DIY worm farms for your garden

Worm farms are not only friendly to the environment, but they can come in handy when it comes to disposing of waste in an eco-friendly manner. Not only do worms condition soil, but the farms can help to recycle food scraps and reduce organic waste.

Commercial worm farms can be costly, but thankfully it's easy to build your very own worm farm at home. All you need to do is hire some garden landscaping tools and get to work.

Stacked bin worm farms

Stacked bin worm farms take up minimal space in your backyard, as well as looking good and being convenient to use. Stacked designs are perfect for red compost worms to migrate upwards and leave castings to fall beneath them. This allows the lower bin to be emptied of castings when full and rotated to the top.

Common plastic storage bins sold at hardware stores and supermarkets are suitable for these farms, as long as a lid fits onto the top bin. Solid black bins are best, as worms hate light. Small-scale composting requirements only need three 45 litre bins, whereas bigger bins with more tiers are needed for large scale waste productions.

Prepare the sump

The lower sump bin should be prepared before the other bins, as its main function is to collect excess fluid leachate from the worms. Fit the sump with a barrel tap to help drain excess fluid, using washers and lock nuts to create a good seal around the drilled hole.

The composting bins

The upper bins will contain the worms and should be drilled with 6mm hole patterns across the base for drainage and ventilation. Space these about 50mm apart in all directions, and do the same in a line around the wall of the bins. You shouldn't need to drill holes in the lid.

The set up

Put the sump on bricks or blocks, making sure there's space to tap off the fluid beneath it. Worm farms are best located in shady areas.

Nest the top bins within each other and drop these into the sump. A few spacers of about six inches in height should be placed between the upper bins to allow for working space for the worms. Close the gap between the bins with shade cloth of mosquito netting to prevent other bugs from getting in between them.