Any worm composters here ?

[1894]

Can't think of a better place to ask for advice than SMF

We built a rain barrel this year and have had some fun and also that self satisfaction that comes with it

Got two questions about the homemade drum composting bins looking for insight allready .
So on to vermi-whatever you call it

Hot summers / cold winters where I live so my wife wants to try for some good worm processed food for our garden and her flowers . Twixt the hot and cold we are looking for an, in the house , small , homemade system .
Overwhelmed by the results of google on do's and don't's , anyone have any advice to get it right the first time for total beginers ?

 

[smokedcaveman]

a small, in the house, homemade system?

simple. go to walmarts, get a 20 gallon plastic tote, shred into it newspaper, add some coffee grounds(used), fill about 2/3 full of the mixture (you can add a little peatmoss or coconut fiber too, but peatmoss can raise the acid levels a bit), a sprinkle of sand (the worms need it for digestion) moisten, until it's like a wrung out sponge, add red wiggler worms. Canadian night crawlers can also be used, but they're slower. Red wigglers or 'brown nosed worms' are great composters, as they eat nearly their own weight a day.

bait stores are expensive, as are mailorder, and your best bet will be to go to a local ranch/stable/farm/dairy and dig to the bottom of their manure pile (take some of that home with you too.. a little added to the lower layers of the newsprint/coffee grounds mixture will make them feel at home)

worms sold by the pound are the price of caviar in some cases, so it's cheaper to fetch your own.

to process, grind paper or cardboard well, and simply add to the top. wet things, like vegetable pieces, should be buried in the corners to prevent fruitflies.

keep the tub dark (using the lid. I usually put some small holes in mine, usually with an icepick) and keep the bedding moist, but not soggy.

hope that helps