Please be sure to source containers for this wormery that give a tight fit. You should see no gaps between the top of one tray and the bottom of the next or else there is a risk that rain could get in or the worms escape. Ask suppliers if in doubt to ensure a snug fit and happy worms! 😀
If you have a soldering iron use that instead of a drill. Drills often leave sharp edges whereas a soldering iron leaves smooth edges that won’t hard the worms
Coffee grounds keeps the smell down and is a source of much needed grit for the worms. Ground egg shells can also be used for grit. I freeze my food scraps before adding to my bin. Freezing starts the break down process which helps the worms break down the food faster. Adding frozen foods also adds moisture, I don’t have to open the lid to spray with water as much. I use a brown paper bag or cardboard on top of my bin as I found the burlap got gross. Be careful bringing things such as weeds, grass clipping, and leaves in doors to add to your bin as you may bring in the bugs as well. I did not buy my worms.....I dug in my neighbours last years manure pile.
I used this method with the 3 trays to build my worm farm. It's so much easier than trying to manually separate the worms from the castings. My worms have been so happy for the last year, that I've added another tray because they are reproducing so quickly. I keep them indoors so I don't have to work around the extreme hot/cold weather here. I'm so glad I found this video. Thank you!
@@paschence No smell at all. I wish I could attach a photo of my worm farm. They eat up my kitchen scraps. I put the fruit/veggies scraps in the food chopper thing and turn the scraps into very small chunks. I bury them 2-3 inches down under the dirt so I don't get fruit flies or smells. My worms are active and happy.😊
I am so excited to find your video and to make a wormery. This is a New Year's resolution to live more gently and healthfully within my lovely garden. I am building one wormery for myself and one for the grandchildren for their family garden. Thank you for a clear and concise instruction video. Greetings from West Virginia January 3, 2022
We built a wormery for my grandson last July (he was 4 at the time) we have used the worm tea on my house plants with great success. in about a month we will be using the castings for our outdoor planters. He has loved learning about the life cycle of worms and how they are helpful to our environment. thanks for a great video.
Thank you! I just came across your channel form searching repurposing items for gardens. I susbscribed and found this video! You have streamlined the worm farming perfectly. So many others drag it out forever!
Hello! Will you do a follow up to this video to talk about what to expect as time passes? Frequency to add kitchen scraps, how much to expect my worms to produce week by week? How to check on the worms to make sure they're happy and still alive? Do I need turn the compost in their box to keep them active? Thanks! We love your videos.
im going to build one of these when i pick up my bales. my compost heap is brand new and i only just got the materials to build the wood boxes i want to make for it ordered so i figure next year it will be broken down enough and ready to use some so for this year hopefully a wormery will keep me in nutrients for the new garden and i wont have to use so much miracle grow later in the season. boy its all such a big job getting started! but its been fun planning and getting things going. im envious of your prowess, you make everything look so easy! i keep having to come back to the videos for tips.
I recommend for anyone moving the bin inside or trying this inside to drill much smaller aeration holes on the side than shown, or to add screening along the inside. You will inevitably end up with fruit flies. And you don’t want to surprise your significant other with a swarm invading your kitchen (yes I did this).
I’ve been composting in my apartment for months and finally just added some worms to my bin, I leave the lid open a bit and have never had fruit flies.
I bought my first lot of tiger worms from a fishing / tackle shop 30 years ago...their descendants are still doing me proud, although 12 years ago I transferred them into a plastic compost bin. The compost produced is magic. 🥰
@@81Dirtydawg I'd say about 2 ozs! ...Maybe 25 to 30 worms. There are now in an 'ordinary' plastic compost bin...I always layer up with brown twiggy/ dead leaves, green sappy stuff, peeling n veg waste then finish with a few spades of garden soil. Occasionally I put seaweed in amongst too. They seem very happy and i love them dearly 😂. Hope that helps. x
.At last, I need not search further. I find this method the very very best. Your video is excellent, every thing fits. The conversations following fills up what I need to know further. Thank you very much.
We loved your video - so clear and informative. Our wormery is a bit smaller - still 3 layers but it's 40cm × 30cm x 20cm. How many worms would you recommend we start with? We can easily get Tiger Worms and Dendrobaena Worms. TIA.
They stay where the food is, so there'd be no incentive for them to move down and out of the container as they would have no resources to feed on, though the odd escapee is inevitable.
Simple worm bin ideal especially for those who need to move their bins for winter. I started off with a similar system but as my wormery grew i now build 2×4'×4' or 7×2×2. Boxes. Still nee to move my worms for winter but i just transfer them to a larger bin in the garage. Vermicomposting is fantastic and relaxing. Keep up the good work all you worm farmers out there.
Hi, i have been thinking of setting up a small worm farm, i have a place for them during spring summer autumn but i am concerned about protection during winter. I have a small shed I could make space in or I have a three section wooden wheelie bin enclosure one section is now free as the council gave up on that collection. They would get shade and a good air flow, but in the winter I think i would have to try to provide some form of cover to insulate them over night Last year we had nearly three weeks at below -10., my compost was frozen solid for more than the three weeks Where as normal winter temp tends to be between -1 - -5. Any advice would be much appreciated thanks
This is the first time watching your channel and I'm only 30 seconds in but I got to say you sound like you would be a great narrator for documentaries
The bins I had weren't really suitable as they left gaps where they slotted into each other. But someone else has recommended the following: Euro boxes + lid from Solent Plastics (code BEG64/17), which they say stack nicely.
Watching this for the third time because I'm *actually* going to start a wormery now, the time is right :) Your commenters here are the cream of the crop aren't they ;) Your lovely daughter is 3 years older now - OMG! You're such a lucky Papa!
Any problems with soil falling through to the bottom tub and clogging up the tea drain spout? Should the bottom be layered in news paper before adding soil and food to prevent this from happing?
I haven't really had that problem - the holes are two small for debris to really drop down, in the same way plant pot drainage holes don't really let potting mix fall out. But you could certainly line the bottom of the tub with newspaper for peace of mind.
Once the top bin is full and you switch it to the empty middle one, do you add only scraps or do you add the bedding as with the first one? Thanks in advance!
Nice video. I have to say, this only works with very specific stacking boxes that don't leave any big gaps around the edges when stacked without lids and that don't taper and stack inside each other. I was unable to find any in our local large supermarket so had to modify the design quite a bit.
Thanks for all the enthusiasm and great info. I've found it very hard to find tubs like yours that are stackable without lid on - please can you advise wear to find them? Many thanks
Lol I love poetry and it may have been pretty cool if he did, but I also apriciate how he got to the point instead of stalling to add extra watch time.
@@debbiewoo7709 by adding a third box at the top, and adding food to it. The worms would migrate to the top box, leaving the castings at the second box.
When I started out years ago, I found I added trays too soon. My bins are designed to actually sit in the lower bin mind you. So my tower was shorter and less efficient than it could be. In short, I let it fill up to about an inch from the top now. Then stack next bin directly on top of the castings. Once you get about three bins high, there is typically no food remaining in the bottom bin. That's your black gold right there! Magic worm castings! The second or middle bin is where the worms will spend most of their time. Sneaking up to the top and active feeding bin when the temperature and humidity is right. Once the top bin is full, you're ready to rotate. Then I'll empty the bottom bin (after getting a five gallon container full of concentrated tea) and spread out the castings on some makeshift drying racks. Castings are easier to deal with if you can get them into a powdery form. The middle bin becomes the bottom bin, and the top bin the new middle etc. This system has served me well for years and years. Multiple generations of red wigglers who must think me God almighty, bringer of life. They probably have little worm wars fighting over the proper religion to follow...
You know, I inadvertently made myself a lovely bunch of wormeries simply by temporarily tossing all my kitchen scraps into pots and setting them out in the back garden to rot down. I went to disperse of them one day and as I did, I found thousands of little creepy crawlies having a field day in the sludge I'd left them. I just put my scraps now on top of the soil and the worms do the rest. No muss, no fuss. And no, it doesn't smell. 🌹
At 5:45, the liquid that collects in the drainage bin is neither worm wee or worm tea. Worms do not urinate. The liquid produced is called "leachate" and it is preferred that it not be applied on edibles, because unlike worm tea made castings- you can't ensure it's been through the gut of the worm..
Hi Lorraine. I decided to just add material to my main compost heap, as this is easier and there are plenty of worms in the compost heap anyhow. The wormery did fine, but I didn't get as much worm tea as hoped - but that's just because the material added wasn't really wet, so probably any moisture just evaporated with time. I think wormeries are great for smaller gardens or perhaps balconies etc. where a compost bin or heap isn't practical.
The only similarity is the use of coir. I used to feed my worm kitchen scraps but I wanted a cleaner finished product. I feed my worms cornmeal right out of the package, whizzed-up Quaker Oats, and occasional coffee grounds. I never collect worn juice because it never forms. About every three months, I switch out my bins with new coir and usually get about 10-12 gallons of worm poop. I have so many worms now I am looking for a neighbor family who gardens and maybe has young kids who might like to mess with some worms.
The tubs weren't ideal in the end (nothing wrong with them as shown, it's just the specific model I bought didn't fit neatly at the top, so rainwater got in). If you can find something similar but that snugly fits, then these would be ideal. I'm in the UK and bought more worms from here: www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk/product-category/composting-and-wormeries/
@@GrowVeg Did you ever find a box that kept the rain out? I love the design but having read about similar I’m worried about drowning them. Also keeping them cool enough in our current UK heat!
In SW of UK, I've had a Can o' Worms wormery for many years, yes, it gets fruit flies, yes it gets wet (due to high rainfall levels in this area), yes I get gallons of worm wee and yes I've used it to fertilise food crops with no ill effects. Not claiming I am am expert, and I share the experience of Caro below, whose worms never climb up a layer, I have to split the wormery and separate off sections of the jelly like castings to let them dry in the air and the worms move out to the remaining bit until I have a compact mass of worms to restart the layer with. Maybe if it was all a lot drier… but you live where you live ! I am fond of my worms and thoroughly believe in composting but this method is (for me) a lot of work. Your comments are making me think of putting a rain cover over the top of my wormery, maybe that will help.
I've had a worm bin for a bit over a year. It provides great castings, but as it is only 2 bins, it is difficult to collect them. I will be retuning mine to your design and I think the worms and I shall both be happier! I've also just created worm hotels in my raised beds to add compost directly into a PVC pipe that has holes drilled at the bottom for the worms to enter and exit as they please. As usual, thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful ideas and knowledge. Be Blissed!
@@pamwarren24 Yes, you can look on my blog, and use the search engine at the top to find my posts about the worm bin. The blog is Maple Hill 101. daisy
I set up a worm bin in an apartment. It wasn't too difficult to start. Collecting kitchen scraps was easy also. After a month, on one sleepless night, out of interest, I checked out the worm bin with a flashlight to see how the worms were doing. I immediately spotted tiny insects crawling on the food scraps, and the container surface, and a few of them were on the FLOOR. I panicked and used Rubbing alcohol to kill the ones on the floor and wiped the surface of the container. I signed up for the worms and the compost, not the tiny insects. It turns out those were mites that appear and break down any organic matters, and they are supposedly beneficial for the soil. I don't doubt that but still the thought of living with the tiniest insects in my living space turned me right off. Took the worm bin to my office. : - ) I am not doing the worm bin until I get a single family house in a suburb somewhere.
Thank you for this video. I’m only learning in hope of starting soon. I’d like to know more about the frequency of collecting. How long does it take until I have to collect? How do I know all the warms have migrated up? I wouldn’t want to collect with warms still in the compost.
It really depends on conditions and time of year and container size, on how long it will take to collect. But I would say at least six months or so before collecting. You will know the worms have migrated up when there are lots of worms in the top container and, when you lift it up and look in the full container below and root around a little, you see very few or no worms.
Oh wow. I just have a bucket in my apartment balcony where I throw food scraps and egg cartons, and hope there might be a few worms from prior compost. That was like a whole plate of spaghetti, I thought you only needed a few. Makes sense that the more you have, the quicker they work, though. Currently I'm trying to see if by insulating my bucket "compost" it'll keep going through the winter, and give me some nice finished material ready for the spring.
Well I never knew about this. Ive got a garden but am not a gardener..all I wanted to know was when it was a good time to transplant things. I try and move trees that are growing in dodgy places to places I want them and have just been transplanting and basically winging it. Fascinating video...
The best time to transplant any tree or shrub is during the winter, when plants are dormant or at least not growing much. Most other plants, including perennials, are generally best transplanted in the spring or autumn. But anything can be transplanted at any time if it is then kept watered and you ensure the roots are disturbed as little as possible.
They were bought from an online supplier (yorkshire-worms.co.uk) but if you're outside the UK I'm sure there will be other suppliers - just search 'composting worms' or similar.
The holes aren't that big that they would accidentally fall through them. All of the bedding and food keeps them where they are, in the correct container.
I watched twice and didn’t catch what you said to do when you have the top box full and you moved it to be the middle box. But the top one was empty when you made the move. You said the worms would make there way up there but there was no compost for them to hide in. Interesting video. Thanx. Looking yo help with my on composting gif my garden.
So when the box that the worms is in is full, you place the empty box on top so they can migrate into it. But to get them to move up, you need to put some food into the empty box to tempt them in so to speak. Once they are all in that box, you can empty the contents of the full box.
Please be sure to source containers for this wormery that give a tight fit. You should see no gaps between the top of one tray and the bottom of the next or else there is a risk that rain could get in or the worms escape. Ask suppliers if in doubt to ensure a snug fit and happy worms! 😀
Where did you get yours from please?
I also would like to know please.
How many grams did u get mate?
If you have a soldering iron use that instead of a drill.
Drills often leave sharp edges whereas a soldering iron leaves smooth edges that won’t hard the worms
Coffee grounds keeps the smell down and is a source of much needed grit for the worms. Ground egg shells can also be used for grit. I freeze my food scraps before adding to my bin. Freezing starts the break down process which helps the worms break down the food faster. Adding frozen foods also adds moisture, I don’t have to open the lid to spray with water as much. I use a brown paper bag or cardboard on top of my bin as I found the burlap got gross. Be careful bringing things such as weeds, grass clipping, and leaves in doors to add to your bin as you may bring in the bugs as well. I did not buy my worms.....I dug in my neighbours last years manure pile.
Thanks for this tips Gail, it's appreciated. Lovely to have harvested your own worms!
@animeforlife9830Yes
This is what I was looking for..... simple, straight forward, to the point, not an infomercial...... thanks.
You are the best. Never get tired of watching your show. I just wish my husband were like you. Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷
Thanks so much for watching. So pleased you enjoy the videos. 😀
I’ve been looking for compost designs, and I think this is the best one I’ve seen
Good video m8. Where did you get them boxes from?
This is the best idea for a wormery that I've seen 0n RUclips. Thank you!
Thanks for this - I've been looking into making my own wormery. You explain it so well and make it so simple and do-able.
This is so straightforward and easy to follow
Exactly, I've been watching nearly 10 vids since the morning and all is rubbish. Thank you for making a sensible video. Will subscribe 👍
Indeed.nice and straight forward
I used this method with the 3 trays to build my worm farm. It's so much easier than trying to manually separate the worms from the castings. My worms have been so happy for the last year, that I've added another tray because they are reproducing so quickly. I keep them indoors so I don't have to work around the extreme hot/cold weather here. I'm so glad I found this video. Thank you!
So pleased to hear that Julia. :-)
Does the farm produce a smell, especially indoors?
@@paschence No smell at all. I wish I could attach a photo of my worm farm. They eat up my kitchen scraps. I put the fruit/veggies scraps in the food chopper thing and turn the scraps into very small chunks. I bury them 2-3 inches down under the dirt so I don't get fruit flies or smells. My worms are active and happy.😊
How do you separate the compost from the worms?
I am so excited to find your video and to make a wormery. This is a New Year's resolution to live more gently and healthfully within my lovely garden. I am building one wormery for myself and one for the grandchildren for their family garden. Thank you for a clear and concise instruction video. Greetings from West Virginia January 3, 2022
I hope you enjoy your wormery - and your grandchildren too - they will love it I'm sure. :-)
How did it go? Commenting from Jan 4 2023 haha
We built a wormery for my grandson last July (he was 4 at the time) we have used the worm tea on my house plants with great success. in about a month we will be using the castings for our outdoor planters. He has loved learning about the life cycle of worms and how they are helpful to our environment. thanks for a great video.
It's a great tool for teaching the importance and joy of worms isn't it. :-)
@@GrowVeg its a good start on understanding nature.
The simplest explanations on worm composting I've come across! Great job :)
Thank you! I just came across your channel form searching repurposing items for gardens. I susbscribed and found this video! You have streamlined the worm farming perfectly. So many others drag it out forever!
Thanks Kate.
@@GrowVeg
hello sir, can you tell me what is the diffrent between worms we find in our backgarden while we do digging , can we not use them ???
This guy always have a pleasant voice… and one of the best gardening channels here on RUclips👍 thanks for sharing
Hello! Will you do a follow up to this video to talk about what to expect as time passes? Frequency to add kitchen scraps, how much to expect my worms to produce week by week? How to check on the worms to make sure they're happy and still alive? Do I need turn the compost in their box to keep them active? Thanks! We love your videos.
Hi Meg. Thanks for this suggestion - we'll certainly consider this, good idea.
Marvelous; adore the simplicity of your process, perfect for worry-warts! Muchas gracias.
You’re most welcome!
That was very pleasant, factual with excellent information delivery. Thank You.
This is the best system I have seen so far. Bravo!
Brilliant, now I know how to do this. Thank you for making it so easy to understand .
Thank you I'm going to save this video. After we move in the coming spring I would love to get started on a worm compost system.
ITS BEEN A YEAR. HOW IS YOUR GARDEN DOING????
GREAT explanation!! You made this A LOT easier to "digest". LOL!!!
haha - very good!
im going to build one of these when i pick up my bales. my compost heap is brand new and i only just got the materials to build the wood boxes i want to make for it ordered so i figure next year it will be broken down enough and ready to use some so for this year hopefully a wormery will keep me in nutrients for the new garden and i wont have to use so much miracle grow later in the season. boy its all such a big job getting started! but its been fun planning and getting things going. im envious of your prowess, you make everything look so easy! i keep having to come back to the videos for tips.
Well done on getting started though - that's the hardest part!
I recommend for anyone moving the bin inside or trying this inside to drill much smaller aeration holes on the side than shown, or to add screening along the inside. You will inevitably end up with fruit flies. And you don’t want to surprise your significant other with a swarm invading your kitchen (yes I did this).
Good advice!
GrowVeg ..,,.....l.ll,8,,,9,’k,ex,eqeeexsdsdo,p!
Thanks for the tip :)
That's what i do with my indoor bins. I use window screen mesh as the holes are small enough to keep the flies out.
I’ve been composting in my apartment for months and finally just added some worms to my bin, I leave the lid open a bit and have never had fruit flies.
Thanks for the very good advice on how to start correctly when learning how to raise worms.
Thank you so much! Because of your inspiration I now have built my own wormery! Nature in action! 🙏💙
That is wonderful to hear Jim - top man!
This has to be the best How to make a wormery i have seen it uses 3 levels as i do but it is so easy to follow Many Thanks
It's a really nicely designed DIY build, easy to adapt to whatever you happen you have around.
Easiest method I've seen so far. I'll be building that one myself.
Got my wormery kit today. 500 red Kariba wrigglers. Super excited!
I bought my first lot of tiger worms from a fishing / tackle shop 30 years ago...their descendants are still doing me proud, although 12 years ago I transferred them into a plastic compost bin. The compost produced is magic. 🥰
how many tiger worms did you start out with?
@@81Dirtydawg I'd say about 2 ozs! ...Maybe 25 to 30 worms. There are now in an 'ordinary' plastic compost bin...I always layer up with brown twiggy/ dead leaves, green sappy stuff, peeling n veg waste then finish with a few spades of garden soil. Occasionally I put seaweed in amongst too. They seem very happy and i love them dearly 😂. Hope that helps. x
Cool story.
@@kdegraa Here is another "cool story"...re gardening folk; we are only beginners for the first 50 years☺️😘.
Nice to know. Do you just thin them out or dare I ask do they “die” in the compost and decompose? 😂
Watched this video and got started. Super excited. Love your enthusiasm.
Watch out Brother, at 3:31 you open up a whole can of worms there! lol. Great project!
lol
Kenny what can I say, you’re funny guy
.At last, I need not search further. I find this method the very very best. Your video is excellent, every thing fits. The conversations following fills up what I need to know further. Thank you very much.
You're welcome Ronald, thanks for watching.
Really informative video. I'd watched others and this was the first one that really explained how to rotate the levels.
We loved your video - so clear and informative. Our wormery is a bit smaller - still 3 layers but it's 40cm × 30cm x 20cm. How many worms would you recommend we start with? We can easily get Tiger Worms and Dendrobaena Worms.
TIA.
This design idea is very practical.
Micro cut shredder was the best investment I ever made when it came to keeping worms, far superior to coir for making bedding
Use leaves as bedding? Copy nature and let the worms do the work without gadgets.
U r a star m8. Never ever thought i would be watching vids on composting and worms 😊😅
Helpfull video!! Information, timing, instruction is on point. I was looking for this to start my own 🐛 tea. I will follow you
Brilliant stuff - thanks for following!
This is wonderful if I get home early enough from babysitting so I can start it
Great video, explaining to the point with very detailed information. Look forward to more of your videos in the future. Thank you
A very helpful video. Thanks very much.
I really enjoy my worm farm. Thanks for sharing.
This may be a silly question. But if worms can move up to tray 3 from 2nd, what prevents them going down through the drainage holes?
They stay where the food is, so there'd be no incentive for them to move down and out of the container as they would have no resources to feed on, though the odd escapee is inevitable.
Simple worm bin ideal especially for those who need to move their bins for winter. I started off with a similar system but as my wormery grew i now build 2×4'×4' or 7×2×2. Boxes. Still nee to move my worms for winter but i just transfer them to a larger bin in the garage. Vermicomposting is fantastic and relaxing. Keep up the good work all you worm farmers out there.
how many days takes to make compost from one box like this size?
Hi, i have been thinking of setting up a small worm farm, i have a place for them during spring summer autumn but i am concerned about protection during winter. I have a small shed I could make space in or I have a three section wooden wheelie bin enclosure one section is now free as the council gave up on that collection. They would get shade and a good air flow, but in the winter I think i would have to try to provide some form of cover to insulate them over night Last year we had nearly three weeks at below -10., my compost was frozen solid for more than the three weeks Where as normal winter temp tends to be between -1 - -5. Any advice would be much appreciated thanks
this is the best and easiest compost tutorial. thank you so much!!! i'll try it!
This is the first time watching your channel and I'm only 30 seconds in but I got to say you sound like you would be a great narrator for documentaries
Hi great video , worms need some grit to aid digesting , cushed egg shells are great ,G.
When you move the empty box to the top, do you add coir bedding again or just food?
Just food.
@@GrowVeg can i ask why you don't need to add more bedding and just food when starting a new tray . Also where did you get your boxes from ? Thanks.
After alot of plastic box searching ive Just bought some 20l euronorm boxes from solent plastics there perfect for the job
Great stuff Richie. Glad you managed to find some boxes good for the job. Hope your wormery goes well.
Can you recommend a bin for use? All the bins I’m finding require lids for stacking...
The bins I had weren't really suitable as they left gaps where they slotted into each other. But someone else has recommended the following: Euro boxes + lid from Solent Plastics (code BEG64/17), which they say stack nicely.
Very intrueged kind sir, so I kept watching
Watching this for the third time because I'm *actually* going to start a wormery now, the time is right :) Your commenters here are the cream of the crop aren't they ;) Your lovely daughter is 3 years older now - OMG! You're such a lucky Papa!
Wonderful you'll be starting a wormery - enjoy! I am indeed a very lucky Papa! :-)
Good. I have been using the 3 container system but without worms.
Now I know better.
I have no idea why im watching a video about worms at 2 am but i like it
Hey good on yer!
Than you. I've been wanting to do this for a long time!
Brilliant Thankyou.
Any problems with soil falling through to the bottom tub and clogging up the tea drain spout? Should the bottom be layered in news paper before adding soil and food to prevent this from happing?
I haven't really had that problem - the holes are two small for debris to really drop down, in the same way plant pot drainage holes don't really let potting mix fall out. But you could certainly line the bottom of the tub with newspaper for peace of mind.
I put some burlap on the bottom two to stream the soil to get your compost tea
Once the top bin is full and you switch it to the empty middle one, do you add only scraps or do you add the bedding as with the first one? Thanks in advance!
You add some of the worm castings (nice word for worm poop) which is the bedding then you add kitchen scraps on top of that.
Do you add the same amount of bedding and food scraps in the new bin as you do in the old bin to start off again? TIA.
Just set my wormery using the exact set up. Works perfect and the grand-kids love it. Got my tiger worms from Yorkshire worms. Great video, well done.
Great to hear!
Did you use these containers and finding them ok?
Thanks for sharing! If the upper tray doesn't have any bedding (just scraps), will the worms still go up, once the middle one is full?
Yes, they will.
great idea for a wormery, i will be using this for my own garden! thanks
Nice video. I have to say, this only works with very specific stacking boxes that don't leave any big gaps around the edges when stacked without lids and that don't taper and stack inside each other. I was unable to find any in our local large supermarket so had to modify the design quite a bit.
Yes, it does take a bit of hunting to find the right ones. Glad you managed to find a solution.
The gaps around the edges is my biggest concern in using Rubbermaid storage totes
Going to give this a try.
Thanks for all the enthusiasm and great info. I've found it very hard to find tubs like yours that are stackable without lid on - please can you advise wear to find them? Many thanks
containerwise.co.uk/product/charles-dowding-60-cell/ this websites is good for that, also these root trainers are the ones!
Great information and nice presentation, thank you.
when you started talking, i thought you were breaking into a poem about worms. good video though, poemless or not.
Lol I love poetry and it may have been pretty cool if he did, but I also apriciate how he got to the point instead of stalling to add extra watch time.
Very good vedio. However, I couldn't get how to separate the worms & the compose? Pls explain a bit more. Tq
@@debbiewoo7709 by adding a third box at the top, and adding food to it. The worms would migrate to the top box, leaving the castings at the second box.
lol yes
Fantastic good concise information. Well presented. Thank you
How close does the full bin's level need to be for the worms to migrate up to the new bin? Thanks
When I started out years ago, I found I added trays too soon. My bins are designed to actually sit in the lower bin mind you. So my tower was shorter and less efficient than it could be.
In short, I let it fill up to about an inch from the top now. Then stack next bin directly on top of the castings. Once you get about three bins high, there is typically no food remaining in the bottom bin. That's your black gold right there! Magic worm castings! The second or middle bin is where the worms will spend most of their time. Sneaking up to the top and active feeding bin when the temperature and humidity is right. Once the top bin is full, you're ready to rotate.
Then I'll empty the bottom bin (after getting a five gallon container full of concentrated tea) and spread out the castings on some makeshift drying racks. Castings are easier to deal with if you can get them into a powdery form.
The middle bin becomes the bottom bin, and the top bin the new middle etc.
This system has served me well for years and years. Multiple generations of red wigglers who must think me God almighty, bringer of life.
They probably have little worm wars fighting over the proper religion to follow...
@@mindyourdirt5671 Thank You Sir!! This makes a lot of sense!!
Take care and GOD Bless!!!!
SuperSniperSal
USMC
Disabled Vet
thank you for your wonderful tips 🙂
You know, I inadvertently made myself a lovely bunch of wormeries simply by temporarily tossing all my kitchen scraps into pots and setting them out in the back garden to rot down. I went to disperse of them one day and as I did, I found thousands of little creepy crawlies having a field day in the sludge I'd left them. I just put my scraps now on top of the soil and the worms do the rest. No muss, no fuss. And no, it doesn't smell. 🌹
That's just great. It's almost like an accidental discovery, that worked brilliantly. Thank's for sharing. God bless.
Hey Linda!! Sounds like a plan! Thanx for sharing!!!!
SuperSniperSal
Linda, thank you so much. That's exactly how my mum used to tend her garden back in the 70's. Thanks for reminding me
@@sandralangford1278 💖
Such a boss🌱💚
it's ok I found your link below - many thanks again
You're very welcome Tom.
At 5:45, the liquid that collects in the drainage bin is neither worm wee or worm tea. Worms do not urinate. The liquid produced is called "leachate" and it is preferred that it not be applied on edibles, because unlike worm tea made castings- you can't ensure it's been through the gut of the worm..
Absolutely superb. Thanks.
Great video! Very informative and to the point! I'm tired of videos that contain lengthy and unnecessary babbling.
Great video! Would love to hear more about how the wormery survived long term! Pros and cons etc
Hi Lorraine. I decided to just add material to my main compost heap, as this is easier and there are plenty of worms in the compost heap anyhow. The wormery did fine, but I didn't get as much worm tea as hoped - but that's just because the material added wasn't really wet, so probably any moisture just evaporated with time. I think wormeries are great for smaller gardens or perhaps balconies etc. where a compost bin or heap isn't practical.
The only similarity is the use of coir. I used to feed my worm kitchen scraps but I wanted a cleaner finished product. I feed my worms cornmeal right out of the package, whizzed-up Quaker Oats, and occasional coffee grounds. I never collect worn juice because it never forms. About every three months, I switch out my bins with new coir and usually get about 10-12 gallons of worm poop. I have so many worms now I am looking for a neighbor family who gardens and maybe has young kids who might like to mess with some worms.
That's a great tip Kevin, thanks for sharing.
Excellent. Thank you
Can you post the links for everything used, including the worms please lol
The tubs weren't ideal in the end (nothing wrong with them as shown, it's just the specific model I bought didn't fit neatly at the top, so rainwater got in). If you can find something similar but that snugly fits, then these would be ideal. I'm in the UK and bought more worms from here: www.wormsdirectuk.co.uk/product-category/composting-and-wormeries/
@@GrowVeg Did you ever find a box that kept the rain out? I love the design but having read about similar I’m worried about drowning them. Also keeping them cool enough in our current UK heat!
In SW of UK, I've had a Can o' Worms wormery for many years, yes, it gets fruit flies, yes it gets wet (due to high rainfall levels in this area), yes I get gallons of worm wee and yes I've used it to fertilise food crops with no ill effects. Not claiming I am am expert, and I share the experience of Caro below, whose worms never climb up a layer, I have to split the wormery and separate off sections of the jelly like castings to let them dry in the air and the worms move out to the remaining bit until I have a compact mass of worms to restart the layer with. Maybe if it was all a lot drier… but you live where you live ! I am fond of my worms and thoroughly believe in composting but this method is (for me) a lot of work. Your comments are making me think of putting a rain cover over the top of my wormery, maybe that will help.
the best soil is graveyard soil
Why?
fantastic thx again Ben
Worms do ok in the soil. The leaves in the beds are full of them. Not in my biodigestor. Somehow the BSF moved in.
I've had a worm bin for a bit over a year. It provides great castings, but as it is only 2 bins, it is difficult to collect them. I will be retuning mine to your design and I think the worms and I shall both be happier! I've also just created worm hotels in my raised beds to add compost directly into a PVC pipe that has holes drilled at the bottom for the worms to enter and exit as they please.
As usual, thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful ideas and knowledge. Be Blissed!
Would love to see more about this, photos or a link somewhere?
@@pamwarren24 Yes, you can look on my blog, and use the search engine at the top to find my posts about the worm bin. The blog is Maple Hill 101. daisy
Can worms eat dead flowers like you get for Valentine's day
Yes, absolutely - weeds and other vegetation like flowers can be added in small quantities along with food scraps.
@@GrowVeg ok thanks
omg this is the most convenient & easy method for worm casting! Thanks a lottttt!!!!
You're very welcome!
I set up a worm bin in an apartment. It wasn't too difficult to start. Collecting kitchen scraps was easy also.
After a month, on one sleepless night, out of interest, I checked out the worm bin with a flashlight to see how the worms were doing. I immediately spotted tiny insects crawling on the food scraps, and the container surface, and a few of them were on the FLOOR. I panicked and used Rubbing alcohol to kill the ones on the floor and wiped the surface of the container. I signed up for the worms and the compost, not the tiny insects. It turns out those were mites that appear and break down any organic matters, and they are supposedly beneficial for the soil. I don't doubt that but still the thought of living with the tiniest insects in my living space turned me right off.
Took the worm bin to my office. : - ) I am not doing the worm bin until I get a single family house in a suburb somewhere.
Poor little insects only doing their job. Won't do you any harm.
Thank you for this video. I’m only learning in hope of starting soon.
I’d like to know more about the frequency of collecting. How long does it take until I have to collect? How do I know all the warms have migrated up? I wouldn’t want to collect with warms still in the compost.
It really depends on conditions and time of year and container size, on how long it will take to collect. But I would say at least six months or so before collecting. You will know the worms have migrated up when there are lots of worms in the top container and, when you lift it up and look in the full container below and root around a little, you see very few or no worms.
I know that woodprix has the best woodworking plans ever.
Oh wow. I just have a bucket in my apartment balcony where I throw food scraps and egg cartons, and hope there might be a few worms from prior compost. That was like a whole plate of spaghetti, I thought you only needed a few. Makes sense that the more you have, the quicker they work, though. Currently I'm trying to see if by insulating my bucket "compost" it'll keep going through the winter, and give me some nice finished material ready for the spring.
Another cheap way to introduce your kids to worms is to not spend the money on Deworming tablets when they are young.
Thank you for this! Superb video
Thank you for sharing
So simple and the best video about this I've seen.
As always, many thanks!
Fun game
I have just discovered some worms in my backyard and now i know how to keep them.
Well I never knew about this. Ive got a garden but am not a gardener..all I wanted to know was when it was a good time to transplant things. I try and move trees that are growing in dodgy places to places I want them and have just been transplanting and basically winging it. Fascinating video...
The best time to transplant any tree or shrub is during the winter, when plants are dormant or at least not growing much. Most other plants, including perennials, are generally best transplanted in the spring or autumn. But anything can be transplanted at any time if it is then kept watered and you ensure the roots are disturbed as little as possible.
@@GrowVeg Ah thanks so much. I do like flowers etc but prefer to concentrate on trees... so good to know.
Superb information... Thank you
Awesome tutorial. Thank you.
Great video ! Where did you get the European nightcrawlers?
They were bought from an online supplier (yorkshire-worms.co.uk) but if you're outside the UK I'm sure there will be other suppliers - just search 'composting worms' or similar.
This looks like the best concept ive found so far, but what keeps the worms from falling/going into the bottom container?
The holes aren't that big that they would accidentally fall through them. All of the bedding and food keeps them where they are, in the correct container.
I watched twice and didn’t catch what you said to do when you have the top box full and you moved it to be the middle box. But the top one was empty when you made the move. You said the worms would make there way up there but there was no compost for them to hide in. Interesting video. Thanx. Looking yo help with my on composting gif my garden.
So when the box that the worms is in is full, you place the empty box on top so they can migrate into it. But to get them to move up, you need to put some food into the empty box to tempt them in so to speak. Once they are all in that box, you can empty the contents of the full box.