In an effort to combat certain policies that Kansas City has about recycling (they disagree with it), we've decided to go overboard! We've been trying to make a worm compost bin with little success. We started it a few weeks ago and only got about twenty worms (it turns out you need hundreds) and it turned into a disgusting poo smelling mess. We think the problem is that it is way too wet in the bin and not enough worms.
We haven't completely giving up though, and my dad bought us some worms online and had them sent to our apartment. They didn't quite make it though, they were sent by this company in a cloth bag with some newspaper in a cardboard box. How can they live like that? They can't it turns out. Anyway, we're still hopeful and there is still a bin that smells like rotting food and mayo on the back porch/garbage zone. In a similar vein, still no recycling for our apartment complex, even though I called the city to argue with someone about it! They are stubborn devils!
alright, so here's what you do. If the worms are happy (i.e. you are composting right) they will multiply. If its too wet, shred up some newspaper in there (works perfectly and helps with your recycling problems). Also, you need oxygen and I don't think the bin has holes, right? carve some jar lid sized holes in the container and then staple gun mesh over them in order to keep the worms in and mice/flies out. Keep the vegetables and fruit stuff going in there at small sizes so they can fall apart quicker and not rot as much. 2"x2" cubes works. Are these red wiggler worms? or are they earth worms? any more composting issues blog me and DONT GIVE UP!
ReplyDeleteif you are ever visiting nyc you can buy a pound of them from my ecology center and take them home as carry on
ReplyDeletehaha, my compost is a pile at the very end of my backyard and we don't even HAVE worms.
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