In the video below we show you how to make a cheap and easy indoor worm compost bin that works better than any of those expensive “worm condo” type systems you see in gardening magazines. I tried store bought composters several times and, although some were better than others, I’ve yet to find a system that works better than this one. The best thing about making an indoor worm composting bin from plastic storage bins is that you can do it for under $10. Here’s how…
More Composting Resources
- Composting Websites
- Using Wooden Pallets to Make an Outdoor Compost Bin
- How to Compost Guide
Nice looking worm bin! We might add the third bin to ours at some point — so far, our bin seems to get ready to harvest around the same time we’re ready to move the worms outside for the summer, so we don’t need the extra bin.
I’ve had good luck using leaves instead of newspaper as the brown matter, since we don’t subscribe to the newspaper.
“Indoor” is really appealing these days, especially when it’s too cold outside for both worms and humans! I would just need to find a place to put one.
Thank you! I am a little confused about how to manage the 2 bins. I see there are castings in the 2nd one down. When do you empty and which one and…. I am just confused. Please explain? When do you switch them?
Yolanda,
The top two bins are for the worms and food and the bottom bin is for the compost tea / water drippings.
I start putting food in the middle bin first. When it gets full enough, I give the whole system a rest for a couple of weeks and then start putting fresh food into the top bin.
The worms smell the fresh food above and move up into the top bin in order to get at it. Within two weeks the middle bin is mostly empty of worms, but full of compost and worm castings.
I then dump out the contents of the middle bin and use it. At that time I’ll also dump out the compost tea in the bottom bin and use that as well.
Then I put what was the middle bin, which is now empty, on top so it becomes the top bin. The bottom bin always stays on the bottom because it’s the only one without holes.
Make sense? Sorry I should have explained that better in the video.
Most people only use two bins for this and catch the drippings in a lid that sits under them like a tray. I find that this is messy because the juice spills everywhere if it’s in a tray. That’s the only reason I have an extra bin – so it acts like a reservoir on the bottom to catch all of the liquid.
I love this! This is the next natural step for us as well but we are going to wait until the warmer months to start with the worm composting!