Vermicomposting - C.O.W. moving from indoor to outdoor bin!

swb_rob · Joined: 25 Dec 2004 Posts: 19 Location: Ovilla,TEXAS

Greetings to all from Ovilla, TX. This post is regarding vermicomposting and moving an indoor bin outside or to a new outdoor bin.

I have a commercial "Can O Worms" bin in the spare bedroom. It is a three tier system where you start the bottom tier, when it is full, add a layer. The worms move up for the food. Then you add a third layer and wait for it to fill up. Supposedly after the third layer is full, you remove the bottom layer as harvested castings and the worm tea drains out the bottom into a bucket. It is a GREAT system and the worms are thriving on mostly organic muskmellons from the bumper crop in the garden which made it into the deep freeze for the worms (plus they get the other basic necessities). I enjoy the benefits of the worm tea mostly on house plants and am getting ready to finally take off the bottom layer for some castings. However, now it is time for the worms to vacate the indoor environment.

I need to know where to get good information on outdoor vermicomposting. What are the things to look out for when moving the bin outdoors? What are the chances of survival? These are red wigglers, which I am sure you probably already knew due to the indoor shallow bin.

Priswell · Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 4:42 pm Post subject:

What are the things to look out for when moving the bin outdoors?

Chances of survival are pretty good, actually. Unless it's exceptionally cold, just move it outside. Put The Can in a protected area, like between the house and a fence for protection from the wind, if it's possible. The Can of Worms people that you bought it from can likely tell you the exact temperature range tolerance, but The Can offers pretty good protection from cold (I've talked at length with some Can people), and the composting stuff offers its own source of heat, to a point. If it's really cold, get an old blanket to cover it to preserve what heat it generates.

The consumption of the worms will slow down a bit in the colder temperatures, but whatever food waste you have in there will last longer without smell, due to the cold as well.

I raise my red worms in piles outdoors (CA), and have good success, even without a Can, so you're likely to do well.

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

swb_rob,

Please keep us updated on the results of moving your system outdoors. I have wanted one of these systems for several years now, but have hestitated because I absolutely have NO where to put this indoors. Even the garage is quite full.

Priswell, very interesting to hear that you have met with success farming the worms in outdoor compost piles. (Although, if my meager memory serves, you have addressed this before :roll: ). My success in seeding worms (I attempted two "seedings") in my compost pile was rather dismal on a continuing basis. Sometimes the pile would be absolutely full of worms, and other times there would be few, if any, visible. I "feed" my compost pile reqularly with primarily kitchen scraps. Based on what I've read about the procreation of the worms, I thought that I would have plenty of "fish food" to give away, plus a healthy herd to help process my pile.

swb_rob · Joined: 25 Dec 2004 Posts: 19 Location: Ovilla,TEXAS

I have read that red wigglers (eisenia fetida) prefer temperatures from 59 to 77 degrees. Temperatures below 50 and above 86 are harmful to the worms. They need soils that are extremely high in organic matter and cannot live in the common garden or lawn soils. About the best thing they could do is die and add nitrogen when this worm is seeded in the yard or garden. I'm sure there are exceptions but from what I read this is the general rule.

This would also prohibit them from surviving in the average compost pile. Best chance would be to have two compost piles. The first one would be where you heat stuff up and begin breaking it down. The second one could house the red wigglers and be the finishing bin. I just don't think they could survive the heat which may be why you see them disappear then come back out of egg apsules and re-group.

Priswell, could you please share your findings with respect to the outdoor piles?

Mr. Clean · Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Posts: 708 Location: Garland, Texas

swb_rob,

I have read the same (or at least similar) information regarding the red wrigglers and their preferred environment; that is they prefer the loose organic soils as opposed to your common garden/flower bed/lawn soils. That is why I *thought* that my compost pile environment would be to their liking. My pile is comprised mainly of finished compost except for the pockets I create when I add to it. I create these pockets in a rotating manner trying not to disturb the previous deposit. There is plenty of room for the worms to migrate to cooler portions of the pile.

Priswell · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:48 pm Post subject:

Priswell, could you please share your findings with respect to the outdoor piles?

My longer explanation can be found here:

http://homeschool.priswell.com/worms.htm

but here's a few details:

Use a rather protected spot out of summer sun and winter wind.

Keep the pile moist but not soggy. Too much water can encourage fermenting of the food waste, especially in the heat, and most especially if you are using an enclosed container.

Make sure there's a constant supply of food. Red Wigglers will stay where there's food and will wander off and die if there's not.

Too much food will kill them as much as too much water, because the food will ferment and make the pile acid.

Red worms love corn meal. It also has nutrients that seem to fatten the worms up and make them hard-skinned, something desireable. In addition, corn meal, encourages red worms to reproduce prolifically. So, throw in a handful once in a while.

If I missed what you are searching for, let me know.

Priswell · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 2:53 pm Post subject:

Sometimes the pile would be absolutely full of worms, and other times there would be few, if any, visible.

If the pile gets too full of worms, they will simply die off from over crowding. Today thousands, tomorrow none.

Best chance would be to have two compost piles. The first one would be where you heat stuff up and begin breaking it down. The second one could house the red wigglers and be the finishing bin.

Yes, if fresh food is continued to be added to it. Often worm wranchers start off their piles with a pile created from the usual carbon/nitrogen heated pile, then after the cool off, they add worms and continue to add food scraps.