Vermicomposters Unite! Official Worm Farmers Thread

[Rrog]

It's just so cool that there are so many worm bin conversations going on. Just means so many people are really stepping up their game and dropping cost. WOW!

 

[SpicySativa]

And keeping THOUSANDS of pounds of organic waste out of landfills, where it not only takes up valuable space, but ends up degrading anaerobically and producing mass quantities of methane gas.

A win-win situation if I've ever seen one...

 

[Pinworm]

Planning on building a bin here soon, too. Rrog, your thread has been an invaluable source of info, brother. Keep up the killer work. You too, Rising Moon!

 

[st0wandgrow]

Planning on building a bin here soon, too. Rrog, your thread has been an invaluable source of info, brother. Keep up the killer work. You too, Rising Moon!

I listen to everything Rrog has to say. He's a walking encyclopedia when it comes to this stuff, and is always willing to share his knowledge.

 

[RedCarpetMatches]

I'm going to use an 18 gallon tote with air holes and tiny holes on bottom for worm juices...yummy. I'll put that tote inside another tote to catch worm pee tea. Never used BTIs...is it better to soak or crush? Do you put on top moist layer or castings? Thnx for help.

 

[SpicySativa]

BTi is no longer needed now that my bins are cranking. I add neem and crab meal periodically, plus a population of predatory mites moved in. When my bins were still fresh, I had some fungus gnat issues, but now they leave the bins alone.

When I used BTi in the bin, I either soaked a dunk and misted the bin with it or just mashed some up with my mortar and pestle then sprinkled it over the top.

 

[Rrog]

I just take lots of notes and have a big mouth, is all. You guys would all grow circles around me. Guarantee it. I sure appreciate the kindness, though!

Spicy- Landfills OMG. Gold waiting to turn black. Lots of places have community composting, now. That's pretty freaking cool. Also your local power companies and tree services. That tree chipping can be turned to black gold by using... mushrooms. They eat that shit no prob. And the mushrooms are delicious and very nutritious. This particular mushroom is from Fungi Perfecti. http://www.fungi.com/ Paul Stamets should get the Peace Prize, man.

 

[SpicySativa]

I just take lots of notes and have a big mouth, is all. You guys would all grow circles around me. Guarantee it. I sure appreciate the kindness, though!

Spicy- Landfills OMG. Gold waiting to turn black. Lots of places have community composting, now. That's pretty freaking cool. Also your local power companies and tree services. That tree chipping can be turned to black gold by using... mushrooms. They eat that shit no prob. And the mushrooms are delicious and very nutritious. This particular mushroom is from Fungi Perfecti. http://www.fungi.com/ Paul Stamets should get the Peace Prize, man.

I'm lucky enough to live in a very "progressive" area. We have green bins to collect our yard waste and food scraps, which then get composted. They sell some of the material off to companies who compost it and bag it for resale, and every once in a while they give it away for free to local residents.

I wish all cities were REQUIRED to handle green waste like this...

 

[RedCarpetMatches]

Just ordered 2000 red wigglers!!! If you feed your worms SS amendments, can you use less in your soil?

 

[Rrog]

Yes, and it is much preferred that you feed the amendments to the worms, not the soil. This way, any hot N and other nutrients are all broken down and locked up in the humus and organic matter. No harm at all to the plant.

 

[Colorado Sam]

Thank you all for sharing this great info. Neighbor down the road has horses. Sure he will share the manure. But thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

 

[Rrog]

Horse manure is great. Watch for antibiotics and wormer residue. Aging the stuff will allow microbes to break down what they can.

 

[RedCarpetMatches]

Yes, and it is much preferred that you feed the amendments to the worms, not the soil. This way, any hot N and other nutrients are all broken down and locked up in the humus and organic matter. No harm at all to the plant.

Thanks for response as always. I'm really interested in the amendment feeding. Are you saying I can feed my wormies ALL my amendments and not add any to the rest of the SS mix?

 

[SpicySativa]

Thanks for response as always. I'm really interested in the amendment feeding. Are you saying I can feed my wormies ALL my amendments and not add any to the rest of the SS mix?

Are you talking about Subcool's SS? That mix includes a total of 15 lbs of blood meal, fish bone, and bat guano, but only about 20-30 pounds of worm castings. I don't think that would work out well for the worms...

I do add various ammendments to my worm bin, but definitely not 15 lbs worth in 20-30 lbs of castings. By adding ammendments to the worm bin you end up with higher quality castings, but your still going to want to add some additional ammendments when you mix up the soil.

Might be possible to add all the ammendments to the bin if they are mostly plant-based, but I don't think blood meal or guano would be a good idea.

 

[RedCarpetMatches]

I mix up much smaller batches like 1/4 cup of kelp, alfalfa, neem, etc. per cubic foot. I want to use 1/3 worm poo in final mix. I wouldn't put any guano or blood meal in bin. I was wondering how much the ammendments get broken down.

 

[Rrog]

I think you could work it so your amendments were just your own specially-fortified VermiCompost. Not a commercial bag. Your own. Then you'd just consider using and adding teas.

 

[RedCarpetMatches]

So I set up my 18g sterile container with drain holes and side and top air holes. Fun stuff. My bedding consists of equal parts of shredded newspaper, rinsed coco, rinsed shredded leaves, and Happy frog soil conditioner (has a little guano). On one side I made a long trench and separated mushy apples, coffee grounds, ground up roasted egg shells, and banana peels. The moist bedding is 4 inches high. I added 2 tbsp dolomite lime for steady PH, 1 tbsp crab shell meal, potash, 1 tbsp neem cake, and 1 tbs each of alfalfa and kelp. I ground everything (including egg shells) with a mortar and pestle. After adding 2000 red wiggler tomorrow, I'll cover with moist leaves and cardboard. Anything else I should add...can't really subtract? I don't want to kill 40$ worth of worm so any advice will be cherished forever

 

[Rrog]

Compost. They eat the bacteria on stuff. None of your items have bacteria on them. Compost will. You have any lying around?

 

[RedCarpetMatches]

The leaves don't have bacteria? I know the HF soil conditioner has plenty. I can throw in some bagged EWC just to make sure.

 

[Rrog]

Not sure on the HF. Maybe worms like the strains in the HF. I dunno.

Leaves are excellent. I'd add the castings. Some local clean soil, maybe. You cook any Lacto-b?