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wrcaz

After 3 weeks

wrcaz
11 years ago

Got my worms (2 lbs) 3 weeks ago, added them to a tote bin with holes drilled in bottom and sides with shredded newspaper that had been soaked 3 days earlier. Added a couple veggie food items and a handful of hot composted material. Put tote inside another tote with no holes. In full shade but ambient temps were 105 during the day.

Checking things out the first day I saw that a number of worms had escaped out the bottom holes, I collected and put back in but kept finding this so put screening down to keep them in. Then I would find them climbing the walls, I decided it was too hot in there so started leaving the lid cracked a bit at night and this seems to have done the trick and settled them down. While poking around here and there to check on activiity after about 5 days no matter where I poked I would find wriggling worms and started to see cocoons.

Early this week added 3 slices worth of bread crumbs and got a lot of mold. Read that this is okay but still mixed it into top bedding a bit, as I did this I notice that the larger food waste was unrecognizible, it was disappearing, it actually looks like I am getting castings! I was worried about over feeding but think I can increase a bit. Worms are happy , I am happy!

I have been going through old postings slowly but surely, future plans will be to create new environments for dividing the worms later, also I am going to have to figure out what I will do in the summer. I am hoping to have a few bins by summer to try experimenting with some of the techniques I have seen on the web ice bottles, shade and mist) but will need to figure the best way to over-summer a bunch in the house without getting in trouble from GF.

Thanks to all who have posted advice over the years, it is helpful and reassuring as I get things going.

Comments (3)

  • Celbrise
    11 years ago

    keep the bin indoors?

    i live in Hawaii on a daily basis it gets high 80's even 90's at times my worms for the past 2 weeks have been doing great had problems just like you but fixed them. i still am not getting cocoons i think my worms are still too young for that even though they have clitellums already i know they are not fully grown.

    i keep my bin indoors i got idk maybe 50-100 worms they seem to be doing great. indoors no problems the only problem is space. cannot really keep them outdoors either we have little to no shade at my house.

    i am using a cooler for my bin the biggest problem i had was air flow. their was the styrafoam padding for insulation at the top and a piece of metal i had to remove both of these and once done my worms got more air and were doing better then ever. next i plan on using a 55gallon drum and cutting it in half since it has no lid on one end then forming together and gluing together into 1 long bing that shallow yet a lot of surface area and raise worms in their

  • mr_yan
    11 years ago

    I think the best way to have them inside would be a closed bag such as a worm inn. That way they're all zipped up and any other critters can't get out either.

    I have seen several systems where they have the bins submerged in the ground with a sheet of plywood over the top. Would you be able to bury a bottomless wooden box to act as a worm bin? A note of caution was also included in where I saw this idea - he was in the desert and has found snakes and venomous spiders in his bins when opening them so always open the lid so the lid is between you and the bin. If buried in a full shade area it will be substantially cooler, well more moderated in temp, than sitting above ground.

  • PRO
    equinoxequinox
    11 years ago

    "I have been going through old postings slowly but surely" This is the best way to learn and ask good questions.