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April 29, 2016 in Easy Garden DIY

Easy DIY Worm Tube or Worm Tower

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I'll make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
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Worm poop or castings are loaded with some of the best nutrients needed for plants to thrive.

When a worm squirms around the garden they help make the soil more crumbly which improves soil structure. Improved soil structure allows air and water to flow more freely.

The movement of a worm also creates tunnels which aerate the soil underneath to the benefit of those plant roots.

If you only want one worm tube, it’s cheaper to just buy one worm tube online.

But if you’re looking to have multiple worm tubes then consider making them as you’ll have all the supplies on hand.

This is an easy step-by-step guide on how I built four more tubes/towers for our three raised beds.

And if you have never heard of a worm tube….that’s up next!

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What’s a worm tube?

Standing tall at 2 1/2 feet a worm tube is a plastic sewer pipe that’s buried in your garden which shelters your worms who eat your compost.

The bottom 18 inches have numerous holes that allow for the worms to enter and exit the tube. This portion of the tube is buried in your soil and because the holes are underground; you won’t get any fruit flies from the compost you place in the tube.

The tube has both a ventilated cap with a screen on top and an end cap on the bottom. We find that the screen not only keeps out pests but keeps the tube properly ventilated.

The bottom end cap prevents moles and other pests from climbing up the bottom while allowing water to drain out. 

When you remove the ventilated cap on top, you dump in your green and brown compost and say “Hi worms, how are you doing today?

Do you like the food I am giving you? How did you sleep last night?” and then attach the top back on.

{Do worms sleep?!}

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Step-by-step guide on building a worm tube/worm tower

Cost and supplies to make four worm tubes
-10 feet of pvc or sewer line 6 inches wide ($34.99 Lowe’s)
-4 end caps (drain caps $5.22 Home Depot)
-4 ventilation caps (6 in. Plastic Round Foam Polyolefin Grate) 1-$4.24 Home Depot

Total cost for each worm tube is $18.20

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Cut your pvc pipe or sewer line 30″ or 2 1/2 feet. A hacksaw would work fine.

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Make four worm tubes/towers out of one 10 foot sewer line/pvc pipe

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Put your end caps on the bottom of your pvc/drain line. These will serve as mole/animal  proctectors

Measurements for Worm Tube/Tower dimension

  • Make a line 18 inches from the bottom of the tube. This is the amount that will be buried in the ground.
  • Make vertical line around the tube approximately 1 1/4″ around the tube. These don’t have to be perfect and your last line will not come out to the exact specifications so split the difference.
  • Along those lines put a dash mark every two inches this is where you will make your drill holes
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Make pilot holes on every mark
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Drill over a tarp or cement where you can easily sweep up the plastic bits
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Re-drill the pilot holes using a 1/4″ drill bit
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Supplies needed for ventilation cap

  • sharpie marker, tin snips, hot glue gun and utility knife
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I garbage picked this screen
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Trace the cap on a section of the screen and then cut it out and glue it in with hot glue
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Dig the holes where you will put the worm tube. Remember the worms will probably only cover a three foot radius from the tube.
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Bury up to your 18″ line

Add your kitchen scraps

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Worm tube/tower at work

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You Tube step by step video on making your own worm tube/tower
Come on give me a thumbs up!

Do you want more worms in your garden? Don’t forget how important composting is for worms either ~ Tom

Secret code: peach

76 Comments

Previous Post: « DIY multi-level raised garden bed made of wood
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarDawn Hughes says

    November 18, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    Willing to try

    Reply
    • AvatarBetty Flinchbaugh says

      December 11, 2020 at 8:39 pm

      What a great and inexpensive way to enrich your garden!

      Reply
  2. AvatarSarah Bridges says

    December 11, 2020 at 1:07 am

    My daughter LOVES bugs and worms, so would be so excited to make this and be able to see the worms at work!

    Reply
  3. AvatarTerry Poage says

    December 11, 2020 at 1:41 am

    This is really interesting, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  4. AvatarJohn Dickson says

    December 11, 2020 at 1:57 am

    Love this.

    Reply
  5. AvatarPhyllis Skoglund says

    December 11, 2020 at 2:00 am

    I have been burying banana peels to nuture worms.

    Reply
  6. AvatarGabrielle R says

    December 11, 2020 at 2:10 am

    What great info! I’ve literally never heard of a worm tube.

    Reply
    • AvatarShirley. Smith says

      December 11, 2020 at 3:15 pm

      I had never heard of a worm tube. Looks so easy to do with all the detailed instructions. I just may have to do this next summer.

      Reply
  7. AvatarApril B says

    December 11, 2020 at 2:20 am

    I never knew about doing this. I will have to remember this! Thanks for the info.

    Reply
  8. AvatarHana Harman says

    December 11, 2020 at 2:30 am

    Thank you for the info

    Reply
  9. Avatarjohn kennedy says

    December 11, 2020 at 2:52 am

    cool idea…never tried it before.

    Reply
  10. AvatarJanis says

    December 11, 2020 at 3:04 am

    I never heard of a worm tower. I know several people who could use these.

    Reply
  11. AvatarBetsy Pauzauskie says

    December 11, 2020 at 3:20 am

    Thank you for sharing detailed instructions/tips for building worm tubes! These organic gardening facilitative tubes appeal to me by attracting an army of unpaid working worms, who willingly recycle wastes AND enhance plant growth through soil enrichment! A gardener’s dream!

    Reply
  12. Avatarcindy quisenberry says

    December 11, 2020 at 5:30 am

    grandson would love this!

    Reply
  13. AvatarSandra McFadden says

    December 11, 2020 at 8:07 am

    What an awesome tool to add to the garden I never heard of a worm tube thank you for sharing such great info.

    Reply
  14. AvatarLiz Kilcher says

    December 11, 2020 at 10:43 am

    thanks for the info

    Reply
  15. AvatarDonna Evans says

    December 11, 2020 at 11:25 am

    Guess you can never stop learning, what great information

    Reply
  16. AvatarRichard Schott says

    December 11, 2020 at 12:08 pm

    That is really neat.

    Reply
  17. AvatarDiane Warstler says

    December 11, 2020 at 12:55 pm

    I’ve never seen anything like this! Very interesting.

    Reply
  18. AvatarSusan L Craig says

    December 11, 2020 at 1:18 pm

    Great idea!

    Reply
  19. AvatarAudrey says

    December 11, 2020 at 1:52 pm

    Interesting….

    Reply
  20. AvatarJeffrey Smead says

    December 11, 2020 at 2:03 pm

    pretty cool project

    Reply
  21. AvatarSheila gagnon says

    December 11, 2020 at 3:09 pm

    this is fabulous. definitely going to do

    Reply
  22. AvatarRena T Walter says

    December 11, 2020 at 3:11 pm

    What a great idea!

    Reply
  23. AvatarChad Boyd says

    December 11, 2020 at 3:32 pm

    This is an awesome idea. Thank you for the sharing!

    Reply
  24. AvatarDeeAnn S says

    December 11, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    good easy to follow instruction. Thanks.

    Reply
  25. AvatarBrittany Gilley says

    December 11, 2020 at 4:03 pm

    what a great idea!

    Reply
  26. Avatardennis case says

    December 11, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    looks like something I would like

    Reply
  27. AvatarMichelle Proper says

    December 11, 2020 at 4:07 pm

    So cool! Worms are essential! 🙂

    Reply
  28. AvatarSam says

    December 11, 2020 at 4:50 pm

    I’ll definitely have to try this. Make for good soil.

    Reply
  29. AvatarAlice Morris says

    December 11, 2020 at 5:09 pm

    This is all new to me and i am old

    Reply
  30. Avatarcharlen says

    December 11, 2020 at 5:41 pm

    Cool ideas… very interesting.

    Reply
  31. AvatarBill Toutz says

    December 11, 2020 at 6:11 pm

    thanks for the alternatives

    Reply
  32. AvatarAnita Kennett says

    December 11, 2020 at 6:20 pm

    I am so doing this,thanks

    Reply
  33. AvatarMelinda Barlow says

    December 11, 2020 at 6:30 pm

    I think this is a great solution. Do you purchase worms to make sure you have plenty in each bed?

    Reply
  34. AvatarCat Delgado says

    December 11, 2020 at 7:04 pm

    Thank you for the idea and the directions for one of my new Winter projects!

    Reply
  35. AvatarDeb says

    December 11, 2020 at 7:08 pm

    Never heard of a worm tube, such a neat idea. Thanks

    Reply
  36. AvatarDebbie Welchert says

    December 11, 2020 at 7:32 pm

    This sounds so interesting. My husband is the one who takes care of our garden and I’m sure he’ll want to give this a try..

    Reply
  37. AvatarJennifer Phillips says

    December 11, 2020 at 7:56 pm

    That is a great idea. I am lucky with how many worms we have, but they make me squirm.

    Reply
  38. AvatarCynthia says

    December 11, 2020 at 9:38 pm

    worm tubes, who new

    Reply
  39. AvatarPeggy Rydzewski says

    December 11, 2020 at 9:49 pm

    I never heard of a worm tower. I will have to check into this.

    Reply
  40. AvatarVona Merritt Parker says

    December 11, 2020 at 10:29 pm

    Great info!

    Reply
  41. AvatarLisa Cress says

    December 11, 2020 at 11:52 pm

    I haven’t tried one of these….yet! Thank you!

    Reply
  42. AvatarKaren Jaras says

    December 12, 2020 at 1:30 am

    I have heard of this before, but I usually release my worms in the spring. Maybe this will help keep them around.

    Reply
  43. AvatarKathy Pierce says

    December 12, 2020 at 2:52 am

    Interesting, would like to try this!

    Reply
  44. Avatarpaula burnham says

    December 12, 2020 at 3:03 am

    I didn’t know about the worms great idea, thanks

    Reply
  45. Avatarbelinda bell says

    December 12, 2020 at 3:32 am

    great idea. I going to try this in my garden

    Reply
  46. AvatarMichael Villani says

    December 12, 2020 at 12:54 pm

    Making some of these

    Reply
  47. AvatarSandi McGinnis says

    December 12, 2020 at 1:10 pm

    Great idea-although I’m not too sure I can get my old,stubborn mind to cooperate long enough to accomplish this.I am going to try this in the spring,when I prepare my garden.-Stand-by,I may need a video to walk me through it.

    Reply
  48. AvatarMichael Coovert says

    December 12, 2020 at 1:13 pm

    Can I borrow your great team of “helpers” to assist me?

    Reply
  49. AvatarRonnell Storie says

    December 12, 2020 at 2:12 pm

    Good project, for those willing. I don’t do complicated.

    Reply
  50. Avatargail bartels says

    December 12, 2020 at 3:17 pm

    Might we worth a try

    Reply
  51. AvatarElizabeth Krill says

    December 13, 2020 at 7:31 pm

    Good information. Worms are very good for the soil. I hope to try something like this in the spring.

    Reply
  52. Avatarkim blevins says

    December 14, 2020 at 4:00 am

    i use all of my kitchen scraps in my garden spot turning the earth over on itself often

    Reply
  53. AvatarSarah Pace says

    December 14, 2020 at 5:20 am

    Never heard of these before. Great idea though!

    Reply
  54. AvatarRobin says

    December 15, 2020 at 4:07 am

    I had never heard of a worm too before, but what a great way to nurture your garden!

    Reply
  55. AvatarLeela says

    December 15, 2020 at 7:56 pm

    What a neat idea! I’ve never heard of this before.

    Reply
  56. AvatarEmma Lee Welker says

    December 16, 2020 at 9:41 pm

    Never heard of a worm tube. The fencing and raised bed are done up very nice.
    Wish I could make a perfect garden spot. I will try one more time to be perfect
    like you.

    Reply
  57. AvatarKimberly Mignella says

    December 17, 2020 at 2:44 am

    very interesting

    Reply
  58. AvatarDave Taube says

    December 20, 2020 at 2:20 am

    What a great idea! This is the perfect quarantine/cold weather project to prepare for next Summer’s garden.

    Reply
  59. AvatarKathy Derrick says

    December 20, 2020 at 2:52 pm

    Cool! I can do this so I have worms for fishing!

    Reply
  60. AvatarJulie Waldron says

    December 20, 2020 at 3:38 pm

    This is a neat idea, also a great learning experience about worms.

    Reply
  61. AvatarJoanna says

    December 20, 2020 at 3:59 pm

    This is a very interesting article. My ground is filled with worms.

    Reply
  62. AvatarCrystal Abel says

    December 21, 2020 at 5:22 am

    Awesome! I need to try this for my garden beds!

    Reply
  63. AvatarTimothy Anderson Jr says

    December 21, 2020 at 3:42 pm

    What a great idea. I have to bookmark this and try it in the spring.

    Reply
  64. AvatarBarbara Calder says

    December 23, 2020 at 5:12 am

    Great idea and I like how you explain in great detail how to make it.

    Reply
  65. AvatarLaurie Nykaza says

    December 23, 2020 at 9:20 am

    Thank you for the instructions for the worm tube I cant wait to get some made for my yard and read up on what to put down it to feed those worms.

    Reply
  66. AvatarNicole Bell says

    December 26, 2020 at 12:48 pm

    So Interesting! Thanks for the idea!

    Reply
  67. AvatarChristina Wahrmund says

    December 27, 2020 at 5:37 am

    Love the raised garden. The worm tower looks pretty simple to make. I will have to try.

    Reply
  68. AvatarMichelle McCafferty says

    December 27, 2020 at 7:09 pm

    Great idea for this coming summer!

    Reply
  69. AvatarJill H says

    December 28, 2020 at 3:11 pm

    You can save a lot of money if you are handy with tools. Great gardening tip.

    Reply
  70. Avatarclynsg says

    December 31, 2020 at 8:07 pm

    I have to admit, this is something I had never heard of before. But of course, I am NOT a gardner–had enough of that while being farmed out to relatives who did have gardens in the summer!

    Reply
  71. AvatarYard says

    January 1, 2021 at 1:21 am

    Love the tube idea. I’ve always done worm boxes or bins to collect worm castings, this is a much better solution that brings them straight to where you want them. Love it

    Reply
  72. AvatarKathy Bowen says

    January 2, 2021 at 12:32 pm

    I have never heard of this, but it makes sense. I have always known that worms were a gardener’s friend. Can’t wait to try it this summer.

    Reply
  73. AvatarJeffrey Smead says

    January 3, 2021 at 3:21 pm

    excellent idea. Saved and gonna try this in the sping

    Reply
  74. AvatarElizabeth Meister says

    April 16, 2021 at 10:48 am

    Can you give more specific instructions on what to use to make pilot holes and best drill but/size for the total carpentry novice? Thank you!

    I’ve been tinkering with DIY worm tunes using recycled plastic jars but this looks great for making more at once.

    Reply

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about laura sproull

about laura sproull

Hi! I'm Laura and hail from Western New York. I consider myself a lifelong learner who loves gardening with a 360 degree view. Thanks for stopping by!

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