Comments on: “I Murdered My Worms!” http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Sun, 14 Mar 2010 22:31:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Lee in Iowa http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-24595 Lee in Iowa Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:32:07 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-24595 Just one other note to Charles: If your bin is just the depth of those grocery store hand-carry things, the worms weren't crushed. I had an overrun of worms last summer and no container, so I used a garden carrier I have that's plastic, but shaped like an oversized bushel basket. And it's FULL of worms! They love it, at all depths. My problem now is again, too many babies and hundreds of eggs (a problem I like having!) Good luck! (In the outdoors in Iowa, "trapped" worms in a bin will be eaten by prowling raccoons, possums, or even moles. (I have a fairly large-sized mole that is so dumb it's out prowling aboveground at dawn and I have to pull my nosy little Whippet dog away from it constantly.) Cheers! Just one other note to Charles: If your bin is just the depth of those grocery store hand-carry things, the worms weren’t crushed. I had an overrun of worms last summer and no container, so I used a garden carrier I have that’s plastic, but shaped like an oversized bushel basket. And it’s FULL of worms! They love it, at all depths. My problem now is again, too many babies and hundreds of eggs (a problem I like having!) Good luck! (In the outdoors in Iowa, “trapped” worms in a bin will be eaten by prowling raccoons, possums, or even moles. (I have a fairly large-sized mole that is so dumb it’s out prowling aboveground at dawn and I have to pull my nosy little Whippet dog away from it constantly.) Cheers!

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22731 Bentley Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:49:36 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-22731 Hi Everyone - firstly, let me apologize for the delay responding! Thanks everyone for chiming in. I appreciate the feedback. I have recorded and published my next audio post (using an offsite service this time around) and I lowered the volume settings. Hopefully I won't blast anyone's eardrums out this time (also let me know if the new one [that talks about 'white lice'] is too quiet - I just saw Kevin's follow-up comment now]. :-) CHARLES - Thanks for the additional info. I think for sure that we are dealing here with either too much heat or conditions that are simply too dry. Even in shade, I would think that a system like this sitting in a garbage can (little air flow to help reduce heating) would get too hot for worms. If it was constantly at the 'wrung-out-spunge' level of moisture I would think the worms would be fine (this is not actually the optimal moisture level for composting worms, but it would certainly be enough to keep them alive). As for the spiders and earwigs, I highly doubt they killed off your worms since they typically feed on other creatures/materials. One thing I didn't mention yet - I would definitely NOT get rid of the material (assuming you haven't done so already). You may be able to get your population to bounce back for you, assuming the weather has cooled off a bit. Just keep adding some waste materials and moisture and see what happens Anyway - hope this helps! Thanks again for being my guinea pig Charles, and everyone else for chiming in with your helpful comments! 8) P.S. Charles, I would certainly love to see some pics if you feel like sending them my way. Hi Everyone – firstly, let me apologize for the delay responding! Thanks everyone for chiming in. I appreciate the feedback. I have recorded and published my next audio post (using an offsite service this time around) and I lowered the volume settings. Hopefully I won’t blast anyone’s eardrums out this time (also let me know if the new one [that talks about 'white lice'] is too quiet – I just saw Kevin’s follow-up comment now].
:-)

CHARLES – Thanks for the additional info. I think for sure that we are dealing here with either too much heat or conditions that are simply too dry. Even in shade, I would think that a system like this sitting in a garbage can (little air flow to help reduce heating) would get too hot for worms. If it was constantly at the ‘wrung-out-spunge’ level of moisture I would think the worms would be fine (this is not actually the optimal moisture level for composting worms, but it would certainly be enough to keep them alive). As for the spiders and earwigs, I highly doubt they killed off your worms since they typically feed on other creatures/materials.

One thing I didn’t mention yet – I would definitely NOT get rid of the material (assuming you haven’t done so already). You may be able to get your population to bounce back for you, assuming the weather has cooled off a bit. Just keep adding some waste materials and moisture and see what happens

Anyway – hope this helps!
Thanks again for being my guinea pig Charles, and everyone else for chiming in with your helpful comments!
8)

P.S. Charles, I would certainly love to see some pics if you feel like sending them my way.

]]> By: Pam J. http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22721 Pam J. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:58:18 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-22721 Loved the audiocast! Do more, do more. Loved the audiocast! Do more, do more.

]]> By: Alvaro http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22677 Alvaro Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:46:46 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-22677 With a El Niño in a peak, here in Colombia, my worms, in an outdoor hanging big-bag, requires a lot of care...I have a permanent garden thermometer, pH paper strip meter, and a holed flexible pipe to remove excessive water and aireation also...In my freezer I have a cold water bottle, to reduce heat if necessary by put into. The top-covered hanging bag avoid spiders, ants, and a lot of bugs, away form my worms... Now, with Audio-responses, they will begin English classes!...Bilingual (English-Spanish) worms...Huh?. With a El Niño in a peak, here in Colombia, my worms, in an outdoor hanging big-bag, requires a lot of care…I have a permanent garden thermometer, pH paper strip meter, and a holed flexible pipe to remove excessive water and aireation also…In my freezer I have a cold water bottle, to reduce heat if necessary by put into. The top-covered hanging bag avoid spiders, ants, and a lot of bugs, away form my worms… Now, with Audio-responses, they will begin English classes!…Bilingual (English-Spanish) worms…Huh?.

]]> By: Melody in Sacramento http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22654 Melody in Sacramento Mon, 12 Oct 2009 01:55:16 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-22654 Loved the audio - new to vermicomposting, but have an indoor system, and the worms seem happy. I would be terrified to find black widows in my bin, but I keep in moist, and it's inside, so glad to hear that's unlikely! Keep recording! Loved the audio – new to vermicomposting, but have an indoor system, and the worms seem happy. I would be terrified to find black widows in my bin, but I keep in moist, and it’s inside, so glad to hear that’s unlikely! Keep recording!

]]> By: Mary http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22652 Mary Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:06:18 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-22652 I really like the audio post. You're truly a techno - wormie geek! :) I really like the audio post. You’re truly a techno – wormie geek! :)

]]> By: Kevin http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22643 Kevin Sat, 10 Oct 2009 20:15:24 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-22643 Wow, I retract my comment about the audio volume. I forgot to check the volume level of my music player which obviously is different than the embedded audio player on your site. My itunes was set to half volume. So ignore my comment, the audio volume was fine :) Wow, I retract my comment about the audio volume. I forgot to check the volume level of my music player which obviously is different than the embedded audio player on your site. My itunes was set to half volume. So ignore my comment, the audio volume was fine :)

]]> By: Su407 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22631 Su407 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:09:17 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-22631 Audio post is great! It's feel better, I don't know if we can go for Sgype or not? Thanks Audio post is great!
It’s feel better, I don’t know if we can go for Sgype or not?
Thanks

]]> By: Candin http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22628 Candin Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:12:17 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-22628 I forgot, love the audio post Bentley! Candin I forgot, love the audio post Bentley!

Candin

]]> By: Candin http://www.redwormcomposting.com/reader-questions/i-murdered-my-worms/comment-page-1/#comment-22627 Candin Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:08:22 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1345#comment-22627 IF anyone is concerned about acid beds, I can save you some time. The pH meters I purchased locally never worked. I ordered a Kelway PHD meter and it works great. I thought my outdoor open ground beds were alkaline (lots of limestone rocks) and they ended up at 6.6-7.0. PS: about 1.5 inches and lots of rain and the tarps held it off the beds. Still a little crawling just up and on the edges of the plywood cover but that is becoming more common with all the rain we had lately. Candin IF anyone is concerned about acid beds, I can save you some time. The pH meters I purchased locally never worked. I ordered a Kelway PHD meter and it works great. I thought my outdoor open ground beds were alkaline (lots of limestone rocks) and they ended up at 6.6-7.0.

PS: about 1.5 inches and lots of rain and the tarps held it off the beds. Still a little crawling just up and on the edges of the plywood cover but that is becoming more common with all the rain we had lately.

Candin

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