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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 6:42 am 
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I don't think you normally get big, fat earthworms in a compost pile. My understanding is that the smaller red worms are normal. At least when I took a vermicomposting class, that's the type you are given.

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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:23 pm 
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Location: San Antonio, Texas
I am sure there are many variables as to what worms eventually settle in, but the ones on my pile are huge. They are thick (1/4 inch) and long (6-8 inches) earthworms.

The birds sit on the sides and wait for them to poke their little heads up.


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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Sat Jun 04, 2011 2:27 pm 
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I've tried several different types,Alabama Jumpers are really good for Tx. compost piles and so are Brown Nose ,if you can find them. :roll:


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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:38 pm 
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I think we might have a mixture of worms at "play." Small Red Wigglers might be the worm of choice for controlled vermiculture composting: closed bins for composting paper, select kitchen scraps, etc. Outdoor worm composting (vermiculture) attracts the worms from the environment. Cutout the bottom of a plastic bucket, bury it in the soil so the top two-three inches remain above ground level, and keep a cover to protect the worms from rain and direct sun. Place your composting material in the bucket and the worms will come it from the bottom to devour your scraps --- Over time, worm castings remain or you can relocate the bucket to keep worms working your soil.


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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Sun Jun 03, 2012 7:36 pm 
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I vermicompost indoors and standard compost outdoors - both with amazing results. Reading through this string prompted me to comment. A few months ago and tossed a few of my red wigglers into my outdoor bin to see what would happen. Over time, when I stir my outdoor bin, I'm seeing them growing bigger and bigger, with lots more wormies wiggling about. I expected them to reproduce like that but never imagined they would grow so much larger. They definitely appear happy and healthy, though, and I toss food scraps in year-round. Occasionally, I do see big fat earthworms in that bin, too, but they never hang around for long, since that's not they're type of environment. They must just be adventurous!


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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 10:36 am 
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Location: California, San Joaquin Valley - home of 105* summers, foggy winters.
Re: Redworms: As the population rises and the bin gets more crowded, the younger worms busy activity tends to make the older, bigger worms wander away some distance to get out of the excitement.

I have a coffee canister that I'm growing as a mini bin. I'm not growing for population increase so much as to just have a small bin going inside. The worms there are fat and slow moving. They look great, but there's not a whole lot of babies to get in their way.

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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Sat Sep 01, 2012 5:00 pm 
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Do the red wiglers in your outdoor compost pile handle the normally high temperatures of an outdoor pile or have they been placed in a "relatively" dormant outdoor pile?


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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 8:54 am 
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My compost has tons of big worms (6"+) in length about the width of a pencil or bigger. I can take a scoop out any given day and find them not only in there but also in my garden (where the compost is used).

I have a worm bin and the red wigglers are normally pretty small by comparison. Don't know how much I need the bin with the big guys in my normal pile.


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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Sun Sep 30, 2012 10:29 am 
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My compost pile is quite cool - it works slowly over time in general, so there are worms in it on occasion, and certainly once it is finished they are present.

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 Post subject: Re: Compost worms
PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 8:23 pm 
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Location: California, San Joaquin Valley - home of 105* summers, foggy winters.
I haven't had an issue with overheating. A worm bin is really great for small, continuous inputs, so the bin does keep a little warm (which is good in the winter), but it doesn't normally get hot like a thermophyllic pile, because the volume isn't there - the inputs don't take over the whole bin - they're just in pockets, so the worms go from pocket to pocket, and if there's something a little warm, they can back away from it without getting overheated.

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