Pre-composting a new bin

21 years ago

First an aside: Thanks for all of the warm wishes from the group during my chemo treatments. (I didn't want to hijack the other thread to respond) I've got a thirty day furlough between medical stuff, so what the heck, I'm starting a second worm bin!

The question: I (and my worms) learned the hard way that coffee grounds and shredded newspaper compost with the heat intensity of a nuclear reaction. I've got an unlimited supply of coffee grounds. Is there any advantage to putting a bunch of coffee grounds and newspaper together, letting it do its thermal meltdown, then adding the worms when it cools off? What would be the downside?

I figure that if I do it this way, I can "pre-compost" a larger quantity of grounds than I would dare put in a populated small bin. Thoughts?

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Comments (4)

bendback50
21 years ago
Good evening Joe,

Pre-composting would seem to me to be the way to go-I mean, it's the grounds you're trying to dispose of.

Another thought, Leaves (shredded or whole) mixed with grass clippings, allowed to sour, then mixed into an aerobic bed will supposedly innoculate the bedding w/bacteria. Add that to coffee grounds & paper - stir to keep oxygenated occasionally, maybe add a dusting of "corn meal" (my favorite) to boost the bacteria and I would think you'd be off to a good start!!

Try it, and tell us if it works - if it doesn't - we'll know what not to do!!:0)

bruce
Bdadawg
21 years ago
My personal opinion ... after killing off half my population by accident, is to precompost any material that you think "may" overheat the bin. Bins get enough bacteria on their own and the addition of the leaves and soured grass may help to heat the bin up especially with newspaper and coffee grounds.

Although smaller bins tend not to heat up the addition of large amounts of "greens" could also sour and start to smell before they have had a chance to break down enough.

Bryan
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sylvie
21 years ago
Hi all,

Would one need to add paper to the coffe grounds in order to pre-composte the grounds? Can it heat on its own? How many days would it take to be safe for the worms?

I read somewhere that once the pre-composted food waste has mold on it, it safe for the worms. What do you think of that?

Thanks,Sylvie
bendback50
21 years ago
Bryan,

When I posted about adding soured leaves & grass to a bed of paper & coffee grounds & then stirring it, I was thinking only of preparing an empty bed for the addition of worms at a later date. I have added worms to a sterile environment before (no appreciable bacteria population) and they seemed to have had a hard time surviving in that element. I have an unpopulated bin that I add newsprint, office paper, questionable feed stocks, & a sprinkling of cornmeal & worm casts to, before the bedding is transferred to the worm bins proper. I use stacking bins & this seems to entice the worms to move into the new bedding quicker.

Probably just extra, unnecessary steps I go thru, but then, my wife "does" say I'm "neurotic"!

Sorry I didn't make my self clear.

bruce