"Stan Goodman" wrote in message
news:uViCr8LlbtmJ-pn2-gu7pp3mIEv4o@poblano...
I generate compost in a large closed (but ventilated) box inhabited by
redworms. This arrangement has been running successfully for at least five
years. There are many, many worms in the material, and they look happy
(for
worms).

About a week ago I noticed that there were some large slugs in the box;
today there are many more. I don't really know if this is a bad thing, but
intuitively I feel it is something that needs attention fast.

Nah.

My policy is, if it's a native slug (which around here means it's yellow,
green, or yellow with black spots), I leave it in the compost box. If it's
an evil exotic (black, brown, or brown with black spots), it is destroyed.
Since I have a difficulties with killing anything, I put the slugs I want to
kill in a plastic bag and then put it in the freezer, so they can peacefully
be frozen to death. My husband thinks that since slugs barely have two
neurons to rub together, this is unnecessary. I will leave the ethics of
slug execution up to you (CYLOR if necessary).

Anyway, having a few slugs in the worm bin doesn't seem to cause much harm.
Then again, I have a pretty laisez-faire attitude about the worm bin. I put
the kitchen scraps, autumn leaves and weeds (before they go to seed) in, and
pull out compost twice a year. Stir occasionally. Other people seem to have
these very highly managed verimcomposting systems, where they monitor the ph
and and carbon/nitrogen content and turn on a semi-weekly schedule. Maybe
they get more finished compost as a result. I'm happy with what I get,
though, as it is.

I have searched for a newsgroup devoted to vermiculture or composting, but
have failed to find one. If someone knows of a group more appropriate to
this question than rec.gardens.edible, please don't hesitate to point it
out.

rec.gardens.ecosystems was developed to specifically deal with issues of
organic gardening, including vermicomposting, but the newsgroup appears to
be basically unused.


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
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