Worm Composting Anyone?

[MitchM]

@MoonShadows great topic, worm composting is something i would like to try. Currently I have 3 compost bins set up for leaves, grass clippings and food scrapes.

How large is your rubbermaid tub?

This is the Rubbermaid hinged tote I'm using:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/rubbermaid-hinged-top-tote-114-l-0423479p.html

The size is 32"x20"x17"
The price up here was about $15. I drilled some holes in the sides, top and bottom.
You will get some leakage out of the bottom holes.

 

[MitchM]

Do any of you worm farmers have a shredder that you use for newspaper/cardboard? We have lots of cardboard that I would love to use in my composting, but breaking it down into pieces that will decompose relatively quickly is a chore. In the fall I just flatten out boxes and lay them on top of all my garden beds and cover with shredded leaves. But the rest of the time I would love to find a shredder that can make fast work of cardboard.

I haven't started a worm farm yet, but we bought these last year:

View attachment 101011

Instead of using all soil (which is expensive if you have to buy it) we filled the bottom 2/3 with cardboard, grass clippings, leaves, garden waste, kitchen waste, etc., in layers. Then we added about 10 or 12 inches of good garden soil in the top. By the end of the first year, the depth had gone down enough that I could layer more cardboard and shredded leaves on the top. All winter long I dumped the pulp from our green juicing on top of the garden beds. By this spring these two beds were TEEMING with red wigglers. Never added any worms - they just found us! The center portion is designed to hold compostable material during the growing season - I dump my coffee grounds and other kitchen compostables in there, but I have to be careful because my raccoon friend found out my secret. So I lay some cardboard or newspaper over the top. That seems to keep her interest at bay! The composting material in the center also feeds the beds all during the growing season with nutrients and encourages the worms to travel through the bed.

I love these beds because our yard is small (OK - my yard is mostly pond! haha!) so I don't have as much room to compost as I would like. "Composting in place" has been a great solution for us!

My concern with a compost only grow bed is that the temperature in the compost pile could get quite hot and kill a lot of plants that you are trying to grow.

 

[Mmathis]

I compost, but the worms are for my box turtles.

 

[Lisak1]

@MitchM this is cold composting vs hot composting. Hugelkultur is basically the same thing on a much grander scale.

@MoonShadows - ordered them from the company. I think it's called Vita Keyhole Gardens.

 

[MitchM]

Oh, ok. So it's essentially a raised garden bed. We use those, they're great because they are too tall for voles to jump into and you can screen the bottom to prevent their entry from the bottom.
I think as long as you don't exceed about 40% compost to topsoil mix, I think you'll be ok.

 

[Gordo33]

Does anyone have good references you can share for a worm compost build ?

 

[MitchM]

Does anyone have good references you can share for a worm compost build ?

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/guide-to-vermicomposting-zmaz83jazshe

 

[Mmathis]

I have what I call a "worm bed" that's part of the box turtle habitat. It's just a 3' x 4' [or so] cinderblock structure that is attached so that the turtles can go inside if they so choose. It's covered. Mostly soil, but gets leaves, paper, discarded plants, etc. tossed in. I toss in garden worms, pill bugs......

I am in the process of dismantling an old compost bin that has been sorely neglected -- made it out of shipping pallets -- and have been digging up and "rescuing" the worms I find. Those are going in the turtles' worm bed. I was curious about a funny looking worm that I will occas dig up -- it's different from the red wigglers or the crawlers that I normally find [they are a greenish gray color, are ALWAYS coiled up, seem to prefer clay or very dense soil, and make very little movement unlike most worms when you disturb them] -- see pics below. I googled types of earthworms and was absolutely amazed at what I didn't know about worms! That basically, they are in 3 categories:
___________________________________________

The earthworm types
Earthworms can be grouped into 3 main categories:

1. Epigeic, Epigean - (above the soil surface)
   
2. Endogeic (in the soil) and
3. Anecic (deep vertical burrows)

_______________________________________________

I think that the red wigglers, which are the best, most efficient kind for vermiposting are in the "epigeic" category.

But I never could ID the curly worm.... Does anyone know what it is? [see description, above]

 

[Faebinder]

I got the info and worms from https://unclejimswormfarm.com/?gclid=COrS4_fhwtQCFZ5XDQoddB4Imw

 

[Lisak1]

That's a strange worm @Mmathis ! Mine are all three types - basic earthworm, red wigglers, or a black thin worm, same size as the reds, but dark in color. The fish love them all!

 

[Mmathis]

I found 2 of the curly, coiled worms today and managed to get a little video of them. Has anyone seen these before and/or know what they are? See my description of them in post #23 above.

 

[Lisak1]

Could they be earthworms that are hibernating? Do worms hibernate?

 

[DutchMuch]

Could they be earthworms that are hibernating? Do worms hibernate?

idk about them staying in one spot for winter or a cool season but I would think they just go deeper for as long as needed.

 

[Mmathis]

idk about them staying in one spot for winter or a cool season but I would think they just go deeper for as long as needed.

Funny, but I just read about this topic! DutchMuch, you are correct in that they (all kinds) will just go deeper in the soil as the temps. drop -- and I'm sure their life processes slow down, not to mention there would be less for them to eat at a depth they're not adapted for. Maybe that could be called "hibernation." Or brumation as with reptiles.....

Could they be earthworms that are hibernating? Do worms hibernate?

I may have finally ID'd my mystery worm, except that so far all articles I've found were written in the U.K....... Anyway, it might be a "green worm." I googled sluggish, greenish gray earthworm, and the pics that came up looked like these. They are in the "endogenous" category. One source said they eat the dirt, whereas most worms eat the organic material found in the dirt. Still more research to do.....

 

[MoonShadows]

Mystery Solved. Very good. I couldn't find anything on them.