Wormery!

BitterKnitter

Hi guys- I'm well on the way to starting my wormery (Thanks to my Freds) and I have the idea of how to start it off, but when you feed it stuff with the brown matter, should I add some compost along with it or just veggie peelings and brown (I'm thinking eggboxes)?

Also, is it okay to have eggshells in a wormery?

Clathymacd

I don't think its a good idea to add compost, but it is a good idea to add a small handful of garden soil occasionally - the grit seems to be beneficial. I let all my veggie stuff rot down a wee bit before adding to the wormery (potato skin takes a while to rot). If it seems too wet, I add cardboard or newspaper - the worms seem to like a top layer of cardboard to feed below, and I also add crushed eggshell, tea bags and banana skins which they love.

Good luck!

BitterKnitter

I didn't read your comment before I went ahead and did it! Whoops! Well, I gave them a handful of compost with some peelings and a shredded up eggbox, I'll check in them in the morning and see how they're doing Thank you for commenting though, my Freds are all comfy and in a sheltered part of the balcony

Outdoor girl

Edd's thread is brilliant. All you ever wanted to know - it's all there. I've just put my worms into the greenhouse for the winter. I did it last year and they survived, much to my delight.

Mrs Key

hi its fine to add egg shells as long as they are well crushed

GemmaJF

Great tip for processing egg shells Edd, just started my first wormery and couldn't really figure out that big lumps of shell were going to do much good . I think I overfed them to start too but it's all settled down now. Got them in our outside boiler room for the winter.

Hostafan1

tsk!! I can't open Edd's link. Is it just me?

 

BitterKnitter

Thank you so much Edd, I really appreciate it! And thanks for everyone's support!

I checked my worms yesterday, no escape attempts but I wasn't seeing much life, I picked one out and it was a bit slow but started moving after a few seconds of being in my hand. Is that normal?

BitterKnitter

Of course- I'm transferring them into something a bit better for them- a cheap plastic bin I found. I'll take a pic when I'm done (bit dark now )

 

GemmaJF

I think I must have the same worms as you BitterKnitter because mine behave like that too. I thought they were sick and dying at first, but they seem to be going still a few weeks into setting up my first wormery. 

BitterKnitter

I just moved them all into their new home and they all definitely seem quite awake and alive! They were right at the bottom of their home and some were hiding in the paper. I've fed them sweet potato and carrot peelings and eggshells, nothing strange, so I'm wondering what's going on there.

And yes, they're the red ones. I was quite surprised how they were less slimy than earthworms, more snake-y. 

You must be doing something right, Gemma! Hopefully mine will settle just as well as yours.