#91887
March 28th, 2006 at 11:14 AM
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Joined: Nov 2005
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Top feed. Then turn it under once a month or so.
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#91888
March 28th, 2006 at 11:53 AM
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Joined: Feb 2006
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Okay, I'll try that! I just want some healthy, happy worms. Of course, I would like a few fat ones too, so I can take my grandson fishing.
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#91889
March 28th, 2006 at 09:18 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
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To me, mine always look too small to use as bait. But I'm not much into fishing. So I don't really know what the bait worms look like. I used to buy bait meal worms for my iguana, she loved them.
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#91890
March 29th, 2006 at 12:16 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
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I use the Zebco "Micro" ultralights and we fish for bluegill, sunfish and other smaller fish. I usually take him to the city park and they don't have any really large fish in lake. We use hooks that are rather small; so, I think once my worms start growing a little bit, they should be big enough to use. Of course, if I've actually raised them, I may feel guilty about using them for bait. patches
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#91891
April 11th, 2006 at 09:56 AM
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Wow jonni13! Stunning pictures! It's amazing how they all stay together like you said. Kinda of weird, but interesting and very cool!
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#91892
April 15th, 2006 at 08:29 PM
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Compost Queen!
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Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
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I have been meaning to get at this post... WOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!! I love that bin and I really enjoyed the pictures.. That is some great work you've got there.. I am soooooooooo jealous...
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#91893
April 28th, 2006 at 12:06 AM
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Joined: Apr 2006
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I've been dying to read all the posts to reply that yes, they are mating. See the white rectangle thing near their head? That is their sexual part. Worms don't have to have another worm to do the do. They can self replicate or mate with themself. Weird but life finds a way.
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#91894
April 30th, 2006 at 01:38 PM
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Joined: Sep 2002
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I worked on my worm bin for four hours today. Because of the single bin I purchased a year ago I have to "clean" it out every four months. Since then i've realized that the stacking bins are probably a better way to go, like the canoworms system. Oh well, this is what I've got for now it's working well. Other than the cleanings three times a year it's maintenance free, just add food scraps and some fresh newspaper bedding occasionally. Sometimes I go for weeks without touching it and they do just fine. Since I did the cleaning I thought I would post the "how-to" of getting one started. The bin I have has two pvc pipes running through the bottom with holes for air and the cover is also vented. Fill the bin with shredded newspaper, five or six newspapers, circulars removed no glossy colors, I like to include a crossword or two for them and some funnies. I'm hoping they're not checking the classifieds for a new apartment! You really need to overpack the newspaper because it's gonna shrink down once the moisture builds up in the bin. To the shredded newspaper add a small bucket of organic soil and about a gallon of water. I don't like to use dirt from the garden for fear of bugs getting into my bin. The bin lives in my kitchen for the winter months and moves outside to the enclosed carport I have off the garage out of direct sunlight.
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#91895
April 30th, 2006 at 01:44 PM
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Mix the dirt and water really well with the newspaper, fluffing it and making sure you don't have the newspaper glued together and clumped up. Now add the worms, this is about 3x what I started with one year ago. Red Wigglers: That's it! I'll let them settle in overnight and then start adding scraps tomorrow. I usually add some fresh newspaper to the top after 2 or 3 weeks when the level moves down. I almost never have to add any more water, the moisture level is perfect when it's moist with no water standing in the bottom. Unless you have a spout and want to make tea.
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#91896
April 30th, 2006 at 01:56 PM
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Joined: Sep 2002
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This was what I got out of it from the full cleaning. A five gallon bucket full of pure compost............ AND a pile of not quite broken down bedding and scraps. This I added to the outside compost pile. That's the small garden fork I use for checking things in the bin. I laugh when I think of Tina's pitchfork! Somehow I don't think that would go well in my kitchen.
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#91897
April 30th, 2006 at 03:23 PM
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Compost Queen!
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Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
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Verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry Nice Mel, Yours is in the kitchen/house? Do you ever bring it outside???
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#91898
April 30th, 2006 at 10:04 PM
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Thank you, Weezie! The bin lives in my kitchen for the winter months and moves outside to the enclosed carport I have off the garage out of direct sunlight. I just moved it outside for the summer.
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#91899
May 1st, 2006 at 08:06 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
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Very nice melcon! I'm hoping my worms do as well as yours. Of course, I just started my worm bin about 6 weeks ago, so I guess it will take a little while.
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#91900
May 2nd, 2006 at 03:59 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
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Thanks for sharing, Mel. I learn something every time I read about people's vermiculture adventures.
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#91901
May 2nd, 2006 at 09:21 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
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#91902
November 12th, 2006 at 02:16 PM
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Junior Member
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Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2006
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I just got my worms and started a farm indoors in my kitchen. I made my tiered bin with 3 14 inch bamboo steamers, with sixteenth inch mesh bottoms.
My question is: Should I poke holes in the mesh bottoms so the worms can migrate into upper tiers after established ? I know this must be obvious but ... how many holes and how big. I know the commercial bins are tiered and probably have holes but how many?
Anyone out there who has mastered this art and has a response to my beginner query will be my hero.
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#91903
November 12th, 2006 at 06:20 PM
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Wow, that sounds like an awesome system. The stackables are definitely the way to go. Believe me, I don't have it, just a rectangular bin and it's not fun going through the whole thing sorting the worms from the compost.
I don't know the answer to your question, but I'll try to find something. Or someone else will come along who has the stacking system.
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#91904
January 15th, 2007 at 07:04 AM
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Joined: Nov 2005
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Well, I couldn't stand it anymore. It snowed on Thursday night and is still sticking around today (Sunday). That is the coldest sustained temps my worms have had it since moving in with me. I had to check on their welfare. The snow was melted on top of the bin. That was a good sign as it still had snow all around it in the shade. My car parked in the sun still has snow on the hood. That means my bin is creating it's own warmth. I turned the worms around, over and every which way with my handy dandy pitchfork and they weren't very happy about it at all. I gave them a nice warm insulating blanket of newspapers and put them back to bed for a while. Yay! I still have worms. And now I know they can survive sustained 20 degree days and nights. I also have some grubs overwintering in there with them. They don't appear to be harming anything and they will be food for my fish pond in due course. I would like to know what they are and how they affect the habitat that I have going in there.
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#91905
January 15th, 2007 at 07:59 AM
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Grubs= japanese beetles. :p
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#91906
January 15th, 2007 at 09:22 AM
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Joined: Nov 2005
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There are other grubs. Most are beetles of some sort. I have had them before and have had no problems with them. We'll wait and see.
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#91907
January 20th, 2007 at 06:12 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Awesome to see other people doing the vermicomposting thing! It always sounds complicated when you read about it but really keeping worms is so simple. I also violate many of the "rules" of vermicomposting and the worms don't seem to object, they keep breeding! I'm very jealous of the watering trough, I don't have anything like that. I'm using rubbermaid bins that I got from Lowes.
I got tired of digging up the worms and separarating them out from the compost not to mention picking out the newer stuff, so I made my own stacking system by simply getting another rubbermaid bin, drilling holes on the bottom and putting new food and bedding in it. So far the worms haven't run out of food in the bottom bin so they're living in both at the moment.
Unfortunately my system doesn't allow for collecting worm tea. I used to have the bin on top of an old junky stryofoam cooler that was lying around and I would just periodically dump that on the garden (my tomatoes really loved it), but it sprung a leak so now the bin just waters the bushes it's near. Now I don't have anything that is the right size to put the bin on. With a trough like that I could just use a bucket for the tea, plus I could keep it next to the house instead of in the carport because it would be elevated off the ground. I'm going to have to try to get my hands on one of those...
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#91908
January 20th, 2007 at 12:53 PM
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Compost Queen!
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Compost Queen!
Joined: Apr 2003
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Hi Boxmonkey, Very good to see you!!!
Got any spare bathtubs' layin' around? That might do your trick for the "water trough" idea... and it's already got a hole at the bottom for the "tea".....
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#91909
January 20th, 2007 at 03:21 PM
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Anonymous
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boxmonkey we've missed you! (or i have anyway!) we need pics of the "new" place now that you are in it!! i too have the rubber maid system. i'm working on another idea though, and if it comes through, i'll let you know.
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#91910
February 6th, 2007 at 04:02 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Hey guys. Sorry to be such a transient! The bathtub is a great idea, I don't have any but I've seen them available on freecycle a few times, I'll keep an eye out. I will get pictures of the new place as soon as it's not such an eyesore.
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#91911
February 6th, 2007 at 06:50 AM
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Joined: Feb 2006
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Originally posted by Jiffymouse:
i too have the rubber maid system. i'm working on another idea though, and if it comes through, i'll let you know. Hey Jiffy, Right now, I'm using a Rubbermaid container too; but, I'm really anxious to see what other idea you are working on for your worm bin! I'm always interested in anything that will keep my worms happy and heathy!
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