Author Topic: Wormery? (Read 8634 times)

Shen · « **on:** 13 June, 2008, 09:29:30 am »

Anyone else running one?

Our first batch of worms died out paooibly due to the cold weather we had in Spring.

We have re-establisheed it again and are watching with interest to see how it goes.

Shen

Notsototalnewbie · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 June, 2008, 09:59:27 am »

I had one, they also died out in the cold weather (had it actually been winter I would have insulated them a bit). I felt quite bad about the little guys. But they didn't seem to eat much of the little I put in (and I was putting in the right stuff according to various websites).

I might try and re-establish it at some point.

jellied · « **Reply #2 on:** 13 June, 2008, 11:22:14 am »

Got one a few years back and had no problems up until last weekend - seemed to have massive fly problem and a larger than normal body count in the bottom tray - so many in fact that I might have to buy some more.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #3 on:** 13 June, 2008, 12:39:22 pm »

Hello Shen!

We've had our one about a year and no real problems. We keep ours in the shed so that may help keep the worms warm in the winter plus it's not too hot in the summer.
Have to chuck the Wiggly Wigglers lime pellets over the top quite frequently in the summer to keep the fruit flies down but otherwise going fine once I realised that they much prefer lots of shredded paper to bits of cardboard box.

Edit: I also keep the liquid feed tap permanently open after I had a bit of a drowned worms experience - that smelled disgustiing.

Shen · « **Reply #4 on:** 13 June, 2008, 12:42:27 pm »

Hi Mrs P!

Fit like?

Just about at the end of my offshore career now, and in a new life.

Buying a hotel in Castle Donnington!

Shen

Chris S · « **Reply #5 on:** 13 June, 2008, 12:44:21 pm »

Quote from: Shen on 13 June, 2008, 12:42:27 pm

Buying a hotel in Castle Donnington!

Ooooh! Cheap stops for Audaxers?

Shen · « **Reply #6 on:** 13 June, 2008, 12:56:10 pm »

At weekends possibly yes.

During the week we are pretty much fully booked.

Shen

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #7 on:** 13 June, 2008, 01:01:02 pm »

I'm fine ta.

Blimey, a hotel! That's a bit exciting!
Not long to go offshore then?

Enjoying life dahn saarf?

Shen · « **Reply #8 on:** 13 June, 2008, 03:01:21 pm »

It's ok.

FAR too many roads for me though. I keep getting lost. LOL

Shen

hairyhippy · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 June, 2008, 05:54:08 pm »

We're in Long Eaton Shen. About 3 miles away from Castle Donnington. As are Paul and family. Frenchie is also just around the cornenr in Beeston.

Welcome to the east midlands.

vince · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 June, 2008, 06:08:02 pm »

Welcome to the east mids. I'm a little further north these days, but occasionally ride out that way with some of the usual suspects.

Nice to know we have a new cake stop

Shen · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 June, 2008, 06:26:28 pm »

Good lord!

I recognise one of those locations but I have to say my local geo is a bit poor.

I never realised until I totally relocated how much of an area you "just know" and when you find yourself in a totally new location how disorientating it acutally is.

All I can say is thank god for TomTom!

Thanks for the local welcome. I won't name the hotel yet as we haven't signed the contracts. Very close though.

Shen

andygates · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 June, 2008, 05:50:06 pm »

My liquid tap broke off - I just leave a watering can underneath. There are fewer worm drownings now.

Our, er, mine now, has been going for about 5 years now. It got a lot of pampering at first; then I ignored it for six whole months, now I just chuck in my stuff. It goes a treat. You get much faster processing if you actually empty the bottom tray for compost uses every so often.

Top tip - cycle the bottom tray up and leave the lid off for a couple of hours before emptying so most worms flee down into the other trays.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #13 on:** 15 June, 2008, 09:44:38 pm »

I've found (again today) that I need to get in at the lower trays occasionally and poke about with an old spoke because it gets compacted down and the drainage holes get a bit plugged up so it gets all wet & stinky.

geoff · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 June, 2008, 02:00:16 pm »

I got one for my birthday present a few (5?) years back and the wormies have kept going ever since, generation upon generation in spite of all the rubbish I've fed them. The only supposedly compostable item they don't eat are those bags the supermarkets sell organic fruit in. Otherwise it's a

from me too.

rafletcher · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 June, 2008, 02:59:29 pm »

Luckily our black compost bins seem full of brandling worms. We don't get the liquid of course, but the compost certainly benefits.

cometworm · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 June, 2008, 04:36:42 pm »

In the mythology of worms, I am known as "Death, the destroyer of worms." Four generations of wigglywigglers composting worms have ended in a genocide at the bottom of two different incarnations of wormery. Not sure what I've done wrong

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 June, 2008, 06:13:23 pm »

Wot you been putting in there cw?

cometworm · « **Reply #18 on:** 16 June, 2008, 07:20:53 pm »

Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 16 June, 2008, 06:13:23 pm

Wot you been putting in there cw?

Nothing prohibited - nothing spicy, no onions, no garlic, no citrus - but I think the cycles of alternating feast and famine probably killed them off (well, the first lot drowned due to the lid not being on right and the tap being closed)... :-(

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #19 on:** 16 June, 2008, 09:14:13 pm »

shredded paper?

longers · « **Reply #20 on:** 18 June, 2008, 07:40:40 pm »

I've got a couple or three questions about wormeries.

Can I put coffee grounds in there? I know they can be put on compost heaps.

I've got a lot of little white flies all hanging around the lid. I've been lax with the lime - will this get rid of them?

My wormery hasn't got trays. How's best to sort out the good stuff from the bottom of the bin without killing off the worms?

Thanks in advance.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #21 on:** 18 June, 2008, 09:14:51 pm »

Yes, we do anyway.
Lime helps, as does the moisture mats on top I think.
Don't know about how to get the good stuff out of the bottom, doubt you'll kill them all off though.

longers · « **Reply #22 on:** 18 June, 2008, 09:54:58 pm »

Thanks for that

.

How much lime can it take? A handful a month? Bearing in mind it's never had any in the preceding twelve months.

Moisture mats?

Shredded newspaper as an alternative?

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #23 on:** 18 June, 2008, 10:09:15 pm »

Wiggly Wigglers has it all.... moisture mats, lime mix, worm treat. I chuck the lime pellets on once every couple of weeks when the flies are bad, doesn't really need it that much in the winter when there's no flies.

longers · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 June, 2008, 10:14:42 pm »

Thanks for that link. It looks very useful indeed.