Worms and bedding.

Two questions: What is the difference between brandling worms and red worms? Next: I know that in worm boxes you put the bedding in about 4 inches deep in the beginning. After that is almost used up, is it okay to add another 4 inches of bedding, and keep doing this as each layer is used up until the box is nearly full?

Hmmmm. All I know is what I can find on the web: brandling is another common name for Eisenia foetida, which are also known as red wrigglers: http://smartgardening.com/Types_of_Worms.htm

Red worms are Lumbricus rubellus, used by fishermen.

The bedding question I'll leave for someone else who's been through the process at least once (my worms arrived a couple days ago, so it'll be a while before I can give any comments on the cycle.

There's a great thread running here:

http://davesgarden.com/t/371604/

That has lively discussion about worms, AND a red worm coop. You'll find all sorts of good ideas, differences of opinion, various techniques and experiences.

Come join the party!

Adam.

I have been using a wooden compost bin in my basement but it is starting to deteriorate so going to the plastic tubs. Will pretty much follow the infromation from Sbarr's hyperlink(http://www.digitalseed.com/composter/vermicomposting.html)
with a couple of modifications which I hope is an improvement. Instead of using two bins I will use three, one of them will be cut near the bottom leaving about two inches, then I will nest all three tubs and drill 1/2" holes so they all match. Next I will put window screen in the cutoff one and sit it on blocks. Next put my first bin on top of the cutoff one. This will prevent the worms from getting out while the tub is working. When finished I can then set the 3rd tub in the cut off one and the finished one on top of it. I figure that if they can get to a new bin bye setting a finished one on top then the worms can also get out while the tub is working without something to stop them. Hope I have described all of this clearly. I used to use sherded paper for bedding material but was never happy with it as such so now I use compost which has been put in aluminum roasting pans and held in the oven for two hours at 200 degrees. This will kill all the bad pathogens.

I have an old blender that I use to grind up my kitchen waist with added water. I just pour that on top of my bedding and cover with black plastic. It has been suggested that using newpaper to cover rather than the plastic works will. I will give this a try.

Heating the material at 200F for two hours does not kill off ALL the "bad pathogens." You will kill some. Others will breed even more happily with the increased warmth in their moist environment.

Similarly, you will kill off some of the beneficial bacteria present in the compost, and, as above, you will provide a nice warm environment for some to multiply to their heart's content.

To read a little bit about soil terilization, go here:

http://davesgarden.com/t/375619/

Have fun.

Adam.

Adam, you could be right but all the good books say that when composting temperatures of 140 or over, most of the bad pathogens are destroyed. I did not state my position correctly, the first time I used compost I had fruit flies and other insects or insect larvae in the bin. The 200 degrees at two hours does kill all these off and have had no problem since. I first put the compost I use through a 1/4 inch mesh screen before the oven treatment.

Sadly, it is simply inaccurate to say that heating your soil to the temperatures discussed will kill off "pathogens."

The purpose of heating is to "denature" the proteins in the micro~organisms. Denaturing means to cause them to unfold and no longer be capable of doing their job..., which is to act as switches to turn on and off metabolic activities (including reproductive functions), in the critters.

Hospitals..., which are in the business of killing pathogens..., routinely heat things to significantly higher temperatures under several atmospheric pressures (autoclave)..., in order to perform the task you are speaking of.

Fruit flies and other insects are not pathogens, but pests. A pathogen could be a virus, a bacteria, a mold spore, etc. In your compost pile, the temperatures reached will, in general, prevent insect larvae from maturing.

What we somtimes forget is that healthy soil is a complex biological matrix in which many interdependent species make their homes. Heating to kill the bad guys will also kill off the good guys. I guess the real trick is to find balance.

Adam.

This message was edited Wednesday, Mar 19th 11:34 PM

Adam, as I said in my previous remarks that I had made a mistake, it was the pests that I wanted killed to keep them out of my worm bedding. I have had no problem with pathogens in the years that I have composted so am not concerned about them. Since doing the oven heating I have had no problem with the pests. I am sorry that I used the word pathogen, it was a mistake.

Sparks

Oh, no worries there..., we're amateurs and are automatically forgiven our infelicitous use of technical language. No need to apologize to me (of all people!).

What I find generally unforgivable is that some gardening books I have bought are, in some cases, selling incorrect information to non~scientists. I'm talking about chemistry and biology.

What some people call "old wives tales," I call practical wisdom. A little bit of it is false, and a lot of it is true. Technical knowledge on its own is rather artless. I'd say that practical wisdom is what turns technical knowledge into gorgeous gardens.

Adam.

Adam, we all learn, did you ever get tht Tango book?

Sparks ~~~

I haven't had the chance to get to the library..., as work's been a little demanding..., but I will be able to pick it up in the middle of next week.

I look forward to reading it.

Adam.

If you would like I can send you a couple of newspaper clippings. Just send me an e-mail through Dave's.

Sparks

Adam,I chatted with Gene and read these articles,Amazing!!!!Gene my Msn box said it was overloaded and bouncing messages this morning,I hope you got my reply.
I wanted to thank you for sharing them with me!
Bob

Bob, I got your message, at least I think it was the last one, you are an amazing person yourself. Adam, he too has quite an interesting past.

Sparks