THE WORM HOLE

[the north wind]

Anybody doing worm bins? We started them in Rubbermade containers, but quickly ran out of space... after we filled up three of those, we finally got a giant wooden box which we use in the backyard. I have neglected them this winter though, and am a bit worried about them. It hasn't been crazy cold, but I haven't built a top for it yet, so they are probably getting much wetter than they want. I haven't checked on them in a while... poor guys. Anyway, worm bins are awesome. The plan for this one is to have too sides to the large box, with holes drilled in the separator between the two for easy worm travel. so we can fill up on side, then start putting food in the other for the worms to head over to once they finish the first side, which should hopefully minimize the amount of worms we need to sift out of the finished castings.

I've been less diligent about feeding them lately though, because the city recently started a curbside composting program, which is easier than dealing with the worms. My dad has a huge worm bin, and I've been trying to convince him to start selling them through the mail.

[the north wind]

I checked in on them today, and even though their living conditions are much wetter than is probably ideal, they seem like they are fine. Glad those little dudes made it.

[matt walker]

Nice. So, is it new this winter or did you get to use any of the compost/castings/whateveryoucallit in your garden last year. I'll be really curious to hear your reviews. Also, what kind of volume can you create. I was always under the impression that it was great for a little herb garden or a small bed, but it would take a lot to make a lot. I guess it's all space dependent?

[the north wind]

We started them this last year, I think... we were waiting for them to eat more of the stuff left in there before we sifted them out and used the soil, so still haven't done that yet. They are not very fast, that is for sure. But the reproduce like crazy. So if you had a large space for them and had a lot to feed them, they would produce like crazy. But yeah, sort of slow. It's easier just to do the pile, for sure.

[matt walker]

And the food is just kitchen scraps and stuff, right? I mean, it's not like you buy worm food, I don't think. So, could you get restaurant scraps or something and ramp up production? Is it worth it?

[the north wind]

Yeah, no worm food or anything. Combination of food scraps and brown and green material. Leaves, grass, etc.

Here's the basics outlined :
http://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources ... t107.shtml

Worth it? I dunno. I hope so. It's an easy way for people without a lot of land to do food-scrap composting. Easy to do in the city and all that. Worth it for Rancher? I don't know. Chickens seems like a pretty awesome composter.

[dave brenneman]

We did vermicomposting in Brooklyn, but an incredibly hot streak made the worms all escape their box and they died en masse on the floor. Those worms were incredible, and ate quickly too. There wasn't much space to use the compost in our flat, so we'd just add it to the bases of trees on the street.

The worms I got here were much less productive and I had a harder time keeping the bin going. Eventually i just retired the worms to the garden. There's a curbside composting program in London as well, so we go that route now.

[lonv166]

When I moved to Tucson, I decided to start gardening. Imagine, in the desert, no dirt. Somewhere I read that earthworms like coffee and tea grounds. I dug my small garden, went to Starbucks and got free coffee grounds, spaded them into the sand, and 6 months later I had vegetables and lots of worms. Don't know where they came from and don't care, best workers I ever hired.
Ps: most coffee houses throw the grounds in the dumpster, but, some folks are getting the hint and asking for free coffee (grounds).