As a busy gardener with both kids and dog, a dedicated compost pile is not an option for us. We have tried many options in the past including directly throwing food scraps into the beds and a rolling composter. Neither of these options worked well in keeping the system simple and getting the compost easily to where we needed it. Enter, worm tubes. I have been looking at various systems that keep pests out and make for a simple system. After much debate and research, I settled on HDPE buckets with twist-on lids due to availability, cost and durability. With all my research, I found that HDPE was the least likely to leach into the soil and holds up best to the sun. Other options that I looked at were 6 inch hdpe pipe, metal buckets and wood. The cost for each bucket was $4 for a bucket from lowes and $11 for a twist on lid. I went with the bucket/lid because I could quickly and easily cut the plastic and the twist on lid would keep kids and animals from getting into the compost. I drilled 2 rows of holes around the perimeter of the bucket to allow the worms to get into the bucket and cut off the bottom of the bucket to allow the system to feed into the raised bed. We are trying 6 buckets this year to manage compost for our family of 4. So far the system seems to be attracting worms and other composting insects and the levels seem to be going down as the food decomposes. Bucket with initial food waste on the left and the right is stirring it two weeks later.
– Rogers Family
