Comments on: How Many Worms Is Enough? http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/ Red Wiggler Worms, European Nightcrawlers and loads of helpful Worm Composting Information Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:59:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Sherry http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8934 Sherry Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:16:08 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8934 "An entire worm population could literally be started with a single (viable) cocoon if you didn’t mind waiting! Hey, that sounds like an interesting experiment!" LOL.........I sense updates on a new experiment in the near future!!! “An entire worm population could literally be started with a single (viable) cocoon if you didn’t mind waiting! Hey, that sounds like an interesting experiment!”

LOL………I sense updates on a new experiment in the near future!!!

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8915 Bentley Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:56:36 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8915 Sounds good Sherry - I'd recommend adding lots of shredded newsprint or cardboard bedding as well. These seem to help stimulate reproduction. Susan - you are certainly right, and you seem to be one of the "patient" people who enjoys taking your time with vermicomposting. An entire worm population could literally be started with a single (viable) cocoon if you didn't mind waiting! Hey, that sounds like an interesting experiment! ;-) Sounds good Sherry - I’d recommend adding lots of shredded newsprint or cardboard bedding as well. These seem to help stimulate reproduction.

Susan - you are certainly right, and you seem to be one of the “patient” people who enjoys taking your time with vermicomposting.
An entire worm population could literally be started with a single (viable) cocoon if you didn’t mind waiting! Hey, that sounds like an interesting experiment!
;-)

]]> By: Susan http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8892 Susan Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:00:03 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8892 There seem to be multiple definitions for 'starting small'. I went to a workshop that started us each off with 1 oz of worms in a plastic planting pot that probably holds about 3/4 of a gallon. I splurged and got 3 oz. It was slow going, but 7 months later I have more than a pound. They still don't eat everything I produce, but that will come. I guess I'm doing the 'minimalist' and 'frugal' style of vermicomposting. :-) I've been able to start 4 friends with a few oz. each along the way. I can easily tolerate giving away a few oz. I wouldn't want to give away a half a pound. Cut the top off of a plastic container for a gallon of milk and poke a few holes in the bottom. Set on an old plate or folger's can lid and lay another lid over the top. When it's that small, the other critters can't take over before the worms are established. There seem to be multiple definitions for ’starting small’. I went to a workshop that started us each off with 1 oz of worms in a plastic planting pot that probably holds about 3/4 of a gallon. I splurged and got 3 oz. It was slow going, but 7 months later I have more than a pound. They still don’t eat everything I produce, but that will come. I guess I’m doing the ‘minimalist’ and ‘frugal’ style of vermicomposting. :-) I’ve been able to start 4 friends with a few oz. each along the way. I can easily tolerate giving away a few oz. I wouldn’t want to give away a half a pound.

Cut the top off of a plastic container for a gallon of milk and poke a few holes in the bottom. Set on an old plate or folger’s can lid and lay another lid over the top. When it’s that small, the other critters can’t take over before the worms are established.

]]> By: Sherry http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8891 Sherry Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:57:55 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8891 Hi Bentley, I took all of the worms out of my bin with the mites (they're relieved!) and put them in another. I then took a chunk of styrofoam and divided my bin some more. There should be a huge difference now in future population, now! And they don't have to wander to look for someone when they get the urge! Hi Bentley,
I took all of the worms out of my bin with the mites (they’re relieved!) and put them in another. I then took a chunk of styrofoam and divided my bin some more. There should be a huge difference now in future population, now! And they don’t have to wander to look for someone when they get the urge!

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8890 Bentley Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:58:50 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8890 Wow - this really seems to be a popular topic of discussion. Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts. Jill - you've made some excellent points! When someone is thinking about starting up their own worm farming business I almost always recommend starting small (although starting small in that case could mean 5 lbs of worms instead of 100 lbs). Great to hear that you were able to build your population up like that. Should be interesting to see how many worms you have by NEXT year! 8) Wow - this really seems to be a popular topic of discussion. Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts.

Jill - you’ve made some excellent points! When someone is thinking about starting up their own worm farming business I almost always recommend starting small (although starting small in that case could mean 5 lbs of worms instead of 100 lbs). Great to hear that you were able to build your population up like that. Should be interesting to see how many worms you have by NEXT year!
8)

]]> By: Jill http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8886 Jill Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:29:49 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8886 I started with one pound of worms last August in a small home made bin and estimate I have around 10-12 pounds now in a wigwam. The great thing I found by starting small was it gave me lots of time to plan and research what was best to do next. I am starting a small business for castings, and my slow moving worms gave me plenty of time to take classes, talk to others, read books about it, etc., etc. I started with one pound of worms last August in a small home made bin and estimate I have around 10-12 pounds now in a wigwam.

The great thing I found by starting small was it gave me lots of time to plan and research what was best to do next. I am starting a small business for castings, and my slow moving worms gave me plenty of time to take classes, talk to others, read books about it, etc., etc.

]]> By: Karen http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8852 Karen Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:54:14 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8852 I started a small worm bin about two months ago with a small container and not too many worms (around 1 lb). I have been disappointed with their slow progress and keep rooting for them to reproduce since they're not keeping up with how much I am feeding them. I didn't realize how much food waste I was throwing out before but it is a lot more than I thought! I haven't noticed any odors or other problems (besides some ants) so I have been just letting them be. I think your post convinced me to just buy more worms to get the results I want!! I started a small worm bin about two months ago with a small container and not too many worms (around 1 lb). I have been disappointed with their slow progress and keep rooting for them to reproduce since they’re not keeping up with how much I am feeding them. I didn’t realize how much food waste I was throwing out before but it is a lot more than I thought! I haven’t noticed any odors or other problems (besides some ants) so I have been just letting them be. I think your post convinced me to just buy more worms to get the results I want!!

]]> By: L.Bo Marie http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8851 L.Bo Marie Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:27:56 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8851 so.. all that said... "starting small" assuming a regular rubbermaid bin was the home... would be 1/2lb? on the vermicomposting forum someone thought that around 2lbs would be about right for numbers in a bin...(used some formula?) hmmmm.... I like the nursery idea... so.. all that said… “starting small” assuming a regular rubbermaid bin was the home… would be 1/2lb? on the vermicomposting forum someone thought that around 2lbs would be about right for numbers in a bin…(used some formula?)

hmmmm…. I like the nursery idea…

]]> By: Bentley http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8831 Bentley Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:54:22 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8831 Thanks everyone for chiming in! Clearly this is a topic that gets people's attention! Sherry, my nursery idea would definitely require more than simply dumping each bin into the next, so it would require some work (separating worms each time) for sure. You would want to leave all the material/cocoons in each bin after the worms have gone to work in it so it could then become a worm nursery. You'd obviously lose some of your adults in each of the bins, but I would imagine you'd still be able to separate quite a few from your final bin (assuming you didn't just leave them in that one) B Thanks everyone for chiming in! Clearly this is a topic that gets people’s attention!

Sherry, my nursery idea would definitely require more than simply dumping each bin into the next, so it would require some work (separating worms each time) for sure. You would want to leave all the material/cocoons in each bin after the worms have gone to work in it so it could then become a worm nursery. You’d obviously lose some of your adults in each of the bins, but I would imagine you’d still be able to separate quite a few from your final bin (assuming you didn’t just leave them in that one)

B

]]> By: vermiman http://www.redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/how-many-worms-is-enough/#comment-8827 vermiman Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:59:52 +0000 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/?p=209#comment-8827 When starting small, I would suggest that the container be started small which should allow the worms to find each other easier. When starting small, I would suggest that the container be started small which should allow the worms to find each other easier.

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