We will provide useful guidelines to help you choose the right worm compost bin for your home and garden.

However, worm compost bins are also useful even if you don’t have a garden but grow house plants. They are also practical when you want to make compost for plant containers or seedlings. Another important note to remember is that different types of bins can bring in different results. There are bins for different requirements so that you must also determine your gardening goals before getting one.

The following are some of the most common types of compost bins:

Stationary Bins

As the name implies, stationary bins are placed in a fixed place, one which is both ideal and convenient for composting. They are also large contains and can hold a lot of yard refuse and food waste. You can either buy them as a ready-to-use item or build one yourself. It is important to manually turn the compost every few days for aeration. You will need a pitchfork or a shovel for composting. If you plan to build a stationary bin, they can be made of anything else that is available, such as fencing, metal, plastic, or wood.

Rotating Bins

Raised above the ground for rotating, these bins are one of the faster ways to compost. They are round so that they can be taken off the stand and rolled around. This process makes it easy to stir and aerate. Rotating bins also remain closed, keeping the rank odors inside. Once the bin is closed, latched up, and replaced back on its stand, it becomes more difficult for an animal to get into and make a mess. Most rotating compost bins are large plastic or metal containers with a small door on one side which can be fastened and closed, along with tiny holes for venting.

Worm Bins

Worm bins are ideal for apartment dwellers and those with little space. They are easy to use and are inexpensive to set up. It allows the user to generate enough compost for their plants. Adding worms to your compost makes the process more effective. This process has a two-fold benefit: one, you can harvest the worms as bait for fishing, and two, use the compost for gardening. This compost is known as worm casting, and is actually worm excrement. You feed the worms different types of organic matter, and at the end, you get the castings which you can use to grow your plants.

Worm Compost Bin Variations

There are three common ways to set up a worm compost bin. However, there are just as many variations from these common three since ease of handling, quality of compost and other factors are taken into account by people who start a worm farm or set one up for collecting compost for the garden.

The first of these is using a container with holes drilled in it on the sides as well as the bottom. You then put a layer of gravel on the bottom, cover it with sheets of newspaper, some organic matter for food, some dirt, and put the worms in. Cover this with something, maybe some newspaper, a garbage bag, or even better, a metal lid. To catch any liquid or leachate that leaks out, you put it over a pan and make sure it is raised up on some sort of spacers. After refilling the waste matter when it gets low, you can now remove the worm castings out, and then start over. Always make sure that the contents are loose and well-aerated by turning them a few times every week.

The next variation is using two containers of the same size with holes and placing one on top of the other. Just like the first set up, raise them up over a pan, or put them on top of a third container of the same size. Once the top container is about half full, exchange it with the second container below. Put some food and other organic matter into the bin on top, and in a few weeks, all the worms will move to it, leaving you just great compost in the center bin.

The last variation of worm composting set up is known as a swag. This makes use of a sack, which is usually made of plastic, one with a wide top and a narrow bottom. The top is held open by a metal ring while the bottom is tied shut. A bucket is placed under the bottom to catch the leachate, an excellent liquid fertilizer, by the way. It can be hung from a strong post or tree, or you can buy a stand is available which is available on the market. You just feed the worms as the same way as the previous set ups. Once the castings are ready to collect, just untie the bottom and squeeze them out.

Setting Up a Worm Composting Bin