Linda, I don't have any direct experience with extreme temps, so I'll
just point you to what one worm seller (local to me) writes in his blog:

"When we discuss heat, what we are really talking about is ambient air
temperature. When it is 100 degrees Farenheit in my garage (Where I
maintain my worm stock), it is probably 20 degrees cooler in the worms
bedding (Experiments to come)!

I live in South San Jose, where we tend to get some temperature
extremes, often exceeding 105 in the summer. I have never lost worms due
to high temps in my garage, and I maintain between 100-200 pounds of
worms year around."

http://www.thewormdude.com/tag/redworms/page/2/

Some important caveats: The bin must be open - no lid. The more bedding
mass, the better. You must make sure the bedding remains moist. A small
fan over the bin might also help.

One final thing to note is that the above example works in an area with
low humidity. I'm not sure if bins will stay as cool in high humidity
climates.

BTW, have you used a probe thermometer to measure the temperature of the
bedding? It's certainly going to be cooler than the ambient air temps.
Most worm species can survive temps as high as 90F.

Andrew


--- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, Linda Rushing <lindarsgarden@...>
wrote:

> I have my worm bin in the garage and we are having near 100 degree
temps so
> the garage gets hot.  Will the worms be ok or do I need to bring them
back
> in.  We put them in the garage because we were having so much trouble
with
> flies and our house is so small.
>
> Thanks!
> Linda



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Great Info!  Thank you, Andrew!
 
Karen




-----Original Message-----
From: bearthio <bearthio@...>
To: the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 1:57 pm
Subject: [TheWormBin] Re: ? about temps

  Linda, I don't have any direct experience with extreme temps, so I'll
just point you to what one worm seller (local to me) writes in his blog:

"When we discuss heat, what we are really talking about is ambient air
temperature. When it is 100 degrees Farenheit in my garage (Where I
maintain my worm stock), it is probably 20 degrees cooler in the worms
bedding (Experiments to come)!

I live in South San Jose, where we tend to get some temperature
extremes, often exceeding 105 in the summer. I have never lost worms due
to high temps in my garage, and I maintain between 100-200 pounds of
worms year around."

http://www.thewormdude.com/tag/redworms/page/2/

Some important caveats: The bin must be open - no lid. The more bedding
mass, the better. You must make sure the bedding remains moist. A small
fan over the bin might also help.

One final thing to note is that the above example works in an area with
low humidity. I'm not sure if bins will stay as cool in high humidity
climates.

BTW, have you used a probe thermometer to measure the temperature of the
bedding? It's certainly going to be cooler than the ambient air temps.
Most worm species can survive temps as high as 90F.

Andrew

--- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, Linda Rushing <lindarsgarden@...>
wrote:

> I have my worm bin in the garage and we are having near 100 degree
temps so
> the garage gets hot. Will the worms be ok or do I need to bring them
back
> in. We put them in the garage because we were having so much trouble
with
> flies and our house is so small.
>
> Thanks!
> Linda

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks!  I will at least add bedding in the morning and remove the lid.
When it comes time to harvest I may bring inside.  Sorry for the late
response.  We have been stranded due to car trouble since 5pm.  Just now
getting home.
Linda

On Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 3:57 PM, bearthio <bearthio@...> wrote:

> Linda, I don't have any direct experience with extreme temps, so I'll
> just point you to what one worm seller (local to me) writes in his blog:
>
> "When we discuss heat, what we are really talking about is ambient air
> temperature. When it is 100 degrees Farenheit in my garage (Where I
> maintain my worm stock), it is probably 20 degrees cooler in the worms
> bedding (Experiments to come)!
>
> I live in South San Jose, where we tend to get some temperature
> extremes, often exceeding 105 in the summer. I have never lost worms due
> to high temps in my garage, and I maintain between 100-200 pounds of
> worms year around."
>
> http://www.thewormdude.com/tag/redworms/page/2/
>
> Some important caveats: The bin must be open - no lid. The more bedding
> mass, the better. You must make sure the bedding remains moist. A small
> fan over the bin might also help.
>
> One final thing to note is that the above example works in an area with
> low humidity. I'm not sure if bins will stay as cool in high humidity
> climates.
>
> BTW, have you used a probe thermometer to measure the temperature of the
> bedding? It's certainly going to be cooler than the ambient air temps.
> Most worm species can survive temps as high as 90F.
>
> Andrew
>
>
> --- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, Linda Rushing <lindarsgarden@...>
> wrote:
>
> > I have my worm bin in the garage and we are having near 100 degree
> temps so
> > the garage gets hot.  Will the worms be ok or do I need to bring them
> back
> > in.  We put them in the garage because we were having so much trouble
> with
> > flies and our house is so small.
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Linda
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Cultivation, sales and information on red worms, vermiculture and
> vermicomposting.Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi all

As most of us know, similarly to compost, vermicast is lacking in phosphates &
potassium (important additions required for optimum plant growth). For gardening
when is the best time to add these trace elements. I'm referring to amendments
such as blood & bone meal, dry fish, rock phosphate, ash, chicken manure,
feather meal, cotton seed & Soya cake etc.

1) Include steadily in the worm feed from the start
2) Mix into the VC prior to use/application
3) Mix in directly to the soil before VC application (how long before planting)
4) Or apply weekly in the watering/top dressing

At present I lime directly two weeks before planting, am led to believe lime
additions directly to Compost can lead to Ammonia (N) losses. Presume this would
have the same effect in VC, unless of course the pH is low and adjustments need
to be made. I add phosphates at planting to bind my sandy soil and reduce N
losses.
I add potassium half way through the growing period to boost flowering &
fruiting. Am I on the right track?

The conclusive answers to these questions I've failed to find on the net, look
forward to any advice on this.

Thanks
Ian C

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hey Ian,

I would go with choice #1. The mineral composition of your VC all depends on
what you feed your worms. I tend to throw in a lot of banana skins, so my VC is
high in potassium as well as other trace minerals. A rounded diet will give you
the best results. You can also tailor the content of your VC by feeding your
worms foods high in the types of minerals you want your VC to contain.

Buddy
Vermadoo Farms

---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 2 Jun 2011 13:50:14 +0200
>From: "RTS Friction - Carruthers" <home@...>
>Subject: [TheWormBin] Adding nutrients - WHEN?
>To: <the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com>
>
>
>
>   Hi all
>
>   As most of us know, similarly to compost, vermicast
>   is lacking in phosphates & potassium (important
>   additions required for optimum plant growth). For
>   gardening when is the best time to add these trace
>   elements. I'm referring to amendments such as blood
>   & bone meal, dry fish, rock phosphate, ash, chicken
>   manure, feather meal, cotton seed & Soya cake etc.
>
>   1) Include steadily in the worm feed from the start
>   2) Mix into the VC prior to use/application
>   3) Mix in directly to the soil before VC application
>   (how long before planting)
>   4) Or apply weekly in the watering/top dressing
>
>   At present I lime directly two weeks before
>   planting, am led to believe lime additions directly
>   to Compost can lead to Ammonia (N) losses. Presume
>   this would have the same effect in VC, unless of
>   course the pH is low and adjustments need to be
>   made. I add phosphates at planting to bind my sandy
>   soil and reduce N losses.
>   I add potassium half way through the growing period
>   to boost flowering & fruiting. Am I on the right
>   track?
>
>   The conclusive answers to these questions I've
>   failed to find on the net, look forward to any
>   advice on this.
>
>   Thanks
>   Ian C

Thanks Buddy I too feed my worms a lot of bruised whole bananas, lettuce etc
from a factory next to where I work - I also compost the leaves and feed that as
well, a lot of folk say don't feed leaves, I've had no problem if you compost
them first. I'm also adding crushed wood-charcoal and so far nothing bad to
report.

I was thinking the bloodmeal may loose it's effectiveness (Nitrogen) if added
too early !
However am considering adding a little rock dust from a granite quarry crushing
plant near by.

Anyone else care to comment

Ian C - Zimbabwe



   ----- Original Message -----
   From: Buddy Bourne To: the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com
   I would go with choice #1. The mineral composition of your VC all depends on
what you feed your worms. I tend to throw in a lot of banana skins, so my VC is
high in potassium as well as other trace minerals. A rounded diet will give you
the best results. You can also tailor the content of your VC by feeding your
worms foods high in the types of minerals you want your VC to contain.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I like this worm bin idea.  This should at least be manageable for me to
move.  As it is now with my big tote, my husband is dreading moving it
inside because of the weight.   Hopefully I can either do this new idea with
some of our buckets we have or at least find my empty worm bin, that is lost
in the garage since the move.

http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/2011/06/06/bucket-worm-composting/

Linda


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks for the link Linda!  This is much more managable and I even have some
pre-drilled buckets my DH used for a different project I might be able to use. 
;-)  If I ask nice!

~Esther


   I like this worm bin idea. This should at least be manageable for me to
   move. As it is now with my big tote, my husband is dreading moving it
   inside http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/2011/06/06/bucket-worm-composting/


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I wonder if anyone has tried making those buckets into a multi-level system
where the worms migrate upward as move levels are added.  I might try it myself,
I'll post here if I do.

-Allison in California

--- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, Linda Rushing <lindarsgarden@...> wrote:
>
> I like this worm bin idea.  This should at least be manageable for me to
> move.  As it is now with my big tote, my husband is dreading moving it
> inside because of the weight.   Hopefully I can either do this new idea with
> some of our buckets we have or at least find my empty worm bin, that is lost
> in the garage since the move.
>
> http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/2011/06/06/bucket-worm-composting/
>
> Linda
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Allison,

I think I'll try it too and if it works it'll sure be cheaper than the Worm Bin
Factories I saw at the Mother Earth News Fair!




~Esther
Washington
>> http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/2011/06/06/bucket-worm-composting/

   MARKETPLACE
   Find useful articles and helpful tips on living with Fibromyalgia. Visit the
Fibromyalgia Zone today!



------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Stay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get
the Yahoo! Toolbar now.

     Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest . Unsubscribe . Terms of Use.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I recently filled a bin to the top, where the lid touched the bedding. The worms
had no way to escape and many died. I suspect that this method would be allowing
the worms a method of escape from asphyxiation and would probably work well.

  dav








________________________________
From: Esther Swartz <esther@...>
To: the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, June 10, 2011 7:37:38 PM
Subject: Re: [TheWormBin] Re: I like this worm bin idea


Allison,

I think I'll try it too and if it works it'll sure be cheaper than the Worm Bin
Factories I saw at the Mother Earth News Fair!

~Esther
Washington
>> http://www.green-trust.org/wordpress/2011/06/06/bucket-worm-composting/

MARKETPLACE
Find useful articles and helpful tips on living with Fibromyalgia. Visit the
Fibromyalgia Zone today!

----------------------------------------------------------

Stay on top of your group activity without leaving the page you're on - Get the
Yahoo! Toolbar now.

Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest . Unsubscribe . Terms of Use.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I think the size of these bins is good for those who can't lift heavy
things. It's also good to re-use items that would normally go to
landfill. These are easy to stack (as Allison pointed out).

The possible concerns about a system like this also relate to size.
These are less than 1 sq. ft. in surface area and should probably not
house much more than a pound or two of worms. The latter limits the
amount of food scraps you can add each week. The former means you won't
be able to leave a safe zone for worms to avoid either heat or toxic
items in the food.

Overfeeding is a danger in a worm bin of any size, but most especially
in a small one. The video did not offer any details about how much or
how often to add food scraps. Something this small started with a
handful of worms should be fed very sparingly, especially at the
beginning.

I would also urge caution in using the leachate collected in the bottom
container. Years ago I dumped leachate around plants with no ill
effects. But I've read some warnings that it's possible that the liquid
could contain dangerous bacteria depending on what kind of food scraps
have been added to the bin.

I decided the leachate was stinky stuff that I didn't want to deal with,
so I long ago started putting dry bedding in the leachate tray to soak
up excess moisture. Worms tended to drown in leachate anyways if you
didn't watch out for them. Bedding prevented that from happening. I
dumped worms & bedding into the top feeding tray every month or two.

Personally, I would use each individual bucket as a single worm bin.
Control moisture by adding plenty of dry bedding on top (all the way to
within a few inches of the lid). You don't need drain holes. Stack 2 or
3 of these (each with a pound of worms) and feed them in turn. Have a
spare one ready to when you harvest one of the buckets.

Andrew

Sorry Dav, I did not see your question.
I either buy my coconut bricks online in bulk or at a local pet store. They
carry it in the reptile section. The brand at the pet stores is Zoo Med Eco
Earth.
Hope this helps,
Liz
BigTex Worms
--- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, Davio <hrmann_2000@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for posting this. You are good at making informative videos.
>
> Where do you get your coconut fiber? I live in the Chicago area and have not
> found it anywhere.
>
>  dav
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: parent <lizpevytoe@...>
> To: the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tue, April 26, 2011 9:52:53 AM
> Subject: [TheWormBin] Worm Composting Videos
>
>
> I have had a few people send me messages directly recently, asking me for
links
> to certain of my worm composting videos. (most recently LoriW private messaged
> me on this topic, so Lori, this is for you)
>
> Here is the page on my website that has my most viewed videos and it also has
> the link to my youtube channel with all my worm composting videos, I have over
> 20 on there now and will be loading a few more this summer.
>
> http://www.wormbincomposting.com/wormcompostingvideos.html
>
> I am always open to requests for videos too!
>
> Happy worming,
> Liz
> BigTex Worms
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Saw some recent posts about worms and the heat, thought I would give you guys
the link to my latest video on this very topic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXTcnbcU7hY

Have a topic you'd like me to make a video on? Send me a note.

Happy Worming!
Liz
BigTex Worms
Already 100+ here in Texas and my worms are alive and kickin'

I have been reading all the recent posts & I wonder, do I just have great luck
with worm bins, whether they r homemade or bought, or is it just that easy to
raise worms?
I have made worm bins from buckets successfully, Plastic potato bags, rubbermaid
bins, & rescused bins folks put out as "trash" also; all successful feeding
devices IMO.
SO tell me is it just my luck, or that easy to raise worms?
I think it's just that easy to raise worms, but I'm biased I guess bc I know
what to do!?!?
I find that what most folks WON'T do, like add shred or dryer lint to their bins
works great for my workers, even if they r stuffed into buckets, or bags!
Lately since I just had my newborn 6wks ago, I find that WORMS R THE BEST PETS
ever~they don't complain when I can't feed them on schedule like my dogs do, and
that they r fine with nasty rotten food when I CAN finally get to feed them~LOL
I even find that BIG open trays work well for our workers; I have been emptying
our worm factory levels into LARGE open trays that just get covered by empty
boxes I have had laying around inthe recycling bins, to finish there food up, so
that I may feed my worm factory levels once again. I used to use shred to cover
the food, but my shredder has been buried by baby boxes LOL
And yeah, I use pine needles, leaves, some grass clipings sparsely and of
course, nuked food like banana peels/apple cores, etc. I do add egg shells,
coffee grounds & filters too, in my bins!

I've tried to get others to use their own potato bags as worm bins covered in a
black or dark t-shirt (to show how easy it is to keep a worm bin) but i find
mostly folks try to make it too hard! :)

Well happy worming to you all out there in the group~it's summer here in the
Nati so we will have tons of extra veggies to feed our worms soon. Hope you r
all well!
Jennifer. xoxo

Hi Jennifer you have obviously got the basics right, not too much food & keep
moist etc.
In Zimbabwe we do not have the freezing problems many of you have to contend
with, however I have to water my worms every two days - dont worry about misting
just put the garden hose right in
and have had no problems. I feed mainly fruit (bananas) & veg (composted for two
weeks) mixed with Water Hyacinth, some times I get dehydrated veg sweepings &
wheat sweepings from a local mill.
that all goes in with my household waste. Charcoal trials have worked well with
the pore structure opening up after three months in the bins, now all full of
nutrient & microbes, drop them in water & they now sink to the bottom,
physically they are much heavier.
Our worms seem to boost into life after winter & really slow down during winter.
I've worms in plastic crates, wooden boxes, old baths & large plastic dustbins.
I struggle to move the boxes when completed & have them untidly scattered all
over the place so am now building a large flowthrough
8ft x 5ft x 24" high.
Cant wait to get it finished just waiting on finance to get the boat winches & a
bit more steel for two sides. Also managed to get a trommel tumbler (soil
grader) the other day so am nearly automated to make things a little easyer.
Good luck all on your quests
Ian C



   ----- Original Message -----
   From: ginger112375 To: the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com
   Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 9:26 PM
   Subject: [TheWormBin] Am I just lucky with bins?



   I have been reading all the recent posts & I wonder, do I just have great luck
with worm bins, whether they r homemade or bought, or is it just that easy to
raise worms?
   I have made worm bins from buckets successfully, Plastic potato bags,
rubbermaid bins, & rescused bins folks put out as "trash" also; all successful
feeding devices IMO.
   SO tell me is it just my luck, or that easy to raise worms?
   I think it's just that easy to raise worms, but I'm biased I guess bc I know
what to do!?!?
   I find that what most folks WON'T do, like add shred or dryer lint to their
bins works great for my workers, even if they r stuffed into buckets, or bags!
   Lately since I just had my newborn 6wks ago, I find that WORMS R THE BEST PETS
ever~they don't complain when I can't feed them on schedule like my dogs do, and
that they r fine with nasty rotten food when I CAN finally get to feed them~LOL
   I even find that BIG open trays work well for our workers; I have been
emptying our worm factory levels into LARGE open trays that just get covered by
empty boxes I have had laying around inthe recycling bins, to finish there food
up, so that I may feed my worm factory levels once again. I used to use shred to
cover the food, but my shredder has been buried by baby boxes LOL
   And yeah, I use pine needles, leaves, some grass clipings sparsely and of
course, nuked food like banana peels/apple cores, etc. I do add egg shells,
coffee grounds & filters too, in my bins!

   I've tried to get others to use their own potato bags as worm bins covered in
a black or dark t-shirt (to show how easy it is to keep a worm bin) but i find
mostly folks try to make it too hard! :)

   Well happy worming to you all out there in the group~it's summer here in the
Nati so we will have tons of extra veggies to feed our worms soon. Hope you r
all well!
   Jennifer. xoxo





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Jennifer, you are both lucky and smart--but maybe those words mean the
same thing.

I wasn't sure what you meant by "nuked food" like banana peels/apple
cores, etc. I mean microwaved when I see the term "nuked food" but I
don't imagine you microwave either banana peels or apple cores, do you?

To increase "edge" for your bin population, you can grind up food
waste in a blender or mill, but this step really speeds up access.
This means increased heat in the bin, and heat evaporates moisture, so
you need to mist more frequently or add things like melon rinds.

You actively provide the best for your worms and other bin critters:

---a good amount of moisture added and retained
---a sufficient amount of food over a long period of time (not daily)
---shredded material, including paper and food, increases the surface
areas so more access for the critters and for moisture absorption
---keeping things in the dark for the worms and bin critters + this
also keeps in moisture
---spreading out worm bin materials in large trays also creates more
access and speeds production
---using green materials from your yard such as "pine needles, leaves,
some grass clippings" increases both food and surface area
---plenty of food waste (banana peels, apple cores, etc + egg shells
and coffee grounds) + paper waste from coffee filters

So you get three big benefits:

---distributed moisture
---distributed food sources
---long-term availability of both food and moisture

Thanks and congratulations on the new baby!

Cecile
seaseal@...

"It's so bleak, it's very depressing. But we are activists.  When
things are bleak, we don't give up. We get busy."
- Meean Raman, Third World Network





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://tiffany.co.ua/googlelink.php

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

How do we report spammers on this forum?

Allison Akbay <allisonakbay@...> wrote:
>
> http:

whoever the moderator or owner is has to go to the membership emails and put
them on moderation, send them a message to change their password.I have seen
spam on about 4 different groups today.

a wolf

--- On Fri, 7/29/11, bearthio <bearthio@...> wrote:

From: bearthio <bearthio@...>
Subject: [TheWormBin] SPAM ALERT
To: the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, July 29, 2011, 5:12 PM
















 









       How do we report spammers on this forum?



Allison Akbay <allisonakbay@...> wrote:

>

> http:



























[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://www.sierrawormsolutions.com/homebin.html

Does anyone have anything like this?  Anyone see any potential issues with it?

Thanks!
Katherine

Katherine,


I built a smaller version of this with scrap wood. Mine works great even
though it's only 12" deep. You can usually find thinner cinder blocks
that cost less and work just as well. On or in-ground bins generally
don't have excess moisture problems and the L. terrestris underneath the
bin probably enjoy the drippings. Don't forget the hardware cloth
underneath. Burrowing critters (including field mice) love kitchen
scraps and worms. These are not good if you have back problems; best
stick with light weight totes on shelves or tables.


Andrew

--- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, "brainskillet" <dow@...> wrote:
>
> http://www.sierrawormsolutions.com/homebin.html
>
> Does anyone have anything like this?  Anyone see any potential issues
with it?
>
> Thanks!
> Katherine
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thank you!  I hadn't considered much of what you suggested.

I'm a *very* lazy worm owner.

I'm hoping to add ~2 lbs of unprocessed foods (not chopped, blended, frozen,
etc) to a bin on a daily basis.  I have a smallish rubbermaid container right
now, but it's not big enough and I really dislike harvesting the castings
manually.

I have a feeling if the harvesting is less frequent I can do it and be done with
it for a while.

Does anyone recommend anything else?  Any reason to NOT go with the cinder block
bin?  (I still have a good back.)  :)

Thanks again!
Katherine


--- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, "bearthio" <bearthio@...> wrote:
>
>
> Katherine,
>
>
> I built a smaller version of this with scrap wood. Mine works great even
> though it's only 12" deep. You can usually find thinner cinder blocks
> that cost less and work just as well. On or in-ground bins generally
> don't have excess moisture problems and the L. terrestris underneath the
> bin probably enjoy the drippings. Don't forget the hardware cloth
> underneath. Burrowing critters (including field mice) love kitchen
> scraps and worms. These are not good if you have back problems; best
> stick with light weight totes on shelves or tables.
>
>
> Andrew
>
> --- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, "brainskillet" <dow@> wrote:
> >
> > http://www.sierrawormsolutions.com/homebin.html
> >
> > Does anyone have anything like this?  Anyone see any potential issues
> with it?
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Katherine
> >
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

Hi Katherine,

I just got one of these in the last month, mine is 3ft by 8 ft. I added a
sliding wood door to one side for the top 2 blocks above ground, my thinking is
that it will be easier to use a hoe to pull the castings out rather than have to
remove it all with a shovel.  I used the single cinder blocks, that have a
groove on the side to slide the wood in between.

I think if you are looking for a system that is easier to harvest the castings,
you may want to look at a flow through that you harvest from the bottom. I found
that to be much easier than the tote bins and I imagine that it will be easier
than the in-ground set up. However I visited a farmer here in GA that uses the
in ground bins, and he just places a mesh on top of the bin with fresh food,
then later moves all the worms w/ fresh food to a new bin and harvests all of
the castings w/ a shovel, he finds it easy (which is why I am trying it).

Hope this helps,  good luck!

Yara
Roswell GA
Zone 7b

1a.
Thinking about building this worm bin
Posted by:      "brainskillet" dow@...    brainskillet
Tue Aug 2, 2011 2:47 pm        (PDT)


http://www.sierrawo rmsolutions. com/homebin. html

Does anyone have anything like this?  Anyone see any potential issues with it?

Thanks!
Katherine

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Ah, the old dump-it-and-forget-it method. Also my favorite. I have a
couple of regular plastic compost bins that have been converted into
worm bins. One is cylindrical and one looks like this:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PKBX6R2CL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
<http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PKBX6R2CL._SL500_AA300_.jpg>
You can usually find them on craigslist for $40-50 and occasionally on
freecycle. Make sure they still have the plastic floor/bottom. Often
Home Depot has a thin-walled version for ~$50. This one for $70
<http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202804391/h_d2/ProductDisplay?l\
angId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053>  looks a bit sturdier.

Mine get a little bit of morning sun, but unless you live in a temperate
climate like me, I suggest the bin is put in full shade. If you start
with a bin full of dead, damp leaves, you could easily dump ~2 lbs of
unprocessed kitchen scraps per day without harming your worms. These
bins are large enough that the worms can move to a safer section if the
food gets too hot.

Many years ago I unthinkingly threw in some half-processed vermicompost
chunks in my first composter. It probably had some cocoons and baby
worms in it. Remember that I follow the dump 'n forget composting
method, so I didn't check on the bin until years later and was surprised
to see the bin teeming with worms. Here's a short video of my "method":
http://vermicomposters.ning.com/profiles/blogs/harvesting-worms-from-a
<http://vermicomposters.ning.com/profiles/blogs/harvesting-worms-from-a>

Andrew

--- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, "brainskillet" <dow@...> wrote:
>
> Thank you!  I hadn't considered much of what you suggested.
>
> I'm a *very* lazy worm owner.
>
> I'm hoping to add ~2 lbs of unprocessed foods (not chopped, blended,
frozen, etc) to a bin on a daily basis.  I have a smallish rubbermaid
container right now, but it's not big enough and I really dislike
harvesting the castings manually.
>
> I have a feeling if the harvesting is less frequent I can do it and be
done with it for a while.
>
> Does anyone recommend anything else?  Any reason to NOT go with the
cinder block bin?  (I still have a good back.)  :)
>
> Thanks again!
> Katherine
>
> --- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, "bearthio" bearthio@ wrote:
> >
> > Katherine,
> >
> > I built a smaller version of this with scrap wood. Mine works great
even
> > though it's only 12" deep. You can usually find thinner cinder
blocks
> > that cost less and work just as well. On or in-ground bins generally
> > don't have excess moisture problems and the L. terrestris underneath
the
> > bin probably enjoy the drippings. Don't forget the hardware cloth
> > underneath. Burrowing critters (including field mice) love kitchen
> > scraps and worms. These are not good if you have back problems; best
> > stick with light weight totes on shelves or tables.
> >
> > --- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, "brainskillet" <dow@> wrote:
> > >
> > > http://www.sierrawormsolutions.com/homebin.html



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Yara,

You might consider using a potato rake
<http://api.ning.com/files/JEdE2c-wZYr4McDjZbkbEmXfVbMKdqIcZQ1ZRNHgjIi5b\
D5z3rjwrORLZZUu5Pz34qgVj11DUY*L6w*joL16rTJn*AFHPYNU/rake.jpg>  instead
of a hoe. My worms tell me they hate those edged garden tools like
shovels and hoes. Even though they can sometimes regrow amputated
segments, it still hurts like heck. :-)

Andrew

--- In the_worm_bin@yahoogroups.com, Yara silva <yararsilva2@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Katherine,
>
> I just got one of these in the last month, mine is 3ft by 8 ft. I
added a sliding wood door to one side for the top 2 blocks above ground,
my thinking is that it will be easier to use a hoe to pull the castings
out rather than have to remove it all with a shovel.  I used the single
cinder blocks, that have a groove on the side to slide the wood in
between.
>
> I think if you are looking for a system that is easier to harvest the
castings, you may want to look at a flow through that you harvest from
the bottom. I found that to be much easier than the tote bins and I
imagine that it will be easier than the in-ground set up. However I
visited a farmer here in GA that uses the in ground bins, and he just
places a mesh on top of the bin with fresh food, then later moves all
the worms w/ fresh food to a new bin and harvests all of the castings w/
a shovel, he finds it easy (which is why I am trying it).
>
> Hope this helps,  good luck!
>
> Yara
> Roswell GA
> Zone 7b
>
> 1a.
> Thinking about building this worm bin
> Posted by:      "brainskillet" dow@...    brainskillet
> Tue Aug 2, 2011 2:47 pm        (PDT)
>
>
> http://www.sierrawo rmsolutions. com/homebin. html
>
> Does anyone have anything like this?  Anyone see any potential issues
with it?
>
> Thanks!
> Katherine
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Seems I've lost my "helper" and my life has taken off in other directions, these
days, to the detriment of this group.

I'm putting it into archive mode only. No current postings. All memberships will
be accepted and and everyone should still be able to access archives and files.

If you wish to unsubscribe, please do so via the web interface.

It's been a great run and I hope everyone's learned tons and tons about
vermicomposting.

Be well.

Ladee

I received this message and am forwarding it, to any who may find it helpful.

=================================================
Thanks so much for this group.
I have been a member for a long time and have enjoyed it through the years.

If it is ok, I would like to offer anyone who wants to join an active worm
composting yahoo group to join mine.
Here is the link:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wormbincomposting/
Or you can visit my website: http://www.bigtexworms.com

Happy Worming everyone!
Liz
BigTex Worms

(Hopefully you can post this if you approve)