My Worms are doing Great!

19 years ago

I'm not sure why I've had this success but my worms are doing great. I've had my bin for less than a month and today I saw my first cocoon. I've seen babies crawling around already but never saw an egg sac. So finally I found one today while giving them some food.

If anyone juices, the pulp is great for the worm bin. My parents juice every morning and I have too much for my 1 worm bin. I'm thinking about getting 2 more. I used to fill corners but now since I've been checking they keep eating up the stuff pretty fast. I seems like since it is all pulp, it rots faster or something and the worms all swimming in this stuff.

Now I fill about half the bin with pulp and then a week later I fill the other half with it. So if any of you are having trouble, try some juicing pulp, they love it. Apples, celery, carrots, tomatoes, just about anything.

My question is, the 1st bin has a lot of volume in it. Lots of bedding and lots of organic matter. How do I know when to start the 2nd bin?

I've also though of another way to have them migrate. I keep my bin a little dry on top. Seems to keep the bugs away. Though sometimes I have to water the bin because I think it's getting too dry. If I keep the top dry, why can't I have the worms migrate down to the next bin instead of up like everyone else does? My worms are always on the bottom of the bin. It seems like they like the wetter part of it. That's also where I keep the food, once again to keep the bugs away. I have a small problem with gnats right now but they don't bother me too much. Anyone see a problem with having the worms migrating downwards to a new tray?

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Comments (4)

timshaw
19 years ago
Hi Kaylin,
Congratulations! I restarted worm compostin last june (trie 15 yrs ago and failed) and have had great sucsess as well. When I tried it before I didn't have a computer and barely knew what the internet was and failed. I started again after I read several forums. It seems so easy now after the info gleaned here. Best of luck with your venture!
Tim
raphael_gardener
19 years ago
If you have a bin under your current one, and want the worms to migrate down, why dont you put it on top of your current one and let them migrate up?

The main reason for having worms migrate up is because it takes a long time (months) for all the worms to move trays/bins.

So where would you put the food during that time? In the bottom tray? The worms like to feed on the surface, so they will migrate to the top bin as long as there is any food there at all.

I like thinking outside the square too, but this is tried and true. Put a new tray/bin on top and fill that with bedding and food. After a longish wait all the worm will move up.

Raphael
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kaylin002
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks for the kind words. It's a lot easier once you get the info you need. Reading a lot helps too and it's definately fun.

I had a thought though. In my tomato patch, I mulched heavily and everytime I look into the soil I see worms and lots and lots of pill bugs. Why not just bury the food scraps into the ground where the veggies so and have the worms work right in place?

Is there any advantage to worm composting or even regular composting compared to bury the food scraps right where you garden?
raphael_gardener
19 years ago
Burying the food works fine Im sure. Ive never done it though.

They are different worms though, but as you say, doing the work in the right place.

Convenience...thats the best reason I have. I rather walk to the worm bin and tip the food in, than trek to the garden in the dead of winter and bury scraps in the garden bed.

Disturbing the root sytem, upsetting the soil profile and maybe introducing disease are other reasons I just thought of.

Plenty of people do what you mention though. Im sure its fine.

But then you wouldnt have your little worm farm. Thats no fun.... :-)