There is no need to stir up any composting worm bin IF you have proper drainage and holes in the bottom and sides of the worm bin.
composting worms do a great job on their own of stirring up the compost this allows for the autonomous drainage/aeration of the contents in the bin.
If you do not want the compost mixed in with the cast then install hardware cloth in the middle of the bin and add food only to one side. When they are finished with one side (or almost) then you can put food in the other side etc... etc...
As gasses (i.e. methane)are expelled from the top or top sides of any worm bin, Fresh anaerobic (oxygenated) air will be sucked in from the bottom.
If you do not have holes for any bin (this is extremely advised but not always necessary) then I would recommend stirring up the pot, so to speak, about twice a week.
You also mentioned that you have your worms in cardboard boxes. Hmm, not sure how long that will last as the worms really enjoy eating cardboard. They'll literally be eating themselves out of house and home ;-)
If this is just strictly for testing then okay, but if not and you are on a shoestring budget, then I would suggest using an opaque (non amorphous) 5 gallon bucket. Drill holes in the bottom and top lid for aeration and drainage.
If it still let's in too much light then spray paint the outside with black or cover the sides with a towel.
Others will benefit from a monthly manual aeration. Aerating a worm bin is simple. You can stir the contents, turning material from the outside into the center, using a trowel or a bin aerator. You can also add ingredients like shredded cardboard, coconut coir, or pumice to increase aeration and mixing.
Remember, the goal is damp but never soggy. Fluff and stir the bin weekly (or every other week) to break up big clumps and introduce air before adding new food or bedding. Beneficial microbes also enjoy aerobic environments.
3. Should I aerate my compost bin or worm farm? Yes, aerating your bin definitely helps speed up the decomposition process. By turning the contents every week or two you will add more oxygen to aid the aerobic bacterial process and improve efficiency.
There is no need to stir up any composting worm bin IF you have proper drainage and holes in the bottom and sides of the worm bin. composting worms do a great job on their own of stirring up the compost this allows for the autonomous drainage/aeration of the contents in the bin.
However, once the bottom bin's material has been broken down, you should begin placing your kitchen scraps directly in the bottom of the second, or upper bin. Then you will want to cover this layer with soil and or mulch again to prevent the attraction of bugs and the release of unpleasant odors.
i) Keep sufficient organic materials in the culture medium. ii) Maintain level of moisture by sprinkling water regularly. iii) All Vermicompost operations are to be done under the shade. Avoid direct sunlight and heat.
For wooden bins, line the bottom and sides with plastic (an old shower curtain or plastic garbage bag works well). 2- Prepare the bedding. Instead of soil, composting red worms live in moist newspaper bedding. Like soil, newspaper strips provide air, water, and food for the worms.
Feed them too much, and they can't keep up. Too much rotting organic matter can cause odors, mold growth, excess moisture, and damage to the bin's ecosystem. Find out how much food is just enough for your worms. In theory, red worms can eat half their weight each day.
Coffee grounds are highly suitable for worm farms by providing a natural pesticide to ward off pests such as snails, slugs and ants. Since worms have no teeth, the fine particle size of the grounds helps make it easier to consume and provides a gritty substance in their guts which helps them grind and break down food.
They're also very fond of sweet foods like watermelon rinds. You can also put ground egg shells, coffee grinds, dryer lint, paper towels, small amounts of pet hair, tea bags (if they're made of paper) and fresh or dry lawn clippings into your worm compost system.
Add moistened, shredded paper (uncoated newspaper is ideal), chopped food scraps and worms (about a one pound of worms should be a good amount for most bins) to the bin, and cover it with the bin lid. About once a week, or every other week, move the material in the bin around to help with aeration.
Stirring or mixing the compost pile helps the decomposition process by adding oxygen. “A lot of the microbes in a compost pile are aerobic, meaning they need at least some air, [which] allows them to multiply, to breathe and to break down your compost faster,” says Guiliano.
While adding compost to your soil can increase soil organic matter and improve soil health and fertility, too much compost can cause problems for the health of your plants and the environment.
However, it will remain in the bedding for a long time before eventually draining out, so it's important to add water as well. Once every week, pour about five litres of fresh water into the Top Working Tray, which will flood down through the lower trays, ensuring the entire worm farm remains very moist.
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