Starting a worm bin in summer

by Mark
(Rowlett, TX)

Hi Liz,

I am interested in starting a worm bin in a rubbermaid type plastic bin about 2 1/2' X 2' X 2'. I am in Rowlett, so I am in the Texas mid-July heat. I have a great, shady spot under dense pecan tree cover. It stays a little cooler (2F - 3F) there. Can I start now, or should I wait until September?

Answer from BigTex Worms

You can start anytime, however with a brand new bin, I would make sure you have several things right to keep the worms alive.
1. The right bedding: use peat or coconut fiber
2. Keep the bedding moist
3. Protect the bin from ANY sun. Direct sun will bake it fast.
4. Do not feed ANY kitchen scraps until fall and the worms are settled. So ONLY feed newspaper, cardboard shreds or compost that has already gone through the heating process till then. Scraps heat and in a brand new bin the worms will not be able to keep up and they might die on you.