Worm Beds

[mlynd]

ok Dh and I have decided to start a worm bed and have no clue how LOL so has anyone got one ?? we got some starter bedding but what else do we need, I'm sure it is a no brainier I'm just having a moment LOL

 

[BarredBuff]

Im in a hurry right now but I will come back and post later.

 

[k0xxx]

Nothing much more is needed. If out side there are a few considerations. It needs to be protected from rain, so that it doesn't fill up and drown the worms. The worms will eat corrugated cardboard, stale bread, vegetable clippings, etc. Just to put too much vegetable matter that it will start rot or get moldy before the worms can eat it.

Also if you have ants in your area (especially fire ants). use a raised container or platform that has legs. Place each leg inside of a can, and partially fill the can with an oil. This will keep the ants from crawling up the legs and taking over the bed and eating the worms. The ants will invade during periods of heavy rain, and see it as a dry home with lots of food.

Edited to add:

we got some starter bedding but what else do we need, I'm sure it is a no brainier I'm just having a moment LOL

Oh yeah, some worms.

 

[kimlove2]

I too am starting a worm bed. I've thought of using something like a tupperware tote. Will I need to put drainage holes in it? or would it be better to make one of wood or something instead? I have LOTS of magic worm bedding.(DH got it for a song at an estate sale!) I also have acess to rabbit, chicken, and pig manure. Does it have to sit a while, or can I just put it in? And I can get all the coffee grounds I care to, plus newspaper and cardboard. Plenty of leaves and pine straw as well. I've just never actually done this before so any help/advice is surely appreciated!

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

yeah i did the whole worm-in-a-tote-int-the-kitchen thing - they escaped. and i lived in fear for months of walking around bare foot. upon reflection perhaps i shouldnt have given then high-octane coffee grounds first.

eventually i just put the slow-moving-non-escapees outside in the garden where they were promptly eaten by chickens.

i'm over the whole worm thing and left with bitter disappointment. sheesh.

 

[kcsunshine]

Start you a compost pile - If You Build It, They Will Come!

 

[k0xxx]

Plastic totes work fine. This is how I made mine.

I took two of the same type totes, where one tote rested inside of the other. I drilled quarter inch holes in the bottom of each tote.

Then I put about 12 inches of bedding and the worms in one tote, using one of the lids as a base to catch any liquid that might escape. Next I cut out a square in the other lid and affixed (I just used rtv sealant) some screen for ventilation.

***Important tip: If you add a small light or two (LEDs work great) to the inside of the lid, the worms will stay in the dirt and not try to climb out.

Now the second tote. Once you have a bed that is full of castings, stop feeding the worms for about a week after they have consumed all of their food in their tote. Add some bedding to the next tote, remove the lid from the bed and gently set the second tote inside of the other until it is resting on the bedding material. Place the lid onto the second tote.

After a day or two you can start adding food to the second bed. The worms will mostly migrate from the first bed, up through holes in the bottom of the second bed. Then you can just remove the original bed and harvest the castings, or just add the bedding and castings to your garden, and start the process all over again.

I'm not the best at explaining things, so let me know if I have confused you.

 

[BarredBuff]

My worms are in plastic bins. I bought from Wal Mart. 250 were bought for each tub. I made bedding from shredded phoe books. They get fed rabbit poo and coffee grinds every so often then I keep them moist.

 

[so lucky]

I have three plastic totes with worms in my basement. I drilled a lot of little holes in the totes--bottom, sides, top before I put the bedding and worms in. I have varying success. I keep a light on a timer for night time, but they still take a walk occasionally, and I find little dried up worm bodies around the area. They are "supposed to" eat half their body weight in food daily, but I sure don't find this to be true. More like weekly. I have used damp peatmoss, straw, shredded newspaper, dried leaves and cardboard for bedding/food. The worms don't like citrus peel or onions. they don't care much for potato peelings but will eat them eventually. My grandkids always ask for bananas when they come over, cause they get to feed the peels to the worms after they eat (and swallow!) the banana, not just stuff it all in their mouth. My worms get kitchen scraps, coffee grinds, tea bags. Just make sure you don't feed them anything with a lot of chemicals-bug spray or fertilizer, etc.- on it. They are interesting, but don't plan on making any money off worms!

 

[so lucky]

forgot to say mine are red wigglers. I don't think a person can raise night crawlers under the same conditions, but red wigglers (manure worms) are adaptable to boxes/tubs/ totes.