Vermicomposting - Where do I begin? Will worms get loose?
Answer:
The worms will not escape the bin if you take care of it properly. They can't live on the surface of the soil for long, so as long as you don't keep it too wet, it should be fine. The smell should also be minimal in a properly maintained bin. Here are a couple links to get you started: http://www.wormfarm.com/
http://www.acmewormfarm.com/
http://www.wormfarmingsecrets.com/...
Good luck!!
Well acutally, the school I was supposed to go to did this. You should keep it in a basement or off away somewhere. It does stink, but not much. I recommend you get a large rectangular container made of glass and wood (I don't think they sell these... Sides= Wood, Face or Rectangle shape= Glass) And make a small door at the top that can open and close so you can put paper in.
It honestly does look pretty messy on the inside but the good thing is, the mess stays in the container until the times comes (When you put the dirt out).
Also, it's pretty easy after you build the container and get the worms!
Vermicomposting ..a very good idea ,first begin by gathering all the information you can ,web sites ,books or better still first hand knowledge from somone already acquainted with the procedure.,if you are then convinced it is the 'thing' for you,then go ahead. Since you plan an indoor bin ,i can understand your concern about escaping worms,bins are very well made with this possibility in mind,carefully closed ,you will not be faced with worms wriggling all over the place.Mess & stink are relative,no more that composting in general,proper ratio of feed materials ,& the worms will soon break down the matter to compost after which you will have valuable vermicompost ,dark brown, used tea leaves like material,so good for your garden.
Easy ? everything worth doing takes effort & commitment,with these you have nothing to hold you back.
Vermicomposting is the process of using worms and micro-organisms to turn kitchen waste into a black, earthy-smelling, nutrient-rich humus.
You need five basic ingredients to start vermicomposting:
a container
bedding
water
worms
nonfatty kitchen scraps.
Worm boxes can be purchased or made. Plastic storage containers are convenient and come in a variety of sizes. These containers are easily transported and are a nice alternative to heavier wood bins. Many people choose to have several small bins as opposed to one heavier, large wood bin. Small bins work best in homes, apartments and school classrooms. They are easy to tuck under desks, place below kitchen sinks and keep out of the way in laundry rooms.
TIP: If you make a worm bin out of a plastic storage container, never snap the lid shut tight. The lid should lay loosely on the bin
Depending on the size of the container, drill 8 to 12 holes (1/4 - l/2 inches) in the bottom for aeration and drainage. A plastic bin may need more drainage -- if contents get too wet, drill more holes. Raise the bin on bricks or wooden blocks, and place a tray underneath to capture excess liquid which can be used as liquid plant fertilizer.
The bin needs a cover to conserve moisture and provide darkness for the worms. If the bin is indoors, a sheet of dark plastic or burlap sacking placed loosely on top of the bedding is sufficient as a cover. For outdoor bins, a solid lid is preferable, to keep out unwanted scavengers and rain. Like us, worms need air to live, so be sure to have your bin sufficiently ventilated.
The bedding for vermicomposting systems must be able to retain both moisture and air while providing a place for the worms to live. Here are some suitable sources of bedding.
Shredded corrugated cardboard is an excellent bedding.
Shredded paper like newspaper and computer paper is easy to find, but may dry out quicker than corrugated cardboard. Commercial worm bedding is available in sporting goods stores, but it is also more expensive.
Water is needed to moisten the bedding. Place the dry, shredded bedding in a large container and add water until it covers the bedding. Allow the bedding to absorb as much water as possible before putting it in the worm bin. This could take from two to 24 hours, depending on the bedding used.
Before putting the bedding in your bin, squeeze the water out from the bedding as much as possible. The bedding should feel like a well-wrung washcloth. Place the bedding in the bin and fluff.
Your bedding needs to remain moist. If it is drying out, mist the paper with water from a spray bottle and dampen the bedding again.
The worms used in vermicomposting are called redworms also know as red wigglers, manure worms, red hybrid or tiger worms.
You can order them through lawn and garden catalogs
You may be able to find them in a bait store
If you know someone who has an established supply, they may be willing to sell you some of their worms.
An example of a garden catalog source that sells red worms is Gardens Alive! (ph. 812-537-8650).
The amount of worms needed will depend on the amount of kitchen waste generated per day. One pound of redworms will easily take care of each half-pound of garbage.
The kitchen waste fed to worms can come from a variety of sources, including all vegetable and fruit waste, pasta leftovers, coffee grounds and tea bags. Worms may have a problem with garlic and onion skins. Worms have a gizzard like chickens so fine grit should be added to help the worms digest food. This gritty material includes cornmeal, coffee grounds and/or finely crushed egg shells (dry the shells and then crush). Avoid large amounts of fat, meat scraps or bone. Some sources feel that a small amount of meat and eggs will provide protein to the worms, but be careful you don't overdo it and know that you may attract rodents.
The easiest method is to spread the scraps in a thin layer on top of the bedding. If the bin is kept in a dark place or covered, the worms will come to the surface to eat. You can also pull back a small amount of bedding in the bin and dump in the scraps. Cover the scraps with an inch of bedding. Start at one corner of the bin and bury garbage in a pattern to fill in all the spaces. By the time you get back to the first burying spot, the worms will have composted most of the waste.
Given the right environment, the worms will go to work to digest the kitchen scraps and bedding faster than any other compost method.
Adding kitchen scraps
First, and foremost, START SLOWLY. It will take time for bacteria to form and your bin can quickly become very smelly if you add too much food, too fast. In the beginning, add a very small amount of gritty material (see above) and a small amount of vegetable matter. Don't worry about the worms starving because they will be eating bedding as well. You can gradually increase the amount of food as the bin becomes established.
After you've had your worm bin established, you may begin noticing other creatures besides the redworms. Most of these are helpful because they help breakdown the materials. These helpful creatures include springtails, sowbugs and pill bugs, and millipedes.
There are also some creatures that may cause you problems. These would include centipedes, predatory mites, fruit flies, rove beetles and ants. Nonlethal methods of control (swatting, traps for fruit flies and ants, etc.) are the best for areas around your worm bins. Rodents are not a problem when the bin is constructed and managed properly.
After you've had your worm bin established, you may begin noticing other creatures besides the redworms. Most of these are helpful because they help breakdown the materials. These helpful creatures include springtails, sowbugs and pill bugs, and millipedes.
There are also some creatures that may cause you problems. These would include centipedes, predatory mites, fruit flies, rove beetles and ants. Nonlethal methods of control (swatting, traps for fruit flies and ants, etc.) are the best for areas around your worm bins. Rodents are not a problem when the bin is constructed and managed properly.
You've gotten some pretty good answers, but I'll just throw my experience with vermicomposting in here too. In college I was an intern for a county recycling department and they had a vermicompost bin that I took care of. It was started before I got there, but we just used a large plastic storage bin and I think there were small holes in the bottom with a catch bin of some kind and we had a couple of pieces of wood to keep the bin elevated a bit so it could drain if needed. I don't remember there being much liquid or escaped worms in the catch bin ever. We also had holes in the lid. We stored the bin the basement where it was cool and dark. About once a week I would take the scraps of food that our office collected to put in the bin. It was pretty easy--just had a small hand trowl that I dug a few small holes to put the food in, then made sure the food was covered . We also added a sprinkling of corn meal each feeding. It did have a slight odor, but it didn't really stink. "Earthy" is a good way to describe the smell I guess. Every once in a while I would harvest the compost which is the messiest part. I think the week before I was going to harvest I put the food all on one side of the bin. That way the worms all went to that side. The next week, then I would take out all the compost from the side without food. I wore gloves and used newspapers to line the area. There were still a few worms in that side, and if I saw them I would pick them out but there were enough worms in our bin that losing a few wouldn't hurt (sorry worms!). We then put new damp newspaper shreds into the bin for bedding. A few times we bought worm bedding from a bait shop, but other times we just used our own newspaper.
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