Wormery (Worm Composter)

by pudtiny in Living > Homesteading

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Wormery (Worm Composter)

finished wormery.jpg
I didn't want to pay loads for a wormery so built my own from storage containers from the ASDA and basic DIY bits from B and Q. It takes a couple of hours and some basic DIY skills.

What You Need

Stuff.jpg
Parts need to build:
3 x Plastic Storage Boxes
1 x Plastic Storage Box Lid
1 x Waterbutt Tap
2 x Spacers (I used cut up drain pipe) Bricks will do
Split Pins
Fine guage mesh (I used 6mm) enough to cover bottoms of 2 boxes

Tools For the job.
Drill + Bits (25mm Spade,10mm and 4mm)
Jigsaw (My motto is 'never work harder than you need too') hand saw would do
Marker Pen
Tape Measure
Glue
Knife
Tin snips or something to cut the mesh

Bottom Box

Tap Hole.jpg
Tap Installed.jpg
Spacer Blocks.jpg
The bottom box collects the worm juice produced as they eat. This is great liquid feed but strong dilute 10:1.

To get the Juice out I installed a tap in the middle of the bottom box by drilling a 25mm hole with the spade bit. Then the tap can be installed.

Then to create a collection area and stop your worms drowning, I added to spacer blocks glue in these are square drain pipe about 75mm square, but bricks will do.

Worm Boxes

Bottom Marked.jpg
Bottom Cut Out.jpg
I made two of these, if you have lots of food waste then make more.

The boxes are marked on the bottom and two areas are cut out using a jigsaw. Then smooth the edges with a knife or sandpaper.

Adding the Mesh

Mesh Installed.jpg
Mesh Installed Bottom.jpg
For each box:

Cut the mesh to size using tin snips.

Then lay the mesh into the bottom of the box and using a marker draw six dots where the split pins will go.

Then remove the mesh and drill 4mm hole on these dots.

Placing the mesh back in, push the split pins through the holes ensuring one leg goes either side of a piece of the mesh and open out underneath.

Adding Worms

finished wormery.jpg
Place you completed wormer out side in a sheltered spot, on some blocks so the tap is usable.

Place on of the worm boxes in the bottom box a rest on the spacers. Then place a sheet of damp newspaper over the bottom to prevent you worms falling through.

Worms need beding you can buy this or use a mix of soil, compost and shredded paper.

Now add your worms you need tiger worm sold over the Internet or in bait shops and about 250g of them(the do multiple quickly is happy).

You can now start to feed your worms, once the first box is full add the next and the worms will move upwards once they have finished with the first.

Important! remember to drain off worm juice regularly.

Keeping Worms Happy

happy worm.jpg
Worms will eat almost anything that will decompose

Fed on kitchen scraps but not too much of one thing and little and often

Large quantities of citrus peel, seeds, meat and fish are best avoided

Keep container covered to avoid fruit flies

Don't allow the bin to get too hot or dry out