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Worm Factory® 360 Black US Made Composting System for Recycling Food Waste at Home
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Material | Plastic |
Color | Black |
Brand | Worm Factory |
Capacity | 1 Liters |
Product Dimensions | 17.95"L x 17.95"W x 14.95"H |
Shape | Round |
Item Weight | 11 Pounds |
About this item
- US made with durable high quality plastic. Houses thousands of worms that can consume several pounds of waste each week. Compact and expandable.
- The Worm Factory 360 has a standard 4-Tray size which is expandable up to 6 trays when following the directions, giving it the largest volume of any home vermicomposter.
- Each tray has a grid bottom for worms to migrate upward as new food is added. As each tray is filled another is added to the top, when the bottom tray is harvested it becomes the top creating a continuous loop system.
- The worms will process food waste into fine compost full of nutrients. Worms can eat about half their weight in food per day. If you start with 1/2 lb of worms they can eat a 1/4 lb of food per day. Gradually increase as the size of your community grows.
- 5 year limited warranty. Odor free operation. Create compost year-round indoors.
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Price | $134.95$134.95 | $95.99$95.99 | $76.99$76.99 | $89.99$89.99 | $149.99$149.99 | $89.99$89.99 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Easy to assemble | 4.7 | 3.3 | — | — | 3.5 | 5.0 |
Sturdiness | 4.4 | 2.3 | — | — | 3.6 | 5.0 |
Instruction quality | 4.4 | 3.3 | — | — | — | 4.7 |
Sold By | Nature's Footprint Inc | TOPXIAN | BZ-MEERE | BZ-MEERE | Amazon.com | BZ-MEERE |
capacity | 1 liters | 100 liters | 7.93 gallons | 13.2 gallons | 40 gallons | 13.2 gallons |
shape | Round | Rectangular | Rectangular | Rectangular | — | Rectangular |
weight | 11 pounds | 6.67 kilograms | 6.83 pounds | — | — | — |
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Product information
Material | Plastic |
---|---|
Color | Black |
Brand | Worm Factory |
Capacity | 1 Liters |
Product Dimensions | 17.95"L x 17.95"W x 14.95"H |
Shape | Round |
Item Weight | 11 Pounds |
Item Weight | 11 pounds |
Department | 331 |
Manufacturer | Worm Factory 360 |
ASIN | B002LH47PY |
Item model number | WF360 Black |
Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #12,637 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden) #19 in Outdoor Composting Bins |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
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Worm Factory 360 Review -Great for small composting!
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Product Description
Product Description
SAVE $5 when you bundle! Buy worms WITH your Worm factory here: With Worms Why the Worm Factory® 360? Americans throw away 34 million tons of food waste into landfills each year, more than any other type of waste (www.EPA.gov). While traditional backyard composting has its place, the process can take up to two years and rotating it can become a chore. Worm composting uses worms to do the work of breaking down waste and is more efficient and easier to manage than a traditional backyard compost pile. In addition, its compact design makes it perfect for use in any household. Worm composting makes it easy to recycle kitchen scraps, paper waste and cardboard into nutrient-rich fertilizer for your plants, creating a more sustainable lifestyle by recycling and improving soil quality. The Worm Factory 360 houses thousands of composting worms in a compact space. These worms work 24/7 to efficiently produce highly beneficial, rich compost packed with microbes and water soluble plant nutrients. This eliminates all the work of traditional composting and yields a much more valuable end product. Worm compost has been proven to have ten times the nutrients of traditional backyard compost. The more nutrients that are available to your plants, the larger they grow and the more bountiful your harvest is. This system allows you to enjoy ORGANIC vegetables, fruits, and flowers grown with the help of your kitchen scraps. At a Glance The Worm Factory 360 is simple to set up and operate. Managing your Worm Factory 360 takes less than 15 minutes a week. Included with each Worm Factory 360 are a comprehensive instruction guide and DVD that make setup easy and give detailed tips on how to best manage your new Worm Factory 360 year-round. Start with just the bottom tray and bedding material included. Add 1/2lb of composting worms and start filling the tray with household waste. The worms will process and recycle the waste into fine compost full of nutrients. When the first tray is full, stack another on top. Each tray has a grid bottom, so worms migrate upward as new food is added. As waste is broken down, moisture filters through the system, taking nutrient-rich particles with it. This makes it possible to harvest organic liquid fertilizer right from the spigot. Adding Food &Waste Adding household waste to the Worm Factory 360 is easy; just open the lid and toss the food in. Fruits, vegetables, grains, paper, egg shells, leaves, coffee grounds and more can be added. Three foods to avoid are diary, meat, and citrus items; these can be harmful to the worms and are difficult to compost. Feed your worms about 50% food scraps and 50% fiber and paper. This creates the optimal environment for worms and finished compost. The goal is to recycle what you usually throw away. Don't worry about feeding your worms every day. Some people feed them a handful a week; some people feed them a handful a day. The general rule of thumb is worms can eat about half their weightin food per day. This means that if you start with 1 lb of worms, they can eat a half pound of food per day. Worms can survive up to two weeks without any additional food. Just feed them a bit extra before going on long vacations. In a healthy environment composting worms will maintain their population without over or under populating. It is important to note that worms are living creatures, and cannot tolerate extreme temperatures. Keep the Worm Factory 360 so that the bedding remains between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or where you would personally feel comfortable. The Worm Factory 360 is expandable vertically, allowing a high compost capacity while maintaining a very small footprint. When full, each tray weighs 12.5 pounds, making lifting and arranging trays effortless. ****Need Worms? Find worms here: WORMS**** Features ⢠ Compact and expandable up to 7 trays ⢠ US made high quality post consumer recycled plastic ⢠ Choice of color: Black, green, terracotta ⢠ Create compost year-round, indoors and out ⢠ 5 year limited warranty ⢠ Odor free operation ⢠ Houses thousands of worms that consume pounds of waste per week  Whatâs Included ⢠4 Trays ⢠ âQuick Tipsâ instructions on lid ⢠ Improved base and lid design for better air circulation ⢠ Start up instruction booklet ⢠ Link to 4 chapter video guide for beginners and 80 page online manual ⢠ Start-up worm bedding ⢠ Minerals ⢠ Accessory kit includes: hand rake, and scraper  SAVE $5 when you bundle! Buy worms WITH your Worm factory here: With Worms
Amazon.com
Composting with worms allows you to turn kitchen scraps, paper waste and cardboard into nutrient-rich soil for your plants. The Worm Factory 360 composting system makes the entire process quick and easy. With a thermo siphon air flow design, the Worm Factory 360 increases the composting speed. Now you can produce compost much faster than traditional composting methods. This version of the Worm Factory 360 comes in black, and it's also available in green and terracotta.
Why the Worm Factory 360?
Americans throw away 34 million tons of food waste into landfills each year, more than any other type of waste (EPA.gov). While traditional backyard composting has its place, the process can take up to two years and rotating it can become a chore. Worm composting uses worms to do the work of breaking down waste and is more efficient and easier to manage than a traditional backyard compost pile. In addition, its compact design makes it perfect for use in any household.
Worm composting makes it easy to recycle kitchen scraps, paper waste and cardboard into nutrient-rich fertilizer for your plants, creating a more sustainable lifestyle by recycling and improving soil quality. The Worm Factory 360 houses thousands of composting worms in a compact space. These worms work 24/7 to efficiently produce highly beneficial, rich compost packed with microbes and water-soluble plant nutrients.
This eliminates all the work of traditional composting and yields a much more valuable end product. Worm compost has been proven to have ten times the nutrients of traditional backyard compost. The more nutrients that are available to your plants, the larger they grow and the more bountiful your harvest is. This system allows you to enjoy organic vegetables, fruits, and flowers grown with the help of your kitchen scraps.
How the Worm Factory 360 Works
At A Glance
The Worm Factory 360 is simple to set up and operate. Managing your Worm Factory 360 takes less than 15 minutes a week.
Included with each Worm Factory 360 are a comprehensive instruction guide and DVD that make setup easy and give detailed tips on how to best manage your new Worm Factory 360 year-round.
Start with just the bottom tray and bedding material included. Add 1lb of composting worms and start filling the tray with household waste. The worms will process and recycle the waste into fine compost full of nutrients. When the first tray is full, stack another on top. Each tray has a grid bottom, so worms migrate upward as new food is added.
As waste is broken down, moisture filters through the system, taking nutrient-rich particles with it. This makes it possible to harvest organic liquid fertilizer right from the spigot.
Adding Food/Waste
Adding household waste to the Worm Factory 360 is easy; just open the lid and toss the food in. Fruits, vegetables, grains, paper, eggshells, leaves, coffee grounds and more can be added. Three foods to avoid are diary, meat, and citrus items; these can be harmful to the worms and are difficult to compost. Feed your worms about 50 percent food scraps and 50 percent fiber and paper. This creates the optimal environment for worms and finished compost. The goal is to recycle what you usually throw away.
Don't worry about feeding your worms every day. Some people feed them a handful a week; some people feed them a handful a day. The general rule of thumb is worms can eat about half their weight in food per day. This means that if you start with 1 pound of worms, they can eat a half pound of food per day. Worms can survive up to two weeks without any additional food. Just feed them a bit extra before going on long vacations.
In a healthy environment, composting worms will maintain their population without over or under populating.
Odorless Year-Round Operation
Your waste production isn't seasonal and your composting efforts shouldn't be either! Composting is no longer limited to the warm months. The Worm Factory 360 can be used indoors or outdoors, allowing year round operation. When managed correctly, the Worm Factory 360 is odorless, making it the perfect composter for apartments, kitchens, condos, garages, porches and more! Because of its unique design, the Worm Factory 360 allows oxygen to flow through the system, discouraging stinky garbage odors.
It is important to note that worms are living creatures, and cannot tolerate extreme temperatures. Keep the Worm Factory 360 so that the bedding remains between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or where you would personally feel comfortable.
The Worm Factory 360 is expandable vertically, allowing a high compost capacity while maintaining a very small footprint. When full, each tray weighs 12.5 pounds, making lifting and arranging trays effortless.
The Worm Composting Cycle
Your first tray will take about three months to become fully composted by the worms. After the first tray is composted the other trays can take as little as a month depending on the waste added. Once you harvest your finished compost from the bottom tray, you will have an empty tray to stack on top again.
The nutrient-rich finished compost can be used in your garden, raised beds, container gardens, or on houseplants. Even if you're not a gardener, the Worm Factory 360 helps you reduce your impact and provides an alternative to throwing your waste into the landfill. Worm compost not only adds vital nutrients to your soil, it also conditions the soil to hold water longer, prevent plant disease, and promote healthy root growth.
Take one step in the green direction with the Worm Factory 360 and create a healthier, happier environment.
Key Features
Expandable Multi-Tray design gives the largest volume from the smallest footprint. Temperature is maintained indoors or out. Odorless operation when following provided instructions for indoor use. Ideal For Households of 1-4 people, additional trays can expand the worm factory to handle larger households. One Step assembly right out of the box for easy, quick setup. Made in the USA with high-quality recycled materials and includes a 10-year warranty. Year Round production of compost when optimal temperature is maintained indoors or out. See what's included with the Worm Factory 360 view largerWhat's Included
- Mineral rock dust. Adds nutrients to your finished compost and beneficial to the worm composting process. 4 Stacking Trays. Large capacity right out of the box; can also be expanded with additional trays (sold separately)
- Quick Tips Lid. Quick reference for how to feed your worms. Converts to handy stand for trays while harvesting compost.
- Accessory Kit. The accessory kit provides basic tools to make managing the Worm factory 360 easier, including: thermometer, hand rake, and scraper.
- Worm Ladder. Assists worms back into the upper trays.
- Base with Spigot. Built-in "worm tea" collector tray and spigot for easy draining.
- Instruction Manual and DVD. Step-by-step directions will guide you through every step.
- Bedding Materials. Worm bedding helps ensure your success.
Compare Worm Factory Models
  Worm Factory Standard Worm Factory 360 Number of Trays 3-5 (expandable up to 7 trays) 4 (expandable up to 7 trays) Footprint 16 by 16 inches 18 by 18 inches Warranty 10 years 10 years Lid Style Standard flat Dome vented Thermo-Siphon Pumice Quick Start DVD Accessory Tool Kit Available ColorsAll models available in black, terracotta, and green
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the smell, appearance and ease of assembly of the outdoor living product. For example, they mention that it looks great, the occupants work silently with no odor and that the worms appear to be thriving. They also appreciate the size, and quality. Opinions are mixed on missing pieces.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the outdoor living product. They mention that the components are excellent, and the product is functional. They also say that it works well to provide healthy food and that it holds up well. Customers also mention that it's a perfect product for beginners, and that they can make a great foliar compost tea with it.
"...So overall the perfect product for starters, and a great way to keep going even when you’re an expert- it comes with a total of 4 bins, and you buy..." Read more
"Very sturdy plastic. Good directions. Beginner friendly. Hold several pounds of worms." Read more
"...Update 3/12/2022: still holding up well and still using. Keeping it inside all the time. Use the extra worms for my Garden Tower II." Read more
"...But instead it comes shipped with a FULL booklet on just about EVERYTHING you need to know to get started in vermiculture...." Read more
Customers find the worm bin easy to set up and use. They appreciate the great instructions in a small booklet. They also say the whole set up seems great and is not a lot of work. Customers also say it's ideal for beginners and worth the effort to learn.
"...Set up of this unit was very easy, and I choose to follow the advice of many to set it up a week or two before the worms arrived in order to..." Read more
"Very sturdy plastic. Good directions. Beginner friendly. Hold several pounds of worms." Read more
"...The booklet details how to troubleshoot and identify problems that may arise, how and what to feed your worms, how to properly maintain the bin over..." Read more
"...It's been great. This unit is ideal for a beginner or someone who just wants a very low maintenance way to compost...." Read more
Customers like the flies. They mention that their worms appear to be thriving, happy, and active. They also say that the worm farms are great and allow the user to entice the wriggle into upward bins without having to sort the compost. Customers also mention that the big juicy worm are great for kids to play with and have never tried to escape.
"...The worms use them for grit, which aids in digestion, it's a source of calcium which could help with reproduction -- or not -- and it prevents the..." Read more
"...was from Uncle Jim’s: they always have promo codes, their worms are small but very active, and they ship promptly if you order early in the week..." Read more
"...Update 1-4-2015The worms are doing great and I have NOT had ANY ISSUES WITH THEM LEAVING THE BIN...." Read more
"...I made the mistake of putting in a whole mango pit. The worms cannot devour it fast enough, which gives the fruit flies a distinct advantage...." Read more
Customers like the smell of the outdoor living product. They mention that it has absolutely no smell, and the occupants work silently with no odor.
"...food & bedding, and the addition of them throughout the process keeps smells down, helps if you end up with extra moisture, and it vital to the..." Read more
"...Not a stinky smell, but slightly acidic (I think the high sugar and high moisture content, plus the large volume, caused a little mold buildup)...." Read more
"...Worms appear happy, and it makes for a clean, non- smelly bin. I occasionally add dried crushed egg shells...." Read more
"...The bin does not stink if taken care of properly, and I haven't even gotten any fruit flies yet!..." Read more
Customers like the appearance of the outdoor living product. They mention that it looks great, neat, and well made. They also appreciate the simple design and upright design. Customers also mention that the DVD is cute and fills in a lot of background to give a deeper understanding.
"...It's also very simple looking and attractive enough that, had I not a basement, it would be acceptable upstairs...." Read more
"...It's so odor free and clean looking that if someone didn't know what the bin was for in our kitchen, they'd never know...." Read more
"...By the way-picture is misrepresenting...." Read more
"...The DVD is cute...." Read more
Customers like the size of the outdoor composter. For example, they say it's manageable, takes up a small footprint, and grows to fit their needs. That said, some say it holds several pounds of worms, is lightweight, and has an expandable bin.
"Very sturdy plastic. Good directions. Beginner friendly. Hold several pounds of worms." Read more
"...I also like how you get enough bedding to fill two trays so you will be set for several months before you need to go get some additional materials..." Read more
"First time to grow worms and compost scraps from kitchen. It is compact and easy to use. My worms love it." Read more
"This is smaller than I expected, but I like it. I have it on my kitchen counter for now...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the missing pieces in the Worm Factory 360. Some mention that it comes with everything they need to get started, including shredded paper, coconut coir, and needed materials. However, others say that they were disappointed with the missing items. Some customers also mention that one of the four trays and the spigot were missing.
"...to come with everything needed (except worms), but ours was missing the coir and shipment was delayed...." Read more
"...The kit comes with everything you need except the worms. It's very easy to set up with the included instruction manual...." Read more
"...I explained my disappointment with the missing items and Ralph szidthat he just had had to move warehouses and he was the entire staff at the moment..." Read more
"...The extras it comes with are great and have brief explanations of what purpose they serve...." Read more
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Hi, I'm Michelle, and I have worms.
A few weeks ago I made the decision to give vermicomposting a try. I live in an area that supports recycling, but we still have to take the items there. The rest of the trash costs us per weight, and ends up decomposing in a way that is not healthy. Why not reduce the trips to recycling, the money spent having someone else take away the rest of it, and end up with healthy compost for our plants? Hey, when it's January and you live in one of the coldest states, you start thinking about gardening so that you don't go all Jack Torrance.
I read a lot on the topic, including a lot of advice on making my own bin. However, DIY bins almost always involved work in getting your slimy friends to go to The Other Side of The Bin. I decided to make the investment and buy a stackable unit, because they're made and used in a way that the worms migrate up and leave the finished compost behind. I thought it was well-worth the money now for the convenience and the anticipated money saved.
Set up of this unit was very easy, and I choose to follow the advice of many to set it up a week or two before the worms arrived in order to introduce them in when the environment was ideal for them. Worms, come to find out, don't care about your rotting food and yesterday's paper so much as they care about the microbes that care about these things, and so setting it up allows those microbes to show-up and chow down. The kit gave everything I needed, including shredded paper, with the exception of table scraps and the recommended dirt to introduce grit and microorganisms. Dirt is not readily accessible in Minnesota in January, but I managed a couple tablespoons of mud. (Besides, when the worms showed up, they brought some dirt with them and I had some, er, well-aged scraps.)
Yesterday -1/27/10- the worms arrived and I introduced them to the bin. While they were well-packaged, shipped next day air, and held at the post office, they'd still been through a lot, and were initially sluggish (is calling a worm sluggish a mixed metaphor or just possibly defamatory?) but after a couple hours much more active. They're mostly the surface and do seem to be attracted to the areas with the scraps.
While it's early, and I intend to update this as the process continues, I'm quite happy with the bin and the very detailed instructions or setting up the bedding, etc. It's also very simple looking and attractive enough that, had I not a basement, it would be acceptable upstairs. A nice feature, and you can see it in the picture, is that the lid has quick guide to what scraps are best and offers some great tips.
I'm new at this, but I'll happily answer any questions I can in the comments about my personal experience or understanding of things. If you email me, I also might post that to comments -- referring to you as Ann on a Mouse, if you're shy. YouTube has lots of videos, but you will feel weird confessing to people that you've spent hours watching people fiddling with worms. (Trust me, I've been there.)
***
2/3/10
Going well. Learning to not over -- overfeed, overworry, over-nose-around. The worms are still adjusting, but the environment seems to be working, and they're going at the scraps. Because I cook most nights, and make lots of veggies, I think it'll be a while before they'll be able to handle what I could give them, so I'm holding back.! There has been a day or two where I've not added to it, and let them catch up. Been grinding the scraps up in a chopper -- anything to start them out right. Also, upping the amount of fiber -- newspaper, mostly. Only 1 has tried to go "over the wall."
I continue to read up on the topic and my friends are either genuinely interested or humoring me until someone can show up with my injection.
***
2/07/10
Hubert Hawkins: The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.
Griselda: Just remember that.
The Court Jester
A mortar and pestle is a great way to ground up dried egg shells. The worms use them for grit, which aids in digestion, it's a source of calcium which could help with reproduction -- or not -- and it prevents the soil from being too acidic. This is the one I have: Harold's Kitchen 3-1/2 Inch Round Mortar and Pestle , but I picked it more for looks than practicality. If you've saved up a number of shells, I've read you can use something like a plastic bucket, or dishpan, and a mason jar. A lot of folks just crumble by hand or toss the shells in whole.
***
2/14/10
Happy Valentine's Day, and what's more romantic than a bin of worms?
Things are going fine. I've found a warmer spot in my basement, and now the bin is at about 65F, which is the best I can hope for this time of year unless I want to move the gang to the guest room. I've also ordered more worms. We're just creating too much waste right now and could use the help ... and I'm impatient. We have a freezer in the basement and I have a good size Tupperware container to freeze excess, but there's only so much room.
As kitchen scraps accumulate I use Norpro Ceramic Compost Keeper (in red.) It works well, and has a filter to stop your kitchen from smelling. The handle is shoddy though, and it arrived chipped -- I'll be honest and say I should have gotten a metal one. Whether you chose ceramic or metal, there are attractive designs out there though, that'll look okay on your counter. Compost keepers also allow scraps to age for a few days, which means they attract attention faster in the bin. Freezing scraps, or microwaving them, also breaks them down and has a similar effect, with the added consideration of killing off fruit fly eggs or mites that might have hitchhiked from the grocery store. Most mites are actually beneficial, but I think most folks are more comfortable not having stow-aways. One last note on the counter compost keeper: mix it up a little and be aware of how old the oldest scraps are so that you don't end up with a stinky mess at the bottom. After a week or so, maybe less, it's time to freeze or make sure the oldest stuff is what's for dinner in the bin!
***
2/15/10
I should mention that the Worm Factory comes with a lot of stuff. There's coconut coir for the base bedding, and a lot of people swear by it and continue to use it. It's sent as a brick and you soak it in water until it's hydrated and smells like earth and clean soil. There's shredded newspaper, also for bedding, and other related materials. (Paper and cardboard serve as food & bedding, and the addition of them throughout the process keeps smells down, helps if you end up with extra moisture, and it vital to the process.)There's also a hand rake and a scraper. I've never used the scraper. There's also a thermometer which my husband wrote WORMS across so that there are no mix-up with the one in the kitchen -- I supported him in this. There's also a detailed instruction manual, which helped put me at ease. (This is what I received and what they offer currently -- I'd look at the product description to verify this is still accurate when you order.)
The WF (Worm Factory) is designed with a spigot to drain out extra liquids that might fall into the collection tray -- which is different from your working tray with the bedding, worms, and scraps. How moist a bin should be is the matter of some debate and nothing I feel experienced enough to speak to. There are also many discussions on what to do with this liquid -- which is called leachate, but some people call it worm tea. Most experts call worm tea something else -- a deliberate effort to create a mixture to pour on plants which I'm too early in the process to have done. I will say that my bin is moist, but not so moist that there has been drainage. I've rescued the odd worm from the collection bin, but not more than a drop or two of liquid. Since bins evolve, this might change. The design is also made for worms who fall down there to be able to crawl back up.
I'm adding updates enough to see this will get unwieldy before too long, so I'll announce them here, but place them in comments. :)
***
Latest update, 10/26/10, see first page of comments.
At first I was slightly disappointed because all of the starter “ingredients” were in plastic baggies with a twist tie (the advertising photos depicted nice looking packaging for these items). But I used nearly all of these bagged items immediately to set up the bin, so who cares if it’s in a baggie vs shrink wrap...
I will note that the mineral dust was the most difficult to work with in that baggie. It’s advertised in a little shaker/ spice jar, which would be ideal- I ended up pouring it into a spare jar. The baggie was very thin and had a tiny puncture, so it left a thin coating everywhere I moved around the room.
But I used all of the shredded paper material, half of the coconut coir, and half of the pumice. So I just threw the half coir brick and the baggie of pumice into a heftier gallon zip bag.
When mixing the initial ingredients, the coir is a little tricky to moisten: you need much more water than suggested.
Stand the brick on a skinny side and pour water around it- it’ll quickly soak it up and start crumbling. Use approx 0.5 cup at a time, letting the brick soak and crumble each time. Only do this until you can break off the dry top half of the brick.
(I actually went too heavy on the water here due to impatience, and had to use the whole bag of shredded paper, plus more from around the house, to soak up the excess moisture... also a great way to soak up moisture in an established bin!)
Note to self: Don’t use your nice new kitchen bowls to mix the “ingredients”. The little bits of pumice are rough on good dishware...
The day I ordered the Worm Factory, I set out a torn up drink tray soaked in water with some pear and apple cores in it. I left it on my counter until the Factory arrived.
Once I’d mixed all the fresh new components, I also dumped the moist paper/ fruit mix into a corner of the new bedding.
Covered it with wet newspaper per instructions and set it in the sunroom (luckily a shaded North-facing sunroom so we rarely get over 80F in there during the summer).
PS grab a spare newspaper when you order this!
You need a few sheets to place at the bottom of your first tray (you never do that again, it just helps your new work colony figure out up from down lol).
You also need a nice thick layer of wet paper towels on top of the pile.
And the rest you can shred up as part of your fiber/ “browns” for the next few weeks.
They’ve changed a few advertised items too, but none of them are crucial to starting up.
The moisture meter is junk, don’t spend extra money on it (I got one included in my package).
I haven’t needed the flat edge scraper, I suppose it’ll come in handy when harvesting my first load of vermicompost?
And the little mini-rake is actually replaced with a long handled wooden spoon. I’ll be honest... I used the spoon to mix the clean bedding and realized I liked it too much to stir compost. So I washed it up and it’s in my utensil drawer to use for cooking pasta. But I have needed to give the pile a good stir a few times, so I’ve used a regular old fork to gently stir things around.
Hubby ended up getting me a little plastic children’s beach rake from the dollar store’s summer section, so I’d stop using our forks to stir moldy fruit haha.
I initially did not receive the advertised thermometer with the order, but Squirm Firm was awesome about mailing one out the same week. The thermometer is actually the best tool included so far, it’s not digital but it’s super responsive and has the temperature ranges painted on it for quick reference!
(Sadly the Worm Factory manufacturer discontinued the “sprinkler tray” advertised and shown in many of the photos. It’s just the little black box that fits under the open spigot...
I’m using a tall round plastic Chinese carryout container under the Factory. It’s not glamorous, the pictured Sprinkler Tray just fits the look better, but it works fine.
I haven’t had a single drop of leachate drip from the spigot in a week, but I know as soon as I move the trashy plastic container I’ll have a flood lol.
So if you’re keeping your bin in a closet or basement, the lack of the nice catch tray is no loss. But since this is my big project, I’m proudly displaying it in the sunroom and eagerly show it off to everyone.)
This bin does not come with worms, but that actually worked out better for me.
I ordered my worms online the day the bin arrived, so the new bedding had some time to properly fester (I know it doesn’t sound appetizing but those little wigglers love things extra nasty).
I hadn’t realized at the time that Nature’s Footprint, the Worm Factory manufacturer, sells red wigglers.
So the best price I’d found online was from Uncle Jim’s: they always have promo codes, their worms are small but very active, and they ship promptly if you order early in the week (they won’t ship Thursday/ Friday so your worms don’t cook over the weekend in a postal warehouse). HOWEVER Uncle Jim’s only sells a “red mix”, which isn’t only Red Wigglers- they mix in Indian Blues and European Nightcrawlers. I’m not the biggest fan of the two latter worms, since Indian Blues can overrun a bin and Euros burrow deeper than I’d like in an upward migration system like this one.
I think Nature’s Footprint has pure Red Wigglers for only a few dollars more, they may worth looking into!
Otherwise it’s just been a tough week of patience (not too good at that) as the worms work through the bedding and little food.
Luckily we didn’t have the infamous “worm exodus” some first timers describe, maybe a few lost worms in the catch tray the first day or two.
48hrs after they arrived and I settled them in, I uncovered the newspaper to add some crushed eggshells and a little coffee grounds (I froze the eggshells in a baggie and was able to easily crush them by just smooshing them in my hand).
After the first week, I then added approx a pound of fruit/ veggie waste from my juicer. It was mostly beets, apples, and carrots. This was only 2 days ago, and I’ve just noticed a mild smell in the bin for the first time. Not a stinky smell, but slightly acidic (I think the high sugar and high moisture content, plus the large volume, caused a little mold buildup). I added more shredded paper and used the fork (I mean er I used the plastic sand toy *wink wink*) to mix up the new food, to introduce more air into the bin.
So overall the perfect product for starters, and a great way to keep going even when you’re an expert- it comes with a total of 4 bins, and you buy more bins for a reasonable price here on Amazon.
I’m excited to see how the worms do in a few months, we may try to feed them some of our autumn leaves once they’re churning quickly through the bins!!
Top reviews from other countries
Have had an issue though getting English instructions!
The first unit we ordered arrived fairly quickly. However, the detailed instruction guide was in French - no English version.
After being unable to find one online, I contacted Amazon to see if they could send the instruction guide. They could not send the guide only, but they did arrange to send out another unit. After 3 weeks or so no replacement unit had arrived. Contacted Amazon, and they arranged to send out a third unit, as the second one was considered lost in shipment. Received the third unit only to find French instructions again! Have given up and relied on youtube videos to get the factory up and running.
My summary points with this little rant:
Amazon customer service was great. There was never an issue with them attempting to resolve the problem. Pleasant people on the phone. I was very happy with the customer service directly by Amazon and I cannot fault them at all with this issue.
The fault lies with the vendor/supplier located in Quebec. If you are going to sell into the rest of Canada, include English instructions. Last time I read the paper, Bill 101 had not extended beyond the Quebec provincial boundary.