are all worm castings created equally?
- Thread starter Dboi87
- Start date
SpicySativa
Well-Known Member
The best worm castings are the one's you make yourself. Use a WIDE variety of inputs, and you will end up with a high quality product. Most commercially available products are from wworms fed a very limited diet because it's easier for the producers tto source, and it helps them maintain a uniform product from bag to bag.
If you've gotta buy them, try to find a local supplier. If you can't fid any locally, Wiggle Worm makes some decent castings.
If you've gotta buy them, try to find a local supplier. If you can't fid any locally, Wiggle Worm makes some decent castings.
Dboi87
Well-Known Member
That's the reason I ask. We've been making our own for a while and decided to try and make a small business of it. Other than our own though we've never used any other castings.
Basically I was looking to see what preferences people had so we could start strategically making our product top notch. I want our product to be known as one of the best.
Any suggestions or comments are welcome
Basically I was looking to see what preferences people had so we could start strategically making our product top notch. I want our product to be known as one of the best.
Any suggestions or comments are welcome
RedCarpetMatches
Well-Known Member
What do you guys use for bedding? How do you separate the castings? I'm sick of buying worm poo all the time. What are the best things too feed them?
PeaceLoveCannabis
Well-Known Member
I personally think peat moss is a great bedding. It has to be wet like a sponge/or slightly more wet. I find the worms thrive in this one benefit is if you accidentally forget to moisten the bin they wont die right away. Some people use compost, and others use news paper. I use peat moss lol
SpicySativa
Well-Known Member
Like I said before, variety is key.
My bedding is a mix of shredded cardboard, peat moss, rice straw, brown paper grocery bags, dry cannabis leaves and trim, and brown leaves from the yard. That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are several other "browns" in there that I can't think of right now.
My "greens" (food) include fruit and veggie scraps/peels, cannabis mush left over after hashing, egg shells, dandilions, comfrey, chamomile, etc, etc, etc. I also supplement with small amounts of kelp, alfalfa, neem, crab, rock phosphate, etc, etc.
I also periodically add a handful or so of healthy soil from my outdoor garden beds for some extra diversity of native soil life.
My bedding is a mix of shredded cardboard, peat moss, rice straw, brown paper grocery bags, dry cannabis leaves and trim, and brown leaves from the yard. That's just off the top of my head. I'm sure there are several other "browns" in there that I can't think of right now.
My "greens" (food) include fruit and veggie scraps/peels, cannabis mush left over after hashing, egg shells, dandilions, comfrey, chamomile, etc, etc, etc. I also supplement with small amounts of kelp, alfalfa, neem, crab, rock phosphate, etc, etc.
I also periodically add a handful or so of healthy soil from my outdoor garden beds for some extra diversity of native soil life.
SpicySativa
Well-Known Member
Good luck with that business. You aren't the first one to have this idea, and I'd be lying if I said I'd ever heard of it working...
Andrew2112
Well-Known Member
Where are you located? I need some homemade castings!
Dboi87
Well-Known Member
I'm out in northern Illinois.
I have heard of successful casting businesses . One of the largest producers of castings is just a few miles from us in Wisconsin. In fact, when a casting business is successful the biggest problem is often not being able to keep up with demand.
We don't expect to become rich overnight from this. Just something for supplementary income and maybe something larger down the road. It's essential to start small and build your way up. I see it happen all the time where people get in over their heads and it makes them fail. Not even just in business. It's like the number of poker players I've come across that manage to make money at the potawotomi casino in wisconsin, so then they go and get a loan and go try to make it big in Vegas. They inevitably lose it all and end up worse off than before. Had they built up that ten grand on their own they not only would not have had all the debt but would have gone through the gauntlet and earned invaluable experience along the way.
A side note: every business has pros and cons. Casting production is no different. As long as you treat it as a business and build it with a strong base from the ground up you'll do fine. Show me a business that failed and i can almost guarantee it was the fault of the owner/operator. Not the sector or market that was at fault. Im sure you've all met someone at one point in your life that struggled making money selling pot. The stuff sells itself but still there's always someone that sucks at it.
"There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult."
-Warren Buffett
I have heard of successful casting businesses . One of the largest producers of castings is just a few miles from us in Wisconsin. In fact, when a casting business is successful the biggest problem is often not being able to keep up with demand.
We don't expect to become rich overnight from this. Just something for supplementary income and maybe something larger down the road. It's essential to start small and build your way up. I see it happen all the time where people get in over their heads and it makes them fail. Not even just in business. It's like the number of poker players I've come across that manage to make money at the potawotomi casino in wisconsin, so then they go and get a loan and go try to make it big in Vegas. They inevitably lose it all and end up worse off than before. Had they built up that ten grand on their own they not only would not have had all the debt but would have gone through the gauntlet and earned invaluable experience along the way.
A side note: every business has pros and cons. Casting production is no different. As long as you treat it as a business and build it with a strong base from the ground up you'll do fine. Show me a business that failed and i can almost guarantee it was the fault of the owner/operator. Not the sector or market that was at fault. Im sure you've all met someone at one point in your life that struggled making money selling pot. The stuff sells itself but still there's always someone that sucks at it.
"There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult."
-Warren Buffett
Andrew2112
Well-Known Member
Bummer
nowhere near me.
hyroot
Well-Known Member
I've thought about making it a business. Never had a place with enough room for bins large enough. I don't even make enough for myself.
Living the condo life.
Dboi good luck. Read all the the threads. Add your veggie scraps, crab meal, shrimp meal, neem meal, rock dust, compost, peatmoss, dry shredded leaves, coco, etc.... Quality sells itself. Have some top notch all in one nutrient castings. You will do great. Let us know if you ever move to Cali.
Living the condo life.
Dboi good luck. Read all the the threads. Add your veggie scraps, crab meal, shrimp meal, neem meal, rock dust, compost, peatmoss, dry shredded leaves, coco, etc.... Quality sells itself. Have some top notch all in one nutrient castings. You will do great. Let us know if you ever move to Cali.
stvitusdance
Well-Known Member
and i thought i got a great deal on this!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00062KQ42/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00062KQ42/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dboi87
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the kind words hyroot.
hyroot
Well-Known Member
if you buy , noble castings from home depot. Order online and pickup in store. $18 for 1 cu ft. (20-30 lbs.)
or farm supplies or outdoor farmers markets. Anywhere else is a rip off.
Jack Harer
Well-Known Member
Sounds like y'all got it going on. The only thing I can think to add would be copious amount's of bunny poo. Too bad you're so far. Here's what I use now www.itsaulnatural.com but I really like what you've said was in your castings.
SpicySativa
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you've got your head on straight. You just might prove me wrong! Hope you do!
RedCarpetMatches
Well-Known Member
What brown and green ratios do you use?
Dboi87
Well-Known Member
Whenever we add an ingredient we make sure to research its carbon/carb to nitrogen/protein ratio.
For example, grass clippings have a 15:1 c:n ratio, whereas newsprint is closer to a 54:1.
We try to keep the overall ratio between the 25:1 - 30:1 range.
In time we'll do some experimenting with different ratios and different ingredients. The plan is to keep it all logged.
If I were a consumer I would like to know exactly what thw worms that produced my castings ate.
For example, grass clippings have a 15:1 c:n ratio, whereas newsprint is closer to a 54:1.
We try to keep the overall ratio between the 25:1 - 30:1 range.
In time we'll do some experimenting with different ratios and different ingredients. The plan is to keep it all logged.
If I were a consumer I would like to know exactly what thw worms that produced my castings ate.