What kind of bin do you have the worms in and how big? What is your goal with your new bin? Half a pound of worms is not a lot of worms. That is okay, as given the right environment the population will build. It will just be a slower to start. If the worms are in a small container, perhaps a 3 gallon tote type, you could use it as a mini bin and get to see how the process works, adding only a very small amount of food and seeing how long it takes for your worms to eat it. As the population builds you will see that the food is going away faster and can start adding more food. In a few months you may want to set up a bigger bin and will have learned a lot without much stress to you or your worms. Have fun!

After I posted this query, I have read a few more threads. Oh, boy, do I have a lot to learn!

The box is 16" X 26" X 7". Wood box. The goal is two-fold: to get rid of our garbage and create compost for the garden. I am just starting a vegetable garden - actually I am too late for this year, and I am thinking ahead to next year's tomatoes!

As with most things, I didn't get enough info before I ran out and spent good money on the worms. I hope I don't kill 'em before I learn what I am doing! LOL

Thanks, and you may see me around asking lots of dumb questions! LOL

Ok, Patti, pour yourself a nice, tall glass of iced tea, take a deep breath and relax! Your questions are certainly not stupid, you have done nothing wrong with your bin, and it sounds as though you have some excellent resources for use in the system. All is well!

First, you need to know that while straw may not be the first most favorite bedding of many vermicomposters, it is by no means a poor bedding choice. That you used straw mixed with paper means that, regardless of what any of us think of straw, it is most likely that the environment you've created in the bin will be wonderful from the worm perspective, and it is their opinion that matters most. It was not a mistake to use the straw, regardless of whether or not it was chopped.

Some folks prefer materials other than straw simply because straw takes longer to break down than many of the other bedding options, thus, you may find bits of it in your "finished" material. This is the biggest challenge associated with the stuff, however, and if this is the worst thing you ever have to deal with you are cerainly in very good shape! ::grin:: On the upside, the fact that straw will tend to hang around longer than most other bedding options means that it will remain in the system after all other materials have been fragmented into very small pieces, aiding in keeping channels open for good oxygen penetration. The take home message in this is that straw, as with all bedding materials, comes with some drawbacks and some advantages, but it is generally considered a good bedding option and is used successfully in many home vermicomposting systems. You're in good shape!

As to feeding your worms, begin small and work up based on worm activity. Consider burying about a cup of food scraps (be sure to include some moist, succulent veggie and fruit peals) in the bedding, making sure the scraps of completely buried, and check this pocket of scraps daily to see when the worms move in to begin feeding. Once they've become active in the first addition of food scraps, bury another cup or so of scraps in the bedding, adjacent to the first addition. Check this new addition of scraps daily to see when the worms move in. When they move in to the second addition of food scraps, add another adjacent to it, and keep checking. The previous addition of food does not need to be completely finished before adding more, there simply needs to be several worms active in and/or around it. Feeding in this way means you are feeding based on worm activity, and ensures you are adding sufficient material to keep them well fed and comfortable with breeding, but not so much that the bin envionment can become overly wet (due to the high moisture content of food scraps) and unpleasant.

As to ants, it is only fire ants about which we need to be concerned in North America, and we do not have fire ants here in the PNW (I live in southwestern WA state). Few ant species anywhere in the world are predators of earthworms and none of our Northwest species are problematic in the bin at all. The presence of ants in the soaked leaves should NOT discourage you from using those leaves, which tend to have many advantages in a worm bin. Add the leaves! You'll be glad you did!

It sounds as though you're doing just fine with your bin. Mix some of those lovely wetted leaves in as a part of the bedding, add some food, and don't be afraid to check on the progress of the worms, despite the cautions agains "disturbing the worms" that you might read on other web sites. These worm species are incredibly tolerant of disruption to their environment, and a system functions far more effectively when the humans involved are comforatable with observing and interacting with the bin environment.

This is really is a simple system to manage, Patti, and it sounds as though you've started things off very well. You and your daughter are going to love it; trust me!

Kelly S

Thanks, Kelly!! I have read enough to know that you are the (or at least, one of the) resident experts. :-) Many thanks for calming my fears. And you're even a long distance mind reader! My next question was how much can I 'disturb' the worms without DISTURBING them, and you have already answered that question!

I know it will take time to be really comfortable with the wormies, as my daughter calls them. By next spring, I should have a handle on the worm situation, and then I can go pester the folks in the tomato forum! :-)

Thank you all for all of the time that you devote to helping the newbies!

Patti

Happy worming Patti!

Weve had worms (sounds like a support group!) for about 2 years, and its not always all roses. It is indeed a learning experience. and i strongly suggest not puting shell peanuts or whole potatoes in your bin. Chop or crush if you must use. (stink issues!)

I just switched over to a shredder paper/partilly rotted straw/ leaf combo, and theyre doing GREAT! Mine had gotten over fed, in too much summer heat, and not screened out of the finished product. not pretty.

as far as handling them- youll probably not kill them unless you smush them. I usually open my hands large like a claw, and gently turn a handful of bedding to look for them

Garnet - thanks for the welcome! Sorry it took so long to acknowledge your reply. Life gets crazy sometimes.

The wormies seem to be settling in nicely. At first I thought they had all crawled out the drainage holes or something, because I could hardly find any, and none of the food seemed to be being eaten. But now I see that at least some of them are still there, and they seem to be doing fine. Still figuring out how much they will eat, but that will just take some time.

Many thanks!

Patti