Comments on: Dead Worms and Stinky Worm Bins http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/ 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: Theo http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-31562 Theo Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:15:36 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=172#comment-31562 I had a very healthy colony of worms and was getting a good amount of tea from them about every two weeks. We had a heat wave and around the same time I added some commercial manure and grass clippings. Now I am getting no more tea and the colony is dwindling. What did I do? I know the heat may have affected them. What about the manure and grass clippings? I had a very healthy colony of worms and was getting a good amount of tea from them about every two weeks. We had a heat wave and around the same time I added some commercial manure and grass clippings. Now I am getting no more tea and the colony is dwindling. What did I do? I know the heat may have affected them. What about the manure and grass clippings?

]]> By: liilaa http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-24949 liilaa Wed, 07 Apr 2010 00:29:49 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=172#comment-24949 As far as I know, the black, stinky liquid that comes out of the bottom of the bin is not compost tea but waste also known as leachate (worms produce waste too). To make compost tea, you need to fill a container with equal parts of compost and water, let it sit for a week or so (not in the direct sunlight please!) then strain it with cheese cloth or the like and use the nutrient filled liquid to fertilize your soil (don't spray directly as you can burn the plant like this). Take the compost that you used to make the tea with and return it to the pile. Use new compost for each tea making. I found "inch long whitish worms" in my bin too and i think that they are meal worms. I made the guess that the meal worm eggs came to my bin from corn husks that I threw in there. I've seen plenty of meal worms on the summer corn at the farmers markets here in the northeast. As far as I know, the black, stinky liquid that comes out of the bottom of the bin is not compost tea but waste also known as leachate (worms produce waste too).
To make compost tea, you need to fill a container with equal parts of compost and water, let it sit for a week or so (not in the direct sunlight please!) then strain it with cheese cloth or the like and use the nutrient filled liquid to fertilize your soil (don’t spray directly as you can burn the plant like this). Take the compost that you used to make the tea with and return it to the pile. Use new compost for each tea making.

I found “inch long whitish worms” in my bin too and i think that they are meal worms. I made the guess that the meal worm eggs came to my bin from corn husks that I threw in there. I’ve seen plenty of meal worms on the summer corn at the farmers markets here in the northeast.

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-24410 Bentley Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:42:34 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=172#comment-24410 Adding new bedding materials is often a great way to help an ailing bin. It serves to absorb excess moisture, increase air flow and balance out the C:N ratio. If there is a lid on the system, leaving it off during the day might not be a bad idea as well since this will help moisture to evaporate, and will also increase oxygenation of the composting zone. I would not recommend adding soil to a worm bin (other than perhaps a tiny pinch when you first set it up to provide some grit and help to inoculate with microbes). I also tend to steer clear of lime since rapid pH changes can have a negative impact on the overall ecosystem (and make things worse). Adding new bedding materials is often a great way to help an ailing bin. It serves to absorb excess moisture, increase air flow and balance out the C:N ratio. If there is a lid on the system, leaving it off during the day might not be a bad idea as well since this will help moisture to evaporate, and will also increase oxygenation of the composting zone.
I would not recommend adding soil to a worm bin (other than perhaps a tiny pinch when you first set it up to provide some grit and help to inoculate with microbes).

I also tend to steer clear of lime since rapid pH changes can have a negative impact on the overall ecosystem (and make things worse).

]]> By: schweig http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-24404 schweig Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:03:03 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=172#comment-24404 Putting too much compost in a mid sized system I seem to have turned it acid (enchytraeids abound) and n ot been able to rectify it with gardening lime, as suggested elsewhere. It is foul smelling and becoming increasingly liquid. I have been removing the liquid. I doubt that it's all that healthy. In addition it has begun to support some disgusting whip tailed grubs I have not been able to identify. (Googling brings ads for fishing bait...). The last time I saw there they were crawling around the opening of a hole in the ground used as a toilet in France back before the entire country adopted porcelain. I seem to have created excrement. Question: Would it be possible to add paper, more soil, more lime, get new worms and hope they can deal with it? I will be pouring some soil on top to see if any of them can still save themselves. Or should I go dig a hole under the garden and Putting too much compost in a mid sized system I seem to have turned it acid (enchytraeids abound) and n ot been able to rectify it with gardening lime, as suggested elsewhere. It is foul smelling and becoming increasingly liquid. I have been removing the liquid. I doubt that it’s all that healthy.

In addition it has begun to support some disgusting whip tailed grubs I have not been able to identify. (Googling brings ads for fishing bait…). The last time I saw there they were crawling around the opening of a hole in the ground used as a toilet in France back before the entire country adopted porcelain. I seem to have created excrement.

Question: Would it be possible to add paper, more soil, more lime, get new worms and hope they can deal with it? I will be pouring some soil on top to see if any of them can still save themselves. Or should I go dig a hole under the garden and

]]> By: moniki http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-22579 moniki Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:35:54 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=172#comment-22579 I had the same thing happen! stinky "compost tea" with dead worms in the bottom of the can o worms. all the other worms are moving very slowly. However, NOw what do I do? I moved the bedding over to one side and put in new bedding with a little food. will they revive and migrate? should I move them manually? should I start all over with new worms? I had the same thing happen! stinky “compost tea” with dead worms in the bottom of the can o worms. all the other worms are moving very slowly. However, NOw what do I do? I moved the bedding over to one side and put in new bedding with a little food. will they revive and migrate? should I move them manually? should I start all over with new worms?

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-22471 Bentley Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:16:29 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=172#comment-22471 Hi Mare, There seems to be a widespread misconception (likely started by worm bin manufacturers) that a worm bin should produce 'worm tea'. The fact of the matter is that the liquid that comes out the bottom of a bin is often not all that great (usually referred to as 'leachate' by the way), especially early on. It also is only going to be produced when there is excess moisture in the system. This isn't some sort of magical 'worm pee', or something the worms otherwise produce. If water is evaporating from the system, there often won't be leachate, that's all there is to it. It definitely doesn't mean your worms are dying! It's really important not to stress too much about all of this. With a mellow approach it is actually a lot easier to do well with vermicomposting (seems counter-intuitive, but its true!). I would add food based on how quickly the worms are consuming it. You won't need to add more bedding for the first little while (assuming you set up the bin with a lot of it initially), but as it starts to break down you will definitely want to make sure to continue adding it. An easy approach is simply to keep a nice thick layer of bedding on top at all time - whenever it gets depleted you simply add more. You harvest the vermicompost once the level of dark brown/black material gets up past the halfway mark in the bin (just a guideline of course - generally, this will several months or more down the road). Hope this helps 8) Hi Mare,
There seems to be a widespread misconception (likely started by worm bin manufacturers) that a worm bin should produce ‘worm tea’. The fact of the matter is that the liquid that comes out the bottom of a bin is often not all that great (usually referred to as ‘leachate’ by the way), especially early on. It also is only going to be produced when there is excess moisture in the system. This isn’t some sort of magical ‘worm pee’, or something the worms otherwise produce. If water is evaporating from the system, there often won’t be leachate, that’s all there is to it. It definitely doesn’t mean your worms are dying!

It’s really important not to stress too much about all of this. With a mellow approach it is actually a lot easier to do well with vermicomposting (seems counter-intuitive, but its true!). I would add food based on how quickly the worms are consuming it. You won’t need to add more bedding for the first little while (assuming you set up the bin with a lot of it initially), but as it starts to break down you will definitely want to make sure to continue adding it. An easy approach is simply to keep a nice thick layer of bedding on top at all time – whenever it gets depleted you simply add more.

You harvest the vermicompost once the level of dark brown/black material gets up past the halfway mark in the bin (just a guideline of course – generally, this will several months or more down the road).

Hope this helps
8)

]]> By: Mare http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-22458 Mare Wed, 23 Sep 2009 07:25:06 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=172#comment-22458 Hello, I just started a worm farm at my school and having no experts about, I've just been relying on google for guidance. I bought 1000 red worms and have them in a polystyrene bin which is about 35 cm wide, 47 cm long and 40 cm deep. I punched holes at the bottom (for the worm tea) and have a loose fabric covering over the top. I put in about a kilo of waste (just fruit and veg) a week ago and it seems to be disapearing but there is no worm tea coming out the bottom. Does this mean my worms are dying? when should I expect worm tea? Also, do i wait for all the waste to be composted and then change the bedding or do i add food everyday and change the bedding any time? What i really need is a step by step on worm care. I know it should be really easy but I'm getting very stressed as I don't want to be the teacher that murdered the worms. Thanks for your time! Hello, I just started a worm farm at my school and having no experts about, I’ve just been relying on google for guidance. I bought 1000 red worms and have them in a polystyrene bin which is about 35 cm wide, 47 cm long and 40 cm deep. I punched holes at the bottom (for the worm tea) and have a loose fabric covering over the top. I put in about a kilo of waste (just fruit and veg) a week ago and it seems to be disapearing but there is no worm tea coming out the bottom. Does this mean my worms are dying? when should I expect worm tea? Also, do i wait for all the waste to be composted and then change the bedding or do i add food everyday and change the bedding any time? What i really need is a step by step on worm care. I know it should be really easy but I’m getting very stressed as I don’t want to be the teacher that murdered the worms.
Thanks for your time!

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-7304 Bentley Mon, 26 May 2008 14:29:07 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=172#comment-7304 Interesting! Thanks for sharing, Patricia. I have a feeling there are simply certain varieties of pot worms that get bigger than the ones I'm familiar with. Hopefully I will find some myself so I can have a closer look. B Interesting!
Thanks for sharing, Patricia. I have a feeling there are simply certain varieties of pot worms that get bigger than the ones I’m familiar with. Hopefully I will find some myself so I can have a closer look.

B

]]> By: Patricia http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/dead-worms-and-stinky-worm-bins/comment-page-1/#comment-7297 Patricia Mon, 26 May 2008 05:31:50 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=172#comment-7297 I have also noticed inch long white worms in my enclosure and I just assumed they were baby wigglers. There weren't alot of them but I was working on a corner and they were there. They definitely weren't maggots. TIA I have also noticed inch long white worms in my enclosure and I just assumed they were baby wigglers. There weren’t alot of them but I was working on a corner and they were there. They definitely weren’t maggots. TIA

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