Three easy ways to build a worm farm

Worm castings are black gold for the garden, they are absolutely packed with the good stuff that makes our soil sing and are moisture and nutrient magnets! A slosh of diluted worm castings and water onto a tired pot plant can help it re-wet and re-invigorate it.

Composting worms are not fussy and there are several ways you can harvest the rewards of their hard work. All they need is food, water & shelter – Millie shows us three different ways of making the worms welcome at your place without the need for a fully constructed farm.

A Way with Worms # 1 – Potted Paddock
Millie runs a simple, no fuss, free-range worm farm in a large plastic pot which is dead easy to replicate at home.

Materials Required:
– One large plastic pot
– Hessian (or similar) to cover
– Avery mesh (optional)

A Way with Worms # 2 – Free Range Farm

Materials Required:
– Bucket with lid
– Drill and bit
– Shovel

A Way with Worms # 3 – Polystyrene Palace
One down side of the potted paddock and free-range worm farm is that you cannot harvest the liquid leachate which can also contain beneficial microbes and is absolute gold for your plants. To harvest leachate, you will need a fully enclosed farm – here is how to make one for next to nothing using polystyrene fruit boxes. While these boxes are a bit of an environmental nightmare, they are everywhere, so repurposing them and diverting them from the waste stream is positive – they are also well insulated, meaning they are perfect for worm farm construction.

Materials Required:
– Polystyrene fruit box with lid
– Small section of hose or poly pipe (about 10cm – 12cm)
– 5mm gravel (about half a standard bucket)
– Shade cloth or fabric
– Bedding material – compost, coco fibre, rotted leaves
– A handful of worms and castings

Watch Gardening Australia on ABC iview: http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/gardening-australia

SUBSCRIBE: http://ab.co/GardeningYouTube

About Gardening Australia:
Gardening Australia is an ABC TV program providing gardening know-how and inspiration. Presented by Australia’s leading horticultural experts, Gardening Australia is a valuable resource to all gardeners through the television program, the magazine, books, DVDs and extensive online content.

Connect with other Gardening Australia fans:
Like Gardening Australia on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gardeningaustralia
Follow Gardening Australia on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gardeningaustralia
Visit the Gardening Australia website: http://www.abc.net.au/gardening

This is an official Australian Broadcasting Corporation YouTube channel.
********
Contributions may be removed if they violate ABC’s Online Conditions of Use http://www.abc.net.au/conditions.htm (Section 3).