I want to start composting with worms, any help?
I read everything I could online and the books in the library I am pretty set. Is there anything you guys know maybe tips and tricks and things that maybe I couldn’t get from reading all the books?
Congratulations on all the homework you have done and being ready to get going on your vermicomposting!
From my personal experiences, I do have a few bits of advice.
First, don’t be afraid to experiment with different size containers. I have seen people with small ones at work (maybe 1.5 ft square) for their lunch leavings. I find that wonderful.
Next, worms do try to escape. They do that at first because they haven’t settled in. So be ready for a few weeks of possible Stalag 13 like behavior. Do not feed them at first with extra scraps, just let them eat the moist paper strips or whatever bedding you have chosen.
Remember that they will reproduce and make many more worms, but it happens over time. Since you can’t count the little fellows, be precise about the amount of food you give them and see how long it takes for it to get eaten. If you are using a bin of, say, 3×2, add maybe a cup of scraps. Once that food is gone, then add more. That will save you from getting old, mouldy icky scraps that attract flies.
If you have managed their home and have everything perfect, and they still try to escape, make escape unpleasant. More holes in the lid will let in more light, and they will shy away.
Last, if you are using a bin, buy a second bin without holes on the bottom to catch and moisture that comes out. Simply stack your bin in the second bin.
I would enjoy hearing about your success, so please let me know how it is going. My email address is available on the profile site.
COMPOSTING AINT HARD. clear a spot on the dirt, pile vegatable scrap and grass and leaves on top. get a pitch fork and rotate stuff. it takes a while but will make good dirt. you dont need to buy worms, they come out the ground
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Depending on where you live you might have problems with keeping the worms alive in a bin. I never knew that before I started looking into the same thing myself. Here’s a site that might help. http://www.cityfarmer.org/wormcomp61.html
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Link to very good site with lots of info.
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http://www.allthingsorganic.com/Products/worm-factory.asp
Making worm bins is very easy "a lot of fun"you can basically use a shallow wooden box.
Mine is "five layers high
and has a spout at the bottom to retrieve "compost tea" that I use on my house plants.
Its a lot of fun especially in the winter time when there isn’t much to do in the yard.
I feed them my compost from the kitchen and they love coffee filter and all.
I have worms that are bigger then I have ever seen in my life. Big fat 9-10 inch long worms.
When the school kids come out for a "farm tours" the boy especially love to see and hold the worms.
I live in the mountains with lots of rivers for fishing so I sell them to the local general store for bait.
A little extra income and some fun….
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Farmer/Organic gardener
The only trick with worms is: For each pound of food offered and consumed – 1 lb. of worms will be produced. You really have to feed them a lot if you want a lot and as soon as you cut back they do as well
Red ones are probably the best since the do not dig very deep. Night-crawlers dig very deep.
Having a casting party EH!
References :
Congratulations on all the homework you have done and being ready to get going on your vermicomposting!
From my personal experiences, I do have a few bits of advice.
First, don’t be afraid to experiment with different size containers. I have seen people with small ones at work (maybe 1.5 ft square) for their lunch leavings. I find that wonderful.
Next, worms do try to escape. They do that at first because they haven’t settled in. So be ready for a few weeks of possible Stalag 13 like behavior. Do not feed them at first with extra scraps, just let them eat the moist paper strips or whatever bedding you have chosen.
Remember that they will reproduce and make many more worms, but it happens over time. Since you can’t count the little fellows, be precise about the amount of food you give them and see how long it takes for it to get eaten. If you are using a bin of, say, 3×2, add maybe a cup of scraps. Once that food is gone, then add more. That will save you from getting old, mouldy icky scraps that attract flies.
If you have managed their home and have everything perfect, and they still try to escape, make escape unpleasant. More holes in the lid will let in more light, and they will shy away.
Last, if you are using a bin, buy a second bin without holes on the bottom to catch and moisture that comes out. Simply stack your bin in the second bin.
I would enjoy hearing about your success, so please let me know how it is going. My email address is available on the profile site.
References :
Long time composter and vermicomposting fan
Why bother with all that when the worms love the ground. They don’t need you to build them a home. I could dig just about anywhere in yard and find worms living happily in the dirt. Just start an actual compost pile you’ll get more use out of it.
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Making your own worm bin is easy enough, but I have to say that the convenience of using multi-level upward migration unit is really nice. I use the Worm Factory 360 and once one level is full, you start adding food to the next and the worms go up leaving worm castings below. Then you can harvest the castings without having to sort out the worms.
You probably have already learned everything we can tell you, but here are a few thoughts:
- Red Wigglers are the best worms for composting. They eat a lot and reproduce quickly. They hate light, so they will not try to escape.
- Red Wigglers eat about 1/2 their weight each day, so for 1 lb. of worms, 1/2 pound of food per day.
- Worm composting can be done indoors if you live in a climate where the weather gets too cold.
- Don’t feed them meat or dairy, except for rinsed egg shells.
- I find they eat lots of shredded junk mail and used printer paper.
- to check the moisture level of the bin by squeezing a small amount of bedding between two fingers. you want a drop or two of water to squeeze out or it should feel like a damp sponge.
- each time you add food waste, cover with shredded paper
Good luck. I think you’ll find that it’s quite easy and fairly amazing too.
References :
http://www.myhomecomposter.com/