Linda advised me that since I had not started my worm box yet, it would be wise to do so before adding worms so that microbes would have a chance to form before adding the worms.
I knew I wanted my worm box to be made out of wood opposed to plastic because wood allows for more aeration. I remembered that I had a wooden wine box just lying around that I thought would be perfect.
The first step was to drill holes in the bottom of the box for aeration and drainage.
Next, I added a mixture of shredded paper and cardboard for the bedding and soaked the mixture in water. I want to start slowly not only because this is my first worm box, but because I want to keep the box healthy and not have more scraps than the worms can digest quickly. Starting slow will also allow for bacteria to grow which is beneficial to the box.
I had about 10 red wiggler worms that I found and added them to the box along with some kitchen scraps which consisted of egg shells and artichoke clippings until my order of worms from the Vermillion Wormery are available. I have decided on a process where I will add scraps to one side of the box and when the worms have turned those scraps into castings I will add more scraps to the other side. This process will cause the worms to migrate to wherever the scraps are so I will be able to easily remove the castings when needed.
Once I added the few worms I had and the scraps, I put the lid on the box to give the worms darkness and placed the boxed on an old pot to collect any liquid that comes out through the holes on the bottom of the box.
I use a product called Coconut Coir as my bedding for worms. I have found that it creates the best bedding for my worm bin. You may want to add some :) or you could sprinkle some of your native dirt in the bed to inoculate it with some microbes from your local area :)
ReplyDeleteLooks great! I am excited to see when you add your worms.
Remember that you want the moisture level of the worm bin to be like a rung out sponge.