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Vermicomposting

New worm bin

18 years ago

I recently set up my first worm bin using a Rubbermaid contianer with lid that is 23"X16.6"X10.5" (51.6 qt). I have about 10 drainage holes drilled in the bottom and it sets about an inch off the floor in my workshop. My bedding is made up of shredded newspaper and peat moss that isn't too wet and (I don't think) too dry. I put the worms in the bin when they arrived two days ago and they seem to want to crawl all over the lid and up the sides of the bin instead of wanting to stay in the bedding. A few have evn found their way out the bottom drainage holes into the drip lid. Is this normal? All my reading says they should want to stay in the bedding. I also put in some broccoli scraps, an apple peal, and a sliced up plum that was softening. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (3)

squeeze
18 years ago
do worms have teeth? how wide can they open their mouths? how much did you cut the food scrap up?

worms eat things that have started to decompose and are teeming with the decomposer bacteris, molds and fungus - they will go looking for food - they prefer wetter to drier - they like an even cool [not cold] temp,

I'd say you gave them an environment they don't much like and a real lack of food - make sure the bedding isn't really sopping wet at the bottom, and not quite dry at the top - try chopping food waste small [even run it in a blender] and mix it into the top couple inches in a small area

I'd also recommend avoiding peat moss completely - holds too much water when wet, gets very dry at exposed surfaces, supplies little of interest to worms until it gets saturated w/ decomposing materials

you might also leave the lid off for a while and keep a light on - they do tend to hightail it when conditions aren't good, but they'll avoid light so stay in the bin - except for the ones that try to get out the bottom, maybe because it's too wet there - put some fly screen on the bottom to cover the holes

Bill
brighteyes
18 years ago
wormmom, I am recently new to this also. But I wouldnt worry much, When i first started my bin they hung out on the sides and top alot. even had a few escape. After about a week everything settled down and i havent had a problem since. So just be patient and let them settle in.

Carey
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A ten gallon tote should be fine. I use a 5 gallon and even a 4 gallon container. Like with beehives how much weight do we want to be lifting? Less is better. Have you no kitchen scraps, tea bags or spent coffee grounds? How about egg cartons (the compressed paper ones not the plastic Styrofoam ones) to tear into pieces for bedding. Or cardboard coffee trays. Or paper towel tubes. Shredded newspaper works for a while and for some vermicomposters but the posts we get that say my bin went sour seem to be vermicomposters that use newspaper or even office paper. I have never added or needed to add dolomite. I do add crushed eggs shells only because I have them and the worm bin is a great place for them to be sent to. I have never tested for pH. Starting a bin is the hardest part because the safety reserve of a bit of built up vermicompost and vermicastings is not there yet. Many problems can be solved or pre-empted by sprinkling on some vermicompost that was harvest but needs a bit of aging. Or is just waiting for spring. Vermicompost can get the new bedding and food scraps "dirty" or microbe charged and get the process going. I have never used worm chow. Maybe people use that who are not composting kitchen waste but who want fishing worms on hand?
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Ditto Andrew, equinox. What you are trying to achieve is a nice environment for the worms. Any new bin takes a little time for the population to grow into it. Prepare as per Andrews instruction, then wait a week or two, then add the worms (1 lb or 2, doesnt matter) and make sure maybe 1 cup of blended food scraps, moist (but no free water in the bottom, place lid on , and ignore for one month. Yup, forget it. Dont place in the sun, or out in the snow, but if you let the new population "grow" into your new bin, then you are way infront. After 1 month, feed another cup of blended scraps (on top or buried, doesnt matter, but also add a hand full or two of shredded paper or card board to cover, check moisture (shouldn't have to add water), cover and ignore for say 3 weeks. Get the idea? I have found success comes from underfeeding, and forgetfullness, not over feeding and daily checking. If you're not consuming enough scraps, start another tote. I now have 10 totes and a worm factory (read: worm cafe is similar), 2-3 lbs in each, and feed one handfull of raw unprocessed, un frozen scraps per two weeks. By using a food processor in the start, it allows the worms to settle in and feed faster to kick the whole thing off. Once you have enough totes, you dont need to process as they dont have to consume as much per tote per week. 1 lbs of worms vs 1 lb of food per week? Not going to happen in a 10 gallon tote. 1 handful per 2 weeks? About right. 10 gal. tote max population (half full)? about 3 lbs. IMHO. LOL Good luck!!
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Forgot to mention in my post that there has been absolutely no meat or dairy product in my bin. I only fed potato skins, banana peels, and green tea leaves. There are newspapers, a couple handfuls of soil, and some dried leaves from my yard from last fall. The bedding is rather dense, because that website said to use 4 lbs. of shredded newspaper. That was a lot, and it filled my bin almost 3/4 full. Next time I won't use so much, but I doubt that has anything to do with maggots. Thanks!
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From what I know these thrive in very moist conditions. Aquarium keepers raise them as feed. They are part of the decomp process so should not be a problem. If you are trying to get rid of or minimize them maybe try holding back on adding fluids.
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Anisten
18 years ago
I agree with brigheyes it just takes time for the bedding to team up with the bacteria needed. pieces of the foodstoch is prefered to blended as it provides air pockets, screen wont help scapies as they will go through it just for fun it seems. Its been a few days since your last post so I imagine by now things have already settled, next time go for coconut coir instead of peat and it will also be less acidic in the bin. The cardboard that is made into cup trays from fast food or coffee is a favourite.

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