So what happens when they escape?
For the past several weeks, I've been considering taking up gardening. I think growing organic vegetables would be an interesting project. My flower beds are in terrible shape, all over grown and weed filled. I just don't care enough about them to be bothered to fiddle with them. But vegetables? Those are food. I like food, so I'd probably take care of those plants. Currently I'm planning to plant some tomatoes and some kitchen herbs. I've grown herbs before and tomatoes are supposed to be hella easy to grow. I'm also considering some baby spinach. You know, stuff we eat lots of.
So yesterday, I started my vermicomposting bin. Vermicompost is a fancy word for the worm bin. You feed the worms kitchen scraps and they poop out fertilizer. Easy. I did it as a class project at the environmental theme school I used to work for, so I'm familiar with how it works. You fill up the bin with shredded newspaper, spray it lightly with water, then add the worms. I bought mine from a bait shop. Then you feed the worms things like vegetable peels, orange rinds, dead leaves, etc. No dairy or meat. Put a lid on the box, punch holes in it so they can breathe, and leave it alone.
We set it up yesterday, then put it in the laundry room. I'd prefer it on the back porch, closer to the kitchen, but it still freezes at night right now and I'd like my wormies to live for awhile.
This morning, while I'm doing laundry, I open the bin to see if they are thriving. They've climbed up the sides and are trying to get out of the box. Worm escape! Worm escape! We added more bedding and I cut some bigger holes in the lid to give them more air. It looked too wet in there. I've got some potatoes that have sprouted too much to eat, that I'm going to chop up and throw in later. They've already got some orange peels to eat.
Next weekend, if the weather is warm, I'll start digging up my poor over grown flower beds. It'll be a few weeks before I can add compost, but I'd like to have it ready.
So yesterday, I started my vermicomposting bin. Vermicompost is a fancy word for the worm bin. You feed the worms kitchen scraps and they poop out fertilizer. Easy. I did it as a class project at the environmental theme school I used to work for, so I'm familiar with how it works. You fill up the bin with shredded newspaper, spray it lightly with water, then add the worms. I bought mine from a bait shop. Then you feed the worms things like vegetable peels, orange rinds, dead leaves, etc. No dairy or meat. Put a lid on the box, punch holes in it so they can breathe, and leave it alone.
We set it up yesterday, then put it in the laundry room. I'd prefer it on the back porch, closer to the kitchen, but it still freezes at night right now and I'd like my wormies to live for awhile.
This morning, while I'm doing laundry, I open the bin to see if they are thriving. They've climbed up the sides and are trying to get out of the box. Worm escape! Worm escape! We added more bedding and I cut some bigger holes in the lid to give them more air. It looked too wet in there. I've got some potatoes that have sprouted too much to eat, that I'm going to chop up and throw in later. They've already got some orange peels to eat.
Next weekend, if the weather is warm, I'll start digging up my poor over grown flower beds. It'll be a few weeks before I can add compost, but I'd like to have it ready.