Comments on: More Details About Our Worm Composting

By: Kristi

Kristi — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:30:20 +0000

I am in my second year of worm composting and I still just love it. We ended up making a larger container this year as we make a lot of scraps. I bought worms originally too, but have had plenty to give to friends and start this season’s bin. I kept them outdoors in the coolest spot I could find for the summer. I’m really inspired by your blog. Thank you

By: Sid Koudis

Sid Koudis — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:48:26 +0000

Do you keep this bin in the house or outside?

By: FrugalBabe

FrugalBabe — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 21:32:03 +0000

@Sid Koudis: Right now, it's in my husband's office. We could also keep them in the garage, but our garage doesn't have much extra space, and it's easier to just go into his office to dump scraps into the worm bins. During the warm months we can keep them outside, but they need to be protected from freezing temps. So for at least 5 months of the year they have to be indoors.

By: Composting - Save Time and Money With A Compost Pile | Organic Gardening And Green Lifestyle | Garden Mandy Dot Com

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:08:01 +0000

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By: FrugalBabe

FrugalBabe — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:59:43 +0000

@Aaron: Yes, I was PCV, and I was in Tanzania too. Small world

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:45:51 +0000

Just wondering if you were a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa, I was in Tanzania for 2 years. Love your blog.

By: Geoff K

Geoff K — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 11:08:28 +0000

That looks like a neat setup, simple but effective. (I like how the worms can even eat shredded paper and cardboard.) I might have to rig something like that up myself. Thanks for showing it.

By: Frugal Babe

Frugal Babe — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:19:15 +0000

@NorCalRN: Good question – I thought the same thing when I first saw it. But my husband did his research before he made the worm bin setup. The holes only need to be 1/8 inch in diameter. Worms can migrate through very small holes, and you don’t want lots of compost leaking out the bottom, so it’s better to keep the holes small. The worms you use for composting are called red wigglers, and they’re not like the big fat earthworms you see on the sidewalk after a storm. These little guys are pretty skinny.
Your washer/dryer sounds like a great deal. We don’t need a dryer (we have an old one, but never use it, because we dry everything on clothes racks and indoor clotheslines), but I’m always on the lookout on Craigs List for a good deal on a washer.

By: NorCalRN

NorCalRN — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:04:11 +0000

Are the drilled holes really large enough for the worms to migrate to the new box? From your pics, the holes look really small….

Also, we got a used set of HE washer/dryer off of craigslist for $600. Still not cheap, but compared to the cost of buying them new- we were thrilled. And not only are they amazingly efficient, I can wash all of our laundry in about 3 loads, once every 2 weeks or so. Their high capacity makes a huge difference for me!

By: Jen on the Edge

Jen on the Edge — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 23:23:12 +0000

I love the simplicity of your worm bin design.

About the washer: If you keep an eye on the circulars that come with your newspaper, you’ll see some super sales on washers at Lowe’s, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc.

My husband and I are nearing the end on the construction of our new eco-friendly house and we found some amazing deals on the kitchen appliances (fridge, stove, dishwasher, microwave). We ended up getting the entire suite for well under half of what we had budgeted because so many stores are offering super deals these days in order to entice customers. We’re bringing our washer and dryer with us, but we’ve been seeing deals on those too.