wormcomposting

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by hedwig, Mar 15, 2007.

  1. hedwig

    hedwig Junior Member

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    As I mentioned that we need to build compost bins my husband said that he would like to convert the whole compost (garden and kitchen) into a worm farm.
    Why? He find earthworms fantastic.
    Is this really advisable? Or is it better to stick on the two systems?
    And: are there plans available how to build a good wormfarm? We've plenty of fence timber left over.
     
  2. Ramon

    Ramon Junior Member

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    Worm farms seem to be quicker than compost but it is amaizing how little you end up taking out. The worms eat the lot and I regularly throw a bucket of water in for them which washes most of the rest away. I saw a nice one built out of an old wheelie bin. Basically in at the top, plenty of small air vents, a hole cut out at the bottom pushed in to stop the earth falling down and a tap. I have a simple model worm farm which also works well. Just give them plenty of food and be prepared to wait until their numbers build up. I have been toying with the idea of running a drip system off the farm because having it run direct onto the garden would be convenient (if you are planning an on-ground farm then at least put it between a few trees. I also heard it is important to keep them cool on hot days (ice pack!!) - I just throw a bucket of water in. Keep one compost through for onions, citrus and the like or simply dig these directly into the garden.
     
  3. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    I've never heard of wood being used for worm composting. Woods with protective oils (cedar, eucalypts, etc) aren't good for the worms, and all the others rot with the constant moisture. Most of the units I've read about are plastic, fiberglass, concrete or stainless steel.

    Whichever, they need a drain to keep excess moisture from building up. Cover the inside of the drain with window screening so the worms and compost stay inside. Just let the 'worm tea' drain into a bucket, then dilute it (1 oz/30cc to 4 litres of water) and feed it to your plants.

    Worm compost may be too acid for the worms to thrive, so they may need a little dolomite limestone sprinkled onto the bedding periodically.

    If the bedding/food starts to stink, you may be feeding more than they can assimilate, esp when the setup is new and the worms are relatively few.

    Sue
     
  4. hedwig

    hedwig Junior Member

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    this is perhaps a problem: we all need heaps of compost and there is only little what comes out..
    I convinced ma husband making a normal compost bin and one for the worms. We've jet 3 polyterene boxes for the worms I don't know why he wants it differently.
     
  5. Scott A. Meister

    Scott A. Meister Junior Member

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    Everything in a permaculture system should be covered in a number of ways.
    "Interactive diversity = real stability = real fertility = real economy" (Paraphrased quote from a speech given by Geoff Lawton)

    So...I'd have to say that I'd be doing my compost in a number of ways. Having worm farms is definitely beneficial for a number of reasons (they reduce methane gas-off from slowly rotting veggies, for one), but I'd also keep a couple of slow compost bins, do a Berkley compost when I have the time and if I had the space even a win-row.

    Unfortunately for me...I don't have much space here in Tokyo...so I'm just doing a small worm-farm.

    As for dowsing worm-farms with water...that doesn't sound too good to me. Compost should neither be too wet or too dry. It should be the consistency of a wrung-out sponge. Sprinkling with wood-ash can also help balance the pH if things get too acidic.


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  6. Ramon

    Ramon Junior Member

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    Is there a way to tell if it is too acidic without doing tests? I mainly throw water on to keep it moist. The farm is under the eves and I drain off the water for the garden. I can hear the worms munching, so I guess they don't mind too much, but I'll make sure it doesn't get too wet.
     
  7. Scott A. Meister

    Scott A. Meister Junior Member

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    Well...it sounds silly, but the easiest way to tell without doing tests is to watch for abandonment. Worms will try to jump ship if the conditions aren't right (too acidic/too wet/too dry/too much or too little food). If your worms are drowning...the wormery/worm farm will probably smell slightly like fish. It also depends on the kind of worm farm you have, and what kind of worms, i.e.- if they are top feeders, or burrowers. Burrowers have a tendancy to drown in their own worm-tea in worm-farms (if not drained off).

    I'm impressed that you can hear the worms munching away!

    I'm tempted to go put my ear down to my worm-farm for a listen...although I doubt I will be able to hear anything over the construction going on next door! :lol:
     
  8. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    "Is there a way to tell if it is too acidic without doing tests?"

    Would you settle for a cheap (inexpensive) test? Get some blue litmus paper from (probably) a drug store or lab shop. Cut off a piece and press it into the worm bed with something stable (neither acid nor alkaline -- not wood, which is usually acid itslef), maybe a clean stainless steel dinner fork or something (touching it with your hands can interfere with the results). If the paper turns red, the worm bed is acid, probably too acid. Sprinkle with some dolomite lime.

    "...we all need heaps of compost and there is only little what comes out.. "

    Some famous scientist said, "Matter cannot be created nor destroyed". All the good stuff is still there; it's not just the liquid tea you can use. All you have to do is remove the worms. Transfer them to fresh damp bedding with some new food, and use the compost you removed them from in your garden. Or dilute it with water for lots of liquid worm tea.

    If the worms are happy (bedding not too acid or wet), they will follow the food. Tuck the new tucker into one corner and leave it there for a few days (don't keep adding more). Check the bedding and see if most of them have moved to that corner, then gently shovel the compost out of the rest of the bin.

    Also, they don't like strong light. Put the worm bin in the bright sun with the top off and they will dive to get away from it. After 15 minutes or so, scrape off the top layer of compost. Wait for them to go deeper, then repeat. Keep doing this until you've got most of the worms near the bottom, and then refill the bin with fresh bedding.

    WARNING: Worms will absolutely die if exposed to the ultraviolet part of sunlight for 20 minutes. Don't get distracted.

    One thing I forgot: I've seen old bathtubs used for worm beds. The drain is covered with fine mesh (like window screening). The ones I've seen (okay, both) were up on concrete blocks so a bucket could be put under the drain to catch the tea.

    Sue
     
  9. hedwig

    hedwig Junior Member

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    Hi suein, you cheap lithmus test could replace these hyperxpensive test kits for soil as wel?? I never bought one because the price seemed to me exaggeraed.
    Our worms are a bit liike our chooks: pets, but useful.
     
  10. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    Hedwig, I just did a quick look for litmus paper in Oz, and found one site that sells them, 100 strips for $6.70 AUD, just as an example. I think you might be able to find them locally. Ask at your local drug store. Pharmacist. Chemist?

    Sue
     

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