Comments on: From Bad to Worse - Sour Worm Bin Decline http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/from-bad-to-worse-sour-worm-bin-decline/ Worm composting (vermicomposting) guide | Information about setting up & maintaining a thriving worm bin or larger vermicomposting system Fri, 16 May 2008 07:12:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/from-bad-to-worse-sour-worm-bin-decline/#comment-6982 Bentley Wed, 07 May 2008 02:45:19 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/from-bad-to-worse-sour-worm-bin-decline/#comment-6982 Hi Thomas, Thanks for sharing your experience. Sorry to hear you ended up turned off of vermicomposting altogether - but I'm glad you decided to give it another go. Your idea for getting rid of mites sounds interesting. I'd be interested to her how well it works for you (should you end up with another mite infestation) B Hi Thomas,
Thanks for sharing your experience. Sorry to hear you ended up turned off of vermicomposting altogether - but I’m glad you decided to give it another go.
Your idea for getting rid of mites sounds interesting. I’d be interested to her how well it works for you (should you end up with another mite infestation)

B

]]> By: Thomas http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/from-bad-to-worse-sour-worm-bin-decline/#comment-6956 Thomas Sun, 04 May 2008 22:45:24 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/from-bad-to-worse-sour-worm-bin-decline/#comment-6956 After reading your article "From Bad to Worse - Sour Worm Bin Decline", I was stunned. I had the same thing happen to me and was never able to get things back to normal. I had to vacuum, at least, the same amount of mites as pictured (usually more) off the kitchen floor, twice a day. I tried all the written suggestions of how to rid the worm bin of mite infestation (yes, I even torched them) but none worked - once they got up to that large of a population it was impossible to bring it down. After having Eisenia fetida for about four years I gave away the compost to someone with a garden and stopped vermin'. About a month ago I started again - this time with Eisenia hortensis (Euro's) and I am hoping I don't end up with the same mite problem - but if I do - I have one more trick up my sleeve. I am now using a cotton towel on top of the bedding instead of plastic or cardboard as I did in the past. If I end up with a mite infestation again, I will let them cover the towel - put the towel in a bucket - pour boiling water over it and let it sit. I will then lay my back-up towel on the bedding and continue the procedure until the mites have diminished to a number "I" consider tolerable. Wish me luck. My worms never seemed to mind the mites but I was disgusted with the whole proposition. I also had a problem with excess water on the bottom of the bins that I was forever soaking up with dry bedding. This time I have drilled drainage holes in the bottom of the bins (only one bin has been set up) and I am being mindful of the moisture content in the food scraps I am adding. Regards, Thomas After reading your article “From Bad to Worse - Sour Worm Bin Decline”, I was stunned. I had the same thing happen to me and was never able to get things back to normal. I had to vacuum, at least, the same amount of mites as pictured (usually more) off the kitchen floor, twice a day. I tried all the written suggestions of how to rid the worm bin of mite infestation (yes, I even torched them) but none worked - once they got up to that large of a population it was impossible to bring it down. After having Eisenia fetida for about four years I gave away the compost to someone with a garden and stopped vermin’.
About a month ago I started again - this time with Eisenia hortensis (Euro’s) and I am hoping I don’t end up with the same mite problem - but if I do - I have one more trick up my sleeve. I am now using a cotton towel on top of the bedding instead of plastic or cardboard as I did in the past. If I end up with a mite infestation again, I will let them cover the towel - put the towel in a bucket - pour boiling water over it and let it sit. I will then lay my back-up towel on the bedding and continue the procedure until the mites have diminished to a number “I” consider tolerable. Wish me luck. My worms never seemed to mind the mites but I was disgusted with the whole proposition.
I also had a problem with excess water on the bottom of the bins that I was forever soaking up with dry bedding. This time I have drilled drainage holes in the bottom of the bins (only one bin has been set up) and I am being mindful of the moisture content in the food scraps I am adding.
Regards, Thomas

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