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boness_gw

in ground pit

18 years ago

Hello all, I am new to this (9 months)and have a pit 3x4x16 in sandy soil. i intend to build out the interior of it but as of now it is sand/clay. i have mainly african and euro nightcrawlers with a touch of wigglers, blues and common yard worms i have caught and placed. it gets everything organic from biz shreded paper to kitchen waste/scrapes to yard waste etc and occasional suplemental foods when supply of waste is low.

i would like to hear any thoughts on how i can improve and develop the overall system to where it is beaming with worms. at the point it is "full" i intend to transfer some to my lawn but that is on down the road. all help apreciated and no opinion is unwelcomed. come one come all. thanks, boness

Comments (3)

  • 18 years ago

    if you keep adding compostables, it'll develop, although in sandy Florida soil you'll have trouble keeping the moisture up, unless the clay is a hardpan below, in which case, it'll be too wet, at least at the bottom!

    and I suspect with year round weather prime for decomposition, you'll never get it "full"

    Bill

  • 18 years ago

    Hey Bones, I would just keep putting on the layers. I don't know anything about the nightcrawlers but the redworms will thrive with garden waste and fruit. I have read horse manure will get them going fastest. I have yet to go out and get a bucket of that, but I intend to some day. If you have any squash or mellons to feed them that will make them the happiest worms in Florida.
    I have compost bins and a lasagna Garden started and they all have worms except two of the compost bins, The two that don't have worms have them but not alot in the top layers like all the rest. You could put in some corm meal and that will also make the redwoms happy.
    Just layer leaves and straw and compost if you have it in one end because it might heat up on you and that would give the worms a place escape. But once it cools down start feeding them in it. I have worms in the thousands right now and in the middle of winter with our coldest weather at 32 night and 50-55 days and they are eating and staying in clumps probably to keep warm? I cover them so as not to get too much water. They really like leaf mold to eat and live in. I put in some oak leaves on top of compost and that bin ( actually two of them ) are full of redworms and they are eating stale bread to food scraps. I just had two butternut squash that got soft area on them and had to feed them to the worms. I think I unconciously grow them to feed the worms in winter. I haven't eaten one yet. anyway that is what I do and they are in such a large amount now that when spring gets here I will have to move some of them to get to the compost and hope to keep them eating like they are now so I can get a ton of castings. I love to garden organically and these redworms are just what is needed since I don't buy the chemical fertializers. Bill C

  • 18 years ago

    Thankyou both for taking the time to respond. it is greatly apreciated. God bless you and yours,boness

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