Vermicomposting

[strmywthr3]

Anyone tried this? I'm wanting to start a worm bin inside and was wondering if anyone had any experience with one. I'll probably build my own bin - they look pretty easy and a lot cheaper than buying one.

Also looking for some red wriggler worms (compost worms) for trade or postage.

[mresseguie]

Hi, Barbi.

I just got back from my first composting specialist class at the Eugene branch of OSU Extension. Guess what one of the demos happened to be?

Yup. I don't have pictures for you, but I will try to describe what was shown to us.

Materials:

2 14 gallon Rubber Maid totes
4 1" diameter vents.
1 1" diameter spigot/spout
1 end cap for spout
2 2"x 4" x approx. 8" long
shredded paper, leaves, kitchen scraps
1/2 lb red wigglers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One tote is the base/casting drip pan. Drill a hole in the side just above the bottom. Into this hole insert/glue/caulk the spigot. Place the 2 x 4s in the bottom of this tote to support the other tote.

In the bottom of the 2nd tote, drill approx. 1/4" holes for drainage. There were about 20 holes. Place this tote inside the first tote. Thanks to the 2 x 4s, the 2nd tote will sit a bit higher. On opposing sides of the 2nd tote just under the lip, drill two 1" inch holes and insert the vents. [This assumes your vents are 1" diameter.] Seal/glue them in place.

Fill wet shredded paper into 2nd tote, add crushed leaves. Add worms....they will dig down. Give them 1/2 lb of kitchen scraps. Feed them every day. They will double their population every 6 to 8 weeks.

Oh, put lid on 2nd tote. Optimum temperature range is 55 F to 80 F.

Let me know if I was not clear. I can see the thing in my mind, so I may have missed some points.

BTW I made one last year using 18 gallon totes. It's full now--time to expand.

Best of luck.

Michael

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Adenn1]

I wanted to try this in my basement...but my better half did not like the idea at all...and now with two small children around...maybe not a good idea.

[PNW_D]

Here's a link with a little more information. I purchased one of the City's bins several years ago - but ended up using it outside as a minicomposter

http://www.cityfarmer.org/wormcomp61.html

[strmywthr3]

thanks guys! I've been looking around on the web and have found several different ways to build the bins. I'm excited to get started. just gotta get all the materials together and start building!

[honu]

Barbi,
I started w/ a few worms in a 2 quart container, then moved them to a 2.5 gal bucket (w/ holes drilled on the bottom), but now looking to move them to something bigger.
I used a bedding of coir (coconut husk fibers) plus wet shredded paper over that.
The commercial worm bins are built like stackable trays w/ holes drilled in the bottoms, so that the worms keep moving upward toward the food, and you can just remove the bottom tray when you want to use the vermicast, since the worms will have vacated the bottom tray.
I'd like to find some easy and inexpensive way to have stackable trays like that, since it makes harvesting the vermicast so much easier. Those commercial bins are expensive.
I didn't want to bring the worms into the house when I first started the bin, and left them in our carport. They quickly became infested w/ all kinds of insects. However, the worms seem to be thriving, but now I definitely will not bring that into the house.

Some info that may help:

http://www.organicagcentre.ca/DOCs/Vermiculture_FarmersManual_gm.pdf

http://www.happydranch.com/87.html

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/verm/msg0415325412506.html?5

http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/Easywormbin.htm

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/verm/msg0522373721989.html?17


Good luck w/ your worm bin!

[Tania]

honu,

thank you so much for the links - these are very useful.

[garnetmoth]

http://www.thegardenforums.org/viewf...fe1a55e01d467b

This is a good vermi forum as well!

I use a rubber-ware container with the lid for a drip tray, holes drilled, and a board over the top. nothing fancy. weve got 2 14-gallon bins, and they make enough vermicompost for potting up seedlings, and helping top dress the garden beds and make compost tea.

its a lot of fun! You can have them indoors, but black soldier flies, fruit flies, and other undesirables are frequent occurences.

we put our bins in the garage over winter, and thats OK until the flies hatch in the spring :-p

[jolj]

Hi,
This is one of 4 forums I use ,they are all great forums.
1) this site
2)www.kitchengarden.com
3)www.redwormcomposting.com
4)www.gardenweb.com
Hope this helps

[RJ_Hythloday]

Originally Posted by jolj

Hi,
This is one of 4 forums I use ,they are all great forums.
1) this site
2)www.kitchengarden.com
3)www.redwormcomposting.com
4)www.gardenweb.com
Hope this helps

I'm not familiar w/ the kitchen garden but spent alot of time at the others. The Garden forums is similar to this place as it's an off shoot of the GW vermi forum members when Ivillage took over.