Today for this edition of T stands for Tuesday I thought I’d share a DIY project made from recycled pieces of the kids old play set.
I read about worm tower composting on Pinterest. It looked like a great solution for my raised bed garden. Most of the links I saw used a PVC pipe instead of wood.
Since we had scrap cedar laying around it seemed like a perfect use without spending any money. Mr. G did the construction and drilling of the holes for me after I explained my idea.
The holes let the worms migrate in and out of the tower to spread the compost throughout the raised bed. Isn’t that awesome…they do the work for me!
We even had an old handle in the shed from the sandbox cover. A perfect fit for the lid.
Now it was time to install … I dug down to the bottom of the box…well truth be told the box doesn’t have a solid bottom….just landscape cloth. I assume eventually that will rot away.
I back filled all around the tower and attached it with one screw just in case some critter decided to try and mess with it. It looks like it’s always been there.
Now all I needed was some composting worms. Amazon.com never ceases to amaze me with what I am able to order.
This was a strange bin to find on my front step a few days later.
I started saving kitchen scraps after ordering my worms. The paperwork that came with them said they also enjoy paper and cardboard. I grabbed a couple handfuls of shredded paperwork and started layering the material in the tower.
Honestly I was worried about getting the worms…would they still be alive? Yep…red and wiggly. I have no idea if they will survive a Minnesota winter in the garden and worm tower. From what I read they do have a good chance of survival. Only time will tell.
Do you compost? I’d love to hear about your system.
Wow, Mr. G did a great job of building that. I have some old PVC pipe left over from when I built my bath in the basement (the big pipe that connects to the sewer), but I think wood would be easier because PVC pipe is hard to drill through without a special carbide drill bit. If I recall correctly, PVC heats up a regular drill bit and clogs it. Maybe you found places that got around that. But I like your way better, anyway.
I’ve had worms growing in my compost piles. I throw everything in there (NEVER meat, of course), including a few paper egg cartons after I got so many I had no need for any more. I even throw my old spent plants in them, so you should have no trouble getting your worms to grow. I got mine from my front yard, but I’ve heard that bait shops sell them. You are like Scott who told me recently that you can get ANYTHING on Amazon, so it didn’t surprise me in the least.
Was that beer, wine, or ??? in the glass? Thanks for sharing it, as well as the compost container with us for T this week.
I forgot to tell you, your link goes to a page where you have to sign in with a password.
I landed on the password page, too! Great work on the compost tower, it will be interesting to see how they develop. Amazon really does have everything! I live in a small apartment, so no chance for composting! Have a good week and happy T day, hugs, Valerie
That looks super – we have an ordinary wooden composter … there are so many worms always in it. AMAZON sells everything…lol!
Happy T-Day Halle!
oxo
Susi
Hi, I arrived at your password page too, but it was easy tonavigate back to your page.
What a great idea to have the worms do the work for you. I have no experience with worms but it’s all very interestiing. Keep us posted.
Lisca
Hi, I arrived at your password page too, but it was easy to navigate back to your page.
What a great idea to have the worms do the work for you. I have no experience with worms but it’s all very interesting. Keep us posted.
Lisca
PS I think my computer is playing up. I don’t seem to be able to post this. I’ll try again (with spelling mistakes corrected). I hope you don’t get three comments….!
What a clever and useful idea for composting. I don’t do it but my neighbor has a special composting bucket she uses. That is amazing to be able to order live worms in the mail! Good luck and happy T day!
Well, this is certainly an interesting idea! I did chuckle when I read the worms enjoy paper and cardboard because my first thought was it was a good thing they did not eat through their mailing box, LOL! Sorry, that is how my mind is thinking this morning!
Keep us posted (no pun intended, well maybe)!
Hello and Happy T Day! Glad you could fix your link. How nice that you could use pieces you already had, except for your new wiggly friends. Do hope it all works out and good job on doing this yourself. I am not a fan of worms, so I didn’t look or read to closely but I am happy if your happy :)
Have a good week!
Love your post today!!! When we first moved into our country home I wan’t to start a worm farm in our basement. Hubs had apposing ideas on that and thought it would be a waste of time ,etc. I let him talk me out it and now I see worm castings going for LOTS of money at the farmers market! I knew I should have gone with my plans :)
Your worm box is wonderful…you two did great.
Can’t imagine why one would use plastic when wood is natural and looks good too.
If those worms are smart they’ve already dug down deep until springtime.
Years ago a friend of mine was compost kitchen scraps with worms in large plastic bins.
They made some wonderful “black gold”. You can buy it in bags at the nursery and it is not cheap!
Hope this is a great success for you.
Happy T Day
oxo
p.s. being slow on the take this morning your link had me going … since it was WP I thought it was asking for my info LOL…time for a little caffeine me thinks ;-)
I’m always surprised when I see worms in the flower beds on our little patio. I take it as a good sign :) I’ve never tried to grow my own, but I remember when I first heard of worm farming I was fascinated by the idea. I hope yours thrive :)
Fascinating post! I had no idea there was such a thing as a ‘worm tower!’ Should be good for your raised bed, and great way to recycle some of your paper scraps…worms in the mail. Makes you wonder what else the mail carriers might have to deliver, doesn’t it? My Grandma used to say they delivered baby chicks too! Happy T day dear… ;)
Very interesting post. Hope you have god luck with this project.
Yes, it does make you wonder what else you can get in the mail eh??
Happy T-day
What a fascinating project! I do hope your wormies survive the Winter for you.
I’m sure that’s milk in your glass is it not ;) Happy T Day :D
Love your composter – our garden rubbish at the caravan goes into bags so that the warden can put it in a communal composter! Worms on Amazon – who’do have thought it! Happy T day! Chrisx
I do worm composting in a Rubbermaid bin in my kitchen! I even wrote a magazine article about it about 20 years ago :)
In Toronto we also have compost bins that go out weekly, beside our garbage. We can put so much in it! From meat to diapers! And dog poop!
Don’t you just love Amazon?! Yes. Yes I do! They even have composting worms. That is hysterical! I really enjoyed your post. Happy TSFT! :-)
A worm tower? Have to show that to DH. We do compost. We use three wooden boxes that stack and you rotate them. We usually find some compost actually “sprouts” when used in the garden the following year. Guess it is all the seeds of things that go in there.
Darla – running late!
What a gorgeous idea!My daughter is the one who has green fingers here.Amazon is incredible!It sells worms too!How come!Happy T day!
I have made a tower and place in the garden, started adding kitchen scrap& coffee grounds. Will worms find it on their own?
Will it need to ever be emptied or turned like compost?
And lastly, I’m impatient when will I ever see worms in it?
What a lovely worm tower! My daughter’s BF & her hubby have several pvc towers around their yard, and find they compost very quickly.
Yes, I’ve composted for decades, and my daddy before me! My former hubby and his mom study earthworms native to the Pacific NW, your red wiggled originally cane from Europe!!
My middle granddaughter tended a classroom worn boom in the 5th grade, and loved it! But still balls at taking out the bucket at home, lol!