u/GreedyImage2727

​Hi everyone! Just wanted to share a very exciting milestone for my bin. I'm around day 40 of my startup, and this morning I found my very first juvenile worm! ​I was doing my morning check and lifted the frozen water bottle I use for cooling. Right there, on top of the cardboard blanket, I spotted this tiny, skinny little helper. There was actually a mature adult right next to it, but it bolted back into the bedding before I could grab my phone! ​I managed to take a few photos of the little one. For scale, I put it next to some LR44 button batteries (in the last picture). It’s completely smooth, with no clitellum yet, but already looks super active. ​Seeing new life hatch and survive is the best confirmation that all the effort to keep the bin cool during the recent heatwave is totally paying off. ​Just wanted to share this little victory with people who actually understand the excitement of finding a baby worm. My colony is officially growing!

​Hi everyone! I’m running my worm bin in Central Poland, and it’s located out in the garage. The species I’m keeping is Dendrobaena (European Nightcrawlers). ​Recently, I started monitoring the temperature in all four corners of the bin. One corner is dedicated to feeding, while the opposite one is used for adding dried, spent coffee grounds. ​​With a recent heatwave, I had to learn how to keep the bin cool, which led to a few setup upgrades. Specifically, I developed a way to cool the bin using frozen gel packs wrapped in landscape fabric (agrotechnical fabric). This prevents any condensation from leaking into the bedding while still allowing the coolness to pass through perfectly. ​Yesterday, after a long break due to the hot weather, I finally added a new batch of food. It consisted of 160 grams of strawberry scraps, wilted arugula, and pieces of avocado peel. The food went through quite a process: it was frozen, blended, frozen again, then left in a jar out in the intense sun for 3 days, followed by another 3 days at room temperature. ​Once the temperatures in the bin stabilized between 20°C and 26°C (depending on the corner), I went ahead with the feeding. ​I keep a cardboard "blanket" on top of the bin, with a few empty toilet paper rolls underneath to maintain proper air circulation below the cardboard. ​In the feeding corner, I first laid down a piece of dry cardboard. On top of that, I spread an even layer of the pulp created by the "pre-composting" process. I then sprinkled it with exactly 15 ml of finely crushed eggshells (ground in a mortar). Finally, I covered it with another layer of dry cardboard and placed the large cardboard blanket back over the top. ​By doing this, I'm speeding up consumption (since the food is already broken down), adding extra carbon/cellulose, preventing fruit flies (by burying the food under cardboard), and protecting the bedding from acidity (thanks to the eggshells). ​I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback! This is my very first bin, I’m learning as I go, and I’m already planning to expand to more bins in the future!