Comments on: Fall Worm Bed Maintenance

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 14:43:35 +0000

Bentley,

Thanks for the tips on protection. I started a mini worm bed six months ago and it is absolutely teaming with wrigglers, using wet garbage only, grass clippings, etc. I’ve expanded the area twice. It is now 4 ft by 6 ft. As we are entering into fall/winter, I came across your site for protection advice. Thanks again!

By: David

David — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:21:03 +0000

My vermicomposting bins in the garage frozen this winter and I fear I’ve lost my full colony. I’m hopeful given your cocoon comment in the article, or I will need to buy new worms in the spring. My question is if I need to toss everything out and start anew. Or can simply introdruce the new worms into the old bin and let them pick up where their dead cousins unfortunately left off — including consuming the carcases of the deceased worms?

Thanks, David

By: Patricia

Patricia — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:23:30 +0000

Thanks Bentley. Maybe need to try some new adventures with worms. The straw bale idea was great.

By: Bentley

Bentley — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:52:09 +0000

Sorry for delay folks!

ANDREW – You are absolutely right – it is FAR easier to kill worms with overfeeding than it is with underfeeding! Once the worms consume all the food scraps they will happily proceed to eat all the bedding as well. I have literally abandoned systems for weeks and months, and the worms probably did better as a result!
😆

————

PATRICIA – Wow, I can’t believe you were ready to give up on worms! I definitely understand what you are saying about harvesting though. It can sure take a long time when you don’t have the fancy equipment. Anyway, next time you are bummed out about worming just send me an email and I’ll help to cheer you up!
🙂

By: Patricia

Patricia — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:24:35 +0000

Really enjoyed this article. I had just about been ready to give up on worms all together for several reasons. I was having too much luck with my worms and I couldn’t harvest fast enough because I don’t have a harvester and do all my work by hand picking and sifting. Although I enjoy it, it is hard to devote that many hours to “sitting around playing with worms” as my husband says. Worms were getting small and thin so my last harvest I condensed into old recycling bins which are moveable and much more manageable. Getting down to freezing in the mornings (southern California) so I can cover them alot easier too. I do have to add that my castings were BEAUTIFUL this year. Thanks as always Bentley. Moral for today: Bigger is not always better.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:57:20 +0000

I called my ‘insurance policy’ bin the worm ark. I used a paper egg carton, put it in a small container, scooped in a bit of overripe avocado & 2 mature worms in each egg cup and covered everything with ecosystem mix (including cocoons). All went well and more cocoons were produced until I mistakenly added a too large portion of pineapple. Fortunately I caught the mistake in time and saved most of the worms. I’ll rebuild the ark and be certain to err on the side of underfeeding. I sense it’s hard to starve worms, but very easy to overfeed them.

By: Bentley

Bentley — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:38:16 +0000

Thanks for chiming in with your experiences everybody! Fun to hear about composting conditions in other locations.

HEATHER – glad to hear that the trench systems (or at least ‘in-ground’ beds) are working well for you!
8)

By: Heather

Heather — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:25:35 +0000

Thanks, Bentley, for all the information you give us–it really helps to hear others experiences. I have one in ground outdoor bin up and running smoothly, and another 2 to get going. I checked my working bin and the worms are really big and fat and I have tons and tons of cocoons.

I am starting with lots of horse stall waste, with fall leaves added on top. I placed black cloth weedblock, with aerated holes in it on top of all that. We are a lot warmer down here in Texas, and I am hoping for a successful run in the outdoor trenches this winter. Texas summer heat may be a different story, but we will address that heatwave when we get to it!

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:33:14 +0000

I am in England too – in the North West (near Manchester, sort of). I have moved my worm bins inside, but I have a fairly big population in my aged compost heap. I am feeding them with quality blended worm food and they seem fine. I am a bit worried for later in the year … but I shoudld be okay as I now have 3 quite big wormeries in my garage, plus one smaller one and two recently set up “trays”!! They certainly are breeding well.
mark

By: Angie Hill

Angie Hill — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:58:57 +0000

Hey! It’s been so mild here in the English Midlands I’ve been wearing a Tee shirt during the day! (Chilly at night and in the mornings though…but hardly a frost yet). My worms are still working well, and happy and I’ve not had to wrap them up yet. I have a can-o-worms in my garden at home. It consists of three separate layers, perforated so they can move up and down between food and bedding. Your pic of frost made me shiver! Any time now I reckon…but this warm weather is silly. This year we’ve had Autumn in Summer…and Summer in Autumn! Birds, insects, frogs, flowers and I are confused!