Flowers of my Labor

Tending to my Super Composting Red Wigglers has its perks for sure. Throughout Spring, Summer, and early Fall I harvested much of my Red Wiggler castings, some of which I sold, but most of it was used for my indoor and outdoor plants.

Red Wiggler compost is perfect for pretty much any type of plant or garden and really does a great job providing the proper nutrition and drainage to the soil, which in-turn produces great results for anything growing in that soil.

The weather is getting cooler. Keep an eye on the frost.

The temperature has been dropping in Bend, letting me know that fall is here. This is the time to think about techniques to use for insulating your outdoor worm bins. Last winter was my first time having bins outside so basically it was my experimental year. I am happy to report that it was a success and plan on using the same technique this winter.

I made sure to frequently feed the worms delicious fall treats, such as pumpkins, gourds and squash. The worse they looked and smelled the better they tasted for the worms.

I also insulated the bins with hay, lawn clippings and leaves.

For more detailed information, check out my website under the "How To" section.

Composting Tips

Keep an eye on moisture levels

I like to keep a layer of moist sheets of newspaper on top of my worm bins and check it regularly on hot summer days - even now in these late summer early fall days when the temperature can hover around the upper 80’s in the afternoon.

The sheets help keep the bedding moist and allow for the worms to make their way to the top layer to consume the scraps. Doing this, also helps with fruit flies. They seem to be contained under the sheets and not flying all around the bin. Fruit flies are more of a nuisance to humans than to the worms.

If you find the bedding to be too dry, sprinkle the bedding with some water. Remember the bedding should be similar to a wet sponge. You should be able to squeeze a little liquid out of it.

For more detailed information, check out “Wonder Worman’s Quick Guide to Red Wiggling”. It’s a quick guide to get you going and you can download it here.

Red Wiggler Late Summer Snacks

Pumpkins, Squash, Gourds... Oh My!!!
Soon they will be springing up all over town. Here’s a shot of some pumpkins from my mini pumpkin patch garden! Sometime in late October when this little guy is big, round and orange, he will be carved up and made into a Wonder Worman Jack-O-lantern! Of course, nothing will go to waste - every part of the pumpkin will go right back to my Super Composting Red Wigglers. Yum! It’s like pumpkin pie for my Super Composting Sidekicks!

Red Wigglerism

Did you know:
Red Wigglers have five hearts. These amazing, tiny organs are located just below the pharnyx and on top of the esophagus. As with any living creature, these hearts pump blood through the body providing nutrients for growth and survival.

I am learning new facts about my sidekicks every day. I search internet sites and would like to credit

biologycorner.com and cathyscomposters.com

Honey Bees in my Worm Bin

Honey Bees in my Worm Bin
Originally uploaded by wonderworman

I had honey bees in my bin last month! What an experience for me. It began on a Sunday afternoon when I noticed a few bees, which I thought were yellow jackets, hovering over one of the bins. I thought for sure there was something tasty in there, and they would hang out for the day and be gone by evening. That was definitely not the case! By nightfall, I went to check on the bin and was sure they were gone. I lifted the lid to hear a humming sound. I was freaked out. There was a swarm on the bedding. I quickly slammed the lid and ran inside, realizing I have a phobia. My heart was racing and I was sweating. With the help of my husband, we put up yellow jacket traps, a lot of them! Come Monday morning, I thought they would be gone for sure. Instead they were busy working on making bin number 2 their home, by developing a hive. I called an all natural type exterminator, and they were here within a few hours. He examined the bees and was rather excited to tell me I had a swarm of honey bees. I knew I could not kill them but needed to have them gone! I discussed various options with friends and family, searched the web, and made many, many phone calls. Then by early evening, I had my solution! I found a bee keeper in Bend who was looking for a swarm. She came with her gear, white suit, mask, box and dust pan and broom. I was so happy to see her!!! She charmed the bees into the box by using an old honey comb. After an hour, she had them and was on her way. To see more images click on the image.

The Red Army continues to grow!

Many people in Central Oregon are Vermicomposting! Some are new to the experience and some have tons of knowledge to share. I really enjoy meeting new people and hearing what they want to achieve.

There are really helpful websites for vermicomposters around the world!
If you want to see who is composting globally and add yourself to a list of red wiggler fans visit vermicomposters.com.
Also there’s google’s knol which has a great article on Vermicomposting.

Red Wigglerism - Did you know...

Red Wigglers are hermaphrodites. Which means, they have both male and female reproductive organs. Although they have both organs, they still need each other to mate. Being around these magnificent creatures, I have witnessed this amazing procedure. They actually form a knot, a “love knot”. While knotted up, a mucus forms around the band, the clitellum. The mucus contains sperm, and the sperm is deposited in the microscopic sac located underneath the clitellum. As days past, the mucus will harden and form a cocoon. The Red Wiggler will then back it’s head out of the clitellum and the cocoon will be deposited into the bedding.

I am learning new facts about my sidekicks every day. I search internet sites and would like to credit: ourvitalearth.com and cathyscomposters.com

Red Wiggler Egg Cocoons

Worm Compost
Originally uploaded by wonderworman

Now that the weather is warmer in Bend, I have been noticing many egg cocoons. The worms are becoming more active and therefore mating a bunch more. They leave behind a golden tear shaped cocoon. It almost looks like a seed (see photo). The color of the cocoon will change as the baby worms develop. Right before they hatch, the cocoon will be a deep red almost maroon color. Inside, there are about 5-10 babies ready to feed on the kitchen scraps. It takes about 3 weeks for the babies to emerge. Once they have hatched, it takes about 8 weeks for them to be an adult worm and the mating process will begin again.

Composting Tips

Is it time for you to change your bedding? Has the bedding turned a rich dark color? It may be time.

Since the Red Wigglers are in a contained environment and aren’t able to migrate to a different area, an area where their bedding isn’t overwhelmed by their waste, it’s important to provide that area for them. First expose the bin to light and your Red Wigglers will migrate to the bottom. Skim the top layer, this is the rich organic fertilizer that you have been waiting for! Save it or put it to use.

For more detailed information, check out “Wonder Worman’s Quick Guide to Red Wiggling”. It’s a quick guide to get you going and you can download it here.

Friends of Wonder Worman

Local shops in town like, Big Island Kona Mix Plate, thump coffee, and Riley’s Market provide tasty scraps for pick up. These scraps are put to good use and let the Super Composting Red Wigglers get a taste variety.

I support Big Island Kona Mix Plate, a local family owned restaurant, in their efforts to make their restaurant “greener”. Also, Big Island Kona Mix Plate no longer uses styrofoam plate-ware, which further reduces their contribution to the landfill.

Thump coffee, is a really cool coffee shop downtown (family owed as well), has an ample supply of used coffee grounds that can be used in your garden or compost pile. When my Super Composting Red Wigglers need a little pick-me-up I stop by the shop just before closing and pick up the goods.

Riley’s Market, another family owned business, located in NorthWest Crossing, offers among other things, fresh organic locally grown produce, a variety of delicious sandwiches and tasty baked goods. When time takes its toll on the produce and bakery items at Riley’s Market, I am called in to take the goods to my trusty sidekicks! My Super Composting Red Wigglers are more than happy to do their part! What a great treat!

What’s on the Menu for Red Wigglers?

What’s on the menu today for Wonder Worman’s Super Composting Red Wigglers? There’s Red Leaf lettuce, banana peels, strawberries, oats, pasta, rice and spinach, among other things – Food scraps from the last couple of days. If you have kids and are looking for ways to get them even more excited about having Red Wigglers, make a project out of feeding your worms by creating a “soup” out of food that would normally go to waste – but still a good source of food for your Red Wigglers (Moldy bread? Bring it on! Rusty Lettuce? Yum!). Before putting this mix into the bin, add a bit of water to prevent any moisture from being absorbed by the mix from the existing bedding. Bon Appetit!

Trouble in Wormdom?

As with any new project, there may be a time when you are faced with a problem. Vermicomposting is no exception. Whether your worm bin bedding is too dry, too stinky, too big or too small, don’t let these things deter you. Because with every problem there is a solution. And remember, those little Red Wigglers are working for you!

Moisture levels.

When Red Wigglers are at their best, they produce lots of moisture. Their efforts along with the natural process of decomposition increases the moisture level in your worm bin. However, too much moisture can lead to disaster.

If the worms are in a plastic bin, the additional moisture will collect on the walls and lid of the bin. This is not a big problem, but if you notice liquid pooling in the worm’s bedding and the worms are bloated, white and look as though they are trying to escape there is definitely too much moisture and not enough drainage – it’s time to create more holes in the bottom of the bin. This solution will help immediately.

After the excess moisture has been drained, the bedding will still be very moist and adding dry shredded paper to your bin is a good next step. The paper can be newspaper or office paper. Doing this, will soak up the moisture within the bedding. Keep a close watch on the moisture level for the next few days and continue to feed the worms.

True North Parenting & Red Wigglers

True North Worm Story
Originally uploaded by wonderworman

Make sure to check out the June/July edition of Central Oregon’s premiere parenting publication ‘True North’ for a very informative article on Red Wigglers. They mention the benefits of composting food waste and creating your own organic compost. Great job! Visit them online to read the full article, or pick up a FREE copy at a local retailer.

Red Wigglers need oxygen too!

Red Wigglers need oxygen just as much as humans do. The interesting fact is they do not have a pair of lungs. They absorb the oxygen into their outer layer from the moist environment in which they live in. They also have the ability to excrete carbon dioxide from their outer layer. It is very important to monitor the moisture level in the worm bin. If it is too dry, they may suffocate – too wet, they may drown. But if it’s just right, you’ll have happy Red Wigglers making poop for you.

What’s in your Red Wiggler Bin?

Red Wiggler Compost
Originally uploaded by wonderworman

This is a Sow Bug, a Terrestrial Isopod. These guys proliferate in dark, damp areas like worm bins. They munch on decaying matter alongside the Red Wigglers causing no harm inside the worm bin (in fact they help out with the composting process), however outside they can cause damage to your plants and garden.
Sow Bugs need constant moisture to survive and are primarily nocturnal so a moist dark worm bin is perfect.

Can you find the Sow bug in my bin?

Red Wiggler Food

Red Wiggler Food
Originally uploaded by wonderworman

Red Wigglers can eat most anything. Try testing out various foods that you normally discard after preparing a meal (less meat products and citrus based fruits).
For example, you may have veggies w/ freezer burn - give them to the worms, they don’t mind.

In addition to veggie and fruit waste, Wonder Worman’s Red Wigglers love pasta, left over cheese pizza and home made chocolate chip cookies!
Who knew?

Getting started w/ Vermicomposting

Before picking up your Red Wigglers, make sure you have a place for them to live. Either an indoor or outdoor bin will do. The choice is up to you and your household needs. There are many options. You can purchase pre-fabricated plastic worm bins or make one yourself out of plastic or wood. Plastic bins are easy to set up and will last a long time. If you do decide to make a bin out of a store-bought plastic container, keep in mind Red Wigglers create a lot of moisture so make sure there are holes on the sides and bottom to allow for ventilation and drainage. Wonder Worman has used plastic bins in the past, but now prefers to use wooden bins for their ability to absorb moisture and overall ease of maintenance.

Both types of bins provide a home for your Red Wigglers to thrive in. The choice is really a matter of space available and amount of waste you can provide them.

For more information on getting started with your worm bin go here.

Red Wigglerism - How many Red Wigglers in a pound?

There’s between 800 - 1,200 Red Wigglers at various stages of development in 1 pound of Worms! Those 1,000 or so Red Wigglers will produce a bunch of compost over their life span, which you can then use as indoor or outdoor compost for your plants. The worms will continue to multiply and produce more and more worms. So why not benefit from the joys of Red Wigglers?

Wonder Worman has Worm Ts!

Wonder Worman went to great lengths (sometimes jumping worm bins in a single bound) to make sure these shirts met the standards of the League of Super Vermicomposters:

- 100% Organic Cotton
- Made in California
- Designed and Printed in Oregon
- Super Soft Feel
- Worn by The Wonder Worman

Feel comfortable knowing you’ll be wearing something that’s as friendly and organic as your Super Composting Red Wiggler sidekicks!
Check them out here!

Red Wigglers and Garbage Disposals

A friend of mine just forwarded me an interesting article he heard on NPR this morning. Raleigh, N.C. is having issues with their sewer lines and garbage disposals. I knew many people were putting kitchen waste down the disposal thinking they were reducing the waste in the landfill. Yes they are reducing the waste, but they can also recycle their waste at home without damaging the sewer lines. I used to put veggie waste down there too before I had red wigglers. Now I am putting that waste in my worms bins and producing super rich compost for my gardens and indoor plants. Whether or not people use red wigglers, I think it is so important to compost.

Things are rolling

Wonder Worman is growing! Super Composting Red Wigglers will soon be in the bins of LaPine Middle School and Tumalo Elementary School. Both of these schools are located in Central Oregon. These red wigglers will help with the reduction of the school waste. The compost made from the red wigglers will be used for their community gardens.

worm composting bedding

spreading bedding 3-4 inch deep
Originally uploaded by wonderworman

Here’s an example of peat moss as a bedding for your red wigglers.

Web site is finished

It is done and am so happy to say it! I met the deadline I set and things look cool. I still need to add some pictures and Harold is reviewing the material.

My website is www.wonderworman.com. Red wigglers are pretty amazing creatures. Even in these frigid temperatures in Bend, they are still working. Well the ones I have are insulated with hay. I am sure if they were in the ground out in "the wild" they would figure out a way. Well they do figure out a way..they go deep in the ground, below the freezing line.

I will see what happens in a few weeks with the website. I am excited!

Getting Started

Making decisions for my website has been a lot of fun, I do like it. My deadline in Friday (6 days). I am very excited to see what people think of it. I am also working with a carpenter on creating cool worm bins. I hope to have them ready by Friday, too. Another thing I am working on is Tshirts...can't wait for them to be done too. Lots going on and have so many ideas and goals for Wonder Worman. I love my job :^)