Hi Gina...

Normally the first tray is finished when it is full of mostly worm castings. The food and bedding that you keep adding will keep decreasing as the worms process the materials.

Other than your worm migrations, how do you know the bin is too hot? Have you touched the material or taken the temperature, or are you guessing?

Hi Gina,

adding to organic louie's reply, if your tray is full and you still see lots of bedding and food scraps, that means the worms haven't processed it yet. You still have several months to go to get that 1 tray finished.

I also have a WF that I started on Dec.9/08 with 1.5 lb of worms. I didn't check if there are really as many worms as 1.5lb
I am still on my first tray and it is still full of bedding and scraps. It is starting to get established though. I suspect that the original worms (many of them) have died in the process of getting established.

I find that the WF does not let enough air through because in the beginning I have leachete(?spelling)in the bottom tray and a good working bin should not have it. Also because I found worms (not many, just about 5/day for almost a month)in that catch tray.

That problem stopped since I do not drop the working tray completely into the catch tray. I shift and let the bottom of the working tray rest on the side of the catch tray so air can get into the catch tray.
I also do not use the lid. I upended an extra tray and use it as a lid and covered it with weed cloth to prevent fruit flies and others getting in. The worms get fed scraps that have been frozen before so I won't be bringing unwanted eggs from outside.
I also use TP-cores as chimneys burried at least halfway into the bedding.

It seems to be working much better now and the worms seem to be much alert. However, I am still feeding only once a week and maybe only 1/2lb of scraps. I don't know how many worms I now have in the tray munching (too slow for my taste). Maybe that is due to my continuous checking and prodding. Now I am down to ONLY 2x/day of peeking.
I suspect the ones working in my tray are the 2. generation.

The freezer has more wormfood than people food.

Otis

Great info in this thread! I'm ready to start worm composting and researching now. So I have some questions.

Does WF mean the worm farm manufactured by Gusanito? I'd like to collect the "tea" to use in my garden and was considering purchasing this worm farm. By your posts, it sounds like it does not permit enough air circulation for successfully growing worms.

What is leachete?

thanks,
Sharron

Sharron,

Leachate is water that has some nutrients in it. Usually it is unprocessed by worms otherwise it would be bound in the vermicast (worm poop). Leachate is often, incorrectly referred to as "worm tea". "worm wee" would more accurate but also not quite true. "Worm tea" is actually a mix of vermicast, leachate and molasses (and some other things) and is brewed (that is hot water is used) to create a liquid that is supposed to be even better than pure leachate. There are some doubts about it and I haven't tried it myself. You can use diluted leachate on your plants as a sort of pesticide and to speed up growth.

So to summarise:
Leachate - water with some good stuff
"worm tea" = leachate (in most writings)
"worm tea" - may also refer to the brewed stuff if you are talking to a purist.
"worm wee" = leachate

Hope that clears things up.
Alex

Hi Sharon,

the WF and the one made by Gusanito are very much similar (acc. to the pics.) except that unlike WF, Gusanito's doesn't have a flat lid. I don't know what to call it, it has the look of the roof of a house.

I bought the WF because that is the one available here where I live without spending money on shipping.

IMO the ideal enclosed environment for a worm farm is that flow through bin made of breathable material. However, this kind of thing I cannot have in some corner of my kitchen.
I am a computer moron and don't know how to do links so, if some of you guys/gals out there know what I mean, can help me out here, it's much appreciated.

Otis

Sorry for the delay... I thought I had checked the box to be notified of replies.

Thank you all for the feedback.

organic louie - I'm just guessing b/c of worm migration AND because when I run my hands through the compost, it is actually warm to the touch. I don't have a thermometer (yet).

Otis - Now that I have done some observing, I think I am around the stage as you are. I just checked the WF after about 4 or 5 days and it looks pretty established. A lot of the food compost was dark in color, but still there. I added just a bit more food b/c I'll be gone for the weekend. Really not sure yet how much I should feed them. Just a couple times a week?

Also, I was having the same problem with liquid in the collecting tray and my worms drowning. I've since followed the advice of another post and put shredded newspaper and leaves in the collecting tray to soak it up. I still have worms going down there but now they are dying.

I noticed during this evening's visit that I have some baby worms, but that I also have a few mite(?) eggs. I've read they are harmless, but it's still disconcerting. In any case, I'll take your advice, Otis, and cut back to 1 feeding per week of 1/2 lb of food. I just have MUCH more waist than that and it seems to be piling up as it "waits" for the WF.

Thanks!
~ Gina

Gina -- Your worms may not be trying to escape heat, but rather seeking the moisture collecting on the lid and in the collection tray. If they are juveniles rather than big fat adults, they may just have wanderlust.

If you want to keep the worms out of the collection tray, the shredded paper is a good idea to prevent drowning, but some worms may decide to live down there and their VC will start clogging the vent. Try putting some weed cloth or other fabric (I first used a remnant curtain sheer in my GWF) on top of the shredded paper, slightly overlapping the edge of the bin. The liquid will drain through, but the worms will drop onto a safety net. When they realize that there isn't anything interesting down there, they'll move on up.

waist = waste. Ugh. (slaps forehead)

folly grows - Thanks for the advice. I hadn't thought that the worms might stay down in the collection tray or possible clogging. I have noticed a lot of them down there lately (since I added the shredded paper), so I think I'll try putting some fabric down.

What kind of fabric do I want? Something that is going to let the water still drain, but that the worms can't get through. Does anyone have any suggestions. I don't know what weed cloth is, but I'm going to do an image search.

Thanks,
Gina

Gina, The surface area of the WF is small and weed cloth (aka landscape or shade cloth) usually comes in bolts. Use what you have -- a dish towel or old shirt will work. It just has to be porous and maybe smooth so that the droppings that the worms leave behind won't get caught up in it.

Cut the shirt into a large square. The WF would look a little strange with sleeves hanging over the edge of the tray. ;-)