Worms and Composting

[Fireweed]

I would be grateful for any advice about using composting worms in a compost bin (not a wormery) Is this a good idea? Are there things one has to give special consideration to?

[Tursiops2]

Hi, I can't give you a definitive answer, but to the best of my knowledge, the worms in wormeries are Brandling worms, which abound naturally in leaf-litter and will probably find their way into your compst heap anyway, so adding a few extra will just speed up the colonisation process. I'm open to correction though.
T2

[ChrisJB]

I get a lot of worms in my compost bin. I think I can recognise Brandlings, but a lot of mine don't look like them and seem small and extra slimy and sometimes cluster in masses under the lid. Are these perhaps younger Brandlings or something different?

Regards, Chris

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Fireweed

I would be grateful for any advice about using composting worms in a compost bin (not a wormery) Is this a good idea? Are there things one has to give special consideration to?

I've been operating a hybrid wormery/compost bin system for a number of years - basically just a couple of standard 'daleks' with some simple wooden internal frames to allow a seperation of a bottom 'worm reservoir' from the upper parts where the compost dries out once it gets to the resting phase.

This design means I've built up a large worm (brandlings - also known as tiger worms, red worms etc) population which speeds the processing without need for chemical or biological accelerators. The worms also deal quickly with kitchen waste which otherwise tends to 'sour' the bin. Overall the final product is a good grade compost, which when sieved to seperate out the more fibrous material is suitable for potting up, as well as top dressing beds and lawn.

The difficult bit is retaining the worms, the eggs and wormlets when empty the bin. There's little to be done about the eggs but the worms and wormlets will rapidly move to any newly decaying material, and away from drying material - a two bin/heap system where the worms cam easily move between to two is therefore desirable - simply leave the 'resting' heap to dry out. Having a basal reservoir is just a sophistication of this, it just allows the retention of moist material at the base where the worms can take 'refuge', and from which they move when new material is added once the finished compost is removed from the top. The basal material can then be removed and the whole process recommensed.

The worms are in their natural environment in a compost heap, the only thing to be concerned about is when using an entirely closed bin, which some Councils have in the past promoted as wormery bins. A closed bin can easily become sour and stagnant, to a degree where even the brandlings can't survive, I would suggest always providing drainage and raising the bin off the ground onto bricks or some other support to allow oxygenation.


CM

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by ChrisJB

I get a lot of worms in my compost bin. I think I can recognise Brandlings, but a lot of mine don't look like them and seem small and extra slimy and sometimes cluster in masses under the lid. Are these perhaps younger Brandlings or something different?

Regards, Chris

Those small white worms are indeed brandling 'wormlets' and cluster for warmth and also most particularly to retain moisture. The top part of the bin will often be the warmest which is why you find them around the lid. Anyone who has wondered why 'vermicelli' (literally "little worms") is so named, needs only to see one of these wormlet balls to understand how apt the name is.

I was astounded to find that in a very hard frost these wormlet balls could freeze solid against the lid of the compost bin, but that within an hour of thawing in winter sun, the wormlets were again active.

CM

[Susie]

Why are these worms better than earth worms?

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by Cotham Marble

Those small white worms are indeed brandling 'wormlets' and cluster for warmth and also most particularly to retain moisture. The top part of the bin will often be the warmest which is why you find them around the lid. Anyone who has wondered why 'vermicelli' (literally "little worms") is so named, needs only to see one of these wormlet balls to understand how apt the name is.

I was astounded to find that in a very hard frost these wormlet balls could freeze solid against the lid of the compost bin, but that within an hour of thawing in winter sun, the wormlets were again active.

CM

Ta for explaining the attractions of the lid, but these critters aren't white, they are worm coloured. They basically look like small Earthworms. Maybe that's what they are.

Regards, Chris

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Susie

Why are these worms better than earth worms?

Not so much better, as it is a question of species adaptation. The common earthworm Lumbricus terrestris is adapted to survive in well developed topsoils, while the brandling Eisenia fetida is adapted to survive in rotting vegetable matter. L terrestris is likely to be unhappy, and may even die if contained in an active compost bin, and where they do occur in compost heaps it's generally where the heap is becoming inactive, or in the parts of the heap which are close to the native soil. E fetida is actually quite numerous in UK gardens but because of its smaller size is either not noticed, or seen by most people as just a small L terrestris. In undisturbed environments E fetida lives on or close to the soil surface, and unlike L terrestis, does not burrow deeply. Just to complicate things there are 24 other species of earthworm in the UK - and I know very little about any of them.

CM

[Fireweed]

Thanks to all, especially Cotham Marble, for your replies.

I recently got my worms and have just put them into the compost bin as is with some damp shredded paper as an initial bed. Ideally do they need something like a permanent bed or will they be alright if the bin as a whole is kept moist enough?

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by Fireweed

Thanks to all, especially Cotham Marble, for your replies.

I recently got my worms and have just put them into the compost bin as is with some damp shredded paper as an initial bed. Ideally do they need something like a permanent bed or will they be alright if the bin as a whole is kept moist enough?

Just keep the bin supplied with vegetable matter and the worms will thrive.

CM