Worm farming

[Mel]

So I'm venturing into vermiculture, aka worm farming. I don't have a great deal of space, so here is my setup. I'm actually using a Redmon Worm Farm, which was purchased at walmart.com, and red wigglers that were purchased in the sporting goods department at our local Walmart. I've kept some alive for several months on coffee grounds before. So what I did was I took shredded cardboard and newspaper and wet it with bottled water that had no chlorine. I wrung that out and placed it in the top tray. Then I took more shredded cardboard and added that to absorb more water. Then I added the worms and more coffee grounds, cut a worm blanket down to fit the bin and wet it and wrung it out. I put that on top. The worm blanket is supposed to be wetted when I feed the worms. The key is you don't want it too wet. The blanket is supposed to regulate temperature as well. I'm keeping the worms indoors for right now but they say they can be kept outside as well. There is also a conditioner to eliminate smell if you keep then inside. Mine is by Tumbleweed.

 

[joel]

I wanted to use a cast iron bath tub, but I am not sure how to keep the Fire ants out of the nest.

 

[Weedygarden]

Are your worms red wigglers? That is a worm type that I've seen recommended for vermiculture. I asked someone recently about her compost bins and she told me she used to have a worm bed set up in her basement.

 

[joel]

Please do not use jumping worms.
African tiger worms will live in doors in winter, but not out side.
Red worms are the best for compost, then night crawlers for the finished compost in the garden.

 

[Mel]

Mine are red wigglers. I actually purchased mine in the sporting goods area. I have not decided if they will stay indoors or out but I kinda like the idea that they CAN be kept indoors. I'm a little concerned with extreme weather conditions here, and I've spotted a centipede or two in the past year.

 

[Bacpacker]

My grandpa had an old cooler like the kind in general stores that was full of ice and bottled soft drinks back in the day. He buried it and kept a cover over the lid that slid side to side. When ever we went fishing we'd dig up a dozen or 2 and take off

 

[joel]

This is my go to guy about worm composting.
https://www.redwormcomposting.com/
I did the trench composting & it worked well.
https://www.redwormcomposting.com/?s=trench+composting

 

[Tsrwivey]

We’ve had some red wigglers in an old Rubbermaid tote for several months and they’ve done well so far. Never had a smell other than a weak dirt smell. We had it in the laundry room but moved it out to the carport when the weather warmed up. They’re really easy to care for.

 

[Mel]

My grandpa had an old cooler like the kind in general stores that was full of ice and bottled soft drinks back in the day. He buried it and kept a cover over the lid that slid side to side. When ever we went fishing we'd dig up a dozen or 2 and take off

My grandpa had one like that...a coke machine that he converted to a freezer!

 

[Mel]

After 5 days, I have poop in the bottom of my bin! Ok so it isn't much but castings are castings!

 

[Caribou]

I wanted to use a cast iron bath tub, but I am not sure how to keep the Fire ants out of the nest.

You could put a heavy grease all around under the rim. It would be protected from the rain. The tub could be placed on a stand, so as to be worked without bending. A bucket could be placed under the drain to capture your liquid fertiliser. A P-trap and/or running the drain to shortly above the bottom of the bucket and a bucket drain an inch or two above that should keep the ants out that way. Bee keepers have been known to use grease when they have an ant problem.

 

[Caribou]

You could put a heavy grease all around under the rim. It would be protected from the rain. The tub could be placed on a stand, so as to be worked without bending. A bucket could be placed under the drain to capture your liquid fertiliser. A P-trap and/or running the drain to shortly above the bottom of the bucket and a bucket drain an inch or two above that should keep the ants out that way. Bee keepers have been known to use grease when they have an ant problem.

When you said cast iron I was thinking of the old clawfoot tubs.

 

[joel]

When you said cast iron I was thinking of the old clawfoot tubs.

I have FIL cast iron tub that sixty years old, at least, it looks like a lions feet, but not feet.
It is the common one with out feet, my father had one too.
I have a cast iron tub that is modern & looks tin or plastic, until you try to lift it.
It is square on the edges, looks like the tub in my house, but It is cast iron & heavy.
The square tub is the one that will be easier to mount.
Maybe I can get pictures of it, if I ever mount it.