Easy DIY Worm Compost Bin

Build your own simple DIY worm compost bin. Make your own vermicompost, worm castings, and compost tea. This design only requires a few tools and materials. Build time was roughly an hour.
Compost worms: amzn.to/3mOWJrv
If you're looking for a ready-made solution, we had excellent results using this worm composter: amzn.to/3FlTa2n
For an in-depth step by step video on how to build this worm compost bin check out Rishi's video • How to Build the Ultim... or visit his KZbin channel Regenerative Gardening with Farmer Rishi / @sarvodayafarms
Website: peacelovegarden.com
Facebook: / plgardenstore
Instagram: / peace_love_garden
Twitter: / pelogarden
Pinterest: / peacelovegarden

[@marytallman5599]

Being a woodworker, I wish I found you before buying a 5 bin tower, but I am so grateful for your help in the search on how to start and add all of the towers! I will expand more economically in the future here in Austin TX. Thank you. Buy the way, only red wrigglers will stay in the top 6 inches. Some people will grow night crawlers and they are deep dwellers, so make sure the worm species is the reds, available in smaller units ( just 2 of us for scraps) at Walmart in the fishing bait refrigerator…30 reds under $5!

[@keshatton2334]

I totally love your wormery. My wife bought me one for my birthday and i have very happy and content worms producing lots of baby worms and some great compost. Your bin is fantastic, you explained the process in a very simple way. Your description of how the worms migrate upwards is far simpler to understand than the instructions i had with my plastic sshop bought model. Your wooden box is prettier, sturdier very simple but it does everything mine does for a fraction of the price. Very well done. You have earned yourself a fan in the UK, i am a subscriber. Top video.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Thank you so much for the kind words! I appreciate you taking the time to comment and subscribe!

[@mafftv3801]

Hi I’m from uk, can you recommend where to get the best worms from as I really want to get a worm bin going for my own castings

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

In the US they can be order from Amazon but not the most cost effective option. The red wigglers are also used as fishing bait so check bait stores. I found someone local to me that sold them on Facebook Marketplace. Another possibility might be pet stores as food for lizards. Hope this helps!

[@mafftv3801]

@@PeaceLoveGarden thank you so much mate I’ll try all them options! Cheers

[@jaywalker5561]

No bs. Best stackable worm farm video I've seen.😎👍

[@schmaingd]

Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks for sharing!

[@learnimplementshare3431]

Thanks for this. Awesome tutorial. Almost finished making mine today. Love your No BS approach!

[@gaijinguide9017]

Love the design! Thanks for sharing all that great info!

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Glad you found it useful!

[@Michelessex]

Superior communication w/o BS, simple straight-forward presentation; good design too. Simplicity takes more work but worth every bit of it. Thank you.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Thank you for the kind words and taking the time to comment!

[@hikurukutai]

good points made and straight to the point looking to make the same

[@carissac8959]

Finally! Easy worm compost. TYSM

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

You're welcome. Glad you found it useful!

[@andychavez]

Amazing. I will make variation of your design, but it is the best i listened in youtube. Convenient and simple.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

I'm glad you enjoyed. It has been working great for me!

[@aprilbritton4328]

I hope to build a compost worm bed soon. I will let ya know how it works out. Thanks for the instructional video

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

It's really simple to build, go for it! So far my worms have been going to town on good scraps with the composter in my basement. I'm looking forward to moving it outdoors in the coming weeks.

[@tacosforus1688]

Great video. One of the best designs I've seen on youtube.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@HeritageWaysKatie]

Very helpful. Thank-you.

[@philphilphil]

Fantastic!

[@pareshkhakharia9103]

Thank you for this simple DIY method.

[@pareshkhakharia9103]

I am trying to source the metal mesh, is it 1/4 or 1/2 inch square hole? Is it stainless steel or galvanised?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

1/2" holes, steel mesh

[@christyjones4084]

Thank you so much for this video!!!.... I actually had the same thoughts of the wooden base worm bin but didn't really know exactly how to go about doing it.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

You're welcome. Simple to build and use, inexpensive, and it works great. Glad you found the video useful. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

[@holaholaoficial]

Gracias x compartir DIOS LO BENDICE SIEMPRE!✌🎆👌💪👏

[@AdamCanFly]

I’m going to try this tomorrow.

[@AdamCanFly]

I skipped a couple of days and built it today. I used some 2x4s and chicken wire that I had in the garage. I ended up making it 2’x2’ and 4 layers. Now I just need worms! Thanks for the video!

[@sanjaydwivedi4003]

Nice and easy system.

[@50sorrowC]

Thanks for the video. I want to build one with natural materials and avoid using plastic at all cost.

[@lazyroo6734]

Great info 👍

[@TheThursdayGroup-qb2nn]

Thanks so much, this is a nice explainer! I'm failing upwards with this.

[@k.chriscaldwell4141]

Many thanks.

[@mikesweeney4443]

Great video

[@cynch1962]

Thanks for sharing ☺️, great video! New here, watching from the Philippines.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@jhangfk]

It's good idea for wormery, I will be making similar design but mixing the concept of hungry bin of New Zealand.

[@Chantellelikesleaves]

Thanks for such a simple and well-explained video. This is going to help my school project a lot. Hope your worms are going well.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

The are doing very well. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@dennislink7957]

If you make your handles and inch higher so they protrude above the frames and put them on all 4 sides they will act as postioners for the frames above and the lid will not need the bottom cleats.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Great idea!

[@alan30189]

Very good. Be sure to dampen that dirt in the bottom slightly, then add the worms. The dirt you used looked very dry. I think I would use 1/4” hardware cloth instead of 1/2”. All people really need to build it is the hardware cloth and the fasteners, because you could probably pick up scrap 2x4’s almost anywhere, for free. A new home job site dumpster would probably have plenty of appropriate length 2x4’s. Just ask permission to take them.

[@charlottebannerman729]

I watched yours & Rishi’s video. They were so awesome, I decided to do it! I’ve never composted before & now I worry if I’m doing it right. Are my worms happy? Do I have the right mix of greens to browns? Am I over/under feeding? Is it too dry? Is mold okay? When should I start the next tray? How do I start the next tray? Is it getting enough air? Do I need to mix up the bin occasionally? Do you experience a lot of leakage/seepage? How should it look inside? How often should I be checking them? How often do you feed/add scraps? See, I have a lot of questions! I’d love an update video, gross rotten food parts & all. 😃✌️

[@britneyb8876]

How'd it go

[@britneyb8876]

The worms dont eat through the newspaper at the bottom?

[@juliusgabol]

I was wondering if those wire mesh would last long? Will it rust quickly as it will be moist most of the time?

[@micolg4808]

Hello. Interesting video! A question...how do you take the compost from the bottom, the grid. Thanks

[@sharonclarke221]

Curious if the design allows for enough air flow? I do like the concept, except I’d figure out a better bottom for collection of moisture.

[@jarianhasibuan7550]

Are you related to Ed Helms? LOL love the worms

[@danielasalamanca9027]

Looks great! Would you recommend putting a sealer on the wood to protect it from moisture?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

It probably wouldn't hurt to seal just be mindful of what you use. Honestly tho, after a full season of using this I saw no deterioration of the wood. For the cost of 2x4 lumber I'd be willing to just replace any rot in a few years rather than take the chance of tainting the castings or poisoning the worms with sealer.

[@alan30189]

Just use some type of natural sealer, if you use one. You don’t want to kill your worms. It’s actually good for the wood to breathe a little bit, so excess moisture gets out.

[@mammacass5311]

Do you have an update on this system?

[@carlpohl1429]

Do you also place newspaper and some soil at the bottom of the top trays? It would be great if you can do a follow-up video on how you run this system in the long run.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

There's no need to line the bottoms of anything other than the lowest tray. As you add trays and the worm castings fill them it will become sort of a solid column of worm castings. The worm castings will be firm enough to stay in the trays once full as you separate them. Once you have 3 trays of height full of worm castings and it comes time to remove the lower tray then the one above it (which will become the bottom tray) should be firm enough to stay in the tray without falling through the screen. The bottom tray is only lined to get started because the materials will be very loose initially. I'll work on a follow up video this summer. Thanks for watching!

[@carlpohl1429]

@@PeaceLoveGarden I really like the design. Simple yet effective. Cool video, I have just subscribed :)

[@joeohalloran9309]

I know you've probably found out by now that the worms do not all move up most will, however a lot will stay below too, you have to get them out.

[@vikas64233]

How much time does this take to complete one layer convert into castings?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Usually takes a month or so. Variables would be the amount of worms and how much you feed.

[@chrisellemayyambao9340]

Thank you for this video. We just made ours last week. If you put the worms at the bottom, can you put a cardboard/newspaper bedding on the top layers? I am just thinking that the worms might struggle to go up if there is a flat bedding like that.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Glad you enjoyed the video. I would only line the bottom of the starting tray with newspaper or cardboard. Not to the layers added above it. Thanks for watching!

[@BadAce67]

@@PeaceLoveGarden might just not be fully understanding this, but if you only put newspaper on the bottom layer, when you change that one out how do you ensure the new bottom layer that doesn't have the newspaper doesn't just drop the casting everywhere?

[@robinhardison5817]

The liquid that collects at the bottom is not worm tea or compost tea. A compost tea is 'brewed' in a separate container with nutrients to build up a beneficial bacteria

[@conniethesconnie]

what drains out is excess moisture. What you want to do is separate the castings THEN you flush it with water to leech the nutrients. The best I have seen is filtered and purified 3 times to make a concentrated tea that is free or particulate.

[@ib032011]

Hi Peace Love Garden,the worms will multiply , will it be too packed when it move up to upper layer?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

The worms will multiply but seem to self limit based on the amount of food available. I have not had a problem with overpopulation.

[@kangsuryo1986]

👌👌👌👌👌👍💪

[@dianemoos2951]

If your if you are getting more sure coming out the bottom it is too wet there should be no more stir coming out of anywhere

[@jfbreese]

Truly appreciate your video! Great design. You actually don't need a lid though. Perhaps that has been covered in previous comments. Worms hate light... as long as you get them acclimated in the first day or two, not a single worm will try to escape.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Good to know. Do you have trouble with critters digging them up with no lid?

[@marcodipilla593]

Hello, my friend, I followed your advice and built a worm composter like yours. After three months, when I am filling the top third drawer, a lot of midges are appearing. I always keep an eye on the nutrition and humidity of my composter. Why do you think midges have appeared? Thank you for your answer, marco from Italy

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

It will vary depending how many worms you have and how much you feed. Generally for me it takes about a month or less per tray.

[@marcodipilla7940]

@@PeaceLoveGarden The same is for me. Thank you for your help!

[@joshuadunn5724]

Good video simple design👍 I would advise against using any liquid from your bins as it will have come in contact with matter in various stages of decomposition. Proper worm tea is made with finished castings only

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Thanks for the input. Yes since posting this video I did read somewhere about exactly what you mentioned, not using drippings. I appreciate the feedback!

[@christyjones4084]

Thank you for this information, but what exactly is finished casting and if possible is there a sufficient way of doing so?... I just started composting to ready for the spring I'm currently using a compost bin that you have to turn manually and the juice will drop from the compost due to weather so we've been collecting it by placing a plastic bin under the compost bin.

[@jeffcameron7853]

Can you post a follow up at some stage in the future please

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

I will post updates soon. So far I've only had this going in my basement over the winter. Once I move it outside I'll do some updates. I haven't been adding too many food scraps indoors because the gnats. System is working well so far tho, worms are multiplying.

[@moradmoses3779]

As I add additional layer! do i need to add food and dirt? or just food, Thank in advance

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Just food when you add additional layers.

[@sabrinacoelho6079]

Could I use this inside ? I live in an apartment and I wanted to make one but I’m concerned of the humidity in the wood it self getting ugly and stuff

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

I built and used it indoors the first year in the basement of my house. Might need to scale down the size for use in an apartment but I don't see why you'd have a problem.

[@spencedoucet21]

Will this work outdoors in 108°+ summer heat and 20° winter weather?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Those extremes would probably be the demise of the worms. Maybe the summer heat would work if you kept them in the shade. You'd need to bring them in a warmer area for winter.

[@simpleweeble]

This is exactly what we are looking for! How many worms did you use?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

I started with 300 but they have since been multiplying. I'd guess I've got at least triple that amount since I started it. They multiply pretty rapidly.

[@simpleweeble]

@@PeaceLoveGarden Thanks so much! BTW, my husband loves your channel and has been checking using your tips for our garden / kratky!

[@victorm7274]

@@simpleweeble Once full of castings its way to heavy. I had to take it apart and cut it in half.

[@paulgeorge8986]

How long did wood hold up in this system?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

This is my first year using it and do far everything is intact with no obvious wear. The wood is so cheap and it would be easy to replace tiers as they wear out. Really only takes a couple minutes to put the tiers together.

[@jimmiller6704]

How heavy is that 2'x3' when it's full of compost? A person would have to lift two of those together to get the bottom one out. Two together would weigh?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

I haven't actually put it on the scale but I'd guess it to be 20lbs or less. It's pretty dense, the moisture level will make a difference. You could move one tray at a time also.

[@jimmiller6704]

@@PeaceLoveGarden 20 pounds. Not too bad even at 40 for me. Thanks.

[@britneyb8876]

Do the worms eat through the newspaper at the bottom though?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

I didn't have any trouble with that. They worked their way upward as I added food scraps.

[@mssavedin92]

I am totally going to make this! Im soooo tired of having to sift through the worms and the castings. Its a HUGE job, I had 4 bins and its so much work and sifting the worms must be hard on them too. So, Thankyou. I havnt seen Rish's video yet but I have a question...do you add layers of newspaper and soil to every layer? It doesnt look like it but wondering about the worms falling back through the screen to the level below it...if all we are doing is adding food to the next level up, how do the worms stay put?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Glad you enjoyed the video. There's no need to add newspaper to the upper layers, just the starting layer. You really won't be adding more layers anyway until the lower one is filled to the top. There should be no empty space between the top of the lower layer and bottom of the upper layer if that makes sense.

[@mssavedin92]

@@PeaceLoveGarden ok , so if I understand correctly. all i need to do is add the food.? ie. food scraps and shredded paper?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Yes to the additional layers. I only lined the bottom with newspaper and some soil to retain the worms initially so they didn't fall out the bottom screen. The layers I stacked on top I just add food scraps.

[@mssavedin92]

@@PeaceLoveGarden Thankyou! So I did make this last week, a 4 tiered worm condo..turned out beautifully..and the lid...wow!!Really awesome. So, I added two 4 inch pieces of the 2x2 and screwed them into the inside of the lowest lid frame..about 1/2 away from the corner joints( the front left side one and the right rear one. Didnt want the lid to be able to move. They re kinda like a peg. Works well and now the lid is secure. And just yesterday I went ahead and sifted my 2 bins of worms...for the last time!! yehhhh. I can hardly wait till that first tray fills up. Cheers

[@MosesMLam]

Does it need some air vents?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

There are many small gaps that allow enough air in.

[@littlenugs9942]

Easy food for them is corn meal, oats, and wheat floor. Which will also help get you some fungal dominated castings

[@navarone52]

Will this work with European Night Crawlers?

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

I used red wigglers. My understanding is that nightcrawlers don't work as compost worms but I'm no expert. Sorry.

[@navarone52]

@@PeaceLoveGarden They do work from what I've read. www.wormfarmfacts.com/European-Night-Crawler.html Thank you though.

[@arianarodriguez2618]

Hi, how do the worms breathe if there are no air holes? Are the holes on the bottom enough for them? Thanks

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Lumber is not perfectly straight so there are a lot of gaps between the trays in addition to the open bottom screen as you mentioned.

[@rubyrose49]

I would love to do this but I am scared of worms 🐛

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

You don't really have to touch the worms with this setup.

[@rubyrose49]

@@PeaceLoveGarden In your experience, did you have to scoop out the worms from the worm casting or from the bottom tray? Worms are my biggest phobia but I need the worm casting for my plants.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

@@rubyrose49 no need to touch them. They will migrate up into the upper trays because they follow the food. You can then pull out the lower trays to harvest mostly pure work castings. There may still be a few worms in the lower levels but they generally stay in the top 6 inches so if you have 3 trays full the bottom should be mostly void of worms.

[@TrehanCreekOutdoors]

This is a good design in many ways, and the video presented it well. So I am not trying to degrade your project at all. But I feel you need to emphasis that this system requires you to wait a relatively long time to be able to harvest any vermicompost. You have to wait until there are at THREE FULL TRAYS before you remove the bottom tray to get your first vermicompost harvest. If you pull out the bottom tray too early before you have three full trays, say when you only had the third tray half full, then the worms would still be sometimes going back down 6 inches which would put some of them back into the bottom tray. Essentially the worms have to build up an entire foot of compost before you can safely remove the bottom tray. That's going to take a LONG time! I have a worm bin on my farm and when it gets cold, worms naturally go as deep as they have to to get to a warmer layer of soil. Based on my experience, unless you grossly overload the bins with way too many worms for the bin size, it will take at least two or three months to fill up ONE bin. Since worms slow down a bit during colder weather, to get three full bins and therefore be ready to make a first harvest without losing deep burrowing worms, it could take you a full year of time. I think that is way to long for the average worm farmer to be willing to wait to get at the vermicompost. By the time the third bin is full and you can safely pull the bottom bin without losing worms, that bottom bin will likely have been sitting with finished vermicompost in it for about 6 months or longer. It may be pretty dried out too by then, making it less useful in my opinion. Like I say, its not a bad system and I like several aspects of it. But having to wait 9 to 12 months before getting your first vermicompost harvest while at least two more bins fill up is not a trade off I would be willing to make for no more gain than to not have to spend 10 minutes or so screening out a tray to save the worms. Do your viewers a favor. I challenge you to set up a camera on a completely new system and take one photo every single day. Put them together in a video and lets see how long it takes your worms to fill three trays completely up so you can get your first harvest. That's the huge flaw I see in this system. Just be fair and don't fill it up for them by dumping in extra soil, excessive bedding materials, and excess food. Feed them on a regular schedule as you are supposed to do and give them only the amount they actually will eat each time. Worms do produce a fair amount of compost but it does take time, again unless you over load the bin with way too many worms trying to boost production. If you do it RIGHT, its going to take time. That said, good luck in your worm farming.

[@nicoc80]

How would you fix it?

[@TrehanCreekOutdoors]

@@nicoc80 Personally I would leave your system as it is but just take 10 minutes or so to screen every tray to insure all the worms were out.

[@victorm7274]

I wish people would do video after they try their ideas. In reality its a good idea BUT once full of castings it turns out to be so HEAVY. I did this exact size , I had to take it apart and cut it in half.

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Personally I didn't find it too heavy. Guess it's a matter of ones own strength.

[@victorm7274]

@@PeaceLoveGarden it’s just awkward to pick up. It puts a strain on your back. I’m sure if I had kept it that size I’m sure I would’ve threw my back out. But half the size is perfect 👍🏼

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

Glad you found a solution that worked for you. I assume it produced equally as well at half the size?!

[@victorm7274]

@@PeaceLoveGarden it does 👍🏼

[@gulli4115]

I bet your worms escaped, there are too many small gaps

[@PeaceLoveGarden]

No issues with worms leaving. They don't leave when it's moist and food is plenty.