skip to main content

Vermicomposting

vermi-composting and worms: questions, questions, questions

16 years ago

Hi,

I'm just a beginner vermicompester and already i'm off to a bad start.

I have a few questions to those more established composters out there such as:

1. Do i want it to be hot or very cool, which leads me to my next question

2. my worm farm is in an old fridge that i have put drainage holes in, so do i leave the fridge door on or off?

3. My compost is very high in grass clippings, with cardboard and some loamy-soil making up most of the rest of the mix- good or bad?

4. My worms have all disappeared, i put them in the compost about a week ago and they have all skedadled into the lining of the fridge (i think)why is this

I thought this would be quite easy to take up, obviously I was dead wrong! Everything i have done seems to be off the mark.

so help me please to save my worms!! What should i do?

Sort by:Oldest

Comment (1)

eggle
16 years ago
Hi, welcome to worm farming. I've been doing it for about a year now. Questions are good, and lead to learning more. Hope we can help out.

1. They like it best at 70, but thats not to say you can't keep them in a place that is hotter or colder. I have a bin outside, were it is 100+ during the summer and as low as 0 during the winter, and it is very active.
2. Thats a big bin. How many worms do you have? I would worry about how much air they get if you have the doors on. You would want it covered, but the fridge is made to hold air in, so if you keep the lid on, give it plenty of holes for fresh air flow.
3. Grass clippings are fine, but they can heat up. I would use in moderation. I will bag mine up every now and then, and use in my regular compost pile. Leaves, newspaper, veggie scraps make up most of my worms food and bedding.
4. As stated with the grass clippings, they heat up, so your worms could be escaping the heat. when things cool off they may find their way back.

Don't let any mistakes now make you think twice about what you are trying to do. This is a great thing to do, you'll make mistakes and learn from them. Once you get it down, it is easy. You just have to learn what works best for you.
Related Discussions
To Compost or To not compost...that is the question
Q
Comments (6)
definitely COMPOST :) Sounds like you have a lot of work cleaning things up - personally, I would save the branches in a pile and wait for the monthly pickup - I assume that the city uses them for energy or mulch, and they have big chippers that make easy work of it. Renting a chipper will get you most likely a crappy chipper and is a lot of work. Chips are awesome for mulching path or around trees/shrubs, but not so easy for composting in a newbie pile. You should focus on browns like paper from junk mail, cardboard, newspaper, and FALL LEAVES. Add kitchen wastes and green softer garden waste and water and you will have good fixings for a compost heap. Lots of info in this forum of ratios and such, but I just wanted to vote that you can start your compost now, do not have to wait until fall, but maybe not try to use the limbs from your trees as a newbie. Hey you are on the right track thinking about all of this. Work on small areas, and careful with that chainsaw!! Rachel ps - are you allowed to pick up wood chips from the city for direct mulching around woody plants and paths? This is great if you have access!
...See More
compost & worm question?
Q
Comments (4)
Im an avid fisherman, aquarist, and vermi-composter. I personally raise E. Hortensis. They do well for composting, great for my fish and turtles, and havent really noticed a difference when using them for fishing. I also have compost bins outside. The number of nightcrawlers in that immediate area is pretty high. I cant dig a shovelful of dirt without getting 10-15 big worms. The final answer is yes. Adding more worms will help to speed it up. The variety is really up to you. Bryan
...See More
Worm Factory Question
Q
Comments (2)
I like your experiment; but if the leaves in the collection tray are being processed, you've then got the chore of scraping out the material from the angled floor. I've also got a Worm Factory and am technically still on my first tray. I took the lead of someone on this forum who filled the collection tray with shredded newspaper to absorb excess moisture. Later I'll do as you did and rotate it to the top as primed material. Because of the cool SF summer there is a lot of moisture in the air, so I also filled the two unused trays with shredded newspaper and put those between the working tray and the collection tray. All the shredded paper is damp, but my one concern is that I've created so much bedding that the wandering worms will be too tired from exploring to find the food. To prevent any explorers from dropping into the collection tray, I placed a piece of fabric between it and the bottom tray. There have been no drop-ins, or if there have been, they have been able to find their way home. Kelly Slocom has a bin design where she uses styrofoam peanuts on the bottom, then layers of landscape and hardware cloth. Folly
...See More
Compost Question Worm Castings
Q
Comments (4)
I love worm castings, they work almost as fast as the liquid fish fertilizer. My problem has always been finding them in sufficient quantities, as the bags I can get are only a pound or 2, soil mender brand. They don't go thru the spreader well either, so I end up walking around the yard with a bag of worm poo & a wooden spoon, tossing out small amounts as evenly as I can. My neighbors must think I'm nuts & probably warn their children to stay away! I use 2 scoops each on my roses & 3 scoops for all my hanging plants to help them hold water. Sunshine in a bag!
...See More

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES No-Regret Plants: 5 Questions Smart Shoppers Ask

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Quit wasting money and time at the garden center. This checklist will ensure that the plants you're eyeing will stick around in your yard

KITCHEN DESIGN 9 Questions to Ask When Planning a Kitchen Pantry

By Susan Redman

Avoid blunders and get the storage space and layout you need by asking these questions before you begin

ORGANIZING Pre-Storage Checklist: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Store

By Laura Gaskill

Wait, stop. Do you really need to keep that item you’re about to put into storage?

GARDENING GUIDES Houzz TV: Make a Worm Bin for Rich Soil and Happy Plants

By Annie Thornton

A worm-powered compost bin that can fit under a sink turns food scraps into a powerful amendment for your garden. Here’s how to make one

GARDENING GUIDES Get on a Composting Kick (Hello, Free Fertilizer!)

By Matt Kilburn

Quit shelling out for pricey substitutes that aren’t even as good. Here’s how to give your soil the best while lightening your trash load

TREE HOUSES Tour a Fantastical Tree House for Kids and Adults Too

By Mitchell Parker

For an architect and a master woodworker, a magical tree house answers the question, ‘What would you do if you could do anything?’

PETS So You Want to Get a Cat

By Mitchell Parker

If you're a cat lover, the joys outweigh any other issue. If you haven't lived with one yet, here are a few things to know

KITCHEN DESIGN Houzzers Say: Top Dream Kitchen Must-Haves

By Becky Harris

Tricked-out cabinets, clean countertops and convenience top the list

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Easy Edibles for First-Time Gardeners

By Marianne Lipanovich

Focus on these beginner-friendly vegetables, herbs, beans and salad greens to start a home farm with little fuss

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard

Sponsored

More Discussions

Sterilisation of eggs or cocoons

0

Kitchen Compost Material, how to manage it?

27

Long Trip For Worms

1