vermicomposting?

[Buspirone]

Anybody vermicomposting? I'm thinking about starting a worm bin and was wondering if anyone here is currently maintaining one. I'm a bit concerned about odor. I've read quite a few online guides and have a plastic tub. Is there anything that would qualify as a classic newbie pitfall that I should watch out for? Any input would be appreciated.

I want the castings to use in my garden and I figure for the cost of a bag of pure worm castings I can get a pound of worms and start making my own out of my kitchen wastes for next season.

 

[jaijjs]

I use to do that years ago. The omly difference was that I used Nightcrawlers verses Redworms. They didn't need a bin or any type of container. I Tilled up a area that was roughly a 16'x16' plot of ground. Then put a bunch of 12"x12' s around the tilled area. that were 2 high. I seeded it with grass. caught hundreds of crawlers and turned then loose in the plot. They will burrow down 6 feet or more. The neat thing is that they will come up from the holes but never leave the plot as it gets towards morning they jet back down. Keep it watered and they will do this every night. Feed then just about anything. Add steer manure, chicken manure, bat gauano, blood meal. Stay away from pig and sheep manures as they are way to hot for them. Then in the mornings you can go out and easly scoop up the poop!! Dry it out and it will have a feel as powdered graphite. Afterwards you can put it in any indoor plants and dress the soil around your outdoor plants. If you have the area or space to make a spot for nightcrawlers. You cannot go wrong. The bigger the area the more crawlers you'll need to get started and the deposited castings will really add up in no time!!

 

[Wade]

I'm maintaining a worm bin right now, but as feeders not for garden use (although the used substrate does end up in the garden). Since I'm doing it indoors, I use a styrofoam cooler as a bin. I use a mixture of moist aspen bedding, composted manure and dead leaves as a substrate. I feed them various veggie scraps and grains.

One common problem is the substrate can become too acidic for the worms. To combat this, I add a few handfulls of pulverized limestone (NOT PELLETIZED!) to up the soil PH.

Wade

 

[Buspirone]

I was aware of the acidity problem. Its recommended to add a tablespoon or two of limestone or crushed egg shells once a week for vermicomposting to keep the pH in balance. The addition of pulverized lime stone or crushed egg shells also adds grit to the bin for the worms to use in their gizzards to grind up their food. The pelletized lime will burn and kill the worms.


There is a relatively active Vermicomposting forum here:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/verm/