quickcluck Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Hi guys.. Does anybody do the wormery thing??? Have been reading about it and am quite interested, but am not sure how easy or financially viable it is. Does anyone have any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffymuppet Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Hiya, I have two - a Can-O-Worms (which I've had for 5+ years) and a Waste Juggler which is a more recent arrival. My in laws passed it on because they didn't get on with it. I love my wormeries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I hated mine & sold it on after a few months. I just found it yucky,for want of a better word Doesn't help that I am a bit squeamish when it comes to wrigglers anyway..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I've had a can-o-worms for a couple of years now and it's working nicely so long as I don't overload it with peelings as the worms struggle to get through a thick layer so I share kitchen waste between them and the compost heap and top the wormery up when they've managed to chomp through each addition of peelings. The compost they produce is lovely stuff but I leave the tap open at the bottom to let the liquid feed drain away as it has filled up with liquid and drowned some worms previously and I'd rather let it drain away than drown the poor worms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I've had my can-o'-worms for over 6 years and would highly recommend it. The worms are no longer getting as much food as they did, as leftover veggies and scraggy salad etc all gets offered to the hens first, but it's still producing liquid and compost regularly. A real plus to me is that I only need to put a non-recycling bin-bag out every 6-7 weeks or so, because there's no organic waste in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Yes, that's definitely a bonus. The only food waste we have now is the odd s"Ooops, word censored!" of meat as most things either go into the wormery, the compost bin or the chickens. It also helps that we've cut down on the amount of meat we eat so it lasts 2-3 days rather than 1 with a lot thrown away! We did have 2 kitchen composters which used Bokashi Bran to break food waste down but we found that they weren't effective at all and just made a nasty smelly soup with big lumps of food which hadn't composted down so they're not in use anymore. They were supposed to make meat and bones compostable but they didn't work! It's OK in a big garden where you can bury the waste but not in a small one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I didn't get on with the bokashi composters either, and the hens have now had the bran. Between 2 cats, 6 hens and hundreds of worms, it's not waste that's the problem, it's getting to the food while there's still some left Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I ummed and ahhed about a wormery for ages before getting a bokashi composter instead. Stupid thing worked brilliantly twice then I got a mouldy, stinky mess and haven't dared try it again . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Glad it's not just me with a dodgy Bokashi composter. I bought 2 so I could have one resting and one on the go and they're both sat stinking in the garage while we decide what to do with the resulting goo . Wormeries are far less bother and don't smell either!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Ive got a can o worms but struggle to get it to work properly I also have an ordinary plastic compost bin with a door on the bottom I put the composting worms in there & away we went, not juggling with trays just put the waste in at the top & shovel out the compost at the bottom - easy- the only things the worms get now are the things that the chickens cannot or will not eat. between the worms cats chickens compost & fire there is no food waste going in my kitchen bin now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 thanks for you help guys...... have been doing much reading, and before I make a decision, a couple more questions.... Do you really need all the Lime stuff and worm food, and keep constantly checking the PH or is it as simple as worms, kitchen waste and hey presto compost!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 I'd forgotten all about adding lime etc and I've never checked the pH and the worms all seem perfectly happy . The only thing I do add every now and then is a torn up kitchen or toilet roll inner or some brown paper to give them a bit of fibre but that's all I do for the little wigglers now. I never add onions or citrus fruits as the worms don't like them. They go on the compost heap instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Worms,waste = compost. I do have worm treat and the lime mix, and chuck a handful of each in every now and then. They will also need some bedding. Usually the bins come with a couple of coir mats and, after they'd eaten those, I just use a dozen or so sheets of newspaper trimmed to fit. The trimmings can be put in the bin too. I have never measured the ph - maybe I'm a bad worm-mummy but they still do their stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted August 9, 2008 Author Share Posted August 9, 2008 OK, so if if i've got this right you have a worm house made of a number of tray..... you put worms on their bed, give them some stuff to scoff and hey presto it's done!!! Does each tray have it's own worms and bedding? OH is wondering, obviously the worm tea goes to the bottom and out via the tap.. Is that right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 I haven't got on particularly well with with either my Can o Worms or Bokashi composters. Both too hit and miss for me. I bought a Green Johanna hot composter and it is very good. Much less faffing about....and it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Sump goes at the bottom. Put first tray on top of sump, add food, worms and bedding (goes on top) and put on lid. Add more food under bedding and replace bedding on top. When first tray is full, take out bedding, add next tray with some food in it, put bedding on top and lid on top again. Continue until top tray is full, by which time the bottom tray will be compost ready to use. It's all quite easy and the can-o-worms comes with full instructions. I bought mine from Wiggly-wigglers and you can always contact them or post here if you get stuck. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
