Most vermicomposting instructions I've found use either a shallow bin, or a stack of shallow trays.
I'm looking for an effective but low-maintenance approach, and I won't need to harvest the compost very often.
I'm wondering: What if I simply use a tall, narrow bin - like perhaps a narrow kitchen trash can, about 1' by 1' by 4' deep? The idea would be to add compostable waste at a rate of 1 foot every couple of months, so that the worms can stay in the top foot or so, and anything more than a foot below the surface should be entirely composted by the time it's too deep for the worms.
Air holes drilled along the side could allow some aerobic composting to continue in the deeper soil, in case it's not fully decomposed, and a drain hole at the bottom could release excess leachate. No work at all would be required until the bin is full, at which point I could scoop out the top layer with the worms and set it aside, then harvest the rest of the bin all at once.
Is there any reason this wouldn't work? Is there a name for this approach?
