The work I did in the bins during September caused a heat spike of 15 degrees:
For this reason I waited to work my bins until the temperature had dropped and likewise I will wait for the temperature to drop again before I continue working the bins. This is all relative to the daily/nightly temperatures reached this time of year in my area. Once the temp comes down I will remove more product and add fresh bedding. This process will be repeated as many times as possible before winter sets in so that my beds are as full of fresh composting material as possible. With the onset of the cold winter months I want the bins to be producing as much of their own heat as possible. This is as good a scenario for the worms as it is for my power bill. (Although the bins have never cost me much to run in the winter, perhaps because of this strategy.)
As the daily/nightly temperatures cool I begin adding a wider variety of bedding material to the bins. Here you see a layer of leaves beneath the shredded newspaper.
After a summer of limited fresh bedding the worms happily go to town on this fresh source of feed stock.
For now our nights are in the 30's and we have had some frosts. The temp today at 11:44 A.M. is reading 55 degrees with blue skies and sunshine. Prrrrrfect!
For now, happy worming.
Christy
www.vermiculturenorthwest.com
www.motherearthsfarm.com
Where good things come from for body and soil.
