Indoor Worm Composting Bin Explained 🪱

[@dalladi]

I feel strongly that the chicken deserved a worm for the cameo

[@earthnailsandtails]

😂😂 I didn’t even notice her until I was done editing, nice time chicken, next time

[@denisef1153]

Lol. I didn’t notice the chicken until I read your comment and rewatched it just to see. So cute.

[@growingtogether35]

the worms are producing liquid gold if I had land I would setup several of these buckets before I spent another dollar on Medi One by green planet they sell 1L of "liquid worm casting" which is 40 Canadian dollans which is just crazy I respect this video great information .

[@earthnailsandtails]

The system uses three buckets. The bottom bucket is completely solid in order to capture any liquid drainage that comes from the worm composting process. The other two buckets have holes in the bottom that are large enough for the worms to travel through and for liquid to drain out. The two buckets also have very tiny holes up top that allow for natural circulation but they’re small enough to prevent the worms from getting out and to keep small bugs from getting in. I hope this helps to clarify any confusion and allows you to have a better understanding of how my indoor worm bin works.

[@robertparramorespressurewa4381]

But don't u want liquid in the bottom for worm tea. When u add moisture to your worm bin

[@shadowmancer7040]

Holes small enough to prevent fruit flies.... extremely tiny.

[@muhammadibrahimali673]

Tentatively how many worms are ideal for keeping in one such setup

[@discoverFigureitout]

Let’s hope minimal worms fall thru the holes too end up evolving into poisonous water snakes🤟

[@SurvivedaReset]

Cool But what about the eggs? Do you sift the castings at all? How often do you switch out the bucket?

[@alwayshere6956]

You're helping push forward the future, okay? Humans are our connectivity to the dirt around us, our knowledge of the ways of the world.. ty

[@theripper451]

I miss having chickens. Your friend was so curious. She’s like “dad what’s this?”

[@earthnailsandtails]

Haha they are so curious

[@barefootbutterfly321]

They know what’s in there 🤣 they want to eat them 😋

[@ozzy_fromhell]

Oh they know what’s in there😂

[@christopherweber3373]

This is the best explanation of this system on youtube. I have been watching videos for hours, and no one is explaining a freaking thing.

[@chago4202000]

Quick, easy, straight to the point. Thank you.

[@rewanthr]

Thank you! This was much clearer

[@earthnailsandtails]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Avichai_Levi]

Man I’m so grateful I found your channel! I’m originally from Chicago and moved to Frankfort Kentucky. City man and now a country man 😂. Now turned garden man lol. I’ve binged your short videos and learned so much! New sub! Sent this channel to all my farmer friends! This channel deserves wayyyyy more followers, likes, views, and comments! Wish you the best bro! 👏🏾

[@cchico41]

Wow!!! Thank you so much for sharing

[@Eddie_the_Husky]

Thank you for the detailed explanation!

[@earthnailsandtails]

Glad it was helpful!

[@azurisora9836]

Thank you for sharing, I found your explantion clear and easy to undersrand.

[@earthnailsandtails]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Tim.McElheny]

Great set up, thanks for posting

[@driveramd12]

Ingenious! Awesome dude! Thank you!

[@mona.shaaban]

I like the idea very much 😊

[@yeltonbryan]

How long does that take?

[@lauranyc4966]

AMAZING 👍🏻🙏🏻💗

[@msee1213]

Such a simple design! Brilliant 👍

[@JohnSmith-kf1fc]

This is pretty cool!

[@stevena9512]

It’s just that simple-Good job explaining.

[@earthnailsandtails]

Thanks!

[@zedmeinhardt3404]

Love this design! Indoor worms is a requirement in Phoenix area! Curious about cutting a large circle hole in lid and gluing a piece of window screen? My thinking is more air, and no fruit flies/etc if the mesh is sufficiently small. Also, less work than 100 small holes.

[@earthnailsandtails]

We have had the bin for about 9 months and haven’t had any issues with bugs. As long as you bury the scraps you should be good 👍🏼 the lid helps to keep it dark which the worms want.

[@anncolburn3722]

@@earthnailsandtailsadding cardboard or shredded paper on top also helps

[@sharonspencer2312]

Thanks, love the vids.

[@NomadicAdventurer]

So do you sift out Ћ old dirt that Ћ worms migrate from (bucket two) or how do you know Ћ worms have migrated entirely?

[@bommeryeet4982]

Amazing!

[@emilyglasser1072]

Eisenia fetida is the best composting worms. Best to get them named as such, rather the generic term of red wigglers, as they may not be Eisenia f. but combination of worms.

[@jaydenwonner9425]

Do you have to put worms in there or do they naturally Form In the buckets?

[@rjviruz7353]

Is there a preferred soil to use?

[@jabohabo3821]

How often can you harvest castings

[@Jwjekekennenes]

When I was 5 I kept worms as pets in my room

[@yohanesliong4818]

Wow, brilliant!

[@AhsanAli-th3bb]

how much time to change the bin? and to be placed in sunny or shady place?

[@skarbuskreska]

can I keep them under my kitchentop? or do they require more wind for circulation?

[@NanasWorms]

As long as you don't have a lid that snaps on tight without holes, the worms will be fine. I actually run all my worm bins without lids. The worms want to stay in their bedding where all the yummy food is!

[@invictussol2116]

Hello just wanna ask how long would it take before it becomes overpopulated.

[@earthnailsandtails]

They self regulate based off of food

[@Taharris422]

So when you add the food scraps do you ad soil to cover the scraps or you you use the soil already in the bucket to cover the food scraps

[@earthnailsandtails]

Just use what’s in the bucket 👍🏼

[@elisatorres3541]

Thanks for your video! Do I need to add any dirt or other material in with the food scraps?

[@katherinereid8719]

You can but you don’t have to. I’d recommend blending your scrapes into a “smoothie” for the first little bit to really get it going.

[@AriiJ]

I would like to make worm buckets for my garden. How many bins do yoy recommend for a backyard garden? It's of decent size and we have a deck with other things.

[@LisaSumthin]

my worms end up in the bottom bucket

[@jessicatrujillo5610]

I think this is them trying to run away from something. When my compost I put them in that was still too hot, they escaped to the bottom bin.

[@Eiamii]

thanks for the explainer! have a question though, can regular buckets be used instead of food grade? do non food grade degrade faster or do chemicals leak into the compost or something?

[@earthnailsandtails]

We have a whole longform video out on our channel that you could check out for even more details, but non-food grade buckets will deteriorate faster, overtime and leach plastic into the worm castings which I would not want to add to my garden

[@Eiamii]

@@earthnailsandtails thanks for answering! I'm new to the channel (and to vermiculture) and just saw this short, I'll be checking that video out! thanks!

[@acesanchez818]

@@earthnailsandtailscan you use a non food grade bucket for the bottom only ??

[@emilyanglin6720]

@@acesanchez818no because where the liquid falls into the last bucket you can use as natryal fertilizer for your garden

[@alleyecn699]

Do you have any issues with pests like roaches crawling into compost bin? Thanks for video

[@earthnailsandtails]

Nope!

[@TrukNLife316]

Lol that chicken wanted a meal

[@mrtophat12]

As a paramedic, I love your shirt. PQRSTree... It's not lost on me. Cardiology is my jam. Where did you get it?

[@earthnailsandtails]

Designed by me! Available in our Etsy store :)

[@pattis8945]

👍 My worm bucket is in the ground. Can I use this principle w a 2nd and 3rd bin on top? How much volume of scraps can be put into the bin per week?

[@earthnailsandtails]

You wouldn’t need to add more buckets since the worms have access to the soil. Don’t add more than the worms can eat in a week

[@pattis8945]

@@earthnailsandtails Oooooh, that might've solved my issue! I might be feeding them too much. The scraps look 'eaten' but there are always so many chunks left over before I was feeding again. 6 yrs ago, I started amending the soil and it's never been richer or more beautiful, and I have seen more worms w each season. Thank you!

[@sandy5149]

​@@pattis8945 i have 4 buckets in my garden and always alternate the one I feed to😊

[@ibelieve722]

Worms will travel to food source. You could put buckets in other locations if desired.

[@zoewhitlow2385]

What do you do with the worm castings in the winter months when you don’t have an active garden?

[@earthnailsandtails]

You can store them in another bucket

[@cortneyellyn3233]

Does it stink? 😅I want to do this but I live in NYS and it’s freezing most of the year. If it doesn’t stink I don’t mind keeping it inside

[@earthnailsandtails]

Not at all if you do it right, we have. Whole long form KZbin video on how to properly set it up and use it

[@dianebeatty1323]

What kind of dirt are you putting in and where do you get your worms

[@judyl.761]

Thanks but what do you give the worms to live in when you first make the bin? Do you just put some top soil in their bucket?

[@LovingFlowers]

I started my worm bin with coconut coir and a handful of compost from my outdoor bin!

[@miguelescarda7571]

Followed this step sir but what do you think is cause why my worms keeps going up to the lid? They still have enough compost to digest in the first bucket. I also made some holes to the lid and also to the top part of the bucket. Thank you.

[@earthnailsandtails]

It might be too wet or too dry. In both cases they will try to escape

[@jeanetteiacovone1958]

How many worms did you start with and what are you using for dirt/medium ? Thank you

[@earthnailsandtails]

Search our page, we have a whole how to video

[@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403]

This might be a stupid question, but where do you get the worms from?

[@Raspukek-fu8un]

grab a shovel @ go to forest @ dig @ get worms

[@brandonvincula]

Just water your front yard at night , or purchase from the internet.

[@freedom2fly247]

How long does it take to compost? Multiple worms?

[@earthnailsandtails]

Hundreds of worms probably 6-9 months

[@luca194]

Can I skip the bottom bucket if I'm keeping it outdoors and don't mind it dripping on the floor? Or would it somehow be detrimental to the worms??

[@earthnailsandtails]

if you dont keep up with it all the worms could leave and you would have to start over

[@Tatiana-nw4bc]

Привет от калифорнийских дождевых червей из Сибири!))🎉🎉🎉👏

[@rachelc8368]

Would you say you prefer worm composting over outside "natural" no-worm composting?

[@Puppies-z9h]

Thank you very much, I'm looking forward to making one.

[@earthnailsandtails]

Awesome, Have fun!

[@josephnguyen1543]

So what happens to the soil and stuff from the second bucket after its taken out?

[@angetodac]

Excellent

[@angelflores1705]

Does this work for breeding them too ??

[@earthnailsandtails]

All the good things happen in the bin as long as you keep them happy

[@senboc]

Do you have to water it?

[@earthnailsandtails]

Nope!

[@erikawood6033]

What do you do with the liquid?

[@earthnailsandtails]

I put it at the base of my fruit trees

[@nadakuditigopikrishna6587]

Great. this is what I am looking for. thanks a lot!!

[@earthnailsandtails]

No problem!

[@elijahtorres7058]

What size holes for did you drill?

[@earthnailsandtails]

i used the smallest drill bit i had for the top holes and holes in the bottom are large enough for the worms to go through. we have a whole tutorial on the channel!

[@giselarominaquillin8038]

thank you so much!!! How many 🪱 I need to start it???

[@earthnailsandtails]

I started this bin off with 500 👍🏼

[@mariap.894]

​@@earthnailsandtails Could I start with 100? That's all my budget 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@NanasWorms]

@@mariap.894 Absolutely! I started one of my indoor worm bins with just 100 worms and I started each of my four inground garden worm towers with about 100 worms. They multiply rapidly but will not over populate a bin. Good luck!

[@angelasheppard7197]

Thank you. Shared

[@earthnailsandtails]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@ericnyamu9981]

so the holes on the middle bucket are very small so that worms donot fall though into the liquid below? right?

[@earthnailsandtails]

They can move in and out, some will make it into the bottom. If you seem works in the bottom it probably means there is not enough food and they are searching for it OR it’s way to wet which there will be a lot of liquid in the bottom

[@catherinemarsh5453]

How long does it take to make a bucket of worm castings to then change the bucket?

[@earthnailsandtails]

I’d say 6 months minimum

[@joetyler7374]

What stops the castings from falling through the holes?

[@earthnailsandtails]

They just clump well

[@elireyna3605]

Is it better to add food crap or leaf’s and grass clipping. ?

[@earthnailsandtails]

Food scraps 👍🏼

[@HiteshChopra]

Awesome

[@lanettelawrence6308]

Great.

[@tamaregromoll4128]

Thanks

[@oasis6023]

How often do you water a indoor worm bin. Outside bins they say once a week, but that's to much so is it once every 2 weeks?

[@earthnailsandtails]

I have never watered it ever. Adding the food scraps adds plenty of moisture. 👍🏼 starting off you want the material to be damp but not wet

[@oasis6023]

@@earthnailsandtails I see A lot of my worms have died sadly, but a good bit of them are still alive so I hope they'll repopulate. Shouldn't have treated it as a outdoor one, but I'll learn from my mistakes, and from your advice.

[@amyhort8359]

Thank You

[@Daughter_of_the_MostHigh]

Where do you get worms

[@earthnailsandtails]

Uncle Jim’s

[@read2gainknowledge]

Does it matter what kind of dirt you have the worms in?

[@earthnailsandtails]

Yes, it is not dirt actually it is coconut Coir. If you want to know more about the details we made a full length version

[@denisef1153]

I want to see that full version. Will look for it now. I’m really enjoying your channel. Thank You

[@hogrider6998]

where can i buy these buckets?

[@earthnailsandtails]

i got them from home depot

[@hogrider6998]

@@earthnailsandtails cheers mate

[@jd9386]

Hole size?

[@elsanavarrette3853]

How many worms do you start with?

[@earthnailsandtails]

500

[@zedmeinhardt3404]

How much do you feed the worms over what time period? I know this will be subjective for each person, just trying to estimate how many to make...

[@earthnailsandtails]

You can feed them more as the population grows. Start with a handful and see how long it takes them to eat it. Immediately feed them more. Eventually you will learn how much to feed each bin

[@cortneyellyn3233]

What are the bins called 😅 I want to do this

[@MxDandiBean]

They're food grade buckets. You can get them at Walmart. Another commenter on a different video mentioned that big chain bakeries, such as Walmart, could give them out for free to those who ask, but I've yet to verify that.

[@Wallnut99]

What kind of worms ?

[@earthnailsandtails]

red wigglers

[@brandi1221]

Troubleshooting help please! I did this method but managed to kill off half of my worms in just over three weeks. The bin smells like rotten flesh or dead fish. Did I overwater or let them get too hot? The living worms were crawling out of the buckets too

[@earthnailsandtails]

This sounds like you may have done both. What environment do you have them in? What did you add to the bucket? It should only be fruit and veggie scraps. We have a whole video on how to maintain it!

[@brandi1221]

@@earthnailsandtails I set up the buckets like you showed and fed them paper scraps veggies and fruits. Initially I kept them inside but then moved them outside to weather that reached high 80s and I added a glass of 6oz of water a few days ago. There was also about 2 inches of potting soil initially

[@jeremymcmichael7371]

How hot do you need to keep it

[@earthnailsandtails]

They like it around 70F 👌🏼

[@adventuresofdenasaur9808]

What kind and how many worms will we need to start with?

[@earthnailsandtails]

Red wiggles!

[@triccele]

How long do you wait from putting the third bucket until removing the middle one?

[@earthnailsandtails]

I would wait 2-3 weeks and as you are using the worm castings you can look for any stragglers and just add them to the new bucket

[@triccele]

@@earthnailsandtails Nice. Thanks for the answer

[@YouCrackedIt]

Does it smell?

[@francismarcoux8944]

Any odor ?

[@finn_4044]

How many worms do u start with?

[@NanasWorms]

I've started worm bins with as few as 100 worms. They multiply rapidly. You can get composting worms from bait stores or from looking through a compost or manure pile. You do not want to use earthworms that live in garden soil. Good luck!

[@pulangtuldok]

cutie Phil 😍😘

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

Redwigglers do not migrate up as much as you might think. Raised them for over 40 years....

[@earthnailsandtails]

Good insight, thanks!

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

@earthnailsandtails my indoor worm farm was much like A V wormery. I little more organized but I used the same tubs..but I didn't start doing it this way till I tried every other way..went to racke and tubs about 15 years ago. The bucket idea ( with a few changes ) is what I put in my raised beds outside. No bottom to catch drippings and a decorative top to remove and add worm foods. Later I just removed entire bottom and pulled bucket yearly and moved to another spot in raised beds..I didn't see worry about saving worms as I had millions inside. I should have sold more worms but was to. Busy to set up business farther than just selling castings on a small scale.

[@eightmana]

6 months in and I notice that my worms hang out at the bottom of my compost regardless of how much food I have up top.

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

@@eightmana it has to do with water/ wetness going down in any tiered ...

[@mrkitcatt2119]

​@@marjoriejohnson6535so if bottom is too wet they go up?

[@MxDandiBean]

My question is how long do you have to wait for the worms to migrate and how do you know when they do?

[@earthnailsandtails]

I’d wait a couple weeks. You will be using the worm castings they made im and if you find any in there just put them in the new top bin

[@freekkarar204]

How do u separate worms from compost?

[@Tabsy771]

You don't need to separate them. This is why you have 3 buckets. You first fill the 2. than the 3. you can remove the 2. because all of the worms are in the 3.

[@sandy5149]

You can sift or pick them out by hand. But you don't have to pick all out. You can also add them right into your garden if you have one. Just make sure they are native worms😊

[@NotSoHeartBroken]

Makes me miss my indoor worms....😢

[@3akr3]

How do you keep other 'pests' out? Ants, potato bugs, soldier flies, slugs etc?

[@earthnailsandtails]

The way it’s designed keeps out pests. Have yet to have a problem

[@lindacravens1359]

Thiscis titled indoir worm bin .. basement? Closet? Under sink? Garage? What temp range?

[@earthnailsandtails]

We have a whole full length guide on our channel. 70-75F is best

[@janaceramics]

Cool

[@nicholaskendall7479]

The only thing that confuses me is how do the worms not fall in the bottom bucket with the water, since it is a few inch drop they cant climb from.

[@earthnailsandtails]

Some do, you should check it and out then back in if needed but if you give them the environment they like they won’t want to leave

[@Katzbynite]

They will fall in the liquid bucket. To keep them from falling in the liquid bucket you either cheese cloth or tulle from the fabric store. It allows air to still circulate and the liquid to come through but the worms will stay in the second bin.

[@gardyian2258]

Smart guy

[@kaylakraft7293]

I did all that but they keep Escaping so what do I do

[@mrkitcatt2119]

What's the time frame on these

[@earthnailsandtails]

It all depends how much base material you start with and how much you stay on top of feeding them to keep the population growing. I’d say 6 months to 1 year

[@earthnailsandtails]

This will yield lbs of castings though. 2.5 gallons ish

[@giovannylopez600]

So you only add scraps? You don't add anything else?

[@abdullahaamer1077]

Does this smells bad? I really like the idea, wondering if I can do this in my garage