Looking for new vermicomposting ideas and methods... thoughts?

Well, like it says, i'm looking for new ways to make my EWC even more nutrient rich. I typically do the norm, coffee grinds, ground eggshells, fruit scraps... I see people using a ground oatmeal/super light molasses tea to kickstart the microbes before using the EWC in a soil mix, but don't know if that would be useless to just feed the worms with, when they are still in their vermicomposter. I've been thinkin of getting them to compost some kelp from the local beaches and some rabbit manure too, but kinda want to throw some oatmeal/alfalfa meal and molasses too, to see what happens. What do you fellow vermicomposters recommend?

greasemonkeymann said:

Well, like it says, i'm looking for new ways to make my EWC even more nutrient rich. I typically do the norm, coffee grinds, ground eggshells, fruit scraps... I see people using a ground oatmeal/super light molasses tea to kickstart the microbes before using the EWC in a soil mix, but don't know if that would be useless to just feed the worms with, when they are still in their vermicomposter. I've been thinkin of getting them to compost some kelp from the local beaches and some rabbit manure too, but kinda want to throw some oatmeal/alfalfa meal and molasses too, to see what happens. What do you fellow vermicomposters recommend?

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For nutrient rich vermi you want to compost dynamic accumulators. Comfrey, dandelions, nettles, borage, etc, etc. I would be super careful about adding straight alfalfa to your worm bin. Better off to thermal compost it first, then add. I would not add molasses to the bin b/c this is not an act. There may or may not be enough air to breed the good microbes. Save it for the brewer imo. Throw some glacial rock dust in your bin.

P-

I also have READ that people can compost pine needles in their worm bins... I have like a bazillion metric square, cubed tons of pine needles on my property, redwood needles to be precise, I've read that as long as they are dry and brown that they are ok for composting, i'm wondering if anyone has done this and used the actual end product (vermicomposted needles) for their cannabis?

Pattahabi said:

For nutrient rich vermi you want to compost dynamic accumulators. Comfrey, dandelions, nettles, borage, etc, etc. I would be super careful about adding straight alfalfa to your worm bin. Better off to thermal compost it first, then add. I would not add molasses to the bin b/c this is not an act. There may or may not be enough air to breed the good microbes. Save it for the brewer imo. Throw some glacial rock dust in your bin.

P-

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Ahh, there we go, ok, so I do use dandelions, I make a cold tea (not aerated though) of the dandelion tea that's been sitting for two weeks, I also throw som ground up cannabis pieces and a handful of nice rich redwood forest soil.----crap--- editing--- I use this as a TEA, not as a food source for my worms... hmm wondering if I could use the stuff left over from my tea, or not, wonder which is more beneficial to the plant, the teat, or adding it to the worms?
I haven't used rock dust.. I use ground eggshells for the worms to digest, not sure if the rock dust would help, considering my normal soil has some in it also. I am pretty careful with the alfalfa, I just use a sprinkling every now and then to help "dry" their food.
I take my dog down to the river and I always am tempted to grab a garbage bag full of the slimey, half rotting leaves that are in the water, what do you think?

am i the only weirdo that looks for stinging needles and half rotted leaves when I go places? I had a customer throw her banana peel in the garbage and i';m almost ashamed to say I dug it out for my worms...

anybody ever throw kelp in their worm bins?

not a good idea untill or for 2-3 yrsa if memory serves, the salt would kill the roots of any plants. its packed with macro/micro nutrients and full trace elimental content make it great as a surfase mulch to rot down slow.

try and get/build yourself a tumbling compost bin, it takes a quater of the time to break it down.
just get or paint a barrell with lid,an oil drum black , having packed it full of weeds and cardboard/shreadded newspaper etc, just roll it once a day minimum, and voila, perfect compost

hope thgis is cool to post. please forgive me otherwise. http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Tumbling-Composter

@greasemonkeymann you can absolutely add kelp meal to your worm bin. Again, use common sense. Personally I would thermal compost, then add your amendments once it's in the mesophilic stage, and then feed it to the worms. I have not tried rotting leaves from the stream, but I often forage things when I'm out hiking.

HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE TO GET TO A STATE WARE WORMS CAN TOLERATE THE SALT CONTENT?

greasemonkeymann said:

am i the only weirdo that looks for stinging needles and half rotted leaves when I go places? I had a customer throw her banana peel in the garbage and i';m almost ashamed to say I dug it out for my worms...

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NEVER BE ASHAMED OF THAT, THE PERSON WHO DISGUARDED IT THERE SHOULD FEEL ASHAMED

AND WORMS DONT LIVE AFTER BEING CUT IN HALF, WELL NOT FOR TOO LONG ANYWAY.

I add kelp to my worm bin once a month or 2. Dig a little pocket. Bury the kelp. A couple tablespoons . I do the same with crab meal, neem meal, and rock dust. Cootz feeds all his worms the same nutes he puts in his soil.

greasemonkeymann said:

am i the only weirdo that looks for stinging needles and half rotted leaves when I go places? I had a customer throw her banana peel in the garbage and i';m almost ashamed to say I dug it out for my worms...

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NO, WERE THE ONLY SANE ONES I blame the wombles of wimbaldon common myself, bloody uncle bulgaria and his picking up anything left behind

I have a custom mix of alfalfa meal, kelp meal, greensand, soft rock phosphate and crushed eggshell that i use at a rate of 1/2 tsp per cup of food scraps. Worms love it.

yeah, but thats allready brokendown, why not just lay it on the ground? or use a fish head in the planting hole.

anyone "compost hole fill and

greasemonkeymann said:

Well, like it says, i'm looking for new ways to make my EWC even more nutrient rich. I typically do the norm, coffee grinds, ground eggshells, fruit scraps... I see people using a ground oatmeal/super light molasses tea to kickstart the microbes before using the EWC in a soil mix, but don't know if that would be useless to just feed the worms with, when they are still in their vermicomposter. I've been thinkin of getting them to compost some kelp from the local beaches and some rabbit manure too, but kinda want to throw some oatmeal/alfalfa meal and molasses too, to see what happens. What do you fellow vermicomposters recommend?

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DID YOU KNOW THAT MARMITE OR VEGIMITE IS AN AFRODISIACC AND FERTILITY AID, YOU CAN DOUBLE YOUR WORMS WITH 1/4 TSP OF IT.

B 4 YOU KILL YOUR WORMS WITH PLEASURE (NOT A BAD WAY TO GO AS IT GO'S ) GO EASY ON IT, LIKE EVERYTHING YOU ADD, YOU CAN ALLWAYS ADD MORE, BUT YOU CANT BRING BACK WORMS WITH THE KISS OF LIFE, IVE TRIED. OF COURSE I COULD HAVE BEEN BLOWING DOWN THE WRONG END
SO LESS IS MORE WITH THE AFRODISIAC PEACE
I

Im going to put my faith in you lot and start a worm farm.
Usualy im against any form of incarceration in relation to ones medicine, but if you look after and care properly for them, i see little harm in it.
So, do i just dig up some tiger worms from my compost heaps, shredded newspaper, bread crusts and non onion, chili etc garden waste only, or can i add borage, comfrey and the like in it too?

Rudi I&I Automan said:

yeah, but thats allready brokendown, why not just lay it on the ground? or use a fish head in the planting hole.

anyone "compost hole fill and


DID YOU KNOW THAT MARMITE OR VEGIMITE IS AN AFRODISIACC AND FERTILITY AID, YOU CAN DOUBLE YOUR WORMS WITH 1/4 TSP OF IT.

B 4 YOU KILL YOUR WORMS WITH PLEASURE (NOT A BAD WAY TO GO AS IT GO'S ) GO EASY ON IT, LIKE EVERYTHING YOU ADD, YOU CAN ALLWAYS ADD MORE, BUT YOU CANT BRING BACK WORMS WITH THE KISS OF LIFE, IVE TRIED. OF COURSE I COULD HAVE BEEN BLOWING DOWN THE WRONG END
SO LESS IS MORE WITH THE AFRODISIAC PEACE
I

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Just a thought, but maybe you should turn the caps lock off, and read what some of these people are throwing down. There are specific reasons kelp and amendments are adding after thermo composting and fed to the worms. This is not new, this is not experimental. Many people do this with spectacular results.

In addition, I would never add that crap to my worm bin, and second do you have any documentation for your statement? So I put in a 1/4 tsp and the worms instantly double? Sounds like bro science to me.

P-

I add small amounts of the following to my worm bin from time to time (pinch of this, tablespoon of that, no precise measurements):

- Soft Rock Phosphate (proven to increase levels of bioavailable Phos in the castings, among other benefits)

- Neem seed meal (prevent fungus gnats + feed worms)

- Crab meal (same as above)

- Alfalfa (small amounts, make sure no "hot spots")

- Dandelions pulled from the "lawn" (if you can call it that... We never water it). Dandelions are nutrient accumulators and tasty treats for the worms.

- Fresh comfrey, borage, and chamomile from the garden

- Oyster shell flour

- Kelp meal

All this is on top of the usual organic fruit/veggie scrap, eggshells, coffee grounds, cannabis leaves/stems/hashed trim, etc, etc.

The more variety, the better.

hyroot said:

I add kelp to my worm bin once a month or 2. Dig a little pocket. Bury the kelp. A couple tablespoons . I do the same with crab meal, neem meal, and rock dust. Cootz feeds all his worms the same nutes he puts in his soil.

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this is what im leaning towards, to just kinda feed them like I do my plants, with the exception of no guanos, but I am liking the idea of rabbit manure in there

thanks everyone for your input, i'm going to do some playin around with it, i'll keep you guys posted

SpicySativa said:

I add small amounts of the following to my worm bin from time to time (pinch of this, tablespoon of that, no precise measurements):

- Soft Rock Phosphate (proven to increase levels of bioavailable Phos in the castings, among other benefits)

- Neem seed meal (prevent fungus gnats + feed worms)

- Crab meal (same as above)

- Alfalfa (small amounts, make sure no "hot spots")

- Dandelions pulled from the "lawn" (if you can call it that... We never water it). Dandelions are nutrient accumulators and tasty treats for the worms.

- Fresh comfrey, borage, and chamomile from the garden

- Oyster shell flour

- Kelp meal

All this is on top of the usual organic fruit/veggie scrap, eggshells, coffee grounds, cannabis leaves/stems/hashed trim, etc, etc.

The more variety, the better.

Click to expand...

Pattahabi said:

@greasemonkeymann you can absolutely add kelp meal to your worm bin. Again, use common sense. Personally I would thermal compost, then add your amendments once it's in the mesophilic stage, and then feed it to the worms. I have not tried rotting leaves from the stream, but I often forage things when I'm out hiking.

Click to expand...

good information guys, I kinda had an idea of what I want to try, the things I've noticed that my worms really like, are rotting grapes (they go nuts over that) molding seeded sourdough bread, slimey old salad mixes, and rotting apples, everything else they are sorta into, but those things they were a writhing mass of worms trying to get at it. The three things I want to get them to consume are rabbit/alpaca manure, and fresh kelp, i'm thinking if I wash the kelp thoroughly and put it in the freezer to help break it down, may help a lil. We will see, I just started my second worm bin over the weekend, it was getting crowded in there.