Worm Composting Videos!

Bentley
#2. October 23rd, 2007, at 2:05 PM.

Great, Samantha!
Good luck with your new bin!

B.

Bentley
#4. October 25th, 2007, at 2:50 PM.

Hi Allen,
Thanks for stopping by!
Believe it or not I used pretty well the smallest Roughneck tub they have (think it’s 5 gallons or so). To be totally honest, that is not the size I would recommend others using. I simply like having tiny, easy-to-move bins. The downside is that they have a limited lifespan (before needing to be emptied and started ove) - also keep in my the fact that my bins are the “basic” version (see my videos page if you are unsure what I’m talking about).
You are definitely right about the risks of small bins - this is why I didn’t mention the size, and don’t recommend this size for newcomers. Something larger would work much better.

One other thing to mention - with larger bins a couple milk carton supports definitely won’t support the weight of the upper bin. You’ll need something stronger.

I’d definitely be interested to hear how you make out with the Alpaca manure!

B.

Bentley
#6. November 12th, 2007, at 9:30 PM.

Thanks Christina!
I totally understand your desire to follow the process all the way along. I realize I make everything look so straight-forward, but believe me I still run into problems myself! Aside from that, there are plenty of things I forgot to mention (or didn’t have time)
The hilarious thing is the two bins I set up for the videos ended up infested with fruit flies (still have not added worms yet)! haha
They are now outside (we’ve been having freezing temps over night recently)

Anyway, many more videos on the way - will actually be dedicating an entire site just to worm vids (good quality ones - not YouTube versions). More on that very soon!

B.

Bentley
#8. November 26th, 2007, at 12:19 PM.

Hi Wine Stained,
Some great questions (and I’m glad you found the site too!)

Tuna cans would definitely be more structurally sound (than milk carton sections) for a larger bin. Just make sure the top bin isn’t so far down that its sides are wedged against the sides of the reservoir bin. This will impede airflow. You may want to try larger cans instead, but you are definitely on the right track.

As for the liquid that collects in the bottom - while there has been some evidence to indicate that plain leachate (technical term for this sort of liquid) can be beneficial, it is widely thought that the best compost teas are 1) Aerated (oxygenated via an air pump) and 2) Made using high quality compost (not by collecting the liquid from partially decomposed materials).

Anaerobic (without oxygen) materials/liquids often contain compounds that can impede plant growth, but if you add these liquids (or composts that have been allowed to go anaerobic) to your garden they will become aerobic and harmful compounds will be broken down relatively quickly.

If you happen to have an aquarium air pump you might want to try aerating the liquid before using it.

As for landscape cloth under the lid, thats a cool idea for keeping them out (although the holes in the side of the bin will provide access), but if they hatch from inside, every time you feed the worms they will fly out anyway. The cloth should still allow a decent amount of oyxygen in. Landscape cloth at the bottom of the (upper) bin is also not a bad idea - would prevent the worms from crawling through your drainage holes.

Anyway, hope this helps!

Bentley
#10. January 2nd, 2008, at 6:51 AM.

Hi Jackie,
Thanks for popping by!
My favourite cardboard is the stuff used to make egg cartons and drink holders (from fast food restaurants and coffee shops). It absorbs water very effectively and very quickly, plus the worms just seem to plow right through it in no time. I also like corrugated cardboard as well, although it takes longer to absorb moisture (and longer to break down). It is best used for ‘false bottoms’ and other temporary structural elements (for example, the inside walls of my outdoor worm bin are lined with multiple layers of corrugated cardboard).

The cardboard/paper I avoid (and instead add to the recycling box) are those with a shiny colour finish. I’ve read that there can be heavy metals in some colour inks - not much, but if you add these materials over and over again I’m sure it can accumulate.
I don’t really use newsprint all that much anymore and I when I do, like yourself I tend to stick with the black and white pages only.

As for keeping worms cool, one obvious suggestion is to place your worm bin in a very shady spot, or at least create shade my setting up some sort of shelter. Also, having your worm bed partially or fully in-ground can help a lot. When it gets really hot the worms can move downward into cooler zones.

Great ideas re: new videos! I’ve been meaning to do a harvesting video, and I like the idea of showing people how often (and how) to feed - I think a lot of people get into trouble with worm bins due to overfeeding.

Regards,

Bentley