****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I was very pleased with the wealth of information provided with this worm bin. I was initially expecting to only get a simple worm bin with a few bedding materials and a few instructions on how to set it up. But instead it comes shipped with a FULL booklet on just about EVERYTHING you need to know to get started in vermiculture. I appreciate the fact that these sellers are committed to the success of their customers by providing so much useful information. The booklet details how to troubleshoot and identify problems that may arise, how and what to feed your worms, how to properly maintain the bin over months, how to harvest the castings from the bin when it's ready, anatomy and life cycle of worms, how to keep your worms happy, and so much more! Receiving this booklet was definitely a breath of fresh air compared to all the small sheets of papers I get with broken translated English printed on them.I also like how you get enough bedding to fill two trays so you will be set for several months before you need to go get some additional materials for bedding (if you don't already have some).Currently, the worms have been quite happy in their new home (as far as I can tell). I've had the bin for about a month now and it has worked well for me. Obviously I will need more time to fully access this product, but so far, it's been easy to use and useful.A word of caution for those that are new to vermicomposting: When you add your new worms to the bin, make sure the environment is just to their liking (how to do this is explained in detail in the manual that comes with this item). When I received my worms in the mail, they were obviously stressed from the cross-country trip they had to make so they probably weren't the happiest of worms. After putting them in the bin, they WILL go exploring and this worm bin WILL NOT contain them. The bin is designed to allow proper air flow so it is far from being completely sealed. If the worms are not happy and want to explore the world around them, they will! Since I had to immediately leave after I added the worms to my bin, I came home to several worms (around 10) crawling around on the floor around the bin! It is suggested to turn on a light right above the bin to discourage them leaving, and I thought turning on the kitchen light would be enough. I was definitely wrong! I highly recommend getting a very bright desk lamp of sorts to shine *directly* above the bin for the first few days. After I got this bright lamp in place and adjusted the moisture levels of the bin, the worms were much more cooperative in staying inside. Now that the worms have acclimated to their new environment, I have no issues with them staying inside the bin and have no more need for the bright lamp.So to recap, when you get your worms, make sure you've got a little pile of food waiting for them and make sure the moisture levels are proper (not too dry, not too wet). Then make sure you've got a bright light to setup up directly outside of the bin that you can shine on it. If you do these things, you will not end up like me and find a bunch of worms crawling all over your floor and walls. Unfortunately, I lost a handful of worms due to my initial problems (they can dry out pretty quick and will die if left outside the bin), but the worms that are left are happily crawling around their food now.I would highly recommend ordering your worms after your worm bin so you have time to get things situated. More importantly, you'll have time to read through booklet that will ensure you know what you're doing when the time comes! Definitely read through the booklet since its got so much good information.I've been very happy with this product and would definitely recommend it to anyone that is interested in vermicomposting. The bin does not stink if taken care of properly, and I haven't even gotten any fruit flies yet! The worms mind their own business and just eat and poop all day--exactly what I want them to do!
