How many worms?

[Bigmallly]

I am aware not to put citrus peelings in. I love bananas (yes, I really do), can I cut the skins up into small pieces or not?. Thanks.

[veggiechicken]

I used to chop up the banana skins and put them in but I'm convinced that they were the main cause of the fruit flies. I hated them and had to keep covering the top of the wormery with real compost to bury them.
Again, I'm sure a Wormery expert will be along soon and put me right!

[Currysniffa]

I put banana skins in mine BM and they get eaten.

[veggiechicken]

Do you get lots of flies Chris?

[Currysniffa]

I used to chop up the banana skins and put them in but I'm convinced that they were the main cause of the fruit flies. I hated them and had to keep covering the top of the wormery with real compost to bury them.

I've not had any fruit flies in my wormery VC but I've not put it outside yet, its still in our old coal house.

[veggiechicken]

This was last year and my first year with a wormery. I think it may have been too wet and not draining properly too. All in all, it was not a positive experience! But, as we say in Wales, never say Dai....

[Bigmallly]

Thanks, really useful info. I plan to keep mine in the shed so we will see. It's all trial & error at the mo.

[Currysniffa]

I plan to move mine outside when the weather improves VC but I'll move it back inside come winter. I only started mine going in the new year so I'm learning as I go myself

[Jason Cartwright]

Would the worms over crowd themselves or will they stop breeding at some point?
How will i know when to feed them again?
What am i looking for to indicate they want more food?

May be daft questions but i'd rather ask than not know

J

[Bigmallly]

Would the worms over crowd themselves or will they stop breeding at some point?
How will i know when to feed them again?
What am i looking for to indicate they want more food?

May be daft questions but i'd rather ask than not know

J

I wouldn't think they will stop breeding.
I guess you will feed them when there is no more left.

My belief is that eventually you should end up with most of the container filled with castings as the worms make there way up. At that point the castings would be added to your plot or compost bin then you would start over again.

[Sarico]

Don't put bread in and put your peelings in fresh - there is no need for it to go in a bucket first.

ok then no more bread...i will put the peelings in the wormery...i just think that are very slowly because i can still see coir in the bottom... i think after expanded it was about 2 - 3 kilo so that give them as well a lot of food...

[pipscariad]

I think I'd go for more worms rather than less, just to speed things up. At least 200, but 500 would be a good boost I'm sure. I now hang my head in shame as my wormery is a sad and neglected thing (and it cost a bloomin' fortune in a moment of madness) - like VC it was deluged with fruit flies and it really put me off - I was also disappointed at the speed, or rather lack of it, that the worms got through the stuff, the compost heap just seemed a lot less work. Perhaps this will shame me into resurrecting it - I'll re-locate some of the compost heap worms and give it all a prod about and more food....

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Pipscariad. I was starting to think I was the only one with problems! Did you have a tiered one or a big bin thing like mine?

[Alison]

I've had a tiered one for years and never had any problem with it at all. When it's up and running you can put all sorts in and not worry (although I would never put meat etc in). Mine gets cat fur, general veggie choppings, cooked veg that's not been near gravy / meat, hoover or tumble drier emptyings, egg shells and basically any other veg / fruit based waste. Don't cut anything up but do tend to put things like brocolli stems in the compost bin instead (too lazy to cut up) and find that they're fine with some citrus or onion, just don't feed them too much at once. They love tea bags and banana skins and if I start getting too many fruit flies I find that covering it all with torn up newspaper works a treat. Don't take it inside in winter as I've never found it necessary but they do slow down. One tip is to leave the tap open over a watering can so that you don't get a build up of liquor in the sump where the worms can drown.

[veggiechicken]

I saw the man from the Council today - they supplied my discount Wormery. He gave me a voucher for another batch of worms and is going to bring me some more starter stuff to give it another try. I'll try not to fall in next time!