Setting up a rectangular Wormfarm

 

We scored a rectangular Wormfarm off marketplace for $20!

Sweeet!

 

 

Till I hosed it out!

and found a crack straight through the base 😂 ahh well, we get what we pay for some days, and it's going to function all the same. 

 

 

I hoarded paper for a few weeks, then gave a shout out for wormies in a few Permie groups and someone I already knew bounced back with,..

 "Come around! and don't forget your bucket!!"

Cheering!

 

 

Fun Fact;

Did you know that once upon a time, worms were actually sold in a can as bait? And hense the saying, opening a can of worms originated.

 

I've been wanting to try one of these 'worm cafe' / 'can of worms' style set ups for ages, not because I have a great love of them, but the opposite!

They seem small, poorly insulated, and just like a commercial push. But is that just my bias against companies profiteering?

Pretty much.

From what I can gather, in the design they are now, similar variegations of what's now sold at most places like the 'Tumbleweed' 'Worm Cafe' TM, have only been around since 2018ish. Prior to that, this style were at Markets by a family run business called Biocast, that started around 2014! I can't see any other origin point, but I really didn't dig that deep, tho. So in the grand scheme of things, this 'store brough home style' really has not been around that long.

I've been Wormfarming in my own "Rough enough is good enough" way since around 2017, when I starting with an a bucket of worms from a stranger in a Zero Waste group, and a plastic tub. From there Ive tried a few different diy set ups, and landed on a rotating composting vermiculture system that works for me. 

Well it did, untill we moved house twice and the system was never reset to its former glory. 

 

Fast forward to today, and we have gthered all the essentials.

For observation factors today is Monday 29/5/25

✅ Old Worm cafe - worm house with drainage

✅Bucket of worms - alive and well

✅Heaps of paper - bedding, damp, not wet.

 

Assembling a worm farm whether it's a diy job, or commercial set up like, this is super easy and the basics are the same.

 

The 'Worm Cafe' has a basement to capture liquid, with a tap for convenience.

That we won't really be using because of that pre mentioned crack down the centre. The previous owners had siliconed over it, but that peeled straight off. One day I will wash, dry, and reseal. But for now I just don't care.

  

  

The first added section is for the bedding.

  

🪱

Add your bedding - damp not wet.

Worms need air! They need air pockets in their bedding, so toilet rolls folded up, scrunched paper, and corrugated cardboard is perfect.

 If paper is stacked, once damp, there's no air between and to the worms thats almost as good as a thin slab of wood. They just can't burrow into it. You can however use sheets of paper like this as a 'blanket' for them.

 

🪱

Next we add our worms on the bedding. 

If their isn't any soil, or organic matter with them, add some. Leaf littler, coconut coir, or mature compost are all great options.

They won't up and die if you don't but it's a replication of a more natural environment for them, better success rate.

  

 

Once adding the worms I've left this layer open for a little while before moving on, to encourage them to move down into the paper bedding.

  

 

Then I've added damp paper sheets on top as a 'blanket'. This is just for now, untill tomorrow when I'll add more mature compost in the bedding section.

  

🪱

Add the next section 

This is where we will be adding food scraps but for now and over the next few days I won't be feeding them. I'm letting them acclimatise, and they will feed on the mature compost. 

When we add food, we will add our 'blanket' on top of the food instead of where it is now, on top of the bedding.

 

🪱Add the empty layers, and lid. 

I've added and additional paper 'blanket' to the top empty layer as a way to hold humidity in the worm farm, but making sure it's sort of fluffed up, not covering all of the air holes. 

 

 

Aaaaand 20mins later Ive already started leaving stuff on-top of it

🥴😂🤦💁

 

All pretty simple right?

I will update this as we feed them as if any trouble comes our way I'll share how we move through each event 🪱

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First update, 

It's been a few days and I havnt really produced any kitchen scraps for them, but I did find a dead can of spaghetti someone forgot about in the fridge! So in it goes!

First feed

Thursday 29/5/25, three days after setting up. 

All the observations; 

Externally, all good, no signs of mass exodus.

Layer 1

Damp paper blanket

Again, all good, zero action.

 

 

Layer two

This will be the feeding layer

We have a scout! A solo Boi!

 

 

Layer three

Bedding

All is well

 

Life the blanket, active Bois

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Throw them a bone

Well, it's the Tin spaghetti. It doesn't look like much, but that's a good thing. Too much food is one of the first trouble shooting stops.

Then pop their blanket back on.

 

  

The basement

There's a few different lil guys in here. All the life from the compost the worms came from. A centerpede, springtails, some form of little orange caterpillar thing, and slaters. In hind sight, I should have emptied these guys on to a near by pot plant as they literally give soil life! 

I can imagine when this reservoir holds water, it would become a death puddle for a few worms, plus all these other friends. 

  

  

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Update Wednesday 4-6-25

Exterior all clean

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Layer one

No signs of distress

I've started using this tray to store cardboard.

Layer two

First feeding tray with paper 'blanket'

I added a heap of green leaf litter from the nursery after their first feed the other day. I freaked out think I was too blasé with adding tin spaghetti when the worms are not yet extremely active.

Looks good so far

 

Under the 'blanket' looks clean and fresh. Active worms.

I added out selective kitchen scraps - nothing too sugary, no processed foods.

This batch was Kangkong, broccoli, fine cut banana skins, lettuce. 

Layer three

The bedding

Looks like it was a bad call giving them the tin spaghetti! In such a small humid space bacteria will take over quickly. I didn't at the time, but I will go back and scoop it out.

 

Level four

The reservoir 

Not as many friends this time, but there were a few ants in one corner. I may have to hose them out if they set up camp

 

 

Fin

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