Anyone want to talk worms??

17 years ago

The pic of Bud and my worm bin prompted a comment to tell more about it.

It's worm composting, can be done year-round indoors, which makes it ideal for people who live in cold climates who can't compost outdoors in the winter, or just for folks who don't want to be bothered working a pile outside.

Red wigglers are the worms and they're bedding is shredded newspaper, cardboard and leaves. They eat this, as well as any vegetable scraps. The compost is rich and lovely.

I have 2 bins in the spare bedroom and DH does the ironing there. He came out and commented once that there is no noise, smell or intrusion whatsoever. When I told him I wanted to do this (in our apartment) he said it was fine as long as he doesn't see them.

There can be a smell for a day until they get eating the food as it breaks down. I notice kale smells strong till they get at it.

They multiply, but will only breed as much as their environment allows. In other words, your house won't be over-run with worms!

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Comments (21)

Marilyn Sue
17 years ago
Very interesting Jasdip. Nice way for to compost your kitchen scraps.

Sue
vicki_lv
17 years ago
OK...so, they compost your kitchen scraps. Then do you use the compost for your garden? I have an herb garden that isn't doing well. I think it is just TOO hot here. I have this visual of a bunch of worms, that poke their heads up when you take the lid off, wondering what's for dinner. LOL This, for some reason, totally interests me.

Thank you!
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trishaw
17 years ago
I think I would like to give this a try- I am sure I can find a place to keep the bins. Do you think they would be ok in an attached garage? No heat or air. I don't want to kill them!

Trish
donna_loomis
17 years ago
Our temps frequently hit the triple digits and I was afraid they would fry if I left them outside, so I kept mine indoors, in fact in a walk-in closet. DH said that the first time he smelled rotting vegetation they were going outside. It never happened. The only "aroma" he got was akin to a jungle or rain forest - clean and earthy.

As for the little buggers poking their heads up when I opened the bin, they did quite the opposite. They did their best to wriggle down and hide from me. I always left the spigot open and collected the worm "tea" to use as a liquid fertilizer in my vegetable garden.
orie
17 years ago
Our classroom keeps a work compost, too. In the summer, they are home with me. We all love our worms and marvel at what they do. It's a great lesson for children. We empty the box out every 2 months and place some worms and compost in the garden. We refurbish it with new soil, add some of the worms back (they multiply!), newspaper and scraps of veggies and fruit. It great fun for the kids as they get to feel and touch the worms and find all the new baby worms! Any of their left-over fruit and veggies from lunch, they add to the box.
Jasdip
Original Author
17 years ago
As the others said, it's best to keep your bin indoors in extreme heat and cold temps. If it's comfortable for you, it's comfortable for the worms.

I use the compost on my houseplants, and the rest goes into my parent's flowerbeds. I've also given some away to friends.

The reason it doesn't smell, is because the worms eat the food as it breaks down/rots. You don't get a rotting food smell at all. I chop and freeze all my food, take it out, thaw, drain and feed to the lads. This prevents any potential fruit flies. Also keeping the food covered with shredded newspaper keeps any smells, fruit flies at bay as well.
marilyn_c
17 years ago
I think raising worms is very cool. I have a little book called "Let an Earthworm be your Garbage Man."

" I chop and freeze all my food, take it out, thaw, drain and feed to the lads." LOL!!! I love that you call them the lads! Knowing myself, I'd probably be naming them as well. ;)
hayjud_mn
17 years ago
Moni in Oklahoma has had worms for years LOL LOL LOL (wait till she hears I told her secret! LOL)
I mean she keeps tubs of worms outside. I think she would be able to tell you anything you need to know about them.
BUT
I don't think she is back from her bike ride yet.
caflowerluver
17 years ago
I had a worm bin once. I bought special worms and fed them everyday. I had it in the garage but DH made me put it outside. He kept finding dead ones on the floor. Eventually they all escaped, outside that is. I don't know why. Then I started getting lots of worms in my tumbler compost bin. I don't know where they came from but there were hundreds. For a few days we had a heat wave and they all died. What a smell!!! So no more worms for me.
Clare
mrsmarv
17 years ago
We have a large compost bin that we use year-round. By the time the spring comes, it's ready for the worm invasion. We have a ton of worms. Worms in the compost bin, in the garden, under leaves, in the flower beds, by the wood pile. And those suckers are B-I-G! I found one the other day that was 9" long (ask me how I know). When I find a stray, I move it to either the garden or the compost bin.

Worms are your friends ;o) Besides being munch machines, they aerate the soil better than anything.
jannie
17 years ago
Reminds me of when I tried to grow mushrooms in my basement. Bought a kit with live spores, followed the directions but they never come up. I don't know why, but these things never work for me.
socks
17 years ago
The best book I've found to get started is "Worms Eat My Garbage" by Mary Appelhof. Getting started can be as simple as using an old Rubbermade bin (large). I usually order worms online.

I had a bin at school for a several years. The kids really enjoyed putting their lunch scraps in there. (We won't talk about the whole apples I found in there!) I might do it again next year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Worms eat my...
Jasdip
Original Author
17 years ago
I was going to mention that Moni and Socks do it as well. Hi Socks!

It's funny, that I had some people call me last year wanting to give up their worms and bins cause it wasn't working for them.
I was the "worm rescuer" for a while last summer.
I opened the bins, and there was a WHOLE raw carrot, whole apples and lots of the ends from green beans. They must think worms have teeth!

Those are fine if you've got numerous bins where you can take the time to have them break down, but the smaller the piece the faster they break down, the faster they eat and the more scraps you can give them. I've got a bags of munchies thawing in the sink now for them.

When I had watermelon rinds to give them, DH commented that they must all stand on their tails when they see me coming with them, all excited. They love fruit!
helencolby
17 years ago
I have raised Red Wiggler worms and also Night Crawlers for over 20 years. Both here and in the other places I have lived. To me it is second nature. If I have a garden, then I have a worm bed or two or more. I don't use any other kind of fertilizer at all, either for vegetables or for houseplants or flowers. What I have done is kept at least one outdoor "trench system" type of worm bed containing red wigglers during the summer and the smaller beds are in boxes in our basement. The outdoor one is where I place all of my garden refuse. (No diseased please or high acid vegetation) I just open up the trench and put it in there and then cover it back up and put a nice thick layer of hay (alalfa or wheat straw) over the top of that. When I want to add vegetable matter, I just pull back the hay, push back some of the soil/castings and lay it in the trench, re-cover and go on. The thick layer of hay keeps the worms from "cooking in the soil" in summer and freezing to death in winter and when the weather is rather dry, I just water them. Keep in mind we are now in zone 7 so the depth of your hay would vary according to location and time of year.

Clare, if your worms crawled out of your bin, then they were nightcrawlers. You need to keep a light on over the bed and keep a lid off of it. Nightcrawlers do NOT like light, so will remain buried and away from the light. However, if kept in the dark, they will crawl. That's probably why they are called nightcrawlers. lol

If I can be of any other help, just let me know. To me getting that "black gold" fertilizer for free is wonderful. Plus it is all organic. At least ours is.

Helen
chubby_rat
17 years ago
My neighbor was just talking about this,she wants to start a compost thing with worms.She bought red worms at the bait shop.Are they the right ones? If not,where can I get her some?TIA!
Jasdip
Original Author
17 years ago
There are several sites online where she can buy a pound to get started. The ones she bought at the bait shop could be reds but there's no guarantee. I know of some reputable sellers in the US. Where does she live?
patti43
17 years ago
I'm still trying to get past "and DH does the ironing there". WHAT??? How'd you get so lucky? The man is a saint!!!
Jasdip
Original Author
17 years ago
Hahahaaaaa Patti! He does the dishes and vacuuming too.
I think most men do vacuuming, it's a machine after all.
chubby_rat
17 years ago
We live in El Paso...any worm breeders here?
glenda_al
17 years ago
Ask Moni!
She does that! '

Where's Monie?
vicki_lv
17 years ago
This is so cool. THANK YOU for all the info. I may be raising worms soon. I, like Jasdip's DH...have that visual of them standing on their tails waiting for munchies. LOL

Anyone want to talk worms??

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Marilyn Sue

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