I'd keep your regular compost pile going, and the worm bin as an extra. You can look around online, and in some of the threads on here and find worm bins that you can buy. Some have multi-leveled tiers and stuff to make harvesting easier. If you want to go the cheaper route, then just getting a rubber maid tub will work, like one of those 18 gallon ones at Walmart or someplace. I have 2 bins, one is an old wooden toy box. People do work on ways to stack the rubber maid bins on top of each other, so they get a tier system going. I don't worry about that myself. One of my boxes is plenty big, and just feed the opposite side for a few weeks, to draw the worms more to that side.

If you go with a box bin, just drill some holes in the bottom and sides, to allow excess water to drain out, and air to flow in. Bedding is simple. Shredded paper, leaves, bits of shredded cardboard. There is the belief that the worms really love the glue that is on the cardboard sometimes. Normal brown materials that can hold some moisture is good bedding. Add little bits of food waste at a time, so you don't get too much heat built up. When most of one feeding is gone, then it is time to feed again. Cover the feedings with more bedding material. You can compost your garden waste in the worm bin, but I wouldn't add grass clippings, as they'll heat up too much and bake the worms. Also people have noted that rice will heat up too much also. Basic veggie waste is good. Start off with something soft, and build the bin and have the food started a few weeks before you get the worms. I wouldn't add any dairy or meat products, as the worms don't care too much for them, and you don't want the bin to heat up good enough to really take care of them.

Make sure you look for red wrigglers. I got mine from Happy D Ranch. You'll want at least 2lbs to get a good start going.

Other than that, look around here, you'll learn a lot. There are books out there, like worms eat my garbage by Mary Appelhof. I used this web site, along with google searches to learn most of what I know. I've read that the vermicompost is about 10 times better than regular compost. It is great for starting seeds.

Welcome to the interest in worms. ;p

Eggle,
Thanks for the info.

I guess the first thing to decide is what kind of bin to use/make and can I just leave it in my garage. It gets cold here but stays above freezing in the garage. I would rather not buy one. Making one seems very simple. I've been reading this forum and found what seems to be two types; one that seems to have drawers, and one that has rods at the bottom. What are the advantages of each. It sounds like it has something to do with seperating worms and castings but I'm not sure how that works in general. Is this explained somewhere? Does the book you mention point out the best set up? I can build just about anything if I can at least understand what I'm trying to accomplish.

I'll definitely go with the red wigglers.

Thanks,
Rick

It really would be worth your while to buy or borrow a copy of Worms Eat My Garbage.
mbetts

Here are the instructions for building a basic sytem called the OSCR Jr. This morning I saw a Target ad for 10-gal Rubbermaid containers in the Sunday paper, 2 for $9.

http://www.klickitatcounty.org/SolidWaste/ContentROne.asp?fContentIdSelected=991251662&fCategoryIdSelected=965105457

Start up instructions:
http://www.klickitatcounty.org/solidwaste/contentrone.asp?fcontentidselected=483736526&fcategoryidselected=965105457

Good luck. Don't overfeed. And be patient.

Here is a link that might be useful: OSCR Jr. construction plans

A couple of notes:

Worms are cold blooded. If the bin is kept in a cold garage, the worm activity will slow down when the temperature in the bin drops below 65 degrees F. The worms may survive your cold winters. If they don't, their eggs will hatch when the weather gets warmer.

The bins with "drawers" are actually made up of stacking trays. The idea is that when the worms finish off the food in the lower tray, they will migrate to the upper tray. The bins with rods on the bottom are more complex to build and get established, but once they get going, they are easier to harvest. Because they have good air circulation (since they are open at the bottom), they may handle more food.

Yes you can keep it in the garage. Some people have them in closets in their houses, while others are in garages, or outside. I've tried it in the house, but prefer them outside. Being able to bring them into the garage does help keep them from freezing, and helps to keep them a little warmer. The idea temperatur is 70, any lower and they will slow their eating habits down. It is normal, and nothing to worry about. Can happen if they get too hot also. Garage is great.

The OSCR Jr plans listed above look great. I have had an indoor bin, but nothing that nice. Mine may have been better if I followed something like that. If you look at the plans, it allows you to place another bin on top of another. It uses a total of 3 rubbermaid container, but you can always stack more on top. The bottom one catches any excess water, which you can use to water plants with. Then the next bin houses the worms and their food/bedding. As the bin gets full, add another bin on top, and this allows the worms to migrate up looking for more food. The post with a trash can that has bars on the bottom is using the same idea, but is just a bigger bin. The longer the bottom bin is in place, the better, because eggs will hatch, and those new worms will eventually migrate up also.

In the end, using this type of system allows you to just use what is in the bottom bin, without trying to find and separate the worms out. You'll probably still have a few, no matter how many bins are stacked on top of each other, but those can go help the garden. I would use a rubbemaid system, just because they are easier to move around and stack on top of each other. Less chances of getting hurt. It also allows more worms to leave the bottom bin. You can drill holes in the bottom, cut out the middle and place some type of fence or grate, or even use some bars like that other post has on the trash cans. Basic concept is to allow the worms to move up.

Hope that helps.