Need advice from experienced worm composter – I'm overrun with pillbugs?
I have been successfuy doing vermiculture for 5 years. Suddenly I have a zillion pillbugs in the bedding. I use a several layered, ventilated plastic composting bin. I know they came in with the small amount of dirt I add for grit when I re-did the bedding – but how do I get rid of them?? I've tried hand picking, but they multiply faster than I can pick. I don't want to use poisons.
what if your finished compost is infested with sow or pill bugs and you want to use it where seedlings are growing? Do you have to start all over again? No. Spread the compost in a thin layer on a tarp in direct sunlight and leave it there to dry. The bugs will bail out quickly.
http://www.organicgardening.com/feature/0,7518,s1-3-79-361,00.html
corn cobs attract sowbugs..spider that eats them exclusively:
http://www.ghorganics.com/page9.html#Sow%20or%20Pill%20bugs:
While sowbugs will nibble on young seedlings and roots, they prefer decayed matter, moist wood, moist decaying vegetation, fallen fruit, manure, carrion, other sowbugs and their own feces. Their coprophagous habits are due in part for a need to extract extra nutrients from their food and to recapture copper, a much-needed metal that is used to carry oxygen in their blood. For the most part sowbugs are beneficials that break down organic matter much like earthworms. These harmless scavengers do not bite, sting, transmit disease nor do they bother clothing or food.
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/041201/garden0412.html
so copper might be an attractant too.
it also says:
they can come in several different colors like tan, pale orange, light gray and even purple or lavender. That is due to molting, but they soon turn dark as their new shell hardens.
While molting is vital in the growing process of all crustaceans, with sowbugs it…
that last part means two things..Neem might work and it might not. I say it might because since sowbugs moult they are candidates to be victims of neem. but since they are crustaceans instead of insects i wonder if it removes them from being candidates of neem.
they are the ONLY land crustacean. and they have gills. <this is a big reason they are doing so well in ur worm bed, because it is moist.
neem is a poison, which you did not want, BUT neem might be an exception because worms happen to love it. they are said to actually proliferate more profusely with it than with regular food<<that doesn't sound possible (i have a worm colony too!) but:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=neem+earthworms&ei=utf-8&fr=b1ie7
^^that's lots of links and we did see one hit that says it might be bad. this page kind of says what we heard about the good stuff:
http://www.wormdigest.org/index.php?option=com_joomlaboard&id=2163&catid=4&func=sb_pdf
a little off topic, but>>the use of it as a fertilizer is kind of alarming because it is said to impart good protection on the plants, suggesting they take some of it up. but it causes temporary infertility in test animals (temporary until they stop eating it). <<that is alarming if it is being incorporated into food crops. It is generally thought harmless on food crops because it breaks down in 50 – 100 hours if exposed to light, water or air. I wonder if it's properties are preserved in castings created by worms fed on it.
back on topic..
if u look into, keep in mind that what u want is the neem extract, raw leaves or cake, not the oil or soap. the oil and soap have been made in such a way that they do not have the chemical that disrupts the molting process.
so other than all of that, the only other idea we have is doing a deep dive. i mean the pillbugs are said to dig a few inches into the soil but worms can probably go much deeper. so if u made only the bottom of the bin hospitable u may be able to starve out or skim off the top dwellers?
here is a page that has a few worm forums on it. so u can ask around maybe:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=vermiculture+forum&ei=utf-8&fr=b1ie7
Incoming search terms for the article:
Can anyone recommend a good pH meter to test my wormery compost?
The kit says I should test the pH of my worm composter every so often to make sure its OK, but I don't know which meter to buy.
The kit recommends testing the pH every so often, but I have no idea what constitutes a good pH meter.
Any ideas?
UK makes/ suppliers only please
go to a swimming pool supply store. They have all types of ph meters
Incoming search terms for the article:
- maplin ph tester
- ph tester maplin
- maplin ph meter
- compost ph meter
- compost ph meters
- ph meter maplin
- maplin soil ph
- soil test meters at maplin
- pool supply ph meter
- pH TESTING IN COMPOST
Which is faster at making compost a tumbling composter or worm factory?
Compost tumblers are faster as you have more ability to accelerate the process with extra turning etc.
Worms however have the advantage of giving you liquid output, worm tea, that can be used as a soil tonic.
To get you tumbler going faster add ready made compost (bagged) or blood and bone fertiliser to it. Just a small amount.
You can get compost from a tumbler in as little as a month (in the warmer months) whereas a home worm farm kit can take up to six months to really become active and then may be months after that before it gives you compost (although you will get liquid from it)
Incoming search terms for the article:
How to make an indoor composter without worms?
I've been researching composting and indoor composting. I want to make an indoor composting bin without buying and expensive bin and without using worms. I know it's possible, but I've been having trouble finding information.
Yeah the expensive ones do that, but also having a proper balance of green and browns in your compost will also keep it from smelling.
I've read of some people having a blender for composting veggies, and people using well sealed containers to store materials until they bring it outside.
However, the reason the expensive containers are so is that they have filter systems that keep your house from smelling like rot.
Incoming search terms for the article:
Setting Up my Worm Composting Bin Part 1
Part of my Eco Suburban Lifestyle Series: Part one of setting up our worm composting bin. Bin purchased from www.happydranch.com (shipping was slow, but it was the best price I found for the five tier bin) and worms purchased locally from www.wormpoop.com.
Duration : 0:6:8
Setting Up my Worm Composting Bin Part 2
Part of my Eco Suburban Lifestyle Series: Part two of setting up our worm composting bin. Bin purchased from www.happydranch.com (shipping was slow, but it was the best price I found for the five tier bin) and worms purchased locally from www.wormpoop.com.
Duration : 0:7:53
Directions on how to build a smaller plastic bin type composter using fishing worms and compostables?
I want to start composting on a small scale. I need directions on how to build an under the counter composter out of a small plastic bin using fishing worms and compostables…
Is there a website I can get this information from?
http://www.sierraclub.org/e-files/worm_bins.asp
up at the top of your screen, just type WORM BIN and you will get a number of sites.
I have a worm bin outside. We sent away for a box of worms when we set up our bin. We have so many worms. We only put certain kinds of stuff in the bin. No meat products, or oil, or table scraps. We only use fresh vegetable and fruit peels and pulp type stuff — stuff which is a by product of our kitchen prep work. Our worms love mango skins and pineapple. But I cut the pineapple into smaller pieces so it can be digested faster.
The table scraps and left over food we put in the city's yard clipping recycling bin. Since they ask for the restaurant and home kitchen refuse, I think that the city probably uses the chemical composting method.
Worm Composting: Tips and Suggestions.
compostinstructions.com Worm Composting (also known as Vermicomposting), is an excellent way to create compost for your garden. However, it can be an interesting undertaking, as worm composting is a little bit different than traditional composting. There are certain guidelines that should be followed in order to ensure the success of your compost. This video addresses some of these issues, and offers explanations as to what you can do to achieve a better heap of rich compost. You can learn …
Duration : 0:1:36
red worms for my composter where do I get them?
Come Spring, poke around in any leaf pile and there they are..Saves all that digging..Or you could visit your local bait shop..They sell them.
Composting with worms: Troubleshooting guide.
compostinstructions.com There are a lot of questions related to worms and composting. However, there are differences between traditional composting and worm composting. This video explains the difference and when or when not to use worms.
Duration : 0:1:30