Topic: Wormery anyone?

[newbies]

Hi all,
Has anyone had any experience of owning a wormery?  I really fancy one, as my compost is not too successfull, I keep on forgetting to take my bin down to my lottie, then it smells, therefore I fancy a wormery. 
Any comments welcome, wiggly or otherwise.

[froglets]

Have had one for years, wouldn't get rid of it, althought you don't get much compost out of it, youreally need to keep the dalek bins going if you need anything more than a few pot fulls.

Worm wee ( from an earlier thread) is useful as a liquid feed & the convenience of having somewhere outside the back door to empty the kitchen caddy into is great.  It does need a bit of managing ie shredded paper to compensate for the kitchen slop & I have real problems with fruit flies to have a silly dance to do to get the lid off, throw in the bits & cover up again before the flies head for the house. 

I'm sure there are lots of other people who can comment

[newbies]

Cheers Froglet,
Just as I thought really,  we do have a lot of waste, as we eat lots of veggies.  Can you recommend a supplier, as there are loads out there.
Also, what kind of time are we talking about to get a bucketfull of compost, as I'm sure it must be easier than composting, turning etc.  I also shred a lot of stuff anyway, so have the shredded paper to hand. 

Cheers

[froglets]

To be honest, as I don't rely on the wormery for compost, I'm not sure how long it takes - don't think I've had more than 3 layers in over 12 months.

As to which one, I got mine when I only knew about the wigglies, so didn't do any comparisons.  There's a thread somewhere on building your own too.

Sorry, can't offer any answers.

[sweet-pea]

I have my mums old junior wormery, which is basically just a smal green dustbin shape.  It works fine, although I'd love a can-o-worms one which is much bigger, but also more expensive.
I find that my worms slow right down in the winter so don't get through as much kitchen waste, but I don't know if that's just my wormery.

If I was choosing I'd definitely go for the can-o-works one for ease of use.  Mine doesn't have removable layers, so when I eventually get around to removing the compost I'll have to empty the whole thing out.  I am planning on having a go at making my own version at some point when I have the time!

Also I keep mine indoors in the utility room, and it doesn't smell, and I don't have a problem with fruit flies either, but then that may be because I don't put any fruit in it  ::)

Good luck.

SP

[Conker]

I'm like you sweetpea.  I have a green bin Junior Wormery.  This is the company I got it from

Original Organics Ltd
Organic House (!)
PO Box 16
Cullompton
Devon
EX15 2YZ

They also sell calcified seaweed (? I think that's what it needs to keep it healthy but I use crushed eggshells) and extra worms should everything go pear-shaped.  I have had a bin for about 8 years and had to replace the worms only once.  It was in the middle of a very hot spell and the wormery was in a west-facing window with no shade......  Yukky   :-[

If nothing else, my two kids (7 and almost 3) love to look at the worms mooching round, and they will pick the worms up to look at them.  Good fun for them!  Good Luck!

Bob

[MattyJC]

Blackwall also do a couple of wormeries, there address is www.evengreener.com though their prices seem about the same as wiggly people

Regards

Matt

[newbies]

I have now ordered my wormery, and am waiting for the postman each day   Can't wait!:D

[boldielocks]

I did a bit of research on worms and worm farming a few years ago, I also tried breading worms.

The problem with the can-o-worms that people find is the worms get to hot in the summer, they sweat and die, would be best if you are going for the can-o-worms, is to keep it in the shade when its hot. I didnt actually buy one for this reason.

It would be a whole lot cheaper if you tried to make one from untreated timber. Better for the enviroment as the worm bin, will eventually rot down, unlike a plactic been. You dont need to make it in sections, compost can be harvested from a single layer bed. Lump the worm food up on half of the bed and in a few days all the worms will move to the new food allowing the other half of the bin to be harvested. Cover the worms with a piece of old carpet and in the winter lump the food in the middle of the bin to generate warmth.

Dont feed them chicken, meat, citrus friut, chillies or onions. I have heard that boiling onions and citrus is ok to feed worms, easier to compost down I think.

A worm should eat upto half its body weight in one day, so a pound of worms should consume 1/2 pound of food a day.

I think not sure on it now, but it is about 8 or 10 to 1 ratio, thats is 10 buckets of worm food equals 1 bucket of worm compost.

Hope some of this helps.

And if you find a worm in a shape of a Y, its proberly because the worm nearly nearly nearly got cut in half and it grew and extra tail.  :o

And if you cut a worm in half you dont get 2 worms it will die. If you cut a worm three quarters down from its head, it will live and still only be one worm.   ;)

[sweet-pea]

Very informative boldielocks.  There is a firm out there that makes wooden wormeries, can't remember the name I'm afraid, but do remember coming across them when googling!  Seem to remember they were quite expensive though.

I have a question too.  I have loads of little white critters in my wormery, does anyone know what they are, and are they harmful?

SP

[boldielocks]

I've had these, not exactly sure what they are, I don't think they are harmful to the worms, but the wormery maybe to wet, try leaving the lid off to dry it for a bit.

[Conker]

SP, do they look abut 2-3mm long and jump about when disturbed?  If they are, I have loads in my bin, too.  I went on a RHS wildlife course last year and the lady running the sday said that they were harmless and part of the natural composting process.  I have no idea what they are or what their name is, but I just ignore mine now, although I have to be careful taking the lid off sometimes cos they leap out of the bin!  ;D

HTH

Bob

[Robert_Brenchley]

Those sound like springtails. If so, they're harmless detritus feeders.