How to make a countertop worm composting bin
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Want to make a countertop worm composting bin? Seeing your food and paper scraps turn into nutrient-rich fertilizers for houseplants or your garden can be fun and exciting. Many people are unaware they can compost with worms inside their apartment or small homes.
I recently made a bunch of worms composting starter kits for Earth Day and National Gardening Week. I wanted to share how I was about to repurpose old packaging to make worm composting starter kits. Without any further ado – let’s get started.
Composting Worm Starter Kit
How to make a free worm composting starter kit?
To get started, you just need to find an opaque container with a lid, a drill, a pair of scissors, some newspaper, and a banana peel. This free little starter bin is a great way to start worm composting. You can give this starter bin to a friend or family member. You can also keep it for yourself and upgrade it when necessary.
Total Time Needed :
30
Minutes
Total Cost:
0
USD
Required Tools:
Things Needed?
Steps to make a worm starter kit:
Step 1: Find A Container
The first thing you need to do to build your composting worm starter bin is to find a container for the kit. Thankfully many up-cycled and repurposed containers can provide a good home for your worms. I chose to use a large ice cream container to create my kit. The container is opaque, a decent size for them to grow for a few weeks to a month has a lid, and is sturdy.
Step 2: Drill Air Holes
Once you’ve found your container, it’s time to add air holes along the top of the rim, drill air holes about one inch apart. Also, feel free to drill holes in the lid as well. Airflow is key to keeping a happy worm bin, even if it is a temporary starter home. I took some 80 grit sandpaper and sanded it over each drill hole to smooth everything over.
Step 3: Add New Bedding
Next, you’re going to want to add some new fresh bedding at the bottom of your bin. I used extra corrugated brown cardboard that I had on hand from a recent package for this project. I soaked them in some spring water. After soaking I wrung them out to pretty good. Please think of the wetness of recently washed laundry before you dry it. I first cut them with a pair of scissors into narrow two-inch strips.
Step 4: Add Worms
Once you’ve added the bedding, it’s time to add some food. I grabbed a good handful of worms and bedding and finished compost into the bin. I wouldn’t say I like to pick just the worms out. This is because I want to include and share the good and beneficial microbes and bacteria that have developed in my bin. Next, you’ll want to add some food. I like to help my little wormy friends out and cut up two teaspoons of thinly sliced banana.
However, adding too much food can be deadly for the worm bin, so add a small amount of blended or thinly sliced food scraps into one of the corners of the bin.
Step 5: Add Food
Next, since you don’t know when you will feed them next, you’ll want to add some food. I like to help my little wormy friends out and cut up two teaspoons of thinly sliced banana.
However, adding too much food can be deadly for the worm bin, so add a small amount of blended or thinly sliced food scraps into one of the corners of the bin.
Step 6: Cover With Bedding
Finally, after you pocket-fed your worms for their journey, it’s time to tuck them in with another layer of that 2-inch strips of cardboard. This gives your worms protection from the light and additional bedding that they can hide.
So there you have it, a quick, easy, and kid-friendly activity to make a countertop worm composting bin. After you’re finished, it is a good idea to check on the worms daily in the beginning. You may notice your worms climbing up the side, which is a common issue. If your worms are trying to escape, check out a recent article I wrote to troubleshoot this issue.
