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1
January 3, 2012 9:53:49 AM PST
Hi,
Does anyone has some extra redworm for sale since I am starting a small compost and doesn't need a whole lb of worm.
Thanks
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2
January 6, 2012 9:09:33 AM PST
I need to add worms for my box. But don't need a full pound of them either. Do you want to split a lb. with me? Do you get them from the lady in Antelope?
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3
January 21, 2012 10:34:13 AM PST
My red worms seem to have "hibernated" for the winter...or worse. I moved them into the garage for warmth, but they don't seem to be very active.
Also, when I added a second tier to their bin last fall, they would not/could not migrate up. Any ideas?
Thanks.
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4
January 22, 2012 8:02:05 AM PST
pianogirl   said:
My red worms seem to have "hibernated" for the winter...or worse. I moved them into the garage for warmth, but they don't seem to be very active.
Also, when I added a second tier to their bin last fall, they would not/could not migrate up. Any ideas?
Thanks.
I had a similar problem as the weather got cooler, even though our worm bin's inside the house-- I moved the bin to a smaller bedroom and placed a portable heater in the opposite corner (set between 60 and 65) and they seem to be thriving. Not only are the worms multiplying, but they've more than doubled in size. The thermostat for the house is set to 65 at night and 67 during the day, evidently too cool for the worms. I thought we'd lost them at first...
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5
January 23, 2012 11:15:28 AM PST
I am having a similar issue. Back in July I brought my bin to the 'worm lady' to have a look-see. During her inspection, she saw that I had a good number of worms and said that they were doing fine. She then proceeded to clean up the second bin by refreshing everything in it, newspaper, veggies, and core. One week after I took it back home, I could see the worms being active and migrating up. However, that didn't last long, because I think I was overfeeding the bin.
My bin is placed in my guest bathroom shower, It started to breed flies. My wife was not very happy about that :o) I have reduced the amount of veggies to balance things out.
My worms stopped migrating up and returned to the first bin. I might have to add some heat in the bathroom as suggested by csgutz.. We don't have the heater on during the night, but the house stays at around 63F.
My other option is to buy more worms, but I really don't need a full lb.
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6
January 23, 2012 1:05:28 PM PST
I'm going to move my bin into a coat closet and hope for the best. I'm hoping they're not dead because that would be really stinky inside! I'll check them carefully for signs of life first.
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7
January 23, 2012 7:57:04 PM PST
garabato said:
My worms stopped migrating up and returned to the first bin. I might have to add some heat in the bathroom as suggested by csgutz.. We don't have the heater on during the night, but the house stays at around 63F.
It's probably warmer in the bottom bin and that's why your worms aren't migrating upward. My literature states that the ideal bedding temperature's between 60 and 80 degrees for optimum feeding and breeding conditions. If you have a soil thermometer you might check the bedding temperature in both trays as a comparison.
I'm finding that vermicomposting is a learning process, but I'm anxious to see the impact worm castings have on my vegetable garden this year.
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8
January 24, 2012 10:07:30 AM PST
Thanks! that totally makes sense... I think when it is not so cold, they travel to the second bin only to feed, and then return to the bottom bin when it gets colder (since the bottom one is full of compost and most likely more "homey" and warmer). Do you think placing a light bulb on top of the lid will encourage migration to the upper bin?
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9
January 24, 2012 10:42:48 AM PST
I've thought about using a light, and I believe the worm folks recommend it. But with small kids in the house, I haven't been able to figure out a way to do it safely. It's definitely worth a try.
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10
January 24, 2012 6:47:57 PM PST
I think placing a lamp w/ an incandescent bulb would generate some heat--- a small sun lamp bulb would work even better, but because worms are averse to light it's a good idea to place a thick layer of wet newspaper directly on top of the upper bedding tray. For safety, you could use a bracket to attach the heat lamp to the wall above the worm bin. That way, small kids couldn't reach it.
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11
January 25, 2012 9:37:34 AM PST
Sorry, not sure what a sun lamp bulb is. Is that a compact fluorescent lamp?
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12
January 26, 2012 8:01:17 AM PST
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13
January 26, 2012 2:25:06 PM PST
LOL they are a lot larger than I thought. Then this means that the lid will have to be removed and set aside. I will give this a try. Thanks... (hope my neighbors won't think that I am growing pot).
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14
January 26, 2012 3:57:35 PM PST
They have 3" bulbs, but the full size will likely be more effective. DON'T remove the lid to the worm bin when using the heat lamp, you don't want to disturb the worms and dry out the bedding. Place a good layer of dampened newspaper over the feeding tray, replace the lid and the lamp will provide sufficient heat to increase worm activity. It's important the heat lamp is placed far enough away from the worm bin so it just warms the worms, not cook them.
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15
January 29, 2012 8:23:16 PM PST
My light is all setup as you recommended. This afternoon I did a close inspection to get an idea of the worm population. There are only about 50 surviving worms... so I went from one lb with about 1,000 worms down to less than a handful. Hopefully these guys start getting busy in the warmer environment.
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16
January 29, 2012 8:47:20 PM PST
Very similar to what I experienced with my worms, it didn't even look like I had 50 left. Once I put them in a warmer environment I saw a huge difference--- very visible and active. Plus, they probably tripled in size. I'm getting ready to add a 3rd tier to see if they multiply even more. Be sure to add a good layer of wet newspaper over the upper bin. Please let us know if you see a difference.
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17
February 20, 2012 12:47:34 PM PST
The warmer environment with the light is having some positive effect. On sunny afternoons I have been taking the bin out to the backyard, then bring it back in when the sun sets. I can see that the worms are a little more active and have actually migrated up to the second tray.
I don't see a noticeably increase in population, but if they continue to be active, it will be just a matter of time before I get the population explosion. Fingers crossed.
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18
February 22, 2012 8:39:09 AM PST
The warmer weather should definitely help, I'd guess you'll see more worms in short order. I've been adding plenty of chopped veggie scraps and aerating the bedding around once a week--- seems to help. I've also found that putting dried eggshells in a Magic Bullet, grinding them to the consistency of table salt and then sprinkling the eggshells over the bedding is having a positive effect. Evidently, worms need grit to help with digestion. In the last couple weeks I've also seen a significant increase in worm activity in my outdoor compost bin. Spring's around the corner...
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19
February 22, 2012 6:46:40 PM PST
Sadly, I believe my worms have evaporated due to the cold. But I did get a two inch layer of castings to spread in my garden. I'm going to try with a new batch of worms and keep the bin inside a closet. Wish me luck!
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20
February 23, 2012 2:39:44 PM PST
how much do they cost? my chickens love worms.
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21
February 23, 2012 3:59:41 PM PST
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22
February 23, 2012 5:09:18 PM PST
A bait store or Sports Chalet sell regular worms in small containers. I think they are a lot cheaper than red wigglers.
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