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Boardwalk :: Forum List Six (6) New Worm Digest Forums 1) General Earthworm Discussion Forum
nicdec
User

A Fertile Cocoon
Posts: 4
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 Questions as I am brand new to all of this! - 2008/06/04 20:44 I recently discovered vermicomposting and picked up a small bin and 1/4 lbs of red wigglers to try it out. I set up the bin the other day and fed them some old chopped up bananas and old apple cores chopped up.

My curiosity got the best of me and I opened the lid and found a lot of the worms on top of the bedding, the minute I opened it the quickly went down into the bedding.

I didn't think they would be on top of the bedding, am I doing something wrong, should I be doing something different, are they not getting enough oxygen?

As I said in my subject line this is ALL brand new to me so any help would be appreciated!

Thanks! Nic
Northern Toronto, Ontario
Canada
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gnosnhoj
User

A Protected Species Earthworm
Posts: 544
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 Re:Questions as I am brand new to all of this! - 2008/06/04 21:57 Welcome to the wormie world, Nicole.
Composting worms are surface dwellers, and if that's where the chow is, that's where they'll be. Please be careful not to overfeed / overwater. .25# of worms is not gonna get through a lot of chow very quick. Start small and add more as it disappears.
If you haven't already, I always recommend a drill-back through previous pages in this and other fora you'll find links to for answers to questions you haven't thought of yet and lotsa been there - done that stuff. Y'all have fun, whatever you're doing.
Gary
Hopkinsville, KY
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Swimmus
User

A Mature Breeder Earthworm
Posts: 85
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 Re:Questions as I am brand new to all of this! - 2008/06/06 00:07 So far, sounds like you arer doing right. just do not overfeed as gary stated.

It really is not rocket science. Just don't let it get wet, don't over feed and keep all the critters away.

Good Luck




nicdec wrote:
I recently discovered vermicomposting and picked up a small bin and 1/4 lbs of red wigglers to try it out. I set up the bin the other day and fed them some old chopped up bananas and old apple cores chopped up.

My curiosity got the best of me and I opened the lid and found a lot of the worms on top of the bedding, the minute I opened it the quickly went down into the bedding.

I didn't think they would be on top of the bedding, am I doing something wrong, should I be doing something different, are they not getting enough oxygen?

As I said in my subject line this is ALL brand new to me so any help would be appreciated!

Thanks! www.wormcrusader.com
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Paratrooper
User

A Mature Breeder Earthworm
Posts: 77
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 Re:Questions as I am brand new to all of this! - 2008/06/06 00:29 I have a question that if you can answer might help you in keeping track of your progress . Can you describe the sizes of your worms ? If they are about 2+ inches long then they are close to breeding age . Smaller worms will take some time to evolve . According to the gurus that write books there seems to be common ground on this belief . A baby takes about 3 months to reach maturity and breed . The cocoons will hatch soon after being shed and THEY will take 3 months to reach maturity . So it would seem that it will take (worst case scenario) 6 months for you to have one half pound . Probably sooner if you were sold worms that have reached or are closer to maturity . Many times folks are sold "bedrun" which won't be all mature worms . Just out of curiosity where are you located ? I know a fella in Prescott AZ has started selling these kits just as you describe . Tom
Kingman Arizona
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nicdec
User

A Fertile Cocoon
Posts: 4
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 Re:Questions as I am brand new to all of this! - 2008/06/06 08:10 My worms seem to be all different sizes, a few are almost 2 inches but most are smaller.

I am in northern Toronto, Ontario Canada, quite far off from sunny warm AZ!!

Paratrooper wrote:
I have a question that if you can answer might help you in keeping track of your progress . Can you describe the sizes of your worms ? If they are about 2+ inches long then they are close to breeding age . Smaller worms will take some time to evolve . According to the gurus that write books there seems to be common ground on this belief . A baby takes about 3 months to reach maturity and breed . The cocoons will hatch soon after being shed and THEY will take 3 months to reach maturity . So it would seem that it will take (worst case scenario) 6 months for you to have one half pound . Probably sooner if you were sold worms that have reached or are closer to maturity . Many times folks are sold "bedrun" which won't be all mature worms . Just out of curiosity where are you located ? I know a fella in Prescott AZ has started selling these kits just as you describe . Nic
Northern Toronto, Ontario
Canada
  | | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Boardwalk :: Forum List Six (6) New Worm Digest Forums 1) General Earthworm Discussion Forum

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