The Australian Tumbleweed Worm Farm Composter consists of two sturdy polypropylene boxes nested inside each other. The upper box has a perforated floor and a lid, and the lower box is fitted with a drain spout. By placing the worms in the top portion of the bin with kitchen scraps and organic waste, the waste (also known as "compost tea") will filter through the perforated holes into the bottom bin where it can be combined with water for use as a rich organic fertilizer.
This worm farm compost bin will operate most efficiently in temperatures between 45 and 85 degrees. Use indoors during winter and outdoors during spring and summer.
Instructions to Start
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 3/4-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.
Next, place the scraps underneath this cover. Note that the worms eat the decomposed parts of the scraps. Placing them in a separate bin for a few days will accelerate the process.
About 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 24 hours. You'll need 1000 worms to start off the farm (2000 if you want to be up to capacity in a hurry) with each worm producing an egg capsule approximately every two weeks. Each capsule will contain between five and fifteen worms. These hatch in three weeks time and are mature within three months. The rate of worm breeding is proportional to the environment, so if you reduce the amount of food, the worm population will decrease. All of these topics, including where you can purchase the worms, are explained in detail in the foldout instruction sheet included with the bin.
Harvesting Worm Castings
There are several ways to harvest worm castings with this composter 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 in sunlight, which will cause the worms to 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 of 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.
