Worm Composting Anyone?

[MoonShadows]

One thing we get a lot of from our home business is corrugated cardboard boxes. I usually wait until we have a bunch and bring them to the local recycling spot to dump them, but I can't help but to think what a good source of food...and carbon...I am wasting that could be going into my worm bin...or in my compost. I really don't want to sit there and tear cardboard into tiny pieces or soak and rip it, so I went on a search for a cardboard shredder, and was I shocked by the sticker prices...$1000's. I spent a couple of days researching...and watching a bunch of homemade cardboard shredders vids on YouTube...before I ran across a commercial grade 16 sheet paper shredder made by Royal (old typewriter company) that has steel gears and cutting blades...and does not require oiling like the cheaper models. And, at $99, I figured I would give it a try. Wow! The thing eats through cardboard with no problem. Now, you can't put a whole box into it, but ripping or cutting a box into strips is easier than ripping it into tiny pieces. In about 20 minutes yesterday I got a medium size garbage bag of crosscut cardboard pieces that my worms are going to love.

Just thought I would mention this for anyone who might want to use cardboard, but don't want to sit there and rip, rip, rip.

See this YouTube vid. This is the one that convinced me. This guy is using an older model which has been discontinued, but I was able to find it's replacement.

 

[Gemma]

I had no idea that cardboard was useful in compost

 

[MoonShadows]

Yes, it is a good carbon source, and the glue that holds the cardboard together (in corrugated cardboard) is starch based, so it is not harmful. You can layer larger pieces between nitrogen sources, but the smaller you break it down, the faster it will compost when mixed with nitrogen sources (green stuff). Paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls and paper egg cartons can also be used. Glossy cardboard such as cereal boxes, boxes you buy appliances in, etc. do take longer and I don't use it because I don't know the basis of the ink...might be petroleum based. Same with glossy magazines...ink is not good. Regular matte paper most likely has a soy based ink used on it, but I don't add it because I can't be assured.

Here's a helpful article: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/cardboard-composting-25097.html

and a thread from another gardening forum: https://www.helpfulgardener.com//forum/viewtopic.php?t=19586

 

[MoonShadows]

Just found this one:

Why Worms Like Brown Cardboard: https://unclejimswormfarm.com/why-worms-like-brown-cardboard/

 

[Gemma]

For compost I'm doing the Deep Litter method in my chicken run, so you're saying I should throw in some cardboard?

 

[MoonShadows]

What do you use as a floor covering in your coop/run? If you have pine chips, shavings or flakes, you have plenty of carbon to mix with the high source of nitrogen (chicken poop). The only difference is the cardboard pieces will break down faster than the pine. So, it is a personal choice. I think back to when I had chickens, I would have probably added the cardboard chips in the coop where it is protected from the elements, so it was already mixed in when I composted the bedding, but not the run. If you have to go into the run and it is wet, you have cardboard chips sticking to your feet...if you don't mind.

I just harvested 2 1/2 gallons of worm castings from my vermicomposter. I will add them to the new beds I'm building in my greenhouse.

 

[Gemma]

My run is very new so the compost is just starting out...it was grass (for one day) then dirt, then I alternate pine shavings with grass clippings, pine needles, pine cones, and now I'll be putting in fallen leaves

 

[MoonShadows]

@Gemma, sounds like you have a good combination going on already!

 

[MitchM]

I emptied my worm composter yesterday because it was full.
I had it out on the deck but it has gotten a bit cold lately. The bottom of the composter was frozen.
I thought the cold may have killed the worms that were in the frozen part, but once the pile warmed up, they were fine.