February 2014 Blog Posts (11)

I'm kinda excited.  I just got added to the Vermicomposting Map and checked it out.  Yep, I'm there!  And there is someone else from my city doing it too. I could barely contain my excitement!  LOL  So I sent her a msg saying Hi Neighbor! 

Had to share!

I thought I would share the process involved in building the Earthenricher bin, on this post.

The base is cut from kiln dried redwood.  I have a professional woodworker do the cutting, drilling and routing.  The parts for each base are cut from the same board so that the colors and grain match.  The parts…

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My husband made me a soil block maker so I am finally using my VC - yea! I made 16 blocks and then I saw a juvenile worm on the tray. The poor little guy hadn't gotten squished. I was so excited I had my husband, who really doesn't like handling worms, go put him back in the bin.

Must be love. Of the worms and hubby. Lol

Gave the RWs their last feeding 3 days ago. A new bin (RM) is ready and waiting for them.

In another 7 days or so after the RWs are real hungry I will put some ground food in a Zippered Mesh Laundry Wash Bag 12" x 15", and drop in in a corner. Got this idea on this site. Then after a day and a half or so, lift it out and put it in the corner of the fresh bin. Then add some food in another corner. Maybe I'll have to do this more than once.

I had been giving my worms things like old bean soup puree and split pea hummus from the back of the fridge and vegetable scraps tucked away for a few days. But then I read in a paper on vermiculture that they don't like really old rotting food; they feed off mainly the fresh layer of bacteria. And I figure my blenders get enough use with my coffee and food pureeing, so I don't blend for them. I used to cut up my scraps for more surface area, but now I just put in broccoli stalks, avocado…

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What's the best way to age vege scraps please?  I was thinking a plastic bucket with muslin over the top and popping it outside for a day or two?  Does anyone have any better ideas?

I'm new to worm farming.  I researched the idea for some time now and thing it will work well for me.  Our life style has us eating a lot of fruit and vegetable and I don't like the idea of just putting it down the garbage disposal.  If I can recycle it to a better use that is what I want.

I got a problem with my bin after 5-day trip, all the adult worms have gone, only some babies crawl along the wall of bin, this is too stange, I have had them for 2 years, and have to restart it .

The Ugly Truth About Vermicomposting

This is from a member.

It is a good listen, especialy for newbe's like myself.

I've been googling about the best Temps for red worms.There is no perfect agreement.

Here is what I found;

 

"Temperature requirements (F)

Minimum 38

Maximum 95"

Ideal range 70 – 80"

 

"According to Edwards (1988)* the optimal breeding temperature for Red Worms is 59-68 F, while the optimal temp for maximum growth and waste processing ability is closer to 77 F."

"Temperature: Red worms…

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My next concern is the temperature of my worm bin. My basement is a constant 64 deg F this time of year. While that is in the proper range for the red worms it is not optimal for the best speed for raising more worms and making more vericompost. That temp would be 78 deg according to what I have read.

I have one RM inside another. So I am toying with the idea of putting soil warmer cable in the lower bin and have it buried in peat moss.

Any other ideas?