sauce man
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Hello Im new here - 2005/11/07 23:25
Hi everyone My name is Tom. Just wanted to say what a great site this is. I'm new to worm composting, but have been a composter for years. I have a pepper farm in Michigan and I,m always looking for better ways to produce organic fertilizer for my gardens. I purchased a worm bin called the Worm Chalet with Red wigglers to get me started. I was reading up on all the different systems and thought this model would be good for my needs until I get the hang of it. I will most likely move up to a larger system in the future. I,m going to keep it in an insulated (but not heated)out building. I was reading last night about heating the bins with a pile of veggie waste in the corner of the bin. My question is what are the best veggies to use? and do you think I will need to do this in Michigan? Any advice would help. Thanks
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Jerry
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A Hatchling Earthworm
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/07 23:44
Tom,
Most any pre-consumer food waste makes good worm feed, and a lot of post-consumer foods are good too. I would think you would probably need some kind of heat in Michigan. To have good results it is best to keep your bins in the 60 to 70 degree range in winter.
Welcome to Worm Digest.
Jerry
http://www.compostsolutions.com
THE SIGNIFIGANT PROBLEMS WE FACE CANNOT BE SOLVED AT THE LEVEL OF THINKING WE WERE AT WHEN WE CREATED THEM. |
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Kuznles
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/08 00:27
I don't know what other folks use, most of the food that I use in the winter months are cabbage, lettuce, rotted potatoes and anything else the produce men at the grocery store throw into my boxes along with lots of paper. I grind them up and during the warm months I put them in an old deep freeze and let them go through the heat stage before I feed it to my worms, during the winter months I put it into the bins right away and let it heat the bins.
KuznLes
Kountrykuznworms.com |
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Bob Ingram
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/08 06:14
Hi, Tom. Welcome to the Digest and to vermicomposting...you'll meet some fine folks here. It gets cold in Michigan...( as you know). It's important to remember, though, it's the ambient temps down in the bin that's important. I'd use a little deeper bedding if you're unable to heat that shed, and pocket feed the fresh feed in order to let the worms go to, or evade, the heat as needed. Most discount stores have electric, portable oil heaters with no exposed element...they look like an old radiator type heater. They're safe, cheap and not horribly expensive to operate. I'm using some now for the third year...they cost about 35.00 each. Good luck, snd have fun. Seeya, Bob
www.trinity-ranch.com |
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redhen
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/08 11:36
Tom..I have many plastic worm bins that I keep in all kinds of situations, so I can better help the people I build bins with. Like Jerry said the temps of 60-70 will have better processing results. 40-50 the process will slow greatly, (not unlike putting food in your refrigerator to slow spoilage). If you want to keep the temps up with feed, then I would say think high carbohydrate foods. (No Atkins Diets.. ) Grains work well too. In an enlosed plastic bin you would want to bury a pocket of feed. The pocket, buried, will heat up quickly. The worms will need a place to move to away from the source of the heat, so you don't want to bury it throughout the bin. You might think about putting some kind of blanket over the bin. Here in NC we do not get long periods of extreme cold weather. Since you said you have composted for years, I would highly recommend an in-ground bin.(Maybe build one in Spring). I have some that are made out of cinderblock and 1 that's just a hole-in-the-ground piled with leaves. These bins are much more stable and forgiving. I put just about everything in those bins (except meat) and by putting a big "plug" of, say, cornmeal it acts like a little furnace and the worms are up and working all around the edges. Steam comes off these piles and they stay between 60-85. I really love these bins because they don't require much monitoring. Having 3 kids my monitoring is about worn out..
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth. |
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Bob Ingram
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/08 14:59
Lol, Susan.....that's what you think! it's just starting. I wouldn't take a million apiece for my three, but I wouldn't give a penny apiece for three more just like em..........Seeya, Bob
www.trinity-ranch.com |
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sauce man
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/08 21:16
Thanks, Great advice I love it! Although what do you mean by a plug? I see this term often. I like the idea of freezing the vegetables to use during the winter months. My 4 year old just cant get over the fact that the worms are eating our garbage. Also just read an article in todays Detroit free press about a worm compost project they have going at U of M. Seems they have taken 56.6 tons of food last year and 41 tons this year out of the system and into their veg gardens. They get the food from the dorms on campus and the local coffee shops are suppling their grinds. Hats off to those guys and gals. They have 70 volunteers working together on this. If anyone wants a copy I saved it and would be willing to scan it.
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sauce man
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A Juvenile Earthworm
| Posts: 43 | |
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/08 21:33
Thanks, Great advice I love it! Although what do you mean by a plug? I see this term often. I like the idea of freezing the vegetables to use during the winter months. My 4 year old just cant get over the fact that the worms are eating our garbage. Also just read an article in todays Detroit free press about a worm compost project they have going at U of M. Seems they have taken 56.6 tons of food last year and 41 tons this year out of the system and into their veg gardens. They get the food from the dorms on campus and the local coffee shops are suppling their grinds. Hats off to those guys and gals. They have 70 volunteers working together on this. If anyone wants a copy I saved it and would be willing to scan it.
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redhen
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/08 21:54
When I say "plug", I mean, I dig a hole and "plug in" OM into that hole.
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth. |
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billyW
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A Hatchling Earthworm
| Posts: 13 | |
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/09 13:48
Bob Ingram wrote:
Lol, Susan.....that's what you think! it's just starting. I wouldn't take a million apiece for my three, but I wouldn't give a penny apiece for three more just like em..........Seeya, BobNow that's a quote only a parent would understand...LOL
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Kuznles
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:Hello Im new here - 2005/11/10 00:29
Hello Tom,
The size of the plug would depend on the size of your bin. My bins are 2'X 4', so I would go to one spot in the bin, any corner or in the center and put in about 3 to 4 pounds of ground up veggies, so my plug would be 3 pounds. Dig a hole big enough for that and bury it. Remember, they can't eat it while it is heating so they will be eating all along the edges.
KuznLes
Kountrykuznworms.com |
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