Here in zone 8, putting my worms in the outdoor compost works well. In the spring, I dig a hole in the center and use migration by adding their favorite food. This year, I plan to surround the bin in straw bales. We will see how that works. I never worry because, worst scenario, the cocoons remain and they will take off in the spring.
3 sources for free insulation: Construction dumpsters after the home is framed and insulated have free fiberglass scraps (and free 2x4's for making the enclosure) . Hot tub Repair places throw away old hot tub tops which are typically 3-4" thick white styrofoam. Places that sell trailers (tractor supply store, lowes, lenards, etc) have big 12x12x20" foam block that can be glued together to make huge compost bins. Bonus sources are appliance delivery places or furniture stores. Styrofoam can be shredded and used with cement to make light weight concrete walls for compost bins.
I live in Idaho and it's damn cold here. I have the worms in the garage. It was -5 here last winter. So I think I'm gonna try putting my bin on top of a seed mat
I put the fresh food in plastic bags ( distributed ) and burry these bags inside the culture heaps ( or bins ) until they wilt to avoid overmoisture and keep heat
I used 2 - 8ft long 3 ftx3ft wooden parts bins lined with garden black fabric - that I had used for planting potato and tomatoes in. I pulled the veg and stirred up the compost put in some red wigglers. Winter zone 3… I put straw bales around it prior to freeze. put in a 1/2 pumpkin into each and kitchen scraps will see how it goes.
I vermicompost in N Idaho. in the shade. I put a good layer of veggies on top for food in the fall. I don't use lots of fresh stuff to make a heated pile, no heat is applied Then I put three layers of hay and plastic sheeting. When I open it up for potting soil for tomatoes on Groundhog Day there are red wigglers active on the top. The pile is on the ground about 3 feet high, no sides. The heat comes from the ground, the worms and the gradual composting.
Just what I was looking for and thought of another idea as I was watching, but don't know if it would work. If we can put our bin in a small greenhouse type thing and add in a 5gal heatsink using an aquarium heater. Then maybe the warmth from that can keep the small area warmer? How cold is too cold and they die?
Had an idea to use a hot water heater insulation wrap while watching the vid. Not sure how well it would fit, but one of the "oversized" versions may fit nicely. The benefit of the wrap is the insulation is fully encased, so no itchy mess.
I use Christmas lights to keep my worms warm! Just purchasing a string of indoor outdoor Christmas lights or a rope string of lights and then lay those on top or bury them just barely on top plugged in and worms will stay warm all winter
Hi Steve, i tested a seedling mat (without a thermostat) on a worm bin - placed under half the bin… I clearly needed to use a thermostat because the temperature in the heated side got to 80 degrees and the worms fled to the other side. Will definitely get a thermostat for my mat and place it on TOP of the bin instead… thanks for the tips!
I use a large sized pizza box to absorb moisture during cold season and also acts as a nice insulation at the bottom of my bin with the castings and bedding atop it.
I have used an aquarium heater in the past with some luck, you just need to have it submerged in water at all times so I sort of mounted it in an old laundry detergent jug filled with water and placed that buried in the center of the bin.
Hi Helen! I can't post a file on CZcams. You can either sign up again through the link at the end (it will arrive automatically) or e-mail me at steve@urbanwormcompany.com and I'll e-mail it to you.
A cheap and available insulation is bubble wrap. Save what comes in shipments to you, or buy a roll at the big box store. Just wrap a few layers around your bin and use packing tape to hold it in place. It also won't absorb moisture and if your bin is in the sun, will allow some solar gain.
I have been using a seed starting mat for a couple of years now. Oh and I have a burlap mat on top of the bin. I place the seed starting mat on top of the burlap. I them mist the mat when it become dry to keep the compost from drying.
@@a-k-jun-1 When I made that original comment I was referring to my old bin in Queens NYC but this last fall I did the same in my home here in North Carolina. The worms are killing it in my bin even over the winter but yeah I imagine it a different story in Alaska.
Great ideas you shared. In my regular outdoor compost bin I realize that when I flip it over there were red worms still living in the compost bin despite the very cold temperatures, even though I saw this I was assuming some other kind of worms got into my bin. The red wigglers were more hardy than I thought.
I so needed this I think I lost my red wigglers, the room got a little cold and I think they died, just ordered some more and hopefully I will pay better attention, I felt terrible I killed my worms, and I'm hoping they don't die and come back to life
Steve, thanks for the video. My stacked unit is now in the garage (San Jose,CA) . An Army blanket rests over the top of the bin and the last two years I've used an old hallway light to warm to the bottom of the bin; which is the liquid. A analog timer set for 15 minutes on every two hours through the night seems to have done some good. I'd like to try your Vivosun concept and will order soon. As I say to Bentley, thanks from the old guy. TOG, Steve
Hey Alvin! We just did a livestream on that a couple of weeks ago. czcams.com/video/bADgR6sL_s0/video.html Also, you can check out this article I wrote a couple of years ago as well. urbanwormcompany.com/hot-weather-vermicomposting-7-tips-to-beat-100f-temps/
On my allotment I have no power, so I use kerosene heaters to keep the temp for my UWC worms at 15C. The heaters smell pretty clean but I don't know if the CO2 irritates my wrigglers and nightcrawlers. Am I better using a huge (and tempting to thieves) power bank for a heating mat or am I good as is? Thanks for this video - your timing is perfect.
Sadly, my garden in TN has been taken over by the Asian jumping worms! Just about all my pots I emptied in the fall were full of them! My compost pile is full of them! I hardly see the “regular” composting worms!!!! This has happened over the past several years!! I am heartbroken because my yard is large and there is no way to try and kill them! What should I do? I have a10 gal bucket with red wigglers in my bathtub for the winter.
Do you have suggestions on how to get rid of gnats and other bugs that may have gotten in my bin this summer while I had it outside in my garage and before taking it back inside?
Not sure which pests you have other than gnats but here are a couple blog posts you may be interested in..... urbanwormcompany.com/mites-ants-bsfl-odor-fruit-flies-worm-bin-pests-problems/ urbanwormcompany.com/how-to-prevent-and-eliminate-fruit-flies-worm-bin/
You're correct, but these mats will provide a very direct source of heat to the top of the vermicompost where we want the worms to stay. In the Urban Worm Bag (which sits off the ground) there's also no way to put the mat under the bin. I think you would definitely get some benefit in a worm bin by putting the mat underneath it, but I think it would be better on the surface of the vermicompost.
Thanks for the sarcasm. They pay me nothing for this. And I’m try by to keep the top of compost a little warmer so people’s worm bins can survive the winter.
Yeah so I’m a simple guy trying to keep the top of vermicompost warmer than ambient temperature. Serious question, do I need a top of the line seed starter to do this?
Steve, I am concerned that the size of the mat will inhibit air circulation. Has that been an issue? I installed one last week and it is doing well but I am now worried about air coming in. Is the fabric in my UWB going to allow air to enter? Thank you and I love my UWB; have had it thriving since May.
I've been drying my bins out because I was infested with red mites, I live in Houston Texas and I've had my bins in my closed garage but I have noticed my bins are starting to become really dry and I haven't noticed anymore red mites is it safe for me to add a little moisture now or should I keep it dry until it starts warming up a lil more it's been in the mid and lower 50 degrees lately
Sorry for the late response, Rhonda! I would go ahead and add moisture now. Understand that simply feeding your worm bin with food waste will be adding plenty of moisture!
On several of your videos you mention a link on your left to "The Rookie Mistakes That Everyone Makes." The link has never shown up on my Android phone 😒, and I can't find it anywhere. Please help. Thanks
Hmm....you might need to watch from a laptop or desktop? The link may not be in the same place on a mobile device. However, here it is! www.dropbox.com/s/sfc4cij8zl66hcp/Vermicomposting%20Mistakes%20Everyone%20Makes.pdf?dl=0
I watched your video on the difference between an indian blue worm and a red wiggler. What your calling and showing as a red wiggler everyone else is calling a European night crawler. So whats the difference between those two?
Ehh....these are red wigglers. The difference between red wigglers and European Nightcrawlers is mostly size as they are actually cousins. (Red Wiggler is Eisenia fetida and the Euro is Eisenia hortensis). Very little difference other than size and maybe heat tolerance as Euros seem to prefer cooler weather than reds.
anybody know if you can get away with not adding paper? Just wood, dirt, leaves and the food? Also a funny side note- this winter is the first year that I've seen it go to 37 degrees in California! Even San Diego isn't safe!
You can definitely get away without adding paper! I would be careful adding the dirt though. Composting worms aren't your typical soil-dwelling worms. Leaves are great though, specially if they have already begun decomposing.
: ) Copy on the insulation! Great tips! I just overloaded my outdoor bin with food & some rice to try what you're talking about...I'll be checking in on it every couple days to make sure I didn't go overboard. Love the graphics to keep it "faster, funnier"!!!🪱🪱🪱
Here in zone 8, putting my worms in the outdoor compost works well. In the spring, I dig a hole in the center and use migration by adding their favorite food.
This year, I plan to surround the bin in straw bales. We will see how that works. I never worry because, worst scenario, the cocoons remain and they will take off in the spring.
3 sources for free insulation: Construction dumpsters after the home is framed and insulated have free fiberglass scraps (and free 2x4's for making the enclosure) . Hot tub Repair places throw away old hot tub tops which are typically 3-4" thick white styrofoam. Places that sell trailers (tractor supply store, lowes, lenards, etc) have big 12x12x20" foam block that can be glued together to make huge compost bins. Bonus sources are appliance delivery places or furniture stores. Styrofoam can be shredded and used with cement to make light weight concrete walls for compost bins.
You are AWESOME! Thank you for these great suggestions 😊
I place a seedling germination heating mat under my worm bin in the garage. 18 Watts. Hope to helps.
I live in Idaho and it's damn cold here. I have the worms in the garage. It was -5 here last winter. So I think I'm gonna try putting my bin on top of a seed mat
That’ll work!
I put the fresh food in plastic bags ( distributed ) and burry these bags inside the culture heaps ( or bins ) until they wilt to avoid overmoisture and keep heat
I used 2 - 8ft long 3 ftx3ft wooden parts bins lined with garden black fabric - that I had used for planting potato and tomatoes in. I pulled the veg and stirred up the compost put in some red wigglers. Winter zone 3… I put straw bales around it prior to freeze. put in a 1/2 pumpkin into each and kitchen scraps will see how it goes.
A small filament type bulb is enough to keep them from freezing here in oregon. Works for pipes too.
Thanks Jay!
i live here also.... thanks for tip. I also used insulation sheets to wrap my wine when i would make the reds. might also try that.
I vermicompost in N Idaho. in the shade. I put a good layer of veggies on top for food in the fall. I don't use lots of fresh stuff to make a heated pile, no heat is applied Then I put three layers of hay and plastic sheeting. When I open it up for potting soil for tomatoes on Groundhog Day there are red wigglers active on the top. The pile is on the ground about 3 feet high, no sides. The heat comes from the ground, the worms and the gradual composting.
Oh Steve how am I going to take the video seriously when your head is sticking out of a snowman 😂☃️. Actually it was a great video, really good advice
You had me at coffee and compost 💚🙏
Just what I was looking for and thought of another idea as I was watching, but don't know if it would work. If we can put our bin in a small greenhouse type thing and add in a 5gal heatsink using an aquarium heater. Then maybe the warmth from that can keep the small area warmer? How cold is too cold and they die?
Had an idea to use a hot water heater insulation wrap while watching the vid. Not sure how well it would fit, but one of the "oversized" versions may fit nicely. The benefit of the wrap is the insulation is fully encased, so no itchy mess.
I use Christmas lights to keep my worms warm! Just purchasing a string of indoor outdoor Christmas lights or a rope string of lights and then lay those on top or bury them just barely on top plugged in and worms will stay warm all winter
cool idea! is that actually enough heat for them?
Thanks very much for the guide.
Hi Steve, i tested a seedling mat (without a thermostat) on a worm bin - placed under half the bin… I clearly needed to use a thermostat because the temperature in the heated side got to 80 degrees and the worms fled to the other side. Will definitely get a thermostat for my mat and place it on TOP of the bin instead… thanks for the tips!
Yep! The heat at the top works the best!
I use a large sized pizza box to absorb moisture during cold season and also acts as a nice insulation at the bottom of my bin with the castings and bedding atop it.
Yes...adding those layers certainly helps!
I have used an aquarium heater in the past with some luck, you just need to have it submerged in water at all times so I sort of mounted it in an old laundry detergent jug filled with water and placed that buried in the center of the bin.
great ideas, thanks for the tip. wombin 360 is smaller than the 20x20. I'll need to get creative. thx for the idea.
You got it!
You got it!
I missed the email for your handbook on rookie mistakes please post again. Thank you
Hi Helen! I can't post a file on CZcams. You can either sign up again through the link at the end (it will arrive automatically) or e-mail me at steve@urbanwormcompany.com and I'll e-mail it to you.
I would just rap a old blanket around it like my home brew spirits or my heat mat.
A cheap and available insulation is bubble wrap. Save what comes in shipments to you, or buy a roll at the big box store. Just wrap a few layers around your bin and use packing tape to hold it in place. It also won't absorb moisture and if your bin is in the sun, will allow some solar gain.
I have been using a seed starting mat for a couple of years now.
Oh and I have a burlap mat on top of the bin. I place the seed starting mat on top of the burlap. I them mist the mat when it become dry to keep the compost from drying.
They're the best!
Awesome video!
Tossed compost worms in my outdoor bin and they reproduced like crazy and were just fine in the winter.
Yep!
I found that doesn't work here in zone 3 in Alaska 😂, but works just fine at my house in Louisiana
@@a-k-jun-1 When I made that original comment I was referring to my old bin in Queens NYC but this last fall I did the same in my home here in North Carolina. The worms are killing it in my bin even over the winter but yeah I imagine it a different story in Alaska.
vivosun is a great idea!
Great ideas you shared. In my regular outdoor compost bin I realize that when I flip it over there were red worms still living in the compost bin despite the very cold temperatures, even though I saw this I was assuming some other kind of worms got into my bin. The red wigglers were more hardy than I thought.
Yep...they're tough cookies.
I so needed this I think I lost my red wigglers, the room got a little cold and I think they died, just ordered some more and hopefully I will pay better attention, I felt terrible I killed my worms, and I'm hoping they don't die and come back to life
If you are the creator of The Urban worm bag I love it, HUGE 2 thumbs up!
Good luck Twisted! If you can run electricity to your bin, consider the seed starting mats!
Yes I am! Thank you so much!
Steve, thanks for the video. My stacked unit is now in the garage (San Jose,CA) . An Army blanket rests over the top of the bin and the last two years I've used an old hallway light to warm to the bottom of the bin; which is the liquid. A analog timer set for 15 minutes on every two hours through the night seems to have done some good. I'd like to try your Vivosun concept and will order soon. As I say to Bentley, thanks from the old guy. TOG, Steve
Ha! You got it Steve! :)
How about keeping them cool in HOT weather. I have no indoor space to use so outside under the oak tree is where the Bag is gonna have to go. Help.
Hey Alvin! We just did a livestream on that a couple of weeks ago.
czcams.com/video/bADgR6sL_s0/video.html
Also, you can check out this article I wrote a couple of years ago as well.
urbanwormcompany.com/hot-weather-vermicomposting-7-tips-to-beat-100f-temps/
On my allotment I have no power, so I use kerosene heaters to keep the temp for my UWC worms at 15C. The heaters smell pretty clean but I don't know if the CO2 irritates my wrigglers and nightcrawlers. Am I better using a huge (and tempting to thieves) power bank for a heating mat or am I good as is?
Thanks for this video - your timing is perfect.
Not sure Klemm! I would probably opt for the power bank rather than burning kerosene, but the thieves......that could be an issue.
@@UrbanWormCompany I insulated it 3 days ago and killed the heaters. Hay on top. I'll update.
I have a 2x2x10 ft CFT unit that sit outdoors. I can’t decide what can keep worms alive outside during the winter.
I am moving to San Diego😂😂😂
Take me with you!
Sadly, my garden in TN has been taken over by the Asian jumping worms! Just about all my pots I emptied in the fall were full of them! My compost pile is full of them! I hardly see the “regular” composting worms!!!! This has happened over the past several years!! I am heartbroken because my yard is large and there is no way to try and kill them! What should I do? I have a10 gal bucket with red wigglers in my bathtub for the winter.
Do you have suggestions on how to get rid of gnats and other bugs that may have gotten in my bin this summer while I had it outside in my garage and before taking it back inside?
Not sure which pests you have other than gnats but here are a couple blog posts you may be interested in.....
urbanwormcompany.com/mites-ants-bsfl-odor-fruit-flies-worm-bin-pests-problems/
urbanwormcompany.com/how-to-prevent-and-eliminate-fruit-flies-worm-bin/
Hi steve was just thinking how to get started and found your vid .. I really appreciate the info and the guides. W/o it i would have for sure failed.
Thanks so much Smokey! Welcome aboard!
I thought heat rises..so, shouldn't the heat pad be under the bin/box? Especially in Mich. outdoors?
You're correct, but these mats will provide a very direct source of heat to the top of the vermicompost where we want the worms to stay. In the Urban Worm Bag (which sits off the ground) there's also no way to put the mat under the bin.
I think you would definitely get some benefit in a worm bin by putting the mat underneath it, but I think it would be better on the surface of the vermicompost.
vivosun is like the below mid range brand.
thanks for that suggestion.. How much money they pay you for that?
Thanks for the sarcasm. They pay me nothing for this.
And I’m try by to keep the top of compost a little warmer so people’s worm bins can survive the winter.
@@UrbanWormCompany ROFL! And yet, you cant deny the fact vivo is less than midrange. Sooooooo, the other part is probably true too
thanks
Yeah so I’m a simple guy trying to keep the top of vermicompost warmer than ambient temperature.
Serious question, do I need a top of the line seed starter to do this?
@@UrbanWormCompany Wow, piece of work you are. Enjoy the rest of your day troll man
Steve, I am concerned that the size of the mat will inhibit air circulation. Has that been an issue? I installed one last week and it is doing well but I am now worried about air coming in. Is the fabric in my UWB going to allow air to enter? Thank you and I love my UWB; have had it thriving since May.
I understand the concern but I don't think that will be an issue. My bag is rocking with the mat on top.
Cheers!
I enjoy your channel. I have a starter worm farm in the Hudson Valley, NY. What branch of service?
Hey Devin.....Air Force!
@@UrbanWormCompany I could tell you were a fellow veteran, This Marine appreciates your channel, thank you.
@@devin5381 Thanks Devin! You too!
I've been drying my bins out because I was infested with red mites, I live in Houston Texas and I've had my bins in my closed garage but I have noticed my bins are starting to become really dry and I haven't noticed anymore red mites is it safe for me to add a little moisture now or should I keep it dry until it starts warming up a lil more it's been in the mid and lower 50 degrees lately
Sorry for the late response, Rhonda! I would go ahead and add moisture now. Understand that simply feeding your worm bin with food waste will be adding plenty of moisture!
On several of your videos you mention a link on your left to "The Rookie Mistakes That Everyone Makes." The link has never shown up on my Android phone 😒, and I can't find it anywhere. Please help. Thanks
Hmm....you might need to watch from a laptop or desktop? The link may not be in the same place on a mobile device. However, here it is!
www.dropbox.com/s/sfc4cij8zl66hcp/Vermicomposting%20Mistakes%20Everyone%20Makes.pdf?dl=0
I watched your video on the difference between an indian blue worm and a red wiggler. What your calling and showing as a red wiggler everyone else is calling a European night crawler. So whats the difference between those two?
Ehh....these are red wigglers.
The difference between red wigglers and European Nightcrawlers is mostly size as they are actually cousins. (Red Wiggler is Eisenia fetida and the Euro is Eisenia hortensis). Very little difference other than size and maybe heat tolerance as Euros seem to prefer cooler weather than reds.
@@UrbanWormCompany oh. I see. Ok. Thanks. All this gets confusing lol.
So does work cast stay alive even in winter just go sleeping?
The biology will stay viable!
@@UrbanWormCompany ok so what about it is half and half in biochar? here in the north it can go minus 40 in winter..
anybody know if you can get away with not adding paper? Just wood, dirt, leaves and the food?
Also a funny side note- this winter is the first year that I've seen it go to 37 degrees in California! Even San Diego isn't safe!
You can definitely get away without adding paper! I would be careful adding the dirt though. Composting worms aren't your typical soil-dwelling worms. Leaves are great though, specially if they have already begun decomposing.
@@UrbanWormCompany thanks man!
What about HOT weather?
We've got two videos on those as well!
urbanwormcompany.com/hot-weather-vermicomposting-7-tips-to-beat-100f-temps/
: ) Copy on the insulation! Great tips! I just overloaded my outdoor bin with food & some rice to try what you're talking about...I'll be checking in on it every couple days to make sure I didn't go overboard. Love the graphics to keep it "faster, funnier"!!!🪱🪱🪱
I see two signs that you’re prior military in this comment! :)
@@UrbanWormCompany😂 If I had a dollar for every time one of us said faster, funnier in a post flight debrief…