Help Fellow "Wormers"

LeeAnne12 3/7/2012, 7:42 pm

My 1,000 new babies finally arrived today as did the Worm Factory. I just got them in there about an hour ago and several are trying to escape. I did everything it told me to do except add some compost to the bedding because I don't have any yet. Strange, the video that came with it didn't mention the compost and the book did. Anyway, do ya'll think I am doing something wrong or are they just crazed from the lack of food?

Thanks,

Lee Anne

LeeAnne12 3/7/2012, 7:46 pm

I forgot to say, but I used distilled water to soak the coir, not tap water, thanks to some of your recommendations.

Lee Anne

GWN 3/7/2012, 8:14 pm

Hi there
My experience was pretty much like yours.
I got the tower and the worms at the same time and used the koir and my worms seemed to disappear.
It seems that a few survived and I now have lots of babies, but my experience seems quite different from what everyone here seems to experience.
I am wondering if it is the KOIR, someone said that it was a bit acidic.

I put some peat in and it seems to be working now.
Just a thought? study

littlejo 3/7/2012, 8:27 pm

Your worms are probably just disoriented from the move. mine go thru phases of being fine or trying to escape. I think they would rather be somewhere else. Do you have anything to give them as food? Maybe a little bit of cornmeal or oatmeal. Or a little bit of a veggie, even a little lettuce. Don't mix food, just put on top. Cover the food with a bit of paper or cardboard.

I don't know how the worm factory is made, so, could you turn a light on, even a nite light, lid off or open, they will go down to get out of the light. They will relax and be fine in a couple days.

Good luck with them!

Jo

gwn posted while I was writing. If you think that the coir may be too acidic, you can add some crushed egg shells, or if an emergency, move the coir to one side, and put some torn up paper (dampen it) and put on other side. The worms will decide where to go.

littlejo 3/7/2012, 8:30 pm

As an after thought, I don't add compost to mine. The worms make worm castings(poo) which is a very fine compost! Jo

LeeAnne12 3/7/2012, 9:13 pm

I am wondering if it is the KOIR, someone said that it was a bit acidic

GWN, I know peat moss is acidic, so I looked up on the internet. Everywhere I read said that peat is more acidic. I have no idea whether the sites knew what they were talking about. Mine came in peat, so maybe they are just used to that. I put the peat they came in in with the bedding. That is strange that we both had the same problem with the Worm Factory.

Windsor.Parker 3/7/2012, 9:17 pm

Lee Anne,
My DW has been wrangling worms in her "Worm Factory" for several years, so after reading your post I asked her about her experience.
Her advice is much like littlejo's and GWN's. But she quickly adds "I'm still learning". IMHO she's done great because I've been using those castings as fast as they show up. She gave me 5-6lbs. today!
Help Fellow "Wormers" 485967

Keep working at it I'm sure you'll succeed.
Lee
(obtw, she's never added peat or coir to the bins, only shredded stuff, and she uses tap water!)

LeeAnne12 3/7/2012, 9:21 pm

Don't mix food, just put on top.

Well...I've been mixing their food up for a couple of days...banana and peel, spinach, and bell pepper. Do you think I should take it out and just put one thing in there?

could you turn a light on

Thanks, I did that and most of them have gone into hiding.

When I mixed the bedding up, I did add some egg shells into it. Maybe they'll calm down by tomorrow. Do ya'll think I should leave the light on all night?

Thanks,

Lee Anne

littlejo 3/7/2012, 9:56 pm

LeAnne, I did not mean not to add the many different foods. I meant not to stir the food up with the bedding(coir, peat or paper) Some of the worm sellers say to mix the food with the bedding and I've found that they will not stay if you do.

As far as the light, if you have fixed the problem, they will stay. If not, you may have to put them back in the am. If the light bothers, turn it out and see.

Jo

**walshevak** 3/7/2012, 11:11 pm

My box of worms came today too. The shipping bedding seem very dry so I misted them down a bit. Added 500 to the 11 survivors plus about 30 I bought from a organic plant shop. They dug in very quickly, but I put a light on the box for the afternoon.

Just checked and all is quiet.

Kay

**llama momma** 3/8/2012, 7:11 am

Hi LeAnne
Everyone has added so much help. The only thing I can add is they do love moistened cardboard and that may help them settle down too. There is a kind of starchy glue that is used in cardboard layers and it has been suggested the worms are after the glue and just love it. Maybe it would help your little wanderers to stay put.
Finally, congratulations Worm Mom!

LeeAnne12 3/8/2012, 2:14 pm

Thanks everyone! Jo, I had covered the food up with some of the bedding, but then put some on top after I read your post. It doesn't look like they are going for it, but there are worms in the corners where the food is, so maybe they are eating some.

Kay, congrats on your new ones. I hope they do better than the last batch! I think they will. Very Happy

The only thing I can add is they do love moistened cardboard and that may help them settle down too.

Llama Momma, you are a worm saver! I put the cardboard in there, put the lid on, and haven't seen a worm since. Isn't that crazy?

Thanks again, everyone for your help.

Lee Anne

**Kelejan** 3/8/2012, 2:23 pm

walshevak wrote:My box of worms came today too. The shipping bedding seem very dry so I misted them down a bit. Added 500 to the 11 survivors plus about 30 I bought from a organic plant shop. They dug in very quickly, but I put a light on the box for the afternoon.

Just checked and all is quiet.

Kay

Do worms make much noise? Perhaps chomping at the veggies makes a crunchie sound?

**llama momma** 3/8/2012, 2:43 pm

LeeAnne12 wrote:Thanks everyone! Jo, I had covered the food up with some of the bedding, but then put some on top after I read your post. It doesn't look like they are going for it, but there are worms in the corners where the food is, so maybe they are eating some.

Kay, congrats on your new ones. I hope they do better than the last batch! I think they will.

The only thing I can add is they do love moistened cardboard and that may help them settle down too.

Llama Momma, you are a worm saver! I put the cardboard in there, put the lid on, and haven't seen a worm since. Isn't that crazy?

Thanks again, everyone for your help.

Lee Anne

Hey I'm very happy the wet cardboard seemed to help! Who knows maybe they were ready to settle down anyway. I noticed my little ones crawling out through the little corrugated tunnels in the cardboard. Found an article that suggested the glue might be similar to the sweet kindergarten glue kids eat, providing polysaccharides, and also could be the sugar source for tiny buggy things worms like to eat. I've got a guilotine paper cutter that easily cuts up the boxes into a nice size then I tear it up into about one inch long pieces.

**walshevak** 3/8/2012, 2:51 pm

Kelejan wrote:
walshevak wrote:My box of worms came today too. The shipping bedding seem very dry so I misted them down a bit. Added 500 to the 11 survivors plus about 30 I bought from a organic plant shop. They dug in very quickly, but I put a light on the box for the afternoon.

Just checked and all is quiet.

Kay

Do worms make much noise? Perhaps chomping at the veggies makes a crunchie sound?

I meant 11 of the original bait shop 12 survived.

According to Josh and Sesame Street they make noise.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1603p165-worm-tube-for-the-sfg

Kay

littlejo 3/8/2012, 3:48 pm

Do worms make much noise? Perhaps chomping at the veggies makes a crunchie sound?

According to Josh and Sesame Street they make noise.

Ya'll just made my day! Now I've got to run out and get a mini microphone so I can listen to my worms! They've been in the house all winter. Mine are very quiet!

Jo Ann

Sponsored content

Help Fellow "Wormers"

Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"

Re: Help Fellow "Wormers"


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.