by Wonder Worman | Jul 31, 2008 | Red Wiggler World
Now that the weather is warmer in Bend, I have been noticing many egg cocoons. The worms are becoming more active and therefore mating a bunch more. They leave behind a golden tear shaped cocoon. It almost looks like a seed (see photo). The color of the cocoon will change as the baby worms develop. Right before they hatch, the cocoon will be a deep red almost maroon color. Inside, there are about 5-10 babies ready to feed on the kitchen scraps. It takes about 3 weeks for the babies to emerge. Once they have hatched, it takes about 8 weeks for them to be an adult worm and the mating process will begin again.
by Wonder Worman | Jul 23, 2008 | Red Wiggler World
Is it time for you to change your bedding? Has the bedding turned a rich dark color? It may be time.
Since the Red Wigglers are in a contained environment and aren’t able to migrate to a different area, an area where their bedding isn’t overwhelmed by their waste, it’s important to provide that area for them. First expose the bin to light and your Red Wigglers will migrate to the bottom. Skim the top layer, this is the rich organic fertilizer that you have been waiting for! Save it or put it to use.
For more detailed information, check out “Wonder Worman’s Quick Guide to Red Wiggling”. It’s a quick guide to get you going and you can download it here.
by Wonder Worman | Jul 9, 2008 | Out and About, Red Wiggler World
Local shops in town like, Big Island Kona Mix Plate, thump coffee, and Riley’s Market provide tasty scraps for pick up. These scraps are put to good use and let the Super Composting Red Wigglers get a taste variety.
I support Big Island Kona Mix Plate, a local family owned restaurant, in their efforts to make their restaurant “greener”. Also, Big Island Kona Mix Plate no longer uses styrofoam plate-ware, which further reduces their contribution to the landfill.
Thump coffee, is a really cool coffee shop downtown (family owed as well), has an ample supply of used coffee grounds that can be used in your garden or compost pile. When my Super Composting Red Wigglers need a little pick-me-up I stop by the shop just before closing and pick up the goods.
Riley’s Market, another family owned business, located in NorthWest Crossing, offers among other things, fresh organic locally grown produce, a variety of delicious sandwiches and tasty baked goods. When time takes its toll on the produce and bakery items at Riley’s Market, I am called in to take the goods to my trusty sidekicks! My Super Composting Red Wigglers are more than happy to do their part! What a great treat!
by Wonder Worman | Jun 22, 2008 | Less in the Landfill, Red Wiggler World, Worman Cooks
What’s on the menu today for Wonder Worman’s Super Composting Red Wigglers? There’s Red Leaf lettuce, banana peels, strawberries, oats, pasta, rice and spinach, among other things – Food scraps from the last couple of days. If you have kids and are looking for ways to get them even more excited about having Red Wigglers, make a project out of feeding your worms by creating a “soup” out of food that would normally go to waste – but still a good source of food for your Red Wigglers (Moldy bread? Bring it on! Rusty Lettuce? Yum!). Before putting this mix into the bin, add a bit of water to prevent any moisture from being absorbed by the mix from the existing bedding. Bon Appetit!
by Wonder Worman | Jun 14, 2008 | Red Wiggler World
As with any new project, there may be a time when you are faced with a problem. Vermicomposting is no exception. Whether your worm bin bedding is too dry, too stinky, too big or too small, don’t let these things deter you. Because with every problem there is a solution. And remember, those little Red Wigglers are working for you!
Moisture levels.
When Red Wigglers are at their best, they produce lots of moisture. Their efforts along with the natural process of decomposition increases the moisture level in your worm bin. However, too much moisture can lead to disaster.
If the worms are in a plastic bin, the additional moisture will collect on the walls and lid of the bin. This is not a big problem, but if you notice liquid pooling in the worm’s bedding and the worms are bloated, white and look as though they are trying to escape there is definitely too much moisture and not enough drainage – it’s time to create more holes in the bottom of the bin. This solution will help immediately.
After the excess moisture has been drained, the bedding will still be very moist and adding dry shredded paper to your bin is a good next step. The paper can be newspaper or office paper. Doing this, will soak up the moisture within the bedding. Keep a close watch on the moisture level for the next few days and continue to feed the worms.
