by Wonder Worman | Sep 27, 2009 | Less in the Landfill, Red Wiggler World
I decided to check on bin #1 a little bit earlier today because I wanted to add a “meat” thermometer to see what the temperature was in the bedding. When I lifted to newspaper, I noticed not much has changed. There were a few red wigglers on the top of the coffee filters, but by the time I turned my camera on and took the picture they were gone. They are quick when they are exposed to light! I believe another type of bug is eating through the cabbage leaf. There are big bites taken out of it. It is not uncommon to have other decomposers in the bin too. The worms are well mannered and don’t mind sharing!
Here is the “meat” thermometer. It reads about 62 degrees (not sure how to make the symbol on the computer).
The worms are quite active when I pulled the watermelon away so I know they don’t mind this temperature. Tomorrow, I will take a picture of the worms underneath the melon. I will have to keep an eye on this and will begin to insulate the bins when it drops to about 40 degrees.
After I finished taking pictures, I covered the red wigglers with their favorite “blankie”. They surely like their large sheets of newspaper. It keeps their home nice and dark and helps to keep out the fruit flies.
Until tomorrow…..
Happy Worming!
by Wonder Worman | Sep 26, 2009 | Less in the Landfill, Red Wiggler World
Probably not, I am sure of that, but to my red wigglers this is heaven on a stick. The nastier the better. They will devour this mess of mush in about 2 weeks, and I will keep track of this for the week. I am home for a week from my “other” job due to a surgery so I need a Wonder Worman project to keep me busy. I have decided to document the progress of bin #1.
Not sure if you can tell what all of this is???
– 3/4 of a watermelon
-3 coffee filters
-carrots…not sure how many
-cabbage leaves…from my garden (which the deer have eaten…another blog for that one)
-apple core and some egg shells
I shall see how long this takes. I just threw the waste on top of the bedding and have covered the food with large sheets of newspaper. I will be back tomorrow to show another picture. Happy worming!!!
by Wonder Worman | Aug 21, 2008 | Out and About, Red Wiggler World
Many people in Central Oregon are Vermicomposting! Some are new to the experience and some have tons of knowledge to share. I really enjoy meeting new people and hearing what they want to achieve.
There are really helpful websites for vermicomposters around the world!
If you want to see who is composting globally and add yourself to a list of red wiggler fans visit vermicomposters.com.
Also there’s google’s knol which has a great article on Vermicomposting.
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.
