There are as many techniques for feeding the bin as there are vermicomposters. I will cover at this time what I found to be the moste effective for herd cultivation.

A sedetary worm is more inclined to breed faster, so I feed the cultivation bin by putting non-acidic kitchen waste in the blender and pureeing it to a slurry. I feed just enough of this to the bin once a week to maintain the moisture levels by distributing it through the bedding so that the worms dont have to travel as much to get food and water and can spend their time nesting and breeding.

Try not to overfeed the bin as this will inhibit breeding and cause mite infestations and bacterial decomposition which can be toxic to the worms.

I prefer keeping the slurry bucket outside in a wire cage to keep critters out of the feed and the stank out of the house. It also allows the feed slurry to hot compost if neccesary.

Continue using your traditional compost pit for the majority of your disposal while "cultivating the herd" over the next six to 12 months.

Mix the bedding and monitor moisture levels once or twice a day to reduce carbon dioxide accumulations and ensure moisture content.

If the bin gets too soggy use a little peat moss, kitty litter or additional paper to lower the saturation.

If the bin starts smelling of anerarobic decomposition, mix it more frequently to reduce "hot decomposition" and add a thin layer of peat moss on the surface as an odor barrier.

I have never had my bins smell worse than a kitchen trash can.

DO NOT FEED MEAT SCRAPS TO THE BIN DURING HERD CULTIVATION. You'll think you have a dead body hidden under the floor boards :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), March 18, 2002

Answers

Jay--Can you feed your worms grain, or a grain meal product?

-- Sheila Piper (Shecat88@yahoo.com), May 09, 2002.