Worm Farms always have appealed to me. I would read about worm farms and the beneficial effect that they could have on your garden. I had purchased ‘worm juice’ from local markets and used it on my veggie patch. But it wasn’t until 18 months ago that I finally got myself my own worm farm.

In-Ground Worm Farm

Well I actually have two worm farms. After attending a worm farm workshop, I decided that an in-ground worm farm would be the best for me. But the first place I saw these worm farms in action was at a local botanical gardens. It was my first introduction to a in-ground worm farm.

An in-ground worm farm can also be known as a worm tower. What I liked about an in-ground worm farm was that it was low maintenance and you didn’t need to gather the worm castings. Because the unit was in the ground, the worms were free to do their thing and the soil would directly benefit from this.

The two farms I purchased were called Little Rotters from Kookaburra Worm Farm. These were square buckets with a flip top lid. Holes were drilled into the bottom of the bucket. This would allow the worms to go into the garden bed. At first I thought would they come back – they have an escape route! But so long as there is food in the bucket, they will return.

Included was a Compost Worm Bomb which contained worm eggs. These eggs would hatch and I would have worms in 8 – 10 weeks. Exciting!

Why a Worm Farm?

I have had the Little Rotters in my garden for 18 months now. Over this time I can say there has been an improvement in my soil. The reason I had purchased these worm farms was because I needed to give back to the soil. Loads of veggies had been grown and the soil was starting to need some TLC. Look after your soil and there is a solid foundation for healthy growing veggies!

Worms love eating. They are natures little recyclers, transforming food scraps into fertiliser. Fertiliser was much needed in the veggie patch. This is why I chose to have two worm farms in my veggie patch.

Difference Between Composting Worms and Earth Worms

I always thought worms are worms but there is a difference between compost worms and earth worms.

Earthworms are deep burrowers. Their burrowing habits aerate the soil, improving its structure. Great soil structure means increased water retention and more air available to plant roots. These worms are the ones that my kids find in the garden when they are playing in the soil…they often want to keep them as pets. I always tell them to pop them back under the soil.

Compost worms are surface dwellers. They munch their way through organic waste and their castings fertilise the soil.

For a more detailed look at the differences between earth and compost worms, check out “What about the Workers? Earth Worms versus Red Worms.”

Wanting to Buy a Worm Farm?

Kookaburra Worm Farm is where I purchased my Little Rotter Worm Farms online. These arrived quickly and I was happy with the service and instructions that came with the kits.

Worms DownUnder and Eco Valley Worms were two other websites that came up in a google search for worm farms.

Your local garden centre may also have worm farms for sale.

DIY Worm Farms

Worm farms can be easy to DIY. These can be simple structures made out of polystyrene boxes to sturdier ones made from bathtubs. There are so many instructions online on how to make worm farms that you can be kept busy for hours. Just google ‘Make your own worm farm.’

Now over to you…What are your worm farm experiences, tips and tricks? We would love to hear them. Please feel free to share in the comments below.