Thank you for the copper tape tip! Just got my worms and they are crazy escape artists! Did not realise they can climb so well. Hubby was not impressed 😅
I've watched around 10 worm farm/composting videos today, ranging from super nitpicky and detailed to straightforward and relaxed. I appreciate your video, I feel confident enough to start one now, thank you for sharing your advice/experience! You had me dead at "they're going to want to run, because worms are stupid." XD I'll keep copper tape on the ready!
Thanks for this straightforward advice! I've wanted to do worms for years and finally just got started with a stacking system I found at Goodwill for $7. My very first worms I bought at Petsmart ($5)! But it was a tiny container with maybe 25 worms so I upgraded to ramp up wormcasting production. I had a mass exodus from my bin the first night but I remembered I needed to leave the light on in my garage and they've stayed in the bin.
Your presentation is very good. I too have been doing vermicomposting now for about a year....you are right on...keep it simple....meet the requirements the worms need...food, oxygen and comfortable temperatures...they will do what Mother Nature best equipped them to do.
Hi, I'm not a English speaking, but any will try to appreciate you for the inspiring video, and you are helping a lot. I do mess with these guys already for about 2 years it is a real fun. Thank friend for your efforts.
Just about to put my wormery ‘into action’ and looking at a few videos.. this one stands out was only just asking my sister what she had done with my shredder… apparently we have three in the house. Go figure! I also have a roll of copper tape that I bought a couple of years ago… just thought I may need it one day… today is that day… thanks for posting and now subscribed too..
I'm just starting out and thought this video was really good and presented in a natural way. Ok I'm off to watch your other videos. thanks for sharing this.
I have a decent shredder and I think the smart thing to do is buy shredder oil when you buy the shredder. And be gentle with cardboard. Cut longer narrow strips and oil during each use. If you hear the motor struggling or it gets hot shred smaller pieces. I've filled Landscape bags of shredded cardboard with the same shredder and it's still going strong.
I want to thank you for making this video. This video makes worm farming seem easy enough for me to do. May I ask you a few general questions? 1. Are grass clippings and green weeds and gardening waste good to feed? 2. Are the leaves that fall from the trees in the fall something worms like to eat or are they not good for food. 3. Would drop apples and other fruit that fall from the trees make good worm food? If so how should they be prepared, sliced or chunked up? Can they go in the bin whole, or do the seeds need to be removed, since i heard that worms can not process seeds? 4. Do worms like watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew rind? This is the first of your videos i have watched so if you have already covered these questions in another video can you send me the link or tell me which video to watch? Thank you so much.
Everything that you mentioned will be eaten by the worms. One thing to keep in mind is that they only eat so much. Give them a small portion, then wait until they finish eating that before you give them more. They do like sweet fruit like the melons as well as avocados and strawberries. Just be mindful of the moisture content of your bin... You want it no wetter than a wrung-out sponge. Hope this helps... @Southhillcompost
For those who have a weed trimmer at home and a saw blade or a brush blade ..just throw the cardboard into a box or a 55 gallon drum barrrel with water and blend the cardboard up with the water .. its all going into the worm bed abd they will just have a feild day with it.. remember not to drown your worms ..' it works for me .. i blend up all sorts of things in a compost pile i have .. the only thing i dont put in is any meat or any dairy products or grease..thos ehave a great tendency to draw the ants in which can and wuill decimate you worm bed if yo dont keep an eye out for them .
Didn’t even see myself doing this a year ago! Yet here you are brotha, thank you for all of your knowledge! I’ve been spending the week geeking/freaking out about how to go about this. You’re experiencing and videos have really shown through in a clear and easy way to understand. Thank you again brotha, I was way over thinking this!
I have all my items gathered to make one - excited to start - what a thing to be excited about. lol. I guess I have one concern - will the worms be ok outside under a lean-to shed in SE Arkansas year-round, or should I plan to move them inside of a shed in winter? And will bugs be a problem with them outside and holes in the bins? I went to a vermiculture mini seminar at a homesteading conference a few weeks ago and this is pretty much the method they showed.
Great video. I just sifted out the window plastic yesterday. It is kind of a pain. Looks like my first bin set up. I end up using smaller totes because I end up moving them. Lately I use mortar trays.
Yeah it can be a pain, I only really go lazy with my home bins. For the farm I'm really good at cleaning things out beforehand. Mostly because stuff can be in the farm much longer, long enough to maybe cause issues
You SHOULD remove the thermal paper labels from boxes. They have a BIG amount of BPA( bisphenol A), which is a hormone. Even touching it can be absorbed by skin. You should definitely NOT compost it or feed it to worms.
This is a two year late reply sorry. You bring up a very good point, BPA is harmful and can be absorbed rapidly and cause all sorts of problems. One thing to keep in mind is that part of what makes it so dangerous is also why it breaks down fairly quickly when exposed to the elements. It's largely unstable and breaks down into inert compounds fairly rapidly. If you are pulling from your bin often (such as using a flow through method) I would take your advise and remove the plastics and avoid using receipts in compost. If you're more like me and harvest once a year or so and stop adding material a few months before harvesting then it is not much of an issue to worry about.
I really can’t tell if my casting is ready looks so dark maybe because of the wetness, I started in late June raising the worms thanks for sharing your videos 👍🏻
We just started a worm bin a few days ago. When we received the worms (500) it was a hot day and they looked dead. I put them in the refrigerator on the advice of the seller. I sprayed the dirt and shredded paper once they went into the bin and checked on them hours later and they were ALL GONE! We used a very small bit to drill the air holes, but I'm guessing the environment wasn't damp enough. Any advice would be appreciated!
I have had good luck keeping worms in the bin by just leaving the lid off, or at least cocked so lots of light comes in. Once they seem to have given up trying to jump ship, I put the lid on and snap it down.
I suspect the copper tape works similar to copper as a slug deterrent. The mucus on slugs causes a weak electrical charge which they do not like. Worms are covered in mucus as well and so that is likely why it works.
*4 years later* Slugs and snails feed on excess iron in the soil. Copper balances the iron in the soil. Cooper balances iron in our bodies. Cooper and iron are synergistic and an imbalance in either can be deadly to humans.
I ordered 1000 European night crawlers they are 500 to a bag .I have a 27 gallon tote set up for each bag which will be 500 worms.Will this be plenty of room?
Pay now or pay later, I'm more curious about the inks an coatings on mailings? Anyway shredding is a good idea, I buy old $5 paper shreaders from thrift stores for making pulp to make my own paper.
Whoa up, homie, I've never heard of using copper tape to keep the worms from jail-breaking! How effective is it??? I may have to implement that in my bins. Where do you buy your tape?
My wood chipper makes quick work of cardboard/paper. Usually run it through twice- and by the time it’s done just looks like pulp- the major clue that it was paper Is green/blue from Mountain Dew and Pepsi boxes.
Do you put veggies op top of worms? Also i was gking to do a 3 bins compost bins layered instead of 2. Is there any reason why i shouldnt? Why do you only use 2 n not 3? I was going to drill holes in bottom of top one. I guess im trying to figure out why some people use 3 n not 2.
I live in an apartment. I am an inexperienced composter, but a few days ago (after reading and watching a number of videos) I set up a 5 gal bucket system and got 2 dozen worms from a neighbor. Im trying to figure out how much to feed my worms and how long I will have to wait to feed more. I keep hearing ppl talk about using way more worms to start their bins and wondering if I should get more worms...I would really appreciate it if you could offer some advice...My neighbor was using the worms for fishing and has been feeding them primarily a mixture of cornmeal oat flour and ground up egg shells. I want them to compost my kitchen scraps,...
Feed them a little bit and see how long it takes to finish the food. If they still have food left after one week you need more worms. If they finish it quick you need me food. Ideally you wanna feed them once a week and you'll need enough worms to easy 1 weeks worth of food. You can save excess food in the fridge. Or keep a couple cardboard boxes on hand if you need more food. Eventually they'll multiply if you're basically overfeeding them. Just don't let the food get too wet (shouldn't be dripping when you pick it up) and don't let the weekend sir in water, they'll die
Great video , but now how do I continue to feed them ? And how long does it take to use the worm castings ? I’ll keep searching your other videos to see if these questions can be answered . Thanks again
I'm going to try a (out of box idea), getting a load of Horse manure, spreading , letting it dry out a bit then have some peat Moss and a pile of cardboard/ paper and run it in small portions thru my Troy Bilt chipper/leaf shredder and I'll add some dry scraps from Kitchen, thus hoping it will make an awesome start bed material to add to the Long cattle feed troughs . I bought them cheap and had to rework a strong floor set up and have them set on small slope to be able to catch the Liquid Gold run thru. The troughs help set stuff up a bit higher so less bending :)))) I'll let ya know how it turns out:)))) Best; Tom
Is questionably liquid gold. Drain off depends on how it is done. Usually very high in nitrogen...gives quick boost and doesn't stay around long...needs carbon to bind to ..which slows down release ...drain off can contain pathogins..and I only use on trees and shrubery..never on this summer's crops. It is not exactly the same as manure tea which benifits from oxygenation. Been at this worm composting for over 30 years ( organic gardener since small...like 65 years ago) ..and read in all I can from pier review scientific sources .
I have heard to be cautious about using used animal bedding for vermicomposting. It can heat up during its decomposition and may get too hot for your worms. Only repeating what I've read, haven't tried it before.
I, too, use horse manure. There are a couple of things to think about before you start. First, the manure needs to sit for about for 45 days if the horses have been wormed. Second, like someone else here said, the manure will go through a heat if it is fresh but by the time the wormer is leached out, the manure should be aged enough.
Yes, the worms will self-regulate their population to a certain extent. What works better though is every six months or so, grab a handful of worms and give them to friends or family to start their own worm farm and perhaps they'll share produce from their gardens with you. If you know someone with chickens I am sure they would like some worms too and there's nothing like fresh eggs, straight out of the chicken's hoohaa. Yum yum.
1/8th inch or slightly less mesh seems to work well enough for normal use. 1/8th tends to let the eggs fall through to the collecting area which isn't always ideal, I found some slightly smaller on mcmaster that helps to keep me from accidentally collecting eggs with my castings.
I don’t try. I just take out compost worms castings and all, they work great in the garden too. You have to leave some in the bin to kick off a new batch. No problems.
Also had worms for nearly 20 years and I have a tier system. When bottom layer is ready, I take it to the top and leave the lid off and the worms move down to the next tray leaving just the casting. Take the top couple of inches off and you will find worms. Leave again for 15 mins and you should have clean castings with maybe the odd worm which you can pick out. Hope you enjoyed the 20 years as much as I have.
I loved the video, just wanted to point out that those plastics that you say "are very different from microplastics" will shred microplastics eventually. It's not like microplastics appear out of nowhere, it's just most types of plastics + time/solar radiation.
Yes that is true, given enough time and disruption they will begin to fragment and crumble in the sizes that would be considered micro plastics. I have been sick/broke/busy the last year or so. I will be making new content soon I hope. I may make an updated version of this video to clear up some things I glossed over or went too laid back on. You should always avoid adding plastic, in my experience though it's hard to catch it all while going in but during the sifting process it gets removed fine, I would just sift more often if their were known plastic debris in the bin, to avoid getting to the point where it's breaking down. One 'good' thing is the ideal environment for worms is also an ideal environment for preserving plastic, so removal during harvest should be safe.
Hello thank you for the video I appreciate it I am curious do you know or can you find out from your friend what shredder he ended up purchasing that shredded the cardboard and paper I am looking for an industrial size shredder myself is there anyway you can contact him or give me his information.
Thank you for a great video, thank you for your words of encouragement, I am scared to make mistakes and kill the worms, i bought 4 250L wheelie bins from my work second hand, i have started making one into a worm farm, i bought the tap, and the porthole to get castings out, i just have the worms which i bought online in a small plastic box with some bark at bottom and carboard on top and its damp, they have been ok in there for a week or so, ..... i will get on with finishing the wheelie bin soon, and try to stop worrying about doing it wrong :)
I need to do a much smaller scale worm farm, as I am only breeding them to feed my axolotl. So my question is, would 50 be enough to start a small scale farm?
Don't put holes in the bottom container. You want that to hold the liquid. Though you can put a drainage hole with a rubber stopper to get the liquid out when you need it
No need to complicated it. I might do a video soon on "setting up the perfect worm bin" though, since there are some things you can add and use to super charge the process.
tried pulping the paper and putting it in a blender then drying and crumbing that into bedding? *that level of moisture is called field capacity to certain cultivators
Please, get rid of the shredded paper and use a Peat Moss and Leaf Mulch mix. It is far better for the worms than paper and cardboard. You will see that the castings are far richer and darker.
Plastic breakers down to micro plastic. I remove all that crap and in the 30+ years of compost worms,!I no longer have to sift. Worms seperate themselves ...only problem is being patient enough for the wisps to grow large enough to lure out. ( with banana or other sweet fruit or veggie)
Also...i no longer have drains for liquid. I balance wet/ dry feed and don't have run off...which is not manure tea. This is much cleaner and less prone to insect problem.
It totally will break down into microplastics, yes, but with how fast I cycle my home bins I tend not to worry about it much. Whereas at the farm I'm more careful about plastic since the cycle can be a year or more.
I'm a little confused. It seems that you -and your replyers (if that's not a real word it should be) - are suggesting that plastic breaking down to micro-plastic is a good thing. No, no, no. Smack on the nose with a rolled up newspaper! Plastic is a terrible thing for the environment and micro plastic is the worse kind of all as it can and will infiltrate every living organism.
I dont know much about African Night Crawlers yet. I'd imagine you can though. They just need to be kept warmer and from what I hear they wander more. So double up on the copper tape ;)
I have one bin that I put dog waste in, I don't use the casting from it for compost tea or any plants where I will be eating parts that come into contact with it, just to be safe. It's probably fine after it's been processed by the worms but I don't like to risk it.
"Cause worms are stupid" !!! I think for all the good worms do for the earth and all the destruction we humans cause, I'm not sure we are qualified to say that. 😉 Thanks for your great video.
Iv nvr bought worms I started with just throwing a bunch of worms in a old cat litter box with a strainer for the cat litter and left that bitch out side and threw dog shit dumped water in to it when I cared and when I found a worm it got thrown in and then I also had compost piles for my dogs shit and found some worms in one of those and kinda slowly made them in to their own bucket but still had that first bin still randomly throwing food and shit in it and then I got more in to this so I took that bin and slowly cleaned it up stop putting shit in it and I kid u not it’s now turned into my main bin I care for have nvr added a single worm to it since caring for it and it’s nothing but red wigglers and I also have a tote of a bunch of worms with every back yard species and I run like a red wiggler worm farm and started fluffing it up and not having that thick mud layer at the bottom and since then iv noticed it’s getting more populated with red wigglers and less of the earth worms at the bottom due to not having a watery layer for them to go to but I now have 2 huge totes one with all red wigglers the og one and the other One that I made from trying to do a worm farm while still throwing the worms I find out side in it and iv nvr bought a single worm and I can now start to take some for breeding soon when I find another tote to use iv not bought one thing during this process
I just put cardboard in my Vitamix blender. It worked! Pulverized it. Just started a worm bin, so excited! Thank you for your video.
Did you add water to it?
@@spinderella3602I dont think I that matters since the moisture from the worms compost will eventually get it wet
Thank you for the copper tape tip! Just got my worms and they are crazy escape artists! Did not realise they can climb so well. Hubby was not impressed 😅
I've watched around 10 worm farm/composting videos today, ranging from super nitpicky and detailed to straightforward and relaxed. I appreciate your video, I feel confident enough to start one now, thank you for sharing your advice/experience!
You had me dead at "they're going to want to run, because worms are stupid." XD
I'll keep copper tape on the ready!
Be picky. Otherwise, why do it? It's easier, cheaper and more convenient to throw shit away and go to the supermarket
We found the california tard.
You have great info, experience, and a reassuring style. Thank you for taking the time to share.
We live in a neighborhood, this might be the best way for me to make my own firtilizer. Making it simple works for me.
Just found your Video..... have to say Thank-you. You make it seem like I Can do it & Not Fail !!
Knowledge is never too long...THANK YOU!
Thanks for this straightforward advice! I've wanted to do worms for years and finally just got started with a stacking system I found at Goodwill for $7. My very first worms I bought at Petsmart ($5)! But it was a tiny container with maybe 25 worms so I upgraded to ramp up wormcasting production. I had a mass exodus from my bin the first night but I remembered I needed to leave the light on in my garage and they've stayed in the bin.
Great video, just in time. I dug up a very wet area with lots of worms and thought about trying a composting bin for them. I'm on it. Thanks!
Your presentation is very good. I too have been doing vermicomposting now for about a year....you are right on...keep it simple....meet the requirements the worms need...food, oxygen and comfortable temperatures...they will do what Mother Nature best equipped them to do.
Hi, I'm not a English speaking, but any will try to appreciate you for the inspiring video, and you are helping a lot. I do mess with these guys already for about 2 years it is a real fun. Thank friend for your efforts.
Your english is good
I agree! Well composed English!
English no good you dumb dumb
Just about to put my wormery ‘into action’ and looking at a few videos.. this one stands out was only just asking my sister what she had done with my shredder… apparently we have three in the house. Go figure! I also have a roll of copper tape that I bought a couple of years ago… just thought I may need it one day… today is that day… thanks for posting and now subscribed too..
I'm just starting out and thought this video was really good and presented in a natural way. Ok I'm off to watch your other videos. thanks for sharing this.
I have a decent shredder and I think the smart thing to do is buy shredder oil when you buy the shredder. And be gentle with cardboard. Cut longer narrow strips and oil during each use. If you hear the motor struggling or it gets hot shred smaller pieces. I've filled Landscape bags of shredded cardboard with the same shredder and it's still going strong.
I want to thank you for making this video. This video makes worm farming seem easy enough for me to do. May I ask you a few general questions?
1. Are grass clippings and green weeds and gardening waste good to feed?
2. Are the leaves that fall from the trees in the fall something worms like to eat or are they not good for food.
3. Would drop apples and other fruit that fall from the trees make good worm food? If so how should they be prepared, sliced or chunked up? Can they go in the bin whole, or do the seeds need to be removed, since i heard that worms can not process seeds?
4. Do worms like watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew rind?
This is the first of your videos i have watched so if you have already covered these questions in another video can you send me the link or tell me which video to watch? Thank you so much.
Everything that you mentioned will be eaten by the worms. One thing to keep in mind is that they only eat so much. Give them a small portion, then wait until they finish eating that before you give them more. They do like sweet fruit like the melons as well as avocados and strawberries. Just be mindful of the moisture content of your bin... You want it no wetter than a wrung-out sponge.
Hope this helps... @Southhillcompost
I just started a bin. I only put a few worms in but will be adding more from around the garden and under rocks and blocks. Just subscribed too.
Thank you! You make it look easy and affordable! We were just about to empty our paper shredder - now I know not to throw the shreds out!
Do you keep your worm bins in your garage or do you keep them outside in the winter? We are in central NC with mild winters
outdoors fails believe me worms want to be buried
THat's one of your best vids so far. Thanks
Wow thank you!! Thanks for watching!
nice video, very informative. like how you covered all possible issues
Where do you keep the totes at?. Inside or outside?? Would they get to hot being outside
For those who have a weed trimmer at home and a saw blade or a brush blade ..just throw the cardboard into a box or a 55 gallon drum barrrel with water and blend the cardboard up with the water .. its all going into the worm bed abd they will just have a feild day with it.. remember not to drown your worms ..'
it works for me .. i blend up all sorts of things in a compost pile i have .. the only thing i dont put in is any meat or any dairy products or grease..thos ehave a great tendency to draw the ants in which can and wuill decimate you worm bed if yo dont keep an eye out for them .
Thank you very much for creating this video!!!!!!
Great video, thanks for taking the time to get the info out to us all!!! Keep up the great work!
Great, informative video. Thanks for sharing your time and expertise!😊
Thank you I appreciate all this information.
Very informative. Great job👋👋👋👋💯
Thanks. Great information. Excellent video.
Very educational. Thanks.
Could you use the pellets horse bedding?
Didn’t even see myself doing this a year ago! Yet here you are brotha, thank you for all of your knowledge! I’ve been spending the week geeking/freaking out about how to go about this. You’re experiencing and videos have really shown through in a clear and easy way to understand. Thank you again brotha, I was way over thinking this!
Amen! I agree 100 with your comment. Thank you for "keepin' it simple"
to what level your bedding was? Also, how long does it take for the castings or bin ready to be harvested for castings ?
It will take about 2 months for them to process all the bedding I started this bin with, when it doesnt look recognizable anymore, I'll add more.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. 😎
Thanks AJ! Thanks for always watching and complimenting! I appreciate it a lot! I've been enjoying your videos as well.
drilling holes at the lowest point was a nice touch
I have all my items gathered to make one - excited to start - what a thing to be excited about. lol.
I guess I have one concern - will the worms be ok outside under a lean-to shed in SE Arkansas year-round, or should I plan to move them inside of a shed in winter?
And will bugs be a problem with them outside and holes in the bins?
I went to a vermiculture mini seminar at a homesteading conference a few weeks ago and this is pretty much the method they showed.
Great video. I just sifted out the window plastic yesterday. It is kind of a pain. Looks like my first bin set up. I end up using smaller totes because I end up moving them. Lately I use mortar trays.
Yeah it can be a pain, I only really go lazy with my home bins. For the farm I'm really good at cleaning things out beforehand. Mostly because stuff can be in the farm much longer, long enough to maybe cause issues
Great information thank you
You SHOULD remove the thermal paper labels from boxes. They have a BIG amount of BPA( bisphenol A), which is a hormone. Even touching it can be absorbed by skin. You should definitely NOT compost it or feed it to worms.
This is a two year late reply sorry. You bring up a very good point, BPA is harmful and can be absorbed rapidly and cause all sorts of problems.
One thing to keep in mind is that part of what makes it so dangerous is also why it breaks down fairly quickly when exposed to the elements. It's largely unstable and breaks down into inert compounds fairly rapidly.
If you are pulling from your bin often (such as using a flow through method) I would take your advise and remove the plastics and avoid using receipts in compost. If you're more like me and harvest once a year or so and stop adding material a few months before harvesting then it is not much of an issue to worry about.
This only happens if you use hand sanitizer. It can't cross your skin without that as a carrier.
Is punishment for my kids to clean cardboard and envelopes When they are raging it is great to use the energy lol
@@DaveSmith-cp5kj thank you! Hand sanitizer is so bad for us! And it acting as a carrier for BPA is one more reason not to use it!!
Great video, sir. Cheers from Ottawa, Canada.
Thank you. I’m going to try it
I really can’t tell if my casting is ready looks so dark maybe because of the wetness, I started in late June raising the worms thanks for sharing your videos 👍🏻
Thank you for the info
I have multiple compost bins so
Have already made totes so how many should I buy to start with for bait?
We just started a worm bin a few days ago. When we received the worms (500) it was a hot day and they looked dead. I put them in the refrigerator on the advice of the seller. I sprayed the dirt and shredded paper once they went into the bin and checked on them hours later and they were ALL GONE! We used a very small bit to drill the air holes, but I'm guessing the environment wasn't damp enough. Any advice would be appreciated!
sounds like your worm seller was crap
I have had good luck keeping worms in the bin by just leaving the lid off, or at least cocked so lots of light comes in. Once they seem to have given up trying to jump ship, I put the lid on and snap it down.
I suspect the copper tape works similar to copper as a slug deterrent. The mucus on slugs causes a weak electrical charge which they do not like. Worms are covered in mucus as well and so that is likely why it works.
That's what I theorized as well when I was testing it. I was really excited to see it be so effective.
*4 years later*
Slugs and snails feed on excess iron in the soil. Copper balances the iron in the soil. Cooper balances iron in our bodies.
Cooper and iron are synergistic and an imbalance in either can be deadly to humans.
I ordered 1000 European night crawlers they are 500 to a bag .I have a 27 gallon tote set up for each bag which will be 500 worms.Will this be plenty of room?
Pay now or pay later, I'm more curious about the inks an coatings on mailings? Anyway shredding is a good idea, I buy old $5 paper shreaders from thrift stores for making pulp to make my own paper.
Thank you for your video. I am definitely thinking of starting a worm farm, you have helped so much...
Whoa up, homie, I've never heard of using copper tape to keep the worms from jail-breaking! How effective is it??? I may have to implement that in my bins. Where do you buy your tape?
You can also ask offices for their shred. That’s where I get mine!
For shredding cardboard just get a black lab. Their puppyhood lasts a couple years and they love tearing up boxes.
Bills make great paper shreds too.
Thanks man.. God bless you 💐❤💐
You can soak it, and pull it apart later, the plastic comes away mega easy.
No need to shread.
My wood chipper makes quick work of cardboard/paper. Usually run it through twice- and by the time it’s done just looks like pulp- the major clue that it was paper Is green/blue from Mountain Dew and Pepsi boxes.
Do you put veggies op top of worms? Also i was gking to do a 3 bins compost bins layered instead of 2. Is there any reason why i shouldnt? Why do you only use 2 n not 3? I was going to drill holes in bottom of top one. I guess im trying to figure out why some people use 3 n not 2.
I live in an apartment. I am an inexperienced composter, but a few days ago (after reading and watching a number of videos) I set up a 5 gal bucket system and got 2 dozen worms from a neighbor. Im trying to figure out how much to feed my worms and how long I will have to wait to feed more. I keep hearing ppl talk about using way more worms to start their bins and wondering if I should get more worms...I would really appreciate it if you could offer some advice...My neighbor was using the worms for fishing and has been feeding them primarily a mixture of cornmeal oat flour and ground up egg shells. I want them to compost my kitchen scraps,...
Feed them a little bit and see how long it takes to finish the food. If they still have food left after one week you need more worms. If they finish it quick you need me food. Ideally you wanna feed them once a week and you'll need enough worms to easy 1 weeks worth of food. You can save excess food in the fridge. Or keep a couple cardboard boxes on hand if you need more food. Eventually they'll multiply if you're basically overfeeding them. Just don't let the food get too wet (shouldn't be dripping when you pick it up) and don't let the weekend sir in water, they'll die
Thank you!
Great video , but now how do I continue to feed them ? And how long does it take to use the worm castings ? I’ll keep searching your other videos to see if these questions can be answered . Thanks again
Gardener Scott has the best on feeding them. Very simple and thorough.
I'm going to try a (out of box idea), getting a load of Horse manure, spreading , letting it dry out a bit then have some peat Moss and a pile of cardboard/ paper and run it in small portions thru my Troy Bilt chipper/leaf shredder and I'll add some dry scraps from Kitchen, thus hoping it will make an awesome start bed material to add to the Long cattle feed troughs . I bought them cheap and had to rework a strong floor set up and have them set on small slope to be able to catch the Liquid Gold run thru. The troughs help set stuff up a bit higher so less bending :))))
I'll let ya know how it turns out:))))
Best; Tom
That sounds amazing! please update when done!
Is questionably liquid gold. Drain off depends on how it is done. Usually very high in nitrogen...gives quick boost and doesn't stay around long...needs carbon to bind to ..which slows down release ...drain off can contain pathogins..and I only use on trees and shrubery..never on this summer's crops. It is not exactly the same as manure tea which benifits from oxygenation. Been at this worm composting for over 30 years ( organic gardener since small...like 65 years ago) ..and read in all I can from pier review scientific sources .
I have heard to be cautious about using used animal bedding for vermicomposting. It can heat up during its decomposition and may get too hot for your worms. Only repeating what I've read, haven't tried it before.
I, too, use horse manure. There are a couple of things to think about before you start. First, the manure needs to sit for about for 45 days if the horses have been wormed. Second, like someone else here said, the manure will go through a heat if it is fresh but by the time the wormer is leached out, the manure should be aged enough.
Great video 👍
Thanks! 🤙🤙
is the liquid you collect in the bottom the golden juice gardeners are talking about?
Sure is. Dilute it in water and spread it around the garden.
Will worms self regulate population? Or will i have to keep getting bigger and bigger bins i live in an apartment and can't really get bigger
Yes, the worms will self-regulate their population to a certain extent. What works better though is every six months or so, grab a handful of worms and give them to friends or family to start their own worm farm and perhaps they'll share produce from their gardens with you. If you know someone with chickens I am sure they would like some worms too and there's nothing like fresh eggs, straight out of the chicken's hoohaa. Yum yum.
I’ve kept worms for 20 years and I’ve not yet found a good way to separate worms from the castings, so my bins end up jam packed and neglected.
1/8th inch or slightly less mesh seems to work well enough for normal use. 1/8th tends to let the eggs fall through to the collecting area which isn't always ideal, I found some slightly smaller on mcmaster that helps to keep me from accidentally collecting eggs with my castings.
I don’t try. I just take out compost worms castings and all, they work great in the garden too. You have to leave some in the bin to kick off a new batch. No problems.
Also had worms for nearly 20 years and I have a tier system. When bottom layer is ready, I take it to the top and leave the lid off and the worms move down to the next tray leaving just the casting. Take the top couple of inches off and you will find worms. Leave again for 15 mins and you should have clean castings with maybe the odd worm which you can pick out.
Hope you enjoyed the 20 years as much as I have.
How do you keep the flies and bugs out of there?
Helpful
I loved the video, just wanted to point out that those plastics that you say "are very different from microplastics" will shred microplastics eventually. It's not like microplastics appear out of nowhere, it's just most types of plastics + time/solar radiation.
Yes that is true, given enough time and disruption they will begin to fragment and crumble in the sizes that would be considered micro plastics. I have been sick/broke/busy the last year or so. I will be making new content soon I hope. I may make an updated version of this video to clear up some things I glossed over or went too laid back on. You should always avoid adding plastic, in my experience though it's hard to catch it all while going in but during the sifting process it gets removed fine, I would just sift more often if their were known plastic debris in the bin, to avoid getting to the point where it's breaking down. One 'good' thing is the ideal environment for worms is also an ideal environment for preserving plastic, so removal during harvest should be safe.
Great video. 👍
What's the best but also relatively cheap shredder? Looking at the amazon 16-25 page versions.
I hear you say use copper tape .where do you use the tale?
Copper tape what an excellent idea… 👍
Hello thank you for the video I appreciate it I am curious do you know or can you find out from your friend what shredder he ended up purchasing that shredded the cardboard and paper I am looking for an industrial size shredder myself is there anyway you can contact him or give me his information.
wood chipper seems to be an industrious solution
Thank you for a great video, thank you for your words of encouragement, I am scared to make mistakes and kill the worms, i bought 4 250L wheelie bins from my work second hand, i have started making one into a worm farm, i bought the tap, and the porthole to get castings out, i just have the worms which i bought online in a small plastic box with some bark at bottom and carboard on top and its damp, they have been ok in there for a week or so, ..... i will get on with finishing the wheelie bin soon, and try to stop worrying about doing it wrong :)
I need to do a much smaller scale worm farm, as I am only breeding them to feed my axolotl. So my question is, would 50 be enough to start a small scale farm?
Also what do you mean, sift for castings?
What about the color on the junk mail? Do you use the letters or junk mail with glossy colors on ?
I use only brown packing paper. Everything else seems to have chemicals or bleach.
Do you put holes in both totes or just one?
If one does that one that is outside or the inside tote?
Don't put holes in the bottom container. You want that to hold the liquid. Though you can put a drainage hole with a rubber stopper to get the liquid out when you need it
Simple indeed
No need to complicated it. I might do a video soon on "setting up the perfect worm bin" though, since there are some things you can add and use to super charge the process.
I added red worms to my raised vegetable beds. I noticed sugar ants going after one. Will they kill my worms?
tried pulping the paper and putting it in a blender then drying and crumbing that into bedding?
*that level of moisture is called field capacity to certain cultivators
"Cause worms are stupid" lol
Please, get rid of the shredded paper and use a Peat Moss and Leaf Mulch mix. It is far better for the worms than paper and cardboard. You will see that the castings are far richer and darker.
It’s all wood pulp
Cardboard has chemical stiffeners and white paper has been bleached. I only use brown packing paper.
Peat Moss is not a sustainable product
Why do you need the outer bin
You didn't put any holes in the actual 'bedding' bin. If you don't do that how does the water escape and prevent the bin from becoming 'anaerobic'?
Wish you had shown how to attach copper tape
I found that they dont mind ash eighter. So all the ash from my house and garage goes right into it. Good way to get stuff away
I put paper and leaves in a bucket and just stuck my string trimmer in had my chopped paper
Plastic breakers down to micro plastic. I remove all that crap and in the 30+ years of compost worms,!I no longer have to sift. Worms seperate themselves ...only problem is being patient enough for the wisps to grow large enough to lure out. ( with banana or other sweet fruit or veggie)
Also...i no longer have drains for liquid. I balance wet/ dry feed and don't have run off...which is not manure tea. This is much cleaner and less prone to insect problem.
@@marjoriejohnson6535 That's how I do my breeding bins too, no drains, just careful management.
It totally will break down into microplastics, yes, but with how fast I cycle my home bins I tend not to worry about it much. Whereas at the farm I'm more careful about plastic since the cycle can be a year or more.
I'm a little confused. It seems that you -and your replyers (if that's not a real word it should be) - are suggesting that plastic breaking down to micro-plastic is a good thing. No, no, no. Smack on the nose with a rolled up newspaper! Plastic is a terrible thing for the environment and micro plastic is the worse kind of all as it can and will infiltrate every living organism.
@@warrenhoward I don't know anyone who raises worms that doesn't know that microplastics are a real danger to life on earth.
Question is can African Night Crawlers live in there?
I dont know much about African Night Crawlers yet. I'd imagine you can though. They just need to be kept warmer and from what I hear they wander more. So double up on the copper tape ;)
@@westmountainorganic8084 thanks for the info
You can use shredded newspaper insulation, u can get from people who insulate homes they can give it to u for free
Will it be ok to use dog waste in it as well?
I have one bin that I put dog waste in, I don't use the casting from it for compost tea or any plants where I will be eating parts that come into contact with it, just to be safe. It's probably fine after it's been processed by the worms but I don't like to risk it.
"Cause worms are stupid" !!! I think for all the good worms do for the earth and all the destruction we humans cause, I'm not sure we are qualified to say that. 😉 Thanks for your great video.
You might not be.
Copper tape to keep worms in is like copper to keep slugs from getting plants
A little confused... start a worm bin with next to nothing: tub, shredded paper, an also all of the conents from a previously established worm bin..
Also if you just find a local business you should be able to get a 1m square bale.
Don't use colored paper at all .
my worms always try to escape
Iv nvr bought worms I started with just throwing a bunch of worms in a old cat litter box with a strainer for the cat litter and left that bitch out side and threw dog shit dumped water in to it when I cared and when I found a worm it got thrown in and then I also had compost piles for my dogs shit and found some worms in one of those and kinda slowly made them in to their own bucket but still had that first bin still randomly throwing food and shit in it and then I got more in to this so I took that bin and slowly cleaned it up stop putting shit in it and I kid u not it’s now turned into my main bin I care for have nvr added a single worm to it since caring for it and it’s nothing but red wigglers and I also have a tote of a bunch of worms with every back yard species and I run like a red wiggler worm farm and started fluffing it up and not having that thick mud layer at the bottom and since then iv noticed it’s getting more populated with red wigglers and less of the earth worms at the bottom due to not having a watery layer for them to go to but I now have 2 huge totes one with all red wigglers the og one and the other One that I made from trying to do a worm farm while still throwing the worms I find out side in it and iv nvr bought a single worm and I can now start to take some for breeding soon when I find another tote to use iv not bought one thing during this process
Looks like the older version of Jessy Pinkman yo
Has anyone ever had a mosquito infestation in their wormery?