Plastic Tub Compost Bin Plans

Ideal Containers

• Plastic tubs are used in composting because of their durability and light weight. Look for the 14-gallon heavy-duty containers that are higher quality, with thicker walls. Purchase two of these with lids. The idea is to have a set of tubs that you can not only move, but also harvest the material as you "flip" the containers.

Setup

• Both bins have holes drilled into the lids and the bottom of the bins. The holes in the base of the bins serve as drainage holes. The holes in the lids allow airflow. Each set of holes is placed within ½ inch from the sides of the base or lid with a total of eight to 10 holes per surface. Set up a 24-by-12-inch oven pan with a 1-inch lip on a table to catch the drainage from the compost bin. Put one of the tubs right side up on the pan; store the other tub and lid under the table.

Bedding

• Bedding for the worms can be an assortment of brown material such as shredded newspaper, straw, or grass clippings. Make a layer of bedding along the bottom of the bin and then lay a 2-inch layer of topsoil over the bedding. Moisten the bedding and let it sit overnight. This is where the worms will live.

Composting

• Once the bedding is set up, add the worms. Red worms are the most suitable variety used in vermiculture. This is because they live deep in the material and make the most use of organic material to form finished compost. The worms must be evenly spread out over the bedding to allow all of them to feed. Put the lid onto the bin and turn on an overhead light to keep the worms from leaving. Begin adding organic material the next day and every day thereafter. Kitchen scraps of vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, apple and pear cores along with grass clippings, dead plants, pulled weeds and annual flowers make great compost material. Make sure the weeds and plants haven't gone to seed to avoid something growing inside the bin. The green organic material adds nitrogen to the mix. Keep the ratio between brown and green material as equal as possible. Keep a ratio of three times the amount of dry material to the wet material.

Flipping

• Fill the bin up to the lip. When full, the bin is ready to be flipped. Move the bin over on the table enough to set up the second empty bin. Be careful when moving the bin because the oven tray underneath is full of liquid. Take off the lid from the first bin. Using two people, transfer the contents of the full bin to the empty bin by dumping the contents from bin to bin. The worms will be on top of the material in the new bin. Cover the bin and shine the overhead light over the fresh bin to drive the worms back down to the bottom; this takes a day to accomplish. Drain the oven tray into an empty bucket. The liquid is nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer useful as a spray. Set up a funnel in a spray bottle and drain the liquid from the tray into the bottle. Replace the old bin with the new bin on the tray. The next day, scoop out the composted material and store it in bags. Reset the lid over the bin and start the composting process again. Flipping creates a self-sustaining continuous process.

Limitations

• Two issues must be considered in vermiculture: size and temperature limitations. If you intend to make large amounts of compost, several bins will be required to maintain the same quantity of composted material as a regular compost pile. Temperatures between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit must be maintained to minimize moisture loss to the worm colony. Outside of this range, the worms will dry out and die or attempt to leave the bin.

Moisture Control

• There are a variety of issues that can cause the composting process to slow or stop, such as moisture control, odor, fruit flies and a decrease in the number of live worms. Odor, fruit flies and a decrease in the worm population can all be connected to excess moisture. Excess moisture occurs from having too much wet material or blocked drain holes. Remove all of the water with a turkey baster. Unplug any holes with a Phillips head screwdriver. Remove rotting food. Replace saturated bedding with fresh shredded newspaper. Stop feeding the worms for seven days. Slowly begin adding reduced amounts of organic material to allow the worms to "catch up." If food continues to rot, add more worms but keep the organic material levels low. Use a hand claw rake to turn the material over, adding air to the material. Worms can suffocate and drown in saturated material. Move the bin away from any vibration; otherwise, the worms will move to more stable environments.

Pest Control

• If you find dead worms, remove them and add an ant trap. After a few days, remove the ant trap and dead ants. Rotting food can bring fruit flies also. Bury the uncomposted material under the bedding. Place cardboard over the bedding with the worms underneath. Fill a plastic cup with equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and soap. Cover the cup with cling wrap and put a rubber band around the lip to hold it in place. Poke holes in the plastic at the top of the cup. Set the cup on the cardboard to trap the flies. Don't feed the worms for seven days.