Sounds like the worms are telling you that your ideas about what the "perfect" worm bin should look like is wrong. If your worms prefer the wet "yucky" parts of the bin, then that is what a perfect bin looks like to a worm. Don't fight it. I keep my bins much wetter than most advise, both because of the hot climate I live in and because the worms like like it that way. Let the worms be your guide, not some ideal of "perfection" you read in a book on online.

Dick

If the worms are happy, it could be all good. How does it smell?

I lost all my first worms in my first bin, because it got too wet and it stopped draining, so of course they all died. If you think a wet worm bin with live worms is 'YUKCY', imagine a soupy wet worm bin with dead worms, after a day or two...

A wet bin could be ok, but if it ever goes from 'wet' to 'too wet' you might end up with dead worm soup, like I did. The smell... Well it was far worse than any kind of feces or decomposing meat--well I guess that's what it ended up being, in the end, a combination of those two things--worm poop and dead worms (aged a bit). Nasty.

Anyway that was my experience, that if things get too wet, you can lose the whole bin really fast. Now we keep many more holes in the bins, and we also ad a bits of torn up cardboard every time we add veggie scraps. We bury the additions and have had very little if any odor. I keep 5+ bins now and they all work well for me with this method. They hardly drain any liquid--but that's not for lack of holes.

Here's a pict of my dead worms--don't let it happen to you!

Pura Vida

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Blog with Pictures

Pura,
I LOVE your garden. Where do you live...paradise? You have the most awesome tropical, lush plants. Wish I had some cuttings of your stuff!
:)
Tina

John,
I've recently discovered that if I keep a layer of unshredded soaked cardboard over the scraps in my 14 gal. bins, the worms will migrate to the top in a matter of hours, and work on the drier surface castings.

I also use colored fabric netting to layer my bins. That way, I can move the layers about without disturbing the worms too much. I always know which food and bedding has been in the bin the longest, and it makes the harvesting much easier because newer bedding and food never mixes with the older stuff.

Dramalady

Dramalady,

I love your idea about the netting! I have trouble going through my bins without traumatizing the worms.

Thanks

Maggie

Thanks Maggie!

Let me know how the netting works out for you.

Dramalady

John,

Your original post "the entire bin was full of worms in the entire thing, no simple dry/moist castings. all throughout the entire bin WET mess. obviously not enought paper or cardboard scraps to keep the moisture in check."

I use stacking tray type bins and feed in thin layers every week. When I feed I first lay down a thin layer of damp, fluffy machine shredded paper, a thin layer of blenderized veggies/fruits, and then another layer of shredded paper about a 1/2" thick. I check the "dryness" of the paper a couple times weekly and mist if dry. I haven't had a moisture problem in a long time.

When I feed, I also gently stir the bedding just under the surface and it is always turning to castings-it's also teeming with worms. I checked the bottom tray a week ago and it, too, was full of worms and "wet" castings, ready to harvest. Once, when I harvested the bottom tray of castings, I just lifted all the trays up, supported on boards laying across the collection tray, and allowed the castings to dry "slowly".
The dryness forced all but 2 worms up into the more moist areas, and by doing it slowly, the cocoons had a chance to hatch and move up (at least I didn't see any when I sifted). I now isolate the castings, allow to dry slowly, but keep a small sieve buried in the center of the bin and this I keep moist and feed cornmeal. The worms flock to the damp seive and all I have to sort is about 4 cups of bedding. I will do this until I'm not getting anymore baby worms, maybe 4 to 6 weeks. I then bag the casts for later use. To check for unprocessed O.M., Kelly says to bag 'em and sniff in a week or so. Processed casts smell earthy and O.M. "doesn't".

Chatty this morning, aren't I?? Guess I'm just trying to fill up an empty forum, single handidly!! Besides, if I tell dirty jokes, Kelly makes me stand in the corner!!

Just thought I'd share how "I" do "my" thing - am in no way an authority on anything!:o)

bruce