Worm Bin Components: The container
The container of a worm bin, especially a home worm bin, fulfills a couple of needs.
- keeps worms in a habitat that they enjoy: humid and dark
- keeps worms and other bin inhabitants in
- pleasing to the eye
- durable
- cheap
- light, so you can move it if you need to
I’ve used the following containers for worm bins:
- compost bin
- rubbermaid box
- wooden box
Each of these has benefits and drawbacks.
The compost bin is what I currently use. It is very durable, looks alright, and provides a great environment for the worms. They especially like the fact that they can get into the ground–giving worms more control over their environment leads to happier worms. However, the compost bin is not mobile at all. If I had moles or some other pest, it would not do a great job of preventing that pest from invading the bin (though I did put some chicken wire underneath the bin). This bin was also about $50, and I got a special deal through the county of Boulder. So, not all that cheap.
The rubbermaid bin is cheap, durable, and light. My major issue with it is that I need a lot of rubbermaid bins to process all of my materials. I’ve read of people stacking bins 4 and 5 high, so if you want some concentrated worm power, this may be a container to use. Melanie, a longtime vermicomposter, uses a “10 gallon rubbermaid tote”. And here’s a great pdf from the Boulder Compost Company about making your own worm bin.
The wood box I build was fun. You can build just the size of worm bin you want (mine was 2ftx2ft), and make it look anyway you want. If you make it out of scraps, you can’t get cheaper. However, wood is heavier than plastic and definitely not as durable. The humidity that red wigglers like causes wood to break down. I used my bin for a year or two and saw some wear and tear, though it did not fall apart. I have read that wood bins should be rested every few years to maximize their longevity.
In short, you’re looking for a container that will fit well with your needs. Just getting into worming? Consider a cheap plastic tote. Have a lot of worms–think about a bigger container. Just keep the criteria at the top of this post in mind, and you’ll do fine.
Add comment October 6th, 2009
