My Worms have been evicted! (It's them or me.)

[Lunacy]

My live-in girl friend finally demanded to know what was in the bucket on the service porch.

I've been telling her I was composting and she wasn't to cool with that, I didn't mention that their were worms in that double bucket. Well now she actually looked under the wooden cover and saw ONE worm. My home was not happy after that friends. She put her voice up and her foot down (on my throat) and the worms are now residing in the garage.

I've been building a new and better worm bin all day while looking over my shoulder because she kept coming to the back door to glare at me. I have to stop and face her every time she did, because I wanted to avoid being sucker punched. (I had a hammer and a skill saw, but I knew I couldn't win.)

I really want to build the cloth one Toil linked me to, but that will have to wait. I built one out of wood I had around the house. I don't have many worms yet I bought 85 about I month ago and it looks like their are more now, but I really don't know. I built a low unit with a removable divider. I believe it will help me harvest and if they really breed I can just remove it. I'll post a pic in the coming days, I have to buy pretty things for my lady first though, so I can sleep peacefully.

[Ozark Lady]

What if you name the worms, and make them cute worm pajamas, will that get you out of trouble?

Maybe she is only upset that you are speaking to the worms too harshly, or ignoring them?

Poor little worms are probably scared to death, what with you humans making loud noises! Hammer, nails, screaming, ha ha

Worms, I can handle, snakes... uh no way... doghouse bound!

My sons have turned too many loose in the house... I can smell them!

[Gary350]

If you think your having girl friend problems now just wait until your married. It gets worse. Girl friend problems are nothing compaired to wife problems. Keep the worms, get a different girl friend. LOL

[rainbowgardener]

You just need to explain to her all the benefits of the composting and the worms (browse around here for lots of helpful info) and what a great garden you two will have because you did this (while keeping a lot of yukky stuff out of the sewer system and the landfills).

You didn't come to where you are overnight. There was a time (years back now) when I would never have touched a worm, either. It's a learning process. Be patient and don't make her feel bad and she will come along.

[Dunester]

My wife & I have had a worm bin in our kitchen for over a year now. No horrible smells, or worms escaping everywhere, and a lot less time spent taking trash out in the winter!

And then there's the constant supply of great compost and worm tea...

[Toil]

I can tell you this for sure: they really hate it if you grab a fistful of worms, walk up to them, and offer some spaghetti, all the while worms wriggling out your fingers and falling all over the place.

don't do that.

but seriously, here's what I would do. do you know her friends? let her friends know how environmentally savvy she is, letting you keep a worm bin. Maybe the admiration of her friends will sway her.

[Lunacy]

Thanks for all your replies, the informative ones and the fun ones.

I was in more trouble because I fibbed from the start, I said I was composting but Not that I was vermicomposting. She actually had the worms in her hand (UPS) and asked me what was in the package, I told her seeds, even though I could see the package had a wet spot!

I knew sooner or later she would look in that bucket but I was hoping to have the new worm bin built by then. This is Los Angeles and it doesn't get very cold at night, I'm sure I will be able to keep them warm in the garage.

[Ozark Lady]

So, are you and the worms out of trouble now?

They should be okay in the garage, they are fine here outside and it is much colder here. You could always add a light to keep them warm if in doubt, but I suspect too warm is worse than a bit cool, but I am no worm expert.

[Toil]

red wigglers? it takes a really hard freeze to kill them. heat is more of a problem in LA.

out there, you could probably do african nightcrawlers, which would be neat to hear about.

[Lunacy]

Yes, I am doing Red Wigglers. Glad to here they won't freeze. I am now a triple threat composter! I'm doing vermicomposting, Bokashi, and regular bin composting!

But my worm bin is only 80% complete I still need to make a real lid., my composting bin is only 70% complete as I have to finish the front panel and the top.

African night crawlers do sound exciting though.