How to add worms to a compost bin to make a wormery
A compost bin is a great way to turn kitchen waste into usable garden fertiliser, but if you want to make the process even faster, you might want to think about making a wormery.
Worms naturally convert organic waste like leftover raw fruit and veg, as well as garden waste like grass cuttings and leaves, into a rich, fertile compost.
They’re surprisingly efficient at this, especially if you get the right number of worms for the size of wheelie bin, compost bin or other container that you are using.
What is a wormery?
A typical wormery has three levels – think of it like a town house for your worms. They live in the middle layer, in amongst some comfy ‘worm bedding’ such as leaf mould, coconut fibre (also known as ‘coir’) or old compost.
Below them is a drainage layer – this allows for the liquid to drain out of the worms’ excretions, and this too can be collected for use as a liquid fertiliser.
In the top you have a layer of fresh materials for the worms to climb up into and digest, and this is where you put your healthy garden and kitchen waste (just avoid meat, dairy, unwashed fruit rinds and too much citrus).
What container should I use for a wormery?
There are a few options when building a wormery:
- Three separate stackable boxes with mesh bottoms to contain the material.
- An adapted wheelie bin or compost bin with drainage holes at the bottom.
- Purpose-built commercial wormeries with drainage taps and removable layers.
If using a wheelie bin, you don’t have to take a drill to your council garden waste bin – you can get a new garden waste bin from suppliers like Wheelie Bin Solutions in a range of sizes and colours.
You should choose a wheelie bin that is the right size for your garden and the amount of food waste you produce, and then make sure to get the right number of worms for healthy and efficient digestion.
Top tips for even better wormeries
Even just adding worms to an ordinary compost bin can help digest the waste more fully, but there are some top tips for better wormeries that are worth keeping in mind:
- The liquid that drains out of your wormery is a useful fertiliser in its own right. If you’re handy with DIY, consider installing a water butt tap at the bottom of your wheelie bin so you can collect it.
- The worms’ home in the middle layer should be raised slightly to allow for drainage, and you should make sure if you are using a tap that you don’t forget to collect the liquid regularly.
- The top layer should be removable. You can just dig it out by hand, or you might want to fashion a mesh shelf that hooks over the sides of the bin and rests gently on the worms’ home layer.
- Removing all of the compost by hand when it’s ready can be easier with a smaller bin, so keep this in mind when you order a new garden waste wheelie bin to use as a wormery.
- Worms need it to be dark, not too dry or humid, and not too hot or cold. Make sure your container has a neatly fitting lid that’s easy to remove – again, a wheelie bin is an ideal example of this.
Keep your worms happy by insulating the outside of the container, draining the liquid regularly and topping up with fresh, clean fruit, vegetable and garden waste, and you should have usable compost within a matter of months.
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