Without knowing what you mean by 'quite some time', I can't answer you specifically. Also, to help out the C challenged folks here in the U.S., 14C = 57F.

According to an article published by Dominguez the best temp for reproduction and vermicompost production is 25C, which is 77F. They tolerate 0C to 35 C (32F to 95F).

Worms and other cold blooded creatures are completely dependent on the ambient temperature for the speed at which the reactions inside them go. The cooler it is, the slower everything goes. They can survive at 14C, no problem, but they won't go very fast.

You're right about them doing better in shallow bins, but that's if the bottom is solid. Stick with your stacking bin and if you want to expand, look in to flow through style bins, I'll post a good link below. You maximize exposure to air and minimize surface area covered by the bin (i.e., the space the bin occupies.)

If you don't have enough VC by the time you want to use it, look in to AVT or aerated vermicompost tea. There are 2 big parts to the benefits of VC. One is the nutrients have been converted in to forms the plants can use more easily, but even more is the right bacteria and other microorganisms are there and can continue breaking down the nutrients and suppress bad bacteria. You can spread the benefits of a small amount of VC to huge areas of land (a half cup to a large yard) with AVT. The recipe for that you'll have to look up. It takes a few days and you need a small air pump. This site and others have search capabilities.

In the beginning, you often have to wait 4-6 months to get a descent amount of VC, but it completely depends on how many worms you have and how fast they can go (temperature dependent.)

I'd say, keep up your compost roller AND give the worms a longer chance and a warmer temperature before you give up on them.

Here is a link that might be useful: A list of links to DIY flow through bins with descriptions and photos

"My worm compost is too slow!!" Great title. I think we all felt that way at one time or in my case still. My tiny vermicompost system is in the cool celar. The wormery needs not just food but also bedding like egg carton shredded. "bits of food" If you listen closely are they yelling, "More Food Mom!"? You already have the horizontal system you desire because that is what the "normal stacked plastic wormery" is is a way to get lots of horizontal space but stacked so it takes up less floor space. Both a womery and a compost tumbler have their place. Watermellon rind, cantalope, old grapes, soggy kiwi, strawberry tops, blueberries aged out, pumpkin, etc go to the worms. Brocolli stems, a sack of corn cobs, 15 pounds of orange rinds from homemade fresh juice, a 50# bag of sprouted onions, old half cabbage heads to into the compost tumbler.

You may need a hotter bedroom.

In my experience, temperature affects speed of production more than anything. At 13-4C, it's going to be pretty slow.

Hi there,

Maybe try this. Stackable 10 gall totes. Each is about half full, and has about 3 lbs in it. Consumes lots of scraps, and can give much yield of castings if you keep turning over the totes.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Don't worry. We are not going to go all Thelma & Louise on ya until we invite everyone and fill up the bird. Pack yo bags but no salt, vinegar, humanure, allowed. If you are carrying biochar made from peat you get to fill up the tank. 'septing their ain't such a thing. WKA Worm Killers of America who can't read our archives and see the many imaginative ways we have endevered to kill our worms accidentally and multiple times over the months and figure out how to do it on their own need not apply.

I think your post is good, logical and normal but we have been hit by a lot of wacko posts lately that have thrown until now acting normal posters over the edge. We will be back to normal, logical, nice people, soon, or eventually. We need air.

You're not going to get great casting production from a stacking bin system. A flow through system works best if your goal is harvesting castings.

See my weblog for a description of why...

http://intentionallyoutside.blogspot.com/2011/02/worms-eat-my-garbage.html

Here is a link that might be useful: My Weblog

The woman I got my worms (and advice) from has been doing this for about 4 years and has a pretty good operation going on. Here's what she recommended to me and it's working very well:

Get a cheap-o meat thermometer and stick it in the compost. If it's not near 70F (21C) then they aren't going to be quite as happy. I got a 7.5 watt bulb and socket (and extension cord to plug it in) all for a grand total of under $10. The little bulb gives them just enough heat to get them moving a little faster.

I guess it's still a pretty slow process overall, but I think your worms might like a little more heat.