DIY: How to Make a Vermiculture Box

Written by Jessica Reeder // August 10, 2011 // Uncategorized // No comments

Last spring, I dove into worm farming with a small, simple vermiculture bin.

It didn’t take long for me to decide that the “quick & easy” design was less than adequate for a hardcore hippie like myself. The bin didn’t drain well, and the worms were always in danger of drowning, and it filled up too fast, and the overall result was completely and totally disgusting.

So when I moved into my new place last month, I decided to build a big bin, something designed for my admittedly prodigious composting habit. You can do this too: all you really need is a wooden box with ventilation, and voila! Worm bin. Here’s how I made mine.

I went to the Habitate ReStore and picked up two hinged closet doors for $5 each, to make the box. From the surplus yard, I got a useful-looking slatted piece for $2, to make the ends.

I removed the hinges from one set of doors, and attached them at a right angle with long wood screws. Then I attached the other door, leaving the hinges intact. Instant hinged lid.

I cut the slatted piece in half and attached one half to each end of the box. That’ll keep the compost in, but provide airflow for my wee wrigglers. Plus they can escape through the slats, should they wish to flee the scavenger’s heaven I’m about to create in there.

Uh… then I dumped a bunch of crap in it.

MamaHun came to visit, and brought me worms from her own bin. I shredded some paper, wetted the whole thing down, dumped a little dirt on top with the remnants of my old compost bin… whee! Worm heaven.
It’s huge, imperfect in many ways, but it cost me $12 and under an hour of work, and I bet it’ll function just fine. Now I’ll have compost for spring planting.

PS – Why didn’t I cut the ends shorter so they don’t stick up? Because I’m lazy, that’s why. And because they hold the lid open so I can muck around in there with both hands.

PPS – A few months later, I decided to rodent-proof this box by stapling aluminum screen over all the gaps that were bigger than 1/4 inch. I recommend you do the same.