Glad I was able to help so many people get started. Looking back on this and really you don't need to grind up food or add burlap making the process a little cheaper and easier!
@Pink Salt This question really depends on a lot of things. I typically do not recommend adding food everyday. But like a lot of things this really depends on how much food you are talking about, size of your worm bin, and how many worms you have. Also to add food everyday you would really need to chop it up a lot or blend it to ensure the food can be consumed really quickly. As far as what to not put in don't add meat, oils, grease, bones, or dairy. You can add citrus but in low quantities and recommend adding crushed egg shell to balance out any pH issues. I hope this helps and if you have more questions let me know!
Hi Noel, there are so many fake people on you tube. You are not one of them. Learnt so much from you over the last few months. I only breed worms for my tropical fish. My bins dont have any holes but the lids are loose fitting. What I have notice is food is blended they eat faster and breed at a better rate, I also feed maize meal mixed with chick pea flour have had very good results.
Thank you for the kind compliment. I'm really putting these videos out for educational purposes more than anything. I keep making more as people ask me questions and I try to answer them with videos. Leaving the lid slightly ajar can also work the key is to make sure you have air that can get in the bin to prevent it from going anaerobic. What kind of tropical fish do you have? Are you cutting up the worms to feed them? I have some large fantail goldfish and I have been debating on adding a worm or two for them to eat just to add some variety into their diet. Blending food makes a huge difference. I did some testing on this in another video series and they will devour food that is blended because of how much surface area it has.
@@WorldComposting I have red tapa joe's and altiprons ( geophagus) , xingu discus and parrots not all the same tank. How can I send you some pics of my tanks?
@@veneshpillay2988 I setup a temporary email at fish@worldcomposting.com send some pictures my way! It is a great idea to use worms you raised so you know they had a good diet!
Watched a dozen vids on worm bins and this is the one I will be doing. Using one tub with no holes in btm makes sense, you save me using 2, now I can use the other for a 2nd worm bin :) I watched a video of a worm breeding big scale, he fed them ground chicken pellets mixed with some ground chicken shells only.
I went and visited a worm farm in east Texas that fed layer pellets right out of the bag. The guy said only purchase non-medicated layer pellets and bury the pellets under the soil. Doesn't have to be deep but he said at least a couple inches.
kiss, keep it simple stupid. I love your video. I agree 100% about not getting hung up on the small stuff. I know my worms always loved cardboard. I was told they did not particularly like the cardboard they liked the glue that held the cardboard together. All I know is they will travel to any cardboard added to their bin. Again this will help all who are new and even refresh those who have been doing it for awhile. Have a great day!
I agree especially if you want to try out worm composting. No reason to buy an expensive system only to find out this isn't for you. Granted if you do like it you end up with multiple totes or needing a larger system anyhow!
@@WorldComposting I got a couple but this one might be a little WEIRD but is human urine a good compost material? and What about the kombucha "stuff" is that good as well?
@@AlanDigiorno Well in a worm bin I would not recommend urine as that would probably be too much moisture and also cause the bin to heat up and kill the worms. In a compost pile it can work really well to help generate heat. I know another guy Eve Growing who does a lot on composting human manure and urine. I think he does a lot in his worm bins so you can check his site out. He uses a fairly closed system and lets it sit. Kombucha I think is a fermented drink so it should be fine but again probably a bit too much moisture and might be slightly rough on a worms skin so you might need to add it with a lot of cardboard.
What type of system have you been running? While I do like my large composting bag systems I still find the 10 gallon totes to be incredibly easy to use.
Very simple and easy set. I use both drainless bins and drain bins and they both work well. I do water my drainless bin but with less water as the bin holds moisture longer.
It blows my mind to see you dump worms onto dry bedding! I'm not saying you're making a mistake. It's just something I've never seen done and have never done myself. Otoh, the cucumber slurry you put in is pretty wet. Guess it all works out in the end.
Try substituting newspaper for sawdust or dry leaves. Newspaper has a lot of ink in it. Maybe the worms just don't care, but if you are using that compost in your garden you probably don't want to risk ingesting unnecessary unknown chemicals.
I think most newspapers are now using inks that are non-toxic. I also primarily use cardboard in my bins as it is easier to get as I do not receive a newspaper. I also have a bin I started with hardwood stove pellets which is essentially sawdust that has been compressed. As far as leaves I do not have a good source as my house was built on a golf course and the trees I have are primarily pine trees. I also compost in my basement and bringing in bugs from outside is not a great idea in my mind. If I did this outside that would be a different story. Hardwood pellet bin ua-cam.com/video/g49-UIzoaL8/v-deo.html
I'm having a spat of uncommon failures in my life; things that have worked in the past failing fantastically in the same conditions currently. My old worm bins I kept outside got flooded in a storm and my flow through bag bit the dust. I tried to make a new bag, but it allow too much flow through and is too dry for comfort. I'm not keen on making another bin with drain holes as I want to keep it in my kitchen and already battle flying insects without having pools of veggie leachate sitting open for buffet. I think I will try your no drain hole bin. At worst, I'll have really moist finished castings. I had kept the worms in a recycled salad lettuce container till I transferred them and they seemed okay with that. This would be much the same concept. Thanks for helping me realize I had a viable solution all along!
Glad I could help! I also have used them as food tubes where I stuff them full of ground up food and freeze them so I can just add a 2-3 to a system as a premeasured feeding. How I make Food Tubes ua-cam.com/video/o4qlmekUrh0/v-deo.html Adding the Food Tubes to a worm system ua-cam.com/video/YZbx3s26yeg/v-deo.html Second time using Food Tubes ua-cam.com/video/MXx4XFo3U7Y/v-deo.html
I used peat moss and vermculite works best mixed together and cardboard I feed them watermelon scraps they loved the shell and they loved pumpkins even the goopy slimy parts
I try not to use peat moss because it is not renewable. I have used coco coir and hardwood pellets as bedding material and they seem to work really well. I really feel watermelon is one of their favorite foods and pumpkin does go quick but as those are typically sitting outside first I find that they tend to have more bugs than other foods I put in.
While that might be the case I have not had any issues with filters breaking down. I used to buy all non-bleached filters but I can't get my office to switch. I also have a video series where I only use coffee grounds/filters and shredded cardboard (egg shells added as a pH buffer).
On my future goal list, but right now it just feels like another mouth to feed.Great video though. Love how you use paper rolls and other common things.
No reason to really buy anything. My new bins don't even have the burlap on top I just add more cardboard bedding or old cotton towels or shirts! Also it really isn't too much work (except for the video part) and if you have kids over 3 they might even want to help.
They eat paper cardboard and the scraps and waste food that you don't eat they basically eat trash. You're saying you eat everything and have no trash? Well, it's been 3 years I guess. Is it the future yet?
Have u thought about taking one bin drill holes in bottom then put in in a second bin with bricks or cinder block underneath to help drain out the water and won't drowned the worms
I have done that in larger bins but I have found these 10 gallon bins typically do not need the drainage a larger bin would need. I have a video of creating something similar with an 18 gallon bin for a friend. In reality I feel this bin is a starter bin to get an idea of the process and see if someone will maintain it. If they can keep up with a bin this size then a larger bin with holes or a flow through bin would be the next step.
I knew a guy that started snorting sweet and low. His sinuses became so inflamed and infected he ended up in the e.r. later we heard they committed him to a mental institute. Unfortunately this is true! Sad!
Can I also do this kind of bin with African Night Crawlers? And as you said, if the worms were shipped by mail, you need to prepare the bin a week ahead of its arrival. Do you prepare the bin with the frozen food in it and let it sit there for a week before placing the worms? And what can I substitute for Burlap? I find the layering a wonderful idea but I wanna do it without incurring much costs by buying stuff.
This should work for African Night crawlers. I would set the bin up a few days beforehand and put in just a bit of ground up food so it has a chance to build a microbial population. You can add a sprinkling of dirt from your yard just to help get it moving. As far as the burlap just ignore that part as this video was made years ago and burlap was a good way to help cocoon production but really it just isn't necessary. Hope that helps and good luck with your worms!
I have a compost tumbler that stands in direct sunlight, per instructions, and it works great for me. But every now and then I think about adding worms. Since the tumbler is black plastic it gets very warm, will worms survive in that atmosphere?
Worms aren't meant to be in a really hot environment like a tumbler which is a hot composting method. However you can add compost that comes out of the tumbler to a worm bin. The worms will love it and it will be even better for your garden and plants.
While it can happen I find they stay in the bin where the moisture is. I might find one on the floor a couple times a year but they typically stay put.
a properly managed worm bin will not have a buildup of worm juices and there wouldn't be a need to have a hole or collection spout as some worm bins have. He doesn't water down his worm bin leaving plenty of material to absorb any liquids.
Yes I primarily use corrugated cardboard as the glue is organic as well. I get this from Costco and Sam's club in large sheets with no labels or corners. I run it through the shredder and just put it in the bin.
I would never add anything not at room temperature. Worms are sentient creatures, who do so much for our gardens ,and waste streams and should be treated with the utmost respect.
I hear what you're saying, but I know all sorts of vermiculturists that only add frozen veggies and have great results. I'm sure frozen food thaws out quickly. Meanwhile the worms are free to wait elsewhere in the bin until the food warms up.
You're complaining bitterly that it all get stoo wet. Make a few holes in the bottom of the bottom bin, raise it all up on bricks and collect the leachate (worm wee) that comes out. This is an incredible fertiliser for all plants. Dilute it.
Cool that the newspaper doesn’t need wetting down. I’ll put a small valve on the bottom though. I’ve tried this before but ended up with worms all over the garage floor. Where do you keep them and what temperature do you advise?
I made this video a few years back and really I think the burlap while helpful for producing cocoons it is not necessary and a bin will do just fine without it.
What I know about worms could be written on the sharp end of a pin, but I wondered if the bulk of the surface was covered and a small margin around the edges left uncovered would the natural light keep worms absconding?
How cold are you talking about? I have a video on a large outdoor bin that runs year round and has been down as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Here is the playlist for that homemade large bin. ua-cam.com/video/ACsmolHvr6k/v-deo.html
Yes the worms do eat all the burlap. As far as how long it takes this will depend on how many worms you have and how much burlap. It will take longer than other bedding materials such as cardboard or coco coir.
I grind them up in a small blender so they need to be dry for that. Probably a good idea to put them down on bedding that is wet and maybe spray it down afterwards.
You have a couple options. One would be the light method where you dump the entire contents on a tarp and put a light on top (or sunlight). The worms will dig down away from the light allowing you to scrape off the layers. This can take a while but works. Second way is to do a side harvest inside the system where you move all the composted material to one side and load the other up with fresh food and bedding and give the worms time to move into that section and harvest the finished castings. Third is a sorting machine that shakes/spins the worms loose from the castings these are more for commercial or those with a lot of worm bins they want to sort.
@@WorldComposting Seconds method seems best. Cheers! I'm starting with only 100g of worms (about 70 of them) just hoping that the multiply relatively quick
Worm tea is different than the leachate that comes out of the bottom of the bin. Worm tea is worm castings that are soaked in water typically with molasses and an aerator to encourage microbial growth. The leachate that comes out of the bottom of the bin needs to be watered down before using on plants. In an ideal bin you would not have any excess liquid and in this bin design I highly recommend adding in a lot of bedding to ensure you don't have liquid you need to collect. I hope this answered your question and if you have any others please feel free to ask!
Hi Lowell, is newly mixed worm bedding (pre-worm stocking) that has gone sour still usable? I made a larger batch in a garbage can in hopes to let it mature and while the top smells good and I have removed it to use with my worms, the bottom half is hot, wet and stinky. Will it mellow out with proper aeration? THANK YOU for your attention.
Hi Jeff, premixing is a great idea for the worms and does allow the material to build up the necessary microbial activity. For the bottom part that is hot the temperature means it is starting to hot compost. If you mix it up it might actually get hotter due to the infusion of oxygen that hot composting needs. If it was me I would probably add a bit of carbon (paper, coco coir) mix it up and see if it settles down. Do not add the compost if it is hot composting as that could kill your worms. If you have more questions please ask away!
I view grit as something that doesn't breakdown in a worm bin. This means that coffee would not be grit in my mind. If I throw in some sand or egg shells they are typically still there when I harvest but coffee grounds are slowly consumed so this means they are probably too soft to be grit. A good example of what coffee grounds are also is shown when you add too many they will heat up and start hot composting. Sand or egg shells won't do this I can add a ton and never heat up as they do not have nitrogen.
@@WorldComposting thanks. I had similar thoughts, but I hear others consider to be grit and I always thought it sounded wrong. I'll go with your definition. Thanks
You have a few choices. First is easiest you move all the material to one side then add fresh bedding and food to the other side. The worms migrate over and you take out the castings on the old side. Second way is light method. You dump the castings on a sheet or large tray outside in the sun or under a strong light. The worms dig down away from the light and you keep scraping off the top layer until you have a pile of worms at the end to add to a new bin. Third a shaker box. Can be built with some wood and 1/4" or smaller hardware cloth. shake with castings and the worms should still be on the screen. Those are the cheapest ways to sort. They also have thousand dollar machines but I think that might be overkill for home composting.
With a bin this high you don't need holes in the bottom. If you have that much moisture leave the lid off a bit to let it dry out and mix up the bedding. If you want to move from a 10 gallon tote to a 20 gallon then you will need holes to make sure the bottom gets enough air.
Soooo I have current worm bins that look like that and they’re working great!!! BUT it doesn’t look pretty and now I’m banned lol. Any suggestions of a purchased raised garden bed to house them in?
Banned?? As far as keeping worms outside there are some who will dig trenches and then slowly fill with food to have the worms work their way across the trench. I've never tried this method as I don't have the yard to be able to do it. Other option is you can bury a bucket with multiple holes in the yard and add food, bedding, and worms to it. As long as it stays cool enough the worms will feast.
@@laurenorosco4749 Okay I wasn't sure if you meant banned from a building. My wife wasn't happy about the worms either but they are in the basement so she didn't know for the first couple years that I was even composting or recording myself and posting videos. There are others who have built nice looking wood boxes to contain their worms in the house. But outside composting does work. I built a large outdoor bin for my parents house that would go all year round from temps of -6 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit!
Just seeing your video, even though it is 4 yrs old. Hope you are well during these difficult times. I live in Ireland which can be damp and very rainy. What worms would you recommend? If I buy one batch, would that be enough to keep me going. I think u said in your video that the decomposing takes just a few weeks.
A lot of people come across this video and thank you for asking how I doing. Luckily my family and I are both doing fine and I hope you are doing the same! As far as worms the first thing to do is check and make sure you aren't breaking any local laws for certain worms. As an example Blue Worms are banned in some of the southern states here in the US. As far as recommendations I always recommend the standard red worm as they are great at composting, easy to raise, and can easily survive a variety of conditions. Second choice would be the European Nightcrawlers and they might do a bit better in the cooler environment than reds. But they are bigger and need a bit more room and can be prone to wandering. If you buy one batch they will multiply. I started with only a couple thousand and probably have 10-20 thousand worms now never mind how many I have given away locally. The time it takes for food to breakdown depends on the food, how small the pieces are (ground up gets consumed faster) and how many worms you have. So really it all depends. I hope this helps and if you have any other questions please let me know!
Thanks for your prompt reply. All well with me too here in Ireland. But I'm really glad to be living in the countryside right now. It's not any safer, but at least we have a garden and space around us. Peace to you.
This video was from a a few years ago but at that time I only added paper/cardboard to my bins and was for a while shredding cardboard by hand. I was adding a lot of coffee grounds which can help keep the castings nice and dark.
@@elizabethallstaedt722 While I can't confirm if used coffee grounds burn them due to acidity you do have to worry about them going into hot composting mode. This video is from a few years ago and I recommend that you add crushed egg shells into your bin to balance the pH no matter what type of food you add. Check out some of my other playlists or videos on adding lemons or running a bin on only paper, coffee grounds, and egg shells.
Hi, in another comment someone noted that you didn't put much food waste in, and you replied you don't want to put too much in, or it will cause bugs. Is that a bad thing though? Won't other bugs (centipedes, small flies etc) eat and break down the food waste similarly? Or no? Thanks.
If you freeze food it slowly crams water into the food cells. So when it comes out of the freezer, and thaws out, it's limp or mush. I raise worms and freeze all their food, then puree it, and freeze again. From my experience. Yes, it is more work, but they are worth it. I love my worms Except, the flat worms I occasionally find. They go to heaven in our garbage disposal.
What do you suggest besides burlap. And when it’s full is it all just turned to letache ? And you use all of the bucket and water it down and add to plants?
Hi this video was made a while ago and while I still use burlap I do find that using old cotton shirts can work just as well. If you watch some of my updated videos you can see another bin that I made that is more of a traditional bin. Link to that video ua-cam.com/video/ujn2zx3c5V8/v-deo.html As far as leachate this is not something you necessarily want it typically means your bin has too much moisture. When the worms are done you should have castings that look and smell like good soil. If you do get some leachate you can water it down and add it to plants but that is not the goal of a vermicomposting. If you have any other questions please let me know!
Question (s), do the castings smell bad? How do you separate the castings from the worms and paper etc? What temp can the worms survive in? Can they survive the winter in a 60 degree basement?
If done properly the castings smell like a forest (at least to me) and this smells good. I will admit if the bin goes bad it smells horrible and I have had this happen. One of the things I like about these small bins is that it is contained until you open it normally. Separating the castings is one of the hardest part of this process. You have a few ways you can do this and if you watch this series to completion I use the light method to sort where you dump it on a large tarp or container and use the light to get the worms to dig down. Another way is migration where you push all the composted material to one side and add fresh in the other side with some food. The worms migrate over and you harvest the finished compost. The last way is building a screen to separate the worms from the castings. I have been trying to build something to do this for a while and so far have not been successful. The cardboard is consumed by the worms along with the food so at the end there is no paper, food, or burlap left just castings and worms. I keep them in my basement all winter long with temps dropping down into the mid 60s without any issues at all. I also have a large insulated bin at my parents house and as long as you keep adding lots of food it will heat up and keep the worms alive. I have videos on this bin as well if you check out my channel. I know that was a lot I just threw at you but overall the process can be as simple or as difficult as you make it. When I had two bins and just switched back and forth it was easy. Now that I have around 8-10 bins it gets hard to manage it all. If you have any other questions let me know!
@@WorldComposting awesome thank you for the response!!! I will be ordering my little buddies this week.... have a large veggie garden to fertilize this spring..... i used to make my own fertilizer and my yields were decent but I want to try the castings to see if there is difference ... everyone says there will be a huge difference... we shall see... Thanks again!
How long does it take for that to compost? And newspaper......I don't get the paper anymore, but am wondering......about the advertising newspaper I receive, it has a lot of color ads, does that hurt?
If the paper is glossy/shiny I wouldn't recommend it but if it is similar to the normal paper it should be fine. If you are talking about the target or Walgreen ads these probably would take a long time to breakdown . I don't get the paper anymore either but do use some office paper when I need to get rid of a financial document.
@@WorldComposting I am the kink of cardboard box hoarding....HA !!!! I've got enough, just need to make sure to remove staples and TAPE. I've bought the Royal 1600MX from E-bay
What is the purpose for the bottom layer of burlap blocking the bedding below it? Most people putt the bedding in, and then food scraps then a layer of bedding followed by just a top layer of a burlap sack to keep unwanted bugs out and to keep it moist. I just wonder what purpose the bottom layer of bedding is doing if you are blocking it with a burlap sack?. The burlap sack in my opinion like the others are doing is directly on top, no need for a middle layer sack that seems to serve no purpose since red wrigglers travel upwards for food and only retreat down when hit with light.
I made this video a while ago and I added burlap to the top and in the middle/bottom so I could lift a layer of material up for adding food. This would make it so the food would be buried in the material and allow the worms to work on it from all sides. After working with worms for many years I don't use burlap anymore and tend to just use the bedding material.
Typically they don't leave the bin because they will die from dehydration on the basement floor. I maybe find between 0-5 on the floor during the course of a year.
I live in a apartment ,if i do it like that in the winter flies are all over , but if i put all waist veg on a blender with some water & everything in dirt with worm ( no flies) it look the material is to small to lay they egg (underground ) with dirt ,their is a pale with dirt (another ) pale with many many big holes 1/4 to 1/2in the bottom,in 2 week you look hard for the veg all gone , the pale in the boton will super good in one month ready to used , try it , they said to feed once a week ,i feed every 2 weeks make sure they eat everything. chop everything first ,so small so the fly can't lay it eggs on it ,then put in blender
Grinding up food can make a huge difference as to how quickly the food can be consumed which is why I recommend it. It is not necessary to grind up food but I also agree it helps control bugs a bit better with smaller pieces!
There are a few different types of worms. The ones you find in your yard are typically earthworms which build burrows in the soil and till the earth. The worms I'm using are red wigglers which live underneath the leaf litter above the soil. I'm not saying you can't find these worms outside but you might be grabbing a variety that won't eat or reproduce in a bin. I think some bait shops sell composting worms so you could check there.
Cardboard has adhesive in it to hold it together and these adhesives are supposed to be animal based and breakdown typically faster than the cardboard itself. It is perfectly safe for use in veggie and fruit gardens!
Worms can squeeze through some tiny holes. While this is still a great system I will admit the burlap is really there to help worms lay cocoons but isn't necessarily needed.
@@WorldComposting oooh.. so how does it help them do that? Do they lay if actually where the cocoon is laying on top or the burlap or under it to where the cocoon is touching the bottom?
You said you'd had problems with excess moisture. Maybe drill some drainage holes, and put it in a second container with something to keep it propped up (a brick, some unwanted plastic etc)
It's basically a super-rich fertilizer that's great for gardening. If you're a gardener, you can add it on top of your garden soil every now and then and it really helps the plants.
I purchased the burlap at Joann Fabrics. But I will be honest I made this video a few years ago and the burlap is not necessary. I have multiple bins without any fabric material and only the cardboard as bedding and they work really well. I also have some that have old cotton towels and shirts and they will also breakdown in a worm bin and can be used as a cover.
Not necessary if you have enough bedding. It is easier to have the holes but you really shouldn't have liquid coming out of a bin as that means it is too wet.
Hi, I like your idea and I start my own compose bin. Now everything seem good(At least worm still crawling around after a month). However my worm keep crawl out and hide under the bin, some cases the worm died because too dried. I have to put the worm back to bin and make sure the bin bottom is wet enough, almost everyday. Is any reason the worm keep try escape from the bin? And how to prevent? For your information, I added some soil in bin and never come out about for a week. I added some more soil, then its start again. I also added powdered egg shell as well. Sorry for poor English :D
Can you confirm that you are using red worms (Eisenia foetida)? I ask because I know some other types have more of a tendency to wander. This is especially true of blue worms (Perionyx excavatus). If you really need help keeping them in you can use light. But my bins are in a dark basement and I hardly ever have any leave the bin.
@@WorldComposting Hi, thanks for reply. Confirm that is "African Night Crawler worms". I keep my bin at laundry room, next to washing machine(Only space I can use because is high rise building). Let me try few days with light turn on and see will help or not. Could climate is 1 of the reason? FYI, is Malaysia
@@Jackth3Jocker I haven't used African Night Crawlers but I have heard they move quickly and have a big appetite! Hmm if it is in your laundry room I wonder if the vibration is causing them to also run. A light should work to keep them in place.
@@WorldComposting Thanks for the tips! I will try turn on the light and observe few days. For vibration... I think I have no choice, unless I move to balcony, but I believe is not a good place because is shinny and hot.
@@WorldComposting does keeping it indoors draw bugs to it? I have alot of room in my basement where I could store a couple of these bins but I don't want to cause bugs
I keep multiple bins inside they can have fruit fly issues from time to time so you need to make sure you bury the food. No other but issues. If you are really worried there are two bag systems you can look into they are sealed better so no big issues unless you put them in there. I have videos on those as well.
This box stays in my basement and doesn't go outside. You could do this outside if you insulated the box to keep it warm. I have a large bin I built for my parents that does sit outside and has even had worms still working in -6 degree during the winter and 106 in the summer (Fahrenheit).
My bins are stored in my basement. I do have a large outdoor bin at my parents house that is outside under a deck. It sees temps from 0 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I have videos showing the bin with insulation.
Great video but everything hangs on adding the worms at the end. If i don't have worms from compost like you add at the end, how can I start the whole process?
As these are composting worms I purchased mine from a local company. These are different then the earthworms you find in the ground as they live in the top layer of decaying matter. I'm not sure where you live but you in the US and many other areas you can order them online. The worms you can use are Red Worms (what I'm using), European Nightcrawlers, African Nightcrawlers, or Blue Worms. These are the non scientific names but you can look those up to verify you are purchasing the correct worms. Also you don't need a lot just a few and time to get them to multiply!
Always feel free to ask questions. in the United States we have multiple online companies such as texaswormfarm.com but most will only ship within their own boarders. If you can't find a company that will ship you can try to harvest local worms from manure piles or put down some wet cardboard directly on the ground and see what worms come up to eat it from underneath. I wish you luck!
In short yes I have a bin set up using the hardwood pellets you can find at the hardware store for pellet stoves. The bin has done really well with these pellets that are basically compressed sawdust. One key thing is to make sure the sawdust doesn't have any machine oils on it that would probably kill the worms.
Yes and I have heard multiple people that do this. You still might want to check moisture levels every so often but from everything I have heard worms love rabbit poop!
The worms will try to escape if they are drowning. I would recommend drilling holes in the bottom of your bin and adding water periodically when you either notice worms escaping or if you simply notice it is looking dry. By drilling holes in the bottom of the bin, the excess will simply drain out.
I don't drill holes in the bottom because then you need a second bin to catch what drains off. I also don't drill holes in the lid so I can stack them. The holes in the sides work really well as long as you keep adding cardboard.
Add paper to the bins. The paper will soak up moisture and help. Or empty half the bin and add dry material to even it out. It's not suppose to be overly moist. As moist as a wet rag that won't drip water after wringing it out is what you want your bin to be
Anaerobic lack of oxygen, smells bad, must clean out and start new. Put worms in a strainer, rinse them off. Put in new bin. I have no holes in my indoor bins, had 54 in one room and temp went over 101degrees. It takes a little practice to get moisture correct. Don't overfeed. Justwormz.com for more info about how I raise worms.
When you add kitchen scraps and peels they will be consumed by the worms and in the process they lose a lot of mass so they take up less space. If you watch more of the videos you will see that while it takes a bit for the worms to get started they can consume a lot of kitchen scraps on a weekly basis. A larger family would need more bins or a larger system to handle a larger amount of food waste.
Hi, Lots of worm bins seem to have holes on the bottom, to collect the leachate (drippings) which is supposed to be great for the garden. Perhaps that's why other systems use more moisture. any thoughts?
Well the leachate is okay but not as good as the castings or compost tea. Having water in the bottom of the bin can cause anerobic conditions which are bad for worms and can smell. This is the reason why other systems have holes in the bottom. I don't put holes in the bottom in smaller bins because it is easy to turn and monitor the motor content. You of course can if you want to purchase a second tote to go underneath.
Leachate might just be excess water from the vegetables running down through the bedding. Not the same as making a fertilizing tea from Finished Compost.
Great question and the main reason is to reduce the waste I'm sending to the landfill via my trashcan. Of course I also had a lot of food waste ground up in my garbage disposal and I didn't realize that it was filtered out and actually cost more to dispose that way. I also don't really have a good location for a compost pile outside since I have an HOA and I'm on a corner lot. Worms allow me to reduce my food scraps inside my house and get nutrient rich castings for my plants and lawn. Hope that answers your question!
I check my bins and if I see worms all over the walls I try to change the condition of the bin. Typically I would check moisture and also add some crushed egg shell to balance the pH. I would also make sure the bin has enough bedding and food.
@@WorldComposting thank you dule davis, it took lot of time for finding the worms. then i found some italian worms from one of the villlage farmer enthusiast. we kept them in a small basket covered with jute besides food and bedding. on the first day night, we saw about 10 worms escape through the holes on top of the basket after passing through several layers of the jute fabric. most had a gruesome death. we are placing the small covered perforated basket under the staircase of our apartment terrace. i suspect there is also no head room as the basket is full with bedding, old compost, dirt and food - from inda
Check that! My coffee roaster said that would add a chemical shitstorm to your worm bin as coffee bags are commonly sprayed with pesticides/insecticides. Clean burlap for potatoe bags are pretty cheap.
Most newspapers will be glad to give you their old newspapers. At one time our newspaper sold their old papers but it got to where no one would buy them. Said used newpaper was not worth the cost of hauling. Anyway now anyone can go by and they almost always have old papers you can get for free.
@@jimmccarley3191 Not a bad idea! Right now I get most of my cardboard from Sam's Club and Costco as they have large sheets without any ink or tape on it that I just cut to fit in the shredder. It is the sheets that come between stacks of water bottles. Right now I have so many of these sheets I need to wait before I get anymore.
I have used them for fishing but the red wigglers are a bit small. I have another set of videos on European Nightcrawlers which are much larger and better for fishing.
@@WorldComposting you mean earthworms nightcrawlers I believe is a Australian term we just call them either earthworms or lob worms grow up to 7 8 inches we use them all over here from tiny brandlings to big old lob worms
European Nightcrawlers (Eisenia hortensis) are more similar to red wigglers (Eisenia fetida) different than earthworms which live deep in the soil and create burrows. If you want larger worms they have African Nightcrawlers as well that are good for composting they are known to be prolific at breeding and growing.
Can I use computer paper mixed in with the bedding I am starting one I have bins and I just ordered worms should be here any day now I have Coco and chopped up cardboard so far plan on using corn meal and for now for meals till I can save up scraps
I use computer paper frequently in my bins. I typically use cardboard as it resists compressing a bit more than paper. Be light on the cornmeal as they adjust to the new bin What breed of worm did you order? Reds?
@@WorldComposting reds not sure how fast exactly they multiple but I hear very fast also I breed dubia roaches for my bearded dragon can I put the frass in with the worms or is that a no no figured I'd ask
I would think adding a little grass would be okay but too much can heat up. Reds do multiply pretty quickly but start slow most overfeed during the first few months.
That will be a lot of kitchen waste to compost I would think. I would first find out how much you will be composting to see how large the system will need to be. Make sure you don’t overload your bins with food or they might heat up killing the worms.
Thank you for watching my video. If you watch some of my latest videos you will see that I do use a shredder now for the cardboard and paper I do add to my bins.
If you are thinking of using earthworms from your yard they typically prefer living in soil than in the leaf litter as red wigglers do. Saying that you can put some cardboard outside on the ground and get it wet and the worms that show up underneath. Those worms that show up could be the right kind that live in leaf litter. Granted this will all depend on where you live.
These bins are stored in my basement. I do have a video series on a larger bin that is stored outside and has insulation. The large bin has endured summers over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and winters down to -5 degrees Fahrenheit. It also froze solid once and recovered as soon as it thawed showing how amazing worms really are at surviving (or at least the cocoons are)!
My house was built on what was a good course so almost no trees and most are pine that they planted. Also doing this indoors I don't want to bring in any bugs.
World Composting they don’t move that much I just checked them now I moved them all in my african night crawlers bin hopefully they will get along 😬thanks
This isn't nearly as simple as others I have seen. Burlap layers, cutting up cardboard, blending up food, etc. Not sure I would want to have to purchase burlap at the store (even if it's cheap) or burn out my blender for worms. I'm sure this method is awesome, but I wouldn't call it simple.
Adjust it to your needs I would say. The blending helps the worms to digest it quicker but I have added whole zucchini, carrots and even corn cobs to my bins. I have also seen people lay large pieces of cardboard on their soil in the bins. Another guy showed me he uses newspaper to cover his bins instead of burlap.
I think you can add that but I wouldn't add a lot as ash is dry and can turn hard when it gets wet then dries out. I don't have ash that I could test this with as I do not have a fireplace or a charcoal grill. Doing this you would also need to be careful to make sure the ash does not have any chemicals in it.
Glad I was able to help so many people get started. Looking back on this and really you don't need to grind up food or add burlap making the process a little cheaper and easier!
@Pink Salt This question really depends on a lot of things. I typically do not recommend adding food everyday. But like a lot of things this really depends on how much food you are talking about, size of your worm bin, and how many worms you have. Also to add food everyday you would really need to chop it up a lot or blend it to ensure the food can be consumed really quickly.
As far as what to not put in don't add meat, oils, grease, bones, or dairy. You can add citrus but in low quantities and recommend adding crushed egg shell to balance out any pH issues.
I hope this helps and if you have more questions let me know!
Hi Noel, there are so many fake people on you tube. You are not one of them. Learnt so much from you over the last few months. I only breed worms for my tropical fish. My bins dont have any holes but the lids are loose fitting. What I have notice is food is blended they eat faster and breed at a better rate, I also feed maize meal mixed with chick pea flour have had very good results.
Thank you for the kind compliment. I'm really putting these videos out for educational purposes more than anything. I keep making more as people ask me questions and I try to answer them with videos. Leaving the lid slightly ajar can also work the key is to make sure you have air that can get in the bin to prevent it from going anaerobic.
What kind of tropical fish do you have? Are you cutting up the worms to feed them? I have some large fantail goldfish and I have been debating on adding a worm or two for them to eat just to add some variety into their diet.
Blending food makes a huge difference. I did some testing on this in another video series and they will devour food that is blended because of how much surface area it has.
@@WorldComposting I have red tapa joe's and altiprons ( geophagus) , xingu discus and parrots not all the same tank. How can I send you some pics of my tanks?
@@veneshpillay2988 I setup a temporary email at fish@worldcomposting.com send some pictures my way! It is a great idea to use worms you raised so you know they had a good diet!
Watched a dozen vids on worm bins and this is the one I will be doing. Using one tub with no holes in btm makes sense, you save me using 2, now I can use the other for a 2nd worm bin :)
I watched a video of a worm breeding big scale, he fed them ground chicken pellets mixed with some ground chicken shells only.
I went and visited a worm farm in east Texas that fed layer pellets right out of the bag. The guy said only purchase non-medicated layer pellets and bury the pellets under the soil. Doesn't have to be deep but he said at least a couple inches.
Jim McCarley how about rabbit pellets?
kiss, keep it simple stupid. I love your video. I agree 100% about not getting hung up on the small stuff. I know my worms always loved cardboard. I was told they did not particularly like the cardboard they liked the glue that held the cardboard together. All I know is they will travel to any cardboard added to their bin. Again this will help all who are new and even refresh those who have been doing it for awhile. Have a great day!
I agree especially if you want to try out worm composting. No reason to buy an expensive system only to find out this isn't for you. Granted if you do like it you end up with multiple totes or needing a larger system anyhow!
This video is like the best vermicompost video on the internet
Thanks! If you have any questions let me know!
@@WorldComposting I got a couple but this one might be a little WEIRD but is human urine a good compost material? and What about the kombucha "stuff" is that good as well?
@@AlanDigiorno Well in a worm bin I would not recommend urine as that would probably be too much moisture and also cause the bin to heat up and kill the worms. In a compost pile it can work really well to help generate heat. I know another guy Eve Growing who does a lot on composting human manure and urine. I think he does a lot in his worm bins so you can check his site out. He uses a fairly closed system and lets it sit.
Kombucha I think is a fermented drink so it should be fine but again probably a bit too much moisture and might be slightly rough on a worms skin so you might need to add it with a lot of cardboard.
Thank you for this straightforward tutorial! people the world over benefit
Thank you for watching!
I agree you sure seem to know what your doing and this is helpful to all. Thanks!
Omg, so much easier, then what I am doing
What type of system have you been running? While I do like my large composting bag systems I still find the 10 gallon totes to be incredibly easy to use.
Very simple and easy set. I use both drainless bins and drain bins and they both work well. I do water my drainless bin but with less water as the bin holds moisture longer.
Sounds great!
It blows my mind to see you dump worms onto dry bedding! I'm not saying you're making a mistake. It's just something I've never seen done and have never done myself. Otoh, the cucumber slurry you put in is pretty wet. Guess it all works out in the end.
Try substituting newspaper for sawdust or dry leaves. Newspaper has a lot of ink in it. Maybe the worms just don't care, but if you are using that compost in your garden you probably don't want to risk ingesting unnecessary unknown chemicals.
I think most newspapers are now using inks that are non-toxic. I also primarily use cardboard in my bins as it is easier to get as I do not receive a newspaper.
I also have a bin I started with hardwood stove pellets which is essentially sawdust that has been compressed. As far as leaves I do not have a good source as my house was built on a golf course and the trees I have are primarily pine trees. I also compost in my basement and bringing in bugs from outside is not a great idea in my mind. If I did this outside that would be a different story.
Hardwood pellet bin ua-cam.com/video/g49-UIzoaL8/v-deo.html
@@WorldComposting cool!
Leonardo Alcantara
Soybean oil and carbon black. Biodegradable.
also a lot of wood is treated with arsenic to prevent it from rotting which is bad for you the worms and the plant
PHOBOS
Not used for decades.
omg genius move with the frozen garbage
I'm having a spat of uncommon failures in my life; things that have worked in the past failing fantastically in the same conditions currently. My old worm bins I kept outside got flooded in a storm and my flow through bag bit the dust. I tried to make a new bag, but it allow too much flow through and is too dry for comfort. I'm not keen on making another bin with drain holes as I want to keep it in my kitchen and already battle flying insects without having pools of veggie leachate sitting open for buffet. I think I will try your no drain hole bin. At worst, I'll have really moist finished castings. I had kept the worms in a recycled salad lettuce container till I transferred them and they seemed okay with that. This would be much the same concept. Thanks for helping me realize I had a viable solution all along!
Such a good idea with the tp rolls!! I've been collecting thembut had no idea what to do with em
Glad I could help! I also have used them as food tubes where I stuff them full of ground up food and freeze them so I can just add a 2-3 to a system as a premeasured feeding.
How I make Food Tubes
ua-cam.com/video/o4qlmekUrh0/v-deo.html
Adding the Food Tubes to a worm system
ua-cam.com/video/YZbx3s26yeg/v-deo.html
Second time using Food Tubes
ua-cam.com/video/MXx4XFo3U7Y/v-deo.html
I used peat moss and vermculite works best mixed together and cardboard I feed them watermelon scraps they loved the shell and they loved pumpkins even the goopy slimy parts
I try not to use peat moss because it is not renewable. I have used coco coir and hardwood pellets as bedding material and they seem to work really well.
I really feel watermelon is one of their favorite foods and pumpkin does go quick but as those are typically sitting outside first I find that they tend to have more bugs than other foods I put in.
Great video, thank you for posting, I avoid coffe filters because they are bleached with chloride😔
While that might be the case I have not had any issues with filters breaking down. I used to buy all non-bleached filters but I can't get my office to switch. I also have a video series where I only use coffee grounds/filters and shredded cardboard (egg shells added as a pH buffer).
On my future goal list, but right now it just feels like another mouth to feed.Great video though. Love how you use paper rolls and other common things.
No reason to really buy anything. My new bins don't even have the burlap on top I just add more cardboard bedding or old cotton towels or shirts!
Also it really isn't too much work (except for the video part) and if you have kids over 3 they might even want to help.
They eat paper cardboard and the scraps and waste food that you don't eat they basically eat trash. You're saying you eat everything and have no trash? Well, it's been 3 years I guess. Is it the future yet?
Let’s all have a drink every time he says Burlap!!
Hmm did I say it that often?🙃
Have u thought about taking one bin drill holes in bottom then put in in a second bin with bricks or cinder block underneath to help drain out the water and won't drowned the worms
I have done that in larger bins but I have found these 10 gallon bins typically do not need the drainage a larger bin would need. I have a video of creating something similar with an 18 gallon bin for a friend.
In reality I feel this bin is a starter bin to get an idea of the process and see if someone will maintain it. If they can keep up with a bin this size then a larger bin with holes or a flow through bin would be the next step.
crap I've been crushing and snorting egg shells for months now I hear it's bad for you what the...
Your supposed to snort the egg not the shell idiot.
What kind of eggs? Leg horn or Rhode Island?! This is life or death!
@@kamarilaitinen8011 American prairie chicken eggs are the best for snorting. 100% American gold.
I knew a guy that started snorting sweet and low. His sinuses became so inflamed and infected he ended up in the e.r. later we heard they committed him to a mental institute. Unfortunately this is true! Sad!
@@jimmccarley3191 mmm. Cancer....
Can I also do this kind of bin with African Night Crawlers?
And as you said, if the worms were shipped by mail, you need to prepare the bin a week ahead of its arrival. Do you prepare the bin with the frozen food in it and let it sit there for a week before placing the worms?
And what can I substitute for Burlap? I find the layering a wonderful idea but I wanna do it without incurring much costs by buying stuff.
This should work for African Night crawlers. I would set the bin up a few days beforehand and put in just a bit of ground up food so it has a chance to build a microbial population. You can add a sprinkling of dirt from your yard just to help get it moving. As far as the burlap just ignore that part as this video was made years ago and burlap was a good way to help cocoon production but really it just isn't necessary.
Hope that helps and good luck with your worms!
I have a compost tumbler that stands in direct sunlight, per instructions, and it works great for me. But every now and then I think about adding worms. Since the tumbler is black plastic it gets very warm, will worms survive in that atmosphere?
Worms aren't meant to be in a really hot environment like a tumbler which is a hot composting method. However you can add compost that comes out of the tumbler to a worm bin. The worms will love it and it will be even better for your garden and plants.
Do you have to worry that the worms will climb out through the holes?
While it can happen I find they stay in the bin where the moisture is. I might find one on the floor a couple times a year but they typically stay put.
Shouldn't you poke holes at the bottom to collect the worm juice that seeps through?
a properly managed worm bin will not have a buildup of worm juices and there wouldn't be a need to have a hole or collection spout as some worm bins have. He doesn't water down his worm bin leaving plenty of material to absorb any liquids.
Nice video you answered my question, can you feed them anything with mold.. nice bin.. thank you
Thanks!
Mold should pose no issues. In fact some of my bins the mold starts to grow and the worms will take care of it.
This is very interesting. You say you can use cardboard.....does that include coordinated cardboard as it has a glue to hold the layers together.
Yes I primarily use corrugated cardboard as the glue is organic as well. I get this from Costco and Sam's club in large sheets with no labels or corners. I run it through the shredder and just put it in the bin.
I would never add anything not at room temperature. Worms are sentient creatures, who do so much for our gardens ,and waste streams and should be treated with the utmost respect.
You forgot to take your med's didn't you?
I hear what you're saying, but I know all sorts of vermiculturists that only add frozen veggies and have great results. I'm sure frozen food thaws out quickly. Meanwhile the worms are free to wait elsewhere in the bin until the food warms up.
🪱RESPECT THE WORMS‼️ Worms have feelings. Worms are people too.. Seriously though worms are cool.🪱
You're complaining bitterly that it all get stoo wet. Make a few holes in the bottom of the bottom bin, raise it all up on bricks and collect the leachate (worm wee) that comes out. This is an incredible fertiliser for all plants. Dilute it.
Cool that the newspaper doesn’t need wetting down.
I’ll put a small valve on the bottom though.
I’ve tried this before but ended up with worms all over the garage floor.
Where do you keep them and what temperature do you advise?
Excellent video, from Mexico
Is there any substitute for burlap?
I made this video a few years back and really I think the burlap while helpful for producing cocoons it is not necessary and a bin will do just fine without it.
What I know about worms could be written on the sharp end of a pin, but I wondered if the bulk of the surface was covered and a small margin around the edges left uncovered would the natural light keep worms absconding?
It can work that way but I found if you don't have a lid to keep in the moisture in the bin can dry out pretty quickly.
this's sponsored by Utz vending service pack, hahaha
Haha! We go through a lot chips in this house!
Is there anyway to do this in colder temperatures?
How cold are you talking about? I have a video on a large outdoor bin that runs year round and has been down as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Here is the playlist for that homemade large bin.
ua-cam.com/video/ACsmolHvr6k/v-deo.html
Do the worms eat the burlap? How long does it take for the worms to eat the burlap completely? How long does it take for the burlap to break down?
Yes the worms do eat all the burlap. As far as how long it takes this will depend on how many worms you have and how much burlap. It will take longer than other bedding materials such as cardboard or coco coir.
Thx for your reply. It’s very helpful.
wet the eggshells before crushing or at least before spreading
I grind them up in a small blender so they need to be dry for that. Probably a good idea to put them down on bedding that is wet and maybe spray it down afterwards.
We don't grind ours at all and the worms do fine with them.
How do you harvest the compost from a single worm box if it's not stacked with another? I'm looking so do something like this but inside a raised bed.
You have a couple options. One would be the light method where you dump the entire contents on a tarp and put a light on top (or sunlight). The worms will dig down away from the light allowing you to scrape off the layers. This can take a while but works.
Second way is to do a side harvest inside the system where you move all the composted material to one side and load the other up with fresh food and bedding and give the worms time to move into that section and harvest the finished castings.
Third is a sorting machine that shakes/spins the worms loose from the castings these are more for commercial or those with a lot of worm bins they want to sort.
@@WorldComposting Seconds method seems best. Cheers! I'm starting with only 100g of worms (about 70 of them) just hoping that the multiply relatively quick
what about 'worm tea' that I have heard and read about? don't you need a mechanism to let that collect in a 2nd bin?
Worm tea is different than the leachate that comes out of the bottom of the bin. Worm tea is worm castings that are soaked in water typically with molasses and an aerator to encourage microbial growth. The leachate that comes out of the bottom of the bin needs to be watered down before using on plants. In an ideal bin you would not have any excess liquid and in this bin design I highly recommend adding in a lot of bedding to ensure you don't have liquid you need to collect.
I hope this answered your question and if you have any others please feel free to ask!
World Composting That could be the best reply I’ve seen ,know ya stuff mate.
I’m new to vermicomposting, and I wonder if there would be any liquid when the worms process the scraps?
With this system being not as deep you should add more bedding if you have liquid buildup. In a system with more depth drainage can be important.
Hi Lowell, is newly mixed worm bedding (pre-worm stocking) that has gone sour still usable? I made a larger batch in a garbage can in hopes to let it mature and while the top smells good and I have removed it to use with my worms, the bottom half is hot, wet and stinky. Will it mellow out with proper aeration? THANK YOU for your attention.
Hi Jeff, premixing is a great idea for the worms and does allow the material to build up the necessary microbial activity. For the bottom part that is hot the temperature means it is starting to hot compost. If you mix it up it might actually get hotter due to the infusion of oxygen that hot composting needs.
If it was me I would probably add a bit of carbon (paper, coco coir) mix it up and see if it settles down. Do not add the compost if it is hot composting as that could kill your worms.
If you have more questions please ask away!
You added coffee and egg shells - question: is coffee grit? Some say yes, some say no. Your thoughts?
I view grit as something that doesn't breakdown in a worm bin. This means that coffee would not be grit in my mind. If I throw in some sand or egg shells they are typically still there when I harvest but coffee grounds are slowly consumed so this means they are probably too soft to be grit.
A good example of what coffee grounds are also is shown when you add too many they will heat up and start hot composting. Sand or egg shells won't do this I can add a ton and never heat up as they do not have nitrogen.
@@WorldComposting thanks. I had similar thoughts, but I hear others consider to be grit and I always thought it sounded wrong. I'll go with your definition.
Thanks
Question, what do you do to get the compost separated from the worms when you want to put it in your garden?
You have a few choices.
First is easiest you move all the material to one side then add fresh bedding and food to the other side. The worms migrate over and you take out the castings on the old side.
Second way is light method. You dump the castings on a sheet or large tray outside in the sun or under a strong light. The worms dig down away from the light and you keep scraping off the top layer until you have a pile of worms at the end to add to a new bin.
Third a shaker box. Can be built with some wood and 1/4" or smaller hardware cloth. shake with castings and the worms should still be on the screen.
Those are the cheapest ways to sort. They also have thousand dollar machines but I think that might be overkill for home composting.
@@WorldComposting thanks
Just a thought, couldn’t you make lower draining holes?
Those aren't drain holes they are air holes to allow air in. Drain holes would be on the bottom but I don't think they are necessary.
how do you kept holes under this box for exceses water
With a bin this high you don't need holes in the bottom. If you have that much moisture leave the lid off a bit to let it dry out and mix up the bedding. If you want to move from a 10 gallon tote to a 20 gallon then you will need holes to make sure the bottom gets enough air.
Soooo I have current worm bins that look like that and they’re working great!!! BUT it doesn’t look pretty and now I’m banned lol. Any suggestions of a purchased raised garden bed to house them in?
Banned?? As far as keeping worms outside there are some who will dig trenches and then slowly fill with food to have the worms work their way across the trench. I've never tried this method as I don't have the yard to be able to do it. Other option is you can bury a bucket with multiple holes in the yard and add food, bedding, and worms to it. As long as it stays cool enough the worms will feast.
@@WorldComposting yes because it doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing 🤷🏻♀️
@@laurenorosco4749 Okay I wasn't sure if you meant banned from a building. My wife wasn't happy about the worms either but they are in the basement so she didn't know for the first couple years that I was even composting or recording myself and posting videos. There are others who have built nice looking wood boxes to contain their worms in the house. But outside composting does work. I built a large outdoor bin for my parents house that would go all year round from temps of -6 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit!
so you dont need any coconut coir?
Just seeing your video, even though it is 4 yrs old. Hope you are well during these difficult times. I live in Ireland which can be damp and very rainy. What worms would you recommend? If I buy one batch, would that be enough to keep me going. I think u said in your video that the decomposing takes just a few weeks.
A lot of people come across this video and thank you for asking how I doing. Luckily my family and I are both doing fine and I hope you are doing the same!
As far as worms the first thing to do is check and make sure you aren't breaking any local laws for certain worms. As an example Blue Worms are banned in some of the southern states here in the US.
As far as recommendations I always recommend the standard red worm as they are great at composting, easy to raise, and can easily survive a variety of conditions. Second choice would be the European Nightcrawlers and they might do a bit better in the cooler environment than reds. But they are bigger and need a bit more room and can be prone to wandering.
If you buy one batch they will multiply. I started with only a couple thousand and probably have 10-20 thousand worms now never mind how many I have given away locally. The time it takes for food to breakdown depends on the food, how small the pieces are (ground up gets consumed faster) and how many worms you have. So really it all depends.
I hope this helps and if you have any other questions please let me know!
Thanks for your prompt reply.
All well with me too here in Ireland. But I'm really glad to be living in the countryside right now. It's not any safer, but at least we have a garden and space around us.
Peace to you.
Did you feed the second bin with the same substrate you put in the first one? Because the cast doesnt look like from paper and card board 🤔
This video was from a a few years ago but at that time I only added paper/cardboard to my bins and was for a while shredding cardboard by hand. I was adding a lot of coffee grounds which can help keep the castings nice and dark.
@@WorldComposting I heard too much coffee grounds makes the soil acidic and burns the worms delicate skin.
@@elizabethallstaedt722 While I can't confirm if used coffee grounds burn them due to acidity you do have to worry about them going into hot composting mode. This video is from a few years ago and I recommend that you add crushed egg shells into your bin to balance the pH no matter what type of food you add.
Check out some of my other playlists or videos on adding lemons or running a bin on only paper, coffee grounds, and egg shells.
Hi, in another comment someone noted that you didn't put much food waste in, and you replied you don't want to put too much in, or it will cause bugs. Is that a bad thing though? Won't other bugs (centipedes, small flies etc) eat and break down the food waste similarly? Or no? Thanks.
Well if the bin was outside it wouldn't be a big deal but since it is in my basement I would rather not have it filled with bugs.
@@WorldComposting Ohh, that makes sense lol. Thank you for the answer!
I've read that freezing the veggies helps break down the cell walls and make it easier for worms to eat.
You are correct, some people microwave or blend up the food and both of those work as well.
If you freeze food it slowly crams water into the food cells. So when it comes out of the freezer, and thaws out, it's limp or mush. I raise worms and freeze all their food, then puree it, and freeze again. From my experience. Yes, it is more work, but they are worth it. I love my worms Except, the flat worms I occasionally find. They go to heaven in our garbage disposal.
Do they reproduce them selfs in side te box??
Yes and they will reproduce to match the size of the environment so you don't have to worry about overcrowding.
What do you suggest besides burlap. And when it’s full is it all just turned to letache ? And you use all of the bucket and water it down and add to plants?
Hi this video was made a while ago and while I still use burlap I do find that using old cotton shirts can work just as well. If you watch some of my updated videos you can see another bin that I made that is more of a traditional bin. Link to that video ua-cam.com/video/ujn2zx3c5V8/v-deo.html
As far as leachate this is not something you necessarily want it typically means your bin has too much moisture. When the worms are done you should have castings that look and smell like good soil. If you do get some leachate you can water it down and add it to plants but that is not the goal of a vermicomposting.
If you have any other questions please let me know!
Question (s), do the castings smell bad?
How do you separate the castings from the worms and paper etc?
What temp can the worms survive in? Can they survive the winter in a 60 degree basement?
If done properly the castings smell like a forest (at least to me) and this smells good. I will admit if the bin goes bad it smells horrible and I have had this happen. One of the things I like about these small bins is that it is contained until you open it normally.
Separating the castings is one of the hardest part of this process. You have a few ways you can do this and if you watch this series to completion I use the light method to sort where you dump it on a large tarp or container and use the light to get the worms to dig down. Another way is migration where you push all the composted material to one side and add fresh in the other side with some food. The worms migrate over and you harvest the finished compost. The last way is building a screen to separate the worms from the castings. I have been trying to build something to do this for a while and so far have not been successful. The cardboard is consumed by the worms along with the food so at the end there is no paper, food, or burlap left just castings and worms.
I keep them in my basement all winter long with temps dropping down into the mid 60s without any issues at all. I also have a large insulated bin at my parents house and as long as you keep adding lots of food it will heat up and keep the worms alive. I have videos on this bin as well if you check out my channel.
I know that was a lot I just threw at you but overall the process can be as simple or as difficult as you make it. When I had two bins and just switched back and forth it was easy. Now that I have around 8-10 bins it gets hard to manage it all.
If you have any other questions let me know!
@@WorldComposting awesome thank you for the response!!! I will be ordering my little buddies this week.... have a large veggie garden to fertilize this spring..... i used to make my own fertilizer and my yields were decent but I want to try the castings to see if there is difference ... everyone says there will be a huge difference... we shall see...
Thanks again!
I have plenty of access to shredded paper. Is there any problem with using shredded paper/ card board with printer ink?
Shredded paper works just fine. I do find it can compress a bit more than cardboard but it will be consumed by the worms!
Thank you very much for the quick response. I am mostly wondering about the printer inks on news print or card board, etc. Thanks again.
Newsprint is supposed to be not toxic. Same for cardboard.
Thanks. that's good, as I have plenty of both
I typically use cardboard (they love laying their cocoons in it), shredded newspaper, and shredded leaves for my bedding.
Can we use old tshirts instead of burlap??
Sure old t shirts can work but some has synthetic fibers in the collars so you might want to cut that off.
If fabric (any kind) is 100% cotton, no problem.
@@justsayin5609 I would only use white ones. No dye.
You must have a lot on your hands! Like the burlap *oyster sacks, chicken going to granny's sacks, gunnie sacks, need I go on? Thanks for the video
How long does it take for worms to decompose everything?
Depends on how much you add and how many worms. Also grinding up food will help the worms consume it quicker.
How long does it take for that to compost? And newspaper......I don't get the paper anymore, but am wondering......about the advertising newspaper I receive, it has a lot of color ads, does that hurt?
If the paper is glossy/shiny I wouldn't recommend it but if it is similar to the normal paper it should be fine. If you are talking about the target or Walgreen ads these probably would take a long time to breakdown
. I don't get the paper anymore either but do use some office paper when I need to get rid of a financial document.
@@WorldComposting Thank you for taking the time to answer. And of course the video.
@@WorldComposting I am the kink of cardboard box hoarding....HA !!!! I've got enough, just need to make sure to remove staples and TAPE. I've bought the Royal 1600MX from E-bay
@@kentrockwoodtyler8798 How did your cardboard shredder work? Still chugging away?
What is the purpose for the bottom layer of burlap blocking the bedding below it? Most people putt the bedding in, and then food scraps then a layer of bedding followed by just a top layer of a burlap sack to keep unwanted bugs out and to keep it moist. I just wonder what purpose the bottom layer of bedding is doing if you are blocking it with a burlap sack?. The burlap sack in my opinion like the others are doing is directly on top, no need for a middle layer sack that seems to serve no purpose since red wrigglers travel upwards for food and only retreat down when hit with light.
I made this video a while ago and I added burlap to the top and in the middle/bottom so I could lift a layer of material up for adding food. This would make it so the food would be buried in the material and allow the worms to work on it from all sides.
After working with worms for many years I don't use burlap anymore and tend to just use the bedding material.
@@WorldComposting Thanks for replying. Have a good'n
Do your worms escape?
Typically they don't leave the bin because they will die from dehydration on the basement floor. I maybe find between 0-5 on the floor during the course of a year.
I live in a apartment ,if i do it like that in the winter flies are all over , but if i put all waist veg on a blender with some water & everything in dirt with worm ( no flies) it look the material is to small to lay they egg (underground ) with dirt ,their is a pale with dirt (another ) pale with many many big holes 1/4 to 1/2in the bottom,in 2 week you look hard for the veg all gone , the pale in the boton will super good in one month ready to used , try it , they said to feed once a week ,i feed every 2 weeks make sure they eat everything. chop everything first ,so small so the fly can't lay it eggs on it ,then put in blender
Grinding up food can make a huge difference as to how quickly the food can be consumed which is why I recommend it. It is not necessary to grind up food but I also agree it helps control bugs a bit better with smaller pieces!
What about going out to your front yard getting the earth worms at night and using those? Or do I need to use red Wiggler's
There are a few different types of worms. The ones you find in your yard are typically earthworms which build burrows in the soil and till the earth. The worms I'm using are red wigglers which live underneath the leaf litter above the soil.
I'm not saying you can't find these worms outside but you might be grabbing a variety that won't eat or reproduce in a bin.
I think some bait shops sell composting worms so you could check there.
how do the worms burrow down thru the burlap?
Burlap has holes they can squeeze through.
They also move around quite a lot if they feel like it, they can find the edges and go along the side of the bins up and down as they please.
My kind of method...
does cardboard have adhesive in it? If so it good to use on compost for vegi gardens?
Cardboard has adhesive in it to hold it together and these adhesives are supposed to be animal based and breakdown typically faster than the cardboard itself. It is perfectly safe for use in veggie and fruit gardens!
Sooo how are they getting thru the burlap again?
Worms can squeeze through some tiny holes. While this is still a great system I will admit the burlap is really there to help worms lay cocoons but isn't necessarily needed.
@@WorldComposting oooh.. so how does it help them do that? Do they lay if actually where the cocoon is laying on top or the burlap or under it to where the cocoon is touching the bottom?
From what I've read they can rub against the rough surface of the burlap.
You said you'd had problems with excess moisture. Maybe drill some drainage holes, and put it in a second container with something to keep it propped up (a brick, some unwanted plastic etc)
Maybe a silly question but what do you do with it, the end product, whats it for
It's basically a super-rich fertilizer that's great for gardening. If you're a gardener, you can add it on top of your garden soil every now and then and it really helps the plants.
Where do you get the burlap?
I purchased the burlap at Joann Fabrics. But I will be honest I made this video a few years ago and the burlap is not necessary. I have multiple bins without any fabric material and only the cardboard as bedding and they work really well. I also have some that have old cotton towels and shirts and they will also breakdown in a worm bin and can be used as a cover.
no holes in the bottom?
Not necessary if you have enough bedding. It is easier to have the holes but you really shouldn't have liquid coming out of a bin as that means it is too wet.
Hi, I like your idea and I start my own compose bin. Now everything seem good(At least worm still crawling around after a month).
However my worm keep crawl out and hide under the bin, some cases the worm died because too dried. I have to put the worm back to bin and make sure the bin bottom is wet enough, almost everyday. Is any reason the worm keep try escape from the bin? And how to prevent?
For your information, I added some soil in bin and never come out about for a week. I added some more soil, then its start again. I also added powdered egg shell as well.
Sorry for poor English :D
Can you confirm that you are using red worms (Eisenia foetida)? I ask because I know some other types have more of a tendency to wander. This is especially true of blue worms (Perionyx excavatus). If you really need help keeping them in you can use light. But my bins are in a dark basement and I hardly ever have any leave the bin.
@@WorldComposting Hi, thanks for reply. Confirm that is "African Night Crawler worms".
I keep my bin at laundry room, next to washing machine(Only space I can use because is high rise building). Let me try few days with light turn on and see will help or not.
Could climate is 1 of the reason? FYI, is Malaysia
@@Jackth3Jocker I haven't used African Night Crawlers but I have heard they move quickly and have a big appetite!
Hmm if it is in your laundry room I wonder if the vibration is causing them to also run. A light should work to keep them in place.
@@WorldComposting Thanks for the tips! I will try turn on the light and observe few days.
For vibration... I think I have no choice, unless I move to balcony, but I believe is not a good place because is shinny and hot.
Aren't the worms escaping through those holes?
As worms need moisture to live I have found maybe a couple each year but typically they will stay in the bin with the food and moisture they need.
Thanks for the reply!
Do you store this bin indoors or outdoors
This bin stays indoors due to temperature swings where I live. I have a video of a larger bin that is kept outdoors.
@@WorldComposting does keeping it indoors draw bugs to it?
I have alot of room in my basement where I could store a couple of these bins but I don't want to cause bugs
I keep multiple bins inside they can have fruit fly issues from time to time so you need to make sure you bury the food. No other but issues. If you are really worried there are two bag systems you can look into they are sealed better so no big issues unless you put them in there. I have videos on those as well.
Hello.How about winter?Worms live in these box also in winter cold?
This box stays in my basement and doesn't go outside. You could do this outside if you insulated the box to keep it warm. I have a large bin I built for my parents that does sit outside and has even had worms still working in -6 degree during the winter and 106 in the summer (Fahrenheit).
Where do you store them? Inside /outside in the shade, where?
My bins are stored in my basement. I do have a large outdoor bin at my parents house that is outside under a deck. It sees temps from 0 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I have videos showing the bin with insulation.
Thank you for your response.
My pleasure! If you have any other questions please let me know
Great video but everything hangs on adding the worms at the end. If i don't have worms from compost like you add at the end, how can I start the whole process?
As these are composting worms I purchased mine from a local company. These are different then the earthworms you find in the ground as they live in the top layer of decaying matter. I'm not sure where you live but you in the US and many other areas you can order them online.
The worms you can use are Red Worms (what I'm using), European Nightcrawlers, African Nightcrawlers, or Blue Worms. These are the non scientific names but you can look those up to verify you are purchasing the correct worms.
Also you don't need a lot just a few and time to get them to multiply!
@@WorldComposting What do you mean by ordering? Sorry about the question, but how are they sent?
Always feel free to ask questions. in the United States we have multiple online companies such as texaswormfarm.com but most will only ship within their own boarders.
If you can't find a company that will ship you can try to harvest local worms from manure piles or put down some wet cardboard directly on the ground and see what worms come up to eat it from underneath.
I wish you luck!
Can I substitute sawdust for wood chips?
In short yes I have a bin set up using the hardwood pellets you can find at the hardware store for pellet stoves. The bin has done really well with these pellets that are basically compressed sawdust. One key thing is to make sure the sawdust doesn't have any machine oils on it that would probably kill the worms.
Can i add rabbit poop that is dry to my bin.
Yes and I have heard multiple people that do this. You still might want to check moisture levels every so often but from everything I have heard worms love rabbit poop!
So u don't need holes in the lid or is that just because he doesn't use leaves & grass.
You don't need holes in the lid. Adding holes does increase airflow but if you do that you can stack anything on top.
What is the effect of excess moisture/water in the bin ? How to maintain the moisture levels. ?
The worms will try to escape if they are drowning. I would recommend drilling holes in the bottom of your bin and adding water periodically when you either notice worms escaping or if you simply notice it is looking dry. By drilling holes in the bottom of the bin, the excess will simply drain out.
I don't drill holes in the bottom because then you need a second bin to catch what drains off. I also don't drill holes in the lid so I can stack them. The holes in the sides work really well as long as you keep adding cardboard.
Add paper to the bins. The paper will soak up moisture and help. Or empty half the bin and add dry material to even it out. It's not suppose to be overly moist. As moist as a wet rag that won't drip water after wringing it out is what you want your bin to be
Anaerobic lack of oxygen, smells bad, must clean out and start new. Put worms in a strainer, rinse them off. Put in new bin. I have no holes in my indoor bins, had 54 in one room and temp went over 101degrees. It takes a little practice to get moisture correct. Don't overfeed. Justwormz.com for more info about how I raise worms.
+Patricia Russell 54 bins in one room at 101degrees... so they all died?
im so confused.. where is the room for the kitchen scraps like peels and stuff?
When you add kitchen scraps and peels they will be consumed by the worms and in the process they lose a lot of mass so they take up less space. If you watch more of the videos you will see that while it takes a bit for the worms to get started they can consume a lot of kitchen scraps on a weekly basis. A larger family would need more bins or a larger system to handle a larger amount of food waste.
Hi, Lots of worm bins seem to have holes on the bottom, to collect the leachate (drippings) which is supposed to be great for the garden. Perhaps that's why other systems use more moisture. any thoughts?
Well the leachate is okay but not as good as the castings or compost tea. Having water in the bottom of the bin can cause anerobic conditions which are bad for worms and can smell. This is the reason why other systems have holes in the bottom. I don't put holes in the bottom in smaller bins because it is easy to turn and monitor the motor content. You of course can if you want to purchase a second tote to go underneath.
Thanks. I thought the leachate was very desirable, but compost tea can be made by soaking castings in water. I haven't tried either way yet.
Leachate might just be excess water from the vegetables running down through the bedding. Not the same as making a fertilizing tea from Finished Compost.
Why do you grow worms?
Great question and the main reason is to reduce the waste I'm sending to the landfill via my trashcan. Of course I also had a lot of food waste ground up in my garbage disposal and I didn't realize that it was filtered out and actually cost more to dispose that way.
I also don't really have a good location for a compost pile outside since I have an HOA and I'm on a corner lot.
Worms allow me to reduce my food scraps inside my house and get nutrient rich castings for my plants and lawn.
Hope that answers your question!
if the conditions are not good inside the worms will try to escape through the holes on the top. how do you prevent that
I check my bins and if I see worms all over the walls I try to change the condition of the bin. Typically I would check moisture and also add some crushed egg shell to balance the pH. I would also make sure the bin has enough bedding and food.
@@WorldComposting thank you dule davis, it took lot of time for finding the worms. then i found some italian worms from one of the villlage farmer enthusiast. we kept them in a small basket covered with jute besides food and bedding. on the first day night, we saw about 10 worms escape through the holes on top of the basket after passing through several layers of the jute fabric. most had a gruesome death. we are placing the small covered perforated basket under the staircase of our apartment terrace. i suspect there is also no head room as the basket is full with bedding, old compost, dirt and food - from inda
A small light left on near the bin may help keep them from escaping the container, as they prefer to stay in the dark.
Can you tell me where you recommend purchasing worms from?
I purchased some from Texas Worm Farm and found them in good health when I received them.
Thanks! Don’t buy burlap..ask your local coffee roaster to save burlap bags for you! Free!
While I agree the coffee shops near me sell the bags at $1-2 each.😐
Check that! My coffee roaster said that would add a chemical shitstorm to your worm bin as coffee bags are commonly sprayed with pesticides/insecticides. Clean burlap for potatoe bags are pretty cheap.
Most newspapers will be glad to give you their old newspapers. At one time our newspaper sold their old papers but it got to where no one would buy them. Said used newpaper was not worth the cost of hauling. Anyway now anyone can go by and they almost always have old papers you can get for free.
@@jimmccarley3191 Not a bad idea! Right now I get most of my cardboard from Sam's Club and Costco as they have large sheets without any ink or tape on it that I just cut to fit in the shredder. It is the sheets that come between stacks of water bottles. Right now I have so many of these sheets I need to wait before I get anymore.
what is the white color dusty thing you put into it? eggshell dust??
Yes that is ground up egg shell. It helps balance the pH.
fishermans dream lol
I have used them for fishing but the red wigglers are a bit small. I have another set of videos on European Nightcrawlers which are much larger and better for fishing.
@@WorldComposting you mean earthworms nightcrawlers I believe is a Australian term we just call them either earthworms or lob worms grow up to 7 8 inches we use them all over here from tiny brandlings to big old lob worms
European Nightcrawlers (Eisenia hortensis) are more similar to red wigglers (Eisenia fetida) different than earthworms which live deep in the soil and create burrows. If you want larger worms they have African Nightcrawlers as well that are good for composting they are known to be prolific at breeding and growing.
Can I use computer paper mixed in with the bedding I am starting one I have bins and I just ordered worms should be here any day now I have Coco and chopped up cardboard so far plan on using corn meal and for now for meals till I can save up scraps
I use computer paper frequently in my bins. I typically use cardboard as it resists compressing a bit more than paper. Be light on the cornmeal as they adjust to the new bin
What breed of worm did you order? Reds?
@@WorldComposting reds not sure how fast exactly they multiple but I hear very fast also I breed dubia roaches for my bearded dragon can I put the frass in with the worms or is that a no no figured I'd ask
I would think adding a little grass would be okay but too much can heat up. Reds do multiply pretty quickly but start slow most overfeed during the first few months.
@@WorldComposting can I grind up rabbit food and give it to them as well
I would think so depending on the ingredients.
Hi
Am starting up on vemicomposting, collecting kitchen waste from hotels.... Any prons and corns you will advise to take to note?
That will be a lot of kitchen waste to compost I would think. I would first find out how much you will be composting to see how large the system will need to be. Make sure you don’t overload your bins with food or they might heat up killing the worms.
If you have an office shredder, cut or tear the toilet paper and towel rolls, and shred them. They really get eaten up fast!!
Thank you for watching my video. If you watch some of my latest videos you will see that I do use a shredder now for the cardboard and paper I do add to my bins.
Can you do the same with encapsulated earthworm eggs?
If you are thinking of using earthworms from your yard they typically prefer living in soil than in the leaf litter as red wigglers do. Saying that you can put some cardboard outside on the ground and get it wet and the worms that show up underneath. Those worms that show up could be the right kind that live in leaf litter.
Granted this will all depend on where you live.
Is your name nicholas cage
Because you sound like nicholas cage
First time someone has said that to me. I've heard I look like Noah Wyle. Thanks for the compliment
do you store it outdoors?
These bins are stored in my basement. I do have a video series on a larger bin that is stored outside and has insulation. The large bin has endured summers over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and winters down to -5 degrees Fahrenheit. It also froze solid once and recovered as soon as it thawed showing how amazing worms really are at surviving (or at least the cocoons are)!
What happens when my red wigglers go into the garden? When they dry out and die, threat to local population?
Cardboard is a pain, I use shredded leaves.
My house was built on what was a good course so almost no trees and most are pine that they planted. Also doing this indoors I don't want to bring in any bugs.
interesting vid thanks
My worms are dying after I used frabille supergro bedding but people said it’s good product maybe I don’t do it right 😓
How do you know they are dying? It might not be the bedding material but the moisture levels.
World Composting they don’t move that much I just checked them now I moved them all in my african night crawlers bin hopefully they will get along 😬thanks
This isn't nearly as simple as others I have seen. Burlap layers, cutting up cardboard, blending up food, etc. Not sure I would want to have to purchase burlap at the store (even if it's cheap) or burn out my blender for worms. I'm sure this method is awesome, but I wouldn't call it simple.
Adjust it to your needs I would say. The blending helps the worms to digest it quicker but I have added whole zucchini, carrots and even corn cobs to my bins. I have also seen people lay large pieces of cardboard on their soil in the bins. Another guy showed me he uses newspaper to cover his bins instead of burlap.
Using newspaper, don't use the coloured pages in your fireplace or worm bin, the colours actually produce a harmful poison.
What evidence do you have of that? Most printers use soy-based ink, in my understanding.
How about charcoal ash?
I think you can add that but I wouldn't add a lot as ash is dry and can turn hard when it gets wet then dries out. I don't have ash that I could test this with as I do not have a fireplace or a charcoal grill.
Doing this you would also need to be careful to make sure the ash does not have any chemicals in it.