Carlos, you might want to read the thread below ("another Texas experience"). It's different than what you plan, but some of the discussion might be helpful to you.

I think an in-ground bin is a good idea. It would be best if you could find a location that was in complete shade. If you have any rodents or burrowing critters, consider lining the bottom with hardware cloth/wire mesh. Even if you start with cocoons or few worms, fill up the entire worm bin with damp bedding. The more mass, the better the insulation in both hot & cold weather.

Andrew

Here is a link that might be useful: another Texas experience

You might want to search 'trenches'. A lot of people dig trenches in the ground and then fill with worms and bedding. It's the same idea as what you're talking about but different shape. The composting worms won't leave as long as there is food in the trench since they're not the kind that dig in soil, so the tile probably isn't necessary. If you've got ground critters, I'm guessing they could just push the tile aside so the wire mesh is important. In cooler climates, they often put their trench right along the side of the garden.

Take a look at my bins. I would not change a thing.

http://www.sierrawormsolutions.com/wearegrowing.html

sierraworms doesn't seem to have a wire mesh floor in his/her bins and doesn't indicate a problem.

My worm pit/beds were started in a random way, with no particular planning. It just grew with the worm population.

I've had some gopher [I think] problems. But our neighboring lots are 'gopher heaven'. If I'd thought ahead [as you seem to be doing] sure would have put a barrier of some kind.

My pits are under eucalyptus trees .. filtered shade ... and I notice that the tree roots are invading the bins. Will have to 'take measures' eventually. You may want to consider the root 'thing' also, as your bins will be tree-shaded.

I cover the pit surface with old carpet. The worms love the carpet undersides. [if you've 'lurked' in this forum, you've probably read mendopete's tales about the benefit of burlap in his in-ground pits]

I hand water the bins every day in summer and protect from rain in the winter.[you may want to check drainage in your site ... you guys get some real 'gully-whopper' rains, so flooding might be a consideration] I've seen references to using one of those misters, which doesn't get sopping wet, but keeps evenly moist.

Harvesting the pits, for me, is just a matter of taking shovels-full out, screening the worms out and placing back into the new bedding. I started feeding with horse manure, but that supply is gone, so I just use the cheap bagged manure from Lowes ... plus cardboard and kitchen scraps.

Well, that's about all I can think of. Good luck. Keep us posted.

This link to sierra for a smaller bin does mention hardware cloth on the bottom.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sierra Outdoor Bin Link

I used the hardware cloth because i read forums like this one. I no longer use or recogmend it. Then again I don't live where moles or gophers are.

You don't need to use a tree for shade. It is more trouble than it is worth.

Shade is shade no matter where it comes from. Just put a pice of R insulation like in the pics of my bins. That way you don't have to deal with the roots from trees or bushes.

http://www.sierrawormsolutions.com/wearegrowing.html

Good luck

I don't have moles or gophers, but I do have other rodents that will burrow under and into a compost or worm bin unless it has a secure floor of some sort. I happened to have window screen around and that works well.

Andrew

Snow in the desert pictures of a worm farm are great. Not using a shade tree but using insulation shade is high tech but probably works. I like how the worm bin "takes a 90 degree turn".

At first I was like, great another advertizer, but then I remembered the pictures from a long time ago. So it was more like a long term test result update.

The pictures make me think that if everything stopped, in the future a 4 foot by 100 foot bit of oasis would be growing and sprouting life from the worm bins. That desert sure needs the benefits of some good top soil to capture and store water.

I think sierraworms has an EXCELLENT system for hot/cold climates and we should be thankful it is being shared here. My neighbor stopped by this wormery and purchased about 130 lbs of bed-run redworms. They have thrived here on a horse manure/vegetable diet. He is copying the system sierraworms use with cinder-block and lightweight insulation panels. I think the panels are overkill in our mild climate, but Reno is cold and hot. I prefer burlap here, but I get it free and it does wear out quickly.

happy worming!!! good luck, Pete

Having raised my own fishing worms in both Texas and Minnesota. I completely agree with sierra and pete. The screen is a pita. Animals just do not line up to eat worms. Oh sure once in a great while a shrew may stop by for a snack. sierra we have built worm bins similar to yours for years I thought all bins were built like that till I read this forum????

Curt

sierra,

What depth is your bin? It looks like two courses of cinderblocks, but I could be wrong.

Do you have to take any extra precautions for heat/cold? I am thinking of putting an outdoor worm bin in at my school (we put a vegetable garden in this past year) to be a part of a horticulture elective. The students will be tending to the beds, so we will have limited opportunities to get to the bins. More importantly, how often do you have to add moisture in the summer. THe obvious issue is that no one is really around during the summer, so I (or some other good Samaritan) would have to regularly visit the worms to tend them.

ANy direction you can offer would be greatly appreciated. The last thing I want to have happen is a total disaster - cooked or frozen worms...frozen I might be able to deal with - assuming the cocoons can survive, but would the cocoons survive being baked?

Eaglesgarden,

I do not know why the feet and inches signs I put to tell the dimensions of my bin came up so weird.

The bin is 4 feet by 2 feet and one foot deep, eight inches inside the ground.

Regarding your other questions, it seems that if you provide good insulation you will have no problems. I have no clue about how often you will have to provide moisture

Eagle

I water twice a week in the summer and have now cut back to once a week. Come December and January I will go two months without watering. Small amounts of water will get to the bin from snow melt and such,so if the worms feel like they need a bath water is available.

I mostly use manure which contains no water. If you are using food scraps you can water less. I do not have to add water when my home bin 3x5 is running at full speed.I add 10 gallons of food a week and that contains enough water as long as I keep it covered.

Happy Worming

Here is a smaller bin I helped a friend make. I still think the screen is not necessary.

The lid is a little overkill also but it is a very nice bin.

http://www.sierrawormsolutions.com/homebin.html

Sierra,

That is a BEAUTIFUL set-up!!! What is the cost of starting a bin like that - materials only (not worms)? Secondly, my ground gets very wet after a rain - (the street I live on is called Springhill - there is no hill, but there is a lot of underground springs all over the place.) Could I make a berm and put the "in-ground" bin into the berm? How much thermal mass would I need around the bin to protect it? (If you don't know, I'll have to do some research and calculations. Not a big problem really, I'm just being lazy. :^) ) I'm wondering if planting around the outside of it with some squash or other big leaved plants would help keep it cool in the summer. I could add straw in the winter around the exterior certainly, to keep it warmer in the winter.

I have 4 trenches dug, 6 X 2, or so. After I fill a trench with the kitchen compost, I shovel a little soil onto the top, and then cover the whole trench with straw, for insulation - keeps cool in the summer and warm in winter. I have a shade cloth (green mesh) that makes a ceiling over the whole thing - not touching, but hovering above - I attach the cloth to pvc pipe and push the pipe into the soil around the trenches - gives extra insulation, but mainly so the sun doesn't hit the trenches. The castings are wonderful, and I use them to start seeds - I grow only from seed. Garden was show-off lovely this year - I have 12 beds full of vegetables - intensive planting. When I first thought of using the ground, I was sure the worms would run away, but as long as they are fed meals, they stay home. It takes about 6 weeks from mushy not-great-smelling kitchen scraps to beautiful castings. I use a screen to strain out the soil, and put the worms that are still there (the others have moved next door) in their nursery container to procreate, and then when I'm ready to start another worm trench, I take a handful of worms and toss them in. If I can figure out how to put a picture here, I'll show you a photo of the garden in its prime.

Eagle Garden Don't over complicate it. The pics show it all.

Do that and you won't fail, if your temps are close to Reno.

Of course it is way late if to start an outdoor bin if you expect 0 temps this winter but it could be done if you put some thought into it.

Raquibird I would like to see some pics?

I agree that I shouldn't try to overcomplicate it, but at the same time, I don't want them to drown either. Every spring we get a lot of rain, and I was just thinking that if I put the bin in the ground, the water would flow into the bin and drown out the worms - or they would look to move elsewhere,

Maybe I could just add a course of block and put more bedding into the bin, so that they would have an area to move vertically, if they got too wet.

I agree too...pics are always welcome!!!

My worms are "in-ground" and flood free. Try a raised bed. Mine is 18" high by 3'x5' with a plywood lid to keep "excessive" rain out. It is made of 4" redwood. 40+ inches of annual rain. Happy wormin' Pete

Eaglegarden

I agree with Pete. If you are worried about flooding build the bin above ground then build up dirt around it for insulation if its cold there.

I was thinking of a separate post for this but here goes. I have an experimental trench that is circular with an old rotting Ash tree stump in the center. The out side diameter of the trench is about 6 foot across. The inside diameter is about 4 foot and the depth is a little more than the depth of a spade. The trench is filled with pre-composted material from my piles. Nice airy bedding/food for the worms. This is my nasty stuff bin. By that I mean the stuff that is to stinky to go in the compost or into the inside worm bins, Such as meat, dairy, fats, fish cleanings,etc. Feeding is done in line like a race track. I mark the last feeding with a metal rod. By the time I get back to the starting point the food is composted and the worms have moved on. Making harvesting very fast and easy. I started with just a handful of E.F.'s and what was in the compost bedding and local ground worms. the big thing now? Can the E.F.'s take the winter If not I have stock indoors.
Eagles This trench took 11-1/2 inches of rain in 2 days and showed no sign of a large die off. I would say getting too dry is more of a worry than too wet. No I do not have trouble with scavenging animals.

Curt

Curt, What has been the effect of the VC on the stump? I was thinking about applying some castings on a stump to see if it would accelerate it's decomp. I figured the bacteria in the vc were just the right ones for digesting cellulose.

Curt we had 90+ winds last winter and I lost a few lids off my bin. The bedding on top froze about an inch deep for a week or so. There was no sign of problems. The worms seemed happy and the numbers were great the next spring. As long as the worms don't freeze themselves you should be ok.

The bedding below that frosted layer got down to 38-40

pjames the stump is decomposing fast. I do not know if it is from the worms or from the protein in the food. Worms do seem to like wood don't they? ;)