After seeing these stackable DIY bins (ruclips.net/video/A9lO7emUKk0/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/pR9TzAK3jMo/видео.html) I built them and it's been working great! I make a protein mix out of blended oats, rice, & beans, and dust that on top of their feedings along with some diatomaceous earth and powdered gypsum for grit and dried leaves / shredded newspaper or cardboard for carbon and aeration, moisten it and it's good to go. Using Coco coir as a base for their home since it's so soft and holds a good amount of moisture while being almost impossible to overwater. I recently picked up an Urban Worm Bag v2.0 because of it's amazing design so once I get that going I look forward to comparing it with the stackable bins!
Fantastic design! I have one concern, which is geographical for me - I'm in central Florida (tons of ants) and anywhere that I have pavers or bricks in my yard, when I lift or move them, they ALWAYS have huge ant nests underneath, loaded with ants and eggs. I assume they do this for the same reason as the worms, to avoid the extreme heat. So will the ants move in and attack the worms, or will I need to put ant deterrent? I wouldn't want to use any chemicals around the worms. You probably don't have this issue with your good soil. Thanks Jag!
I had one made out of plastic bins for years. The bottom layer held the worm urine and excess water and I used this in the garden also since husband put a faucet spigot in there. I like this one better. I am 81 and have been doing organic gardening since 1982. My grandmothers way. You are the best I have seen and I am a professor of education. Please keep on with your simple instructional method.
@@spearageddon3279 I am in FL also and understand these pesky ants burrowing under....I never had an ant issue in my worm bin but crazy that they were in my aquaponic pebble media...neer bothering plants but biting my hands of course Ctazy how flooding them with water does not affect those biting FL Creatures
Genius! I have had 3 layers box for years and it's been a while I got aware of the wasted air space for the two top layers but I was looking to stack them with water dripping at every layer as I imagined the worms living at different floors. By adding dripping line on the second and third floor the worms will be producing at every floor. When they finish eating at the first and second floor they will migrate to the top because that is where the new food will be added. Thank You a bunch for your design because creates "traffic", flow in a simple, genius way. Namaste, Nelson
Bee stacks is what I thought first. Smart and practical. I've been waiting for the right solution for my garden and I think this is it. Put it right by the garden to increase the worm population and make castings. Thanks!
Jag. You are not only a farmer but a Carpenter too & a GOOD one . But sorry to say a Man of 70 years it's not too easy to do. What do You say. I like Your work.
What about weight? Those layers will get heavy. You may need handles. I use cardboard boxes. Amazon sends them free with purchases. Fill with scraps. Stackable. And once processed, I have a cardboard planter full of castings I can plant directly into. Depending on the size of the box, I can easily grow tomato, start a fruit tree, grow beans, ect.
May I recommend the builds from these two dudes for a scaled-down version: ruclips.net/video/pR9TzAK3jMo/видео.html ruclips.net/video/A9lO7emUKk0/видео.html
We live on an old worm farm. I have thought about getting it going again. In central California as well. Can you show when you change the layering and harvest the worm castings using this method please and thank you!
@@articmars1 I suppose if you made the food appetizing enough the majority might stick around, but, no guarantees - and other pests can likely infect the colony/outcompete with em. Any way you spin it, an open bottom feels like a bad idea.. part of the reason I'm so eager for a harvesting video. Id like to be right, but also would love to be wrong. Only one way to know, though :(
@@CommentAndFavorite yea. I live not far from the gulf of mexico and the humidity here helps a parasite that will kill off the worm population. I keep mine in 10 gallon Sterlite totes. The black ones with the yellow lid. They do really well in those. I just put holes right under the lid for air and feed them sifted compost that i make. Its a very small operation but it works until i get my homestead. And yea a harvesting video on his set up would be something to see. Lol
Such a wonderful channel 💕 my favorite place to learn everything about gardening. Thank you 🌹 If I may suggest, putting hinges on your watering and cover so you can harvest and add kitchen scraps with ease. Keep inspiring 🌻 Michelle
My experience with composting is that it can be much simpler. If you use a normal composter outside (i.e. just the sides, no layers, no bottom), the worms and insects are attracted to the bin naturally. And there is normally enough moisture if you add primarily vegetable scraps. I had a stackable plastic worm bin indoors and each layer got heavy. (I also didn't need to add moisture with it.) I can't imagine you moving one of your layers once full. Very glad you're composting!
Great video mate I wish I had enough room for a worm bin that big I've just started my own channel about my little patch We need more people in the world to grow there own food and vegetables
I would add 3-4 , 1/2 or 3/4 in vent holes on the short ends near the upper edge of the boxes for some flow-through ventilation. Cover with a strip of metal screen to keep out flies & rodents. Add a little too much decomposing matter or over-water and those tight boxes could turn into a worm steaming sauna. Vent holes will help moderate temp. If you notice worms near the holes, you know your bed is out of balance moisture/temp wise. Otherwise, it looks like a sound design.
Thank you. I got concerned about the ventilation as well. Do you think it'd work to add 1 irrigation line above each box so that the worms would be working at each level?
@@nelsonolivera8059 Yes, but you will need to consider emitter size & duration of watering time based on temp/season. You could easily drown/steam the worms with one line. There are moisture meters you can use. You would need a drlled-out hole to insert the probe.
@@flatsville1 Is an irrigation line necessary with an outside worm bin? and for rats and rodents, do you mean a strip of metal screen all around each layer or aroudn the entire thing? Looking to possibly build this and any advice is welcomed!!
That's how I make my raised beds ! Gophers construction cloth works better then chicken wire were I'm at . Really close to our place in the inland empire.
SSA Paji love following your channel, planing on visiting very soon from Manteca. Quick questions are thoes red wigglers or earth worm? Also any suggestions on propagating Peepal tree ?
SSA Deepak, these are red wigglers, and red wigglers are a type of earthworm. We will open for upick in first week of april. We did open this year but it was a smaller operation. Signup for email notification and we will send out an email what is available to pick and when www.daisycreekfarms.com/email-subscription
Just found this video, thanks! Quick question. I am going to build my own bin in a couplet of months and I'm wondering, Do you still Use this bin? If a layer is full isnt it to heavy to move to the top?
How do you collect the wormcastings? Isn't this much to heavy to juggle with the layers when there is stuff inside? Do you need to be with two persons then? I guess I would have made half this size..
What a great invention! Uncomplicated and inexpensive. Question: I'm slightly new to gardening and was about to build 2 connected compost bins. Space is very limited here, so I don't have a huge garden. Instead, I've carved out a few spots where I can grow tomatoes here, okra there, and then there's the 12'x3' bed. So, should I build compost bins, worm trays, or both? I'm not sure I'll have enough material for both. If you had to choose, which would you?
If I had to choose, I would choose worm bin, worm castings or worm compost is the most powerful fertilizer, much better than compost and even cow manure. Worm farms actually feed cow manure to worms to make worm castings and sell for $1/lb, hot compost (I have a video on this) takes more space than worms and requires more turning and attention. You can also add worms to your garden beds and start burying kitchen scraps in your garden too essentially making your entire garden a worm composting system. First I would start with a controlled worm bin so you can increase the population of earthworms and get going on making your garden a worm heaven.
I really like the idea of using wood instead of toxic plastic for the sides, supports and top. Now just the polypropylene plastic tubing needs to go - maybe copper tubing?
What about the juice? Have you upgraded this design to Include a ay to collect the juices as well? I would think that the collection of juice to make worm tea fertilizer would be a of a primary aspect. No need to waste products of your (or the worms) hard work.
I recently learned from Dr. Elaine Ingham that it’s not actually the worm juice that comes out of the bottom that you want to use. It is potentially full of pathogens and smells real nasty. You actually make worm tea by gathering a scoop of the worm castings from the bin, and let it ferment overnight in a bucket of water (I am simplifying for sake of this comment) like you would making compost tea or JADAM. Then you use that in the garden as a foliar spray or soil tea. I always thought you just use the worm juice directly and I am so glad I learned this because worm juice smells so nasty in the garden lol
do the worms crawl up to the top layers through the screening to get to the foods? I guess im not understanding sorry how do they span the distance between levels :)
I'm old but new to RUclips, can you add the dirty shavings from chickens to this work box? How long would it take them to brake it down to compost? I bet Granite Ridge Greens would like this, they are planning a similar sort of box but want it active through cold winters.
You need two people to lift each layer when full. If you are going to manage by yourself, make it half the size. I make it big because earthworms like more space.
But how are you supposed to lift those huge heavy boxes when full of material and worms? You hold them sideways because to put them down. Are you even able to hold them flat when full, doubtful. Way too big IMO. But a great concept.
What makes this different from other stackable designs also have yall ever built a in ground worm bin or box with a door there's very few that I've seen there's no tutorial on how to build it or they're these stackable worm bins that are made from plastic bins then they're just a handful of bin made from wood like yalls that I like but I rather just build one big box or bin that goes under the ground and the worms are still able to move freely and you still able to collect compost
They like to be near the food. So if there is a lot of compost or decomposing woodchips nearby, yes they will escape and go their way, otherwise, they will stay in the bin
Who keeps earthworms and what have been your experience, curious to know
After seeing these stackable DIY bins (ruclips.net/video/A9lO7emUKk0/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/pR9TzAK3jMo/видео.html) I built them and it's been working great! I make a protein mix out of blended oats, rice, & beans, and dust that on top of their feedings along with some diatomaceous earth and powdered gypsum for grit and dried leaves / shredded newspaper or cardboard for carbon and aeration, moisten it and it's good to go. Using Coco coir as a base for their home since it's so soft and holds a good amount of moisture while being almost impossible to overwater. I recently picked up an Urban Worm Bag v2.0 because of it's amazing design so once I get that going I look forward to comparing it with the stackable bins!
BTW they love banana and even more than that melon peels such as cantaloupe :)
Fantastic design! I have one concern, which is geographical for me - I'm in central Florida (tons of ants) and anywhere that I have pavers or bricks in my yard, when I lift or move them, they ALWAYS have huge ant nests underneath, loaded with ants and eggs. I assume they do this for the same reason as the worms, to avoid the extreme heat. So will the ants move in and attack the worms, or will I need to put ant deterrent? I wouldn't want to use any chemicals around the worms. You probably don't have this issue with your good soil. Thanks Jag!
I had one made out of plastic bins for years. The bottom layer held the worm urine and excess water and I used this in the garden also since husband put a faucet spigot in there. I like this one better. I am 81 and have been doing organic gardening since 1982. My grandmothers way. You are the best I have seen and I am a professor of education. Please keep on with your simple instructional method.
@@spearageddon3279 I am in FL also and understand these pesky ants burrowing under....I never had an ant issue in my worm bin but crazy that they were in my aquaponic pebble media...neer bothering plants but biting my hands of course Ctazy how flooding them with water does not affect those biting FL Creatures
The stackable worm bin is genius. I like the idea of leaving the earthworms free to protect themselves from the cold and heat.👍
I've been looking at different worm bin set-ups for years, and this is by far one of the best. I'll be trying this on my farm.
Glad you like the setup!
What a simple but well rounded piece of engineering.
That is a great design! It gets lots of shade… that is important!
I was looking for something completely differrent when I came across this video. I think this is a fantastic idea and I am very glad I saw it.
Genius! I have had 3 layers box for years and it's been a while I got aware of the wasted air space for the two top layers but I was looking to stack them with water dripping at every layer as I imagined the worms living at different floors. By adding dripping line on the second and third floor the worms will be producing at every floor. When they finish eating at the first and second floor they will migrate to the top because that is where the new food will be added. Thank You a bunch for your design because creates "traffic", flow in a simple, genius way. Namaste, Nelson
Bee stacks is what I thought first. Smart and practical. I've been waiting for the right solution for my garden and I think this is it. Put it right by the garden to increase the worm population and make castings. Thanks!
As someone who has kept worms…this is the best worm bin design I’ve ever seen!
Thanks for the feedback :)
I ordered my worms from Uncle Jim’s too! Great company!! Great video 😊
I really like your stackable boxes. Looks like you are having a lot of fun. Hope you are having a wonderful day.
I thought of this idea 2 years before and you created this practically. Great that works
Brilliant! Gardening and homesteading overlap on many levels. I love these videos. Thank you.
Thank you for watching! :)
Always enjoy your videos. I've been using plastic bins for my worms, stacking them. I put a tray undermine to catch the worm juice.
I've used Uncle Jims multiple times and find them very reliable, with healthy worms.
That is slick! Thank you for taking the time to post this video.
Wow! That was a really neat informative video! The neatest worm bin ever! Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Jag. You are not only a farmer but a Carpenter too & a GOOD one . But sorry to say a Man of 70 years it's not too easy to do. What do You say. I like Your work.
Thanks!
Thank you very much for supporting the channel! :)
Uncle Jim’s worms are amazing!
What about weight? Those layers will get heavy. You may need handles.
I use cardboard boxes. Amazon sends them free with purchases. Fill with scraps. Stackable. And once processed, I have a cardboard planter full of castings I can plant directly into. Depending on the size of the box, I can easily grow tomato, start a fruit tree, grow beans, ect.
Great great great idea! 👍👍👍
Worms do clay pot hopping sometimes... those guys do whatever they want in the dark😂
Love, love, love this channel. Thanks to Jaq I'm learning how much I really didn't know....lol.
Great video! This looks achievable and very functional thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the idea!!! This will save my worms from stress!
Great idea and so easy to scale down as I'd imagine those layers are damn heavy when full.
I'll definitely be giving this a go. Thank you.
May I recommend the builds from these two dudes for a scaled-down version:
ruclips.net/video/pR9TzAK3jMo/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/A9lO7emUKk0/видео.html
That was my concern.
We live on an old worm farm. I have thought about getting it going again. In central California as well. Can you show when you change the layering and harvest the worm castings using this method please and thank you!
Thanks Jag... The work you're doing on your farm is inspiring to this San Jose city guy. Hope to visit your farm one day.
Glad you like it, sure, come visit next spring, signup for upick email notification at www.daisycreekfarms.com/email-subscription
@@DaisyCreekFarms - Done! Thank you...
It's a very thoughtful design. Thank you for sharing!
Informative,generous sharing of experiences. Thank you
Your videos give me so much useful knowledge & tips! Info I can actually use. Thank you Jag
Glad to hear it! Thank you for watching :)
Rhonda Sherman’s literature is a great resource for how to care for composting worms successfully. 🙂
You did a great job building this worm bin. 😎
Thank you!
Brilliant!!!! Thanks for the detailed directions, will definitely be making this!
Awesome! Share pics when you make it! :)
Would love to see an update on harvesting and how the population is affected by the open bottom
The size that he made this makes it unfeasible to work. Its too big and heavy. Each layer will come close to 150lbs when full.
@@articmars1 Agree'd, would love to see him try to do it. 😂
@@CommentAndFavorite i dont know about anyone else but i paid too much money for my worms to let them crawl out the bottom as well. Lol
@@articmars1 I suppose if you made the food appetizing enough the majority might stick around, but, no guarantees - and other pests can likely infect the colony/outcompete with em.
Any way you spin it, an open bottom feels like a bad idea.. part of the reason I'm so eager for a harvesting video. Id like to be right, but also would love to be wrong. Only one way to know, though :(
@@CommentAndFavorite yea. I live not far from the gulf of mexico and the humidity here helps a parasite that will kill off the worm population. I keep mine in 10 gallon Sterlite totes. The black ones with the yellow lid. They do really well in those. I just put holes right under the lid for air and feed them sifted compost that i make. Its a very small operation but it works until i get my homestead. And yea a harvesting video on his set up would be something to see. Lol
Such a wonderful channel 💕 my favorite place to learn everything about gardening. Thank you 🌹
If I may suggest, putting hinges on your watering and cover so you can harvest and add kitchen scraps with ease. Keep inspiring 🌻
Michelle
Thanks for the kind words Michelle. Hinges are a great ideas and would work unless you want to move the layers up or down.
Love this! i am tired of spending on bags of castings and compost for my raised bed
This is amazing. Thanks for sharing
Great video, been doing some thing like this for years and it works great, no shortage of worm in my garden ,
Great idea and easy to construct. I have used pre-made bins and find them too small to make it worth the effort.
True, Worms also don't like being in small space.
My experience with composting is that it can be much simpler.
If you use a normal composter outside (i.e. just the sides, no layers, no bottom), the worms and insects are attracted to the bin naturally. And there is normally enough moisture if you add primarily vegetable scraps.
I had a stackable plastic worm bin indoors and each layer got heavy. (I also didn't need to add moisture with it.) I can't imagine you moving one of your layers once full.
Very glad you're composting!
That's exactly what I was thinking. I have one similar that's made of redwood and it's only 18 in. square and 6 inch layers. They get very heavy.
a masterpiece of an idea I like it from London
Great video mate
I wish I had enough room for a worm bin that big
I've just started my own channel about my little patch
We need more people in the world to grow there own food and vegetables
Amazing guide! I have a decades old compost bin run over by rats. Been thinking about upgrading. This is perfect.
This was so awesome to watch! Can't wait to make mine... Thank you!
Brilliant, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.
Great idea, Jack!
Thank you I love the idea!
Ants and me crickets in panhandle Florida. Any suggestions. Even in garden with good soil. Ants, mole crickets, white flies, moths. Help.
I would add 3-4 , 1/2 or 3/4 in vent holes on the short ends near the upper edge of the boxes for some flow-through ventilation. Cover with a strip of metal screen to keep out flies & rodents. Add a little too much decomposing matter or over-water and those tight boxes could turn into a worm steaming sauna. Vent holes will help moderate temp. If you notice worms near the holes, you know your bed is out of balance moisture/temp wise.
Otherwise, it looks like a sound design.
Thank you. I got concerned about the ventilation as well. Do you think it'd work to add 1 irrigation line above each box so that the worms would be working at each level?
@@nelsonolivera8059 Yes, but you will need to consider emitter size & duration of watering time based on temp/season. You could easily drown/steam the worms with one line. There are moisture meters you can use. You would need a drlled-out hole to insert the probe.
@@flatsville1 Is an irrigation line necessary with an outside worm bin? and for rats and rodents, do you mean a strip of metal screen all around each layer or aroudn the entire thing? Looking to possibly build this and any advice is welcomed!!
Very informative. Thank you 💚💛❤️
Genius! Thanks!
Fantastic 👍👍👍👍
every house should have a worm bin
really enjoyed, you also look a bit like Mithun chakrobarti - the great bengali 80s disco dance actor from india
This is brillant. Thanks
This is really genius 👏🏾
Beautiful
Beautiful thank you
Great video, really interesting
Good system. So are the worms able to climb up the layers?
I like this idea!
what is the method you take the worm casting out and put more dirt in?
Thanks a great idea
Oh, please make these portable and easy to assemble,,,,snap it into place...I'll buy it.
nice work
i like to do this with composting worms Do you think this box would house those worms over the winter? It gets pretty cold in Pa. during the winters
Now Sir tell us on the benefits of having these helpful creatures thanks
Great video!
That's how I make my raised beds ! Gophers construction cloth works better then chicken wire were I'm at . Really close to our place in the inland empire.
Do all outside worm bins need a drip irrigation system? Or is it if the food is dry such as garden and leaf waste?
SSA Paji love following your channel, planing on visiting very soon from Manteca.
Quick questions are thoes red wigglers or earth worm? Also any suggestions on propagating Peepal tree ?
SSA Deepak, these are red wigglers, and red wigglers are a type of earthworm. We will open for upick in first week of april. We did open this year but it was a smaller operation. Signup for email notification and we will send out an email what is available to pick and when www.daisycreekfarms.com/email-subscription
Just found this video, thanks! Quick question. I am going to build my own bin in a couplet of months and I'm wondering, Do you still Use this bin? If a layer is full isnt it to heavy to move to the top?
How do you collect the wormcastings? Isn't this much to heavy to juggle with the layers when there is stuff inside? Do you need to be with two persons then?
I guess I would have made half this size..
You can make half the size for 1 person, yes, this would need 2 people to lift if it is full.
No kidding they love mycelium! Rotters decimated my wine cap bed!!!
Nice video, perhaps one day I can have enough worms to build a system like that.
What a great invention! Uncomplicated and inexpensive. Question: I'm slightly new to gardening and was about to build 2 connected compost bins. Space is very limited here, so I don't have a huge garden. Instead, I've carved out a few spots where I can grow tomatoes here, okra there, and then there's the 12'x3' bed. So, should I build compost bins, worm trays, or both? I'm not sure I'll have enough material for both. If you had to choose, which would you?
If I had to choose, I would choose worm bin, worm castings or worm compost is the most powerful fertilizer, much better than compost and even cow manure. Worm farms actually feed cow manure to worms to make worm castings and sell for $1/lb, hot compost (I have a video on this) takes more space than worms and requires more turning and attention. You can also add worms to your garden beds and start burying kitchen scraps in your garden too essentially making your entire garden a worm composting system. First I would start with a controlled worm bin so you can increase the population of earthworms and get going on making your garden a worm heaven.
Don't forget with limited growing space to utilize your vertical space!
@@DaisyCreekFarms Thank you, Jag!
Would like to see this in action and the first output 👍
I've been wondering how I was going to protect the worms from the winter cold. I think this might be the way.
Have moles ever gotten into the worm bed,no protection from under side?
That's so nice
where are you living. I live is southern Saskatchewan. we get extreme cold in winter. wandering if this is an option here
I really like the idea of using wood instead of toxic plastic for the sides, supports and top. Now just the polypropylene plastic tubing needs to go - maybe copper tubing?
There is toxic wood too
@@neilbennett9281 Yes there is, but worms don't eat redwood since it doesn't decay.
What about the juice? Have you upgraded this design to Include a ay to collect the juices as well? I would think that the collection of juice to make worm tea fertilizer would be a of a primary aspect. No need to waste products of your (or the worms) hard work.
I recently learned from Dr. Elaine Ingham that it’s not actually the worm juice that comes out of the bottom that you want to use. It is potentially full of pathogens and smells real nasty. You actually make worm tea by gathering a scoop of the worm castings from the bin, and let it ferment overnight in a bucket of water (I am simplifying for sake of this comment) like you would making compost tea or JADAM. Then you use that in the garden as a foliar spray or soil tea. I always thought you just use the worm juice directly and I am so glad I learned this because worm juice smells so nasty in the garden lol
I'm building this but adding handles to make it easier to lift.
Great idea!
do the worms crawl up to the top layers through the screening to get to the foods? I guess im not understanding sorry how do they span the distance between levels :)
Yes, they craw up, you have to completely fill the bottom later before adding to the layer on top of that.
Good luck moving one of those layers when it is full.
I'm old but new to RUclips, can you add the dirty shavings from chickens to this work box?
How long would it take them to brake it down to compost?
I bet Granite Ridge Greens would like this, they are planning a similar sort of box but want it active through cold winters.
Chicken manure can kill the worms because it is very acidic. You should let the manure sit for 2 months. After that you can give it to your worms😊
Jag. Love the concept. Do you find that each tray when filled is too heavy to easily move? Do you have a follow up video?
You need two people to lift each layer when full. If you are going to manage by yourself, make it half the size. I make it big because earthworms like more space.
Here in Germany it gets too cold in winter and I built a sunken worm bed in the ground.
That's great! Temp undergrounds is more constant and worms prefer it!
Everyone be stackin these days
How do switch out the layers when its full without a bull dozer? Because thats heavy and cumbersome for one person.
It takes two people to lift from each side, you can build one half the size for one person.
how is the watering layer used?
Lot of. earth worms do much 💥
But how are you supposed to lift those huge heavy boxes when full of material and worms? You hold them sideways because to put them down. Are you even able to hold them flat when full, doubtful. Way too big IMO. But a great concept.
Hey, jag where do you live? Nice vid BTW!!!!
Doesn't the wood rot eventually?
What makes this different from other stackable designs also have yall ever built a in ground worm bin or box with a door there's very few that I've seen there's no tutorial on how to build it or they're these stackable worm bins that are made from plastic bins then they're just a handful of bin made from wood like yalls that I like but I rather just build one big box or bin that goes under the ground and the worms are still able to move freely and you still able to collect compost
Daisy Creek Animals
Will all the worms escape deep into the ground away from the worm bin if the system is open at the bottom?
They like to be near the food. So if there is a lot of compost or decomposing woodchips nearby, yes they will escape and go their way, otherwise, they will stay in the bin
As long as there is great food and great conditions they love being in wooden worm bins
There’s no way you’re going to move the layers once full of compost. The weight will be unbelievable.