Comments on: The Creepy Pants Vermicomposter http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Thu, 28 Aug 2008 23:14:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-7398 Bentley Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:34:15 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-7398 Hi Susan, Sorry for the delay responding. There are certainly lots of possibilities when it comes to setting up cloth funnel vermicomposters. My only concern with keeping one on the ground is that the point of contact will likely rot a lot more quickly than the rest of the pants (assuming it is not a synthetic material). Anyway, keep us posted on your "global worming" efforts! 8) Hi Susan,
Sorry for the delay responding.
There are certainly lots of possibilities when it comes to setting up cloth funnel vermicomposters.
My only concern with keeping one on the ground is that the point of contact will likely rot a lot more quickly than the rest of the pants (assuming it is not a synthetic material).

Anyway, keep us posted on your “global worming” efforts!
8)

]]> By: Susan http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-7359 Susan Fri, 30 May 2008 19:25:28 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-7359 Something I noticed from Debbie's link to the Australian gardening site. The bag/pants don't have to be hung from something. You can set them on the ground. I'm thinking if you leave them in a container with a little water at the bottom (at least to begin with) you won't have to worry about them every day. As the system gets fuller, you just water the top. I'm hoping to expand my 'global worming' as they reproduce and thought about cutting off the pants legs, so you have two individual 'bins' and neither will be quite as heave, then propping them up in a garbage pail. I also think the harvesting will be a 2 person job, one to untie the bottom and keep it over the collecting container one to manually control how much can get out. Whoops, now that I think about it, just lie the thing on it's side! Something I noticed from Debbie’s link to the Australian gardening site. The bag/pants don’t have to be hung from something. You can set them on the ground. I’m thinking if you leave them in a container with a little water at the bottom (at least to begin with) you won’t have to worry about them every day. As the system gets fuller, you just water the top.

I’m hoping to expand my ‘global worming’ as they reproduce and thought about cutting off the pants legs, so you have two individual ‘bins’ and neither will be quite as heave, then propping them up in a garbage pail.

I also think the harvesting will be a 2 person job, one to untie the bottom and keep it over the collecting container one to manually control how much can get out. Whoops, now that I think about it, just lie the thing on it’s side!

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-7303 Bentley Mon, 26 May 2008 14:25:44 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-7303 Hi Robyn, Thanks for the update! Sounds like you've really taken the idea and run with it. Way to go! I'll definitely be interested to hear how your synthetic funnel system works out for you. Pull strings are definitely a lot easier than cable ties, at least in terms of releasing the material from the bottom. Speaking of which, I suspect that when the ties are released it will be a bit of a delicate maneuver to get the castings out. I will likely keep a tight grip and release a little at a time. I'm sure most of the bedding at the bottom will come out basically intact (since I don't think too much moisture is getting down there), but that's ok. This bedding is mainly just there to absorb moisture early on when the fresh materials are a lot closer to the bottom. By the time everything is up out of the legs into the main compartment, the lower regions will likely remain fairly dry anyway so bedding won't be needed. B Hi Robyn,
Thanks for the update! Sounds like you’ve really taken the idea and run with it. Way to go!

I’ll definitely be interested to hear how your synthetic funnel system works out for you. Pull strings are definitely a lot easier than cable ties, at least in terms of releasing the material from the bottom.

Speaking of which, I suspect that when the ties are released it will be a bit of a delicate maneuver to get the castings out. I will likely keep a tight grip and release a little at a time. I’m sure most of the bedding at the bottom will come out basically intact (since I don’t think too much moisture is getting down there), but that’s ok. This bedding is mainly just there to absorb moisture early on when the fresh materials are a lot closer to the bottom. By the time everything is up out of the legs into the main compartment, the lower regions will likely remain fairly dry anyway so bedding won’t be needed.

B

]]> By: Robyn http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-7288 Robyn Mon, 26 May 2008 02:07:31 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-7288 Hi Bentley, Well it's been almost 2 months since I set up my bin and today I harvested quite a bit of vermicast and my worms seemed happy as could be. I was nervous to do it since I wasn't sure what to expect. I haven't heard a peep from them since I put them in there :) The separation/sorting process was rather tedious though. Also, I loved the creepy pants idea and designed my own system using your idea of synthetic material. I had some scraps of Supplex (kind of a fake Gore-tex material), so I sewed together basically a big bag, open at the top (using a variation of the woman's system in the video) with 4 loops sewn at the top which are attached to bungee cords. Then I have a pull string at the bottom where I can release the vermicast - similar to your cable ties. I then put some newspaper and egg carton cardboard material at the bottom to absorb the moisture, then some food scraps, then the worms from my bin and the rest of what wasn't digested from the bin as well as more food scraps that had been sitting for a couple weeks. I then added a layer of fresh bedding at the top and watered it all down. Now it's cooking. Based on your example and the video, I'm wondering what will keep all the material from falling out when the cords are released at the bottom. Also, I understand the why bedding is placed at the bottom initially, but this will fall out when the castings are released and it will be difficult to replace it - is this a concern? Thanks for any thoughts and advice, Robyn Hi Bentley,
Well it’s been almost 2 months since I set up my bin and today I harvested quite a bit of vermicast and my worms seemed happy as could be. I was nervous to do it since I wasn’t sure what to expect. I haven’t heard a peep from them since I put them in there :)
The separation/sorting process was rather tedious though.

Also, I loved the creepy pants idea and designed my own system using your idea of synthetic material. I had some scraps of Supplex (kind of a fake Gore-tex material), so I sewed together basically a big bag, open at the top (using a variation of the woman’s system in the video) with 4 loops sewn at the top which are attached to bungee cords. Then I have a pull string at the bottom where I can release the vermicast - similar to your cable ties. I then put some newspaper and egg carton cardboard material at the bottom to absorb the moisture, then some food scraps, then the worms from my bin and the rest of what wasn’t digested from the bin as well as more food scraps that had been sitting for a couple weeks. I then added a layer of fresh bedding at the top and watered it all down. Now it’s cooking.

Based on your example and the video, I’m wondering what will keep all the material from falling out when the cords are released at the bottom. Also, I understand the why bedding is placed at the bottom initially, but this will fall out when the castings are released and it will be difficult to replace it - is this a concern?
Thanks for any thoughts and advice,
Robyn

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6953 Bentley Sun, 04 May 2008 19:09:20 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6953 Hi Debbie Thanks for the kind words, and for sharing that article! I hadn't heard of a worm pouch before - thats pretty cool! It looks as though it might let in a lot of light though - I'd prefer something darker or at least thicker. B Hi Debbie
Thanks for the kind words, and for sharing that article!
I hadn’t heard of a worm pouch before - thats pretty cool! It looks as though it might let in a lot of light though - I’d prefer something darker or at least thicker.

B

]]> By: Debbie http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6951 Debbie Sun, 04 May 2008 19:05:18 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6951 Hi there! I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying your very informative website. So much that it’s a regular part of my Google Blog Reader. I’ve had a worm farm since January, and it’s great to get all of your tips and stories here. I came across this in the Gardening Australia TV Show’s website, and it brought to mind your Creepy Pants Composter. They suggest putting it near a tree for the constant fertilizer and also the moisture can go straight near a tree. http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2169792.htm Thanks again for your website! -Debbie Hi there! I just wanted to say how much I am enjoying your very informative website. So much that it’s a regular part of my Google Blog Reader. I’ve had a worm farm since January, and it’s great to get all of your tips and stories here. I came across this in the Gardening Australia TV Show’s website, and it brought to mind your Creepy Pants Composter. They suggest putting it near a tree for the constant fertilizer and also the moisture can go straight near a tree.

http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s2169792.htm

Thanks again for your website!

-Debbie

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6866 Bentley Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:26:37 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6866 Hi Patricia, If your pants system is outside it will definitely need to be water regularly (likely daily during warm weather) - more than a regular worm bin for sure, and perhaps even more than an exposed compost heap (haven't compared these, so not sure about that). Hi Patricia,
If your pants system is outside it will definitely need to be water regularly (likely daily during warm weather) - more than a regular worm bin for sure, and perhaps even more than an exposed compost heap (haven’t compared these, so not sure about that).

]]> By: Patricia http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6859 Patricia Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:24:15 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6859 Love the pants idea. I am going to try it using my 7 yrs old jeans just in case I do something wrong. Would you figure it would need to be watered as much or less than a regular pile? Love the pants idea. I am going to try it using my 7 yrs old jeans just in case I do something wrong. Would you figure it would need to be watered as much or less than a regular pile?

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6851 Bentley Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:00:41 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6851 Thanks guys! The only thing I forgot to make mention of is the fact that jeans are biodegradable, so I may see some fungal growth on the walls of the system, and of course the pants will also eventually breakdown. As such, a system like this might be better suited for an outdoor location. Using old nylon 'wind pants' or workout pants might work well too, and will avoid the potential pitfalls of having the system decompose inside your house. :lol: Anyway, lots of progress reports to come! Thanks guys!
The only thing I forgot to make mention of is the fact that jeans are biodegradable, so I may see some fungal growth on the walls of the system, and of course the pants will also eventually breakdown. As such, a system like this might be better suited for an outdoor location. Using old nylon ‘wind pants’ or workout pants might work well too, and will avoid the potential pitfalls of having the system decompose inside your house.
:lol:

Anyway, lots of progress reports to come!

]]> By: Jeff http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6840 Jeff Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:42:15 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-bins/the-creepy-pants-vermicomposter/#comment-6840 OK Bentley I am seeing it all now!! HAHA Great idea! it is going to work great, There is no reason why it shouldn't work.. Jeff OK Bentley

I am seeing it all now!! HAHA

Great idea! it is going to work great,

There is no reason why it shouldn’t work..

Jeff

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