newbie question

I have been reading this forum forever but apparently nothing stayed in my head. Recently I was given a worm bin, the kind that has 4 trays in addition to the base and lid. The directions are extensive but only on how to start the first tray. Soak the coir, mix in the shredded paper and a cup of good garden soil for microbes, add about a cup of kitchen waste in the corner, etc. I have done all that and added some red worms which, after a week, seem quite happy.

My question is what now? I understand they worms will move up to the next tray when the first is depleted of food, correct? Do I need to add more coir and garden soil to the second tray or will shredded paper and kitchen scraps do? How about the 3rd and 4th trays? Will some of the worms be migrating up while there is still food for them in the base tray?

The directions also mentioned microwaving the kitchen scraps will render them perfectly broken down for the worms; do you experienced folks do that?

The worms and I thank you.

Hi Ardesia

Sounds like you have the kind of tray system I have. Here's what I do.

Once the first tray has been worked down. The paper pretty much mush and the food broken down and it is kinda full of castings I add the second tray. I put food in the bottom, add some leaf mulch or some garden soil or coir with coffee grounds (not much) then I add shredded paper that's moistened. I put wet sheets of paper on top, then the lid. I will add food as needed, shredded paper as needed. When it gets going and the worms are working the food I add the third tray the same way.

I worked all my trays up to the top. I have five. When I added the fifth one I took the first one out and separated the worms and castings. That's the tray you'll use when you're ready to add again. You'll find worms in all your trays. I put the bottom tray worms back in the top tray.

Usually I can get a tray every week if I want rough castings. I mix it with soil and coir to pot up things and I don't mind an egg shell or two. I do microwave when I can remember. It will turn over faster if you do.

I've had it since early spring and am happy with the bin. The worms have multiplied and seem healthy. Hope that helps! I think everyone does it differently and you'll find the perfect way for you before you know it.

Thank you, you have explained it perfectly. I'll add a bit of coir and a handful of the composted castings to each tray as I fill them with shredded papaer and scraps.

Thanks again.

You're welcome. Good luck! :)

serai53, don't know if you're still reading this, but I have the same sort of bin but with just 3 trays. I just put my 2nd on top first yesterday. The first was not totally eaten but already very full. It's very moist and worms are BIG!!! How long before they move up???
And I put a little peat moss on bottom of tray with layer of wettish shredded newspaper. One corner with little under 1/2 lb of scraps. (microwaved).
Thanks for help.

Hi Tulip

If I remember correctly it takes about 3 or 4 days for some of them to move up. Depends on the population and the temp too. This is where the variables come in. Not all will move up. Most will be happy where they are for quite awhile.

I did a layer or two like you described when I first started. I found I had more scraps than worms and was consistently overfeeding them. Too much food makes the bedding too hot or too wet and they won't come up. Don't add more until they're working the first pile. LOL Once I had to take the whole thing apart and start over.

Eventually I found that if I put a thin layer of food on the bottom, then some shredded leaves or a little coir or a small amount of garden soil, added coffee grounds (they like those), topped it off with lots of slightly moist shredded paper, covered that with whole sheets of wet wrung out paper, then the top. This is what works best for me.

I add food when the bottom food is about gone and they are working the paper. I do it like you did on one side. When the paper is all most gone I add the next tray and take out the bottom. If you want to keep adding food piles and more shredded paper as needed you could probably get more compost out of a tray than I do. I have about a 1/2 hrs. worth of patience to separate the worms. LOL You'll have quite a population before you know it.

Hi Seray53,
I guess I just have to learn and be patient. I looked this morning, also to check temp in the basement (furnice room) but no worm yet on upper level. The first tray is fairly damp maybe they just like to hang. Maybe I should just leave for while and see what happens. They have enough food then.
How many worms do you have by now? Do you keep the castings in bag untill springtime?

Seray, I also have a question for you. You mentioned you just started earlier this year so what do you plan on doing with your worms during the winter. We are pretty much in the same zone although I'm on the islands and may be a tad warmer in winter. A friend here puts hers in the garage, what will you be doing with yours?

Hi Tulip and Ardesia

Tulip I think patience is the key. You have food in the upper tray. It's cozy and damp. They'll get crowded in the first tray or hungry and move up eventually. I started with a pound of worms. At his point I take out the bottom tray every week or 10 days if I'm paying attention. :) From that one tray I usually have 3/4 to 1 lb. of worms and about 1/3 to 1/2 of a 5 gallon bucket of castings. I mix the castings with coir and use as a nice container mix, or add it to a lasagna bed. I can always find a use for it. You can save it for spring or make worm tea for your houseplants. Or both.

Those worms are hungry by now and go into the top tray. I use soil from the woods off and on to start a new tray. It adds sand and microbes. I also had black fly larvae in my bin this summer. They are great composters! The worms and I don't mind their company and the larvae eat food that's not broken down enough for the worms. Some people don't like them and screen them out. The faster the turn over the better for me.

Which brings me to your question Ardesia. My bin is in the garage. It's fairly insulated due to a room on the second floor. The door to the garage is open in the summer and screened loosely with a curtain screen to allow access to dogs and cats. I'll leave the bin there for the winter. I keep my Brugs semi dormant in there and will supplement the heat with an electric oil heater on cold nights. It doesn't get below 50 degrees. It was cold when I bought them and they'll do fine. The heat was the biggest challenge. Some nice person on this forum told me to wrap ice cubes in paper towels and lay in the bed to help cool it down. It worked well.

You'll have to let me know how it's working for you. Always glad to learn new techniques and ideas. There are real experts on this forum who will help if we get into trouble. :)

Sherri

Thanks Sherri, My bin is in a NE corner of my deck under an eave. It never gets any sun so it is a good spot for the summer here. My garage, also with a room above, will be toasty during the winter as it faces the SE but it would have been too hot during the summer. DH will not be happy when I tell him the worms will be moving to the garage soon. LOL

I started with a handful of worms from a friend, have no idea how many actually.

I have been successful using worm casting to repel white flies on things like gardenias and hibiscus.
alice

Maybe he won't notice. Unless he trips over the bucket under the spigot. LOL

Good news about the white fly. Are you spraying worm tea or just using as top dressing? I'm hoping it will work for aphids as well. I have a Burgandy cotton Crepe Myrtle that stays covered. Must taste delicious. It's not in the ground yet so maybe there's hope.

Do you have Japanese beetles where you live? I'm wondering how it would work with those. So far we don't have them in this area. Surrounded though. :)

I top dressed, a good heavy layer, and have found it to work on aphids too. No, I don't have JB's or slugs because of the salt on the soil but I deal with fiddler crabs and nothing works to keep them away. LOL

Wow that's a new pest for me. I bet they can be a pain. LOL

I'll top dress this Crepe Myrtle when I put it in the ground. Thanks

I'm new to this too. I have a 4 tier system. My question is why are there so many castings and worms in the
tray with the spigot? I haven't been able to any get any worm tea either. Shouldn't I have some?
Confused? Yes!!!!!!

This message was edited Dec 22, 2009 9:57 PM

I've been working with the same worm culture for more than 40 years but my methods are probably old fashion. I still use the 30-gallon plastic tubs and peat moss as my media. However, I have refined my method of feeding the worms based on some information here in DG. I use an inexpensive glass bowl, Walmart blender to grind the various vegetable scraps which I feed to my worms. About a month ago I started a couple of 5-gallon buckets of this mix, adding some black strap molasses to the mix. I call this mix 'wormkashi'! I feed about 2 cups of this mix twice weekly to each worm bin and it's gone in a fraction of the time it took taking this mix directly from the blender to the worm bin. I do however give the wormkashi a quick run through the blender adding coffee grounds and egg shells before feedings.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Claudcat I have worms in the bottom tray also and I just scoop the whole bunch out and put them in the top tray when I add a new one. The liquid you are seeing under the spigot is just excess water.

Worm tea you make with worm castings. Boca Bob had a recipe for it on this forum. He said to use one cup of worm castings in a five gallon bucket. He also aerated it using a bubbler from an aquarium.

Thanks seray. :)

Thanks for this post it has really helped me so far. Im just starting doing this and so far im real discoraged this gave me some hope.
This is my bin I got

Hi Cherokee

Your bin looks great. Don't get discouraged. Once it gets started it'll go like clockwork and you'll learn how to push the envelope with it. If you get stuck just shout!

Dumb question:
What is "coir" that you are mixing with the castings?

Coir is the husk from coconuts. The fiber is finely ground. It looks just like peat moss but it has certain characteristics that make it a little better in the long run. It wets up much easier, almost instantly actually, it is pH neutral and, best of all, it is a renewable resource.

Now that the warm weather is here my worms are very active. I have learned they love sweet things like fruits and melons. The tea is coming on fast, I am araid I must have a leak around the spigot because I had a puddle on the deck under the bin. A plastic container is working fine catching the tea now.

p.s., there are NEVER any dumb questions. :-)