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Red wiggler worms, Eisenia foetida,or Lumbricus rubellus are the guys you want when you put together your bin. Done correctly you will have a bin that contains many of these little critters and plenty of the rich, dark, earthy smelling soil amendment. Proper care will allow for continued growth of your little friends where one day you might be able to sell them yourself.

You will need a wood or plastic container about 8-12 inches deep. In this day and age the plastic bin is too easy to get and keep in good condition. You will need to drill holes: 8 to 12 holes of 1/4 - l/2 inches each. These are drilled in the bottom for drainage and air movement. This should be kept at a constant temperature and up a bit on blocks of some sort and a tray to catch any liquids. A piece of burlap over the top will allow for air movement, the dark they need and ease of feeding.
You need to weigh your discarded foods for the week so that you know how much you have. One square foot of surface area for each pound. Bedding is shredded newspapers, leaves, straw, cardboard, anything that would go into a regular compost bin. Make it about three quarters full and like a wrung out sponge moisture wise.

You need about 2 pounds of worms for 1 pound of kitchen scraps. No meat or dairy of course. You can start with less worms, just feed less until their numbers increase. Please remember to bury the food when feeding.
If all goes well you should see no bedding in about 2 1/2 months. Then you harvest the dark, brown castings. Separate out the little guys and you can start all over again. For your garden, potted plants or in the greenhouse. You could probably sell this too.
Good luck with starting your own worm bin.

Learn more about this author, Rebecca Haughn.
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