Below are some of the items I use for vermicomposting & my channel's videos. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you if you use these links. Thank you for supporting this channel! Worm Bins I use: Vermihut 5-Tray Worm Compost Bin amzn.to/3Xs1eGe Urban Worm Bag V2 amzn.to/3XE9QsT 20 Gallon Fabric Grow Pots amzn.to/3EBYhdr 3 gallon Rubbermaid Roughneck tote amzn.to/3eKDLhO Other Worm Bins: Worm Factory 360 3-Tray Version amzn.to/3AHnjqK Worm Factory 360 5-Tray Version amzn.to/3tYfWY4 Bus bins amzn.to/3fd8AvP Equipment I use: 12 Sheet Cross Cut Micro Shredder (I use it to shred cardboard) amzn.to/3xYZKYu Magic Bullet Small Blender (to pulverize egg shells) amzn.to/3gwEzb4 Indoor Outdoor Wireless Thermometer for worm bin amzn.to/3wIdXbO Additional thermometer sensors 433 MHz amzn.to/41juD7v Please make sure Thermometer & sensor are the same MHz Additional thermometer sensors 915MHz amzn.to/3WTFgua Please make sure Thermometer & sensor are the same MHz Kitchen scale to weigh worms & food: amzn.to/3HnOQjg Blue gloves amzn.to/3XsBg5n Spray bottles to mist bedding amzn.to/3Fq23rN Digital handheld Thermometer amzn.to/3EWfC2j Compost Tea Bags amzn.to/3fCb5o1 Solar powered light amzn.to/3nOucAq Reusable Keurig Coffee K-cups amzn.to/3FNXvt6 Other useful equipment for worm farming: 5 stackable sifter with different sized mesh: amzn.to/3S2k184 Cameras & camera equipment I use: GoPro HERO11 amzn.to/3jkRpLa Flexible Tripod amzn.to/3CGTjcF Insta360 GO 2 camera amzn.to/3oxCc80 Insta360 One X2 camera amzn.to/3nqV6hp iPhone 13 Max Pro amzn.to/3nq52aU Canon EOS Rebel T8i amzn.to/3HcBuX6 4 Ocean bracelets I wear Multiple colors to chose from bracelets amzn.to/3HMbHEx Books on worms & worm farming Worms Eat My Garbage amzn.to/3L4FXN2 Where to buy worms: www.TheGardenAndWormLady.com
Thanks Nick!! Things are happening fast in this big bin!! I can't wait to put a whole Pumpkin in there soon!! I'm very happy with the baby bonanza going on in here!! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch!🪱🪱🪱
Every time I come in here I think there has to be lots of left overs...and there never is, so I keep pushing the boundaries for what I think a reasonable feeding is!! I intend to get in here quicker than 2 weeks so I should see some left overs coming up! This bin's volume is enormous compared to what I'm used to!! Thanks for dropping by to watch Rick!!🪱🪱🪱
I like that!! A worm all you can eat restaurant with booths!! Where they can get cozy & make more worms for me!! Thanks for stopping by Joe!! I love the analogy!!🪱🪱🪱
I'm so happy you stopped by to watch!! This is my biggest of 4 worm bins and they are super fun to run!! I love collect their castings for fertilizer for my garden and at the same time recycle nutrients from my food waste! Thanks so much for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
Hiya wormie friend!! 🪱🪱🪱🪱 uh oh mites!!! Well they seem to have taken care of all that food 👍 amazing to see a newborn wormie 🙌🏼 ohhhhhh YESSSSS!!! A wormie burrito 🌯 😅 they’re gonna love that!! Oh interesting about that guy who blends all his interesting worm foods, So I’m guessing they probably digest that a lot quicker because it’s so smooth and broken down? Ok well this is an EPIC feeding Patrick, that cardboard looked like waffles 🧇 hahaha have a great week guys 💓💐🪱🐝🌻🙏
Hellloooo Anita!! Yes, they did look like waffles for the worms!! I love a good worm food burrito!! Make them work for it or let them think they ate all the other stuff...then, what's this? A burrito for us!! Blended does break it down great for them, but I've become a lazy/human power efficient worm farmer!! Dirty Joe's Worms has to much fun blending!! I think he genuinely enjoys it!! Thanks so much for stopping by to watch!! It so sad to see the flower farm end the season, but we all love to see the upkeep in the off season with all your projects and prep for the next season!!🪱🪱🪱
This is where the urban bag gets to be fun. I feed mine every week when it amps up for summer. I just feed in quadrants clockwise with some sheet of paper or something to indicate the last quadrant feed. I absolutely dump food into it. By the time I make it around the circle it's been 4 weeks and there is not a trace left.
Oh wow!! That is a cool technique! I'm gonna try to feed more often so that sounds like a system that could work for me. Quick question, since I'm almost to the top...do you think it's ready for a full frozen pumpkin? Or should I wait until I let the worm population get a little more robust? I was thinking about splitting it half in the UWB & half in the Outdoor Worm Bin for a little experiment/competition, but my Outdoor Worm Bin is only about a third of the capacity of this UWB!! Either way it has to go in...that was the agreement when Autumn got me this UWB for Christmas😂🤣😂She wants some freezer space back!! Thanks so much for watching and thanks for all the great UWB tips!!🪱🪱🪱
@@Vermicompost I am not sure. It's still not as full as mine is and I don't know how big your pumpkin is. The major dangers are that it might heat up your bin, or the worms might not finish it fast enough and it will rot giving an off odor. If it heats up, you can always take some of the pumpkin mush out and freeze it again (it will likely be much less volume) or add it to other bins. You can also just stir it up with extra bedding and skip a feeding to play catch up. So maybe it's worth a go as you can correct both major issues at this volume. I have not noticed that it is possible to get to a full on anaerobic state in an UWB. Likely because the whole thing is cloth and breathable.
Thank you for the help! I'll hold off a little until it gets a bigger population and maybe skip a feeding before I try it so they really attack. I won't feed them after until I know it is almost completely gone. I was thinking along those lines about fixes may be easier with a little less volume than having it completely full but I still could probably hold off until I have a little more bedding volume in there. That is good to know you haven't noticed your UWB going full on anaerobic! I appreciate the tips...patience isn't my strong suit so I needed a little nudge in that direction!!
@@Vermicompost You can open it and fill it with material (and worms) from the bin so that they eat their way out. I have very rarely just chucked a whole pumpkin on top if my bin. I almost always burry it in and pack the inside full.
@@CH-oj7kv Interesting conversation--great suggestions and tips. I work professionally as an engineer and educator, and I test and work with various worm bins/beds/bags etc. I've put whole pumpkins into UWB systems without any real issues, but the top of my worm substrate surface in the UWB is right where the tan material meets the top black material. If frozen, the pumpkin will probably release too much water too fast when it thaws for the system to absorb and 'metabolize' without some liquid leaching through the bottom so just be prepared for that with a bin/tub on bottom if you let the pumpkin thaw out in the bag, or add a whole bunch of dry paper shreds directly below the pumpkin--don't mix the paper with the pumpkin just set it on top. If you want to bury the pumpkin I would cover it with a biofilter of finished castings or compost, not shredded paper/wood, to minimize chance of it heating up too much. I appreciate the practice of people freezing food scraps but not so much a fan of putting frozen material into closed worm systems. Something for all of us to consider: Everyone buys a bag system for different reasons but a lot of people buy these systems because the alternative worm container products on the market out there are just plastic molded containers, and a lot of people who worm compost have issues with plastic being in everything. So, here is the thing: I have a few UWBs with various worm species and feedstocks, and I agree with you that they are breathable but I disagree with the notion that the whole thing is "cloth" and that's why it is breathable. What I mean is, for a lot of people in our general public, calling it cloth implies it's organic-derived fiber material made into fabric, like cotton or wool or hemp. The material the bag is made from is synthetic fabric or blended synthetic fabric at best and has a water-resistant liner (read: breathable plastic blended fabric with a plastic liner). A lot of people buy bag worm systems because they think they are being more sustainable buying a hanging "cloth" bag instead of investing in plastic tubs or containers but there is a lot of plastic in UWB. I recognize that some people see "cloth" the same way irregardless if it is blended with synthetic material but the marketing for UWB doesn't go into details about it so it comes off as if they hope you think it is just organic-derived cloth material, which it is not. Thanks for the engaging conversation and advice, much appreciated. Respect.
The bin is really ramping up, that was a big feeding, but like you said, they will go through it within two weeks. Neat that you are using those cardboard centers. Have a great day.
Thanks Mikko! I keep thinking (really Autumn keeps saying😂) these feedings are too big, then I check in 2 weeks later and it's all gone!! My mom keeps bringing me all kinds of packaging materials to try out on my worms....I think she's more into it than she lets on!! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch!!🪱🪱🪱
Look at you go! Don't tempt me here, Patrick... I do not have room for one of those in my apartment! Haha! My worms are doing well, and I have a lot more than I thought I had, but I'm not counting! I think it's a very good increase for just having worm bins for one year. And in one year, I have already accumulated two green Towers, a bus bin, and a dish pan worm bin, which I'm going to loan to a friend so she can decide if she wants to have worm farms also. It is an established bin and I will teach her how take care of just that little one first. I quit on the shoe box size in my kitchen because they were just too small. I will use them for nurseries instead. God bless you.... and keep up the good work with your videos! Something that I would like to say now is that I have European nightcrawlers, Louisiana swamp worms, and a mixed bin. In retrospect I guess I would buy All European nightcrawlers. Not that I don't like the Louisiana swamp worms but it's really hard to keep all of their stuff separate. Someone might like that information. It was nothing that I thought of before I bought the second kind of worms because I didn't know how quickly I'd be adding worms! I sort of wish I just had one kind so it wouldn't have to be careful. You are very wise
😂🤣😂 Oh my gosh it is so fun Cookie you have to get one!! That is great your worm population is growing so fast!! That is wonderful you are loaning a worm bin to a friend...that's actually a really good idea for folks that are on the fence about starting a worm bin!!! A cocoon nursery will be a perfect repurpose for the shoe box worm bin. Good point about picking a worm and sticking with it! Unless you don't mind them mixing it can be tricky to make sure you don't accidentally slip a cocoon into the others bin! Thanks so much for stopping by to watch and update us on your worm bins!! Let me know when you get your Urban Worm Bag...Just kidding!!🪱🪱🪱
I beg to differ, between my old house and my new I had two UWBs in my apartment. One was right in my dining room/kitchen and the other was on my balcony. I was careful about portions with my indoor system. It never smelled so no one ever noticed it by my mini chest freezer. A few people noticed and asked about my balcony one. Quite a few of those people bought an UWB of their own and I gave them some worms. :)
Nothing says love like pre slicing a mango before freezing 😊😊😊 Bin is getting some girth to it, and it's pretty amazing how much they can process in a short time !! Awesomeness for only 87 days!! Cheers Brother 🌱🪱🤜🤛👍
She's great!! She labels all the worms' food scraps and treats them like royalty!! I'm hoping it is getting close to girthy enough to fit a whole frozen pumpkin from last Halloween in there!! I may have to let the worm population catch up a little. One more month and we harvest!! Let's go!!🤜🤛🪱🪱🪱
One trick I found lately for those egg carton type of packaging, to tear it up easily and quickly, is soak in a bucket. They get eaten quickly in my outdoor composters! I have not used it yet in my worm composters but might today. I think because they do not have a thin layer of wax, like most cardboard has, the worms get to it faster. Like the toilet paper rolls. So far in my bins, that cardboard off of Amazon is taking them a long time to break down. Anyway, your Urban Worm Bin is looking fantastic!! 👍🪱🪱🪱🪱
Thank you Ann!! I might have to give that a try!! I have a build up of egg cartons and cardboard I need to get rid of and I may put it in my outdoor compost after soaking it as the grass (what I use for a lot of nitrogen) is starting to grow!! Thanks for the tip Ann & thanks so much for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
That was a huge feeding! I think you added the perfect amount of bedding, however I think putting a layer UNDER the food and blending an inch or so with the older material would have helped out. All that bedding on top can’t absorb the juices that will be coming out of that food. I love where your head is at with growing the bag up faster! Since the bin is starting to hold on to moisture so well (that’s what happens when casting proportions increase 😉), you might try alternating only half a side covered at a time? I wrapped plastic bags around varies sizes of cardboard and taped them up, so I can vary the size with different feedings. If it’s a very wet feeding I just fold one and cover a 1/4 of the bin. The cardboard also ads some weight and blocks out light, so the wormies are always gathered under it. FYI, that deeply corrugated cardboard and similar packing material is so fun to add when I want to control moisture and add air spaces. The worms seem to find that stuff interesting, like the grape vines.
Thanks for the tips Marlene! I may try that covering technique and maybe even feed in quadrants in the future when I'm out of the "fill this bin" stage. I'd really like to get to the point where every couple of days I can just dump the previous days food scraps in! Hopefully with this food being frozen, a lot will mush/drip down into the holes of the cardboard structure to join in with the microbes below, I'm already seeing a lot of worms along the surface when I peaked on them so I think they are enjoying that huge feeding!! Thanks so much for always taking the time to share your thoughts and what has worked for you!! We all learn from your experience!! And of course thanks so much for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
@Vermicompost what do you think your work population would have to be for the every-few-days dump can happen? I was talking about this with my daughter the other day and we estimate maybe 25k worms would munch through - for us as a family of 5 we would say 50k with feedings 3 times a week. But we don’t know how much scraps you and the executive producer compost outside of your bins. Your population is enormous compared to ours - we started with a lowly 100 worms in may from uncle Jim’s and have tried to get some from those nearby who are willing to donate - but I think what we mostly received was compost and not too many worms. Over feeding has happened (oops) but we’ve left them alone and see their population increase in the last few weeks.
😂🤣😂 It feels like just yesterday they learned how to squirm and eat soft food...now they are running me and my parents out of food scraps!! Thanks so much for all your support Evelyn!!🪱🪱🪱
Hi Patrick, I started my Peekaboo worm bin with a large maze of that molded pulp packaging. As others said, it needs good moisture to disappear. I wonder if any heat from the burrito would dissipate better if you put the burrito against the wall of the UWB? Thanks to your mom for sending such interesting food and to Autumn for remembering the amendments ~ Sandra
I think putting it against the eastern wall would probably do the trick, the western side is still getting about 10 ℉ warmer but not as high as when I was first starting out. Believe it or not, so far, I only had a little bit of a spike into the 90's from that feeding for one day and now it's back down to the low 80's. Both the women in my my life (Autumn & I only had boys) are good helpers with my worms!! Thanks so much for watching & passing on your tips Sandra!!🪱🪱🪱
I have two sons as well, Patrick, who had the good sense to choose fabulous women as partners. It's like having daughters, only without the expense of raising them! ~ Sandra
I found what I would describe as dry grubs in my bin after a feed last week. I got about 50 of them. Made me wish I could feed them to someone's chickens.
Whoa, that's a lot! I'll occasionally find big fat grubs under my Outdoor Worm Bin or under some garden pots and I feel the same way! I usually throw them in my backyard hoping some birds will get them! I wish I could have chickens where I live. Thanks so much for stopping by to watch!!🪱🪱🪱
Thank you!! I appreciate the kind words!! Here is Dirty Joe's Worms channel @dirtyjoesworms or www.youtube.com/@dirtyjoesworms Thanks so much for taking the time to watch!!🪱🪱🪱
I live in South Florida, and 1000% want to get into vermicompost as well (to make things like worm tea, and also similar things like Bokashi compost and more), so yeah I have questions for sure Other than the frozen water bottles, can you think of other things that help regulate the temperature? Like you did say that maybe having a bigger bin aided in the regulation of the temperature
Great question! I have another bin beside this Urban Worm Bag that I keep outside 99.99% of the time (occasionally I put it in the garage on the days we get a freeze, maybe twice a year). Here is the pLaylist for it: ua-cam.com/play/PLimznaPXKV08Y-7OifhRa_JBH0b5-nR-O.html This bin sits directly on the ground and is made of two 20 gallon fabric pots. I keep it in an area that gets shade for most of the day and I put a white plastic basin over the top to keep the top "flaps" I fold down in place...this also adds more shade. After 2 and a half years I have not had problems over heating (other than when I accidentally created a hot compost pile in the center with rice! Here is that link ua-cam.com/video/qVNkFzs0fV8/v-deo.html I live in Tampa Florida and although I was using frozen water bottles the first summer, I realized I didn't need them the following summer as the bin matured and had more volume. I think having this bin directly on the ground and it's size helps to keep the temperature in a cooler more narrow range. I have not had to put water bottles in the Urban Worm Bag these past 2 weeks as it gets mature, but I haven't run it in the summer yet. Unfortunately the only place I have for it is on the west side of my porch which is not ideal...morning sun is better than afternoon sun...of course no sun at all is even better. If you keep a worm bin outside shade is your best friend!! I think it can easily be done in your area...but I was very skeptical as well when I first started. Just keep monitoring the temperature so you can react if needed. Thanks for the great question & of course thanks for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
Great question...I kinda add IMO. Occasionally, only in my Outdoor Worm Bin, I'll add some handfuls of compost from my compost pile to boost & diversify the microbes. I haven't left any rice out to collect IMO or scrapped up forrest floor duff or leaves to add to my bins, but I do have a river nearby with some woods around it I could possibly do that. That sounds like a good idea! Have you added any IMO to bins? Thanks for the kind words and for supporting our channel!!🪱🪱🪱
Nice! I started a little. I'm in Montana couldn't get too it fully, under snow, waiting for stuff too wake up. Just indoors bin for now. I heard that apples help with a worm hatch? Have you tried? Thanks for what you two do❤🪱✌
Brrrrr! Autumn & I spent some time in Montana when I was in the Air Force! Absolutely beautiful up there!! I haven't noticed one way or another about apples helping with a worm hatch, I'll have to be on the look out for that in the future! Thanks again for watching and supporting our channel!!
After 3 week i find it looks almost looks like it was never fed. Lots of babies so they can fill the bag. Yeah worm waffels!! I almost wish there was a measurement up the side of the bin to see how much it drops.
That would be a great update for there to be measuring tick marks up the interior of the bin! I know mine has to drop like 1 1/2 -2 inches at least each time I checkin & re-feed! Worm waffles are the coolest!! Thanks so much for watching Ann!!🪱🪱🪱
So far I am loving it!! I'm benefiting from buying it late after all the latest improvements have been made to it. The girth and how much it can hold are what is really impressive to me! The worms have really reproduced fast in here. I haven't harvested yet so we'll see how easy it is for me to do that. It's always fun to start a new kinda bin and this one has been a blast to run!! It's becoming like a garbage disposal for me!! It's taken everything I can give!! So long story short...I love it 😂 Thanks for dropping by to watch Vee!! * Oh and if you need to buy worms, check out Vee's worms, link in the description of my videos!!🪱🪱🪱
Take it or leave it, but I make sure to overfeed/underfeed/overfeed/underfeed each time I service my bins. Over feeding seems to be accompanied by specific positives and negatives that are well countered by under feeding. They tolerate being lightly starved so well and the benefits to the ecosystem such as not over feeding unwanted organisms or overheating or becoming overly wet that I can’t imagine managing my bins any other way. I understand the compulsion to aim for maximizing consumption or whatever, but I’d much rather maximize the holistic ecosystem and I get shockingly great results when it comes to breeding them that I think there may be something said for my methods.
I'll take it!! I love to hear how folks run their bins so I can learn from every experience!! I have several bin and I sometimes take this approach with them...I treat every time I open the bin to be a chance to listen to my worms! This bin is fairly new, almost 4 months old and I am trying to fill the volume as my ultimate goal is to put a whole pumpkin I have been saving in my freezer into this bin!!! I am being much more aggressive than my other bins when it comes to filling with bedding and food, especially compared to my indoor bins. Thanks so much for sharing with us how you run your bins with excellent results!! And of course thanks so much for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
Good morning, Patrick, from Windermere zone 9b ❤🪱❤️ I love the honeycomb cardboard. It adds airpockets ❤ That's a major haul of food 👌 I wonder if the Worm Generals are calling in the closest Battalions to attack the food and bacteria?😂? ❤Peggy❤
Good morning Peggy!!! That honeycomb packaging is awesome!! My mom brings it over a lot. I like how it kind of lifts the feeding up and presents all sorts of cubby holes for the worms to feel safe in! They really like any kind of structured bin material like avocado shells, cardboard tubes based on how many worm balls I find in those things!! They are definitely calling in reinforcements on this feeding!! Thanks so much for stopping by & for all your support Peggy!!🪱🪱🪱
Below are some of the items I use for vermicomposting & my channel's videos. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you if you use these links. Thank you for supporting this channel!
Worm Bins I use:
Vermihut 5-Tray Worm Compost Bin amzn.to/3Xs1eGe
Urban Worm Bag V2 amzn.to/3XE9QsT
20 Gallon Fabric Grow Pots amzn.to/3EBYhdr
3 gallon Rubbermaid Roughneck tote amzn.to/3eKDLhO
Other Worm Bins:
Worm Factory 360 3-Tray Version amzn.to/3AHnjqK
Worm Factory 360 5-Tray Version amzn.to/3tYfWY4
Bus bins amzn.to/3fd8AvP
Equipment I use:
12 Sheet Cross Cut Micro Shredder (I use it to shred cardboard) amzn.to/3xYZKYu
Magic Bullet Small Blender (to pulverize egg shells) amzn.to/3gwEzb4
Indoor Outdoor Wireless Thermometer for worm bin amzn.to/3wIdXbO
Additional thermometer sensors 433 MHz amzn.to/41juD7v Please make sure Thermometer & sensor are the same MHz
Additional thermometer sensors 915MHz amzn.to/3WTFgua Please make sure Thermometer & sensor are the same MHz
Kitchen scale to weigh worms & food: amzn.to/3HnOQjg
Blue gloves amzn.to/3XsBg5n
Spray bottles to mist bedding amzn.to/3Fq23rN
Digital handheld Thermometer amzn.to/3EWfC2j
Compost Tea Bags amzn.to/3fCb5o1
Solar powered light amzn.to/3nOucAq
Reusable Keurig Coffee K-cups amzn.to/3FNXvt6
Other useful equipment for worm farming:
5 stackable sifter with different sized mesh: amzn.to/3S2k184
Cameras & camera equipment I use:
GoPro HERO11 amzn.to/3jkRpLa
Flexible Tripod amzn.to/3CGTjcF
Insta360 GO 2 camera amzn.to/3oxCc80
Insta360 One X2 camera amzn.to/3nqV6hp
iPhone 13 Max Pro amzn.to/3nq52aU
Canon EOS Rebel T8i amzn.to/3HcBuX6
4 Ocean bracelets I wear
Multiple colors to chose from bracelets amzn.to/3HMbHEx
Books on worms & worm farming
Worms Eat My Garbage amzn.to/3L4FXN2
Where to buy worms: www.TheGardenAndWormLady.com
Such a fun bedding playground for the wormies 👍🏻
Lots of fun things for the wormies to play on and much safer than the jungle gyms we played on as kids😂🤣😂 Thanks for stopping by to watch AV!!🪱🪱🪱
Hi Patrick nice big feeling again, nice to see the babies having a party.🪱👍🏻🤠
Thanks Nick!! Things are happening fast in this big bin!! I can't wait to put a whole Pumpkin in there soon!! I'm very happy with the baby bonanza going on in here!! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch!🪱🪱🪱
Moisture is looking really good Patrick. Wow that was a huge great feeding. You are right about the bedding you can never have too much.
Every time I come in here I think there has to be lots of left overs...and there never is, so I keep pushing the boundaries for what I think a reasonable feeding is!! I intend to get in here quicker than 2 weeks so I should see some left overs coming up! This bin's volume is enormous compared to what I'm used to!! Thanks for dropping by to watch Rick!!🪱🪱🪱
What a great feeding. And with that unique packing material the worms have cozy, individual “booths” to dine in. A worm all you can eat restaurant.
I like that!! A worm all you can eat restaurant with booths!! Where they can get cozy & make more worms for me!! Thanks for stopping by Joe!! I love the analogy!!🪱🪱🪱
😃 this was interesting. I’ve never seen a worm bin before. The worms love the water bottles ♥️
I'm so happy you stopped by to watch!! This is my biggest of 4 worm bins and they are super fun to run!! I love collect their castings for fertilizer for my garden and at the same time recycle nutrients from my food waste! Thanks so much for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
Hiya wormie friend!! 🪱🪱🪱🪱 uh oh mites!!! Well they seem to have taken care of all that food 👍 amazing to see a newborn wormie 🙌🏼 ohhhhhh YESSSSS!!! A wormie burrito 🌯 😅 they’re gonna love that!! Oh interesting about that guy who blends all his interesting worm foods, So I’m guessing they probably digest that a lot quicker because it’s so smooth and broken down? Ok well this is an EPIC feeding Patrick, that cardboard looked like waffles 🧇 hahaha have a great week guys 💓💐🪱🐝🌻🙏
Hellloooo Anita!! Yes, they did look like waffles for the worms!! I love a good worm food burrito!! Make them work for it or let them think they ate all the other stuff...then, what's this? A burrito for us!! Blended does break it down great for them, but I've become a lazy/human power efficient worm farmer!! Dirty Joe's Worms has to much fun blending!! I think he genuinely enjoys it!! Thanks so much for stopping by to watch!! It so sad to see the flower farm end the season, but we all love to see the upkeep in the off season with all your projects and prep for the next season!!🪱🪱🪱
@@Vermicompost thanks so much guys I appreciate you very much 🌷💓💐🙏
Masive feeding!! 😮
I love this bin!!! It can take so much...but I'm still learning its capabilities! Thanks so much for stopping by to watch Debbie!!🪱🪱🪱
This is where the urban bag gets to be fun. I feed mine every week when it amps up for summer. I just feed in quadrants clockwise with some sheet of paper or something to indicate the last quadrant feed. I absolutely dump food into it. By the time I make it around the circle it's been 4 weeks and there is not a trace left.
Oh wow!! That is a cool technique! I'm gonna try to feed more often so that sounds like a system that could work for me. Quick question, since I'm almost to the top...do you think it's ready for a full frozen pumpkin? Or should I wait until I let the worm population get a little more robust? I was thinking about splitting it half in the UWB & half in the Outdoor Worm Bin for a little experiment/competition, but my Outdoor Worm Bin is only about a third of the capacity of this UWB!! Either way it has to go in...that was the agreement when Autumn got me this UWB for Christmas😂🤣😂She wants some freezer space back!! Thanks so much for watching and thanks for all the great UWB tips!!🪱🪱🪱
@@Vermicompost I am not sure. It's still not as full as mine is and I don't know how big your pumpkin is.
The major dangers are that it might heat up your bin, or the worms might not finish it fast enough and it will rot giving an off odor. If it heats up, you can always take some of the pumpkin mush out and freeze it again (it will likely be much less volume) or add it to other bins. You can also just stir it up with extra bedding and skip a feeding to play catch up. So maybe it's worth a go as you can correct both major issues at this volume.
I have not noticed that it is possible to get to a full on anaerobic state in an UWB. Likely because the whole thing is cloth and breathable.
Thank you for the help! I'll hold off a little until it gets a bigger population and maybe skip a feeding before I try it so they really attack. I won't feed them after until I know it is almost completely gone. I was thinking along those lines about fixes may be easier with a little less volume than having it completely full but I still could probably hold off until I have a little more bedding volume in there. That is good to know you haven't noticed your UWB going full on anaerobic! I appreciate the tips...patience isn't my strong suit so I needed a little nudge in that direction!!
@@Vermicompost You can open it and fill it with material (and worms) from the bin so that they eat their way out. I have very rarely just chucked a whole pumpkin on top if my bin. I almost always burry it in and pack the inside full.
@@CH-oj7kv Interesting conversation--great suggestions and tips.
I work professionally as an engineer and educator, and I test and work with various worm bins/beds/bags etc. I've put whole pumpkins into UWB systems without any real issues, but the top of my worm substrate surface in the UWB is right where the tan material meets the top black material. If frozen, the pumpkin will probably release too much water too fast when it thaws for the system to absorb and 'metabolize' without some liquid leaching through the bottom so just be prepared for that with a bin/tub on bottom if you let the pumpkin thaw out in the bag, or add a whole bunch of dry paper shreds directly below the pumpkin--don't mix the paper with the pumpkin just set it on top. If you want to bury the pumpkin I would cover it with a biofilter of finished castings or compost, not shredded paper/wood, to minimize chance of it heating up too much. I appreciate the practice of people freezing food scraps but not so much a fan of putting frozen material into closed worm systems.
Something for all of us to consider: Everyone buys a bag system for different reasons but a lot of people buy these systems because the alternative worm container products on the market out there are just plastic molded containers, and a lot of people who worm compost have issues with plastic being in everything. So, here is the thing: I have a few UWBs with various worm species and feedstocks, and I agree with you that they are breathable but I disagree with the notion that the whole thing is "cloth" and that's why it is breathable. What I mean is, for a lot of people in our general public, calling it cloth implies it's organic-derived fiber material made into fabric, like cotton or wool or hemp. The material the bag is made from is synthetic fabric or blended synthetic fabric at best and has a water-resistant liner (read: breathable plastic blended fabric with a plastic liner). A lot of people buy bag worm systems because they think they are being more sustainable buying a hanging "cloth" bag instead of investing in plastic tubs or containers but there is a lot of plastic in UWB. I recognize that some people see "cloth" the same way irregardless if it is blended with synthetic material but the marketing for UWB doesn't go into details about it so it comes off as if they hope you think it is just organic-derived cloth material, which it is not.
Thanks for the engaging conversation and advice, much appreciated. Respect.
The bin is really ramping up, that was a big feeding, but like you said, they will go through it within two weeks. Neat that you are using those cardboard centers. Have a great day.
Thanks Mikko! I keep thinking (really Autumn keeps saying😂) these feedings are too big, then I check in 2 weeks later and it's all gone!! My mom keeps bringing me all kinds of packaging materials to try out on my worms....I think she's more into it than she lets on!! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch!!🪱🪱🪱
@@Vermicompost After watching your video on starting the tiny bin, I'm closer to starting one 😬😳
Look at you go! Don't tempt me here, Patrick... I do not have room for one of those in my apartment! Haha! My worms are doing well, and I have a lot more than I thought I had, but I'm not counting! I think it's a very good increase for just having worm bins for one year. And in one year, I have already accumulated two green Towers, a bus bin, and a dish pan worm bin, which I'm going to loan to a friend so she can decide if she wants to have worm farms also. It is an established bin and I will teach her how take care of just that little one first. I quit on the shoe box size in my kitchen because they were just too small. I will use them for nurseries instead. God bless you.... and keep up the good work with your videos! Something that I would like to say now is that I have European nightcrawlers, Louisiana swamp worms, and a mixed bin. In retrospect I guess I would buy All European nightcrawlers. Not that I don't like the Louisiana swamp worms but it's really hard to keep all of their stuff separate. Someone might like that information. It was nothing that I thought of before I bought the second kind of worms because I didn't know how quickly I'd be adding worms! I sort of wish I just had one kind so it wouldn't have to be careful. You are very wise
😂🤣😂 Oh my gosh it is so fun Cookie you have to get one!! That is great your worm population is growing so fast!! That is wonderful you are loaning a worm bin to a friend...that's actually a really good idea for folks that are on the fence about starting a worm bin!!! A cocoon nursery will be a perfect repurpose for the shoe box worm bin. Good point about picking a worm and sticking with it! Unless you don't mind them mixing it can be tricky to make sure you don't accidentally slip a cocoon into the others bin! Thanks so much for stopping by to watch and update us on your worm bins!! Let me know when you get your Urban Worm Bag...Just kidding!!🪱🪱🪱
@@Vermicompost you are naughty, Patrick! LOL!
I beg to differ, between my old house and my new I had two UWBs in my apartment. One was right in my dining room/kitchen and the other was on my balcony. I was careful about portions with my indoor system. It never smelled so no one ever noticed it by my mini chest freezer. A few people noticed and asked about my balcony one. Quite a few of those people bought an UWB of their own and I gave them some worms. :)
Aweosme-ness!! Cookie...you have to get one now!!!
@@Vermicompost like I said before, Patrick.... you are naughty! Ha Ha!
Fun feeding! 😁💚
Thank you!! It is super fun to feed a big bin like this...almost anything goes!! Thanks so much for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
Nothing says love like pre slicing a mango before freezing 😊😊😊
Bin is getting some girth to it, and it's pretty amazing how much they can process in a short time !!
Awesomeness for only 87 days!!
Cheers Brother 🌱🪱🤜🤛👍
She's great!! She labels all the worms' food scraps and treats them like royalty!! I'm hoping it is getting close to girthy enough to fit a whole frozen pumpkin from last Halloween in there!! I may have to let the worm population catch up a little. One more month and we harvest!! Let's go!!🤜🤛🪱🪱🪱
@Vermicompost Learn by Doing awesome lady !! That seems crazy fast for a harvest !!
@@clivesconundrumgarden I can't help myself...I have to see what's been brewing under there!!!
@Vermicompost Learn by Doing we all know, brother, we all know 🤣🤣🤣
One trick I found lately for those egg carton type of packaging, to tear it up easily and quickly, is soak in a bucket. They get eaten quickly in my outdoor composters! I have not used it yet in my worm composters but might today. I think because they do not have a thin layer of wax, like most cardboard has, the worms get to it faster. Like the toilet paper rolls. So far in my bins, that cardboard off of Amazon is taking them a long time to break down. Anyway, your Urban Worm Bin is looking fantastic!! 👍🪱🪱🪱🪱
Thank you Ann!! I might have to give that a try!! I have a build up of egg cartons and cardboard I need to get rid of and I may put it in my outdoor compost after soaking it as the grass (what I use for a lot of nitrogen) is starting to grow!! Thanks for the tip Ann & thanks so much for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
That was a huge feeding! I think you added the perfect amount of bedding, however I think putting a layer UNDER the food and blending an inch or so with the older material would have helped out. All that bedding on top can’t absorb the juices that will be coming out of that food. I love where your head is at with growing the bag up faster! Since the bin is starting to hold on to moisture so well (that’s what happens when casting proportions increase 😉), you might try alternating only half a side covered at a time? I wrapped plastic bags around varies sizes of cardboard and taped them up, so I can vary the size with different feedings. If it’s a very wet feeding I just fold one and cover a 1/4 of the bin. The cardboard also ads some weight and blocks out light, so the wormies are always gathered under it.
FYI, that deeply corrugated cardboard and similar packing material is so fun to add when I want to control moisture and add air spaces. The worms seem to find that stuff interesting, like the grape vines.
Thanks for the tips Marlene! I may try that covering technique and maybe even feed in quadrants in the future when I'm out of the "fill this bin" stage. I'd really like to get to the point where every couple of days I can just dump the previous days food scraps in! Hopefully with this food being frozen, a lot will mush/drip down into the holes of the cardboard structure to join in with the microbes below, I'm already seeing a lot of worms along the surface when I peaked on them so I think they are enjoying that huge feeding!! Thanks so much for always taking the time to share your thoughts and what has worked for you!! We all learn from your experience!! And of course thanks so much for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
@Vermicompost what do you think your work population would have to be for the every-few-days dump can happen?
I was talking about this with my daughter the other day and we estimate maybe 25k worms would munch through - for us as a family of 5 we would say 50k with feedings 3 times a week. But we don’t know how much scraps you and the executive producer compost outside of your bins.
Your population is enormous compared to ours - we started with a lowly 100 worms in may from uncle Jim’s and have tried to get some from those nearby who are willing to donate - but I think what we mostly received was compost and not too many worms.
Over feeding has happened (oops) but we’ve left them alone and see their population increase in the last few weeks.
What a huge feeding! They grow up so fast... 😢😂
😂🤣😂 It feels like just yesterday they learned how to squirm and eat soft food...now they are running me and my parents out of food scraps!! Thanks so much for all your support Evelyn!!🪱🪱🪱
Hi Patrick, I started my Peekaboo worm bin with a large maze of that molded pulp packaging. As others said, it needs good moisture to disappear. I wonder if any heat from the burrito would dissipate better if you put the burrito against the wall of the UWB?
Thanks to your mom for sending such interesting food and to Autumn for remembering the amendments
~ Sandra
I think putting it against the eastern wall would probably do the trick, the western side is still getting about 10 ℉ warmer but not as high as when I was first starting out. Believe it or not, so far, I only had a little bit of a spike into the 90's from that feeding for one day and now it's back down to the low 80's. Both the women in my my life (Autumn & I only had boys) are good helpers with my worms!! Thanks so much for watching & passing on your tips Sandra!!🪱🪱🪱
I have two sons as well, Patrick, who had the good sense to choose fabulous women as partners. It's like having daughters, only without the expense of raising them!
~ Sandra
@@NanasWorms 😂🤣😂I think I might have to use that line at our oldest's upcoming wedding rehearsal dinner!!
I found what I would describe as dry grubs in my bin after a feed last week. I got about 50 of them. Made me wish I could feed them to someone's chickens.
Whoa, that's a lot! I'll occasionally find big fat grubs under my Outdoor Worm Bin or under some garden pots and I feel the same way! I usually throw them in my backyard hoping some birds will get them! I wish I could have chickens where I live. Thanks so much for stopping by to watch!!🪱🪱🪱
thx for the video...I learned a lot
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and let me know!!🪱🪱🪱
Great video as always. Love your channel. ✨
Can’t find this dirty Joe guy. 😕
Thank you!! I appreciate the kind words!! Here is Dirty Joe's Worms channel @dirtyjoesworms or www.youtube.com/@dirtyjoesworms Thanks so much for taking the time to watch!!🪱🪱🪱
I live in South Florida, and 1000% want to get into vermicompost as well (to make things like worm tea, and also similar things like Bokashi compost and more), so yeah I have questions for sure
Other than the frozen water bottles, can you think of other things that help regulate the temperature? Like you did say that maybe having a bigger bin aided in the regulation of the temperature
Great question! I have another bin beside this Urban Worm Bag that I keep outside 99.99% of the time (occasionally I put it in the garage on the days we get a freeze, maybe twice a year). Here is the pLaylist for it: ua-cam.com/play/PLimznaPXKV08Y-7OifhRa_JBH0b5-nR-O.html
This bin sits directly on the ground and is made of two 20 gallon fabric pots. I keep it in an area that gets shade for most of the day and I put a white plastic basin over the top to keep the top "flaps" I fold down in place...this also adds more shade. After 2 and a half years I have not had problems over heating (other than when I accidentally created a hot compost pile in the center with rice! Here is that link ua-cam.com/video/qVNkFzs0fV8/v-deo.html I live in Tampa Florida and although I was using frozen water bottles the first summer, I realized I didn't need them the following summer as the bin matured and had more volume. I think having this bin directly on the ground and it's size helps to keep the temperature in a cooler more narrow range.
I have not had to put water bottles in the Urban Worm Bag these past 2 weeks as it gets mature, but I haven't run it in the summer yet. Unfortunately the only place I have for it is on the west side of my porch which is not ideal...morning sun is better than afternoon sun...of course no sun at all is even better. If you keep a worm bin outside shade is your best friend!! I think it can easily be done in your area...but I was very skeptical as well when I first started. Just keep monitoring the temperature so you can react if needed. Thanks for the great question & of course thanks for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
❤👍I was wondering, do you add any IMO's, leaf mold too your bins? Love the channel ✌
Great question...I kinda add IMO. Occasionally, only in my Outdoor Worm Bin, I'll add some handfuls of compost from my compost pile to boost & diversify the microbes. I haven't left any rice out to collect IMO or scrapped up forrest floor duff or leaves to add to my bins, but I do have a river nearby with some woods around it I could possibly do that. That sounds like a good idea! Have you added any IMO to bins? Thanks for the kind words and for supporting our channel!!🪱🪱🪱
Nice! I started a little. I'm in Montana couldn't get too it fully, under snow, waiting for stuff too wake up. Just indoors bin for now.
I heard that apples help with a worm hatch? Have you tried? Thanks for what you two do❤🪱✌
Brrrrr! Autumn & I spent some time in Montana when I was in the Air Force! Absolutely beautiful up there!! I haven't noticed one way or another about apples helping with a worm hatch, I'll have to be on the look out for that in the future! Thanks again for watching and supporting our channel!!
After 3 week i find it looks almost looks like it was never fed. Lots of babies so they can fill the bag. Yeah worm waffels!! I almost wish there was a measurement up the side of the bin to see how much it drops.
That would be a great update for there to be measuring tick marks up the interior of the bin! I know mine has to drop like 1 1/2 -2 inches at least each time I checkin & re-feed! Worm waffles are the coolest!! Thanks so much for watching Ann!!🪱🪱🪱
I don’t have one yet 😅
How do you like it?
So far I am loving it!! I'm benefiting from buying it late after all the latest improvements have been made to it. The girth and how much it can hold are what is really impressive to me! The worms have really reproduced fast in here. I haven't harvested yet so we'll see how easy it is for me to do that. It's always fun to start a new kinda bin and this one has been a blast to run!! It's becoming like a garbage disposal for me!! It's taken everything I can give!! So long story short...I love it 😂 Thanks for dropping by to watch Vee!!
* Oh and if you need to buy worms, check out Vee's worms, link in the description of my videos!!🪱🪱🪱
Take it or leave it, but I make sure to overfeed/underfeed/overfeed/underfeed each time I service my bins. Over feeding seems to be accompanied by specific positives and negatives that are well countered by under feeding. They tolerate being lightly starved so well and the benefits to the ecosystem such as not over feeding unwanted organisms or overheating or becoming overly wet that I can’t imagine managing my bins any other way. I understand the compulsion to aim for maximizing consumption or whatever, but I’d much rather maximize the holistic ecosystem and I get shockingly great results when it comes to breeding them that I think there may be something said for my methods.
I'll take it!! I love to hear how folks run their bins so I can learn from every experience!! I have several bin and I sometimes take this approach with them...I treat every time I open the bin to be a chance to listen to my worms! This bin is fairly new, almost 4 months old and I am trying to fill the volume as my ultimate goal is to put a whole pumpkin I have been saving in my freezer into this bin!!! I am being much more aggressive than my other bins when it comes to filling with bedding and food, especially compared to my indoor bins. Thanks so much for sharing with us how you run your bins with excellent results!! And of course thanks so much for watching!!🪱🪱🪱
👍👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you!! I appreciate your support!!🪱🪱🪱
Good morning, Patrick, from Windermere zone 9b ❤🪱❤️
I love the honeycomb cardboard. It adds airpockets ❤
That's a major haul of food 👌
I wonder if the Worm Generals are calling in the closest Battalions to attack the food and bacteria?😂?
❤Peggy❤
Good morning Peggy!!! That honeycomb packaging is awesome!! My mom brings it over a lot. I like how it kind of lifts the feeding up and presents all sorts of cubby holes for the worms to feel safe in! They really like any kind of structured bin material like avocado shells, cardboard tubes based on how many worm balls I find in those things!! They are definitely calling in reinforcements on this feeding!! Thanks so much for stopping by & for all your support Peggy!!🪱🪱🪱