Vermicomposting need help with set up

[hardwaterbob]

I would like to know how I should start out. I live in Northern Illinois where the weather gets cold from November till the end of March.

I have started collecting corn cobs after my cousins harvest. There is also a large volume of maple leaves at the farm. I heard that redworms like these leaves. Next my cousin has two horses and lots of manure. Can I use old pig manure or leave this alone.

So I need some advice on where to start my compost pile. I want to start a worm bin compost pile out side. I have an old pig pen that has a cracked concrete area is this a good place to start or should I put the compost pile in part of my garden.

What will happen to the redworms when the cold weather hits. Should I start it now making up the pile and add worms or sholud I grow the worms inside and start outside next year. In need of some experienced members advice.

[geeboss]

See Link

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...989#post186989

[hardwaterbob]

Sorry I don't understand how this helps me.

Bob

[geeboss]

The reason for the link was that a fellow TV er was using a bin inside his powder room down stairs and found it helpful to have it inside so that kitchen scrapes i.e. greens and other vegies that would go to the garbage disposal could be fed to the worms along with damp cardboard scrapes, newspapers ect.

One thing that I got from this link was there was a benefit in having the bins indoors since harsh winters might make it difficult to continue feeding the worms if left outside. The belief that there would be odors did not occur so long as the worms were not over fed.

I was hoping someone with Vermicomposting experience would join in with 1st hand experience. Just wanted to get the ball rolling......

George

[pdxwindjammer]

Having your bin outside during freezing cold winters will kill the worms. Keep them inside or at least in your garage or basement. They thrive in 60-70 degree temps but will live in colder or warmer conditions.

Start with a small bed of leaves, a handful of dirt and cover with several inches of damp shredded newspaper. Feed kitchen scraps by burying them under the paper. Basically, just lift up a corner handful of newspaper and throw the scraps under in and then put the paper back over it. Soon you will start to see the worm castings.

I LOVE my worms!

[hardwaterbob]

Thanks for your help. I have a small batch of worms inside that I will move outside when the temps get higher. The worms will then be placed in my garden.

Happy New year


Bob

[Worth1]

First off if you put the worms in your garden and there is no food for them they will leave.
Vermicomposting is a method to get the compost thew worms make.
I would find this rather hard to do if you let the worms run wild.
Here are several links to vermicomposting you will find helpful.

http://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resour...mpost107.shtml


http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-164.pdf

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...Jszpow&cad=rja



Worth

[ireilly]

Good links, thanks Worth. Always wondered why nightcrawlers weren't good for bins.

[beeman]

We have been worming farming for about 3 years and the results do a real number on the garden, also useful for making Compost tea as well.
We use an indoor bin, made from plastic tote bins 'a la Earthtainers'. It's kept in the basement and we feed our kitchen scraps during the winter. No smells or problems.
Early spring we harvest the worms and add them to an outdoor bin for the summer. We refer to it as the 'Summer Camp for Worms'. In there we place unfinished compost, fill it with shredded leaves, then we feed them the kitchen scraps. Makes a ton of finished compost and worm casts, ideal for adding to potting soils, or even just spread on the garden.

[simmran1]

Like Beeman I also have an indoor bin, as my garage would be too cold. Garages are far too cold in Northern Illinois also.

I have a purchased 360 bin. I also harvest the worms in late May and add them to an outdoor compost bin for the summer so they can help out there. Over the winter the population should have tripled or more so unless you’re planning further bins you have to do something with the over population anyway.

A couple of mistakes newbie worm raisers make is not raising eisenia fetida or Red Wigglers. They are far more efficient than a night crawler, there is no comparison.

Bedding is bedding and food is food. Food is at the top, so make sure they have to travel for food.
Most people have a shredder anymore, but bedding should not contain shredded magazine, advertisements or any shiny paper. Most credit card applications are on office paper which is fine.

And grit. Some wormers don’t know about or use grit. I found it’s important. Any washed tiny sand should be sprinkled over the food for digestibility. I happen to use hobby sand, but any salt free washed small grit is acceptable.

[dice]

[grit]
Greensand works for this if you have some around (more diverse
mineral content than many other sources of grit).