Disturbers Anonymous

17 years ago

Hello, my name is Gena and I like to pla, er, uh experiment in my bin....

Y'all may remember that I was trying start with a smaller bin and had planned on putting baskets inside to help mark feeding areas. I still think the idea is sound - putting baskets with ready-made sides down inside the rubbermaid/sterlite bin -- but it doesn't work if you like to get in there and see what is going on. I reconfigured 5 or 6 times over the past several months.

While I have yet to see any pregnant worms, I have seen several small ones and a few cocoons. I'd had the bin up and running for several months before finding any cocoons, probably due to the aforementioned digging around and the small number of worms I started with.

Now, I confine myself to digging around only once a week when I'm feeding them. Also, to get the effect of the baskets, i.e. discreet feeding locations, I'm using those plastic containers that strawberries come in. I put the food on the bottom, then a generous covering of stuff from my bin. Right now, it's about an inch of food, then 3 to 4 inches of partially composted bedding and other unrecognizable items.

This way, I can pick up that container to see the condition of the food on the bottom -- mush vs. compost. And the best part is, I can pick one carton to disturb if I want to see how the worms like something specific. Or if I want to see how they react to varying levels of coffee grounds.

Basically, the little cartons have allowed me to have parts of the bin that I can "set it and forget it," instead of always wanting to churn things up.

Hubby doesn't really get it, but he knows that I'm in a better mood after visiting the worms. He's looking forward to the day they move outside -- I doubt they will, since my main goal is to get a herd that will handle our family of 4.5 for the few months of the year that I can't play outside.

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Comments (8)

wormnelly
17 years ago
Hi Gena:
I think the berry container is a great idea! One day you will decrease your need to look at them! GOOD LUCK!

My guys are PE [Our composting worm in Hawaii is Perionyx excavatus, also called Indian blue, Malaysian blue, or blueworm. Although not native to Hawaii, they have been established here for a very long time and are commonly found wherever manure and water meet on pig farms, chicken farms and horse stables.] and even in a small container (I have a small plastic flower pot IN my rubbermaid bin), you still need to dig a little to see them.

Don't go overboard on the coffee grounds!
acenjason
17 years ago
I also like to poke around in the bin. I try not to but I just seem to have a need to know what those little dudes are doing in there.
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anewgarden
17 years ago
I am also powerless in front of worm disturbing ! I might try your idea!

I have been trying different way of harvesting them, but I still like the one where I sit and separate worms from matter by hand. It is so soothing.

My H doesn't quite get it either! It is very hard to use up all our food scraps each week. I have 3 bins, and still sometimes I have to throw stuff away. I try to save it, but yesterday my saving got backed up.
Maybe I need 4 bins?
susanfromhawaii
17 years ago
I'm so glad I'm not the only one that's considered truly weird. No hubby, but my friends think I'm off the deep end (and it's a very gross deep end!) I think the berry container idea will help me out a lot! Thanks for the idea.
green_thumbz
17 years ago
yes, I can't help poking around in my bins either... I'm getting better though.

"anewgarden", do you freeze your scraps? I don't really use that much stuff each week yet, so I have zip lock baggies in the freezer with whatever won't get used right away. Freezing helps break the food down too, so when I thaw it and add it to the bin, it's really mushy. Just right for worms! :-)
anewgarden
17 years ago
I know freezing would be good but my family doesn't want garbage in the freezer. They already think they are being very tolerant about the worm bin in the kitchen. Some people are weird, eh?
fosteem1
17 years ago
I like the matching recycling bin idea. Without the sticker no one would know there were worms in your kitchen.
folly_grows
17 years ago
["I like the matching recycling bin idea. Without the sticker no one would know there were worms in your kitchen."]

I concur; the matching worm bin is very smooth. I've hidden a worm bin in my mother's garage and labelled it "Folly's Compost Makers." Mom doesn't go into the garage, and everyone else gives my worms a wide birth -- but they are looking forward to the VC.