Revolutionize Your Composting with Worm Bins - Here's How!
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- Опубліковано 6 січ 2024
- / @plantobsessed
In this video I show the The items i have tested and are ok to feed compost worm bin systems
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See description below-I purchased 500 Cocoons in 2019 from ETCWL and was given 1 pound of adult ENC from NE worms The bins were started in July 2021 I am an Amazon affiliate. The items below are the Amazon affiliate links for the items I use in my wormery. The cost is the same to you.
MICROSCOPE
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Tetra 16172 Aqua Safe Fish Tank Water Conditioner
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Water Nozzle caps
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i have four outdoor, sheltered, half barrel bins with screened drains. To avoid the risk of food scraps starting a hot process in the bin when it's already over 100 degrees outside in the summer i started pre-composting my food scraps with bulk compost materials out in the yard. Six weeks later, once it's cooled a bit, i can bring some of it in to the worms (the rest goes to the garden) this doubles as bedding and food. I harvest about two gallons castings every two weeks from each bin using the wedge system. Six weeks outside then ten weeks in wedge system makes for some nice plant food.
That is awesome. I need more room to precompost. 👍🏼🪱😃
@@PlantObsessed I use a #95 tree container (giant plant pot) for getting everything started. Then 'turn' it into a #45 container to make sure its breaking down (water and air) and then sift it into the wheelbarrow when it's ready. Doesn't take much space and looks better than piles and such.
@@rdraffkorn3184 I'm also doing the same 👍
Hi Ann, did you see the last piece of research I reviewed that showed Eisenia worms were most abundant when offered bedding with a pH of 5-5.9? The researchers cautioned that when pH drops to 4.5, if worms cannot leave, it would be lethal. So, it seems worms like acidic conditions (probably because that's where the bacteria are!), but they dance on the head of a pin with regard to how low they can tolerate. As you said, it's always good to give them escape options until the material is suitable.
~ Sandra
That is the pH-range most soils have. So that makes sense.
Once a month Ann!!
Super hots, onions and 3 generation tomatoes 😂😂
Totally agree, they've gone through worse in the last million years or so lol !!
Have a great week!!
Cheers J&C 🌱👍🤞👍👍👍
3 generation tomato? 😃🪱👍🏼
I was totally thinking this is like a CFT on its side and then you said that!!! Very eerie!! I could not agree more with what you said about all the worry of what goes into the worm bin from cereal boxes to acidic foods!! Excellent video for all worm farmers!!🪱🪱🪱
I swear, the fear-mongering is worse than the pandemic these days. They have everybody terrified of everything. Funny how worm people brains work the same. 👍🏼🪱😃
You asked and I will tell how often.
In my vermicomposting bins I do a complete change out once a year, harvest castings, weigh worms and reset with fresh/new bedding.
With vermiculture: breeder and growing to desired size bins, they are done every 14-21 days depending on species. Nursery bins are done every 10 weeks, grow out bins are also done every 10 weeks. Bed-run bins are done every 8 - 16 weeks depending on the time of year, 8 -10 weeks spring through fall and 12 to 16 weeks during the winter months.
Peppers have vitamins and minerals in them, so do tomatoes and both are fine for vermicomposting. The only problem with them is seeds from both fall through the 1/8" screen. So, even if 90% sprout in the worm bin and only 5% of the 10% sprout in the garden that is still a lot of volunteers. It's not really a problem in the vermicomposters garden as they can become plants in the garden or chopped and dropped feeding nutrients back into the topsoil.
Tomatoes and peppers are only a problem when the vermicompost is going into someone else's garden.
Could you imagine purchasing worm castings from a store and having tomatoes pop up, that would give worm castings a bad name.
Enjoy worms and have a great Day!
Wow that is a nice business model for sure. I agree 100% if I was selling my worms or castings I would have to completely change everything. Thank you for sharing your process. 🪱👍🏼😁
Yes, my avocadoes and peppers sprout every time in the worm bin, in the garden, not so much.
I feed a ton of acidic foods and even fermented foods and have never really worried about it. Probably monthly, I sprinkle a little wood ash over the bins and wet it in with some molasses water. I don't ever check the pH and out of thousands of worms I've only had maybe 2 or 3 with "protein poisoning".
I never thought to look at the pH until people were freaking out about the citrus I was feeding. Less than 7 over 6 so I'll call that ok since Red wigglers have been proven to be fine to 5. 😃🪱👍🏼
To me the whole concern of adding microplastics to your garden because you use plastic pots, tools, whatever, is crazy.
It's an awful problem but there are microplastics in the rain that falls and the air we breathe so I don't worry about what I have no control over.
Almost all printing inks are soy-based now and nontoxic.
I feel it's far better to not worry about those things and just produce your own food rather than buying the treated GMO processed junk that the supermarkets sell.
ps. I'm thinking of starting a wedge-style worm bin in an old bathtub. Would it be best to have the new section in the deeper part and the harvest end in the shallower part to help it dry out?
That is a good idea. You will have to let me know how that works.😃🪱👍🏼
Nice hefty feeding and a bunch of fresh bedding. Those Euros are gonna really enjoy that feast - yumm!!
I hope it lasts them for the next 3 weeks. Pre garden season has begun. 👍🏼🪱😁
Very good information! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for watching 😃🪱👍🏼
Purely input your field/study Ann. I was taking home scraps from discarded Veg bin to give worms, but a close gardening person up here said to me, BACK THEN, feeding About the GMO issue, or general vegetables to worms. Not a lah-tee-dah, Organic grocery store. It took me back, really when she said that, to the degree I still remember and comment on it today.
It is funny what we remember👍🏼😄🪱
Hey Ann! Great educational video, thanks for the upload! :)
I'm dumping quite a bit a citrus fruit peels (or even whole fruits) in my bins. Worms love it. All that matters is how much bedding (shredded paper) and ground egg shells you throw along with it and afterwards. Citrus is about 1/4 of all I throw in there and still no problem at all. Pot worms help a lot in the first stages of decomposition (they don't mind the acidic juices), but soon enough compost worms also join in. I usually get very interesting worm balls inside of these.
I'm leaving next week for 1 month, I'm gonna sow coriander (cilantro) before I leave, under plastic wrap, hope it will sprout and survive by the time I come back! 😅 I usually water my plants in the last days before leaving for such extended time and they do well so I guess it should work. ;)
Cheers!
Thomas
Yeah, as long as they have a place.to get away from things if the hot compost they will be fine. 👍🏼🪱😁
Greetings Ann, from Windermere, Florida zone 9b ❤
Whoa! That's one heck of a feeding. Mexican Worms 🪱 Ole'
You are going to have a jump-start on your sweet potatoes
❤Peggy❤
I have a short season here. I need all the help I can get. 🪱😁👍🏼
Great worm farming information. 🙂
Thank you 👍🏼🪱😁
I really appreciate your outlook on the fear factor. I frequently feel overwhelmed trying to keep all the rules straight. Then I come listen to you and I realize it will be ok! P.S. - I was thrilled to learn you're also a Kratky practitioner! I'm trying to figure out a way to use homegrown, organic nutrients (which would include worm castings tea). I know it will require aeration. But I'd love to eliminate buying the nutrients. Any insight?
I have not met anybody that is successfully done kratky or deep water culture using homemade nutrients. There is a guy called Mike vanduze with a channel. The people that comment have great ideas too. 👍🏼🪱😃
@@PlantObsessed I'm familiar with Mike's work. We've actually chatted about this. I think he was going to work on it behind the scenes because it's different from his main concept.
@@juanitanoble3190 I am currently setting up an aerated side by side hydroponic system. One tote will be conventional, the other will be "my way", pretty unconventional.
Plan on using worm tea and comfrey tea. Think I will use the same dilution I use as a foliar feed 1:10, perhaps not so strong with the comfrey due to its pleasant aroma.
Biggest issue is lugging 30 gallons of water up two flights of stairs, good exercise, lol.
Will be posting a video in about 6 weeks.
Stay Well!!!!
@@brianseybert192 I look forward to hearing how your trials go. Is there some way I can be sure I don't miss it?
Hi! Love your videos. Have you done a video on fungus knats before? They love my worm bin! Lol
ua-cam.com/video/m5c1JMNLRns/v-deo.html👍🏼🪱😃
Hi, I have a Gardyn system which I also use for herbs and salad greens. Currently fighting off aphids which came in from outdoor plants brought indoors, ugghh. Have not started seeds for summer garden yet due to not wanting to heat my greenhouse too soon. Love you
Having a greenhouse sounds really great until all the expenses that you have to keep it running when it's cold outside. I give all my over winter peppers a serious bath in dish soap before I bring them in. I imagine not all plants can take that harsh treatment. 👍🏼🪱😃
Had aphids in the grow room last year for the 1st time, I did everything wrong.
DO NOT USE DAWN ON BABY PLANTS.
I did end up buying some potassium based insecticidal soap, but by then, way too late, lost 1/3rd of my seedlings.
If the aphids return this year, lady bugs and lacewing larva, BAM!
Good luck with the aphids.
Stay Well!!!
I'm starting my onions indoors today. I want good sized starts when I transplant in early April. Usually start in February. Eastern Iowa 5b
I learned I needed to start onion earlier last year. I got golf ball sized onions. Live and learn 🪱👍🏼😃
When you determine a material is not digestible (like the white shreds at the beginning), how do you get all those bits separated from long term foods?
The parts that appear to be not usable by the system get picked out when I harvest. If it looks unchanged after a few months it is taken out. If you ever see me toss things off camera. I have a bowl I put all the stickers and tape in for the garbage.🪱😁👍🏼
Potato slip, no I'm not wearing one. double snare cymbal crash! Always, educational ANN and entertaining, for those interested or ex previously interested. Arnold Schwartz, I'll be back! 😀
Excellent 👌🪱😄
My worm bin is new. I feed weekly, haven’t harvested yet. Lots of cocoons, babies and teenagers. I am trying to grow stevia from seed. Still waiting for it to germinate. I think I might start some ajvarski peppers soon. Last frost date April 29 so it is early for me.
Only super hot peppers need to be started now. I'll wait for March for my sweet ones. Good luck😁🪱👍🏼
That is quite the worm bin! Do you ever keep tract of how many castings you harvest annually?
I am bit behind with my planting. Usually I start my onions and leeks on New Years day, hasn't happened yet, had to finish my CFT bin. One tip on starting sweet potato slips. Laying the sweet potato (1/2 buried sideways) in a bin of moist potting mix worked much better for me than putting the sweet potato in a jar of water. As the slips grow, I pick them and either put in moist potting soil or into water to develop roots first.
Being in WI, I like to get my onions and leeks into the ground as soon as I can work the soil. Usually, I have some beautiful onion starts ready to go in April when I get them started this early.
Putting together some hydroponics this week. One tote conventional, the other with comfrey and worm tea. Never did hydroponics before, looking forward to it.
I feed my bins depending what I put in them. A feeding of say pumpkin or a blended food in a week or so. Stuff unfrozen, or straight from the garden, two to 3 weeks. Experimenting with pulverized organic chicken crumble in my breeder bin and new CFT bin. Started using it 3 days ago, will probably take a glance tomorrow.
Have a great week!
Stay Well!!!
I get about 2,000 pounds a year. I have been using the same sweet potato method this year. I had no luck with the glass of water method. Onions and leeks are in the trays. 👍🏼🪱😁
@@PlantObsessed 2K from that one bin?
@@brianseybert192 no, from all of them, probably about 500# from blue. He cycles about every 4 months.
Just curious, do you know if the dryness of the castings reduces the microbial life and/or activity?
Yes if it dry out the microbes go dormant. When I store them I add water and a little worm chow to keep them happy until I need them.😁🪱👍🏼
I've learned from you that if they don't like it, they won't eat it and I can always remove it, if necessary. So far, it hasn't been necessary. Whether it's the worms or other micro critters eating it, it all seems to disappear.
I also have not had to remove anything. I just have to be patient. That is the hard part for me. Lol 👍🏼🪱😃
Hi Ann, i really enjoy your videos. Im really thinking of getting red wigglers in the spring. But im wondering if im able to freeze my extra vegetables and left over compostable food scraps til its time to feed the worms. Im worried that i wont build up enough scraps to feed as you have. I only plan to have a small vericompost. Thanks for any info.
Yes, freezing first is the best. If you don't have enough food you can always make cheap worm chow to tide them over. 3 way split of wheat flour, corn meal and ground oatmeal. I know it seems weird but sometimes you have friends or neighbors that will help out with food.👍🏼😁🪱
They can live a couple months without food scraps. They eat their bedding and re-eat it. Over feeding is a bigger problem because a mountain of moist garbage can turn a bin hot and toxic for worms. Of course, if that is only part of the bin that's fed, the worms will move to safety and come back and chow down when things cool down enough for them.
@@lauranonamaker2610 I just saw a world composting video that said he has a bin he had not fed in 6 months. Still alive. 🫣
I started a new worm bin and was wondering what size sifter are you using?
amzn.to/3K832P6 This is the link to my favorite size. It is currently on sale! :)
Do you have any suggestions as to how many worms to add per cubic foot of pre compost in a new bin? I just ordered 1/4# of red wrigglers to about 1 cubic foot (spread out in a 4” layer) and they look lonely in there! Thanks.
They will double the population in a few months. I would let them be.🪱👍🏼😃
What size screen should I use to catch cacoons ?
For ENC and RW I catch most in the 1/12 th inch. Blue worms are so small it is hard to get them unless we use the 1/20th.👍🏼😄🪱
Can you put peanut shells into your worm bin?They don’t compost very good in the outdoor compost bin.
I have put them in whole but they go faster if they go through a blender or spice grinder.🪱👍🏼😀
How often can the neem oil and soap be put on the plants?
For my inside peppers and bonsai I do it every other month. This keeps them happy until spring when they can go outside. 🪱👍🏼😃
You ruined his escape at 15:15 haha
Lol I noticed that on editing. I thought you almost made.it little guy.😁👍🏼🪱
Any updates on the colored paper / cardboard please??
Video update tomorrow 👍🏼🪱😃
@@PlantObsessed I'll be watching for it, Thank you!! 😁
Where did you get the screen dishes
Amazon as gold panning strainers
Amazon. I'm not sure if you are in the US but there is a link in the video description that will take you to the exact set. 👍🏼😁🪱
Thank you God bless
I feed weekly and harvest monthy
I used to do the same. I always say do what works for you. 😁🪱👍🏼
will worms eat unspent coffee grounds?
They might heat up but if used sparingly it should be ok. 😁👍🏼🪱
Absolutely, they love spent coffee grounds and spent tea leaves. If you use a lot of coffee grounds (1/3 of your mix) and are in a hot climate, you may need to add unchlorinated (not city tap) water to your bin to keep it moist for your worms. There is not enough acid left in the grounds to be a problem for them. The filters and tea bags are fine for the worms but take a long time to break down like avocado seeds. The grounds absorb water, and you don't want your bin to get too dry. A weekly check is enough. I don't need to add water to my bin in the winter. I live in Florida.
Just got tomatoes seeded today to go with fart lettuces and pulled my mint in
That is great. I have to wait another 2 months for tomatoes. Good luck🪱👍🏼🍅
@@PlantObsessed I have started tomatoes every 3 months for these 3 years to much to pay when you can do yourself lol ya the gf calls me cheep
I am having fun with tomatoes this year. They flowered and fruited, then, sunny Florida got its first chill in late October. Last 2 weeks, slowly they have turned red, one by one.@@PlantObsessed