Worm Bin Directions - SDC/CMNH 1

1 Wade Oval Dr., University Circle

Cleveland, OH 44106
216-231-4600 x3402

Make your Own Worm Bin

Introduction: Having a worm bin in your home can help you and the environment by recycling your
organic food scraps (we'll explain what to put in the bin later). Those scraps which can get stinky in
the garbage and take up space in a landfill decay quickly in a worm bin. The worms create rich,
earthy smelling fertilizer with very little time and energy on your part.

Supplies:
1 - 18 /22 gallon opaque plastic container
with lid (such as a Rubber Maid container)
1 - 2.5' length of 1" diameter PVC pipe
4 - 1" diameter plastic furniture protectors
4 - 1" diameter plastic PVC pipe joints
2 pounds of red worms
Tub of Tap Water
Compost or soil from outdoors
Sand Paper
10 Full Pages from a newspaper

Tools:
Measuring Tape
Safety Glasses
Hand Saw
Utility Knife
Drill with a 1/4" drill bit
Black Marker
Ruler
Hammer
 Worm Bin Directions - SDC/CMNH- 2

1 Wade Oval Dr., University Circle

Cleveland, OH 44106
216-231-4600 x3402

Putting your Worm Bin Together

* A good job for kids
(Use safety glasses for any activities that may involve flying debris such as drilling or sawing)

STEP 1
Measure 5" up from the bottom of your plastic container on the short end. Make a mark there.
Do the same thing on the opposite end of the container.

STEP 2
Next, take one of the pipe joints and put the top of the joint against
the 5" mark and center it between the sides of the container. Draw
a circle around the pipe and cut it out with your knife. Do the same
thing on the opposite end of the container.

**Hint: Cut the circle first in a criss cross pattern criss cross pattern
to make it easier to remove the plastic. Repeat
on the other side of the container.

STEP 3
Measure the interior distance between the holes and subtract 2
inches. Cut one length of PVC pipe with your hand saw to that
length.

*Sand the rough edges of your pipe.

STEP 4
Push a joint through one hole in your container. Connect
the pipe from inside the container. Push the other joint in
and connect it to the other end of the pipe. The joints will
stick out a bit on either side. If the joints don't go into the holes,
firmly tap them with your hammer. If that doesn't work, enlarge
the holes slightly. The joints should fit snugly.

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 Worm Bin Directions - SDC/CMNH- 3

1 Wade Oval Dr., University Circle

Cleveland, OH 44106
216-231-4600 x3402

STEP 5
Next, look at one of the furniture protectors like a clock and make four cuts
straight down in the edge at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 positions. Make a second cut
that begins 1/8" from the first cut and angle it to form a right triangle.
Remove the plastic triangle. Repeat three times.You will have four angular
slots in the edge of the furniture protector. Create slots in the remaining
three protectors. Slots allow the edges to compress so you can eventually
push each protector inside of the PVC pipe.

STEP 6
To complete preparation of the ends, drill five holes in the
flat part of each furniture protector. Then put enough coffee filter
in each furniture protector to cover the holes so air moves in, but
fruit flies stay out. Insert each protector into a PVC pipe joint.
The worms won't leave unless conditions in your bin are not
right. If the protectors don't fit, enlarge the slots.

STEP 7
Prepare theother pipe. Repeat steps 1 - 5, but position the second set of holes nine inches from the bottom.

STEP 8
Remove the pipes from their fittings and drill holes in them like so: Take a pipe mark 1/2" in from the end.
Measure 1/4" from the first mark, turn the pipe a quarter turn. Continue with the marks until you
reach the end. Drill completely through each mark to create two holes for every mark.
*Sand the pipes to remove the rough edges and wipe down with a damp cloth afterwards. Put
them back in the tubes.

*STEP 9 1/2"
Shred all of the newspaper into one inch strips. Use the ruler, not to measure, but as a straight
edge. Tear with the grain of the paper. You can put several sheets of paper on top of each
other and tear several at once.

*STEP 10
Next moisten the newspaper in a tub of water. Do this outside or over the sink
as it can get messy. The strips should be moist but not dripping. The strips will
stick together so peel them apart and put them in your bin. Add the worms to
your bin. You can add up to 1/2 lb. of food scraps per day if you start with one
pound of worms. See the next page to learn what your worms will eat. Keep
the ratio of worms to food 2:1.
 Worm Bin Directions - SDC/CMNH- 4
1 Wade Oval Dr., University Circle
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-231-4600 x3402

Sample Foods to Add to your Worm Bin:

Berries Melon, melon rinds
Apple cores, apple peels Squash, squash rinds
Pear cores, pear peels Lettuce and other greens (without fat)
Celery Grains or breads without sauce, oil, butter
Carrots, carrot peels Tomatoes
Sweet peppers Cucumbers
Coffee grounds Mango peels
Tea bags without the staple Oatmeal
Bananna peels - FREEZE FIRST to Try others too. If they smell bad or fail to
prevent/minimize fruit flies decompose, remove them.

Foods/Items to add very sparingly after two months:

Garlic, onions

Citrus peels
Cruciferates (Broccoli, cabbage, and their relatives)

Foods/Items NOT to add:

Fats (cheese, yogurt, butter, oil, spreads, salad dressing, avocados, etc. )

Proteins (meat, fish, bones, nuts, seeds, tofu, etc.)

Pet waste, human waste

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 Worm Bin Directions - SDC/CMNH- 5
1 Wade Oval Dr., University Circle
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-231-4600 x3402

General Care of Your Worm Bin:

- Spray with water if it is dry to the touch.
- Add food several times per week but take care to keep ratio of worms to food scraps 2:1.
- Mix the bin lightly once per month to aerate and distribute the contents.

Harvest and Freeze:

After three months stop adding food to the worm bin. Wait approximately one month or until the
newspaper is gone and most of the contents are vermicompost. Separate the worms from the
vermicompost by moving all of the compost to one side of the bin and adding fresh newspaper and
food to the empty side. The worms will crawl into the fresh bedding, and you can remove your
finished compost, bag it and FREEZE it for a week. Freeze it because these worm like all earthworms
in northeast Ohio are NON-NATIVE. Thaw the compost and use it on your plants. Over time the worms
will multiply and you will need to give some away or start another bin. Don't add them to the garden.

How to Use the Compost:

1. Work 2 handfulls into soil around your garden or house plants.
2. Make a potting mix that is 20% vermicompost, 80% potting soil
3. Make "worm tea" by adding 2 TBSP vermicompost to 1 L of water. Shake, let it sit for 24 hours and
then water your plants with it. Don't let it sit around. Pour remaining solids back into your
vermicompost. Let the plant's requirments dictate how often to add compost. or compost tea.

Troubleshooting Tips:
1. Malodorous - Remove any items that aren't decomposing. Reduce or temporarily stop the
volume of food you add. Make certain there's adequate air flow and no standing liquid in your bin.

2. Fruit Flies - Trap them with a water trap. Fill a jar 25% full with vinegar and an apple piece. Add
three drops of soapy water to break the surface tension. Put a funnel over the mouth of the jar.
Once the flies find their way in, they don't usually find their way out. They drown. Place the jar in
near your worm bin. Collect fruit flies for a few days and empty outside every couple days
until you're rid of a large number of them. Rinse jar with hot water to kill eggs and start again.

3. Too Wet - Add dry bedding or drill holes in the bottom of the container for moisture to drain out.
Capture the "worm tea" (only if it smells earthy, NOT sour) and pour onto your plants after watering
with plain water.
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 Worm Bin Directions - SDC/CMNH- 6
1 Wade Oval Dr., University Circle
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-231-4600 x3402

References and more Info:

Appelhof, M. (1982). Worms eat my garbage. Kalamazoo, MI: Flower Press.

Applehof, M., et. al. (1993) Worms eat our garbage: Classroom activities for a better environment.
Kalamazoo, MI: Flower Press.

http://www.wormwoman.com/ http://www.wormmainea.com/

http://www.epa.gov/garbage/facts.htm http://www.redwormcomposting.com/

http://ecosyn.us/ecocity/Links/My_Links_Pages/Castings_01.htm

http://www.nrri.umn.edu/worms/ http://compost.css.cornell.edu/FoodCompostpr.html

Feel free to contact me with any questions: Beth Gatchell, Smead Discovery Center Coordinator
216 - 231 - 4600 x3402 or bgatchel@cmnh.org

Finished compost

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