hyroot
Well-Known Member
That's in 2 weeks. I was blown away too. I've never ever seen it that fast before. I dug all through the bin just to check. I'm doing the tier system to harvest. So I ahead ro wait a week or 2 til they all move up.
Vermicomposters Unite! Official Worm Farmers Thread
- Thread starter Rising Moon
- Start date
That's in 2 weeks. I was blown away too. I've never ever seen it that fast before. I dug all through the bin just to check. I'm doing the tier system to harvest. So I ahead ro wait a week or 2 til they all move up.
Organicgrow42
Well-Known Member
Ok so I made my bedding. I wanted to use peat but forgot it at my grow.
So here's what I did. Tell me if something is off.
In a large bowl:
1/2 brick of hydrated coco coir
2 heaping handfuls of shredded paper
2 heaping handfuls of shreddedcardboard
1 handful of organic barley straw
1 cup of organic rice hulls
3 heaping handfuls from the underside of a leaves pile that I have had sitting all winter outside
Roughly 4 cups of soil from a ROLS plant that finished already
1/2 cup of pumice (comes w the worm factory 360)
1 tbsp of the volcanic rock dusts that come w it (worm factory 360)
1/2 tbsp of basalt (just cuz)
1 tbsp of glacial rock dust
1 tbsp of organic oyster shell flour
1 tbsp of organic crustacean meal
1/2 tbsp of organic fish meal
1/2 tbsp of greensand
1/2 tbsp of azomite powder
1tbsp of organic alpaca gold poop
1 tbsp of organic kelp meal
1 tbsp of organic neem cake
As I type all that I realize how much and crazy that sounds....
So I layer that out and then Ill put the worms. I have veggies frozen in freezer that ill pull out tonight, then add them to the blender along with probably a tbsp of karanja cake.
Ill spread that all on a paper towel then add some shredded cardboard and shredded paper on top and then moisten it. This step I feel could be skipped? ( adding the cardboard and paper since I have the paper towel that will be moist?)
Then I was going to add a dry layer with organic barley stray on top to deter escape, pests ect.
What do you guys think?
So here's what I did. Tell me if something is off.
In a large bowl:
1/2 brick of hydrated coco coir
2 heaping handfuls of shredded paper
2 heaping handfuls of shreddedcardboard
1 handful of organic barley straw
1 cup of organic rice hulls
3 heaping handfuls from the underside of a leaves pile that I have had sitting all winter outside
Roughly 4 cups of soil from a ROLS plant that finished already
1/2 cup of pumice (comes w the worm factory 360)
1 tbsp of the volcanic rock dusts that come w it (worm factory 360)
1/2 tbsp of basalt (just cuz)
1 tbsp of glacial rock dust
1 tbsp of organic oyster shell flour
1 tbsp of organic crustacean meal
1/2 tbsp of organic fish meal
1/2 tbsp of greensand
1/2 tbsp of azomite powder
1tbsp of organic alpaca gold poop
1 tbsp of organic kelp meal
1 tbsp of organic neem cake
As I type all that I realize how much and crazy that sounds....
So I layer that out and then Ill put the worms. I have veggies frozen in freezer that ill pull out tonight, then add them to the blender along with probably a tbsp of karanja cake.
Ill spread that all on a paper towel then add some shredded cardboard and shredded paper on top and then moisten it. This step I feel could be skipped? ( adding the cardboard and paper since I have the paper towel that will be moist?)
Then I was going to add a dry layer with organic barley stray on top to deter escape, pests ect.
What do you guys think?
Last edited:
kkt3
Well-Known Member
That will certainly do for the start. Make sure to have enough paper and cardboard in there for the worms. Its all about personal preference and what your gonna be using the castings for. Ain't this a cool site. I just put fresh bedding in my 2 totes the other day and I used wet cardboard, composting leaves, pulp from apples, carrots and beets, and some horse manure, chopped up banana peels, and a bunch of used herbal teas.
Grandpa GreenJeans
Well-Known Member
Alpaca Gold? Now I know you've been ordering from build-a-soil. Good shit man! I'd save that alpaca and put it in soil as it is completely safe and non burning. Save the hot manures for the worms, they don't mind.
Props on supporting an organic canna growers company. I like to see that.
Grandpa GreenJeans
Well-Known Member
I'd be proud of that bin! Just remember, if your worms are new, don't overload them with options. Let them acclimate first for a few days to 1 week. Then you can start to hook em up, and they'll go bonkers for anything you give em.
Keep your temps in check. I like to keep my farm at an ambient temp of 75F. Any hotter and they won't be happy and will burrow down where it's cooler. Also the higher temps seem to encourage mites and the like and they will compete for food. Fuck mites, we're not farming them so don't let the numbers get too high, but don't freak when you see them, they're a natural part of vermicomposting.
If you can maintain consistent temps and a preferred food source, your worms will breed like nothing you've ever seen before. All of a sudden, one day when you go to check, you'll have thousands of eggs.
Eating and breeding is what we want to see!
Keep your temps in check. I like to keep my farm at an ambient temp of 75F. Any hotter and they won't be happy and will burrow down where it's cooler. Also the higher temps seem to encourage mites and the like and they will compete for food. Fuck mites, we're not farming them so don't let the numbers get too high, but don't freak when you see them, they're a natural part of vermicomposting.
If you can maintain consistent temps and a preferred food source, your worms will breed like nothing you've ever seen before. All of a sudden, one day when you go to check, you'll have thousands of eggs.
Eating and breeding is what we want to see!
Grandpa GreenJeans
Well-Known Member
Why is this thread not a sticky yet? Just sayin.....
Grandpa GreenJeans
Well-Known Member
Grow shops are scumbags and imho completely useless. Ask them how to grow ROLS or NO TILL, they can't tell you. All they do is pitch some shit ass bottled product.
Organicgrow42
Well-Known Member
@Grandpa GreenJeans are you saying to not give them any food scraps yet? Just let them chill in their bedding for a day or two then give them their worm slurry?
Grandpa GreenJeans
Well-Known Member
Yesssss sir.
Beemo
Well-Known Member
especially when there's rock/sandy minerals in there, that doesnt break down after a year or two...
DonBrennon
Well-Known Member
Care to elaborate? I'm having worm bin issues and really trying to learn. My worm bins are too acidic and my soil's too alkaline, bollocks pmsl
On a serious note though, was it exodus or just avoidance?
It's not happened recently, but I've had mass exodus's in a bedroom wormbin...........not good..........trying to dig worm out of a carpet is no fun at all, for you or the worms lol
GreenSanta
Well-Known Member
most common mistake raising worms in a bin is over feeding, I did it too, in fact I never successfully raised worms in a bin... I gave up after my first failure, it wasnt for me, now I raise them outdoor not in a bin.
Organicgrow42
Well-Known Member
I just got my worms. They sent me 2 lbs. This is a full 2 lbs too. Like a butt load. I'm concerned the tray is either too small or I don't have enough bedding. What do you guys think? I'll post a pic later, got to feed the baby!
Organicgrow42
Well-Known Member
When it comes to feeding do you feed once a week if doing a slurry spread out on a paper towel?