Worm Digest - Re:Outdoor bin advice needed

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digger123
User

A Mature Breeder Earthworm

Posts: 87

Outdoor bin advice needed - 2008/05/11 16:42 When I built my outdoor bin I Divided it into thirds. One third mostly green horse manure one third in the middle mostly cardboard. and one third on the other side green horse manure again.

Because of the winter temps I started out 10 inches deep whith all three sections.

Now as I dig around the bin I notice that the bottom five inches have very little worm action and the color is still manure green.

If I throw food scraps on top the worms are activly eating it. I did just turn the whole bin and am not sure how they are going to like that.

My concern is if I keep adding to the top i'm afraid i'm going to make the bottom of the bin go anarobic.

I don't feel the horse manure is breaking down fast enough to supply them with the food they need. so I feel I need to add which leads back to the anarobic thought again.

How would you big bin owners handle it??

Thanks
Darren

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wormwrangler

User

A Juvenile Earthworm

Posts: 27

Re:Outdoor bin advice needed - 2008/05/11 17:53 Hi Darren

There is a couple of things.

First the amount of worms you have in the bin could have something to do with how fast the feed is being consumed. The more worms, the faster they consume.

If you dont have a large population in the bin, then that is the reason why. I would stop feeding until they eat everything else first, no matter how many worms are in the bin.

You might get a compost thermometer to keep track of the temp in the bin. This way you will be able see if it begins to heat on you. This could cause the worms to try and escape.

The worms will eventually eat everything in the bin as long as you keep it comfy for them. Sounds like they arent unhappy.

I have started large bins with around 5 lbs of worms. We did divide the bin into three compartments with 2 pieces of plywood. As the numbers grew, and the feed diminished in the section they were in, we would pull out the plywood blocking the next section. It took a few months for them to eventually fill the entire bin. The bin size was 4x8x2, the size of most of our bins.

I am gonna try and attach a picture of one of our bins. The castings were harvested about a week or so before this picture, and it looks like it is about ready for another layer of feed. I hope it shows up LOL.

Wormwrangler

Post edited by: wormwrangler, at: 2008/05/11 18:00 Worm Wrangler

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wormwrangler

User

A Juvenile Earthworm

Posts: 27

Re:Outdoor bin advice needed - 2008/05/11 18:04 Tryin again lol

Worm Wrangler

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digger123
User

A Mature Breeder Earthworm

Posts: 87

Re:Outdoor bin advice needed - 2008/05/11 20:09 Thanks For the reply.

I do use a compost thermometer and the temps are staying around 80.

I started with 20 lbs of worms and I have a 15 sq foot bin, so I don't think population is the problem. And it looks like they are all still there. The population seems good. I know they aren't too unhappy as there are some but not alot of eggs.

Just for a little more detail. When I said I divided the bin there was no physical barier.

Heres my thinking. I estimate I started the bin with maybe 300 lbs total of manure and cardboard.I started the bin about three months ago. I added no additional food untill recently because I thought the original manure would do. The temps have always been around 70 so they arent slowed down.

So with that many worms and so little of the manure beiing processed I'm figuring the manure isen't giving them the bacteria fast enough? The only reason
I can come up with on the manure is that it may have been a little wet perhaps slowing the breakdown down????

They have done a good job on the cardboard though.

Input appreciated.

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digger123
User

A Mature Breeder Earthworm

Posts: 87

Re:Outdoor bin advice needed - 2008/05/11 20:10 Thanks For the reply.

I do use a compost thermometer and the temps are staying around 80.

I started with 20 lbs of worms and I have a 15 sq foot bin, so I don't think population is the problem. And it looks like they are all still there. The population seems good. I know they aren't too unhappy as there are some but not alot of eggs.

Just for a little more detail. When I said I divided the bin there was no physical barier.

Heres my thinking. I estimate I started the bin with maybe 300 lbs total of manure and cardboard.I started the bin about three months ago. I added no additional food untill recently because I thought the original manure would do. The temps have always been around 70 so they arent slowed down.

So with that many worms and so little of the manure beiing processed I'm figuring the manure isen't giving them the bacteria fast enough? The only reason
I can come up with on the manure is that it may have been a little wet perhaps slowing the breakdown down????

They have done a good job on the cardboard though.

Input appreciated.

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wormwrangler

User

A Juvenile Earthworm

Posts: 27

Re:Outdoor bin advice needed - 2008/05/11 23:11 I think they are just eatin at their own pace.

You might try stirring things up a bit in one side or the other to see if that starts a feeding frenzy

Just leave one side untouched in case where you stirred it starts to heat up.

I killed lots of worms when I first started its a wonder they havent put a hit out on me lol!

Sounds like everything is fine in the bin, and your doin a great job! Worm Wrangler

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