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barbararose21101

Mary Appelhoff 1936 - 2005

barbararose21101
9 years ago

Since I have the second edition (1997), I intend to post some of her instruction. The first edition was 1982. The book is available everywhere, including from the commercial website.

Mary herself would be glad to be remembered here.
Flowerfield Enterprises authorized free use & may send the picture.

This is the book to read first and, if at all possible to own.
I don't know who profits from the sales: the book was self published .

The Flowerfield website "may be of interest" but is not just about vermicomposting and is profitting from its connection to Appelhoff.

On this forum we have a wide spectrum of goals and strategies with red wigglers and other worms .
Mary's book is primarily for people new to vermicomposting whose primary goal is keeping leftovers out of the garbage/landfill -- and doing it indoors.
I invite you to think of this thread as an Ask Appelhoff column:
If you want to know what the book says, post the question to this thread & I will reply with an Appelhoff answer, if there is one. Also, from time to time, I'll post a pertinent piece of advice. From the book.
The frontispiece is a checklist for beginning the hobby . Each step is developed in the book. There also is a Table of 14 chapters of contents.

CHECKLIST

  1. Read Worms Eat My Garbage
  2. Weigh kitchen waste for two to three weeks to get average amount produced
    in your household.
  3. Determine quantity of worms you need and order worms.
  4. Purchase bin or select size of container required and assemble materials.
  5. Determine what beddings are available, and either order or scrounge
  6. Build or assemble bin
  7. Prepare beddings. If manure, do at least two days prior to arrival of worms
  8. Add worms to bedding
  9. Bury garbage
    10. Check moisture periodically; look for cocoons and young worms
    11. Harvest worms and prepare new bedding
    12. Use vermicompost or worm castings on houseplants or in your garden.
    .
    ***

Times have changed since '82 & '97 .
Odds are you will be able to get worms locally, as from a Farmers' Market.

{{gwi:2132187}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Flowerfield Enterprises

This post was edited by barbararose21101 on Sun, Feb 1, 15 at 11:55

Comments (38)

  • nexev - Zone 8b
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    RiP, have not read her book though it is on my to do list.

  • groomie2
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I still have mine :) it's the first edition. I have been worming for a loooong time !

  • mendopete
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have not read the book, but I am interested. Thanks for taking the time and effort to write this tribute to Mary!

  • barbararose21101
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Since the software does not invite us to correct our titles, I did ask Tamara to correct my misspelling of Mary's name.

    The new managment may sophisticate the software.

    In looking at other online information I happened on an article by Mary herself in Mother Nature News -- the article predates the book I'm copying from.

    As vermicomposting is evolving with the experience of many people, we are learning that the best practices for beginners have lots of leeway.
    IMnhO Mary is a good guide to start with.
    Eventually we get into the nitty gritty of variables/differences depending on the wormers.

    My personal advice to a beginner would be to rely on Mary until you have your own experience to trust. The guides from the universities and cities seem (to me) to come from Mary still.
    Be wary of advice from people whose profits may matter more than their worms.

    There is science out there. We're trying to catch up and keep up with it.


    Excerpts from Mary's book::

    . . . The composting process continues after a worm casting has been deposited. In fact the bacterial population of a cast is much greater than the bacterial population of either ingested soil or the earthworm's gut.

    An important component of vermicompost is humus. Humus is a complex material formed during the breakdown of organic matter. One of its components, humic acid, provides many binding sites for plant nutrients, such as calcium, iron, potassium, sulfur, and phosphorus. These nutrients are stored in the humic acid moleculle in a form readily available to plants, and are released when the plants require them. Humus increases the aggregation of soil to water and air. It also buffers the soil, reducing the detrimental effects of excessively acid or alkaline soils Humus has also been shown to stimulate plant growth and to exert a beneficial control on plant pathogens, harmful fungi, nematodes, and harmful bacteria. One of the basic tenets of gardening organically is to carry out procedures that increase the humus component of the soil; earthworm activity certainly does this.

    How to use vermicompost

    You will have several buckets full of vermicompost from your worm bin. Use it slectively and sparingly. Vermicompost is loaded with humus, worm cstings, and decomposing matter. The cocoons and worms present are unlikely to survive long outside the comfort of your bin. Plant nutrients will be present, both in stored and immediately available forms. Vermicompost in sufficient quantities also helps to hold moisture in the soil, which is an added advantage during dry periods.

    Seed Beds

    . . . use it where it will do the most good. One method is to prepare your seed row . . . sprinkle vc into the row.

    Transplants

    . . . throw a handful of vc in the bottom of each hole . . . don't expect redworms to thrive in your garden . . .

    Top Dressing

    . . . sprinkle vc around the base and dripline of your plants

    How to use worm castings

    . . . while some drying of worm castings is desirable, it is best not to let them dry to the point when they become powdery, for then it becomes difficult to wet them down. . . . about 25 - 35 % moisture are about right

    Chemistry and castings

    (p 115) . . .the plants grown with perlite and peat was distinctly more vigorous than [either the plants in 100% potting soil or 100% castings]

    . . . Clive Edwards . . .in the eighties . . . showed benefits from as little as 5% of the mixture . . .

    Here is a link that might be useful: Appelhof Step by Step Guide

    This post was edited by barbararose21101 on Sun, Feb 1, 15 at 11:52

  • chuckiebtoo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great thread BarbaraRose. I'm taking the liberty of "favoriting" some of the more profound excerpts you're "favoriting".

    One of the most profound:

    " . . don't expect redworms to thrive in your garden . . ."

    Another:

    "The cocoons and worms present are unlikely to survive long outside the comfort of your bin."

    If this puts a damper on expectations of the "nature worming advocates" out there, take consolation that natural outdoor systems do provide most of the benefits on a more realistic scale.

    chuckiebtoo

    FWIW...Many wormers maintain both systems and gradually concentrate more energy on the indoor stuff because of the differences in results. Intensive always beats.....uh,.....unintensive(?).

  • nexev - Zone 8b
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Might be worth mentioning Eisenia fetida with those quotes but then it appears MendoPete has shown immense success outdoors with that variety.

    Also note that she has said only 'outside the bin' and 'in your garden' this does not mean that a bin must be a plastic tote in a garage or mudroom. Given the right climate a bin could well be permanently outside and not even a bin at all but simply a pile. The important factors being feed, moisture and temperature. Of course predators will also be a consideration, this too can be mitigated.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Some small outdoor worm beds

  • barbararose21101
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    CB2: Thanks for supporting , with your years of experience,
    Mary's experience.

    Nexev: I think, that is imagine , that Pete's outdoor cages
    have lured more than EF's. Now that he has a new and fancy camera
    and is learning to use it, we can ask him to take a closeup of some writhing-in-light worms --
    so we can guess what varieties he is nurturing.
    Particularly the cages that sat a long time neglected
    might have been helped by night crawlers.
    I agree with your other points.
    I balk a little at the pile: sure other wildlife can be "mitigated" . . .
    but . . . then we get , literally, "outside the box" .
    Mary wrote for new composters and
    I am posting her writing for people who are beginning at square 1.

    IMO it's like "brewing tea": We want the simplest
    most-likely-to-succeed strategies available to beginners.
    We can go outside the box when we have some ideas
    of variations we want to experiment with,
    realizing that we are experimenting.
    I think experience and experimenting go together. ; )

  • barbararose21101
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    p7 The disadvantage of a low maintenance [neglected] bin is that as the proportion of castings increases, wastes which are toxic to the worms accumulate, and the environment for worms becomes less healthy.

    p 31 Normal procedures for maintaining a healthy worm population . . . require that worms be removed from the bedding while it is still vermicompost,
    prior to complete conversion to vermicast.

    Ch 10 pp 49, 50

    Three basic conditions control the size of a worm population: 1) availabilty of food; 2) space requirements and 3) fouling of their environment.

    When food waste is fed regularly to worms in a limited space, the worms and associated organisms, both microscopic and larger, break down this waste. They use what they can and excrete the rest. As the worms reproduce, the voracious young worms compete with their parents and all the other worms in the culture for the limited food available. Additionally, all the worms excrete wastes in their castings which have been shown to be toxic to members of their own species.

    This post was edited by barbararose21101 on Fri, Jan 23, 15 at 10:22

  • barbararose21101
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Redworms can tolerate a wide range of acidity in their environent, but slightly acid conditions are best. . . .A range from pH5 to pH 9 is suitable to redworms. . . . a bin with pH4 may find worms dying or trying to escape . . . too much acidity would be like pouring vinegar in the bin -- not good.

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I read a few times and enjoyed the book.

    I will critique the cover. What stands out is the triangle of cheese. What is that doing there?

    There are also what appear to be orange skins and onions which some feel, not most of us here, do not belong in a worm bin.

    The other kitchen scraps pictured as they are straight from the kitchen cutting board are going to take a long time to breakdown. I know because I toss them in whole.

    As I recall she is also into newspaper as bedding. It fits with her recycling garbage in a useful way theme but I am imaging lots of soggy, unsuccessful, disaster bins. Newspaper can be used as we have posters here who use it with success. As starter bedding a household might have better choices of materials to recycle.

    I do not agree that worm castings are toxic to worms. I think adding worm castings to a bin going quickly south gives worms a place to escape to. As Chuckie says there is food in the bin even when we can not see it. Worms process food and bedding many times.

    Although the book is for me and many of us here our first glimpse into the world of vermicomposting... I would like to think that her work has carried on and that she would smile on our posts. If not Mary Appelhoff's exact method as prescribed in the vermicomposting bible we are following in her spirit of trying something new and thinking about things in new ways to benefit the earth and take resources that others consider garbage, from the garbage stream and turn them into gold.

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I was really glad the book used Latin names for the worms.

  • barbararose21101
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    " It's important to note that castings are toxic to their own species, so it is advisable to harvest the castings regularly.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Composting with redworms

    This post was edited by barbararose21101 on Mon, Jan 26, 15 at 20:46

  • barbararose21101
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "Worm castings become toxic to the worms if left in the
    worm bin for too long"

    Here is a link that might be useful: Composting with worms

  • nexev - Zone 8b
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I wanna compost with some redwords, vermillion might be a good one to start with.

    Have to believe the ratio of castings has to be extremely high and possibly even been processed more than a few times before there would be any great concern.

    Thanks for the links... off to read :)

  • chuckiebtoo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sorry, but castings are NOT processed more than once...even by worms.

    What will happen in bins not maintained: The worm activities, and populations, will begin to decline. This is so because the wormies will be forced to recede into evermore restrictive areas because they can not thrive in their own waste materials. Naturally, they will not be happy and amorous thoughts will become less important than normal.

    That's kinda like most of us humans feel when exposed to the same conditions.

    chuckiebtoo

  • nexev - Zone 8b
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    CB, I would have a hard time believing that worms... these creatures that eat every type of poop known to man will selectively avoid the consumption of their own.

    Worm castings are teaming with microbial organisms that would be food for them. Might not be their go to favorite but I have to ask how is it that you are so confident in your statement that worms do NOT consume there own poop.

    BTW, I often find loads of worms in masses of castings when there is fresh bedding and food very near.

  • barbararose21101
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nexev:

    True there are microbes in worm poo. I wondered about that myself and decided to choose what seems to be a common sense take on it: I would speculate speculate that when you find a lot of worms in dense castings, that those worms are about ready to move on. Further, Mary Appelhof wrote " have been shown . . . So I looked for what she might have considered " authority".
    Hence the two links.

    There is an existential point here: something to do with making our experience fit others' experiences, understanding what we perceive. Good topic for conversation with daughters -- who -- may have a better awareness of the perception/belief stuff.

    P.S. As in we see what we believe.

    This post was edited by barbararose21101 on Sat, Jan 31, 15 at 11:09

  • mendopete
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have raised many worms 'high-rise' style, on top of a bed of nearly PURE castings, and the worms did fine. They live in the 'run' on top of the casts. As long as they are fed regularly, they seem quite content living on/in their castings, and thrive.

    I agree that in a closed system, casts need to be removed periodically. I think this is more of a living space issue. Casts may get 'toxic' if it gets anaerobic in the bottom of a closed bin.

    In a larger 'open' bin, my experience is the worms are happy and continue to thrive and breed as long as there is more room and food above.

    This post was edited by mendopete on Wed, Jan 28, 15 at 18:32

  • nexev - Zone 8b
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I cant say that either of those links provided any authority Barbara, sure they were dot edu but neither offered any evidence that other than saying casts of one worm is poison to another.

    Again I go back to worms eat poo, using my brand of common sense that would say they would also eat worm poo. They certainly live in worm poo and in a thriving manner.

    As CB would say, moderation and diversity. Many things we eat are 'poison' but through moderation they help to provide the diversity we need as a healthy part of our diet.

    Pete, the anerobic conditions point is a very good thought on this. Obviously this would not be good for the worms even with any 'poison' element removed simply by the lack of oxygen in the environment.

  • chuckiebtoo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    OK, wormies WILL live, of course, in a place (bin) that is predominantly their own poop. But not if it is totally that because they cannot survive in only their own poop. When you see them down in "total" worm poop, it ain't total.

    Because of the much different conversion rates inherent in species of life on the planet, food chains are well known......ie, horse rates are very low, swine much greater, chickens greater still, etc, etc. Vermi very high. Little left of worm poop except poop to sustain the upper rungs, beginning at the worm, of the chain.

    Feed a horse, raise horses. And pigs. And chickens. And worms. Pigs will eat poop of a horse. As will chickens. And worms. And so on.

    And yeah, if you continue to supply worms in a bin with foodstuffs, they will GENERALLY live in the upper regions above the areas of total worm poop. Except almost always, it ain't TOTAL because we supply more food before the previous food was totally finished.

    And the wormies, being survivors since way before Mary Applehof, are smart little things and try not to kill off themselves by trying to survive on that which nature has deemed un-survivable on in their case.

    And in those cases where the wormies are down in there hunting around for little specs of edibles amongst all that worm poop because we the providers of nourishment have been neglectful of in our duties, THRIVING of the herd...oops, verd....is out of the question, and if we don't come soon to their aid, they will prove to us that they cannot survive on worm poop.

    chuckiebtoo

    moderation, diversity, patience

  • nexev - Zone 8b
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So they WILL eat worm poop?

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    barbararose21101: By worms that are ready to "move on" do you mean ready to be one of the wanderers that want to escape the bin or do you mean pass on to another dimension? My euphemism for pass on. I think you mean the sludge is like the great elephant grave yard for worms.

    mendopete: "Casts may get 'toxic' if it gets anaerobic in the bottom of a closed bin." I can agree with that. And thus by existential extension with vermicompost is toxic to worms. But only that way. I think of vermicastings (aerated) as better than Oil of Olay, a nectar of the gods,, sweet as honey if you will. A place where worms would sit and rest from their toil a spell in perfect pH, moisture, temperature, Nirvana before hunger propels them to move on to more dangerous environs to hunt wee beasties.

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nexev: If I was a worm I would.

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    chuckiebtoo: Perhaps the main reason why some vermicomposters vermicompost outside and some in the basement is primarily dependent upon spouse or roommate demands. I mean I know why my vermi operations are not right in the middle of my living room where they would make the most sense for ease of additions and monitoring.

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The very best and most pure vermicompost is methodologically and theoretically accomplished only if worms are allowed to live in it until they die. I do not feel this means the vermicompost is toxic to the worms. I feel this means the worms have done all that they can for the vermicompost and the vermicompost no longer has the needed items worms need to survive. Different than toxic. I think if a bit o food was added and then a bit of bedding they would be content to live right there until the sustenance for worms was again gone from even that addition.

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    barbararose21101: "Mary wrote for new composters and
    I am posting her writing for people who are beginning at square 1." I can appreciate that. Her bins seemed to be start with bedding and then add food. Adding bedding along with food did not see to be her thing. Yet. If she was here I bet she would be saving her egg cartons and enjoying shredding them while watching vermicomposting youtubes, too. Using her system the bin would indeed become toxic or the vermicastings would become toxic and need to be harvested so the bin could start again with bedding and food. A bin with food added and not bedding would become toxic. The food would decompose and look like castings. Castings with no bedding bits left in.

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nexev: vermillion. I red what you did there. :-)

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    chuckiebtoo: "Feed a horse, raise horses. And pigs. And chickens. And worms. Pigs will eat poop of a horse. As will chickens. And worms. And so on." I like and agree with that.

    "cannot survive on worm poop" cannot survive on and toxic are not the same thing. I will agree with cannot survive on because all of the little specks are gone. Or maybe just all of the fiber is gone and they like a little fiber with their greens.

    So this has been fun, but where I really stand alone is in not agreeing with the sentences: "Vermicompost worms have gizzards, thus they need a little grit. Ground eggshell will provide this grit." I do not think vermicompost worms need grit. And neither did I think her name was Karen S. or something.

    I'll stand still against this cement wall for a while smoking my last cigarette and why yes that is an apple core on top of my head.

  • mendopete
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I absolutely agree that worms will not survive indefinitely without bin maintenance. If food or space is not available, they will eventually leave or perish. Does this mean the castings are toxic? If I add castings to my garden, am I using worm pesticide?
    All worm bins need some maintenance at some point. Is this what Mary meant?

    I don't want newbies to think they HAVE to remove castings monthly or their worms will die. Unless it is a very small bin, this is not true.

    This post was edited by mendopete on Wed, Jan 28, 15 at 18:36

  • harry757
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I agree with you guys that the castings are not toxic to the worms unless the conditions within those castings become unbearable for the worms. Use the analogy of you own home.....as long as you have food, water, air, and reasonable temps. you will probably get along just fine. But take away just one of those necessities and you won't last long. That doesn't mean that your home was "toxic", it just means you no longer had all that you needed to survive in your home. JMO
    Harry

  • chuckiebtoo
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The main problem here is the whole "toxic" thing. Saying worms cannot/will not consume their own poop has nothing to do with toxicity.

    If anything worm poop is totally anti toxic. That's what we do this for.

    Worms cannot survive in that environment that is TOTALLY worm poop because there is no nutrients for them there.

    As we all know, worms actually eat the critters that are eating the lettuce and veggies and fruits and stuff. When those critters finish off the fruits and veggies, they leave looking for other things. And the worms follow them.

    As I said before....and will continue to say until planted in the ground and the worms feast on me....if your worms are living in the area of your bin that you consider to be TOTAL worm poop, they are eating materials in that place that are not total worm poop.

    We are making the subjects of many of our discussions these days contrary to facts of nature. And nothing in nature is more factful of nature than worms.

    I would put up some sources to confirm these nature facts, but I'm not sure how much factual stuff would need to be uploaded to alter much of the suppositions going on..............

    CB2

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    mendopete: The wall and apple core are for those that feel like I do that worms do not need grit. Worms may need or just not care or do better with egg shell in any form but they do not need it for grit. Or any grit. I'm not sure where you are on that. Maybe we need more walls. :-) I cringe every time I read a new poster talk about toxic castings. I cringe every time I read a new poster talk about vermicomposting worms needing grit. I do not think I will have much company on this one. It is imbeded in vermicomposting lore right between kitchen scraps drip worm tea and castings being toxic. However, I was surprised how much company I had on the castings being non toxic topic.

    chuckiebtoo: I can't say I disagree with any of that post. I think I agree with all of it. I too was going to report back when I had more first hand knowledge from the other side of the stony green lawn. I don't need "some sources" because they would probably be boring. You all here are more fun. I think if Mary knew we were tossing this about so much she would be surprised and rethink her use of the word toxic to more like you and others here have written.

    I was hoping some of our foreign correspondents would chime in on the matter. It is always good to get opinions from multiple different sources. :-) And I just love the accents and cultural references. Ooh la la! Vive la difference! "Her famous book, “Worms Eat My Garbage,” has been translated into Korean, French, German and Japanese." This topic should be of interest to many vermicomposters who have read her books around the world.

    mendopete again: "Does this mean the castings are toxic? If I add castings to my garden, am I using worm pesticide? All worm bins need some maintenance at some point. Is this what Mary meant?" #Like. I'm twittering with delight. LOL.

    I hear ya Harry57.

    It does say something about the power of Mary's book if 14 years after her death 8 people are passionately debating a single word she wrote in a book first written 17 years ago. That is quite a worm woman!


    "No one in this country has done more for the self-image of worms than Mary Appelhof, the undisputed and nationally recognized, "Worm Woman." Green Living Magazine

    Here is a link that might be useful: Wormmania!

    This post was edited by equinoxequinox on Mon, Jan 26, 15 at 19:28

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Correction 32 years ago as per barbararose21101 original post.

  • 11otis
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This is fun.
    eq2: How long is your wall? I am joining.
    My 2 cents about eggshells, it's more for binding acids than providing grit for the worms. Especially if we are talking about compost worms which are not that big. I doubt their jaws can extend like that snake swallowing it's prey whole. Ah yes, phythons!
    And the reason for grinding eggshells, IMHO, is Aesthetics. Better not to see big bits of eggshell in VC.

    VC: in a collective, to me VC is vermicompost and NOT vermicastings.
    CB2 comment:
    ""As I said before....and will continue to say until planted in the ground and the worms feast on me....if your worms are living in the area of your bin that you consider to be TOTAL worm poop, they are eating materials in that place that are not total worm poop."" Even then, there's always a little bit of something that is not casting. So, unless somebody picks/collects every little "kernel" of castings, the VC is NEVER 100% castings. It's VermiCompost.
    About worm poop being toxic or not: I'm thinking, castings by it self is NOT toxic. However: it can be made toxic by the environment, being deep in the bin, wetter than anywhere else and no O2. This is a temporary toxicity because once it is harvested and exposed to air it will be OK. So no, we will not be dumping toxin in the garden.
    It is definitely not an ideal dwelling for worms but since we keep adding food and bedding on top, worms will move UP (not move on which could mean to die).
    I agree re. good bin maintenance. It will give me better VC anyway, fluffier.
    Back to ""materials in that place that are not total worm poop"", there is no way in &%## just by looking if I have total worm poop in my hands, even if there aren't any living worms in it.

    And yes bbrr2, this forum has several mischievous wormers adding fun in reading.

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Please note the first post on this thread now contains a nice photo obtained by barbararose21101 for our forum. Thank you barbararose21101. We appreciate your efforts to document this for the group.

  • herman_neutics
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow you worm folks are a diplomatic group. Lots of food for thought in this kindly discussion. It is a pleasure to read without all kinds of bristly exchanges that turn the thread overly gritty.

    Anthropomorphising worm behaviors can leaf to a slippery wasteland of misinterpretation. As a novice to the worm game i try to provide optimal conditions by regular refreshing of bedding and grub. Basically following traditional methods.

    I think an analysis of a few castings samples might reveal interesting factors.
    Comparing older and possibly re-reingested castings to fresh 'virgin' castings
    would show which, if any, compounds are building towards toxic conditions.

  • barbararose21101
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    bump

  • barbararose21101
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    P 49

    To consider the potential number of worms you can hope to expect from your bin, Dr. Roy Hartenstein of Syracuse, New York, has calculated that eight individuals could produce about 1500 offspring within six months of time. He based this upon their producing two cocoons per worm per weekj, of which 82% hatch and average 1.5 hatchlings per cocoon. If they reach maturity at five to six weeks and continure producing cocoons for 40 to 50 weeks of fertility at 77º F , his calculated total would result. Calculations based upon other assumptions would result in different projections.