Clearly, this video is largely an ad for the company but contains some excellent information. The suggestion to add leaf mold, I've usually done without thinking too much about the fungal aspect, rather just increasing the microbial content. Any business that provides information like this deserves to prosper. I'm on the other side of the world so I can't give you my money, but you have my support.
Good video. Almost, kind of, a no-brainer, but, not really. It's definitely a topic worth mentioning. I don't think I've heard anyone spell it out as succinctly as you just did. Sometimes the hearing some back-to-basics can be refreshing, motivating, and inspirational.
Been doing worm composting for year and a half, trying various indoor methods intensely. None of them worked great. But to my surprise, my big outdoor composter that is open to the ground, has turned out to be the best worm composter of all! So, all those other living things, the worms need to do their job. Plus the worms look healthier and multiplying like crazy!! And less mites for some unknown reason. Am now turning all my indoor systems into casting storage, stored outside under cover. They will still be a source for hatching worms as needed.
How about this. If a person mixes up compost tea on a regular basis perhaps they could use some of the finished tea to moisten the new bedding. This way there are jillions of microbes mixed in all over and under to inoculate the new bedding. Just a thought.
This is great input....and using tea was something that I A) left out intentionally but B) also regret leaving out. It's an awesome way to inoculate a bin with microbes but it also assumes you've got compost or vermicompost already
This is the first time I hear about pittmoss, don't think we have this in Belgium. But it sure seems a good product for the worms. Like the video, keep them coming
Started my first bin 3 weeks ago. 40 gallon sams club bin. Used old living soil from indoor growing of herbs. Used 10 gallons of that and the rest shredded cardboard and paper. So far they seem to love it. Going threw a ton of food and only have a few escape artist every night if I don’t leave a light on. First night I had 20 or so get out. Now if I don’t use a light it’s one or two. Guessing that’s normal for a tote with holes on the sides and bottom
Hi Steve - the card with the PDF link which is supposed to appear at @01:09 (for me at least) seems to me missing. As usual... you've created another video loaded with lots of useful information - thanks... and keep up the great work!
I just started making a pre-bedding by starting it out with castings from the tower. I need to crack on and make some more already having just reset one of the harvested tray... thanks for reminding me!
I've read that horses are the farm animals that gets the most amount of chemical treatment for health care and for this reason should not be used in organic farming & vermikompost
Great video, as always, but there's one thing you suggest / recommend regularly that just makes me cringe - coir... Apart from the whole unless you live where the coconuts grow environmental impact thing, coir is not a good recommendation... There's two qualities of coir that make it desirable in the right application, one being it's durability and longevity - how long it takes to break down and succumb to bacterial breakdown... Highly desirable for floor mats and planter liners, not so much in a worm bin... It may mask itself and look like beautiful finished castings, but the brillo pad texture and running said castings under water say otherwise... The second quality is it's incredible moisture retention abilities... So much so that it becomes extremely heavy, dense and compacted... The perfect environment for anaerobic bacteria to thrive... For a new worm farmer, who will more than likely overfeed and doesn't know how to manage a bin and it's moisture, coir can be the gasoline for the fire of failure... I'm not sure why you are so quick to recommend, other than perhaps in a cft bin like your worm bags, these qualities would be helpful... The compaction to develop the base plug, and offset evaporation experienced through the bag itself, but for tote and stacking systems, coir is far from ideal bedding material
I get it Anne.....I don't recommend coco coir (in pith form, not the mats) when other things are readily available, especially stuff like leaf mold. And I *always* recommend adding a living material or adding food waste when using coco coir since it's so lifeless in the beginning
Great info! Thanks ever so very much. Is it just as good to use sawdust as it is to use wood chips? What about nearly finished compost from my own bin?
I love the idea of using compost as a feedstock for a worm bin. The worms do great at finishing it off. While sawdust is a good carbon source, understand that it's going to get compacted more easily than wood chips. Wood chips are great for adding bulk and maintaining aerobic conditions in your compost/vermicompost
My vermicompost bin guide says to remove food that starts to mold in the compost bin. Much of the bedding and food in my bin has a greyish powdery mold on it. Should I be worried and remove it or see it as an integral part of micribial life?
Hi Linda, There wouldn't be any harm in adding it but if you've got a thriving bin going, it's probably not necessary. Your own paper and cardboard waste is likely just fine!
You can buy on Amazon. It looks like they're out of PittMoss Prime, but here's a link for a different version which will work just fine! amzn.to/3svJ7nW
If you're not cheating you're not trying...I love when you slip these things subtly & not so subtly in your videos! I about spit out my coffee!! So much great info on getting started with a good microbial boost in this one!!🪱🪱🪱
Clearly, this video is largely an ad for the company but contains some excellent information.
The suggestion to add leaf mold, I've usually done without thinking too much about the fungal aspect, rather just increasing the microbial content.
Any business that provides information like this deserves to prosper.
I'm on the other side of the world so I can't give you my money, but you have my support.
I've used well fermented bokashi compost to add microbial action and the worms love it!
I've heard great things about bokashi in a worm bin
Good video. Almost, kind of, a no-brainer, but, not really. It's definitely a topic worth mentioning. I don't think I've heard anyone spell it out as succinctly as you just did. Sometimes the hearing some back-to-basics can be refreshing, motivating, and inspirational.
Thanks John!
1:38
The E-4 mafia approach to composting
Been doing worm composting for year and a half, trying various indoor methods intensely. None of them worked great. But to my surprise, my big outdoor composter that is open to the ground, has turned out to be the best worm composter of all! So, all those other living things, the worms need to do their job. Plus the worms look healthier and multiplying like crazy!! And less mites for some unknown reason. Am now turning all my indoor systems into casting storage, stored outside under cover. They will still be a source for hatching worms as needed.
I love "accidental" worm composting too!
How about this. If a person mixes up compost tea on a regular basis perhaps they could use some of the finished tea to moisten the new bedding. This way there are jillions of microbes mixed in all over and under to inoculate the new bedding. Just a thought.
This is great input....and using tea was something that I A) left out intentionally but B) also regret leaving out. It's an awesome way to inoculate a bin with microbes but it also assumes you've got compost or vermicompost already
Thank you for your service!
I think it’s important to mention pre-composting your bedding material. I’ve had huge success doing this and adding it to my bins.
This is the first time I hear about pittmoss, don't think we have this in Belgium. But it sure seems a good product for the worms. Like the video, keep them coming
Yeah, it's probably not available there yet! Thanks Wally!
So good you mentioned the persistent herbicides.
Started my first bin 3 weeks ago. 40 gallon sams club bin. Used old living soil from indoor growing of herbs. Used 10 gallons of that and the rest shredded cardboard and paper. So far they seem to love it. Going threw a ton of food and only have a few escape artist every night if I don’t leave a light on. First night I had 20 or so get out. Now if I don’t use a light it’s one or two. Guessing that’s normal for a tote with holes on the sides and bottom
2 pounds of European red wigglers or whatever they’re lol
Hi Steve - the card with the PDF link which is supposed to appear at @01:09 (for me at least) seems to me missing. As usual... you've created another video loaded with lots of useful information - thanks... and keep up the great work!
Lots of great ideas, never thought of those but I will certainly use! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
VeRy niCe
I just started making a pre-bedding by starting it out with castings from the tower. I need to crack on and make some more already having just reset one of the harvested tray... thanks for reminding me!
You got it! :)
Hi Steve. Very good and valuable information. Thanks for sharing
Great video Steve, nice and succinct.
Thanks Grant!
Nice job !! Steve
Thanks Chris!
I need homemade compost, works great.👍🤠
Good stuff!
I've read that horses are the farm animals that gets the most amount of chemical treatment for health care and for this reason should not be used in organic farming & vermikompost
That's possible and yes, they do get pumped full of meds. I'm just nopt sure how long those meds (like ivermectin) actually persist in them
Steve reminds me of my platoon commander. *Shudders*
I’m not scary….I was in the Chair Force, remember? 😅
@@UrbanWormCompany 🤣😂🤣
What do you think about using spent mushroom substrate in a new bin?
I hope someone answers this. I would like to know myself.
Other great video
Glad you enjoyed it, DNA!
Great video, as always, but there's one thing you suggest / recommend regularly that just makes me cringe - coir... Apart from the whole unless you live where the coconuts grow environmental impact thing, coir is not a good recommendation... There's two qualities of coir that make it desirable in the right application, one being it's durability and longevity - how long it takes to break down and succumb to bacterial breakdown... Highly desirable for floor mats and planter liners, not so much in a worm bin... It may mask itself and look like beautiful finished castings, but the brillo pad texture and running said castings under water say otherwise... The second quality is it's incredible moisture retention abilities... So much so that it becomes extremely heavy, dense and compacted... The perfect environment for anaerobic bacteria to thrive... For a new worm farmer, who will more than likely overfeed and doesn't know how to manage a bin and it's moisture, coir can be the gasoline for the fire of failure... I'm not sure why you are so quick to recommend, other than perhaps in a cft bin like your worm bags, these qualities would be helpful... The compaction to develop the base plug, and offset evaporation experienced through the bag itself, but for tote and stacking systems, coir is far from ideal bedding material
I get it Anne.....I don't recommend coco coir (in pith form, not the mats) when other things are readily available, especially stuff like leaf mold. And I *always* recommend adding a living material or adding food waste when using coco coir since it's so lifeless in the beginning
Great info! Thanks ever so very much.
Is it just as good to use sawdust as it is to use wood chips?
What about nearly finished compost from my own bin?
I love the idea of using compost as a feedstock for a worm bin. The worms do great at finishing it off.
While sawdust is a good carbon source, understand that it's going to get compacted more easily than wood chips. Wood chips are great for adding bulk and maintaining aerobic conditions in your compost/vermicompost
Does worms like fungi?
My vermicompost bin guide says to remove food that starts to mold in the compost bin. Much of the bedding and food in my bin has a greyish powdery mold on it. Should I be worried and remove it or see it as an integral part of micribial life?
It's another form of a decomposer and not harmful in and of itself. If the worms appear to be thriving in your bin, I'd let nature sort it out.
Great video- I have a healthy, producing indoor bin. Any benefit to adding Pittmoss Prime? Could I cause harm by adding it?
Hi Linda,
There wouldn't be any harm in adding it but if you've got a thriving bin going, it's probably not necessary. Your own paper and cardboard waste is likely just fine!
Thanks great information!
Thanks Randal!
Also forgot to ask . . . where I can buy pitt moss?
You can buy on Amazon. It looks like they're out of PittMoss Prime, but here's a link for a different version which will work just fine!
amzn.to/3svJ7nW
Hi Urban Worm Company, do you think it is possible to use LAB (lacto acid bacterium) serum from milk as boosting microbes?
Ohh, I don't know about that one!
Have you ever used beneficial nematodes?? In your worm bins
No, I'm sorry I haven't!
If you're not cheating you're not trying...I love when you slip these things subtly & not so subtly in your videos! I about spit out my coffee!! So much great info on getting started with a good microbial boost in this one!!🪱🪱🪱
True in the AF, true in vermicomposting!