Comments on: Do Vibrations Harm Worms? http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Tue, 06 Jan 2009 04:46:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/#comment-8500 Bentley Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:55:42 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=185#comment-8500 Hey Patricia, Someone sent me a link for a harvesting unit you can make yourself. I'm still a little hazy as far as how exactly to build it, but I imagine the author of the post would be able to help there. http://homegrowngoodness.blogspot.com/2007/12/homegrown-worm-harvester.html Hey Patricia,
Someone sent me a link for a harvesting unit you can make yourself. I’m still a little hazy as far as how exactly to build it, but I imagine the author of the post would be able to help there.

http://homegrowngoodness.blogspot.com/2007/12/homegrown-worm-harvester.html

]]> By: Patricia http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/#comment-8440 Patricia Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:40:43 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=185#comment-8440 Bentley, I have a friend who has one like that and it is real big. His castings are beautiful. I have been trying to think of a way to either build something like this or use the basic idea. Something where I would just turn a handle . TKS for the link. Bentley, I have a friend who has one like that and it is real big. His castings are beautiful. I have been trying to think of a way to either build something like this or use the basic idea. Something where I would just turn a handle . TKS for the link.

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/#comment-8430 Bentley Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:18:05 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=185#comment-8430 Hi Patricia, I simply mean a rotating trommel screen like the ones Jet Compost makes: http://www.jetcompost.com/harvesters/index.html B Hi Patricia,
I simply mean a rotating trommel screen like the ones Jet Compost makes:
http://www.jetcompost.com/harvesters/index.html

B

]]> By: Patricia http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/#comment-8404 Patricia Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:46:21 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=185#comment-8404 Thanks Bentley and Fumblina. I have been working daily to harvest and we are getting a full 3 cubic ft wheelbarrow each time. Although in the past I have had a green thumb, we now live where it gets in the 100's so I have had to think alot more about gardening in general. My 7 yr old and I sit side by side and hand sift through our screens and poor into another wheelbarrow and rarely get any that fall through. It they do, she is the first one to yell "WORM" and stop to get it out. Bentley, what do you mean about a rotating screen? Is it on a frame of some sort? Our 1/8th inch screen is 90 cents a sg foot so I have to plan ahead for new frames. Fumblina, I am confused about the round sieve and rubber trug? What other uses might you use them for or am I not familiar with the wording? TIA Thanks Bentley and Fumblina. I have been working daily to harvest and we are getting a full 3 cubic ft wheelbarrow each time. Although in the past I have had a green thumb, we now live where it gets in the 100’s so I have had to think alot more about gardening in general. My 7 yr old and I sit side by side and hand sift through our screens and poor into another wheelbarrow and rarely get any that fall through. It they do, she is the first one to yell “WORM” and stop to get it out. Bentley, what do you mean about a rotating screen? Is it on a frame of some sort? Our 1/8th inch screen is 90 cents a sg foot so I have to plan ahead for new frames. Fumblina, I am confused about the round sieve and rubber trug? What other uses might you use them for or am I not familiar with the wording? TIA

]]> By: Fumblina http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/#comment-8393 Fumblina Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:30:02 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=185#comment-8393 Hi Patricia, I do something similar using a round sieve that fits (almost perfectly) over the top of my rubber trug. I leave my can of worms open for a little while in the sun to get the worms to burrow down then add small quantities from the top of my can of worms onto the sieve and rescue and stray worms that appear. I shake it to sieve and break up any clumps with a trowel. This process is not fast, especially as I try and rescue as many as possible - I hate the idea of squashing them! However it is much much easier the drier the castings are. I tend to move my bottom tray up to the top to encourage it to dry out and get the worms to burrow down a few weeks before harvesting. I did try the pile method last time and I think it is actually quicker for me as I was less particular about the little wigglies that might have got missed. I was a little concerned that the quality might not be as good as the sieved, but have reserved judgement until the last batch has matured in the shed for a bit. Thanks Bentley for the reply. I suspect we worry about our wiggly charges too much and imagine what it would be like for us in a tumble drier when as you say they are probably a lot more robust than we give them credit for.. after all they don't have any bones to break! :P Hi Patricia,

I do something similar using a round sieve that fits (almost perfectly) over the top of my rubber trug. I leave my can of worms open for a little while in the sun to get the worms to burrow down then add small quantities from the top of my can of worms onto the sieve and rescue and stray worms that appear. I shake it to sieve and break up any clumps with a trowel.

This process is not fast, especially as I try and rescue as many as possible - I hate the idea of squashing them! However it is much much easier the drier the castings are. I tend to move my bottom tray up to the top to encourage it to dry out and get the worms to burrow down a few weeks before harvesting.

I did try the pile method last time and I think it is actually quicker for me as I was less particular about the little wigglies that might have got missed. I was a little concerned that the quality might not be as good as the sieved, but have reserved judgement until the last batch has matured in the shed for a bit.

Thanks Bentley for the reply. I suspect we worry about our wiggly charges too much and imagine what it would be like for us in a tumble drier when as you say they are probably a lot more robust than we give them credit for.. after all they don’t have any bones to break! :P

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/#comment-8386 Bentley Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:17:52 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=185#comment-8386 Strange - I didn't see your comment come through, Fumblina. Sorry to leave you hanging like that. I too have always wondered about the effect that those harvesters might have on the worms. I don't actually have any hard facts to report on, but I imagine the harvesting process must be fairly stressful for the worms. That said, there are lots and lots of worms that are harvested in that manner each week - worms that are often then shipped off across the country without any serious repercussions. Patricia - it sounds like you have hit upon a great method for separating castings and worms. I guess it would all come down to how vigorously the materials are shaken. Someone told me that a rotating screen would be less traumatic than a flat screen, but I'm not so sure - especially if the flat screen is being shaken gently. Keep in mind that composting worms are pretty tough creatures, so even if you DO cause them some stress, there is a good chance they will bounce back very quickly. B Strange - I didn’t see your comment come through, Fumblina. Sorry to leave you hanging like that.
I too have always wondered about the effect that those harvesters might have on the worms. I don’t actually have any hard facts to report on, but I imagine the harvesting process must be fairly stressful for the worms. That said, there are lots and lots of worms that are harvested in that manner each week - worms that are often then shipped off across the country without any serious repercussions.

Patricia - it sounds like you have hit upon a great method for separating castings and worms. I guess it would all come down to how vigorously the materials are shaken. Someone told me that a rotating screen would be less traumatic than a flat screen, but I’m not so sure - especially if the flat screen is being shaken gently.

Keep in mind that composting worms are pretty tough creatures, so even if you DO cause them some stress, there is a good chance they will bounce back very quickly.

B

]]> By: Patricia http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/#comment-8334 Patricia Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:09:08 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=185#comment-8334 this is exactly something I have been wondering about lately. I am currently hand harvesting two huge batches and am debating which way is the most stressful. I made a frame and put 1/8" wire on it. I either shake the frame back and forth or I take a plastice spatula or dustpan or my hand and lightly push the compost around inside the frame until the castings fall through. I then dump the frame over into a second wheelbarrow to relocate the worms. Pushing against the wire seems kind of stressful but I do it very lightly. One of the things i need to work on is letting my compost dry out a bit more before trying to harvest. One of the reasons I don't use the pile method is because I have so much to harvest and I dont have the time to wait. this is exactly something I have been wondering about lately. I am currently hand harvesting two huge batches and am debating which way is the most stressful. I made a frame and put 1/8″ wire on it. I either shake the frame back and forth or I take a plastice spatula or dustpan or my hand and lightly push the compost around inside the frame until the castings fall through. I then dump the frame over into a second wheelbarrow to relocate the worms. Pushing against the wire seems kind of stressful but I do it very lightly. One of the things i need to work on is letting my compost dry out a bit more before trying to harvest. One of the reasons I don’t use the pile method is because I have so much to harvest and I dont have the time to wait.

]]> By: Fumblina http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/#comment-7793 Fumblina Sat, 28 Jun 2008 19:57:55 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=185#comment-7793 Hi, I was looking at some videos of people harvesting worm casts using machinery. It looks very traumatic for the worms - much much worse than being near a washing machine! Presumably this doesn't kill off the worms otherwise they wouldn't use it but does anyone know how being shaken and spun about like that affects them? Fum xx Hi,

I was looking at some videos of people harvesting worm casts using machinery. It looks very traumatic for the worms - much much worse than being near a washing machine! Presumably this doesn’t kill off the worms otherwise they wouldn’t use it but does anyone know how being shaken and spun about like that affects them?

Fum xx

]]> By: Collagemama http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/do-vibrations-harm-worms/#comment-7606 Collagemama Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:47:02 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=185#comment-7606 My worm bin is in the laundry room across from the washer and dryer. The worms seem mighty happy, and it is handy for adding dryer lint to the worm bin. My worm bin is in the laundry room across from the washer and dryer. The worms seem mighty happy, and it is handy for adding dryer lint to the worm bin.

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