What's not to love about worms?! They play a crucial role in natural ecosystems and gardens, helping break down organic matter so that it can be accessed by other soil organisms and our plants. Plus, they make pretty cute companions and a fantastic learning experience for children and adults alike.

Setting up a worm farm is easy and an effective way to divert your food waste away from landfill. Worm composting, also known as vermiculture, produces natural, odourless compost and a rich liquid fertiliser that you can use to enhance your garden and boost plant growth. Another big win? It doesn't take much time or money to keep a worm farm at home.

So what are you waiting for? Here's our step-by-step guide on how to start a worm farm in your own garden, balcony or even indoors (yes, there are some very pretty indoor worm farms if you don't have access to an outdoor space).

 

The Worm Cafe set up in an urban garden

How to Start a Worm Farm

Step 1: Choose Your Container

Worm farms can be made from all sorts of different containers: old bathtubs, large boxes and repurposed buckets, for example, can all be converted into worm homes.

The easiest way to get started is to buy a ready-made worm farm or Worm Cafe. These usually consist of two or three compartments. 

• The bottom compartment is where the worm juice will collect. It will usually have a tap to let the juice out, with a bit of fabric or mesh to filter out any dirt.

• The next compartment up is where you will lay down your worm bedding and introduce your worms to. There are holes between this compartment and the one above so that the worms can move between the two

• You might use the top compartment when you need to harvest compost from the middle compartment (more on this in step 7) or if your worm farm is getting crowded and you need more room.

An alternative to the traditional above-ground worm farm is the Worm Buffet which you bury directly in your garden bed. The Worm Buffet can be moved around the garden to improve the soil in different areas and offer some advantages in summer as they allow the worms to burrow deeper into the soil to escape hot temperatures.

In-ground worm towers like The Worm Buffet are another option to the above ground worm farms.

Step 2: Choose Your Location

Worms need shelter and protection, especially from intense dry heat. In Perth’s temperate climate, a worm farm should be positioned in a sheltered, shady location with adequate air flow. 

Under a veranda or carport is great, or search for some deep shade under a big tree to keep your worms healthy and cool. A worm blanket can be used to keep the temperature of your worm farm more stable and create the dark, moist environment that worms thrive in.

On extremely hot days (40C+) your worms will appreciate the addition of an ice block to stay cool. Make your own ice blocks by freezing a water bottle or two to use for your worms.

Read more tips on How to Keep Your Worm Farm Alive in Summer.

Step 3: Lay Down Worm Bedding

Worm bedding is the material that worms will live in. Bedding can be made from many things such as cardboard, shredded paper, coco coir or aged compost. The key is that it should be pH neutral, retain moisture well and be carbon-rich. 

An easy worm bedding option for beginners are the Worm Farm Bedding Blocks from Tumbleweed. Made from 100% coconut fibre, you simply add water to the block and it will expand to about 10x the original size.  

Worms do not cope well in dry conditions, and need their bedding to be kept moist. Your worm bedding should feel like a wrung out sponge. In cooler weather the moisture from the food scraps will probably be enough to keep the worms happy. In warmer conditions, if you notice the bedding is too dry, add a little water but be careful not to over-wet. In hot weather your worm farm may dry out around the edges - a quick sprinkle with the hose will fix this.

The Worm Farm Bedding Block is a quick and easy way to give your worms a healthy, happy environment.

Step 4: Introduce Your Worms

Not all worms can make a home in your worm farm. Native worms you find in your garden soil, for example, will not survive in a closed worm farm system. Likewise, composting worms that will thrive in your worm farm won't survive in your garden bed unless they’re protected and have a constant supply of organic matter.

Composting worms like Tiger and Red Worms are suitable for your worm farm. The most effective composting worms are Red Wrigglers which are surface dwellers and like a nutrient rich environment.

A great way to source compost worms is to go to your local Community Garden or find a neighbour who has a worm farm. Since worm populations increase rapidly, most worm farmers will be happy to give you a scoop if you ask nicely. If you live in the Victoria Park area of Perth, you can also get worms from the Vic Park Mens Shed.

Composting worms doing good work!

Step 5: Feed Your Worms

Worms love raw fruit and vegetable scraps (but they’re not so good at handling citrus and onions). Other organic materials like shredded cardboard, egg shells, coffee grounds, pet fur and leaves can all be added to your worm farm.

Keep in mind, worms do not have teeth so it takes them longer to process large chunks of food waste. To speed up the process, cut waste into smaller pieces or even place it in a food processor before feeding to your worms.

Feed your worms a couple of times a week – don’t overload. In an established worm farm, worms will eat up to their body weight in food scraps every 2-3 days. So how much you feed your worm farm depends on how many worms you have! Check if your worms have processed the previous scraps you fed them before adding more.

To feed, make a small hole and bury the food, before adding some fresh bedding on top. Shredded paper can be used for worm bedding or you can buy worm farm bedding which is made of coir (coconut) fibre.

The following table is a good guide to follow when you’re just starting out. More experienced worm farmers can safely feed their worm farms things we’ve put in the “What NOT to Feed Your Worms” column, but we recommend sticking to the safe items at first.

Step 6: Keep Your Worms Healthy

When balanced and healthy, your worm farm will smell like fresh earth. If you notice an unpleasant smell, it’s likely a sign of anaerobic (low oxygen) conditions. This can happen especially when your worm farm is too wet. To remedy, aerate your worm farm and add more dry carbon materials such as shredded paper to reduce wetness.

Many creatures may live in your worm farm such as flies, ants, frogs and mites. Most are perfectly fine in the system. Burying your scraps when you feed the worms and using a worm farm blanket can help minimise more undesirable visitors like fruit flies and cockroaches.

If your worm farm isn’t looking its best, you can use a Worm Farm Conditioner to balance pH levels, combat smells, manage pest infestations and support your worms to digest larger quantities of food waste.

Worms are particularly vulnerable to intense heat. Read our guide on How to Keep Your Worm Farm Alive in Summer for tips to keep your worm farm happy during the hotter months.

Worm Farm Conditioner can help keep your worm farm balanced, healthy and smelling great.

Step 7: Harvest Worm Tea and Compost

There are two fantastic gifts you can harvest from your worm farm: worm tea and worm castings.

Worm Tea

Worm tea is worm urine that collects in the bottom of the worm farm. Harvest it by opening the tap at the bottom of the worm farm. Do this regularly to prevent build up in the worm farm. You can also leave the tap open at all times and leave a bucket underneath to collect drips. 

Worm tea is a highly powerful fertiliser and microbial booster for the garden. Dilute in a watering can 1:10 or until the liquid looks like weak tea. Water onto the soil around your plants that need a nutrient boost.

Worm Castings

Organic materials are converted to compost as they pass through the worm’s body and are excreted as worm castings. Did you know that Red Wriggler worms secrete a substance that kills pathogens such as E. coli? This makes worm castings a relatively safe compost for feeding your edible plants.

You’ll be ready to harvest worm castings when your worm bed is mature. In a three-tray system, you’ll want to encourage your worms to make their way to the top tray to leave your middle tray (the one full of castings) free for harvesting. To do so, start feeding your worms a sweet, irresistible treat like watermelon in the top tray. Keep an eye over the next few days until most of the worms have relocated. Then you can harvest your worm castings from the middle tray.

It’s also possible to harvest your worm castings by exposing the tray to the light. The worms will burrow deeper away from the light and you can gently scoop off the top layer of castings, being careful not to harm any worms in the process.

Mix with potting mix for a nutrient-rich growing medium or sprinkle around your plants for a healthy boost.

Harvesting worm tea from the Worm Cafe - simply turn the tap and collect.

Help Setting Up Worm Farms in Perth

Need some further help setting up your worm farm? 

• Chat with our friendly team or visit our Perth Eco and Garden Store where we have a range of great composting products.

• Check out composting workshops which cover worm farming with a chance to ask questions and seek expert advice.

• Get The Urban Revolution Composting Guide Book and learn everything you need to know about composting in the urban environment.