ditto...Gumby 2nding that emotion. I searched hi & LO for FAQ's

Deanna.. I did not realize there is not a big archived posts section for this site. You can try going to: wormdigest.org and check out their archives for lots of dicussion...OR.. Just go ahead and ask all your questions right here :) Start with telling details of what you would like to do. There are plenty of folks here that will help guide you and help you be successful.

There really is not much difference with indoor worming. After all, if the worms are now in plastic bins, they ARE indoors, and a very large part of the info out there is intended for the indoor stuff. If you keep the bin(s) healthy, with proper amounts of water, a generous bedding material (I use newpaper strips...but keep the fishing reports away from the worms...), and don't overfeed, everything will work out for you and the worms.

One caution: before the relocation, it's always a good idea to remove most un-wormy-like crawlies (especially those that will later produce wings) from the new indoor bin...especially if you're married to a person not as enthusiastic about having critters sharing the home.

The main sticking point, in my opinion (and we all know what that's worth), is the incorrect assumption lots of people have that the worms need lots and lots of water...WAY too much water. It doesn't have to be draining out of the bin. A little newspaper under it should handle the FEW DROPS that seep, if any.

With proper amounts of food, odors are non-existent, and worries about the worms escaping are unnecessary if the above parameters are attained. They don't want to go anywhere.

Go for it.

Chuckiebtoo

It is a good suggestion. I don't know who the forum moderator / publisher is but my guess is that it may have be moderated by someone who doesn't specialize in vermicomposting in general or they moderate several lists.
I'm going to ask gardenweb to see who we speak with or if it is something we just compile and send to them.

Charles

Chuckiebtoo,

Your post illustrates my point perfectly. I don't know what the appropriate amounts of water are, don't have a clue as to exactly what defines a generous amount of bedding or what appropriate bedding would be, and don't have the slightest idea what an appropriate amount of food would be.

I also don't have any idea how big the bin should be or how it should be constructed, how many worms I need, or how to know when the stuff is finished, or how to get the worms out of it when it is finished.

And that's only the beginning. See what I mean? There's a lot more to it than an outdoor compost pile.

Deanna

YES, FAQs needed. Besides plowing through old posts in this GW forum, you might want to join "the_worm_bin" on Yahoo. It's a group I belong to. Not too active lately, but lots of helpful people, archived posts. Susan

Gardenfanatic:

A recipe:

A 10 gallon Sterilite plastic bin with some 1/4" holes punched in the bottom and sides about 6" or 8" apart.

a pound of worms (1000-1200)

Enough newspaper strips (1/2") to fill the bin about 1/3rd full when DAMP (as a wrung-out sponge)

About 1 cup of food (veggie scraps...anything but meat and fat) placed in a pocket in the bin. Not too much citric stuff, but some's OK.

When the food is gone/unrecognizable, put some more in. Put it in a different spot. Repeat this process ad- nauseum.

Maintain the moisture of the bedding (by sprinkling) like a wrung-out sponge. IMHO, little or no water should leak from the bin...maybe just a few drops. My bins do well with no water leaking out.

By the time the bin is getting close to full, or when it's too heavy to move around, or when you just want to do it, you will probably have learned enough from reading this forum to know to put on some latex exam gloves, dump the bin out, make little piles and separate the castings and compost from the worms and cocoons...or utilize one of the many other methods out there to accomplish the task.

Use moderation at first with food. Make sure they clean their plate. They won't starve because they'll eat the bedding.

All of these directions are basically Generally Accepted Worming Principles. Feel free to alter any of them.

Read this forum...all of it...every day. If you do, everything you ever wanted to know about worming will be discussed.

When you have a question, ask.

Good Luck,

Chuckiebtoo

Gardenfanatic,
IMHO, if this forum had FAQ's, the forum wouldn't be as lively, and what Chuckiebtoo (I think) once said would happen might happen - i.e. this forum would be in danger of closing down. We would also not be "meeting" you and others who've just taken up vermicomposting. I say carry on as usual - leave out the FAQ's. Grin :)

anong28, that is a fascinating point. Many of us like groping around and finding stuff
hit-or-miss, very much like ... worms!

The Soil & Compost forum is very lively, and they have FAQ's. They're not closing down anytime soon. It's probably the most active and helpful forum on this site. Sorry to refute your reasoning!

Deanna

Hmmm when I first found this forum I stared to read at page 10, but I see, we now have 16 pages.

If a new person would start reading at page 16, they would know just about everything we all know by the time they get to the present posts.

Yes, a FAQ would help, but for the most part, all your questions have been asked before, and are on previous pages.

Moni

I started vermicomposting recently and found the lack of FAQs not to be a problem. First, the most active threads are automatically pulled to the front. So you can start with these. You can search for specific questions...or you can just begin at the beginning and read. Plus, not to be obvious, but, they're worms. It ain't hard. Put some bedding in a box, add some food, add some worms, and be patient. Vermicomposting doesn't happen in a day.

I think a fac would be nice. It's not hard to have a worm bin, but it's really intimidating. I mean you are bringing the creepy crawlies into your home...ON PURPOSE. I wanted to know how much, weight, specks, etc. I was terrified. This really group helped keep me somewhat calm. Now that I have it all set up for a couple months its no big deal but getting started is scarry.

That said, feel free to ask specific questions to the group, this is the singularly most entertaining and helpful bunch on all of GW forums. I just roll on the floor laughing at some of the posts...those dirtly little elves, snap crackle and pop, are still tickling me...ha ha, lol.

Oh, and check out or buy 'worms eat my garbage' by Mary Appelhof the 'worm lady' it is a non intimidating book that has all you need to get started.

Kristi

Just to add my $.02,... although perhaps not absolutely necessary, it would seem that a well organized FAQ could be invaluable, especially to those new to vermicomposting.
More than FAQ's, think of a comparison and evaluation of bin designs - commercial and home made. Different bedding materials (coif, peat/compost/leaves, newspaper, etc.), food stocks, large scale/small scale vermicomposting, harvesting, book listings, web site URL's, etc.

I'm thinking book deal - LOL

Still haven't gotten a response from GW. I'm going to check with another forum either today or Friday to see who they talk to.

Charles

Chuckiebtoo- that is a great recepie,thanks! It gives me an idea of what this is all about and where I might start.

I don't compost, mainly because I was afraid of smell and I don't have much space. My next question is... doesn't it attract flies? I'm sure flies could find their way into my garage.

A visitors opinion......I would love a FAQs section :D...many of us learn a lot by reading FAQs from forums...summarized info for the beginners! Gives an idea of what is being discussed (For example I had no idea what permacrete was till I read the FAQs section for that forum, ...definitions might be appropriate here :D), where to start, and makes the topic more attainable. Reading through 16 threads could take a couple hours (wouldn't you rather spend it gardening?)...that seems next to impossible and won't be done by someone who is only curious on a topic...however...if there was a place with easily understood definitions and such, they might be interested in reading more.

Some visitors are accustomed to looking for FAQS- sometimes after being chastised for not reading them on other fora and asking questions that have already been answered. I think FAQs are a great start. We could have a link to Kelly's worm bin set up.

Maggie

Gardenfanatic, you could pick up a copy of Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof. It will answer many of your questions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Worms Eat My Garbage

Beansprout:

No, it shouldn't smell. No, it doesn't have to take up much space...that's one of the reasons to do it. No, it doesn't have to attract flies. These, and almost all other questions that will come up have been addressed before...many times.

If you started a bin now, began reading every post every day from this point forward...only a few a day..., and SEARCHED for specific topics of particular interest to you, you would catch up very quickly.

A FAQ is good, but the SEARCH feature will get you what you want.

Refer to the message "COLORED INKS", December 19th, right above this thread on that date for a perfect example.

Chuckiebtoo

One reason it may seem that people are resistant to the idea of a FAQ here is that one of the great joys of this forum is to pass on our experiences to newbies. I started my first bin just over two years ago after "lurking" here for a month or two. I was too shy to ask my own questions, but everything I needed to know found its way miraculously to the top of the list of threads. Another thing you could try, is to contact one of the more experienced vermicomposters directly via e-mail and have them mentor you through the initial few months. That way you could get personalized answers. But my opinion is that communication through these threads benefits all newbies and even gives the veterans new ideas once in a while.
Re: flies. Fruit flies have been my only indoor pest. They are easily controlled by freezing your fruit and veggie scraps for a day or so before adding them to the bin. Even without doing that ( and I don't anymore) I don't have a problem in the bin so much as on my kitchen shelf where I keep my bananas!!
As far as separating the worms from the completed castings; once the bin is about half full, place a layer of window screening on top of the food and bedding. Make it large enough to cover the upper sides of the bin as well. Then place moist bedding on top of the screen and start adding food above the screen as you have been doing previously below. Continue this for a few months (until the worms have made their way up through the screen to the upper level and fresh food). Then, simply lift out the screen, harvest the vermicompost from the bottom, dump the contents of the screen (worms and all) into the bottom, place the screen (with new moist bedding) on top and repeat the cycle ad nauseum. Credit for this ingenious method goes to Kelly Slocum. There may be a few worms or cocoons in the harvested stuff, but don't worry. They won't hurt anything you may be planning to use the compost for and they will be "replaced" by new worms before you know it. Worm "families" are very resilient.
Martha