Comments on: Great Pumpkin Raid of 2009 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:46:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-23156 Bentley Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:33:55 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-23156 Thanks for chiming in everyone (apologies for the delay responding). I finally used my pumpkin material earlier in the week while setting up my winter windrow bed (just wrote about that one today). It was almost totally liquefied - thankfully it was pretty cold out so it didn't seem to have any bad odor to it. I mixed it with a mix of mulched leaves/grass to help give it some structure. I suspect the worms are going to love it - hopefully it will help to kickstart some warming action in the bed! JESSE - Your gourd trap idea sounds interesting. I have tried buried mesh bags with tempting stuff like cantaloupe in them as traps, but with limited success. Do keep me posted - you may be on to something there! :-) Thanks for chiming in everyone (apologies for the delay responding). I finally used my pumpkin material earlier in the week while setting up my winter windrow bed (just wrote about that one today). It was almost totally liquefied – thankfully it was pretty cold out so it didn’t seem to have any bad odor to it. I mixed it with a mix of mulched leaves/grass to help give it some structure. I suspect the worms are going to love it – hopefully it will help to kickstart some warming action in the bed!

JESSE – Your gourd trap idea sounds interesting. I have tried buried mesh bags with tempting stuff like cantaloupe in them as traps, but with limited success. Do keep me posted – you may be on to something there!
:-)

]]> By: Jesse http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-23067 Jesse Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:18:40 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-23067 Hi Bentley! I too have been pan handling for the neighborhood Jack O's. My RWs love the stuff. I also wanted to mention that about two or so months ago I got my hands on several squash and gourds from my mom-in-law. They seem to love these as much as pumpkin....go figure-they are all closely related. Just for kicks I "headed" a giant gourd and chucked it into my outdoor worm bed. The gourd was pretty mature and had begun to harden more than I had initially noticed. In any case, about 3-4 days later I took a look and the hardened gourd was chalked full of worms just finishing off the last inner morsels of that particular gourd. The gourd was firm/hard enough to retain it's integrity and I could simply pluck it out and carry it around with no fear of it crumbling in my hands. Long story short...I think I have stumbled upon a great way to cull worms for harvesting in the future. I hope to send you some pics within the week. I would love to have the honer of naming a new worm harvesting technique but alas, I haven't had an original idea since I was about 3 years old...and that one wasn't even that great. Here is a link to an interesting article about gourds,squash,pumpkins etc. I want to look into some other related species and their properties. http://extension.missouri.edu/jasper/hort/mg/globe/111.htm p.s. I've also taken advantage of the mild weather and built 3 great big leaf walls in my back yard....great suggestion! Hi Bentley!
I too have been pan handling for the neighborhood Jack O’s. My RWs love the stuff. I also wanted to mention that about two or so months ago I got my hands on several squash and gourds from my mom-in-law. They seem to love these as much as pumpkin….go figure-they are all closely related. Just for kicks I “headed” a giant gourd and chucked it into my outdoor worm bed. The gourd was pretty mature and had begun to harden more than I had initially noticed. In any case, about 3-4 days later I took a look and the hardened gourd was chalked full of worms just finishing off the last inner morsels of that particular gourd. The gourd was firm/hard enough to retain it’s integrity and I could simply pluck it out and carry it around with no fear of it crumbling in my hands. Long story short…I think I have stumbled upon a great way to cull worms for harvesting in the future. I hope to send you some pics within the week. I would love to have the honer of naming a new worm harvesting technique but alas, I haven’t had an original idea since I was about 3 years old…and that one wasn’t even that great. Here is a link to an interesting article about gourds,squash,pumpkins etc. I want to look into some other related species and their properties. http://extension.missouri.edu/jasper/hort/mg/globe/111.htm
p.s. I’ve also taken advantage of the mild weather and built 3 great big leaf walls in my back yard….great suggestion!

]]> By: Vee http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-22966 Vee Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:32:43 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-22966 Hi Bentley, my worms love pumpkins but they also love onions, and i cook with alot of onions and the pieces i don't use the worms get it, i also never smell anything, they also love garlic:) Vee Hi Bentley, my worms love pumpkins but they also love onions, and i cook with alot of onions and the pieces i don’t use the worms get it, i also never smell anything, they also love garlic:) Vee

]]> By: Kuan http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-22964 Kuan Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:25:33 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-22964 Great job picking up the much worm food! I am picking up more pumpkins from my coworker today (12 of them). Some already started to go mush. Since I only have a small rubbermaid worm box (18 gal), I think I will try to scoop some worms up and put them inside the carved pumpkins to see if they will help eat some of the pumpkins that way. DH cut the lawn yesterday morning so we now have lots of mulched leaves with grass clippings too!! He promised to make the flow through bin for me this week so hopefully the pumpkins and mulched leaves/grass clipping can wait! Kuan Great job picking up the much worm food! I am picking up more pumpkins from my coworker today (12 of them). Some already started to go mush. Since I only have a small rubbermaid worm box (18 gal), I think I will try to scoop some worms up and put them inside the carved pumpkins to see if they will help eat some of the pumpkins that way.

DH cut the lawn yesterday morning so we now have lots of mulched leaves with grass clippings too!! He promised to make the flow through bin for me this week so hopefully the pumpkins and mulched leaves/grass clipping can wait!

Kuan

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-22953 Bentley Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:11:21 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-22953 JEFF - Wow! 2000?! Now that is impressive! 8) ----- EVE - Good points. While I didn't add handfuls of vermicompost, I forgot to mention that I DID dip my shovel in a worm bed a few times while doing my chopping - just as you are suggesting, this was intended as a means of inoculating the material with decomposition microbes. Not sure if I'll have enough pumpkins to add to my winter bin this year (these trench beds are my first priority) but we shall see! Adding bulky materials, thus providing more of a 'slow-release' food value, is definitely a good suggestion! ----- HEATHER - That is cool! Yeah, there is something about the cucumber family (which includes melons) and Red Worms. They go utterly crazy for this stuff. I'm hopeful that the nice weather we've been having as of late will help to kickstart the break-down of my pumpkin waste. It was so cold last week that decomposition seemed to almost reach a stand-still in my outdoor beds. ------ CAROLYN - Great suggestion! If I had lots and lots of them I would definitely be holding on to as many as possible, in preparation for feeding my big winter bin later on. Pumpkins, squash etc are great since they do last for quite some time when intact. 8) JEFF – Wow! 2000?! Now that is impressive!
8)
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EVE – Good points. While I didn’t add handfuls of vermicompost, I forgot to mention that I DID dip my shovel in a worm bed a few times while doing my chopping – just as you are suggesting, this was intended as a means of inoculating the material with decomposition microbes.

Not sure if I’ll have enough pumpkins to add to my winter bin this year (these trench beds are my first priority) but we shall see! Adding bulky materials, thus providing more of a ‘slow-release’ food value, is definitely a good suggestion!
—–
HEATHER – That is cool! Yeah, there is something about the cucumber family (which includes melons) and Red Worms. They go utterly crazy for this stuff. I’m hopeful that the nice weather we’ve been having as of late will help to kickstart the break-down of my pumpkin waste. It was so cold last week that decomposition seemed to almost reach a stand-still in my outdoor beds.
——
CAROLYN – Great suggestion! If I had lots and lots of them I would definitely be holding on to as many as possible, in preparation for feeding my big winter bin later on. Pumpkins, squash etc are great since they do last for quite some time when intact.
8)

]]> By: Carolyn http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-22947 Carolyn Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:57:44 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-22947 For those pumpkin rich, maybe leave the best ones in the bank and feed the ones that rot first, thus extending the feast until nearly the the New Year. Those pictures are macabre, so fitting of the season. For those pumpkin rich, maybe leave the best ones in the bank and feed the ones that rot first, thus extending the feast until nearly the the New Year. Those pictures are macabre, so fitting of the season.

]]> By: Heather http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-22943 Heather Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:44:35 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-22943 My neighbors are all giving me pumpkins too. All my worm bins are going gonzo with pumpkin. I checked my outdoor bin, where I had a big orange top section, and there where some of the fattest, reddest, wigglers I had ever seen attached to Old Jack. My neighbors are all giving me pumpkins too. All my worm bins are going gonzo with pumpkin. I checked my outdoor bin, where I had a big orange top section, and there where some of the fattest, reddest, wigglers I had ever seen attached to Old Jack.

]]> By: Eve http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-22935 Eve Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:19:39 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-22935 If you want the get those pumpkins decomposing quickly in the vermi way. You can mix a couple handfuls of vermicompost into chopped the pumpkin. Pumpkin seem to get eaten even faster if you mix in a starter. But if you add too much started pumpkin at one time the pumpkin can get hot. I got the pumpkin to warm up in my bin last year. A thought if you are going to do another winter worm composting series gather some pumpkins for the pile. You wouldn't have to chop those up. If you want the get those pumpkins decomposing quickly in the vermi way. You can mix a couple handfuls of vermicompost into chopped the pumpkin. Pumpkin seem to get eaten even faster if you mix in a starter. But if you add too much started pumpkin at one time the pumpkin can get hot.
I got the pumpkin to warm up in my bin last year.

A thought if you are going to do another winter worm composting series gather some pumpkins for the pile. You wouldn’t have to chop those up.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-22934 Jeff Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:42:22 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-22934 Great idea, Bentley! This was my second year to haul excess pumpkin inventory from an Agway store... about 2,000#. The posting idea is slick... I always wanted to run a Chrysenthimum (spell checker broken) rescue... maybe Craigslist is the solution! On My commute to Harrisburg I take mostly side roads and residential routes... in a Toyota mini pickup... Almost every day I'm loaded with bags of grass clippings and bagged leaves for my compost. Thank you to all those wonderful people who set it at the curb for me! Great idea, Bentley! This was my second year to haul excess pumpkin inventory from an Agway store… about 2,000#.

The posting idea is slick… I always wanted to run a Chrysenthimum (spell checker broken) rescue… maybe Craigslist is the solution!

On My commute to Harrisburg I take mostly side roads and residential routes… in a Toyota mini pickup… Almost every day I’m loaded with bags of grass clippings and bagged leaves for my compost. Thank you to all those wonderful people who set it at the curb for me!

]]> By: Mark from Kansas http://www.redwormcomposting.com/fun-stuff/great-pumpkin-raid-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-22933 Mark from Kansas Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:01:44 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1492#comment-22933 I checked my jack o laterns to see if they were moldy. I added 24 1/2 lbs. of halloween fun to my bin. I checked my jack o laterns to see if they were moldy. I added 24 1/2 lbs. of halloween fun to my bin.

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