So who here is growing in true organic living soil?

http://unclejimswormfarm.com/index.php/Live-Worms/View-all-products.html

really nicely priced and got them in two days no less

I can echo my support of Uncle Jim's Worm Farm. I've ordered worms from them twice and have gotten great service.

I'm on their mailing list and they have this code in every newsletter:

Enter coupon code UJW20 at checkout for 20% off your order.

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Started feeding my worms scraps like in the directions. That worked ok but I could not feed them but every few days and only a little. Now I bokashi compost all my scraps (citrus, onions and hot peppers included) and let the sit mixed with coco coir for a month. If I fill a tray all the way with this mix the worm will big literally swimming in the mix within a few hours. I'm gonna order one of the bigger farms off of the build a soil site and I imagine I will be able to produce more casting than needed.

alcohol said:

Coupon code not found. Please try again.If you have a coupon code, please enter it below:

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Yeah sorry, after posting that code all year looks like they changed it. The latest newsletter says this code is good through Jan.11...

UNCLE15 for 15% off. Hope this works for you!

@HelpHub thanks!.

they already have deals on the worms. Has anyone used the worm 360 factory? Seems really cool but I am frugal so I'd prefer to make my own, especially for $100buckeroos. I'm sure I can make something very similar for a fraction of the cost.

alcohol said:

@HelpHub thanks!.

they already have deals on the worms. Has anyone used the worm 360 factory? Seems really cool but I am frugal so I'd prefer to make my own, especially for $100buckeroos. I'm sure I can make something very similar for a fraction of the cost.

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I just use the cheapo Rubbermaid bins from Home Depot.

What do you guys use to filter out the worms when taking casting?

Thanks!

I think if you remove the lid and put another stackable tote of the same on top of the castings, the worms will migrate to the top tote if it has food and bedding.

@st0wandgrow do you harvest liquid worm juice with that setup? Is the tote drilled on the bottom?

alcohol said:

@st0wandgrow do you harvest liquid worm juice with that setup? Is the tote drilled on the bottom?

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No juice, no holes. The only ventilation is the old screen-door screen you see taped to the lid. I make compost teas from the castings but have never bothered with leachate. IMO if you keep the bedding at the proper moisture level there won't be any excess worm juice.

If you don't add excessive water, you won't get liquid build up

alcohol said:

@HelpHub thanks!.

they already have deals on the worms. Has anyone used the worm 360 factory? Seems really cool but I am frugal so I'd prefer to make my own, especially for $100buckeroos. I'm sure I can make something very similar for a fraction of the cost.

Click to expand...

I use the Worm Factory 360. It's not cheap but it works like a champ and is really easy to harvest castings.

alcohol said:

I think if you remove the lid and put another stackable tote of the same on top of the castings, the worms will migrate to the top tote if it has food and bedding.

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Yep, and then to harvest just reverse the process. Put the tray with worms and mature castings on top, shine a light on it and the worms will travel down to the new bin on the bottom.

Wow...122 pgs and i just found this gem of a thread. I am a soil guy thru and thru. I know much about soil biology and have read many books. Teaming with microbes among others.....however Im skeptical that any containerized soil blend is devoid of many of the life forms that contribute to the ecosystem of living soil. No life...well less life.

If there is no animal life in a medium organic matter can not break down. Worms are a gift to soil growers but the process does not stop there. Smaller microbes, bacteria, fungi et al digest the castings and break it down even further. Can that be replicated indoors?

I would love to have a hoop house outdoors to grow in beautiful, living, orgainc soil.
But I fear that anything short of that just isn't the same.

Im very interested in the subject. And I welcome comments, suggested readings and random thoughts.

HelpHub said:

Yep, and then to harvest just reverse the process. Put the tray with worms and mature castings on top, shine a light on it and the worms will travel down to the new bin on the bottom.

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I've got to figure something like that out. As it stands it takes me hours to sift through a cf of worm shit

Now that I am harvesting so much I just rake the top layer and wait a minute, then in a few minutes rake another layer. Most of the smarter worms run and hide right away, a few make into my flower pots. I used to be careful to not harvest too many worms in the process but now I see they are reproducing like mad and have added them to all our houseplants as well. I don't really sift. Every week or so when I transplant plants i harvest a tray of castings and add it to the soil. I figure anything that is still not broken down is worm food and free nutes.

@Bigtacofarmer do the worms that make it into your potted plants live for a while?

@st0wandgrow that is why i asked if you had holes drilled. you could easily make the worms do the work themselves as described above. Keep one tote not drilled underneath the drilled tote.

alcohol said:

@Bigtacofarmer do the worms that make it into your potted plants live for a while?

@st0wandgrow that is why i asked if you had holes drilled. you could easily make the worms do the work themselves as described above. Keep one tote not drilled underneath the drilled tote.

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Yeah, for sure gotta come up with a plan that is easier than hand sifting.

Also re the worms in the potted plants..... yes they do great. I find them all the time in my containers that have been recycled a couple rounds.

alcohol said:

@Bigtacofarmer do the worms that make it into your potted plants live for a while?

@st0wandgrow that is why i asked if you had holes drilled. you could easily make the worms do the work themselves as described above. Keep one tote not drilled underneath the drilled tote.

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yes.