Midnight Brainstorm

[PenPalAnna]

I'm thinking about getting a 5 gal bucket to use for a compost/ worm bin. I want to throw compost in it and roll it around the yard, but add worms to it also. Would this work? Good idea? Bad idea? Your thoughts and comments, please.

[tomc]

Maybe a not good idea. Vermicomposting is drier than can composting.

A good worm bin starts out with much more shredded paper and is an altogether drier bin. Plus will have a second catch pan to permit any extra moisture to drain out.

A good composter will be lots bigger than 5 gallons.

[GardenRN]

For a compost pile to really stay "active" it needs to be about 3ft x 3ft x 3ft. Tomc is right, worm bins ARE a lot dryer, however, you will always find lots of worms in a good compost pile, so build your compost pile outside, away from the house, and if you want, add your worms. Although you really don't need to add worms because they will find it on their own.

I like my worm bin better than any other composting method. Even though it is a lot slower and in smaller amounts.

[soil]

If you have a wormbin you don't need to turn it. That's the worms job. Look up vermicomposting if you really want quality worm compost.

[Gary350]

I have tried a lot of compost experements. The best 5 gallon bucket compost I have found is to set it out in the hot sun in the summer. A BLACK color bucket with a black lid will compost in about 1 month or so in hot summer weather. But 1 bucket is not much compost.

I clean out the house gutters every spring I typically get 5 to 6 buckets of composted tree leaves.

I have tried using the lawn mower to mulch all the leaves and blow them all into my garden then till them in. It makes a pretty large volume and it is easy work.

Look at this YouTube video a 5 gallon bucket compost makes barely 1 gallon of compost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRAaAkfirRU

How is your soil in Warren county TN? We have a lot of clay in Murfreesboro TN it keeps me busy adding organic material.

[vebyrd36]

I have made my bins out of recycled pallets. I have 6 or so of them.

[toxcrusadr]

Worms are not necessarily always present in a 'good' compost pile. For example, a fresh one that is heating will have none.

If you put worms in a bucket out in the weather, they can get too hot, too cold, too wet or dry, and have nowhere to go. You'll have to carefully manage it to keep them alive.

[toxcrusadr]

I wanted to add that while worms do a great job, there are so many other critters, both insect and microbe, that help turn waste into compost. Sometimes I think worms get all the credit.

[PenPalAnna]

How is your soil in Warren county TN? We have a lot of clay in Murfreesboro TN it keeps me busy adding organic material.

We have clay as well. I have no idea how all thee nursery guys do it. But I'm determined to find out! I would love to go through the Master Gardener program but work gets in the way of so many things.