I bet that 18 gallon bin is heavy, if it is almost full! There are a number of ways to harvest that compost. You could do a "dump and sort". You could nest a new bin (set up just like your first one) inside the full one and let the worms migrate up to the fresh food and bedding. If it were me with a bin that full and big, I would probably start dumping and making piles for the worms to crawl to the bottom of and put the compost in a storage container (that has air holes). I would also not use an 18 gallon bin. I use the 10 gallon bins, which are easier to handle and not so deep.

I handpick worms out over a larger bin, then screen the chunky/cast. takes a little while, but its quicker than the feed-and-migrate. and the finished goods are so great looking.

Hey Susan,

You use 10 gal bins??? Stupid me made a 28 gal bin! How many do you have, and how often do you harvest? Do you let it get to the top?

Yes, I do use 10 gallon bins. It's a live and learn thing..:)
It looks like a mini LOWES in back of my house, with probably 12 (to date) bins going. I have other types of bins also, as I try to raise worms for sale in all different situations, (so I know what works for different situations). I really want the people I build bins with to be successful.
I let it fill to halfway with compost. Usually I will sell the worms from those bins before I need to harvest. When I sell worms, I sell them with a good amount of vermicompost, so my clients system's will be jump started with a good microherd in place. I have nested a new bin inside the older one (when the older one is half full) and let the worms migrate up to the new one. I do this again, one more time and when that 3rd bin is half full, I will empty out the bottom one, into a storage tote, and it the becomes the top working bin. I empty these "condo" types every 2-3 months. Oh yeah...I have big fun around here :D

I don't have holes drilled in the bottom, just sides so the nesting thing is out. guess I will have to hand pick, since the bin is too full to do much else with. Thanks for suggestions. Oh and by the way SQH1 where in NC I'm near Greensboro.

If you have any space, you might just push what you've got to one side and add fresh bedding to the other side. Feed only on the side with new bedding. Eventually (after a LONG time) the worms will move to the side with food and you can start harvesting your finished compost. I also like to start a new bin and put a sheet of window screen on top. Then I take large handfuls of wormy castings and put them on top of the screen and feed only under the screen. The worms go right through the screen to get to the food. The castings start to dry out since they're on top and when all the worms have migrated down I move the castings to the garden or a storage bin. You can leave the lid off and the light on to encourage them to move quicker.

Good luck,
Mariann

Shirley.. I am in Raleigh and am in Greensboro alot, where my sister and now my mom live. If you want to buy another bin, (I would reccomend something smaller..like 10 gallon), put bedding in the new bin. Fashion a screen tray, (I use hardware cloth), and place it on top of the new bedding. Scoop out about 1 " of the older bin's contents across that screen tray. Any worms that are in there will crawl down through the screen, into the new bedding. It happens pretty quickly. Then dump the old compost into a storage bin and scoop out another 1" layer. Keep doing this until it is all scooped out. You do not have to sit there while the worms crawl down, so you can multi-task somewhere else making it not feel like such a monumental job. The storage container should have holes drilled for air, as this is a living material. Cocoons will still be hatching and you can move those baby worms, as you see them, in the storage container. (Don't feed that container). The compost can be stored this way for years. Mine is never around that long..:)

SQH1,

Do you mind a few questions?

What is hardware cloth (where can I find it)?

Why do you put the baby worms in the storage container? Isn't that for finished compost that you will use in your garden? You mentioned not feeding that container - will the baby worms finish off any little particles of scraps that haven't yet been turned to compost?

Thanks so much for the info you share - I am learning tons and am considering doing some harvesting this week!

:)

tina

Hardware cloth is the square, more sturdy cousin of chickenwire. It is usually about 16-12ga galv wire. You can get it in probably 1/4" up to 1-2" grate size.

I use windowscreen to final screen my castings, its a bit time consuming, and I might only do it for friends/gift vermicast.

I think SQH1 meant that you can take the baby worms out of the finished compost as you see them. because the cocoons are small, and you might not get them all out. so resuce the babies as you find them. theyll probably have enough food that you can check every week or 2.

garnetmoth is right..hardware cloth is a metal screen with 1/4" holes, found at Lowes/Home Depot, etc. You do not put baby worms in the storage container. They just empty out into that bin, as cocoons, and hatch out there days/weeks later. "Finished" compost comes..way later. Those babies that hatch out in the storage container will have plenty to eat, as they re-ingest the material in that bin. That compost can remain in that storage container for years, as long as there are air holes.

Thanks, ya'll! I'm heading off to lowe's this morning!!!

One more question if I may? If the finished compost comes later, when is it ok to use around my trees and plants outside?
:)
Tina

It's good to use as soon as you harvest it. I usually only wait so that cocoons have time to hatch... "No worm left behind" mentality..:)