Well like I said I’m trying to get back in the garden so this was a perfect vid of yours to start with...my worm bin hasn’t been used in years so I got it out today and getting ready. I never really understood how they worked...and I’m not good and following factory instructions....so this video was perfect as I have the same worm farm. Thanks for a great video Marty!
@@jacobcaffrey3180 that’s my goal as well… I hardly see anybody giving good pointers for doing both though. I’m not sure why I’m so scared to just start! 😅😬
Thanks Jimmy Phillips for the nice comment, I really appreciate it and glad that you got a lot from the video! This type of worm farm works absolutely brilliant for making worm castings and liquid worm tea. I now flood mine everyday and get around 1 bucket full of liquid fertilizer for my microgreens and container veggies.
I add plenty of cardboard in small pieces to the bottom bin rather than a brick. BTW I never found a drowned worm. When I separate worms out I use a large sifter I bought on line I add coconut fiber during shaking at a q:1 ratio which enables the worms and eggs to be spotted easily.
Thanks Edward for sharing your knowledge here in the thread and on my channel. Hopefully, see you at a live show or in the Worm Wrangler members area! Have a good one 😀
I bet with fine tuning you could easily grow killer crops from the middle layer if it was the active and bedding laying, almost like aquaponics with fish feeding it, vermiponics with worms as the grow media and food lol
Wow. Different from my 3-bin set-up. Mine os for red wriggles. not sure about yours. - Like yours, Bin #1 has no holes drilled. It is for worm tea collection. - Bin #2 and Bn #3 have holes drilled in the bottom and sides. - I fill Bin #2 with food and bedding, then feed from the top. The worms will eat the lower food first (they prefer material more broken down by mod and bacteria) and move up. - I keep #3 idle until I've been feeding the worms in Bin #2 for 6-months. Then I add fresh bedding and food scraps to the new bin. - Once the food in Bin #2 is gone, it'll be filled with pure castings, And worms migrate to bed #3. - About a month or two after adding Bin #3, you can lift Bin #2 and empty it, using the castings as fertilizer. - Bin #2 sits idle. - Repeat the process after the worms have been eating in Bin #3 for six months, adding new bedding and food to Bin #2 (which should now have been empty for a while) and placing it on-top. Once again, the worms will finish the food in the old bin and move up to the fresh bin... etc. I also scrub and thoroughly sanitize the bins with bleach every six months, after I empty the castings. Bin #1, which catches the liquid, can become anaerobic fast so I strive to clean it every three months: just a hose and some bleach water.
Thank you so much for this clear, concise & informative video! I appreciate that you provided so much useful info (and diagram!!!) in under 7 minutes. ((The way my mind works, I need that exact type of instruction.)) Cheers to success & enjoyment as we raise some worms!
I'm confused about where the holes are for the casting, in the bottom of the first tub and the second or third tub is for the tea? Have you to put holes there too don't you?
Gidday Marty, I want to know how often do you feed your worms? Let's say I put about .227 kg (.5 pound) of food scraps for my worms each time I feed them and I'm starting out with about 500 worms, how often should I put more food scraps into my bin again? Thanks ahead for answering my question mate!
I feed mine mostly with old dried horse, cow or chicken manure. For that many worms a cup of rice twice a week would be an approximate amount. If they dont eat it all back off and feed less
No looking back now my friend, Worm farming is awesome and your plants will love you for it. Happy gardening/Farming Marty Ware (Australian Micro Farmer)
Hey man I just built one of these a few weeks back and wanted to ask, why my second bin hasn't been catching any compost? It's still empty but the 3rd bucket catches the liquids.
That's really hard to say, but generally these farms dont catch castings. They stay were they are laid and harvested later. Take a look at this, it will help you learn how to mange your farm properly ua-cam.com/channels/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtw.htmljoin
@@martysgarden but then what's the reason for the second bucket? Isn't it the first bucket, trash and worms. Second bucket, Castings and compost. Third bucket, worm tea
That's a very good question. Definitely not artificial sugar or even mosts sugars. To feed the microbes the very best is an organic maple syrup. I think even organic honey would work, but I have never tried that myself. The microbes need the sugar to feed on fast to get the best results,,, If your using a flow through system like mine, you just pour it straight on while it's full of oxygen. Thanks for taking the time to watch my video. Regards Marty
No, not possible too acidic I would say..also it gets hot when it decomposes. I plan to show in a video soon how I feed using coffee gounds...Going to run some trials
Great video - thank you. Problem - not getting any worm wee. Have a towel on the top which is constantly wet, but still no wee. Also I have a grub in there. Are these a problem?
If it has a good tap and the water flows through quickly, then you pour a whole bucket on the cloth and collect in about 30 minutes. The drips are no good as it's leachate,,,and anaerobic,,,fast flowing water is Aerobic and creates better beneficial bacteria. Bugs are not a problem usually, just may mean that your possibly over feeding,,just feed enough for them to consume, then feed again later. A layer of old dried manure on top of the worm farm really helps, under the blanket,,also feed with cooked rice, helps with egg production. In the link I have an Ebook on the subject. If you would like to learn the best ways to farm worms and create an abundance of fresh free fertilizer follow the link in the description,,,very helpful. Happy Gardening Marty Ware
@martysgarden Thanks for that video Can you just clarify something please You say your way is first tray you have your bedding And in the second tray you put your food Do you just put food in that tray or a mix of bedding and food please?
video is illustrative and informative. have you thought of using clay pots as worm bins? they are cooler than plastics i guess. what bedding do you use to ensure that castings fall through to the middle bin?
I think clay may work, worth a try for sure, as long as you dont have to move it around too much. I use Peat, compost and cow manure in the worm farm,,with peat at the very bottom, compost in the middle and the top layer is old cow manure! Also, some scraps, paper and cardboard go on the top, but I only add a little at a time. Thanks for the comment, insight and question! Happy Gardening Marty Ware
This is an amazing explanation. I would like to know what size holes are required in the active worm area bin so that the castings fall down? Will all fall down or will some remain in the bin?
Hi Akhil, good question. The holes are actually are about 5mm wide, Inside the pipe is layers of compost, peat, manure, food, with newspaper and cardboard on top. The castings have to be collected from the bin, so slow up feeding before harvest time a few weeks before. Generally what I do a few weeks before harvesting, is just feed wet newspaper!
Yes, many people do that, as long as the bucket is deep and you fill it with good compost. It's a matter of just keeping the soil moist, not wet. They will be fine, just use a little bot of rain water. Cover with damp newspaper on the top. Happy Gardening/Farming Marty Ware
Hello Marty, I have started my earthworm farm in a single bucket, but I am getting some small patches of white fuzzy fungus when i add in vegetables and fruits. Is this good or bad for the worms and soil? I don't know if I should take out the fungus or leave it in, since both worms and fungus are decomposers.
The Fungus is okay, my guess is the medium just may be a little too damp. You want it moist not wet to get optimum results. Thanks for the question Marty Ware (Australian Micro Farmer)
Yes, it sure is Poop, it can fall through if the worms have eaten all the compots/bedding. Generally it's found on top as it's lighter than the bedding below. I usually harvest a whole section two to 3 times a year. You can see the difference they look like fluffy little balls of compost with mo smell.
Someone gave me a worm bin and it already has a lot of composting tea. However, I did not do much except putting more compost into the bin. Now, when I open the last bucket, the tea smells very very bad. Should I just dump the tea? Or can I use it? Thanks!
If it smells it means it has gone anaerobic, just dump it...it needs oxygen to be aerobic for best plant and microbial activity. Happy Gardening Marty Ware
Marty Great info video ( I’m now sub’d) I live in hot part of WA ( summer 45deg) I have these baby wheelie bins about 60cm high n want to convert to worm farms. So looking for ideas 1) initial set up of wheelie bin 2)keep worms moist in summer 3)what to add for worms 4) how to harvest the castings from these bins 5) need to daily water the farm as it’s so hot
Gday mate,,,nice one getting into worm farms. Yes, keeping them cool is vital,,,,,I would look at adding more compost that's already broken down,,so it doesn't heat up...they can then go into it. I have rows of compost outside covered in shade cloth,,only gets morning sun. You need a way to harvest from the bottom,,,and yes water daily with a big flush of chlorine free to water to keep them cool. I have a series of videos coming out on worm farming very soon,,,just after New Year,so that should help a lot. Thanks for the sub Marty
Ah! WA yes it`s hot ,Its also the home of the Coolgardie safe ,Old style cooler or fridge Just hang damp old towels around the outside of your worm farm ,Cools the air down well,Cheers BB
what would u recommend as some of the best food scraps for them? also how long can u store the worm casting? we are building a huge garden this spring/summer and was hoping to start the worm bin soon to have a big amount stored for them, also how would u recommend keeping the worm casting?
Hello my friend. This actually is a quite a question and would take some time to answer. Yesterday I wrote a whole article for people like yourself over at Patreon www.patreon.com/martysgarden in my members area, on what to feed your worms, so they breed up to huge numbers fast, and to keep them healthy. I will be covering it more over time in the series here,but possibly not in such depth. I also plan to add my Worm Farming Ebook in Patreon too shortly if I can dig it up again. I dry my castings and store them in large sealed jars. But it's best to use them when they are moist as this is when they contain the most elements for the plants. I actually dry mine and mix them with rock dust and put them into tea bags. I then pull them out when needed and make my own liquid fertilizer. You can buy the empty tea bags on Ebay really cheap. Have a wonderful day Marty
thank you for this video! Ive been looking for a design like this to help collect the castings easier, 2 questions though sir: 1) what size mesh/hills would you recommend that would allow the castings to fall through the bedding/compost area and be collected in the bin below? 2) could you explain flooding in a bit more detail? I'm not sure what that term means, is that flood the bin with water??? Just making sure! Thank you for your time and the great video!
Thanks for posting this video... I would like to know if there is a different sized holes on the bottom of the Bedding Material container and the Worm Casting container. Thank you for help with this question.
Mostly the holes are the same,,,however the bottom base the floor is slightly sloped to help with the water flow to the tap. Thanks for watching Marty ( Australia)
I made my bin with two containers because I found a sift that fitted perfectly as the middle tier. Just covering the top with news paper at the moment. Why are my worms finding their way to the middle tier and trying to make their way out from there. A few dead on the floor and some in the tea down below. What am I doing wrong. Please advise.
Depends on the time of year, many factors. On average I find now once a week is okay. Watch the vlog and check out my other videos on worm farming. I have plenty for you to devour!
Hi Marty, Sorry for all my questions you are hopefully going to read! I have a four tier system and am wondering if it is normal for the worms to be hanging between the second layer and top layer to feed? I have used ripped up and dampened cardboard for the bedding with the addition of some horse hair. How suitable would this be? Also some of the food and carboard is going mouldy so should I remove it? Also what's behind adding sugar or molasses to the tea? Lastly, I've heard that the worm tea itself isn't very useful, that it is the castings thinned with water that hold all the nurients. What would be your thoughts? Many thanks for your wisdom!!
Hello i have a question i made this today and i can't make out how the castings go trough the holes from the first box can someone please explain how in the hell do the worms poop in the second box
Hi there, Good question. I do have a full worm farming course in the Worm Wrangler members area which covers everything from A TO Z and also how to raise seedlings using the castings. It will sort you out so you never need to do research again on the topic. ua-cam.com/channels/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtw.htmljoin All the best into the New Year Marty😀
Your welcome, I am glad you picked up some knowledge that helped you in the garden. I have more videos in my channel on the subject and more on the way. Also over at the MartyGarden blog there is an Ebook Blueprint that is extremely helpful happyhouseandgarden.com/the-beginners-blueprint-to-successful-wormfarming-at-home/ Happy gardening Marty Ware (Australian Micro Farmer)
Do the worms like to go to the castings level when they are not eating , and do they prefer to poop there, as opposed to the upper active area? THANKS !
That's a wonderful question. Actually as the castings are lighter than the soil they push towards the top. Also, they feed under the litter and lay their castings there too. When they are not eating they go down deeper into the medium. They also mate under the litter and mat,,,I use newspaper at the moment. Have a wonderful day..and happy gardening Marty Ware ps: I just started a brand new system in a foam box,,and plan to get the video out real soon. Keep an eye out for it. Warm Regards Marty
Thanks for reply and I will be looking for your new vid.. I'm still a little confused tho, with your answer to my question. Maybe if you clarify what you mean by "medium" , and also what you mean by "mat", then I may understand. I dont see those terms in your diagram so it's a bit unclear. thanks.
The mat is the top layer, you can buy worm mats,,,they lay over the top of the compost. The Medium is the compost,,or bedding such as Coco Peat or Mushroom compost. I hope that helps with your questions. Warm Regards Marty Ware
So I've heard if you do it right there is no need to ever water or flood the system. Okay so the way you do it, you dont put that layer of bedding at the bottom of the first layer, like the diagram, and instead you put bedding like shredded paper or peat, etc.. in the bin below the first bin. And you dont flood or water it.. Is that correct? thanks
Hi,I actually do flood the system to get my own liquid fertilizer..my latest worm farm I wont be flooding until I buy another 3 tier system, as it's a drier system. Keep an eye out for video coming up,,,regards Marty
Did you say you need to flush it with water.. do you put a hose at the top Ben and just turn around and flush it out all three chambers for a couple minutes
Yes, just light flush with rainwater,,,chlorinated water kills the worms and eggs. I usually put about 1 third of a bucket through a couple of times a week...hotter days I do it nearly everyday to keep them cool. It's a good idea to use the same water back through the worm farm as well,,,as it keeps the bacteria active.
You can buy a type of worm for fishing that you can breed in worm bins, But, being a fisherman myself, I would be more inclined to just create a compost heap and attract the local worms,,as there free. Most gardening shops sell those large compost bins to keep the vermin out. Hope you catch a few Warm Regards Marty Ware
Gidday Dave, great question mate. I use my straight away. If you oxygenate it with a little fish pump you can keep it for days, But, as soon as it starts to stagnate it's lots most of its vitality. Like food, fresh is best. Thanks for the question Happy Gardening Marty Ware
Help help!! I put together a 4-tier plastic bin worm system, and also tried reducing it to 3 tier. After approx 6 weeks my worms are thriving with hundreds of eggs. The bedding I used, after watching a You Tube video similar to this one, is Peat Moss. THE PROBLEM IS: that while it is thick with castings, it has not made one drop of liquid... in six weeks. Every video says this should be producing worm tea regularly. It's as if the peat moss is just absorbing every drop of liquid, and trust me, it is very wet. I am so afraid my worms are going to drown. I tried enlarging the holes to no avail. I am using burlap on top for moisture control. Any ideas???? Thanks!
Hi Peggy, may be that your tap is blocked, Peat should flow through okay. If you fill you worm farm with non chlorinated a bucket of water and it's already moist then you should get close to a bucket collected over around 4 hours. If, it's not then you may need to remove the worms and start again. That's if you want liquid fertilizer. I have a lot of video in my channel on this subject ua-cam.com/video/5K_ypXf39oI/v-deo.html Happy Gardening Marty Ware
Rudy Padilla In Australia you can buy them from Bunnings, other than that search online for a retailer, plenty of them around. Good luck & Happy Gardening Marty Ware
I have a similar system but right now I'm only using 2 buckets. Top one has food scraps and then bedding with holes drilled in the bottom. The top bin sits right on top the lower bin which has paper bedding. Half of them seem to prefer to hang with the food and the other half hang with the bedding. I like the idea of this 3 layer system since it seems like it would make harvesting of the liquid worm castings easy and frequent. I think I'll put a cheesecloth type screen underneath the middle bucket to allow the water to go through but not the castings. Does that make sense?
Yes, I think that would work okay, if its a diy system just make sure the drainage area doesn't block. I like a lot of oxygen to be available to the worms as well. Get some old manure if you can to make your worm tea have more oomf! Happy Gardening Marty Ware
Empty it out and refill it with Coco Peat or Mushroom compost. Put your worms into a tote with shredded newspaper and bit of compost while your doing this. You will find that most of your worms will be on the surface to avoid all the water. Never over feed your worms with scraps,,,thats how it can become smelly and water logged.
it also happening to my worm bin bec. i only feed them with watermelons, now it smells a little like chicken manure. should i dump the casting or i can still use it as fertilizer?
Nice vid man and very informative. Thanks. I don't know what's up with the 7 thumbs down lame brains, I reckon its a ripper. Just goes to show there are all types of people out there I guess. Cheers...
Dog & cat poo isnt good to compost if you are planning on using it on edible plants due to the bacteria they carry. If it the compost is going to be used on non edible plants then that is ok. Adding horse, cow & rabbit manure to compost that is going to be used on edibles is ok though
I hope this helped you out then Jake. Good quality compost and the correct top feeding makes all the difference. All the best with your worm farm matey!
It can work with just one, bottom is water, middle becomes castings, top level they migrate so you can take the bottom castings away and harvest. I teach all of this on my channel and deeper in my Worm Wranglers members area. Thanks Marty😀
Well like I said I’m trying to get back in the garden so this was a perfect vid of yours to start with...my worm bin hasn’t been used in years so I got it out today and getting ready. I never really understood how they worked...and I’m not good and following factory instructions....so this video was perfect as I have the same worm farm. Thanks for a great video Marty!
Your welcome Gypsy, it's an old video but still relevant which is cool.
Most people seem to raise them for composting, I raise em so I never have to buy worms again for fishing.
I think lots of fresh water fisherman do that too! I live near saltwater, but I think some fish would gobble them down
i’m doing it for both man😂
@@jacobcaffrey3180 awesome
@@jacobcaffrey3180 that’s my goal as well… I hardly see anybody giving good pointers for doing both though. I’m not sure why I’m so scared to just start! 😅😬
This is what I’m looking for
Fishing 🎣 worms 🪱
best explanation on UA-cam thanks man.
Glad you think so!😀
Thanks mate, I will in the future see if my worm farming buddy will do an interview one day soon and take this to a whole new level!
martysgarden q
How about peaches
How about peaches
Thanks Jimmy Phillips for the nice comment, I really appreciate it and glad that you got a lot from the video!
This type of worm farm works absolutely brilliant for making worm castings and liquid worm tea. I now flood mine everyday and get around 1 bucket full of liquid fertilizer for my microgreens and container veggies.
Great video, Marty! Lots of good info. That graphic is helpful too. TIme well spent!
Thanks Trevor I appreciate your feed back and taking the time to comment. Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
Your quite the celebrity keep it up you’re doing a good job I support what you’re doing don’t let others tell you can’t do it😇😇
Thanks Kosta, much appreciated😀
I add plenty of cardboard in small pieces to the bottom bin rather than a brick. BTW I never found a drowned worm. When I separate worms out I use a large sifter I bought on line I add coconut fiber during shaking at a q:1 ratio which enables the worms and eggs to be spotted easily.
Thanks Edward for sharing your knowledge here in the thread and on my channel. Hopefully, see you at a live show or in the Worm Wrangler members area! Have a good one 😀
I'm so glad I came across your video...doing that diagram has helped me understand the practical side of it..👍😄
Your welcome Alice, glad it helped.
I bet with fine tuning you could easily grow killer crops from the middle layer if it was the active and bedding laying, almost like aquaponics with fish feeding it, vermiponics with worms as the grow media and food lol
Lots of potential that's for sure
Want to get started myself. Excellent is all I can say. Thanks for the work and sharing. Best Regards, Jimmy
Wow. Different from my 3-bin set-up. Mine os for red wriggles. not sure about yours.
- Like yours, Bin #1 has no holes drilled. It is for worm tea collection.
- Bin #2 and Bn #3 have holes drilled in the bottom and sides.
- I fill Bin #2 with food and bedding, then feed from the top. The worms will eat the lower food first (they prefer material more broken down by mod and bacteria) and move up.
- I keep #3 idle until I've been feeding the worms in Bin #2 for 6-months. Then I add fresh bedding and food scraps to the new bin.
- Once the food in Bin #2 is gone, it'll be filled with pure castings, And worms migrate to bed #3.
- About a month or two after adding Bin #3, you can lift Bin #2 and empty it, using the castings as fertilizer.
- Bin #2 sits idle.
- Repeat the process after the worms have been eating in Bin #3 for six months, adding new bedding and food to Bin #2 (which should now have been empty for a while) and placing it on-top. Once again, the worms will finish the food in the old bin and move up to the fresh bin... etc.
I also scrub and thoroughly sanitize the bins with bleach every six months, after I empty the castings. Bin #1, which catches the liquid, can become anaerobic fast so I strive to clean it every three months: just a hose and some bleach water.
Thank you so much for this clear, concise & informative video!
I appreciate that you provided so much useful info (and diagram!!!) in under 7 minutes. ((The way my mind works, I need that exact type of instruction.))
Cheers to success & enjoyment as we raise some worms!
Glad it was helpful, and thanks so much for watching!😀😎
@@martysgarden absolutely! You have a new subscriber, for sure!
@@tiffanybluetarot wonderful, thank you Tiffany
I'm confused about where the holes are for the casting, in the bottom of the first tub and the second or third tub is for the tea? Have you to put holes there too don't you?
Gidday Marty, I want to know how often do you feed your worms? Let's say I put about .227 kg (.5 pound) of food scraps for my worms each time I feed them and I'm starting out with about 500 worms, how often should I put more food scraps into my bin again? Thanks ahead for answering my question mate!
I feed mine mostly with old dried horse, cow or chicken manure. For that many worms a cup of rice twice a week would be an approximate amount.
If they dont eat it all back off and feed less
cooked rice? @@martysgarden
yes, they like it,,good protein@@savvy2582
Thank you
You're welcome
I hear you guys like your morning tea now I know how yas make it.
Cool
Great info, thanks for that. I'm going to begin gathering materials for my first farm today.
No looking back now my friend, Worm farming is awesome and your plants will love you for it.
Happy gardening/Farming
Marty Ware (Australian Micro Farmer)
You can get free Hessian sacks for a mat for on top of the worm farm inside from most fruit veg shops.doesnt matter if cut just use 2 folded.
Cheers
Hey man I just built one of these a few weeks back and wanted to ask, why my second bin hasn't been catching any compost? It's still empty but the 3rd bucket catches the liquids.
That's really hard to say, but generally these farms dont catch castings. They stay were they are laid and harvested later. Take a look at this, it will help you learn how to mange your farm properly ua-cam.com/channels/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtw.htmljoin
@@martysgarden but then what's the reason for the second bucket? Isn't it the first bucket, trash and worms. Second bucket, Castings and compost. Third bucket, worm tea
why is there a worm tea? hows it produce? is that a worm pee or from too much moistening/watering the beddings? thanks
Do people recommend 1 or 2 cups of sugar for the worm tea? Or is artificial sweeteners better?
That's a very good question. Definitely not artificial sugar or even mosts sugars. To feed the microbes the very best is an organic maple syrup. I think even organic honey would work, but I have never tried that myself. The microbes need the sugar to feed on fast to get the best results,,,
If your using a flow through system like mine, you just pour it straight on while it's full of oxygen.
Thanks for taking the time to watch my video.
Regards
Marty
Try Molasses 👍
hey Marty, can you use coffee grinds as the worm bedding?
No, not possible too acidic I would say..also it gets hot when it decomposes. I plan to show in a video soon how I feed using coffee gounds...Going to run some trials
Great video - thank you.
Problem - not getting any worm wee. Have a towel on the top which is constantly wet, but still no wee.
Also I have a grub in there. Are these a problem?
If it has a good tap and the water flows through quickly, then you pour a whole bucket on the cloth and collect in about 30 minutes. The drips are no good as it's leachate,,,and anaerobic,,,fast flowing water is Aerobic and creates better beneficial bacteria. Bugs are not a problem usually, just may mean that your possibly over feeding,,just feed enough for them to consume, then feed again later.
A layer of old dried manure on top of the worm farm really helps, under the blanket,,also feed with cooked rice, helps with egg production. In the link I have an Ebook on the subject. If you would like to learn the best ways to farm worms and create an abundance of fresh free fertilizer follow the link in the description,,,very helpful.
Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
How big are the holes in the bottom of each tray?
Big enough for a worm
@martysgarden
Thanks for that video
Can you just clarify something please
You say your way is first tray you have your bedding
And in the second tray you put your food
Do you just put food in that tray or a mix of bedding and food please?
Bedding and food on top. 😀
Does worm craw throughout air holes or buckets gap ?
video is illustrative and informative. have you thought of using clay pots as worm bins? they are cooler than plastics i guess. what bedding do you use to ensure that castings fall through to the middle bin?
I think clay may work, worth a try for sure, as long as you dont have to move it around too much. I use Peat, compost and cow manure in the worm farm,,with peat at the very bottom, compost in the middle and the top layer is old cow manure!
Also, some scraps, paper and cardboard go on the top, but I only add a little at a time.
Thanks for the comment, insight and question!
Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
This is an amazing explanation. I would like to know what size holes are required in the active worm area bin so that the castings fall down? Will all fall down or will some remain in the bin?
Hi Akhil, good question. The holes are actually are about 5mm wide, Inside the pipe is layers of compost, peat, manure, food, with newspaper and cardboard on top.
The castings have to be collected from the bin, so slow up feeding before harvest time a few weeks before. Generally what I do a few weeks before harvesting, is just feed wet newspaper!
can u grow worms with just one bucket? As long as I don't water the soil 2 much will that still work? I don't have a drill so that's why I ask.
Yes, many people do that, as long as the bucket is deep and you fill it with good compost. It's a matter of just keeping the soil moist, not wet.
They will be fine, just use a little bot of rain water. Cover with damp newspaper on the top.
Happy Gardening/Farming
Marty Ware
Awesome, then I will definitely grow my worms in a single bucket. Thanks for the quick reply!
Lighter and a screw driver
Hughesy explains worm farming.
Haha,,I heard that before! 😂
Hello Marty, I have started my earthworm farm in a single bucket, but I am getting some small patches of white fuzzy fungus when i add in vegetables and fruits. Is this good or bad for the worms and soil? I don't know if I should take out the fungus or leave it in, since both worms and fungus are decomposers.
The Fungus is okay, my guess is the medium just may be a little too damp. You want it moist not wet to get optimum results.
Thanks for the question
Marty Ware (Australian Micro Farmer)
the worm cast are basically its poop right? will it just fall of into the second container by itself?
Yes, it sure is Poop, it can fall through if the worms have eaten all the compots/bedding. Generally it's found on top as it's lighter than the bedding below.
I usually harvest a whole section two to 3 times a year. You can see the difference they look like fluffy little balls of compost with mo smell.
Someone gave me a worm bin and it already has a lot of composting tea. However, I did not do much except putting more compost into the bin. Now, when I open the last bucket, the tea smells very very bad. Should I just dump the tea? Or can I use it? Thanks!
If it smells it means it has gone anaerobic, just dump it...it needs oxygen to be aerobic for best plant and microbial activity.
Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
The link to the happyhouseandgarden doesn't work for me
Marty
Great info video ( I’m now sub’d)
I live in hot part of WA ( summer 45deg)
I have these baby wheelie bins about 60cm high n want to convert to worm farms. So looking for ideas 1) initial set up of wheelie bin
2)keep worms moist in summer 3)what to add for worms
4) how to harvest the castings from these bins
5) need to daily water the farm as it’s so hot
Gday mate,,,nice one getting into worm farms.
Yes, keeping them cool is vital,,,,,I would look at adding more compost that's already broken down,,so it doesn't heat up...they can then go into it.
I have rows of compost outside covered in shade cloth,,only gets morning sun.
You need a way to harvest from the bottom,,,and yes water daily with a big flush of chlorine free to water to keep them cool.
I have a series of videos coming out on worm farming very soon,,,just after New Year,so that should help a lot.
Thanks for the sub
Marty
Ah! WA yes it`s hot ,Its also the home of the Coolgardie safe ,Old style cooler or fridge Just hang damp old towels around the outside of your worm farm ,Cools the air down well,Cheers BB
what would u recommend as some of the best food scraps for them? also how long can u store the worm casting? we are building a huge garden this spring/summer and was hoping to start the worm bin soon to have a big amount stored for them, also how would u recommend keeping the worm casting?
Hello my friend. This actually is a quite a question and would take some time to answer. Yesterday I wrote a whole article for people like yourself over at Patreon www.patreon.com/martysgarden in my members area, on what to feed your worms, so they breed up to huge numbers fast, and to keep them healthy.
I will be covering it more over time in the series here,but possibly not in such depth. I also plan to add my Worm Farming Ebook in Patreon too shortly if I can dig it up again.
I dry my castings and store them in large sealed jars. But it's best to use them when they are moist as this is when they contain the most elements for the plants.
I actually dry mine and mix them with rock dust and put them into tea bags. I then pull them out when needed and make my own liquid fertilizer.
You can buy the empty tea bags on Ebay really cheap.
Have a wonderful day
Marty
thank you for this video! Ive been looking for a design like this to help collect the castings easier, 2 questions though sir: 1) what size mesh/hills would you recommend that would allow the castings to fall through the bedding/compost area and be collected in the bin below? 2) could you explain flooding in a bit more detail? I'm not sure what that term means, is that flood the bin with water??? Just making sure! Thank you for your time and the great video!
fyi spell check, not hills... holes sorry about that!
Very helpful! Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for posting this video... I would like to know if there is a different sized holes on the bottom of the Bedding Material container and the Worm Casting container. Thank you for help with this question.
Mostly the holes are the same,,,however the bottom base the floor is slightly sloped to help with the water flow to the tap.
Thanks for watching
Marty ( Australia)
Thank you Marty for responding back.
I made my bin with two containers because I found a sift that fitted perfectly as the middle tier. Just covering the top with news paper at the moment. Why are my worms finding their way to the middle tier and trying to make their way out from there. A few dead on the floor and some in the tea down below. What am I doing wrong. Please advise.
Check acidity and maybe something is fermenting and making gases
Hi! So for watering the farm, you add water 2-3x per day or per week?
Depends on the time of year, many factors. On average I find now once a week is okay. Watch the vlog and check out my other videos on worm farming. I have plenty for you to devour!
What size are the holes on the bottom of the totes?
Nail size
@@martysgarden nails come in different gauges. I went ahead and increased the holes in the bottom of mine to 1/4 inch.
Hi Marty, Sorry for all my questions you are hopefully going to read! I have a four tier system and am wondering if it is normal for the worms to be hanging between the second layer and top layer to feed? I have used ripped up and dampened cardboard for the bedding with the addition of some horse hair. How suitable would this be? Also some of the food and carboard is going mouldy so should I remove it? Also what's behind adding sugar or molasses to the tea? Lastly, I've heard that the worm tea itself isn't very useful, that it is the castings thinned with water that hold all the nurients. What would be your thoughts? Many thanks for your wisdom!!
Yes, they will hang in both tiers at times
Thanks mate!
Hello i have a question i made this today and i can't make out how the castings go trough the holes from the first box can someone please explain how in the hell do the worms poop in the second box
Hi there, Good question. I do have a full worm farming course in the Worm Wrangler members area which covers everything from A TO Z and also how to raise seedlings using the castings. It will sort you out so you never need to do research again on the topic. ua-cam.com/channels/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtw.htmljoin
All the best into the New Year
Marty😀
@@martysgarden thanks a lot!! you too
What do you do with the worm tea?
On the plants.
Oh duh, I’m glad you don’t drink it lol.
Interesting, thanks!
Your welcome, I am glad you picked up some knowledge that helped you in the garden.
I have more videos in my channel on the subject and more on the way. Also over at the MartyGarden blog there is an Ebook Blueprint that is extremely helpful happyhouseandgarden.com/the-beginners-blueprint-to-successful-wormfarming-at-home/
Happy gardening
Marty Ware (Australian Micro Farmer)
Do the worms like to go to the castings level when they are not eating , and do they prefer to poop there, as opposed to the upper active area? THANKS !
That's a wonderful question.
Actually as the castings are lighter than the soil they push towards the top. Also, they feed under the litter and lay their castings there too.
When they are not eating they go down deeper into the medium. They also mate under the litter and mat,,,I use newspaper at the moment.
Have a wonderful day..and happy gardening
Marty Ware
ps: I just started a brand new system in a foam box,,and plan to get the video out real soon. Keep an eye out for it.
Warm Regards
Marty
Thanks for reply and I will be looking for your new vid.. I'm still a little confused tho, with your answer to my question. Maybe if you clarify what you mean by "medium" , and also what you mean by "mat", then I may understand. I dont see those terms in your diagram so it's a bit unclear. thanks.
The mat is the top layer, you can buy worm mats,,,they lay over the top of the compost. The Medium is the compost,,or bedding such as Coco Peat or Mushroom compost.
I hope that helps with your questions.
Warm Regards
Marty Ware
Thanks. Well I definitely understand the system in the diagram. That is what I set up today!
All the best with the setup,,wait until they start breeding,,,you end up with thousands of worms.
So I've heard if you do it right there is no need to ever water or flood the system. Okay so the way you do it, you dont put that layer of bedding at the bottom of the first layer, like the diagram, and instead you put bedding like shredded paper or peat, etc.. in the bin below the first bin. And you dont flood or water it.. Is that correct? thanks
Hi,I actually do flood the system to get my own liquid fertilizer..my latest worm farm I wont be flooding until I buy another 3 tier system, as it's a drier system.
Keep an eye out for video coming up,,,regards
Marty
OK THANKS!
Your welcome!
PrincessAloeVera 9
anAb$9
Do the tubs sit on top of the material in the bin below or is there an air gap between each bin?
The food is always in the top tub Derek.
Did you say you need to flush it with water.. do you put a hose at the top Ben and just turn around and flush it out all three chambers for a couple minutes
Yes, just light flush with rainwater,,,chlorinated water kills the worms and eggs. I usually put about 1 third of a bucket through a couple of times a week...hotter days I do it nearly everyday to keep them cool.
It's a good idea to use the same water back through the worm farm as well,,,as it keeps the bacteria active.
Is this good if your a fisher man and what to get there own worms
You can buy a type of worm for fishing that you can breed in worm bins, But, being a fisherman myself, I would be more inclined to just create a compost heap and attract the local worms,,as there free.
Most gardening shops sell those large compost bins to keep the vermin out.
Hope you catch a few
Warm Regards
Marty Ware
Thanks and thanks for the quick response
Know worries, all the best mate!
Hi Marty how long can leave your Tea when you have drained off before it is no use please. thanks
Gidday Dave, great question mate. I use my straight away. If you oxygenate it with a little fish pump you can keep it for days, But, as soon as it starts to stagnate it's lots most of its vitality.
Like food, fresh is best.
Thanks for the question
Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
If you leave it, it pongs you outta the garden!
thanks
Very welcome, got to love compost worms and free fertilizer!
Help help!! I put together a 4-tier plastic bin worm system, and also tried reducing it to 3 tier. After approx 6 weeks my worms are thriving with hundreds of eggs. The bedding I used, after watching a You Tube video similar to this one, is Peat Moss. THE PROBLEM IS: that while it is thick with castings, it has not made one drop of liquid... in six weeks. Every video says this should be producing worm tea regularly. It's as if the peat moss is just absorbing every drop of liquid, and trust me, it is very wet. I am so afraid my worms are going to drown. I tried enlarging the holes to no avail. I am using burlap on top for moisture control. Any ideas???? Thanks!
Hi Peggy, may be that your tap is blocked, Peat should flow through okay. If you fill you worm farm with non chlorinated a bucket of water and it's already moist then you should get close to a bucket collected over around 4 hours.
If, it's not then you may need to remove the worms and start again. That's if you want liquid fertilizer. I have a lot of video in my channel on this subject ua-cam.com/video/5K_ypXf39oI/v-deo.html
Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
Hi where I can get the worms to start
Rudy Padilla In Australia you can buy them from Bunnings, other than that search online for a retailer, plenty of them around.
Good luck & Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
I have a similar system but right now I'm only using 2 buckets. Top one has food scraps and then bedding with holes drilled in the bottom. The top bin sits right on top the lower bin which has paper bedding. Half of them seem to prefer to hang with the food and the other half hang with the bedding. I like the idea of this 3 layer system since it seems like it would make harvesting of the liquid worm castings easy and frequent. I think I'll put a cheesecloth type screen underneath the middle bucket to allow the water to go through but not the castings. Does that make sense?
Yes, I think that would work okay, if its a diy system just make sure the drainage area doesn't block.
I like a lot of oxygen to be available to the worms as well.
Get some old manure if you can to make your worm tea have more oomf!
Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
My worm bin is getting too wet, what should I do?
Empty it out and refill it with Coco Peat or Mushroom compost. Put your worms into a tote with shredded newspaper and bit of compost while your doing this. You will find that most of your worms will be on the surface to avoid all the water. Never over feed your worms with scraps,,,thats how it can become smelly and water logged.
Thanks! Will do.
it also happening to my worm bin bec. i only feed them with watermelons, now it smells a little like chicken manure. should i dump the casting or i can still use it as fertilizer?
Nice vid man and very informative. Thanks. I don't know what's up with the 7 thumbs down lame brains, I reckon its a ripper. Just goes to show there are all types of people out there I guess. Cheers...
Gidday Jim, thanks mate, I guess you just can't please everyone, hahaha.
Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
cheers bro... nice vid
Hey Marty, can I put dog poo in a similar version of this also? Cheers mate!
No sorry, you need special worms to digest dog manure. Some places sell it, but not sure where.
Dog & cat poo isnt good to compost if you are planning on using it on edible plants due to the bacteria they carry. If it the compost is going to be used on non edible plants then that is ok. Adding horse, cow & rabbit manure to compost that is going to be used on edibles is ok though
thxs
+Cool Guy Your welcome, glad you enjoyed it
Happy gardening/Farming
Marty Ware (Australian Micro Farmer)
:D
hye I am from India .
I am really keen to start my organic manure farm
+Radha Gautam Great idea, hopefully you can get composting worms to make all the manure bio available to all plant life,
Happy Gardening
Marty Ware
I've actually been lookng for a few days regarding info on how to make a 3 layer system. Everyone does a shitty 1-2layer composting tub.
I hope this helped you out then Jake. Good quality compost and the correct top feeding makes all the difference. All the best with your worm farm matey!
How about a shot of the actual setup?
Hi Tom many of my videos show the worm farm in action,,,just have a scan through my channel.
All the best mate
Marty Ware
Why three layers? I can't see why it should not work with just two.
It can work with just one, bottom is water, middle becomes castings, top level they migrate so you can take the bottom castings away and harvest. I teach all of this on my channel and deeper in my Worm Wranglers members area. Thanks Marty😀
@@martysgarden so probably some old sack/ coffee sack etc. can be used and drilling the holes can be skipped.
@@mathiaslist6705 possibly yes, there are many ways to do this, just need them to move up so you can harvest the worms up high and castings down low
Marty you f%cken ripper
Cool!
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