- 1). Determine the size of worm bin you will need. Weigh three weeks' worth of kitchen scraps and average the amounts to determine how much you produce in a typical week. For every pound of waste produced weekly, you'll need 1 square foot of surface area for your worm bin. If you select a large commercial bin, you may need to add yard wastes or your neighbors' vegetable scraps to feed the worms.
- 2). Determine your budget for your worm bin. If your budget is close to zero or if you enjoy woodworking projects, make a worm bin out of free salvaged lumber. If your budget is $10 to $50, make a worm bin out of stacked plastic totes or store-bought lumber or plywood. If your budget is $80 or more, buy a commercially sold stacking worm bin.
- 3). Weigh cost versus convenience. Readymade brand plastic worm bins, while expensive, come ready to add the worms, bedding and food. Stacking versions with multiple trays get high marks from worm specialists, including Rhonda Sherman, extension specialist at North Carolina State University, who notes, "They work great."
- 4). Compare the features of worm-bin options. Wood "breathes" more than plastic, insulates better and can be customized to fit almost any space you have available; on the flip side, wooden worm bins are heavy and could rot after several years. Plastic worm bins assemble quickly, and you can make them for $25 or less. Commercial stacking worm bins offer excellent chances of success, and their tray systems disturb the worms the least.
- 5). Determine the location for your worm bin. Plastic worm bins need to be indoors, where the temperature is constant. Wooden bins can be indoors or outdoors.
- 6). Build or buy a metal worm bin if you plan to keep your worms outdoors in an area frequented by rodents.
- 7). Price bin inserts, which fit into name-brand plastic storage bins and convert them into worm bins. See www.wormpost.com/catalog/wormbins.php for an example.
- 8). Compare popular commercial worm bins such as The Worm Factory, 22 inches tall, terracotta in color and rectangular, $99 (all prices current in 2009); Can O' Worms, 29 inches tall, round and black, for $129; and the Worm Tray 3-level Garden Compost Bin, 28 inches tall, green and rectangular, at $79. See Resources for details.
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