The Worm Factory 360: Review
The Worm Factory 360 by Nature’s Way is a multi-tiered worm farm that is easy to use with helpful instructions to get you started. Read on to learn more about the other features of this great worm composter.
The Worm Factory 360 by American company Nature’s Footprint offers a lot of versatility when it comes to worm farming at home. Converting your household organic waste into a nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden has never been easier. It features a sturdy design that is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use all at a very competitive price. With the ability to hold up to 7 full trays, it’s easy to see why this composter has become so popular.
Worm Factory 360 overview
Rotating tray design
The Worm Factory 360 uses a “rotating tray” design. It is made from high-quality recycled plastic and comes initially with 4 working trays. You can purchase additional trays separately to have up to a total of 7. Each tray contains holes at the bottom to allow your worms to freely move about your composter in search of food. It also comes equipped with a collection tray as the base that is fitted with a spigot to collect any liquid, known as leachate. Simply place a bucket beneath the spigot to drain the leachate which you can then use as a liquid fertilizer for your plants.
Great instructional content
One of the key benefits in choosing the Worm Factory over other composters is the reference material it contains. You’ll receive detailed instructions on how to setup and care for your worm farm as a link to an online, 80+ page manual. For those who are more experienced, you can simply follow the quick tips instructions on the lid to save time.
5 year warranty
You’ll find that there is good aeration with the Worm Factory to keep odors at a minimum and a 5 year warranty from the manufacturer. As an overall package, the Worm Factory 360 is a great choice for both beginners and experienced worm farmers alike. You’ll be recycling like a pro and feeding your garden the very best in organic fertilizers in no time at all!
Worm Factory 360 features
| Easy expansion with additional trays | You can expand your worm farm with up to 7 trays, making it one of the largest composters in the market today for the price. It initially comes with a set of 4 trays (most other worm farms only come with 3), but any additional trays you will need to purchase. |
| A worm ladder | Worms can sometimes end up in the liquid collection tray where they may drown. Nature’s Footprint has thoughtfully included a worm ladder as part of the design to assist your worms to climb back into the working trays. |
| Detailed instructions | The Worm Factory comes with an 80+ page online manual, covering everything you need to know. It also has a set of quick setup instructions on top of the lid. |
| Made from recycled plastic | The Worm Factory is made from high quality recycled plastic that is durable enough to be placed outside. |
| Dimensions | length: 17.95 inches, width: 17.95 inches, height: 14.95 inches. |
Pros
- Eco-friendly – The Worm Factory 360 is made with safe and durable recycled plastic. Great for the environment, and your peace of mind.
- Easy to setup – It’s quick and easy to set up and use, only requiring around 15 mins of maintenance each week.
- Expandable – This makes it great for those who produce more household organic waste but don’t want to purchase a more expensive worm farm.
- Great instructional content – The Worm Factory comes with its own 80 page online manual. You won’t need to waste time researching how to get the most out of your Worm Factory. It’s all included.
- Multiple colors – Take your pick of either black, green, or terracotta.
Cons
- Can get heavy with lots of trays – If you choose to expand your Worm Factory to the full 7 trays, you will be needing to lift more trays to access your castings. There have also been reports of the legs collapsing due to too much weight from 7 full trays.
- Not fully sealed – Worms can sometimes mount daring escapes if the conditions of the worm farm aren’t great. Since the stackable trays can leave gaps around the side, your worms may be able to get out.
- Spigot can get clogged – If your castings are quite wet, they can make their way into the collector tray and block the spigot. We recommend using a piece of mesh to cover the opening on the inside of the collector tray.
How to use the Worm Factory 360
Assembly
The Worm Factory is actually very easy to assemble. First set up the collector tray by checking the spigot for leaks and then insert the worm ladder. You may want to place a small piece of mesh or cloth to cover the drainage point inside the bin to prevent blockages. Place one of the working trays on top of the base tray and worm ladder and set the others aside for the time being.
Preparing the worm farm bedding
Next prepare the worms and bedding and add them to the first tray. Simply use some coconut coir, shredded newspaper and soil for the bedding and add about ½ to 1 pound of worms. You’ll want to wait about a week to let them get settled. After that add your kitchen waste and let the worms do their work. When the tray becomes completely filled stack another on top and add more waste. The worms will move from the bottom tray to access the fresh food in the top tray.
Harvesting the castings
After about 3-6 months, you’ll be ready to harvest your castings by removing the bottom tray and spreading it all over your garden. You can then add the empty tray back on top once the top tray is full to keep the process going.
READ MORE: How to Harvest Worm Castings
Things to remember…
- Be sure to frequently empty the trays when they are full of castings. This also helps prevent the “leaning tower” effect if you have a large number of trays.
- Once you empty a tray, make sure you clean it completely to remove anything that might clog up the holes.
- Don’t overfeed your worms. Compost worms can typically process about 1/4 pound of food each day. Any more than they can handle and you might find the scraps can start breaking down anaerobically which means nasty odors.
- You can use a compost conditioner (optional) at least once per week to keep the pH level of the worm farm consistent.
- Keep the lid closed to seal the contents away from flies and other unwanted pests.
Conclusion
Compared to other similar products on the market, the Worm Factory 360 is truly worth its price. It comes with loads of information to get you started which is a real benefit for beginners and experienced people alike. Simple to use, well constructed and affordable. Everything you want in a home worm farm. Why not check it out for yourself?
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