Worm Composter Vermicomposting bin

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The Australian Worm Farm is newly redesigned to use less plastic and consume less fuel during shipment. It consists of two parts - a box on top that holds the worms and compost along with a platform that elevates the composter off of the ground. The main box is made from sturdy polypropylene and measures 23 inches long, 15 inches wide and 7 inches deep. The box tapers slightly to fit the support platform - it measures 21.5 inches long, 13.5 inches wide, and 6 inches tall. The assembled unit is 13 inches tall.

The upper box has a perforated floor and a hinged lid. It's designed so that excess moisture drains out the bottom and fresh air flow in to aerate the soil. The platform that supports the composter has a drain built into the center - if you want to use the compost tea, you can leave a cup or bucket under the drain (compost tea is great for houseplants and rejuvenating dead spots in the yard).

There is no odor to worry about - the worms actually eat bacteria in the decomposing food and eliminate any unpleasant smells. Simply add your scraps and see the results!

We’ve been testing out this worm composting unit and have just published a handy guide to vermiculture. You can also check out our worm composting diary, which includes lots of tips on how to use this composting bin.

This worm composter holds approximately 2,400 cubic inches of compost.

Instructions
First of all, line the base of the top box with two or three layers of dampened newspaper. Add some partially rotted compost or potting mix, to form a layer about ¾ inch deep. Add your worms and cover with a piece of dampened carpet, burlap or light resistant plastic (such as a garbage bag) cut to size.

Place the scraps underneath this cover. Note that the worms eat the decomposed parts of the scraps so by placing them in a separate bin for a few days will accelerate the process.

The Worms
Worms used in your Worm Farm need to be special Composting Worms (red worms). They are fast breeders and can consume their own weight in food in twenty-four hours. One thousand worms are all that is required to start off the farm (two thousand if you want to be up to capacity in a hurry), with each worm producing an egg capsule approximately every two weeks, each capsule containing between five and fifteen worms.

These hatch in three weeks time and are mature within three months. The worms will breed to the environment so if you reduce the amount of food so too will the worm population decrease.

All of these topics including where you can purchase the worms are explained in detail in a foldout instruction sheet included with each bin.

You will need to order composting worms to go with it if you can't find them locally.

Harvesting Worm Castings

There are several ways to harvest worm castings with this bin.

1. Lay out a sheet of plastic and dump out the contents of the worm bin. Set up your compost bin quickly with fresh, moist bedding, just as you did when you began your worm farm. Start looking for the worms and shifting them over from the compost to the worm bin. Look also for the tiny worm cocoons which are the eggs. Move those over to the worm bin as well.

2. You can also open the bin up in the sun and let the worms move down to the bottom of the bin. Scoop up a very thin layer of worm castings. Move any worms or food scraps that aren’t completely decomposed back into the worm bin after removing the layer of compost. Repeat. Add bedding material as needed.

3. A couple weeks before you’re ready to harvest the worm castings, feed the worms only on one side of the bin. The worms should vacate the other side. Harvest the worm castings with a trowel on the side where the worms aren’t feeding. Add more bedding.

The Worm Converter Compost bin is designed to minimize odors, but it works even better with a base of Coco Fiber. A high carbon material will neutralize smells, promote aeration, and act as a buffer to fruit flies and other pests. You can also use other high carbon material, such as sawdust, shredded newspaper, corn cobs, or ground cardboard.

Can I compost Pet Poop in this worm composter?
Yes - you can use this bin to handle certain types of pet waste. If you have a herbivorous pet like a rabbit, hedgehog, prairie dog, or chinchilla, their waste is safe to mix with food scraps or yard trimmings.

If you have a carnivorous pet, such as a cat, dog, or ferret, their waste contains harmful bacteria that should never be allowed to come in contact with food scraps. It's possible to compost pet waste with a worm composter, but that composter must exclusively be used for pet waste. Otherwise, the pet waste will contaminate the other compost and pathogens will spread faster than the worms can eat them. Kitty litter is not compostable and should not be put in the bin because it can kill the worms. We carry a safe composter designed especially for pet poop.

Learn more about composting here.