Lmao...there is 2" of snow on top of my bin and I'm not worried...have you seen a pile of compost when you turn it in the winter...it steams brotha...you can sleep under s pile of leaves and stay warm. Get a 200g smart pot. Worms will migrate to warm spotsYeah that's big part of why I haven't started one yet cuz I don't want to get it going good then here comes the cold and f it all up,used to do compost piles in ground when I was a kid,that's only experience I've had with that type of stuff,we would dig out a bed and compost it for 2-3 years then run a garden in it and compost in the previous garden next 2-3 years.
I'm with you on that one. I've got tons of worms and nightcrawlers in my back yard. No need to buy those high falootin compost worms.:cool:I'm gunna start a worm bin this spring but I think instead of buying worms im just gunna find them in the ground locally and add them to the bins,should help reduce emissions and price of delivery. New age hippy power lol
What you should do is get a compost pile going. I scoop it all into a 300g smart pot after about a 6 month compost of double shred leaves. Earthworms and composting worms are 2 different things. I do purchase European night crawlers. They stay very deep. They get as large as 6" long.I'm with you on that one. I've got tons of worms and nightcrawlers in my back yard. No need to buy those high falootin compost worms.:cool:
Cation exchange capacity (CEC) and soil solution are where a majority of nutrients are stored. In the top 2-4" there is quite a bit of biological activity taking place. I usually go no more than 3 days without applying enough water to keep this zone moist.Would you agree that watering method is made more important when top dressing?
I'm thinking that the roots are relying on nutrients leached from the dressing space, so watering needs to travel through this space.
I share your appreciation of the worm.
I like to think of them as microbial regulators.
Once they fully occupy a space, diversity seems to narrow to what the worms like.
Love the "no till" idea, as much as I loath humping "soil" about.
It depends how big your worm bin is, how cold it gets, and if you want to maintain it during this period. A soil heating cable works too. I put a 125w lamp under my 2x4 vertical flow through thats in the chicken shed. I blocked off the bottom so only the chickens had enough space to warm up. Working well and I've seen -10F a few times. Remember also the cocoons survive -40F...so you will have worms in the spring regardless.If I do have my worm bin outside and temps get real cold,lets say below freezing,should I worry about worms or will they survive?
I'm with you on that one. I've got tons of worms and nightcrawlers in my back yard. No need to buy those high falootin compost worms.:cool:
Yeah, that's right. Here's where I get my worms. They're right under the top layer of my compost pile. Right now it's all the leaves from my maple tree and some lawn clippings. I think the worms are compost worms because they hang out right where the leaves meet the more condensed compost.What you should do is get a compost pile going. I scoop it all into a 300g smart pot after about a 6 month compost of double shred leaves. Earthworms and composting worms are 2 different things. I do purchase European night crawlers. They stay very deep. They get as large as 6" long.
They help work the material over once more to finish off. You need those composting worms to break down the top 5".
Yeah, that's a sound investment. Can't get that kind of bang for your buck in any bottle!I bought some red wigglers around 2006 or so for 20 bucks. Still have them today.
Cheaper than the starving kid in Africa that drinks all my coffee.
RD
Red wigglers are extremely efficient at what they do. They can be found outdoors naturally occurring around manure piles. Doug from NW Redworms has a YouTube video on where to look for them and pays 10 bucks a lb.Yeah, that's a sound investment. Can't get that kind of bang for your buck in any bottle!
I plan to have a few dif types of worms and also have a compost and a separate worm bin possibly,idk yet,also been thinkin about a bokashi bucket too.What you should do is get a compost pile going. I scoop it all into a 300g smart pot after about a 6 month compost of double shred leaves. Earthworms and composting worms are 2 different things. I do purchase European night crawlers. They stay very deep. They get as large as 6" long.
They help work the material over once more to finish off. You need those composting worms to break down the top 5".
Awesome info,thanks,cleared up alot for me.It depends how big your worm bin is, how cold it gets, and if you want to maintain it during this period. A soil heating cable works too. I put a 125w lamp under my 2x4 vertical flow through thats in the chicken shed. I blocked off the bottom so only the chickens had enough space to warm up. Working well and I've seen -10F a few times. Remember also the cocoons survive -40F...so you will have worms in the spring regardless.
I found a place that sells a dozen cocoons for like 20 bucks or less,might go ahead and give em a shot,seems like a good deal.I bought some red wigglers around 2006 or so for 20 bucks. Still have them today.
Cheaper than the starving kid in Africa that drinks all my coffee.
RD
That sounds like a horrible deal. You should be able to get a lb of worms for 20-30 bucks. I recommend NW Redworms. Or look on eBay for a small starter kit for 10-15.I found a place that sells a dozen cocoons for like 20 bucks or less,might go ahead and give em a shot,seems like a good deal.
Try and find Vermiculture Technologies by Clive Edwards. Vertical flow through bins are incredibly efficient compared to other methods. Google OSCR worm bins. I wouldn't run anything but wigglers or Malaysians in them though.I plan to have a few dif types of worms and also have a compost and a separate worm bin possibly,idk yet,also been thinkin about a bokashi bucket too.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?