When the gardening season starts winding down, it’s the perfect time to tackle those garden projects on your to do list. And this one—adding an in-ground worm composting bin right into your raised bed has been on mine for quite a while. Our unseasonably warm weather, and some downtown in the garden gave me a chance to finally get it done.
I bought a 3-pack of wire in ground compost bins on Amazon, snapped them together, and added one right into one of my raised beds. It’s the perfect “set it and forget it” system—red wigglers do all the work, and my vegetables get the rewards.
Here’s exactly how I set mine up, and how you can do it too.
Step 1: Install Your Composting Bin
Choose a spot in your raised bed where you can easily lift the lid and check the bin—near the edge works well.
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Bury the bin so the top lip sits slightly above soil level.
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Backfill around it and press the soil firmly.
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Make sure soil makes contact with the sides.
This allows worms to move freely from the bin into your raised bed soil.
Step 2: Add Bedding
Worms don’t go straight on food—they need a comfortable base layer first.
Add this to the bottom:
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A handful of damp shredded paper or cardboard
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A scoop of garden soil or finished compost
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Light moisture until it feels like a wrung-out sponge
This brings good microbes into the system—those microorganisms break down your kitchen scraps, and the worms follow the buffet.
Step 3: Add Your Red Wigglers
I used one cup (about 50) of red wiggler worms (composting worms) for this small bin. You can use up to 300 and I will add a few more gradually.
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Pour the worms on top of the bedding.
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Add any worm castings from the cup—they’re full of beneficial microbes.
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Let the worms wiggle down on their own.
Red wigglers avoid light, so they’ll disappear fast.
Step 4: Add Their First Meal (Just a Tiny One!)
I read that this is where most beginners make their first mistake. They overfeed.
This is what I had on hand to use and as you can see, I didn’t use much.
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Crushed eggshells
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Spinach leaves
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Coffee grounds
Start Small:
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Add one crushed eggshell
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Add 2–3 small pieces of spinach.
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Add just a teaspoon of coffee grounds.
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Cover lightly with soil or shredded paper.
Worms eat slowly at first. You don’t want food sitting there and turning slimy.
Step 5: Let Them Settle
Close the lid and walk away for about a week.
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Don’t add more food for 5–7 days.
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Check moisture—damp is good, but not soggy.
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When most of the food is gone, add a small handful of new scraps.
Great worm foods: lettuce, spinach, pumpkin, melon rinds, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, carrot shavings. (chop into little pieces)
Step 6: What NOT to Add
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No meat
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No dairy
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No oils
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No citrus in large amounts
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No onions or garlic scraps in large amounts
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No “hot” materials like manure
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No large quantities of coffee grounds (they compact and get too acidic)
Step 7: Weekly Maintenance
This only takes a few minutes:
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Add small feedings once a week.
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Rotate what you add (variety keeps the system balanced).
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Make sure the bedding stays damp.
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Peek inside occasionally—you should see worms and rich, dark material forming.
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If you spot worms moving into your raised bed soil… that’s exactly what you want.
Why I Love This System
I’m all about no fuss gardening, and this fits right in:
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Free worm castings → better soil and healthier plants
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No turning compost piles
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No smell
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No hauling compost across the yard
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Worms help aerate the soil right in your raised bed
It’s the simplest way to supercharge vegetable gardens without extra work.
Budget for this project:
Pack of 3 wire composting bins. (I have used 1 but will add the other two later in my other beds) Amazon
$17.99
Cup of red wiggler worms (50) at a local bait shop
$8.00
Total $25.99 before tax.
I have more worms ordered from Amazon because I wanted a larger amount and it’s less expensive than buying by the cup. 250 red wigglers for $28. This will fill two more bins that I have left over.
Happy Gardening!
Karen
These bins were very easy to put together with zip ties provided in the packet.
- I am an Amazon affiliate. Anything you purchase while following my link will result in a small compensation with no extra cost to you.
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