Worms Wrangler

August 27th, 2008

Hi Caroline

When I add more food to the top tray, the juices drip through to the next trays, making them pretty moist. How do I prevent this from happening, so that the bottom trays are not so moist, or is this supposed to happen? I can add paper, but then that means that the worms just keep composting in that tray, and don't move up to the next level, so I never get a chance to empty out the bottom trays.

Also since there is supposed to be a thin cloth layer in the bottom tray, once that is emptied, I am assuming I have to empty one of the other trays into that bottom tray, so that the worms don't fall through the holes into the liquid tray. Or do you have any other suggestions on how to do this?

And lastly the only things that seem to take an age for them to digest is eggshells. Should I wait until those are all processed before removing the compost?

Many thanks for you help, am really enjoying composting all my leftovers, just wish they would eat faster!!

Thanks
Judy

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Hi Judy,

First, let's talk about the weed barrier cloth. The weed barrier should be in between your Liquid Collection Tray and your first tray, i.e. the weed barrier is not in the bottom tray, but on top of the Liquid Collection Tray and under the bottom tray. Now we suggest to everyone to also put a weed barrier between the roof and the top tray. This way the worms are trapped. It can be anything beside a weed barrier cloth. Some have even used old window screen. I tried that too and it works. Anything that can allow the moisture to drip through.

When you see that your worms have migrated away from a tray is when the casting is ready. Your casting might be too moist for you. If so, here is an option to harvest dry worm casting from your worm factory. If you want real dry worm casting, take your bottom tray when the food is all composted and put it on top of the top tray that is filled so it touches the bedding of the top tray. Make sure there is food in the trays below. The top tray will eventually dry out as the worms will no longer find food in it. Worms go up and down. If the food is abundant in your second or third tray, the worms will finish composting the top tray (your 4th tray for example) and will migrate down when all the compost is complete. The moisture in the top tray will evaporate and drip down.

If it gets very hot, the worms will seek the wettest part of your factory. Use tons of coconut coir. It absorb moisture and worms love it. Coconut coir is food. Five bricks of coconut coir will last you over a year. $ 11.95 + shipping.

As for egg shells, in your case, you may want to only feed a certain tray of egg shells. Egg shells give grit to the worms so they can break down the food as they compost. Worms also love to lay their cocoons in eggs shells.

Judy, Thank You for composting with worms. There are millions of us internationally who care so much about the planet we live on, we are pitching as a collective army, an army of worms and humans joining hands.

Go Judy Go !

Caroline

Caroline Taylor
Director of Marketing
caroline@wormswrangler.com
www.wormswrangler.com

A: There is no absolute answer to how many worms your should start with. The worm bin will hold up to 10 lbs of worms. The starting quantity depends on whether you want to jump start right into composting materials. Or to spend the first few months growing worms. The less worms you start with, the less material that you can compost. On the flipside, the more worms you have (meaning a full house) the less multiplying the worms will do. Quite a dynamic equation.

Q: Noticed someone selling cedar wood worm composters on ebay...they said plastic is not good?
A: Yes, I am aware of the cedar bins. Most is just a sales pitch. Plastic is plastic. Wood is wood. Plastic does not break down or hold bad bacteria like wood does. Both work well. Our plastic bin is easier to move and handle because it is lighter. Some wood might breath more than plastic (that is a plus and minus?). I can assure you that we have sold many thousands worldwide for every one of the wood bins sold.

Q: Hi, I'm new to vermiculture. My garage is not temperature controlled. Can the worms be housed in a broom closet or do they need more air circulation than that? What is the footprint dimensions of the worm bin?

A: The garage would do fine unless you are in minus 20/plus 120 degree territory. A broom closet would be good,too. The closet would probably grow more worms because of the stability of the temperature. Either way, I would recommend that you use a light at first to settle the worms so they crawl much less. Worms in a comfy worm bin tend to not look for greener pastures. The foot print of our Gusanito Factory of Worms is 16" square. Height depends on number of trays and how full each tray is. About 28" average.

Thanks Mr Wormswrangler

Q: Worms arrived Friday afternoon, somewhat worse for wear due to being left in package drop box of our neighborhood mail box unit in the hot sun by a substitute mail carrier who was unaware of the "live" nature of the box contents. Despite all that, most of the worms (probably 80%) seem to be responding to their new environment (one of your 5 stack worm bins) well. The rest were apparently DOA.
I might suggest that "live contents" be added to your packaging - I am told that if our mail carrier had been aware that the box contained something living, she would have brought it to our house instead of leaving it in the parcel drop. Our package had no such labeling.

A: ..... As to the markings on the box, we intentionally do not mark the boxes. We have found over the many years and thousands of shipments, that when the mail carrier sees "live worms" on the box some of the mail carriers kinda go goofy and mis-handle the package. Like putting the box in a plastic bag and smothering the worms. What I am saying is: we get much less DOAs when we conceal the contents. Sad but true.

Mr Wormswrangler