How to Make a Worm Bin Site

Worms are a valuable resource for any gardener. They eat vegetable scraps and plant material turning waste into nutrient rich compost for the garden. Vermicomposting, a term used for the practice of composting with worms, uses red worms rather than common earthworms. Home and garden centers sell worm bins for inside or outside use. For outside vermicomposting, a pit dug into the ground provides a simple site with natural insulation from the surrounding soil. Red worms require a temperature range between 55 degrees F and 77 degrees F to survive.

Shovel
1-inch by 12-inch piece of lumber
Small river rocks or bricks

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a pit 12 inches deep with straight sides. A pit 3 to 4 feet wide and 6 to 8 feet long makes a suitable vermicomposting site.
- 2
  Line the edges of the pit with wood. Lumber comes in pieces 12 inches wide and can be cut to fit the bin site. Pine and fir are well suited for a vermicomposting site. Avoid cedar and redwood as well as pressure treated lumber, which contains arsenic.
- 3
  Place bricks or small river rocks over the bottom of the pit to keep out rodents. Red worms live in the top 12 inches of the soil and are not likely to burrow out through the bottom of the pit. The lumber lining the pit keeps the worms from crawling away through the sides of the pit.
- 4
  Fill the pit with bedding for the worms. Shredded corrugated cardboard works well or use old newspaper and other paper material. Bedding is also available at home and garden stores.

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