Worm Digest - Re:Brief moment about my bins

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Wormy_Cyclers
User

A Fertile Cocoon

Posts: 3

Brief moment about my bins - 2008/04/01 01:54 hello to all just thought I take a moment to describe my worm bin experience

it all started with a few clicks of the mouse and perhaps a little too much time on my hands

It all seems so long ago now, but I came across a web page that described this magical word "vermicomposting" with the help of some cold refreshments and plenty of eyedrops, I even think I saw the sunrise out my window that day, I was hooked I then proceeded to try to order my worms online, now being from Toronto,Canada didn't think much of the trouble i would have trying to get them from the US over my way, tried a few places but got turned down they suggested getting them localy, well i got them from Alberta and as we all know prices here are twice that of the US. Received my worms, and of course commited sin #1 "overfeeding the herd" although unbeknown to me i almost masacred them,

I proceeded to dump and look through my bin I managed to salvage about 7 ounces from the 2pound original herd,but upon closer examination i did see lots of cocoons,this was back in October/07 back to my screen and I'm pretty sure I would almost swear I heard my mouse screaming NO MORE! I started thinking{no need for the fire dept. didn't last too long} I could use a hardier more robust worm, one that I could take 'fishing in salt water' yeah salt water that's it!

so I ordered 4g's of ENC's now this is turning out to be the !bestest! more behaved worms i've yet to raise, very few problems to this day, All my worms are kept in the18 gallon plastic bins, I received my ENC's October 31 just the other day I decided it was time to separate them since i want a bigger worm. Well i wasn't happy, the big HOOK wasn't quite working out I have 18 gallon bin with scraps outside I've got a freezer full, and my worms nowhere near capacity, no matter how much I crack that whip, or threaten them with some pictures of some pretty starving pigeons outside, they just wont' keep up! On to the web, and a new shipment of worms on the way, so at the beginning of march I received a shipment of worms {11 pounds} which I believed to be eisenia fetida but looking thru the bin along with my kids I found some worms leaving a trail of this yellow stuff, my kids quickly asked me are they peeing??? I quickly remembered the big myth about these worms not being able to be told apart,well i'm here to tell you You can tell them apart aside from "peeing all over me" they seemed very mushy no real backbone

least of my problems of course as a 'noobie wormer' I proceeded to commit sin #2 "over wetting the bedding" I used mostly cardboard bedding with some peat and shredded newspaper on top to cover the feed, so here I am a month later and still trying to keep worms in the bin, I know they may have had different bedding but a Month C'mon!!!! I dumped 2 bins and found them overly wet, of course put some dried newspaper at the bottom and let the contents dry out some, The only thing I really can't get over, is the amount of maggots in there, now i know they help the bin and all but just getting over one YUK

factor, and now gonna be dealing with another just seems a bit overwhelming, as well as getting a whole sworm of mites with them. Just thought I share

Vive la vida sin fin!

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wtman
User

A Juvenile Earthworm

Posts: 33

Re:Brief moment about my bins - 2008/04/01 09:24 If you have maggots, you are probably still over feeding. Are you sure they are maggots and not soldier fly larvae?

I would back off on the feeding some more and get that bedding dried out some as you already sound like you are doing. Check your bedding temp and ph levels. I use wood bins and have never had a moisture issue. Scrap lumber or a dresser drawer or anything wood will work.

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squirminwormfarm

User

A Protected Species Earthworm

Posts: 103

Re:Brief moment about my bins - 2008/04/01 11:36 Wormy_Cyclers, welcome to the club. At our next meeting you will get your club ID and t shirt

.

I can be overwelming, but hang in there. It will be very worth it once everything gets to normal. Just keep fluffing the wet bins and hold off on feeding. You'll get it. Dave Wallace
Squirmin' Worm Farm
Plymouth, WI
www.squirminwormfarm.com

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redhen

User

A Protected Species Earthworm

Posts: 684

Re:Brief moment about my bins - 2008/04/01 13:25 so here I am a month later and still trying to keep worms in the bin, I know they may have had different bedding but a Month C'mon!!!! I dumped 2 bins and found them overly wet, of course put some dried newspaper at the bottom and let the contents dry out some, The only thing I really can't get over, is the amount of maggots in there, now i know they help the bin and all but just getting over one YUK factor, and now gonna be dealing with another just seems a bit overwhelming, as well as getting a whole sworm of mites with them.
The worms are leaving because the bin conditions are not correct. They are trying to tell you that.
The maggots, I believe, are BSF larvae and they are there because there is lots of decomposing food sitting around. Mites are also swarming because the really like the conditions you have set up.
I would take out recognizable food. Add some dry paper shreds throughout the bins and then top with dry shreds. Stop feeding for a bit and let the bins balance out.
How did you divide the 11#s per bin?
I would also put collected food scraps to date in an outdoor pile. Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth.

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Wormy_Cyclers
User

A Fertile Cocoon

Posts: 3

Re:Brief moment about my bins - 2008/04/02 00:12 How did you divide the 11#s per bin?

well redhen I decided to put my crew to work in 3 different 18 gallon totes each with 4#, and before anyone says that i've overcrowded them and that may be a reason for the worms leaving, I put 3# with my previous bunch which are doing great no escapees there, I reckon it may be due to the fact that it's been going for almost 6 months, Now about the BSF's larvae (maggots) I believe they came included with my shipment, free of charge! since i noticed them not long after the first feeding.

Hey, thanks for the worm welcome and I'll be expecting that free t'shirt I was promised!!

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Mrs.M

User

A Juvenile Earthworm

Posts: 54

Re:Brief moment about my bins - 2008/04/03 06:02 LOL this is pretty funny. Very vivid descriptions! I became obsessed with my worms too. Now I'm growing the most beautiful starter tomatoes you've ever seen. I started some marigolds & they sprouted in 2 days & okra in 4 days! I mixed some castings with 8 part peat & 1 part perlite and instead of water the first time used my wonderful tea. I've never had such beautiful starters. I plant 30 tomato seeds and every single one of them have sprouted and thrived. (i've also learned about the value of the color red but that's another obsession)

And as for my beautiful worms. They seem pretty happy. My enc's have a very large, partially opaque dark purple bin and I have a piece of burlap on top of their bedding & I feed them on top of the burlap and I mist the burlap about once a week. I try not to bother them too much other than that as I don't think enc's like to be messed with too much.

I think my ef's are actually easier to care for as I toss their bins like salad every now and then but I don't do that with the enc's as they seem so sensitive.

I learned the hard way about moisture as I created some scary conditions for my ef's once and I'm amazed they didn't scurry or die, but they're forgiving little critters and so well behaved! I really love them. I've found that I have a hard time letting them go. I've had two people ask me for some for their fish and since I'm not usually a tight person, I've found I'm not willing to share my little friends with people who are going to kill them. Ain't that silly? People are making fun of me and I know they're whispering behind my back about how nutty I am over these worms, but when they taste my maters this year they'll be begging for more and I'll tell them to grow their own and I'll SELL them my secret, the tea! Now who's the nut?

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