Vermicomposters Unite! Official Worm Farmers Thread
- Thread starter Rising Moon
- Start date
dl290485
Well-Known Member
Hmm well I guess I should just buy one- but that has to go on the end of a long list of other things I need to spend money on so might not happen for a while. As it is I still need to buy worms. From Bunnings Warehouse (they are cheap and guarantee to beat any price by 10%) the cheapest option they have is $48.98 for a 10 litre 1000 worm 'starter pack. I'm trying to find a small business worm farm in the area to get them cheaper hopefully. I'm impatient with everything in life and when I hear about something I like, I want to do it straight away so I still see using these foam boxes as a way to get worms happening sooner rather than later.
As for toxic- i'm not actually in to organic to have clean buds lol. I just want to progress into organic because it seems like how plants are grown properly. When I first heard about root exudiates, beneficial fungi and symbiotic relationships with microbes I started to feel like although hydroponic and salt fertilizing worked, it wasn't learning to use the whole plant how it wants to work... so bottom line is for now I'm not over fussed with some random inorganic compounds finding their way in the mix if it won't kill the soil web or me from some months of using the boxes.
Yeah they feel a little a bit fragile but I know that some people have used them "for years" without a problem- I don't think it will take me years to scrounge some money up to buy something better.
As for toxic- i'm not actually in to organic to have clean buds lol. I just want to progress into organic because it seems like how plants are grown properly. When I first heard about root exudiates, beneficial fungi and symbiotic relationships with microbes I started to feel like although hydroponic and salt fertilizing worked, it wasn't learning to use the whole plant how it wants to work... so bottom line is for now I'm not over fussed with some random inorganic compounds finding their way in the mix if it won't kill the soil web or me from some months of using the boxes.
Yeah they feel a little a bit fragile but I know that some people have used them "for years" without a problem- I don't think it will take me years to scrounge some money up to buy something better.
Sincerely420
New Member
Just got my worms! Now time to catch up on this thread!
Cann
Well-Known Member
Every new worm owner should have the book Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof. Cheap, succinct, and will guarantee success with your bins. I recommend this book to folks all the time...its up there w/ one straw revolution, teaming with microbes, etc. on the recommendation list. one of those books you'll wish you had more than one copy so you can loan them out to friends...
headtreep
Well-Known Member
Cool that's a classic recommendation I have yet to read. Put in on the back burner with the worm bin but I do have a worm bin now and it makes sense to own that. Thanks for the reminder!!
sullivan666
Active Member
I'm looking to make a bokashi bucket or 2 for wormwood...it looks to be a simple venture but I figured I'd post here and see if wants to share their design/experience with making a bokashi bucket?
Cann
Well-Known Member
call feed stores...they usually sell #50 bags of kelp for livestock owners...i've been quoted around $90-$110 usually.
shipping #50 of anything is usually a rip off...much better off to find it locally. somewhere must have it...
go on google maps and look for farm/feed stores...call and ask for kelp - thats your best/fastest bet.
lol "call and ask for kelp" sounds funny
shipping #50 of anything is usually a rip off...much better off to find it locally. somewhere must have it...
go on google maps and look for farm/feed stores...call and ask for kelp - thats your best/fastest bet.
lol "call and ask for kelp" sounds funny
Rising Moon
Well-Known Member
I know a place in GR that can get it Nick. PM me if your interested...
Sincerely420
New Member
Thanks for all the info folks! Gotta GREAT headstart here!
I was gonna buy a "worm farm" just because I can, but after a quick look around, I decided that I didn't want to be had some company! So, I'm in the process of building a bin. I have a couple extra 18 gallon totes at the moment that I plan on using by setting up a few layers in the top bin, and drilling holes in the bottom of that
So hows this sound for a plan?
-2x 18gal totes. Totes sit flush together and are of the same sort.
I'll fill the bottom tote with a layer or red lava rock, just to get some space between the two and allow for some air flow and drainage for the top bin.
-I'll drill holes in the bottom of the top bin and start my layers of with some newspaper..
Here I have a question.
Do you guys foresee any problems with the worm getting out of the top bin, and into the bottom bin with the lava rock for any drainage?
I figure if that wouldn't be an issue, maybe over time I'll get some worm tea accumulation. Also the lava rock is the sort that you'd need to crush before using in the pots.
I just sourced the worms locally tho. Found a guy selling some on Craigslist. I got a few pounds and some vermicompost for $25 bucks, so maybe you guys can go that route to sell you worms or castings if you have enough! Or for those of you looking to buy worms, maybe look local first?!
And lastly, I have the worms chilling some old soil right now, just until I can finish things up.
The soil is comprised of 5 broken down root balls(2-3gals each).
I've yet to re-amend it after harvesting all of those plants during the month of April, so it's just been sitting. I've got a GANG of soil ready to go, so I've been sorta just lax on doing anything with that soil...BUT in all honesty, I been thinking about trying out a no-till plot, but was wondering how small a scale I could go with that, as far as pot size?
Will the worms be good in there for say....a week?
And I've been looking around to find out if the worms will munch on dead roots, but seem to get mixed answers..Anyone have any input on that?!
I've got a few meals and rock dust I can dump in there for the time being if I need to. There's a good bit of of worms tho.
Cheers and thanks for all this info
I was gonna buy a "worm farm" just because I can, but after a quick look around, I decided that I didn't want to be had some company! So, I'm in the process of building a bin. I have a couple extra 18 gallon totes at the moment that I plan on using by setting up a few layers in the top bin, and drilling holes in the bottom of that
So hows this sound for a plan?
-2x 18gal totes. Totes sit flush together and are of the same sort.
I'll fill the bottom tote with a layer or red lava rock, just to get some space between the two and allow for some air flow and drainage for the top bin.
-I'll drill holes in the bottom of the top bin and start my layers of with some newspaper..
Here I have a question.
Do you guys foresee any problems with the worm getting out of the top bin, and into the bottom bin with the lava rock for any drainage?
I figure if that wouldn't be an issue, maybe over time I'll get some worm tea accumulation. Also the lava rock is the sort that you'd need to crush before using in the pots.
I just sourced the worms locally tho. Found a guy selling some on Craigslist. I got a few pounds and some vermicompost for $25 bucks, so maybe you guys can go that route to sell you worms or castings if you have enough! Or for those of you looking to buy worms, maybe look local first?!
And lastly, I have the worms chilling some old soil right now, just until I can finish things up.
The soil is comprised of 5 broken down root balls(2-3gals each).
I've yet to re-amend it after harvesting all of those plants during the month of April, so it's just been sitting. I've got a GANG of soil ready to go, so I've been sorta just lax on doing anything with that soil...BUT in all honesty, I been thinking about trying out a no-till plot, but was wondering how small a scale I could go with that, as far as pot size?
Will the worms be good in there for say....a week?
And I've been looking around to find out if the worms will munch on dead roots, but seem to get mixed answers..Anyone have any input on that?!
I've got a few meals and rock dust I can dump in there for the time being if I need to. There's a good bit of of worms tho.
Cheers and thanks for all this info
flamingdice
New Member
I wouldn't leave them for a week in 'soil'.. If you want to take it slowly, put your worms in ur vermicompost you bought. Remember to keep it moist though.. Good luck 
They'll get there. First, there is a concept that is hard to get your head around, but once you grok it everything makes sense. Took me about a year.
Worms don't *eat* anything, no teeth. LOL What they do is slurp up the bacterial slime off the decomposing food source. The faster it rots, the more food they have.
When that second batch of slurry starts to rot, the worms will boogy right on over.
Once you understand that they aren't eating the food, but that gray goo that's growing ON the food, how often, how much and what you're feeding them starts making more sense.
Wet
Cann
Well-Known Member
I like to let my food start rotting before I add it to the bins....bokashi is a nice way of doing this (you should see the worm orgy that ensues in the bokashi after a few days in the bin..). another good option is to put all your kitchen waste in the freezer for a day..the freezing will burst all the cell walls leaving the vegetables nice and mushy when you let them thaw...they will then rot faster so you can incorporate them into the bin. A few days ago I collected a bunch of my scraps, put them in a plastic bag and tied it off...and then put it in the sun 
that should get things kickstarted a bit....
i also like to feed my worms a lot of manure and compost - that stuff is chock full of microorganisms!
wet is 100% on point....the only things worms eat are bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, etc. - it's not like they're in your bin munching on the lettuce
they're munching on the microorganisms that are munching on the lettuce. knowing that definitely influences how/when you feed your worms
that should get things kickstarted a bit....i also like to feed my worms a lot of manure and compost - that stuff is chock full of microorganisms!
wet is 100% on point....the only things worms eat are bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, etc. - it's not like they're in your bin munching on the lettuce
they're munching on the microorganisms that are munching on the lettuce. knowing that definitely influences how/when you feed your wormsLOL, yeah, the bokashi sits for a couple of days and then wham!
What they really like is the 'Santa's Beard' that's growing on top of the bokashi. Like fat girls in a chocolate shop! I throw a few pieces in and it's gone in hours.
I layer mostly, but the food sits and sits and then reaches the right level of decomposition and they go to town. That's when I add the next layer. Keeps the stuff from getting too hot, like fresh comfrey leaves for example.
Like you, I stop with the food a month or so before harvesting the bin. Let them get rid of anything they missed. They won't starve. I make the next bedding start about this time (peat based) and stuff has about a month to break down so the worms can get right to work and something to eat.
Doing worms is like learning to grow, you will probably kill a bin or 2 till you quit over feeding and over watering and generally learn to leave them alone for the most part.
I seldom check on my bins more than once/week, if that. I'll get 3 decent harvests/year. Two during the warm months when the basement gets up to 72 or so and only one over the winter when it stays in the mid 50's. Nothing rots very fast. But, it's sufficient for me.
Wet
What they really like is the 'Santa's Beard' that's growing on top of the bokashi. Like fat girls in a chocolate shop! I throw a few pieces in and it's gone in hours.
I layer mostly, but the food sits and sits and then reaches the right level of decomposition and they go to town. That's when I add the next layer. Keeps the stuff from getting too hot, like fresh comfrey leaves for example.
Like you, I stop with the food a month or so before harvesting the bin. Let them get rid of anything they missed. They won't starve. I make the next bedding start about this time (peat based) and stuff has about a month to break down so the worms can get right to work and something to eat.
Doing worms is like learning to grow, you will probably kill a bin or 2 till you quit over feeding and over watering and generally learn to leave them alone for the most part.
I seldom check on my bins more than once/week, if that. I'll get 3 decent harvests/year. Two during the warm months when the basement gets up to 72 or so and only one over the winter when it stays in the mid 50's. Nothing rots very fast. But, it's sufficient for me.
Wet
Cann
Well-Known Member
sounds like you got your system down 
the integration of worms and bokashi definitely helps move things along quickly...i like to throw soil amendments (neem, crab, kelp, oyster shell, aloe, rock dusts and clays, horsetail, etc.) into my bokashi bins (or just straight into the worm bins) to diversify my EWC and because it really can't hurt lol. nothin like some supercharged EWC...
i think the last point you made in your post is key - rarely checking on the worms. I look into my bins once every two weeks if that...usually when i'm going to feed. sometimes i'll peek in when I try out a new food source to see how long they take to eat it, but in general i leave em alone! worms thrive off negligence...i think that was originally said by mary appelhof (author of Worms Eat My Garbage).
i love worms!!!!
the integration of worms and bokashi definitely helps move things along quickly...i like to throw soil amendments (neem, crab, kelp, oyster shell, aloe, rock dusts and clays, horsetail, etc.) into my bokashi bins (or just straight into the worm bins) to diversify my EWC and because it really can't hurt lol. nothin like some supercharged EWC...
i think the last point you made in your post is key - rarely checking on the worms. I look into my bins once every two weeks if that...usually when i'm going to feed. sometimes i'll peek in when I try out a new food source to see how long they take to eat it, but in general i leave em alone! worms thrive off negligence...i think that was originally said by mary appelhof (author of Worms Eat My Garbage).
i love worms!!!!
hyroot
Well-Known Member
When worms die is there any remains? I read that they are mostly water and there should be nothing left. But I found 2 curved crispy twig like somethings in the bin resi. The length and shape of what could possibly be shriveled up worms. Or I'm tripping over nothing. either way. I don't know how twigs would get down there. There's no water of any kind in the resi. The whole bin is damp though.
Vermicomposter checking in here.
Just a few statements i want to leave you with after skimming this thread.
When choosing a home for your worms, its surface area not depth that will dictate your carrying capacity.
Earth Worms are not the same as Composting worms (red wigglers, European night-crawlers) you will not find composting worms looking in the dirt, you may however find them in some old horse dung.
You can keep multiple breeds of composting worms in the same bin (red wigglers tend to live in the top 3-4'' of compost, while the european nightcrawler tunnel deep in the pile[known for its excellent aeration])
Compost worms don't eat "fresh" things, they really just dine on the "rotten slime" for lack of a technical term. food items should be left to age for a day or 2 out before you put them in your bin.
If you need your bed to process things quicker lend it a hand, use a blender or food processor to slush up your waste before adding it to your bin, the worms will handle it MUCH faster.
Your worms will benefit from a hand full of dirt added to their bedding initially, they swallow tiny pebbles from this dirt to use in their Gizzard to break down food.
Just a few statements i want to leave you with after skimming this thread.
When choosing a home for your worms, its surface area not depth that will dictate your carrying capacity.
Earth Worms are not the same as Composting worms (red wigglers, European night-crawlers) you will not find composting worms looking in the dirt, you may however find them in some old horse dung.
You can keep multiple breeds of composting worms in the same bin (red wigglers tend to live in the top 3-4'' of compost, while the european nightcrawler tunnel deep in the pile[known for its excellent aeration])
Compost worms don't eat "fresh" things, they really just dine on the "rotten slime" for lack of a technical term. food items should be left to age for a day or 2 out before you put them in your bin.
If you need your bed to process things quicker lend it a hand, use a blender or food processor to slush up your waste before adding it to your bin, the worms will handle it MUCH faster.
Your worms will benefit from a hand full of dirt added to their bedding initially, they swallow tiny pebbles from this dirt to use in their Gizzard to break down food.
NickNasty
Well-Known Member
I just started my worm bins a couple months ago. I have been giving them compost I have already made then every few weeks sifting the top 4-5 inches of a 10-12in bed and it ends up being mostly worm castings. So far I get about a 5 gallon bucket full every 3 weeks which is about what a 30lb bag of wiggle worm castings will fill. I want to get to the point where Im making at least 5 gallons worth a week. Thanks for the advise cmpzx I just ordered some european night crawlers to supplement my red wigglers and will probably add some of these to my plants too.
Pretty good haul, the best way to up your yield is more worms and more food, best way to up your population is increase your surface area. Also though the worms tolerate a huge temp range, I think i read they peak breeding at 77f.
Good ventilation will help if your worm castings are coming out a little nasty/muddy.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCompostGuy (i hope links are ok) has some really good information on the subject and a super sweet tutorial on how to make a fairly nice indoor vermicompost bin on the cheap (its the design i use).
http://www.youtube.com/user/bnbob01 this guy has alot of great videos too, other related topics as well. Also has a very nice voice to listen to lol.