
• Takes Up Little Space – This worm composter boasts an 18×18-inch footprint. It’s extremely easy to fit this system in smaller spaces. This is great for those who live in smaller households.
• 10-Year Warranty – Constructed from highly-durable, recycled materials that’ll certainly last you for years. Also, it’s backed by a 10-year warranty that proves just how confident the manufacturer is in the product.

Cons:

• Requires Regular Care – Can get clogged up by castings if it’s being cared for regularly. The clogging tends to take place at the drainage spigot. Further, you’ll need to keep an eye on the worms in order to make sure that they’re healthy.

Design & Appearance

The Worm Factory 360 features an 18×18-inch footprint. It stands on four feet that are made of highly durable plastic. The feet are equipped with slots that are designed to accommodate the included removable trays. As the capacity of the system increases, more trays are to be added.

While the Worm Factory 360 package includes 4 removable trays, the system can be expanded vertically up to 8 trays.

The lid can also be used as a stand to hold the trays during the harvesting process. The whole system weighs 11 pounds and it’s available in 3 different colors: black, green, and terracotta.

Assembly Process

The Worm Factory 360 is easy to assemble. Instructions are included. It takes less than a few minutes to assemble the Worm Factory 360.

After assembly, it’s time to fill the removable trays. All of the accessories required to layer the removable trays are included in the package. A DVD is included which explains the process step by step.

Air Ventilation

Thanks to its thermo-siphon airflow design, the Worm Factory 360 does a remarkable job as far as providing adequate airflow. As a result, the time needed for the system to compost isn’t really that long. But then again, the composting time can vary based on the type of used materials.

Drainage

There’s a collection base at the bottom to collect the liquids that drip out of the system. And a small plastic container to accommodate the runoff of liquid when you open the spout at the bottom.

There’s also a tiny worm ladder that fits between the initial tray and the collection base. The ladder is designed to help worms crawl back up to where the food is.

Price

The Worm Factory 360 is a highly affordable composter system that you can buy for a little over $100. The included accessories are:

• Four worm trays
• Worm bin bedding materials
• Mineral rock dust
• Instruction manual
• Instruction DVD
• Worm ladder
• Drainage spigot
• Thermometer
• Hand rake
• Scraper

If you feel like 4 worm trays won’t be enough for your needs, you can add more. Each set includes 4 removable worm trays.

Check Price

Worm Factory 360 Review Conclusion

Using the Worm Factory 360, you’ll find it easy to make the fresh, nutrient-rich compost your plants need. Feel free to let us know if you have any questions with regard to the Worm Factory 360.

The post Worm Factory 360 Review – The All in One Worm Bin appeared first on WormFarmGuru.

Airflow is key to producing high quality vermicompost. The Urban Worm Bag is one of the most breathable worm composters. The aerobic design is similar to the old Worm Inn worm bag which is no longer available.

Your worms live inside the bag and the composting system works as a continuous flow design. The cycle is add food and bedding on top and collect worm castings from the bottom.

Pros:

• Larger capacity / surface area
• Very breathable fabric / lots of airflow
• Top notch support / excellent customer service
• Zipper bottom is marine-grade
• Product comes with a lifetime warranty
• No worms in the castings
• Robust frame

Cons:

• Odd appearance (You’ll get used to it…)
• No liquid tray
• Can be difficult to maintain moisture level in worm bin

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The Urban Worm Bag versus the Worm Inn – What’s the difference?

The Urban Worm Bag is an evolution of the Worm Inn, addressing many of the complaints with the old product. I asked Steve, creator of the Urban Worm Bag, whether his creation has any relation to the Worm Inn. This is what he said:

“The Urban Worm Bag is definitely inspired by the Worm Inn. I thought (and still think) that the Worm Inn was an excellent product; however it is no longer in production. It lacked a frame, so I wanted to make sure the Urban Worm Bag was a more complete solution. I also didn’t like the loop attachments of the Worm Inn as I felt they did not spread the weight of the Worm Inn evenly on the frame. My fabric tunnelling helps distribute the weight evenly on the frame.

I also thought the Worm Inn breathed too well, so I made sure that the top of the Bag was also fabric, rather than than a mosquito net mesh.

I started out with Version 1, which only had a zipper at the bottom, not the drawstring, like the Worm Inn. However, the zipper, despite being marine grade, calcified more than I expected. This made opening the zipper difficult. This summer, I introduced Version 2. Features include a Worm Inn-style drawstring, but inside the zipper bottom. This protects the zipper, also allowing the bag to be operated with only the drawstring bottom. This is key for helping release excess moisture through the bottom. For beginners, I recommend keeping the zipper open to release any excess moisture until things stabilize. This also promotes a more aerobic vermicompost.”

Steve, Urban Worm Company, December 2018

In Summary

In summary, the Urban Worm Bag is different to the Worm In in the following ways:

• Includes a frame. The Worm Inn required a DIY frame.
• The worm bag connects to the frame via fabric tunnels instead of loop attachments. This helps to distribute the weight more evenly on the frame
• The top of the worm bag is fabric instead of a mosquito net mesh. This helps to maintain moisture levels.
• New versions have a drawstring and zipper opening at bottom, instead of a drawstring

Design

The system has a continuous flow design. You feed from the top, and collect compact worm castings from the bottom. The size of the worm bag is very large, with plenty of surface area.

You can expect to start harvesting after 4-5 months. The castings near the bottom will compact under the weight. Unzip the bottom and the castings will fall out. As composting worms are surface feeders, the worm castings near the bottom of the bag will be free of worms.

Adequate airflow is required in order product high quality worm compost. And this is where the Urban Worm Bag shines. Most commercial worm bins are made out of recycled plastic which is not very breathable. The Urban Worm Bag on the other hand, is made out of a breathable fabric. This creates the ultimate aerobic worm composter.

It also has a surprisingly strong and robust frame.

Appearance

This worm farm has an unusual hanging bag design. Let’s be honest, it looks like a backpack on stilts. And so it’s not immediately recognizable as a worm farm. Don’t let it’s odd appearance fool you. You can tell a lot of effort has gone into creating a quality product.

Assembly

It comes neatly packaged in a box. Unlike the Worm Inn, it includes a frame. Assembly is straightforward and should take no longer than 5 minutes.

Air Ventilation

You wont find a better worm composter for air ventilation than than Urban Worm Bag. The worm farm breaths through it’s fabric material. So this is a big tick.

On the other hand, too much airflow can be a double edged sword. Take some time to get the moisture levels under control. So make sure you add foods with sufficient moisture content to avoid any problems.

Too much moisture can make the worm bin smell. The Urban Worm Bag is better suited to indoors or undercover if possible. As rain will increase the moisture.

Drainage

You will need to place a bucket underneath the bag to collect any excess liquid. The Urban Worm Bag evaporates moisture quicker than other worm bins. Excess liquid will be minimal.

Size

This worm farm has a large capacity and surface area compared with than worm bins.

Price

Competitively priced in the middle price range. You can find the latest price and offers here.

Urban Worm Bag Review Conclusion

Given the sheer size, aerobic benefits, excellent customer service and thought put into the design, this worm farm provides very good value.

The post Urban Worm Bag Review – More Airflow for Better Compost appeared first on WormFarmGuru.

How to Boost Plant Growth Using Worm Tea

Worm compost tea is your secret ingredient to grow giant vegetables! The key to plant growth is nitrogen. About 78% of all nitrogen exists in the atmosphere. Unfortunately plants cannot absorb atmospheric nitrogen. Nitrogen must convert

into other forms so that it can enter the food chain. Worm tea contains a higher count of good bacteria. Bacteria puts nitrogen back to the soil; making it available for plants to absorb.

Manure and worm castings are slow to release nutrients. Liquid fertilizer makes nutrients immediately available for plants to absorb. Worm juice can give plants an instant boost that is quicker than applying worm castings.

How to Make Worm Compost Tea

Worm tea boosts microbiological activity in soil by adding bacteria. Try to avoid chlorinated water as this can kill off some of the beneficial bacteria.

There are a two ways to obtain worm compost tea:

• Worm farm leachate (also known as worm wee) – This is excess liquid which you can collect from the bin (seeping). Note there should never be any liquid run off in a well maintained worm farm. However, sometimes it can be unavoidable. Worm farm leachate ca be high in ammonia which is toxic to plants. Therefore it is important to dilute worm farm leachate with water; 1 part worm wee to 10 parts water. Is it debatable whether worm farm leachate is good or harmful to plants as a fertilizer.
• Wet mixing – This involves mixing water with some worm castings (steeping). A common method is to put worm castings in a thin mesh or pantyhose, and to submerge it in water (like a tea bag). Nutrients and minerals in the worm castings will dissolve in water.

Wet Mixing vs. Worm Farm Leachate (Worm Wee)

Leachate is liquid run off at the bottom of your worm bin. Worm tea requires human intervention to steep worm castings in water.  Not all bacteria in the bin are good. When conditions are not right, bad bacteria will outnumber the good. This can cause harmful toxins and pathogens to be present in leachate (also known as worm wee). Leachate can be acidic, anaerobic, and lacking in the beneficial microbes. So be cautious with worm farm leachate.

Worm castings on the other hand are a finished product. Conditions are much more stable to use as a base for making a worm casting liquid fertilizer.

How to Make Worm Tea (Wet Mix)

What you will need:

• Bucket full of de-chlorinated water (e.g. rainwater, pond, or distilled water).
• Handful of worm castings. Don’t overthink the ratio of worm castings to water.
• Optional porous bag (e.g. panty-hose, sock)

Method:

1. Put worm castings into bag or throw the worm castings into the bucket
2. Steep worm castings overnight in bucket of water.
   • Optionally add a tablespoon of brown sugar, molasses or milk to feed the bacteria
   • Optionally enhance the concoction by giving it more oxygen (aerobic method). This will encourage the bacteria to grow and increase microbial activity. Some people cleverly use a fish tank air pump to achieve this.
3. Your worm tea will be good to use after a few days. The water should be a light brown color.

Using a Fish Tank Aerator to Create Worm Casting Tea

Adding a continuous supply of oxygen will significantly increase the number of good microbes in the worm casting tea. In order to oxygenate worm farm tea at home, you’ll need a fish tank air pump and some accessories. Accessories include an air stone, return valve and some tubing. This should cost you less than $20USD total to buy. Once the mixture is ready to brew, drop the air stone into the bucket and let it bubble overnight.

How To Harvest Worm Tea

Don’t be shy to cover whole plants including leaves with worm tea. It is a natural insect repellent and helps to fight harmful diseases (like black rot, mildew etc…). I like to scoop the liquid fertilizer into a cup and pour over the plants. You can also use a watering can or a spray bottle. If you use a spray bottle, remember to strain the mixture first. Otherwise small clumps might build up and block the nozzle.

The post What Is Worm Tea and Why Do Plants Love It? appeared first on WormFarmGuru.

Pros:

• Flyproof lid
• Good ventilation with air holes on the side of each tray
• Large liquid collection tray with angled drainage
• Very easy to setup
• Hinged lid makes it easier to feed worms
• Instructions engraved inside the lid
• Simple and straightforward design
• Rectangular shape – takes up less room than a circle shaped worm bin
• Legs contain ant caps

Cons:

• Not as easy to harvest worm castings as the trays can become heavy (but not as heavy as some other worm bins)
• Only has 3 trays

See Customer Reviews on Amazon

Design

The Worm Cafe is a stackable worm bin, made from recycled plastic. There are 3 large trays. It is well-built and stable. The legs include caps to prevent ants from climbing up. Note that in older designs of the Worm Cafe, the legs would buckle under weight.

It has a similar design to the Can-O-Worms worm farm except that it is rectangular in shape. So it fits well in corners, taking up much less room than the Can O Worms.

This Worm Cafe review needs to highlight the removable hinged lid feature. Simply lift the lid to one side, peel back the worm blanket and add your kitchen scraps. I also quite like the “How To Take Care of Your Worm Farm” instructions engraved under the lid. Check out our guide on how to maintain a worm farm.

Appearance

The Worm Cafe worm bin comes in colour black and has a sleek appearance. It really looks great.

Assembly

The assembly of the Worm Cafe worm farm should only take a couple of minutes. It is super easy to setup. All you need to do is attach the legs, screw the tap on and then sit the trays on top of each other. No tools required!

Air Ventilation

Air ventilation holes are present on the sides of each tray. This means the contents inside the bin will not get soaked when it rains.

Drainage

The liquid collection tray comes with a tap. The bottom tray sits high enough off the ground to be able to place a bucket underneath the tap. I always leave the tap permanently open.

The liquid collection tray is slightly angled so that liquid drains towards the spigot. With older designs you may need to elevate or lift the rear on the worm bin for drainage.

The liquid collection tray is fairly large, with a worm mound so that worms can climb back into the bottom tray.

Size

The multi-tiered design provides a decent amount of capacity and space. 3 trays is more than enough. Otherwise the worm bin might start to look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. You start out with one tray. When the first tray gets full then that’s your queue to add another tray on top. And when the second tray gets full, the third tray goes on top. When all trays are completely full, take the bottom tray out, empty it for your garden and the cycle begins again.

Price

It would not be a complete Worm Cafe review without mentioning the price! And the great news is that this worm bin is not too expensive. It sits in the middle range in terms of price compared to other worm bins.

Check the Price on Amazon

Worm Cafe Review Conclusion

The Worm Cafe is a great choice for intermediate worm composters. It has a sturdy design and a sleek appearance. It has a lasting look and feel that does not seem to age. A great addition to your composting artillery.

The post Worm Cafe Review – A High Quality And Sturdy Worm Farm appeared first on WormFarmGuru.