Worms eat waste in pictures

[biigblueyes]

How many folks here do vermicomposting? Do you keep yours inside, or outside?

[Equilibrium]

I think the vermicomposters all keep their wormies close to them... as in inside in their bedrooms and kitchens where they're comfy. I have the new rubbermaids to start vermicomposting but I never got around to it yet. Plus I don't know whether to go Gloria's way or the double rubbermaid way.

[CincyGarden]

I bought one of the expensive ones ($80), but because I thought I might get it into the kitchen at some point. That was 1 step further than realistic, I guess, on my part...

It resides in the basement. Extremes of heat or cold will kill the worms, or at least slow them down, but under the basement steps keeps them fine.

[Equilibrium]

Ha! At least you gave it your all to bring them up from the basement to the kitchen. Never hurts to try. Does anyone know what the benefits are to having a double rubbermaid vermicomposter are as opposed to a single like the set up Gloria has> I bought two rubbermaids based on reading another version of how to create a vermicomposter somewhere else before I read she was only using one. I still haven't done anything. I'm all dressed up with two rubbermaid storage containers and no where to go right now.

[TheLorax]

I guess this will have to be a winter project. Our star who started the thread has gone missing. Boo hoo.

[CincyGarden]

Ah, sorry, missed the question. The double system would allow drainage from one to the other, if nested; there is some leachate if you're using the worm bin as your primary composter. The leachate is not "worm tea," though, and won't be like compost tea produced by dunking finished compost in a bucket; it should be diluted, probably.

[TheLorax]

What would we use the leachate for? Why collect it if it serves no purpose.

What are the pros and cons for each vermicomposting set up,
Single?
Nested?

[CincyGarden]

The best I can say is that I know about it, and I understand it from a remote perspective; i.e., I haven't collected any, as it's largely a product of either larger bins than mine or bins used for all compost materials. With that said, a good article on the subject here.

If you were to use two nested bins, you wouldn't have to worry so much about the "too moist" issue mentioned by Gloria, or worry about it as much. A too moist worm bin is detrimental to the population, obviously, and won't resolve itself very quickly in a sealed container. You'll end up fermenting the compost (with the liquid representing stuff not so enticing to the worms, and floating in it), or with fungus, neither of which would represent particularly good environment for worms. Worms do drown. They don't like liquid, especially if it's acidic; and rampant fungus represents a separate process, that they'll probably avoid. You probably won't kill a colony by having it too wet, but you'll probably not get optimum results.

Again, I don't know an awful lot about the subject, but have read a lot of literature on the subject, which led me to the decision to buy the system I have now. I've also visited with friends and family who have worm bins, and have advocated for them in lots of applications.

They work just great, and produce an indescribably good "compost." However, I've been involved with a situation here in Cincy where a business has placed one in the kitchen; they have a lot of issues with it, including educating users on what to put in, and what to leave out. Issues about other insects, etc. I've tried to convince them to use bokashi, but no dice (yet, their experiment is still young).

Worms go nuts on bokashi, by the way. They love anything that has been "pre-processed" in any way; cutting up material is good, too. I've actually pureed stuff and fed it to them, but they go for the bokashi stuff much more readily.

Easy question, long answer; I hope I answered the original question. I specialize in that sort of thing...

[havalotta]

I used one on top of a cover of a second one and they did just fine. You just controll the moisture by how much scraps you put into it. I've never had any leakage out of it at all.

[Equilibrium]

Which system did you buy? Post a link to it so I can get a good look. Not them I'm going to buy it but I want to see it. I have two decent sized rubbermaid storage containers with tags on them ready to go. It sounds like the nested is the best route to go. If I leave for a week I probably won't come back to dead worms. How exactly do you separate your castings from worms and worm eggs?