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  Get started, cheap.

  I've been vermicomposting for ~8 years and have started a bunch of my co-workers vermicomposting too.

  I started with the Off-the-shelf design Umbra referred to but made the following modifications
   - bin was smaller W:15" x L:18" x H:15".  Bought two of those rubberneck ones... cheap.
   - made about 12 1" holes in the bottom.
   - covered bottom with screen netting and hot glued with a few glue spots
   - forget about the top vents, impossible to find. Just drill 8 2" holes on the sides close to the top and hot-glue (all round) some moskito netting to prevent flies from getting in.
   - put the prepared bin into the other one.  Use something as a spacer to raise your bin inside ther other one so that the worms don't soak.
   - Forget about the spigot.  Hard to find and you can just take the bin out of the drainage bin and pour the liquid out.

  This system can be stacked .  I've got two of these bins at home, stacked.  No one in the house knew about my first one for months.  I even had it at work for a few months without anyone noticing.

  Don't worry too much about bedding and all that.  Once they get started... gradually... they'll take whatever you give them even if it's not balanced carbon vs. nitrogen.  Stay away from meats and the other obvious things you'll read about in books and web pages.  Also, I found that onions never decompose that that broccoli stinks it up so I leave that out.

  You may have problems with flies occasionally.  If it becomes a problem, vacuum them up and then start wrapping your food scraps in non-colored newspaper (color is toxc) before you put into the bin.  After a week or two, that should solve it.

  Another thing I learned the hard way, is to keep their diet a little balanced.  Like once I put a pile of coffee grinds... stank up the place from the mold.  Another time I put a whole rotten cantilope... the vermicompost tea was putrid!  They benefit from variety, just like us :)

  Books: I highly recommend either "Worms eat my garbage" (layman) or "the worm book" (a bit more detailed info about worms, cool).

  If you ask around, you might find someone that has some worms to get you started.  Don't need much, they'll build up.

  Currently have a demo bin at my desk made of 2 peanut butter pastic tubs, 1 month and no smells. ;)
  On Umbra on composting with worms posted 1 year ago 9 Responses