Checklist Before Buying A Worm Box

Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:47 pm

You know that your organic waste will be composted in the future. Is your organic waste already happy? Wonderful, because every peel, leftover tea or coffee grounds that remains in the natural cycle is valuable.
But do you have everything you need for a good start? Here’s the checklist for you!

In 5 steps to a happy worm bin start:

1 choose the right box

You probably already have an idea of which home composter you want. To be sure, answer these two questions:

How many people live in the household?

• 1-2 persons = small worm bin or THE worm bin
• 2-3 persons = you have a normal amount of organic waste, then THE WormBox; however, if you cook 2 times a day with lots of fresh vegetables, it makes sense to find out the amount of organic waste per day: if you have more than 1/2 liter, the Family WormBox or the WormBag makes sense
• from 4 persons = family worm bin or WormBag
• from 8 persons = several family worm boxes or WormBags

2 Where should the worm bin be placed?

You have probably already chosen a good place for the worm bin, preferably close to the place where the organic waste is generated, so that it can go into the worm bin without detours. We still have these tips for the location for you:

• indoors, in the good room/kitchen/dining room/living room/front room/garage … Good news! All worm bin models and also the WormBag can be used indoors.
• outdoors, in mild temperatures = possible for all models, as long as protected from moisture and direct sunlight. Better choose a model with wooden lid (and removable millet cushion)
• outdoors all year round = family worm bin and wormbag; these should be covered and protected (e.g.: against the wall of the house). Avoid direct sunlight in summer. For a start in winter better start inside. If the level is low, the worms would not have enough retreat possibilities.
• Rule of thumb for the choice of location: Where we humans would be fine all day, it is also ideal for the worms in the worm bin. A shady place is preferable. Not suitable would be a balcony with midday and afternoon sun in summer.

do-it-yourself kit or ready-made box?

First of all: You get a proven step-by-step assembly instruction from us PLUS video instructions (in ‘Austrian’, but most people understand it quite well ;). All parts are cut, milled and pre-drilled to fit.
Still you have the choice between

• You enjoy assembling the home for your new pets yourself – maybe together with your family, children or roommates. You can still design and paint the worm box according to your own ideas. Everything is explained step-by-step in the enclosed assembly instructions and our video tutorials, and if there are any questions while assembling, we are also available for you by phone or email.
• But if you think “I don’t have a cordless screwdriver, and that’s a good thing!” 😉 there is of course also the variant: open the package, unpack and start right away with the ordered worm population.
• The self-assembly sets of the worm box and family worm box are of course much cheaper. Since we carefully assemble the worm boxes ourselves in our workshop in Andorf, not have them manufactured “somewhere” and want to pay normal wages for this, this is of course also reflected in the price. And what is left over, we put into new worm composting research projects anyway.

3 order worms at the same time?

You get the right worms for your composting project: Whether worm box, WormBag or compost pile. We send them in sufficient substrate, so that they lack nothing on the journey by mail to you. Whether you order them right away with your crate, or later, depends on how quickly the worms can move in with you after they arrive:

• Worms move in quickly < 1 week If you order a ready assembled worm bin (any model) or the WormBag, you can order a worm starter population right away in any case. The worms can move into their new home as soon as you receive them. If you have chosen a do-it-yourself kit, the time between receiving the box and assembling it should not be more than a week. In this case you can order the worms at the same time. This saves shipping costs. The worms cannot move in right away > 1 week
• However, if there is more than a week between delivery and possible move-in of the worms, it is better to order the worm population only when their home is ready.
• Good to know: When you order a worm box from us, the worms are not automatically included, you still have to add them in the shopping cart.

4 practical accessories for the start.

It is helpful to have a spray bottle at home to wet the substrate in the box with water. When you spray it in, the substrate can absorb the liquid more easily than if you just pour the water in.

For the DIY kits, you’ll need a cordless screwdriver and some cooking linseed oil (from the supermarket) so you can start assembling right away (you don’t need the linseed oil for the Family Worm Box DIY kit).

If you want to take care for the next 6-12 months, you can order a care set or a care set large with your worm box order. In it hemp mats and if necessary further accessories are contained such as coconut block and mineral mixture. A hemp mat lasts for approx. 1-2 months. At the latest then it has served as a nursery and the worms have probably already nibbled on it. (A hemp mat and a package of mineral mixture are automatically included in the box order).

Also not unimportant: Are all household members attuned to the arrival of the worm bin, or at least informed? To us, of course, worms are cool pets.

5 how will the first time with the new pets?

In the beginning, the worms need some time to get used to. The substrate they are delivered in is also food for them.

The first biowaste feeding is on the 3rd day after they have moved into the worm box. In the beginning, the necessary amount of food is also really small: 1 tablespoon to max. 1 small cup per day, because in the beginning it is really important not to overload the worms and the microorganisms and to start with small amounts. But this will change quickly 😊.

Within 6 months, the worms, together with the microorganisms, then eat up to 500g (normal worm box or worm stool), 1000g (family worm box) or even up to 2000g (WormBag) per day.

After about 3 months worm tea will be produced for the first time, which can be added to the watering water for the plants – use it as fresh as possible! And after 6 months you will be rewarded with the first humus harvest.

It is a great pleasure to observe the worm bin and its inhabitants. It is also important to stay in contact. Even if the worm bin slowly changes from an exciting new research object to a normal – albeit inside living – furnishing object, it is good to have a look inside every now and then to notice changes and to be able to react early if necessary.

We hope you have found the right box for you and are now optimally prepared for the ‘adventure of composting’.