-
ICMag with help from Landrace Warden and The Vault is running a NEW contest in November! You can check it here. Prizes are seeds & forum premium access. Come join in!
Worming 101
- Thread starter Suby
- Start date
I just got a worm bin 360. I was thinking of using this to finish off my castings from my larger bins that are 2x4 surface area. Does anybody else use this method? If so, you got any pointers? It's a bitch to harvest out of my large bins, but the 360 makes this step a lot easier.
I am 2 weeks in the worms seem happy. Even the NC's I picked up at a bait shop that aren't supposed to be for composting seem to be doing fine. My totes are already 10 high and the worms are on all levels with the NC's hanging out more at the bottom and top levels. The Euro's and RW's are loving life. Boy howdy I can see why they call 'em "wiggler's".
I was leaving the lid off with some window screen as a cover. Looked in on Thursday and say a small black flyer. RA or gnat I'm not sure which. I sprinkled with neem seed meal and crab meal and placed a solid cover over the top with one tube of the airpump coming through it. Today Monday I was able to get to town to buy some 70 mesh printscreen it was $20 as opposed to $25 for the 110 and 200. The 70 looked small enough to either trap them in or keep them out. I made a cut-out on a totelid and have siliconed the mesh in place. I couldn't resist peeking in but only lifted the lid a few inches. I saw two worms above the dirt quickly retreating but no sign of any flying things. Fingers crossed. I will place the new cover on when it dries. Smell was a little strong from the neem/crab meals but not stagnating or unhealthy so all appears to be well.
When checking out I got a 40% off any one item coupon. I guess when payday hits I will go buy that finer mesh for keifing. Score!
I was leaving the lid off with some window screen as a cover. Looked in on Thursday and say a small black flyer. RA or gnat I'm not sure which. I sprinkled with neem seed meal and crab meal and placed a solid cover over the top with one tube of the airpump coming through it. Today Monday I was able to get to town to buy some 70 mesh printscreen it was $20 as opposed to $25 for the 110 and 200. The 70 looked small enough to either trap them in or keep them out. I made a cut-out on a totelid and have siliconed the mesh in place. I couldn't resist peeking in but only lifted the lid a few inches. I saw two worms above the dirt quickly retreating but no sign of any flying things. Fingers crossed. I will place the new cover on when it dries. Smell was a little strong from the neem/crab meals but not stagnating or unhealthy so all appears to be well.
When checking out I got a 40% off any one item coupon. I guess when payday hits I will go buy that finer mesh for keifing. Score!Greenheart
Was the 'fly' more like a wasp than a common housefly? Completely black looking pretty mean?
CC
Was the 'fly' more like a wasp than a common housefly? Completely black looking pretty mean?
CC
It looked alot like a root aphid. Somewhat close to a fruit fly in size. With the wings folding across the back. I didn't really inspect it too close after my last experience with those a year ago. I just put that lid on top with a bunch of weight. I forgot to turn the valve on for the air pump and when I checked on things a couple days later it was smelling a little ripe with some white molds starting to form. I fixed the air supply and things are looking good in the bin again and the worms are lively so all appears well. I'm not seeing anymore flying things anywhere so I'm hoping whatever it was won't be a problem in the future now that I have a lid with a finegrade mesh.
Get the temps in the mid-70's and you'll be at maximum production, i.e. higher bacteria colonies = increased food for the worms
CC
This is how I was taught....
Let the VC dry to the point where the crumbles feel dry (drier) to the touch but if you press 2 pieces between your thumb and finger the pieces will 'merge' forming a single piece. Best I can do on the explanation thingie - dry to the touch but not dried out or something like that.
Storage requires a couple of things to consider: if you're going to use burlap sacks you want to find out if the original material being shipped was treaded with fungicides/insecticides and equally important find out if the bag cloth was treated - much of it is. Nurseries specify sprayed or unsprayed when ordering from the supply houses.
What you don't want to do is to store it in a sealed bucket with no ventilation. The easiest way would be to use a large Rubbermaid tub so you can stir it around every week or so and monitor how dry the material is getting. A light mist of water every so often is necessary and stir the VC around to get everything at the correct 'wetness' level.
The thing about using raw burlap is that it is made from plant material meaning that it's subject to degrading (breaking down) from the microbes in your VC so one day you'll grab a bag and you'll have the bag in your hand with the pile of castings still on the floor.
VOE
Let the VC dry to the point where the crumbles feel dry (drier) to the touch but if you press 2 pieces between your thumb and finger the pieces will 'merge' forming a single piece. Best I can do on the explanation thingie - dry to the touch but not dried out or something like that.
Storage requires a couple of things to consider: if you're going to use burlap sacks you want to find out if the original material being shipped was treaded with fungicides/insecticides and equally important find out if the bag cloth was treated - much of it is. Nurseries specify sprayed or unsprayed when ordering from the supply houses.
What you don't want to do is to store it in a sealed bucket with no ventilation. The easiest way would be to use a large Rubbermaid tub so you can stir it around every week or so and monitor how dry the material is getting. A light mist of water every so often is necessary and stir the VC around to get everything at the correct 'wetness' level.
The thing about using raw burlap is that it is made from plant material meaning that it's subject to degrading (breaking down) from the microbes in your VC so one day you'll grab a bag and you'll have the bag in your hand with the pile of castings still on the floor.
VOE
Thanks for that mate I've got a couple bags my worms came in (see pic) these should be good yeah?
On another note, I got a mate who lives off tea so I get him to keep the tea bags for me so I just picked up about 60 used tea bags I ripped them open and took the tea out and added it to my worm bin... I've been doing this every few days and adding my own too prob about 10 a day .. also added 6 mushy bananas and 15 crushed up egg shells will be adding some comfrey once the bananas have gone.. these are well looked after worms and I think that shows by how reproductive they have been..
On another note, I got a mate who lives off tea so I get him to keep the tea bags for me so I just picked up about 60 used tea bags I ripped them open and took the tea out and added it to my worm bin... I've been doing this every few days and adding my own too prob about 10 a day .. also added 6 mushy bananas and 15 crushed up egg shells will be adding some comfrey once the bananas have gone.. these are well looked after worms and I think that shows by how reproductive they have been..
Attachments
CC - Thanks for the advice.
I have been trying, but we spent weeks below 0f at night and in the teens during the day! I have the bin off the concrete sitting on blocks next to my furnace in the garage and a space heater blowing at it just toget to the mid 60's. Trending the right way now. Should be good soon. Wife won't have it in the house....... Just the word "worms" killed that request.LOL
I have been trying, but we spent weeks below 0f at night and in the teens during the day! I have the bin off the concrete sitting on blocks next to my furnace in the garage and a space heater blowing at it just toget to the mid 60's. Trending the right way now. Should be good soon. Wife won't have it in the house....... Just the word "worms" killed that request.LOL
W89
That type of bag was my first idea but I didn't know if it was something only used in the states - but yeah, that's what you want. That material isn't subject to microbe action like burlap and other things made from untreated plant material.
If you have a wholesale produce company in your area they are a good resource to find interesting bags, containers, etc. from imported commodities. It's also a good place to pick-up free vegetables & fruits that are beginning to rot - perfect vermicomposting feedstock.
CC
That type of bag was my first idea but I didn't know if it was something only used in the states - but yeah, that's what you want. That material isn't subject to microbe action like burlap and other things made from untreated plant material.
If you have a wholesale produce company in your area they are a good resource to find interesting bags, containers, etc. from imported commodities. It's also a good place to pick-up free vegetables & fruits that are beginning to rot - perfect vermicomposting feedstock.
CC
Cool yeah my worms came in those bags they are nice and strong as well as breathable will load em up then
I get my mum too keep all fruit and veg scraps for me and Ive got a freezer half full of blended up scraps just defrost em when I need them they decompose a lot quicker that way
I get my mum too keep all fruit and veg scraps for me and Ive got a freezer half full of blended up scraps just defrost em when I need them they decompose a lot quicker that way
When I ordered my Gaia Green Glacial Rock Dust from Planetnatural they shipped the #50 paper bag with the Gaia logo's wrapped up inside a large bag made of that material and inserted it into a cardboard box. I'm guessing around 30gallon size or so.
