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Worm towers. At first glance, the idea might make you squirm. But if you garden—at any scale—these worm towers could be a game changer for your soil’s health.

Vermicomposting is the practice of using worms to expedite the natural breakdown of organic materials that eventually gets turned into compost. It’s a cost-effective, eco-friendly way to enrich your garden. Although commercial vermicomposting bins can be very expensive, you can easily make one at home yourself. This practice will earn you great compost, liquid fertilizer, and—of course—lots of worms. So, let’s learn how to make a worm tower.

Supplies

 

  • 3 5-gallon buckets with lids
  • Drill 
  • 3/16″ drill bit 
  • Compost mix: Organic materials such as vegetable and fruit stems, rotten fruits and veggies, eggshells, dead leaves, etc. mixed with soil
  • Earthworms: The best to use are known as red wrigglers; they have high digestive and reproduction rates, plus a liking for standard indoor temperatures if you want to store these towers inside. However, worms from your backyard are a great choice, too.

 

How to Build Your Worm Tower

 

1. Prepare the Buckets

    • You will first need three 5-gallon buckets for each tower. Make sure that these are food-grade buckets. These can be purchased at Lowes for around $8 or on Amazon for just $10.
    • Next, take a 3/16-inch drill bit and drill holes into the bottoms of two of your buckets, spaced about one inch apart.
    • Drill the same pattern of holes into your lid with a 1/8-inch drill bit.

   

  2. Stack the System

    • Place a bucket with a solid bottom on the ground. 
    • Stack a perforated bucket on top and line the bottom with newspaper.

 

  3. Add the Compost

    • Put your compost mix and worms into the top bucket. The worms will work their magic and turn the organic matter into compost, taking about 3-6 months to fully complete the process.

 

  4. Fill the Top Bucket 

    • Stack the third bucket on top. (Make sure you’re not compressing your worm mix with the top bucket.)
    • Fill the third bucket with scraps and other organic material. 

 

   5. Rotate the System 

    • As the worms finish with the middle bucket, they will travel through the drill holes and up into the top bucket.
    • When the composting in the middle bucket is complete, remove and use the compost.
    • Rotate the empty bucket to the top of the tower to restart the process.

 

 6. Collect Liquid Fertilizer

    • The bottom bucket collects “worm tea”—a nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer that you can apply to your plants. Be sure to empty it regularly to prevent odors.

 

You will have to be more vigilant in the beginning, as different factors will play a role in how long the process takes, and there may be some trial and error. However, once you get the hang of it, things should go smoothly. After a while, if you think you have too many worms, start spreading them out in your garden or just back into the earth. You can also sell your worms for some extra income on the side!

And just like that, you have a repeating system that will expedite your composting process! Your plants will thank you for the extra nutrients you’re feeding them. Your food will grow faster and healthier and taste better, so why not make your own worm towers today?

Written by Evan Hutchison