Vermicomposters Unite! Official Worm Farmers Thread

[Organicgrow42]

Forgot to mention I didn't do his spike and layers part. Didn't seem right to me. I mixed all the ingredients for the soil mix though. I never added more than it said, if anything I added less since I was low on a couple ingredients.

Back to worms...I order from coots site, northwest redworms I believe they were called. Their video showing how much is a pound of worms sold me. I bought worms in the past and there was no where near that much in the bag when I got them.

I paid 31.00 with shipping for a LB. I know unclejimswormsfarm has a deal right now for 2000 worms for 30 plus 12 shipping but I figured I'd try this site since a lot order from Jim.

I'll keep you guys posted on what I receive!

 

[Wetdog]

I go with 18 gals because they're $4.39 each here the 10 gals is $8.99 each. I have a bunch of these 18 gals. I made sip's with them and I have been storing soil in the same totes for years. They hold up just fine. I can produce more in the 18 gal than I can a 10 gal.

I was just thinking of the 10's like if the stack got over 2 totes tall. For better stability more than anything.

Yeah, my 18gal are 6+YO now and still working fine. Weird how the 18gal are cheaper than the 10's, but a good thing.

Wet

 

[hyroot]

I was just thinking of the 10's like if the stack got over 2 totes tall. For better stability more than anything.

Yeah, my 18gal are 6+YO now and still working fine. Weird how the 18gal are cheaper than the 10's, but a good thing.

Wet

I have the sterilite brand. Although flexible on the sides some what, they do stay stable when stacked. I only fill the bin halfway by the time it's harvested anyway.
I used to use 30 gals. So the worms have more room to wander. But they were a pain in the ass to move around and harvest from

 

[Javadog]

If my mix has too much N then to soil will smell of ammonia,
I have found. Maybe your soil got too hot over time?

 

[hyroot]

i got 2 more pounds of worms yesterday. Made a new bin and added a 2nd tier (tote) to my other bin. Next month I"ll be making 4 more bins with about 8 pounds more of worms. 3 tiers per bin, 6 bins = 18 tiers x 2 cu ft. 36 cu ft a month

These are the best and healthiest worms I have ever gotten.

 

[Organicgrow42]

@hyroot what are you using as a base to start with?

Anyone else have a base they want to throw out there? My worms arrive tomorrow and and in a kind of freak out mode. I Read too much and now can't recall any of it lol

 

[hyroot]

@hyroot what are you using as a base to start with?

Anyone else have a base they want to throw out there? My worms arrive tomorrow and and in a kind of freak out mode. I Read too much and now can't recall any of it lol

My bedding is peatmoss, coco, and dried canna leaves . Then a variety of veggie scraps, crab shell meal (1 tbsp) and rock dusts.

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

I'm gone for ~10 days and yall blow up 4 pages.
I tried the tote way, it held to much moisture and heat. 8 bucks per tote? I used (2) 2x4x12. Think I paid 2.50/board
And already had the plastic screen.
Been feeding avacado, kiwi and mango. They love the mango!!!!!! Must be at least 1k under that 1 mango half.

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

Where most people will add pockets of food, I just lay down all my fruit scraps on the top. I like to cut the items in half and dust the juicy side with oat/rice flour.
The middle tray is for veggies and canna leaf. The bottom is mostly carbons and boiled beer grain. Gives them options.

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

I don't think I've ever had not 1 single worm attempt to escape. Learn their food preferences and each species preferences. I have euros and reds.

 

[hyroot]

Where most people will add pockets of food, I just lay down all my fruit scraps on the top. I like to cut the items in half and dust the juicy side with oat/rice flour.
The middle tray is for veggies and canna leaf. The bottom is mostly carbons and boiled beer grain. Gives them options.

That's what I and most people do sort of. You put the food on top. Then another layer of bedding on top of that. You don't bury it in already made castings. With small amount of amendments you only need to add a small amount of bedding on top of that. Instead of covering the whole bin.

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

That's what I and most people do sort of. You put the food on top. Then another layer of bedding on top of that. You don't bury it in already made castings. With small amount of amendments you only need to add a small amount of bedding on top of that. Instead of covering the whole bin.

Yeah, the worms actually hate being in their own excrement. They'll eat it and refine it up to a certain point, then it becomes toxic to them.
I used to burry, but now a simple sheet of damp newspaper over the top is perfect.
I went with the shredded on top to help add a "sponge" like effect for any evaporation of moisture. It's not 100% efficient, and I do have to on seldom occasions have to mist the paper, but the food source I use has more than enough moisture in it to hydrate the bedding.

 

[hyroot]

Yeah, the worms actually hate being in their own excrement. They'll eat it and refine it up to a certain point, then it becomes toxic to them.
I used to burry, but now a simple sheet of damp newspaper over the top is perfect.
I went with the shredded on top to help add a "sponge" like effect for any evaporation of moisture. It's not 100% efficient, and I do have to on seldom occasions have to mist the paper, but the food source I use has more than enough moisture in it to hydrate the bedding.

I do layer of veggies scraps. Then a layer of damp bedding. Then a dry layer of bedding. The dry layer is to keep them from jumping ship mainly. It's not 100% effective. I've had to keep a light on over the bin.. The place I got my worms from , you have to call them 1 -4 days in advance so they can harvest the worms. They keep the worms in giant outdoor beds with horse manure. They have horses of course. The worms are so used to having all that room to wander. So when they are confined to a much smaller bin, some of them tend to explore and jump ship.

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

I do layer of veggies scraps. Then a layer of damp bedding. Then a dry layer of bedding. The dry layer is to keep them from jumping ship mainly. It's not 100% effective. I've had to keep a light on over the bin.. The place I got my worms from , you have to call them 1 -4 days in advance so they can harvest the worms. They keep the worms in giant outdoor beds with horse manure. They have horses of course. The worms are so used to having all that room to wander. So when they are confined to a much smaller bin, some of them tend to explore and jump ship.

I've been looking for a good source of manure. Personally I think it's the better food source compared to dry ammendments. Too bad I live in a big city and I can't legally own or house any livestock. Even chickens aren't allowed. Although rabbits I can do, I'm afraid of fleas getting on my 2 dogs.
That light over the farm is a great way to stop them from escaping. If I was a worm and had a large living space, I'd jump ship too if I were put into a smaller encloser.

I like the idea of harvesting worms on a per order basis. Keeps the worms health and vitality high. You found a solid source my friend!!!! Do you get alot of cocoons with the order?

 

[hyroot]

I've been looking for a good source of manure. Personally I think it's the better food source compared to dry ammendments. Too bad I live in a big city and I can't legally own or house any livestock. Even chickens aren't allowed. Although rabbits I can do, I'm afraid of fleas getting on my 2 dogs.
That light over the farm is a great way to stop them from escaping. If I was a worm and had a large living space, I'd jump ship too if I were put into a smaller encloser.

I like the idea of harvesting worms on a per order basis. Keeps the worms health and vitality high. You found a solid source my friend!!!! Do you get alot of cocoons with the order?

Yeah lots of cacoons. They give me some extra worms too. The last 2 times I picked up 2 lbs. I got like 2 1/2 pounds. They are far healthier and larger than uncle jims worms. I pay $20 a pound. They're a little over an hour away from me. But last time thet met me half way. They were selling worms to nursery where I met them.

These worms made 2 cubic feet in 2 weeks. My old bins with uncle jims worms took 2 -3 months to make that much... I did start with only 1 pound then though.

 

[Organicgrow42]

Grandpa what type of bedding did you start with in that box?

@hyroot same type of bedding I was going to do, thanks!

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

Yeah lots of cacoons. They give me some extra worms too. The last 2 times I picked up 2 lbs. I got like 2 1/2 pounds. They are far healthier and larger than uncle jims worms. I pay $20 a pound. They're a little over an hour away from me. But last time thet met me half way. They were selling worms to nursery where I met them.

These worms made 2 cubic feet in 2 weeks. My old bins with uncle jims worms took 2 -3 months to make that much... I did start with only 1 pound then though.

They mail ship?
I'll order 5lbs in a month when spring like temps. I don't like the idea of including a hand warmer pack with the order, so I never order in winter. Or summer because it's just too damn hot.

 

[hyroot]

They mail ship?
I'll order 5lbs in a month when spring like temps. I don't like the idea of including a hand warmer pack with the order, so I never order in winter. Or summer because it's just too damn hot.

I don't know. I'll have to ask. They're in SoCal

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

Grandpa what type of bedding did you start with in that box?

@hyroot same type of bedding I was going to do, thanks!

Shiiiiiiit, I think it's a mix of light warrior by FF and coco. Then I added cypress mulch and orchid bark. Added a few handfuls of an old soil mix that I cropped out with and that's where the Hydroton comes from. Then shredded newspapers and top soil

 

[Grandpa GreenJeans]

I don't know. I'll have to ask. They're in SoCal

I have a local community garden/ farmers market/nursery I grab from but I get a 5gal of bedding and worms/cocoons for 10 bucks. They're healthy worms and loaded with food in the bedding, also comes with springtails and mites. I found a few centipedes that I'm not happy about but I go through the 5er first before introducing anything to my farm.

But 2 cuft /week is fucking insane! I must have them!!!!!