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You may ask yourself .... |
- How many worms should I get?
Worms are sold by weight and 1/2lb. of red wigglers is considered to contain about 500 worms. The amount of worms to get depends on the amount of waste you want to compost. Worms eat 1/2 their weight each day and a worm population will double in 45 to 60 days -- providing they are kept in good conditions -- so you can build up to the optimal amount.
For a larger compost/yard waste pile, incorporate an average of 1 lb. of worms per cubic foot of waste.
- How should I prepare for my worms?
If you do not have a compost pile, you can prepare a worm bin. It can be as simple as a 10 to 12 gallon plastic tote (not a clear one) at the bottom of which you have drilled some holes for ventilation and drainage, and a lid that you can close shut. Our Gardening Shop features ready-made bins and composters that you may want to consider.
For bedding, you can use shredded newspaper (not the glossy magazine type) or coir.
If you want to purchase a composter, please check our "Composting Information & Resources" page for some retailers we partner with.
- I just received my worms, what should I do?
Keep in mind that the trip has been a stressfull experience for your worms and attend to them immediately.
Remember the 3Ds of worm care: Dark, Damp, and Dinner (from the University of Hawaii Worm Page).
- The worms may be DEHYDRATED - if they seem dry, you may want to spray a little water on them. Your bedding material should have the consistency of a wrung out sponge.
- They may be HUNGRY - VermiDragon includes a small pack of instant food with each order, you may want to dust a tablespoon for each pound of worms on top of the bedding. Remember that too much food in that small environment can be cause fermentation and overheating.
- Avoid handling your worms with your bare hands as worms are sensitive to the human skin natural levels of acidity/salinity.
- Avoid exposing your worms to light - they are sensitive to it.
- Keep your worms within a temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees F. They are resilient and will survive at temperatures from just above freezing up to 90, but they will compost and reproduce better within the recommended range.
- If you are going to keep your worms in an outside bed, avoid transferring them at the end of the day -- they could get disoriented and crawl away. Wait until morning.
- Help! I'm having "worm trouble"....
Please e-mail us at info@vermidragon.net and describe your problem. Include your phone number and a good time to call if you prefer that we call you.
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Here are some of the simplest directions (created by Joyce Jimerson, Washington State University, Whatcom Cty) to build your own composter/harvester:
(Thank you to our kind -- and observant -- customer who pointed out that the containers in the pictures are more likely 5-gallon totes than 10-gallon ones.)
Materials
- Two 8-10 gallon plastic storage boxes (dark, not see through!) as shown in pictures Cost: about $5 each
- Drill (with 1/4" and 1/16" bits) for making drainage & ventilation holes
- Newspaper
- About one pound of redworms
- Step 1
Drill about twenty evenly spaced 1/4 inch holes in the bottom of each bin. These holes will provide drainage and allow the worms to crawl into the second bin when you are ready to harvest the castings.
- Step 2
- Drill ventilation holes about 1 - 1 ½ inches apart on each side of the bin
- near the top edge using the 1/16 inch bit. Also drill about 30 small holes in the top of one of the lids.
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- Step 3
 Prepare bedding for the worms by shredding Newspaper into 1 inch strips. Worms need bedding that is moist but not soggy. Moisten the newspaper by soaking it in water and then squeezing out the excess water. Cover the bottom of the bin with 3-4 inches of moist newspaper, fluffed up. If you have any old leaves or leaf litter, that can be added also. Throw in a handful of dirt for "grit" to help the worms digest their food. 
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- Step 4
Add your worms to the bedding. One way to gather redworms, is to put out a large piece of wet cardboard on your lawn or garden at night. The redworms live in the top 3 inches of organic material, and like to come up and feast on the wet cardboard! Lift up cardboard to gather the redworms. Or, if you wish to purchase worms, the Cooperative Extension office can give you names of suppliers in Whatcom County. An earthworm can consume about 1/2 of its weight each day. For example, if your food waste averages 1/2 lb. per day, you will need 1 lb. of worms or a 2:1 ratio. There are roughly 500 worms in one pound. If you start out with less than one pound, don't worry they multiply very quickly. Just adjust the amount that you feed them for your worm population.
- Step 5
Cut a piece of cardboard to fit over the bedding, and get it wet. Then cover the bedding with the  cardboard. (Worms love cardboard, and it breaks down within months.)
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Step 6
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Place your bin in a well-ventilated area such as a laundry room, garage, balcony, under the kitchen sink, or outside in the shade. Place the bin on  top of blocks or bricks or upside down plastic containers to allow for drainage. You can use the lid of the second bin as a tray to catch any moisture that may drain from the bin. This "worm tea" is a great liquid fertilizer. -
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Step 7
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Feed your worms slowly at first. As the worms multiply, you can begin to add more food. Gently bury the food in a different section of the bin each week, under the cardboard. The worms will follow the food scraps around the bin. Burying the food scraps will help to keep fruit flys away.
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What do worms like to eat? Feed your worms a vegetarian diet. Most things that would normally go down the garbage disposal can go into your worm bin (see the list below). You will notice that some foods will be eaten faster than others. Worms have their preferences just like us.
Feeding your worms:
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Worms LOVE |
Worms HATE |
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Breads & Grains
Cereal
Coffee grounds & filter
Fruits
Tea bags
Vegetables |
Dairy Products
Fats
Meat
Feces
Oils
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When the first bin is full and there are no recognizable food scraps, place new bedding material in the second bin and place the bin directly on the compost surface of the first bin. Bury your food scraps to the bedding of the second bin. In one to two months, most of the worms will have moved to the second bin in search of food. Now the first bin will contain (almost) worm free vermicompost. (You can gently lift out any worms that might remain, and place them in the new bin, or put them into your garden!)
Troubleshooting
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Problem |
Probable Cause |
Solution |
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Worms are dying or trying to escape |
Too wet
Too dry
Bedding is used up |
Add more bedding
Moisten bedding
Harvest your bin |
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Bin stinks! |
Not enough air
Too much food
Too wet |
Drill more ventilation holes
Do not feed for 1-2 weeks
Add more bedding |
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Fruit Flys |
Exposed food |
Bury food in bedding |
Vermicomposting Box
Materials: exterior plywood (with the exterior side facing in) or salvaged lumber. Use untreated wood.
For a 2'x 2'x 10" box (for up to 4 pounds of scraps per week)
- Sides: 22 3/4" x 10"
- Ends: 24" x 10"
- Bottom: 24" x 24"
- Top: 24" x 24"
For a 2'x 3'x 12" box (for up to 6 pounds of scraps per week)
- Sides: 34 3/4" x 12"
- Ends: 24" x 12"
- Bottom: 24" x 36"
- Top: 24" x 36"
Assembly:
Nail or screw the ends to the outside edges of the sides. Secure to bottom with five to seven nails or screws per side. Drill nine to 12 quarter-inch drainage holes evenly spaced across the bottom surface. The top slides on and off, or you can hinge it to one of ends.
Options:
Care:
Allowing the bin to dry entirely in between compost harvests will help it last longer.
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