Comments on: The Vermicomposting Trench http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:33:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-12032 Bentley Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:14:28 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-12032 Thats great, Mary - thanks for the update! 8) Thats great, Mary - thanks for the update!
8)

]]> By: Mary http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-12019 Mary Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:20:31 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-12019 Just thought I'd update you on how things are going. I ordered 2 lbs of Eisenia fetida worms. When the package arrived, I weighed it, and it was only 1.2 lbs. I was about ready to call and complain to the company I ordered it from, but fortunately read your site first and found out it was probably from dehydration. I gave them water right away. It's been 2 1/2 weeks now, and I can absolutely see that they are doing their work. The pile is going down and I can see the material is being eaten up (or whatever is happening.) Every couple of days I take a pitch fork and tenderly poke it into the trench to lift the material up to see if I see any worms. I always see 10 - 15 worms smiling up at me. Mary Just thought I’d update you on how things are going.
I ordered 2 lbs of Eisenia fetida worms. When the package arrived, I weighed it, and it was only 1.2 lbs. I was about ready to call and complain to the company I ordered it from, but fortunately read your site first and found out it was probably from dehydration. I gave them water right away.
It’s been 2 1/2 weeks now, and I can absolutely see that they are doing their work. The pile is going down and I can see the material is being eaten up (or whatever is happening.)
Every couple of days I take a pitch fork and tenderly poke it into the trench to lift the material up to see if I see any worms. I always see 10 - 15 worms smiling up at me.
Mary

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-10516 Bentley Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:48:59 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-10516 Hi Mary, I did something similar with my long trench (feeding on one half, lengthwise and then the other). I didn't wait for one side to be processed before adding to the other, but I DID try to wait until one or the other sides were fairly well processed before adding any more. The point of the vermi-trench from my standpoint is that it will be an in situ fertilizer system - ie you don't need to be removing castings - simply put your plants in a garden beside the trench. If you are doing this slowly over time and letting each side sit for awhile then yeah you could probably use the compost elsewhere, but I suspect there will still be plenty of worms in it. Red Wigglers are excellent for processing pretty well any type of organic waste - if any worm can do it, Red Worms can. They have been used very successfully in composting toilets (processing human waste). Remember, it's not so much the waste itself that the worms feed on - their main requirement is that there be a diversity of microorganisms colonized on the waste materials - all manures are incredibly rich in microbes and are excellent for growing worms. Some need to be handled differently due to salt/ammonia/pathogen content, but basically you can vermicompost all of them. I would keep pet/human waste systems completely separate from any other systems and wouldn't use the compost for food crops - on ornamentals etc for sure (once stabilized). Hi Mary,
I did something similar with my long trench (feeding on one half, lengthwise and then the other). I didn’t wait for one side to be processed before adding to the other, but I DID try to wait until one or the other sides were fairly well processed before adding any more. The point of the vermi-trench from my standpoint is that it will be an in situ fertilizer system - ie you don’t need to be removing castings - simply put your plants in a garden beside the trench. If you are doing this slowly over time and letting each side sit for awhile then yeah you could probably use the compost elsewhere, but I suspect there will still be plenty of worms in it.

Red Wigglers are excellent for processing pretty well any type of organic waste - if any worm can do it, Red Worms can. They have been used very successfully in composting toilets (processing human waste). Remember, it’s not so much the waste itself that the worms feed on - their main requirement is that there be a diversity of microorganisms colonized on the waste materials - all manures are incredibly rich in microbes and are excellent for growing worms. Some need to be handled differently due to salt/ammonia/pathogen content, but basically you can vermicompost all of them.

I would keep pet/human waste systems completely separate from any other systems and wouldn’t use the compost for food crops - on ornamentals etc for sure (once stabilized).

]]> By: Mary http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-10461 Mary Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:09:15 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-10461 Hi Bentley, I've ordered 2 lbs of worms that should be here this coming Wednesday. I thought they would be here last week, so I wouldn't have been totally prepared, but everything is all set in my 6' long, 18" deep, 16" wide trench. I've had kitchen waste, cardboard and shredded newspaper in the trench since this past Monday. I've divided the trench lengthwise and will let one side work, then when it gets full start on the other side. Do I need to wait until the first side is totally "done" before I start on the second side? I assume that once I start adding material to the second side the worms will start to migrate over on their own and I'll be left with worm castings on the first side? I don't know if this is your area of expertise - but regarding Kim's post on animal waste - do I use red-wiggler worms for that also. Seems odd to me that the same worms can take care of vegi/fruit mix, and also waste from carnivores. (Omnivore's!) I assume I would have to keep the animal waste worm castings out of the vegi garden and use it for lawn, shrub or flower fertilization? Thanks for the sharing of your knowledge. Mary Hi Bentley,
I’ve ordered 2 lbs of worms that should be here this coming Wednesday. I thought they would be here last week, so I wouldn’t have been totally prepared, but everything is all set in my 6′ long, 18″ deep, 16″ wide trench.
I’ve had kitchen waste, cardboard and shredded newspaper in the trench since this past Monday. I’ve divided the trench lengthwise and will let one side work, then when it gets full start on the other side. Do I need to wait until the first side is totally “done” before I start on the second side? I assume that once I start adding material to the second side the worms will start to migrate over on their own and I’ll be left with worm castings on the first side?
I don’t know if this is your area of expertise - but regarding Kim’s post on animal waste - do I use red-wiggler worms for that also. Seems odd to me that the same worms can take care of vegi/fruit mix, and also waste from carnivores. (Omnivore’s!) I assume I would have to keep the animal waste worm castings out of the vegi garden and use it for lawn, shrub or flower fertilization?
Thanks for the sharing of your knowledge.
Mary

]]> By: Kim from Milwaukee http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-10415 Kim from Milwaukee Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:38:17 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-10415 Hi Mary!!! Wow, we're neighbors! It's actually a cat doo project, and what I'm attempting to do currently is let the doodoos 'rest' for about a month on the compost pile before adding them to the worm bins. I think I'm going to set up an outdoor system specifically for the doodoo, like a trench system, and hope that the worms can go deep enough into the ground to survive our winter. If not, I can just go to my neighborhood tackle shop and purchase a new batch in the spring! Mary, you can email me at kim at nsbar dot org if you want to. Sounds like you're off and running with your new wormie venture! Congrats! Hi Mary!!! Wow, we’re neighbors! It’s actually a cat doo project, and what I’m attempting to do currently is let the doodoos ‘rest’ for about a month on the compost pile before adding them to the worm bins. I think I’m going to set up an outdoor system specifically for the doodoo, like a trench system, and hope that the worms can go deep enough into the ground to survive our winter. If not, I can just go to my neighborhood tackle shop and purchase a new batch in the spring!

Mary, you can email me at kim at nsbar dot org if you want to. Sounds like you’re off and running with your new wormie venture! Congrats!

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-10414 Bentley Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:37:03 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-10414 Hi Mary, Sorry for the delay getting back to you. If you are receiving worms through the mail (sounds like you are), it is not a bad idea to get them into their system as fast as possible, or bare minimum at least get them into a shallow tub with some moist shredded newspaper to at least let them spread out a bit and get more oxygen. I would think that 12-14" would be fine, BUT you will really need to heap on the bedding up above the soil surface. I generally stay away from anything glossy - there can be heavy metals etc in the inks used for these. Hope this helps B Hi Mary,
Sorry for the delay getting back to you.

If you are receiving worms through the mail (sounds like you are), it is not a bad idea to get them into their system as fast as possible, or bare minimum at least get them into a shallow tub with some moist shredded newspaper to at least let them spread out a bit and get more oxygen.

I would think that 12-14″ would be fine, BUT you will really need to heap on the bedding up above the soil surface.

I generally stay away from anything glossy - there can be heavy metals etc in the inks used for these.

Hope this helps

B

]]> By: Mary http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-10192 Mary Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:02:41 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-10192 Thanks so much for getting back to me so fast!! I'm so excited about getting started this a.m. I'm going out (with my 16 year old son :)) to start digging. I have plenty of boxes to start cutting up, and of coarse newspaper to shred. I don't have the straw yet, but that is just down the street. I have plenty of compost already started, but I added dirt to it just 2 weeks ago, not knowing that that is a no-no. So I'll have to separate it a bit (yuck). My worms will be shipped tomorrow, so I'm expecting them toward the end of the week. A few more questions for you. #1 How fast do I need to get the worms into the compost after receiving them? #2 Is a 12-14" deep trench deep enough for them to survive the winter? (I think not, but just in case the ground is too hard to dig into from the clay) #3 Can I use boxes/newspaper with a glossy, color print on it - or just stick with the plain brown boxes and non-advertising sections of the newspaper? I'm sorry if you've answered these questions somewhere before. I've tried to read as much as possible, but I didn't realize just how expansive your site is. My eyes are starting to glaze :). Kim - if you're reading this, I've notice you're from Milwaukee, I'm from New Berlin, just a hop,skip and jump away! How did your dog-doo project go? Thanks again Bentley. Mary Thanks so much for getting back to me so fast!!
I’m so excited about getting started this a.m. I’m going out (with my 16 year old son :)) to start digging. I have plenty of boxes to start cutting up, and of coarse newspaper to shred. I don’t have the straw yet, but that is just down the street.
I have plenty of compost already started, but I added dirt to it just 2 weeks ago, not knowing that that is a no-no. So I’ll have to separate it a bit (yuck). My worms will be shipped tomorrow, so I’m expecting them toward the end of the week.
A few more questions for you.
#1 How fast do I need to get the worms into the compost after receiving them?
#2 Is a 12-14″ deep trench deep enough for them to survive the winter?
(I think not, but just in case the ground is too hard to dig into from the clay)
#3 Can I use boxes/newspaper with a glossy, color print on it - or just stick with the plain brown boxes and non-advertising sections of the newspaper?
I’m sorry if you’ve answered these questions somewhere before. I’ve tried to read as much as possible, but I didn’t realize just how expansive your site is. My eyes are starting to glaze :).
Kim - if you’re reading this, I’ve notice you’re from Milwaukee, I’m from New Berlin, just a hop,skip and jump away! How did your dog-doo project go?
Thanks again Bentley.
Mary

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-10154 Bentley Mon, 01 Sep 2008 03:14:36 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-10154 Ahah - so you did indeed find the trench post, Mary! I'm glad. (recently responded to your other comment). I live in a pretty cold region myself, but am pretty confident that I won't completely kill off my worms this winter. Extra precautions would include adding food materials and then LOTS of bedding over top before the snow starts to fly - materials like straw, fall leaves etc. The snow itself will add an extra layer of insulation as well. The cold will cause the metabolism of your worms to slow down drastically - so don't worry about feeding them. Worse case scenario (a REALLY cold winter), you'll be left with cocoons that will hatch in the spring and give you a new worm population (assuming you have Eisenia fetida worms). In the summer, just make sure to keep the trench from drying out, especially if you are not adding wet food waste regularly. The plants will suck your trench dry pretty quickly during droughts. Like winter, it will really help to have a thick layer of mulch over top for (cooling) insulation and to slow down the drying process. Red Worms love wet conditions - as long as you don't have a sealed system (ie one that doesn't allow drainage) you should be fine. I find that lots of rain slows things down, but unless your garden turns into a lake, I don't think you need to worry too much (never hurts to keep a small indoor worm bin for insurance though). Not sure about dogs. Hmmm...hopefully someone else will chime in on that one. Hope this helps B Ahah - so you did indeed find the trench post, Mary! I’m glad. (recently responded to your other comment).
I live in a pretty cold region myself, but am pretty confident that I won’t completely kill off my worms this winter. Extra precautions would include adding food materials and then LOTS of bedding over top before the snow starts to fly - materials like straw, fall leaves etc. The snow itself will add an extra layer of insulation as well. The cold will cause the metabolism of your worms to slow down drastically - so don’t worry about feeding them. Worse case scenario (a REALLY cold winter), you’ll be left with cocoons that will hatch in the spring and give you a new worm population (assuming you have Eisenia fetida worms).

In the summer, just make sure to keep the trench from drying out, especially if you are not adding wet food waste regularly. The plants will suck your trench dry pretty quickly during droughts. Like winter, it will really help to have a thick layer of mulch over top for (cooling) insulation and to slow down the drying process.

Red Worms love wet conditions - as long as you don’t have a sealed system (ie one that doesn’t allow drainage) you should be fine. I find that lots of rain slows things down, but unless your garden turns into a lake, I don’t think you need to worry too much (never hurts to keep a small indoor worm bin for insurance though).

Not sure about dogs. Hmmm…hopefully someone else will chime in on that one.

Hope this helps

B

]]> By: Mary http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-10123 Mary Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:23:23 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-10123 This is what I want to do and didn't even know it! I just didn't know that I should dig the trench part, I just heap it all in a pile toward the edge of my garden. Most of my questions have to do with weather. Question #1 I live in Wisconsin - Do I need to take any extra precautions that you can think of so that the worms don't freeze/bake? Question #2 We had record setting rains in June, is that just the risk I take if I decide to do trench composting? Question #3 If I can't get to the compost trench for about 2-3 months during the winter to feed them (due to snow), is that a problem? Karen - I've been dealing with the dog problem too! I have 2 dogs that absolutely love when they see me heading out to the compost pile. They know that they'll eventually get a "lovely" (or as humans would say "gruesome") snack. Does anybody have any thoughts (other than laying a chicken-wire fence over it) to prevent dogs from getting into the trench? I can't wait to finally order my worms and get started! Thanks for having this site for us! Mary This is what I want to do and didn’t even know it! I just didn’t know that I should dig the trench part, I just heap it all in a pile toward the edge of my garden.
Most of my questions have to do with weather.
Question #1
I live in Wisconsin - Do I need to take any extra precautions that you can think of so that the worms don’t freeze/bake?
Question #2
We had record setting rains in June, is that just the risk I take if I decide to do trench composting?
Question #3 If I can’t get to the compost trench for about 2-3 months during the winter to feed them (due to snow), is that a problem?
Karen - I’ve been dealing with the dog problem too! I have 2 dogs that absolutely love when they see me heading out to the compost pile. They know that they’ll eventually get a “lovely” (or as humans would say “gruesome”) snack. Does anybody have any thoughts (other than laying a chicken-wire fence over it) to prevent dogs from getting into the trench?
I can’t wait to finally order my worms and get started!
Thanks for having this site for us!
Mary

]]> By: Tariku M. http://www.redwormcomposting.com/large-scale-vermicomposting/the-vermicomposting-trench/#comment-9621 Tariku M. Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:35:14 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=205#comment-9621 I love the idea. Now I have started to study vermicomposting. I love the idea. Now I have started to study vermicomposting.

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