AH, OK, I understand now. I don't think I have to worry about it...with our weather EVERYthing molds here if it stays put for too long!!! I will not need to do it. I think that spraying the pile down with EM1 might do the same thing.
Worms leaving their bin
Sometimes I throw overripe bananas in the freezer, thaw them and bury them in my bin. Within a couple days it looks like something out of Armageddon- its looks like every worm in the bin attacks! I think I must have South American worms, they really like coffee and bananas! Really freaks my wife out- but my 3 and 5 year old girls really dig it!!
OK, I just put my old bananas in the freezer. I am just thawing out my frozen vegs scraps. Do you blend before or after freezing?
I don't actually ever 'blend' my scraps. When I take out all my fruits/vegetables from the freezer, I throw them all into a large plastic bowl and microwave on high until they are thawed. Normally all the scraps end up in soggy, squishy mess which I bury just under the surface of my worm bin bedding. When you thaw your scraps you will notice they are a mushy mess, I don't really find the need to blend them because they are pretty well broken down at that point. Usually, my worms can eat through bananas prepped like this in about a week! They don't waste a lot of time.
Apples frozen then thawed are another treat for the wormies. They burn through those like its their job (which, it actually IS)... Melon rinds are also a worm favorite. You could blend those, after thawing, because the rinds are still a bit tough. My worms also like old bread and because its pretty inexpensive I'll sometimes make a large bowl of plain cooked oatmeal, which the little fellas appreciate. All this food and coffee are about all the things I feed my worms, which are easy to come by in my household. I have the luxury of being a firefighter, so I bring home all sorts of scraps from work if need be. Most other foods besides those I mentioned have fats and salts, which I avoid feeding to the red guys. Like I mentioned before, Starbucks will have all the coffee grounds you could want, and you could honestly feed your worms nothing but that I imagine. The acidity might get a bit high for them, though.
I do notice that I get all sorts of seeds growing (that look like sprouts) with the different vegetables I throw into the bin. Its weird to see growth like that in the dark, but I guess the pure castings are almost like steroids for seeds. Does anyone else notice this?
bevoreno
Funny that you should say this about the castings and the seeds, as I'm about to embark on using the casting as the only soil for some seedlings I'm getting ready to start on a heating mat.
Just like to try new things and see how they work out...LOL
Janet
Janet, let me know how that goes for you (with the seedlings) as I have a heat mat and I'd be interested for the spring to know how castings work as a seedling starter! Thanks!
Actually, coffee grounds have a very neutral pH...all the caffeine has been squozzed out of it....
If you find a coffee shop that has a lot of grounds, DON'T TELL ANYONE!!!! I was so happy I told all my friends and now THEY get there before me.... grrerrrrrr.
Mine love EM1...just spraying it on the ground will bring them....
wow at my work they drink coffee like it is no tomorrow.... maybe I'll bring a bucket in for them to put them in.
bevoreno for sure I will post back here with a link to the thread that talks about the worm castings as seed starter soil...LOL
Janet
Reno from Las Vegas. That is great news because I was not doing well with an old blender blending because it was not blending, just jamming. Are we having fun yet. I have no idea what I am doing and my reds are just raising hell. I put my feed on one side of the pen. No, they are all over the pen and all over each other. Sex maniacs.....Love for the sake of gardening....LOL....
They will figure it out. Yeah, you don't have to do much food prep- freezing is the easiest if you only do one thing. Things get interesting when you have enough castings to harvest- especially when you want to keep as few worms from your harvest as possible. There are a few tricks to this that I believe were touched on in this thread. If not, let me know and I will share what I've gathered about harvesting...
Yes, please....you seem to have it compiled and I would love it....
So would I. I have to read it 5 times for it to blend in with my cobwebs.
Janet...throw in the filters, too...they decompose.
I can't wait to get started, in about two more months I'll have everything together and will then get my worms....
I'm already using worm castings in my houseplants and my clems that I planted last year....
can't wait till I have all my own to use when and where...LOL
Janet
I started a thread on the subject of separating worms from castings from a while ago: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1003703/
There were some good ideas offered, I hope it helps. Let me know what you guys think, and also offer ideas that you come across! Thanks!
Well I just read this again. My worms and I are doing great. I keep forgetting everyone said this was not rocket science. I am getting ready to add some really goopy thawed bananas. I have nothing on my plate Wednesday or Thursday except to clean up all my gardening area in the third part of the garage and get everything where it is suppose to be and do an inventory. I purchased some seed and went to put them away and I had already purchased some. DUH... We are beginning our spring here and warming temperatures during the day so I need to do some spring clean up in the garden.
One thing I have come to is do no turn on the computer until you are done with your chores. I get on the laptop for a few minutes and then before I know it 3 hours have gone by.
Sharon, my worms will be jealous for your banana feast!
Can you hear them groaning. I put the bananas in there with frozen mushy thawed blueberries. I would imagine tomorrow they will be dancing in the great room out of the laundry room,. I will let you know. I love you guys and all your help. Take care and have a good day tomorrow, I will be cleaning out the gardening part of the garage. That part, could take all day or I could set off a bomb and clean out the whole area in 10minutes. Sorry, negative tonight after seeing President slam Las Vegas again. No Comment....