Archive for the ‘Tips & Tricks’ Category
Question of the week – White Spider Mites
There are a lot of little white bugs in my worm bin. What are they and will they harm my worms?
Mites are in the same category as spiders and ticks (8 Legs). White spider mites look like small white pin-heads slowly moving around in your worm bin and are very common. They move around the surface of the bedding material in bins and compost heaps. Some mites attack dead plant matter, fly larvae, springtails, and even other mites.
Mites tend to thrive in high moisture conditions. They prefer fruits and vegetables with a high water content. The presence of a large population of mites in a worm bin can indicate that the worms are being overfeed or the PH level in the bin is dropping.
Try adding some crushed egg shells to help balance the PH. To help reduce the populations in your bin, try adding a slice of bread to the surface of the worm bed. The mites will gather on the bread and you can discard them or throw them out in your compost pile. White spider mites are just one more composting critter in your worm bin that helps to break down the food. They will not harm your worms.
Posted in Tips & Tricks, Worm Bins & Information | 
Tags: bugs, critters, overfeeding, ph, white mites, worm bin | 
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Questions of the week.
Question: I am worried about my red wiggler worms multiplying too fast for my bin size. What do I do if it gets over-populated?
Answer: That is not something you need to worry about with worms. Worms will regulate their population to the amount of food and space available.
Question: I was wondering if I could set up a worm bin and have it’s main function to be recycling my paper (junk mail, scrap paper, paper towels, etc). Is this a feasible plan?
Answer: Worms can survive on newspaper and other paper products. However, it would be equivalent to a person living off of bread and water. The paper products do not have much nutritional content for the worms. We have heard of year long worm experiments being done with paper only and the worms surviving. They are small skinny worms, but it can be done though not necessarily recommended. If this is your goal, you should supplement their diet with other “green” organic material or worm food.
Do you have questions about caring for red worms? Send them to us and we will post the answers.
Posted in Care & Feeding, Questions of the Week |
Tags: composting worm, eat, feed, feeding, newspaper, population, red wigglers |
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Feeding your Red Wigglers, ENC’s and other composting worms.
Now that your worms are accustomed to their new home you will want to start slowly feeding them. We recommend that you start out with small amounts of food to get to know what your wigglers like to eat and also to monitor the quantity.
Red Wigglers are known to love Watermelon, Pureed Pumpkin (pie filling), and Corn Meal. Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to feeding your worms.
Dont’s:
- glossy paper products
- meat products
- dairy products
- jalapenos and other spicy foods
- cat and dog poo – can be composted by the worms but not if castings are to be used in the garden. Poses a health risk.
- citrus – can make the bin acidic. OK in very small quantities on occasion
Do’s:
- small pieces, it is a good idea to chop food or soften it by freezing then thawing
- bury food under the bedding at least 3″ to deter fruit flies and gnats
- use rain water or well water if using city water let it sit in a bucket for 24hours before using on bedding to reduce the chemicals used in the water. Worms are like organics, they do not like chemicals.
- OK, this is Don’t but it is under the Do’s. Don’t worry about bacteria, mold and microbe populations. These organisms help break down the food matter to make it easier for the worms to consume. They also contribute to the castings. Great compost is full of microbial organisms. And castings are full of them!
Here is a list of a few of the foods we feed to our worms:
(note is is better to try small quantities of new items at first to see if your worm herd enjoys them first)
| Apples & Peels | Oatmeal |
| Beans | Pinto Beans |
| Bananas & Peels | Pancakes |
| Cabbage | Pears |
| Cake | Potatoes |
| Celery | Pasta |
| Cereal | Rice |
| Coffee Grounds & Filters | Strawberries |
| Corn Meal | Tea Leaves & Bags |
| Cucumber | Tomatoes |
| Egg Shells (crushed) | Watermelon/ Cantaloupe |
| Garbanzo Beans | Wheat Bran |
| Lettuce |
By adding a pinch or two of cruched egg shells, sand, or dirt you can help your worms to digest the food in the list above. Worms have gizzards and need the grit that these items provide to help break down the food in the worms digestive system.
What do you feed your worms? Feel free to add to this list in the comments section.
Posted in Care & Feeding |
Tags: composting worm, eat, eisensia fetida, favorites, feed, feeding, food, red wigglers, worms |
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Paper or Plastic?
Many grocery stores these days seem to have forgotten the phrase “Paper or Plastic?”. While plastic bags are convinient with their nice little handles, they tend to mysteriously multiply in the car while you are driving home. By the time you pull in the driveway, the epidemic has already started. Once you walk in your door, you are doomed. You tell yourself you are going to take all those bags that have reproduced quicker than your Red Wigglers to the store with you next time you go. Weeks later they are still there, taunting you!
To avoid the issue of plastic bag over-population, remember, next time you are in the check out stand to ask the clerk for paper. Plastic bags are not accepted in all home recycling programs. Paper bags can easily be recycled in your curb-side recyling bin or shredded, soaked in water and used as bedding for your worms. Trust me, your worms will thank you!
How to keep your worms warm this winter.
It is that time of year again. The weather is getting chilly and you may need to protect your worms from the cold. We would like to share a couple of ways to keep your worms toasty warm throughout the winter. When you keep your worms warm, they will eat more and reproduce more.
1. Bury a glass jar 3/4 of the way down in one corner of your worm bin. Fill the jar with warm water. Submerse a small aquarium heater in the jar and turn on. The heater will heat the jar of water to about 75-80 degrees. This will keep one corner of your bin nice and warm for your worms and keep them from freezing. By placing the jar in a corner the worms have room to leave the area if it gets to hot for them and they can return when they get too cold.
2. Similar to the idea above but instead of submersing a jar in the bin, place the heater in a 5 gallon bucket or old cooler that you can drill a few holes in. You will also need a small pond/fountain pump and some tubing. Place the heater and the pump into the bucket/cooler. On the side or lid, drill one hole for the cords and two holes for the tubing. Attach the tubing to the pump and run through one of the holes in the lid. You can then wrap the tubing around your bin or lay it on top just slightly buried in the bedding depending on the type of bin you have. Run the end of the tube back to the bucket through the other hole. The water will circulate through the tubing and back to the bucket. The heater will keep the water at a constant temperature. This is the system we use with our worms and they love it!
3. Find an old water bed heating pad or seed starting heat mat to place under your bin. If you have one with a temperature control all the better.
4. If you are feeling adventurous, strip down and crawl into your bin. Human body heat is ideal for keeping worms warm! Snuggle away!
These are a few ideas to get you started. Now keep in mind, ultimately YOU will be responsible for checking the temperature and maintaining your system. The tips stated above are for informational purposes only, and different climates require different techniques for keeping your worms happy. NUMBER 4 WAS INTENDED FOR HUMOR PORPOSES ONLY…DON’T SNUGGLE WITH YOUR WORMS! (eeew!)