posted
I have a worm bin, right now it's in the kitchen, I move it out to the garage for the summer. It doesn't smell at all but, I've got a terrible fruit fly problem right now, the food is buried under the newspaper bedding and I've got a beer bottle with a plastic bag on the table next to the bin. Should I place another beer trap right in the bin??
posted
Jimmy the best most straightfoward book I've found is "Worms Eat My Garbage" by Mary Appelhof. First I got it from the library, then when I ordered my bin it came with the bin.
I've got a plastic bin and I use shredded newspaper for bedding.......
posted
Mine is an outdoor bin, because of all the wonderful stuff I put in it...
It's a 4' by 2' wooden box with no solid bottom...instead it has something similar to chicken wire, but stronger. The whole thing is set up on cement blocks, so that the finished compost falls out te bottom, and I never have to disturb the worms. The lid is also wood, on hinges, so that it is really easy to manuver with one hand.
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We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are. Plants: 6287 | From: S. Lane Co., Oregon | Registered: Aug 2003
| Seeded: 209.180.233.200
posted
Ok, so I am following this but the question from me is why a worm bin?
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
Ok Barley you have no problem with it outside in Oregon I shouldnt have any problem here in Texas then also the wire on the bottom is it like fine Hail screen or what? And where do I get my worms from? Do you have a favorite place? Can I buy fishing worms like night crawlers or do I need red earthwomrs. See you got me started I am full of questions? Jimmy
* * * * Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
posted
Triss, they are super easy, practically no care , and you could forget about them for a week or two, just check make sure there's still food in there.....every 4 months I have to separate them to haul out the compost and shred some fresh bedding.........
posted
Aha, a topic I can really get into. Three years ago I started a worm farm in a water trough, about 6 ft.L x 2 1/2ft.W x 2 ft. D. I got 10 worms from my neighbor. They are small really thin and average 2 in. long. Mine can stay outside all year long. I put shredded newspaper bedding in it. I put in whole fruits and things that get over ripe plus all of my kitchen scraps. A neighbor used to bring all of their shredded paper from his small business. I add a few leaves and twigs on occasion to give wormies some variety in their diet. They get the overflow water from the sprinklers nearby. I put whole jack o' lanterns in and raw or cooked corn on the cob, stale bread, whole eggshells; everything non-meat. I do turn it on occasion and have had fruit flies on occasion. But my thing is, I started with 10 worms a little over three years ago and now have hundreds of thousands (maybe millions). I also have black gold for my posies. I would be able to turn out more worm castings if I processed what I put into the farm into smaller pieces. But I'm a lazy farmer. I started trading them this fall for plants, seeds or postage. I was inspired by a trip to New Zealand where I saw massive worm farms in action. I love the idea of recycling as much as possible and this is one of the easiest projects I've ever done. I do not have to find pet-sitters when I vacation. My 'fix' for fruit flies is to turn the contents for aeration and lay newspaper layer on top. I am no expert but my worms seem happy ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
posted
My secret ingereient is bunny poo...and his bedding. The worms slow down, but don't completely stop.
Jimmy...outside would work fine for you. I slowly built my population from my garden worms...the red ones, not earthworms. Earthworms eat different things.
* * * *
We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are. Plants: 6287 | From: S. Lane Co., Oregon | Registered: Aug 2003
| Seeded: 209.180.233.200
quote:Originally posted by Triss: Ok, so I am following this but the question from me is why a worm bin?
My dad always kept a worm bed going because of his passion for fishing. From a gardener's standpoint, earthworm "castings" are basically SUPER compost.
Dad built his directly on the ground using marine plywood so it would last, but logs or dimensional lumber (2x6s, 2x12s etc.) would work as well. The boxes were 4 foot square and 18 inches tall. He put window screen in the bottom of the bed, then layered garden soil, leaves and newspaper (black print ONLY and no glossy paper). Burlap was put on top of the bed to keep everything moist. The worms came when Mom was working in the garden. My job was to catch the worms and take them to the beds. We fed them rabbit pellets and coffee grounds. (my job too) We had lots and lots of worms... Big, fat, juicy worms!
* * * * Plants: 11227 | From: Cedar Hill Washington | Registered: Aug 2002
| Seeded: 4.242.90.223
posted
The worms i have are not big enough for fishing. They are super efficient EATING worms.(And pretty darn good at procreating, too.) ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
Why do the worms need newspaper for bedding? They do not get newspaper in the ground.
Ok this may seem a silly question, but the worms do the same thing in the ground, don't they? And don't they also aerate the soil?
So is having them in a bin just a way to produce MORE black gold? And do you get more just cuz you are feeding them?
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
OK ,You definately get more/ better plant food 'cause your feeding them. They compost faster than other forms of composting. They are great for your kids to learn from/about. They contribute to the environment. Newspaper bedding is cleaner/looser than soil. They are cheap and easy, easy, easy. ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
O.K...I imagine my worms are earthworms... ...bought at a bait shop. So, can I do the worm thing with these?
Also...I have them in the refrigerator at the moment...where they have lived for 6 months...but now they have a bigger house than in the picture. So...if I make a place under the cabinet where it's not cold, are they gonna want to crawl out of the container? For some reason I just thought they had to be in the refrigerator...that's where I found them.
Cindy H.
* * * * Buckle up! It makes it harder for the aliens to suck you out of your car! Plants: 43285 | Registered: Mar 2004
| Seeded: 70.35.241.223
posted
Also, the type of worms I have are top feeders. So they are for the most part in the top half of the soil. Unless I've recently turned it. So I can scoop them aside and use the soil underneath. ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
posted
So do you not use soil at all? And does the plant food drop down to the bottom of the bin through the newspaper?
If I started one of these in a small box and put it in one section of my garden to work for a while, I could move it down the line to work in another area?
Couldn't the worms survive outside just fine since they live outhere all the time or do you need to take care they do not freeze since they cannot go "underground"
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
Miss Cindy, I don't see why you can't start with them, and then add red wigglers as you find them...if anything, the earthworms will finish their natural life out. If they are happy, they will make more.
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We do not see things as they are, we see things as we are. Plants: 6287 | From: S. Lane Co., Oregon | Registered: Aug 2003
| Seeded: 209.180.233.200
posted
Ok I have a box I can use really an old apple crate need wire on bottom have my compost I can put in to start as well as soil out of my graden then all I need is red wigglers? Do I need to order these? I have a few earthworms already in my garden fours years ago I didn't even have grubs let alone earthworms now at least I have them do not know where they came from. Will shop around to find what I need localy. Barley what would you charge for a start of your worms and Mel you too? If I have to buy them I would rather pay you instead of some company. Jimmy
* * * * Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
posted
Triss, I can't answer your 'freeze' question. Although the above ground thing would definatly factor in.The red-worms I have can not live outside in the soil on their own. I don't know why (maybe tropical?) but I also know I wouldn't want them to in my garden because they eat too much and would eat my plants as well. I mix the castings in with my soil. I have used it alone in a couple of potted heavy feeder plants. I'm still experimenting with these things myself. ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
posted
And they eat the newspaper as well as junk mail and phone books. It's not just bedding. ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
posted
So are the worms you use not native to your area? Could I use worms I just find in the ground and would they be more immune to the cold? Or are the worms used special worms.
If you could not tell before, yes I am totally clueless about worms and composting.
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
Jimmy, I have the worms available but I'd be worried about mailing them in winter. It cost me $3.85 to mail a small handful of my kind but postage is going up on Jan. 8th. Let me know if you're interested when the weather is better for the little things. I sent some in late fall that didn't smell so good at arrival. The second batch did fine. And by the way, I researched the mailing process before-hand. It's legal. ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
posted
Tina when weather starts warming up will be glad to buy some from you. What ever it would take to get started that way I will not have to rush to get things ready. Name your price I use Paypal if you do money should be no problem or I can send you a check or bankdraft it is up to you. Jimmy
* * * * Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
posted
My type of worms are special EATING worms. Not good for fishing nor aerating the soil. Just eat, eat, eat, procreate, eat, eat, etc. (all male?) I know that people use local worms often but I'm about as clueless as you on that subject. Mine are for recycling and castings. ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
posted
Guess I am going to have to research worms and see what kind I have here and what kind are good for this project.
So would a plastic bin lined with screen mesh work or does screen have holes too small for the compost to get out? And would the worms eat out of that?
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
Barley has the wire bottom bin and I don't know much about them. I feel I have too many other types of vermin here that would be interested in eating my worms to give them a possible entrance.I had mice helping themselves at one time before I got a better fitted lid. I can't see screening like regular window screen being of much use. Too small to let the castings through very well. But there are experts out there somewhere and I'm a beginner with happy worms. I'm doing something right I guess. ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
posted
I was thnking about using a plastic milk crate so it would have holes throughout. What kind of mesh should I use if screening is too small? And if it is a lot bigger than that, won't the worms get out or does the supply of food keep them in place?
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
The milk crate w/mesh lining wouldn't work for me. Mice could still get in any of my crates through the holes and chew through the screening. Maybe a little harder to keep damp where I live, too. But if you don't have those problems; a lid of some kind to keep unwanted things out. And outdoors because it would leak under your sink. Most I have seen are solid bins or the heavy mesh bottom ones like Barley described. ~Tina
* * * * ~Tina Getting old is the pits. But it sure beats the alternative. My Blog Plants: 7549 | From: So. Cal. | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 71.103.164.152
posted
I simply could not do worms under the sink. So mine will have to be outside. So you get the mice cuz of what you are putting in for the worms or do they actually like the worms. And I know we have at least 1 possum wandering around here as I have seen it on my porch so will that be an issue as well.
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
going to buy some small hail screen tomorrow will be a good start to this. Place it on bottom of my apple crate start thr process by filling with garden soil and compost. Then when I get worms from Tina will be on my way to worm farming. Or is that a farmer with worms?? Jimmy
* * * * Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
posted
Ok another question. Do they need air for circulation or to keep alive? Wondering if I could do it in an ice chest and then on occasion take out what is on the bottom. Then I would have an enclosed place that no critters could get into.
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
Triss and ice chest is not completly air tight. If Cindy's worms can live 6 months in her refregerator I am sure yours could live in an ice chest. Jimmy
* * * * Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
posted
And if I did an ice chest, would that keep them warm enough if we got a freeze?
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
Not too sure I feel like it would here but you get a lot colder then we do for the most part. Mine will be outside protected from the wind probably in one of my sheds. Jimmy
* * * * Meet Clyde my Male Sugar Glider. Clyde says. Keep it organic GOD BLESS THE U.S.A. Pray for our Troops!
posted
I could put mine up near the house and under the front porch. Don't have a shed here. Hmmmmm.
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
posted
Triss - Jimmy - Tina - Cindy - et al; I could probably make one myself, but since Santa is so generous he's bringing me a "Wriggler Wranch Worm bin" in about 6 days 10 hours and 30 minutes! (He's tring to bribe me I think, into spending more time in the kitchen & not burning his dinners all the time... figures that if he gives me worms for under the kitchen sink, I won't leave the room while the burners are on cuz I'll be busy talking to the Lil' Fellers, or feeding them the rejects from a previous meal!) Anyway, I don't know much about the whole process yet, but here's a site with instructions for building a Worm Composting System. The plan there is for a 4' X 2' bin, but I would think you could scale that up/down to accomodate the space you have for it.
Cindy, as I learned, when I was fishing once, that unless you keep your worms in a closed container, God only knows where'll they'll be in the morning, cuz when it gets cool they'll go elsewhere! What I've heard is that the ideal temp for Red Wiggler systems is between 45* & 85*F. (I suppose that's why under the kitchen sink is an ideal location... If they get too hot or too cold, they'll try to find a way out.)
Also, you're not supposed to feed them milk products or meat. (Coffee grounds & fruits/veggies are ideal.) I don't know what the answer is to the Breakfast Bat (fruit fly) problem, but I would say that if they're present, there's more decaying produce there than the little guys can process. (Personally, I'd clean it all out & start over, cuz I don't think that a fly trap set-up should have to be part of the worm farm.)
Our County Extension Service has a Master Gardener's section, where they sell Red Wigglers. (That's where my Wriggler Wranch Worm Bin is REALLY coming from, complete with a starter supply of worms... Santa can't fool me, cuz I happen to know that it's too cold for the little guys at the North Pole... well, unless Santa's Elves have a light bulb in the bin!) Maybe your local Extension office can help you get the right worms to get started.
Will be able to share more info with you all soon! I can't wait!
* * * * We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart. Plants: 30076 | From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| Seeded: 66.235.45.83
quote:Originally posted by jonni13: Jimmy, I have the worms available but I'd be worried about mailing them in winter. It cost me $3.85 to mail a small handful of my kind but postage is going up on Jan. 8th. Let me know if you're interested when the weather is better for the little things. I sent some in late fall that didn't smell so good at arrival. The second batch did fine. And by the way, I researched the mailing process before-hand. It's legal. ~Tina
I would be interested in some worms as well.
* * * * One OS to rule them, one OS to find them: One OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Redmond where the shadows lie. Plants: 1077 | From: Haskell Oklahoma Zone 6b | Registered: Feb 2005
| Seeded: 69.30.152.15
posted
Looky what I got for Christmas! (I knew I would, cuz I've been so GOOD!) It's a "Wriggly Wranch" worm composting system. Our County Extension office sells them at cost, & also will set me up with a starter supply of Red Wigglers. Since I'm new at this, all I have to go by is what it says in my instruction booklet for this system. Veteran Worm Farmers might have other helpful tips for the rest of us, & I hope they'll share them here.
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