Comments on: Mark’s OSCR – 12-04-09 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/ 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: Mark from Kansas http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26441 Mark from Kansas Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:25:36 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26441 Hey Eric! I only purchased 4000 worms. To populate the flow thru, I took the 4000 worms and added them to 4 - BOM 6000 after a few months I started to see a lot of cocoons. I then harvested the BOMs of worms added that to my flow thru, I then waited and baited the finished VC, and then added all of those babies. It did take some time and that time I took to wait, I spent it researching. Matt, I like your website. I also thought it was cool of you to test your products before you marketed them. Bentley, An octogon shaped flow thru? I may have to write to Larry about that one. Hey Eric!
I only purchased 4000 worms. To populate the flow thru, I took the 4000 worms and added them to 4 – BOM 6000 after a few months I started to see a lot of cocoons. I then harvested the BOMs of worms added that to my flow thru, I then waited and baited the finished VC,
and then added all of those babies. It did take some time and that time I took to wait, I spent it researching.

Matt,
I like your website. I also thought it was cool of you to test your products before you marketed them.

Bentley,
An octogon shaped flow thru? I may have to write to Larry about that one.

]]> By: Eric Wichert http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26438 Eric Wichert Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:44:17 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26438 The reason I ask is i do not have the money to purchase a large quantity at this time. I was hoping they would be fruitful and multiply in a reasonable time period. I am hoping to build a similar OSCR as Mark from Kansas did. What happens if you put too few worms in a large worm bin? It seems to be a dumb question but on (http://dirtmaker.com/14sqft_wormbin_manual.html) they make a comment that too few is not good. Sorry about the continuous questions I am really excited about this... The reason I ask is i do not have the money to purchase a large quantity at this time. I was hoping they would be fruitful and multiply in a reasonable time period. I am hoping to build a similar OSCR as Mark from Kansas did.

What happens if you put too few worms in a large worm bin? It seems to be a dumb question but on (http://dirtmaker.com/14sqft_wormbin_manual.html) they make a comment that too few is not good.

Sorry about the continuous questions I am really excited about this…

]]> By: Matthew Wilson http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26437 Matthew Wilson Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:28:47 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26437 Bentley, That reminds me. I had a lady from Las Vegas call me and order some worms awhile back. She said that she had to have them the next day, so I had them overnighted. I asked her what she wanted them for since it seemed odd anyway. She said, "We are having a party tomorrow and we wanted to have a worm race." That is the weirdest thing I have had someone order worms for. Eric, I am sure Bentley is going to add his input here but you can have a lot of little worms in about 40ish days. It takes them another 90-100 days to become breeders. Actual numbers can vary widely, little changes can have big impacts in my experience. Bentley, That reminds me.

I had a lady from Las Vegas call me and order some worms awhile back. She said that she had to have them the next day, so I had them overnighted. I asked her what she wanted them for since it seemed odd anyway. She said, “We are having a party tomorrow and we wanted to have a worm race.”

That is the weirdest thing I have had someone order worms for.

Eric, I am sure Bentley is going to add his input here but you can have a lot of little worms in about 40ish days. It takes them another 90-100 days to become breeders. Actual numbers can vary widely, little changes can have big impacts in my experience.

]]> By: Eric Wichert http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26435 Eric Wichert Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:34:33 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26435 If I purchased 1 pound of red worms and they are in an "ideal" environment how fast would that 1 pound of worms grow, multiply, etc.? If I purchased 1 pound of red worms and they are in an “ideal” environment how fast would that 1 pound of worms grow, multiply, etc.?

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26434 Bentley Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:52:55 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26434 "Maybe we would find out which worm would win in a fight " :lol: Ultimate Worm Fighting! I can just see it now - there will be mini "Octagons" springing up in the basements of seedy bars around the world once the word (worm?) gets out! “Maybe we would find out which worm would win in a fight ”
:lol:

Ultimate Worm Fighting! I can just see it now – there will be mini “Octagons” springing up in the basements of seedy bars around the world once the word (worm?) gets out!

]]> By: Matthew Wilson http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26431 Matthew Wilson Fri, 13 Aug 2010 02:40:21 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26431 Bentley, "Cite your site." Haha, what a potential pun. Mark, I find that very interesting that the compost was uniform throughout. I guess not a huge surprise though since most composting happens near the surface anyhow. Hey, maybe one of us should do an experiment involving euros, reds, and africans nightcrawlers all in the same bin. Maybe we would find out which worm would win in a fight :lol: Bentley, “Cite your site.” Haha, what a potential pun.

Mark, I find that very interesting that the compost was uniform throughout. I guess not a huge surprise though since most composting happens near the surface anyhow.

Hey, maybe one of us should do an experiment involving euros, reds, and africans nightcrawlers all in the same bin. Maybe we would find out which worm would win in a fight :lol:

]]> By: Mark from Kansas http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26430 Mark from Kansas Fri, 13 Aug 2010 02:05:14 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26430 Here is what I found out when I emptied out my flow thru last spring. The VC was consistent from top to bottom, 60% of the worms were on top 6 inches, 15% were in the mid section and 25% of the worms were in the bottom 4 inches. The bottom 4 inches seemed to be an ideal environment due to the available air source and collected moisture. When I screened out the entire bin, I only found 2 or 3 banana stickers. When I laid all of my tubs of VC next to each other, I could not tell which tub of VC was from the top or bottom. Here is what I found out when I emptied out my flow thru last spring.
The VC was consistent from top to bottom, 60% of the worms were on top 6 inches,
15% were in the mid section and 25% of the worms were in the bottom 4 inches. The bottom 4 inches seemed to be an ideal environment due to the available air source and collected moisture. When I screened out the entire bin, I only found 2 or 3 banana stickers. When I laid all of my tubs of VC next to each other, I could not tell which tub of VC was from the top or bottom.

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26426 Bentley Thu, 12 Aug 2010 14:25:29 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26426 Thanks for the clarification, Matthew. All that you mentioned sounds totally on target. In my experience the Euros definitely love hanging out down further in the system, and they seem to be quite good at plowing through bedding materials, producing a really nice vermicast in the process. Out in the yard, I suspect that the Euros are mostly hanging out down further so I don't come across them nearly as much. Again, this has definitely made me curious to explore all this a bit more closely! Sorry about the no-editing ability - you need to share some of your ninja web development knowledge with me to get these sorts of things happening on the site! I can certainly edit it for you - but what's the fun in that? Oh, and I definitely appreciate you citing my site as a good resource :lol: Thanks for the clarification, Matthew. All that you mentioned sounds totally on target. In my experience the Euros definitely love hanging out down further in the system, and they seem to be quite good at plowing through bedding materials, producing a really nice vermicast in the process. Out in the yard, I suspect that the Euros are mostly hanging out down further so I don’t come across them nearly as much.
Again, this has definitely made me curious to explore all this a bit more closely!

Sorry about the no-editing ability – you need to share some of your ninja web development knowledge with me to get these sorts of things happening on the site! I can certainly edit it for you – but what’s the fun in that?
Oh, and I definitely appreciate you citing my site as a good resource
:lol:

]]> By: Matthew Wilson http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26425 Matthew Wilson Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:45:48 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26425 Crud no way to edit? cite=site haha oh well Crud no way to edit? cite=site haha oh well

]]> By: Matthew Wilson http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/marks-oscr-12-04-09/comment-page-1/#comment-26424 Matthew Wilson Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:42:46 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=1768#comment-26424 Hi Eric and Bentley, After some more experience with the mixed worms I do think it would be more accurate to reword that statement to reflect the following point. Both E fetida and E hortensis are top feeders but E fetida seems to be a top feeder only and will not eat food that gets mixed down more than 6". Whereas E hortensis will bury and eat much deeper cite (Bentley - Do Euros and Red Worms Get Along?) LOL. Thus since fiber breaks down slower and is more likely to be found deeper in the composting bins, having some euros in a system will likely produce a more completely composted end product. That is my theory but I have never tested it quantitatively. The red wiggler certainly will multiply quicker and overtime become more populous. And someone who was going to resale worms should definitely keep them separate. I keep my euro beds and red wiggler beds on different sides of the farm as well to ensure that they don't mix. Them silly rascals still somehow on occasion do though. Bentley, thanks for all. I use your cite for worm info all the time. I still at times feel like a total novice. Matthew Hi Eric and Bentley,
After some more experience with the mixed worms I do think it would be more accurate to reword that statement to reflect the following point. Both E fetida and E hortensis are top feeders but E fetida seems to be a top feeder only and will not eat food that gets mixed down more than 6″. Whereas E hortensis will bury and eat much deeper cite (Bentley – Do Euros and Red Worms Get Along?) LOL. Thus since fiber breaks down slower and is more likely to be found deeper in the composting bins, having some euros in a system will likely produce a more completely composted end product. That is my theory but I have never tested it quantitatively.

The red wiggler certainly will multiply quicker and overtime become more populous. And someone who was going to resale worms should definitely keep them separate. I keep my euro beds and red wiggler beds on different sides of the farm as well to ensure that they don’t mix. Them silly rascals still somehow on occasion do though.

Bentley, thanks for all. I use your cite for worm info all the time. I still at times feel like a total novice.

Matthew

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