How to Use the Worm Factory 360
- Assembly. The Worm Factory is actually very easy to assemble. ...
- Preparing the Worm Farm Bedding. Next prepare the worms and bedding and add them to the first tray. ...
- Harvesting the Castings. After about 3-6 months, you’ll be ready to harvest your castings by removing the bottom tray and spreading it all over your garden.
How does the worm factory® work?
The Worm Factory is made with HDPE recycled plastic The patented Worm Factory® Standard is easy to set up and use. Simply add a handful of worms and your organic waste to the bottom tray of the worm bin. The worms will start processing the food. Once the bottom tray is filled add another tray.
How do I set up my worm factory 360?
Included with each Worm Factory 360 is a comprehensive instruction guide that make setup easy and give detailed tips on how to best manage your new Worm Factory 360 year-round. Start with just the bottom tray and bedding material included. Add composting worms and start filling the tray with household waste.
How do I add a second tray to my worm factory?
Adding a second tray is even easier than starting your first tray. Once your first tray is full, take a cap full of the worm minerals that were included with your Worm Factory 360, and add it to the full tray. Next, set a second tray on top of the first tray.
What can you put in a worm factory?
Adding household waste to the Worm Factory is easy; just open the lid and toss the food in. You can feed Fruits, vegetables, grains, paper, egg shells, leaves, coffee grounds and more can be fed to worms. Three foods to avoid are diary, meat, and citrus items; these can be harmful to the worms and are difficult to compost.
How do you start a worm factory?
0:365:01How to start a worm farm in 4 steps: vermiculture made easy - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd as long as your worm farm grab a large bowl or bucket your worm farm worms and the cocoa fibreMoreAnd as long as your worm farm grab a large bowl or bucket your worm farm worms and the cocoa fibre brick that came with your kit place the cocoa fibre brick in the bowl. And cover with. Water.
How do you fill a worm compost bin?
Combine shredded paper, soil and just enough water to dampen everything. Put the mixture into the tall bin and fill the bin about three inches deep. Add your worms to the mixture and let them get used to it for a day before feeding them. Make sure the mixture is very moist, but not forming puddles of water.
How do you use a 4 tray worm composter?
It's easy to use! Just fill a working tray with well-prepared bedding, compost worms and food scraps. As the worms finish composting, they will migrate upward into the tray above, leaving rich castings behind....Go to your orders and start the return.Select the return method.Ship it!
How many worms are in a Worm Factory 360?
800-1,000 wormsWe recommend starting with 1 pound (approximately 800-1,000 worms) of worms for a healthy working population. You can start with fewer worms but it will take longer for your system to reach full operating capacity. The following instructions assume you will start your Worm Factory 360 with 1 pound of worms.
How often should I change my worm bedding?
After worms are added, bedding should be kept moist but not soggy and the top 6 to 8 inches turned every 7 to 10 days to keep it loose. About every 6 to 9 months the old bedding should be replaced with properly prepared new bedding. To change bedding, remove the top 5 or 6 inches (where most of the worms are).
How often should I turn my worm bin?
Once the environment is set and you've added your worms, it's important to never let them completely run out of food to eat. Remember, their food needs to grow plenty of microorganisms before they will eat it, so you will want to cycle in new food waste every two or three days. Check the compost bin every other day.
What do I do when my worm farm is full?
If you are feeding your worms too much, the excess food will go anaerobic and begin to smell. Stop feeding them for a few days or even a week and sprinkle the contents of the top tray with a teaspoon full of Tumbleweed Worm Farm & Compost Conditioner, then mix it in with a small fork or spike.
Can you over feed worms?
Over-Feeding Causes Odors The worms' job is to eat the food before it gets super-rotten and stinky. If you add too much food at a time, they cannot keep up. Too much food can also push the air out of the bin, leading to foul-smelling anaerobic decomposition.
How many worms do I need for composting?
For most average sized domestic worm bins, we would suggest you start with 1 lb. (approximately 800 - 1000) mixed sized worms. If the worm bin is larger, or you are composting food scraps for four or more adult persons, we would recommend 2 lbs. of worms.
Can worms eat banana peels?
Bananas are a great and inexpensive snack for both us and our worms. Those peels are desirable to compost worms no matter what shape they're in. They'll make short work of what otherwise would have taken up space in your trash.
How quickly do worms reproduce?
Worms are ready to breed once they mature from 50 to 90 days. Earthworms are hermaphrodites; they can be male or female (a great advantage!). They can perform both male and female functions and mate every 7 to 10 days. The mating process takes around 24 hours.
Should I put worms in my compost bin?
Do I need to add worms to my compost pile? You do not need to add worms to your compost pile. Outside, composting happens with and without the help of earthworms. Worms will usually find their own way to a compost pile.
How do you start a worm bin?
Six Easy Steps to Setting Up a Worm Bin Acquire a bin. ... Prepare the bedding. ... Add the worms. ... Bury food scraps under bedding. ... Place a full sheet of dry newspaper on top of the bedding. ... Cover and choose a spot for the bin.
Can earthworms live in a compost bin?
So long as the worms have food they usually thrive inside the compost pile. Red wigglers can also be put in a closed compost bin such as a composting tumbler, or a specially designed wormery. Don't put earthworms in a closed compost tumbler.
What do you put in a worm farm?
Worms will eat anything that was once living,Leftover vegetable scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings.Tea leaves / bags and coffee grounds.Vacuum cleaner dust or hair clippings (also animal)Torn up newspapers, egg cartons or soaked pizza cartons.Crushed egg shells (these will also help with the pH balance)
Do I need to mix my worm farm?
There is definitely no need to completely mix up your worm bin contents. The worms themselves – along with various other critters do a lot of mixing on their own.
Overview
Americans throw away 34 million tons of food waste into landfills each year, more than any other type of waste. While traditional backyard composting has its place, the process can take up to two years and rotating it can become a chore.
How To Use
The Worm Factory 360 is simple to set up and operate. Managing your Worm Factory 360 takes less than 15 minutes a week. Included with each Worm Factory 360 is a comprehensive instruction guide that makes setup easy and provides detailed tips on how to best manage your new Worm Factory 360 year-round.
How Many Worms Do I Need?
The amount of worms you need will depend on how much food you will have available to feed them. Use the following questions to determine how many worms to start with:
Good To Know
Three foods to avoid are diary, meat, and citrus items; these can be harmful to the worms and are difficult to compost.
Where to put worm bins?
First, set the base where you want to keep your worm bin. This can be in a mud room, laundry room, attached garage, bathroom, or wherever else you wish to keep your worm bin.
What Is the Worm Factory 360?
The Worm Factory 360 is a vermicomposting system consisting of stackable trays. It makes indoor vermicomposting easy for anyone, even people with little space. This stackable vermicomposting system makes it simple to create and harvest vermicompost in your home.
How to introduce red wigglers to new home?
There are a few simple steps to follow to start your first tray and introduce your red wigglers to their new home. The first tray requires slightly more care to set up than the additional trays you will add in the future once this one is full.
What is vermicomposting?
Vermicomposting is the processes of using worms, usually red wigglers (Eisenia fetida), to turn organic waste into nutrient-rich organic fertilizer known as vermicompost or worm castings. This method of composting can be done almost anywhere, including in small city apartments. pinterest-pin-it.
How to check if compost is ready?
Check the compost in the bottom tray to see if it looks like it is ready. You can scoop finished compost out of this tray as needed or take the entire batch outside to wherever you want to use it. You may wish to dig around in this tray with your hand rake before harvesting it to look for worms, placing any worms you find in the finished compost into the top feeding tray.
How long does it take to harvest worm castings?
Depending on how often and how much you feed your worms, your first tray of vermicompost should be ready to harvest in about six months. Additional trays may be able to be harvested monthly. The stackable Worm Factory 360 makes it easy to harvest your finished compost.
How many trays does the Worm Factory 360 have?
The Worm Factory 360 comes with four trays, but is expandable up to seven total trays. Extra trays are usually available in packs of 2 Worm Factory 360 trays. This vermicompost is ready to use on plants. There is still some visible cardboard left.
Overview
Americans throw away 34 million tons of food waste into landfills each year, more than any other type of waste. While traditional backyard composting has its place, the process can take up to two years and rotating it can become a chore. Luckily, there are more efficient ways to get worms to compost your kitchen scraps.
How To Use
The Worm Factory Basic features the same working parts as a Worm Factory 360 without the extras, for an affordable entry level product to get you composting! Includes 3 trays, lid, stand with built in collection tray and spigot, set up guide, and bedding materials to get you started.
How Many Worms Do I Need?
The amount of worms you need will depend on how much food you will have available to feed them. Use the following questions to determine how many worms to start with:
Good To Know
Three foods to avoid are diary, meat, and citrus items; these can be harmful to the worms and are difficult to compost.
How to install a worm factory 360?
1. Place some water in the base and check to make sure there is no leakage around the spigot. If there is, check the proper placement of the plastic nut and make sure it is firmly tightened. Remove the water from the base before continuing with assembly. 2.
How to get worms to burrow in vermicomposter?
1. Line the bottom of your first tray with 3 or 4 sheets of dry newspaper. You only have to do this on your very FIRST tray when you’re just starting out. When you first introduce your worms in to the vermicomposter, they will be stressed; stressed worms burrow downwards.
How to get worms to crawl back up to their home?
2. Place your coir brick in a bowl and pour 2 cups of water over it. Let it soak for a few minutes.
How to start vermicomposting?
Set the Worm La dder inside the base. This is used to help worms that have fallen into the collection tray back into the working trays. 3. Set your first tray on the base with the worm ladder. You will start the vermicomposting process with just one tray. Set the others aside for later use. 4.
How long does it take for worms to adapt to new environment?
2. It is important to realize that when your worms arrive, they will be stressed and may take a week or so to adapt to their new environment.
Can you use worms in a vermicomposter?
Your vermicomposter is ready for worms! In most cases, worms are not included when you purchase your vermicomposter. When purchasing worms separately, make sure you buy the proper variety for composting: Eisenia fetida, or red wiggler worm. More information on composting worms here. It is recommended to start with a pound of worms, which is about 1000 animals. You can find worms here: www.findworms.com or buy them here at Nature’s Footprint Store
What can you add to Worm Factory 360?
Adding Food & Waste. Adding household waste to the Worm Factory 360 is easy; just open the lid and toss the food in. Fruits, vegetables, grains, paper, egg shells, leaves, coffee grounds and more can be added. Three foods to avoid are diary, meat, and citrus items; these can be harmful to the worms and are difficult to compost.
How long does it take for worms to compost?
Your first tray will take about three months to become fully composted by the worms. After the first tray is composted the other trays can take as little as a month depending on the waste added. Once you harvest your finished compost from the bottom tray, you will have an empty tray to stack on top again.
How to make a composting tray?
Start with just the bottom tray and bedding material included. Add composting worms and start filling the tray with household waste. The worms will process and recycle the waste into fine compost full of nutrients. When the first tray is full, stack another on top.
How hot can worms get?
Keep the Worm Factory 360 so that the bedding remains between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or where you would personally feel comfortable.
What to feed worms to compost?
Feed your worms about 50% food scraps and 50% fiber and paper. This creates the optimal environment for worms and finished compost. The goal is to recycle what you usually throw away.
How much food do worms eat?
The general rule of thumb is worms can eat about half their weight in food per day . This means that if you start with 1 lb of worms, they can eat a half pound of food per day. Worms can survive up to two weeks without any additional food. Just feed them a bit extra before going on long vacations.
Can a worm factory 360 be used indoors?
The Worm Factory 360 can be used indoors or outdoors , allowing year round operation. When managed correctly, the Worm Factory 360 is odorless, making it the perfect composter for apartments, kitchens, condos, garages, porches and more!
What can you feed worms in the Worm Factory?
You can feed Fruits, vegetables, grains, paper, egg shells, leaves, coffee grounds and more can be fed to worms.
How do worms recycle waste?
The worms will process and recycle the waste into fine compost full of nutrients. When the first tray is full, stack another on top. Each tray has a grid bottom, so worms migrate upward as new food is added. As waste is broken down, moisture filters through the system, taking nutrient‐rich particles with it.
How long does it take to compost a yard?
While traditional backyard composting has its place, the process can take up to two years and rotating it can become a chore. Worm composting uses worms to do the work of breaking down waste and is more efficient and easier to manage than a traditional backyard compost pile.
What is worm compost?
Worm composting makes it easy to recycle kitchen scraps, paper waste and cardboard into nutrient-rich fertilizer for your plants, creating a more sustainable lifestyle by recycling and improving soil quality. The Worm Factory® Standard houses thousands of composting worms in a compact space.
Why use worm factory compost?
Worm compost not only adds vital nutrients to your soil, it also conditions the soil to hold water longer, prevent plant disease, and promote healthy root growth.
How long does it take for worms to compost?
Your first tray will take about three months to become fully composted by the worms. After the first tray is composted the other trays can take as little as a month depending on the waste added. Once you harvest your finished compost from the bottom tray, you will have an empty tray to stack on top again.
How hot can worms get?
Keep the Worm Factory® Standard so that the bedding remains between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or where you would personally feel comfortable.
