recommendations for diy worm farm?

Vermicomposting uses worms to create nutrient-rich worm castings that significantly improves overall plant health.
Michelle Dargatz
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troy wrote: Fri 07-Jan-2022, 10:02
Andrew wrote: Mon 03-Jan-2022, 17:12
troy wrote: Wed 29-Dec-2021, 19:24 i would love to build my own worm farm. are there any designs that are worth building? i'm rather handy and have access to a wide range of carpentry tools... enough tools to make a cute looking birdhouse using wood salvaged from pallets lol...

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Very cool, and with the right tools you can make it attractive too. I'll share some pictures in here of the one I built, it will also be highlighted in an upcoming video on vermicomposting along with another simple diy bin design.

i'm thinking about either building a vermicomposter to fit inside one of the stalls or buy a hungry bin. each of the stalls measures 48"W x 36"D x 48"H. i measured the height from the back of the stall to the lowest point of the roof. if i do build something to fit inside one of the stalls, i would like to be able to insulate it from the cold during winter...



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Hey Troy, I'd love to hear more about what you used to make those covered rows? The big hoops and the bar in the middle? So beautiful.
troy
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Michelle Dargatz wrote: Sat 08-Jan-2022, 11:39 Hey Troy, I'd love to hear more about what you used to make those covered rows? The big hoops and the bar in the middle? So beautiful.
hi michelle... i used 3/4" dia metal conduits and bent them into arcs with a jig that i made from nails and wood. the cross bar at the top holding the arcs together is a length of the same conduit. here are some pics...
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Last edited by troy on Sat 08-Jan-2022, 16:24, edited 1 time in total.
troy
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i then attached them to a raised bed with hinges and covered them with 6mm poly and U clips...
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Andrew
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Here are some pictures of a DIY worm tower I built. The dimensions do not matter, just make it all the same size. Consider how much you can lift as the drawers can get quite heavy so you don't want to go too large.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYY3JYdLwoT/
troy
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Andrew wrote: Wed 12-Jan-2022, 09:16 Here are some pictures of a DIY worm tower I built. The dimensions do not matter, just make it all the same size. Consider how much you can lift as the drawers can get quite heavy so you don't want to go too large.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYY3JYdLwoT/
thank you andrew! after doing some research and taking into consideration what you said about the ease of use of the hungry bin, i'm going to buy one. i live in richmond. do you happen to live/work close by for me to pick one up from you?
troy
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assembled my hungry bin! now to find some red wigglers...

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troy
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now that i have my hungry bin, the instructions say to fill it 3/4 full with compost. does it matter what kind of compost i use? i would prefer something that doesn't smell because i may want to store it indoors during cold weather.

does anyone have a hungry bin and have any suggestions?
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Andrew
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Sounds good! Insulating the area is beneficial if temps get below zero for long periods of time. If you went with a hungrybin you could tape seedling germination mats to all four sides and wrap the center with a space blanket to keep the heat in and it will likely continue to operate even when its -5C / 23F.

If building your own bin, go big, 4x4x4 and the volume of material will afford them the environment they need not to perish. Not to worry though if they do perish, they lay cocoons when it starts to get cold and they will only hatch when conditions are stable so your population will return in the spring.

One could also try a combination of a thermophilic pile started when temps start to head down towards freezing, and then your worms will have a warm pile they can operate in through the winter. Keep adding food scraps on top if pests aren't an issue and the worms will get to it when they can. If pests are an issue 21-day hot compost your food first and then add it as a top layer "feed" to the top of your bin. Depending on where you live this pile may need to be quite large to stay thermophilic, in your situation there isn't enough room but I mention for other readers.
troy
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i finally got my hungry bin up and running! i used some left over bubble wrap to insulate the bin until the weather warms up. it's still only single digits in the basement...

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troy
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it's been over a month and the red wigglers seem to be doing well and feeding on the frozen food scraps i've been giving them. i've found that i only need to feed them once a week. i also drizzle rain water on them once every week or so to keep the contents moist.

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