My new worm farm

[Angler53]

I'm new at this worm growing thing, so forgive my ignorance here. I would like to know if I'm on the right track here, or not.

I was buying my worms from a grower by the pound. I started a box just to keep the left overs. It kind of became a farm when I started seeing baby worms in quantity.

I started off with one of those Rubbermaid storage boxes that is, I don't know, maybe 50 quarts, in size. I added soil from my mulch pile to about a quarter full. I drilled a row of holes around the top, beneath the lid, for ventilation. I'm a few months into adding vegetable matter and that dirt is growing and looking good and rich.

I did keep it in the house until the wife saw a worm on the floor. So I put it on the back porch in the shade. When the temp went over 100*, I think the adult worms made exit through the ventilation holes seeking cooler ground. There's still a good bunch of youngsters in it, so all is not lost.

I was wiping the rim with some dish washing liquid periodically in an attempt to keep them from escaping. Either that doesn't work or I let it get week enough to allow them to get gone.

I put all of our left over fruit and vegetable cuttings, tea bags, coffee filter and grounds, shredded news paper and any other uncooked organic matter in there. I read somewhere that I could add a quart a week in a box this size.

What do you think? I'd like to here from you pro's about this. Worms are good fish bait and can become expensive.

[STUMP HUNTER]

I think you are over feeding em. Doesn't take a lot to keep em happy. When I was growing em the only feed I would give them was a little cornmeal sprinkled on top, cover with paper and wet it down. That was it for a month. In a month, turn the bed over to keep the soil loose and feed again. If you keep em cool they won't leave the bed. In 90 days you will have more worms than you can use and lots of small worms and the bed will be full of eggs.

[shipahoy41]

I go to thrift stores and look for insulated coolers with a tight lid or insulated large drink containers with lids. They will not escape from the bottom if you donot put holes in the bottom. It is not necessary. A damp newspaper on top provides all the moisture needed. I feed mine just corn meal about twice a week and keep them in the garage. I do have tiny air breather holes in the lid usually done with a large heated needle. About 150 holes should do it.

[azslabber]

Big tupperware bins with a good fitting lid.Make sure they have some color to them and not clear ones.Then on the top 3 inches drill 10,000 1/8 inch holes in it,all the way around.On mine I also drilled a lot of holes in the lid,the more air the better.I put a big coffee can full of sinkers that I poured for storage and also so the worms can't squeeze out.I have had mine for about a year now,probably 5 generations of worms of every size,not one on the floor yet,lol.You have to watch out for the fruit also,makes the bed awfull wet.I throw in all vegtable PEELS,but let them sit in a coffee can for a week before I put them in the bed.You have to get the micro organisms started before they will decay.

[Angler53]

Thanks for the information, guy's
One dumb question for ya; what are casings? and what do they look like?

[azslabber]

Worm castings are Worm Poop,lol.black fluffy looking things like really nice topsoil.

[azslabber]

How are your worms doing ??

[Angler53]

How are your worms doing ??

Sorry, azaslabber, I didn't see your question.
I think I have it going pretty good now. I was doing a lot of things wrong. I got it all straightened out and they are going well. The quantity is many but the size is a little small due to the size (30qt) of the box. I'm thinking maybe a kid's pool, or maybe something 2'x8' up on leg so I don't have to get on the ground to work it.
All for another day, this one is full

[fishingnana]

Just started a worm bed several months ago....things were going well (new babies and all) until white grubs began showing up. Seems as the grubs increase in number, my worm population decreases. I feed corn meal once a week and keep soil moist, but not wet. Any suggestions?