Vermicomposters Unite! Official Worm Farmers Thread

[Rasta Roy]

This thread was in desire need of a bump!

This is an interesting video, the guy lays out castings where the bedding compromised of leaves vs shredded paper. Wow what a goddamn difference! Definitely important to consider, especially those of us trying to build up our soils fungal and bacteria population.

 

[Moe Flo]

I still don't get the bedding thing. In nature there's no pre arranged bedding so I just dump them in. Anyhoo I was wondering are there any specific bacteria/fungi that prefer marine organics ? I live by the ocean so wanted to collect matter by the bucket full. No seaweed from what I saw just fish caught in low tide.

 

[DonTesla]

This thread was in desire need of a bump!

This is an interesting video, the guy lays out castings where the bedding compromised of leaves vs shredded paper. Wow what a goddamn difference! Definitely important to consider, especially those of us trying to build up our soils fungal and bacteria population.

Fook plastic and fook bleach!!

Gotsta Keep it Rasta..

 

[Tyleb173rd]

I just started a bin last week. It's a four layer stackable unit from Uncle Jim. How often do you guys feed them?

 

[Magic M]

my two worm bins each is 2x4x2, flow through. loving these guys!

 

[DonTesla]

I just started a bin last week. It's a four layer stackable unit from Uncle Jim. How often do you guys feed them?

Nicely done, how much was that, about $100?
I always kinda wondered where the Rev got his spigot and square bins

we feed, say
Once a week or so, dude, or whenever my 4 L/ 1 gallon tub fills up in the freezer, which is probably 3-6 times per month depending how fresh we eat

That's 2 ppl eating fruits and veggies

I guess the rabbit feeds them daily tho lol

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

Pete Moss is all I use for worm bedding... there is a vermicomposting master that I learned from that says shredded paper newspaper in particular is a big no no due to the clay content when it breaks down...I also split my worm farms every year since I got them ... wondering if others do this.. I feed them all my veggie scraps and coffee grounds... I see nothing but good things they love it and have been multiplying and making lots of casting and effluent! Love this thread btw!

 

[Rasta Roy]

Pete Moss is all I use for worm bedding... there is a vermicomposting master that I learned from that says shredded paper newspaper in particular is a big no no due to the clay content when it breaks down...I also split my worm farms every year since I got them ... wondering if others do this.. I feed them all my veggie scraps and coffee grounds... I see nothing but good things they love it and have been multiplying and making lots of casting and effluent! Love this thread btw!

I've heard from others that peat moss has to be replaced every two weeks when I used as bedding because it gets too acidic. Have you had any issues?

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

My are also sooo simple Rubbermaid with a one inch hole drilled in the long side, in the center, near the bottom... piece of synthetic rope through there and wrapping in the bin to drain effluent off without the worms eating it (hence why synthetic) that's it set it up on blocks rope in the jar done....they work amazingly! Also why people hating on DE on this thread... you literally CAN eat it and a lot of folks do...

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

I've heard from others that peat moss has to be replaced every two weeks when I used as bedding because it gets too acidic. Have you had any issues?

Never once had problems... the worms just eat that too and it all turns to castings eventually... I guess maybe I'm doing it slowly but seems to work great ... cover with some leaves and then landscaping plastic to keep it extra dark. Then cover and go... I have crazy amounts of worms always healthy can get some pics when lights on

 

[Rasta Roy]

Never once had problems... the worms just eat that too and it all turns to castings eventually... I guess maybe I'm doing it slowly but seems to work great ... cover with some leaves and then landscaping plastic to keep it extra dark. Then cover and go... I have crazy amounts of worms always healthy can get some pics when lights on

Just wondered if you added anything to raise the pH. Lately I've just been grabbing scooping unfinished leaves from my compost pile (from the cooled down part of the pile), the worms seem to like it the most. I was just dumping them straight into a bedding of rabbit manure and timothy hay and cardboard (all soaked in piss since it's from a rabbit litter box so I leave it out in the rain to wash out salts first). They were still always trying to escape though...I'd have to keep a light on em. They don't pull that shit no more though. I mix the rabbit manure and litter along with food scraps and coffee grounds into the leaves little by little every week. They seem to love it.

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

I top the pete moss with leaves but nothing else for ph at all... I give them lots of veggie and plant scraps. Bury that shit down under the pete moss they go down and stay down to eat nom nom nom!

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

I want to get some rabbits!

 

[DonTesla]

Just wondered if you added anything to raise the pH. .

If you use less berries, apples, etc, and more veggies and greens, even watermelon (altho sweet) has gots an alkaline ash.

Coco fibre and egg shell powder also buffer, plus you can water with spring water, many have a pH over 8 and include a natural mineral profile ideal for both plants and humans, as our DNA are very similar apparently

 

[Rasta Roy]

I want to get some rabbits!

Just find a buddy with some. I get a five gallon bucket and a half of rabbit shit every month from two rabbits.

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

I do give them eggshells sometimes but I have found they take so freaking long to break down... I try to grind them as small as possible and use them as grit for the worms when out of dry sand.. (winter mostly) I use tons of veggies and have NEVER watered my worms they get enough moisture from the veggies I give them...worms aren't too picky really lol love this thread though and love seeing others worm farming!

 

[DonTesla]

Yea no need to water if its moist.
Kinda depends if you cover or not
.. I keep four worm bins breathing with no covers or tops, and my rabbit pees in my one bin, only. I use that one for compost.

But watering can be used as a tool if someone needs to raise ph or wash salts, especially for those who bunny-worm-farm.

Eggshells do take a long time but there's nothing wrong with that, in fact, that's what I like about them.

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

Bunny worm farm.. interesting... and yeah the slow release from the egg shells can be good... I just got annoyed with them because when I bought my first worm farm.. (5 bucks at a garage sale and FULL of worms and castings!) They had not crushed the egg shells before throwing them in and it seemed like I had more she'll than castings lol I still use them just ground ubber fine

 

[turnip brain]

I have a bin going great guns, but seems it's become a bit funky, with LOTS of mites. I've read this can be from acidic conditions. I've been adding a wide range of fruit and veg scrap along with eggshells and forest humus (aspen grove area).

Any thought show to bring it to better balance without having to outsource other inputs? I really don't want to have to buy stuff to feed them.

 

[Javadog]

I am thinking of compost in general, but it is typically "brown" vs. "green"
where you need to add more brown, high C, materials for balance, but I do
not know whether this fits the pH issue.