How do you store soil in an apartment?

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
I’m extremely late to this, but what could I use besides a smart pot? Thinking of doing separate fabric pots I have but they’re only 2 gal bags and putting the worms on them. Could you just use plastic or would that not be good for the worms? I would want them to be able to breathe and I feel plastic would not allow them to get much aid. Thanks
I have red wigglers in my plastic pots. Fabric dries out too fast here for me. Funny, I'm actually wearing my Uncle Jim's Worm Farm shirt right now.
 

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
Where can I buy these red wigglers?
I got mine from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm. Here's a post with a link.

 
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DankTankerous

Well-Known Member
I’m extremely late to this, but what could I use besides a smart pot? Thinking of doing separate fabric pots I have but they’re only 2 gal bags and putting the worms on them. Could you just use plastic or would that not be good for the worms? I would want them to be able to breathe and I feel plastic would not allow them to get much aid. Thanks
I use plastic bag pots, my worms don’t seem to have a problem with it. I had tons of problems with fabric pots, apparently you need to use 10+ gallons for those to work.
 

Syntax747

Well-Known Member
Red Wigglers are the ones you want. They stay in the pots. I see them occasionally in the tray sometimes when I water, but they go right back into the pots. It's the night crawlers and other worms you don't want.
Yeah lol I was semi confused on which species we were talking about.
I'm pretty baked as well, so that might have something to do with it.
 

Avering

Active Member
I use plastic bag pots, my worms don’t seem to have a problem with it. I had tons of problems with fabric pots, apparently you need to use 10+ gallons for those to work.
Hmm.. so that means the red wrigglers wouldn’t do well in the fabric pots my plants are in? I thought they’d be good to throw in
 

Avering

Active Member
They'll be fine as long as you don't let the soil dry out. How big are your pots?
I only have 2 gallon pots to use at the moment might just finish in there too. Was thinking only a few in there. I have outdoor space too for veggies and fruits so left overs will go there and some stored inside.
 

GroBud

Well-Known Member
That's tiny pots for worms, personally imo pots aren't the best place for worms. They'll let you know if your soils bad by jumping out of the pot that's about it. To get enough castings you'd need more worms than you'd probably put in your pots. They'd be good crawling around giving roots paths to follow. But my worm bin has a couple hundred worms it's been in action for about 6 months. I just now got enough castings to use. Still not harvesting yet tho got good ole uncle Jim's still.
 

m4s73r

Well-Known Member
Dank, keep it in your closet, with the lid on it. Is that soil good and moist? If so, you're good. Most water loss in soil storage is from evaporation. Did you mix your trimming and stems and green material your done with back into the soil? If you did (GOOD JOB) then the moisture in the plant material will help keep it moist as well. Not to say after a month maybe open it and give the top a bit of water if its looking dry.

Feed that soil biology mate. They did you right and got the nutrients to your plants to make a good harvest, now make sure you feed them. Dont be that asshole and not feed your soil. And dont just throw shit and nutrients on top, they want that sweet sweet green living plant matter. LOL. (im stoned and found this very funny no offense intended)

I help my bro in law with his apt grow. he used to swap 2 55 gallon totes in his 3x5 tent. one tote in the tent one in the closet. one in the closet sits for 90 days while he grows in the other one. Once he harvests he puts all trim, a scoop of amendments, mixes it into the soil. Makes sure its properly moist, throws lid on it and hes good. Pretty easy system.

When it comes to worms in soil i have always been of the opinion that at minimum get some European Nightcrawlers. They are bigger cousin to red wigglers. The bonus to this species is that they are a mid range dweller good at both composting and preventing soil compactaion. They are also very active (shit a lot) and reproduce well. In my time working with soil and organic principals I have found that adding some Euro crawlers to my soil is necessary for a active soil food web. Mulching with clover reduces my need for putting casting on as a top dressing constantly, eliminating my need for a worm bin.
 

DankTankerous

Well-Known Member
Hmm.. so that means the red wrigglers wouldn’t do well in the fabric pots my plants are in? I thought they’d be good to throw in
i had a lot of problems with my 5 gallon fabric pot, soil would loose a lot of moisture everyday. They were perpetually under watered, the soil became hydrophobic, it was a mess. I think I mentioned it earlier but apparently you need larger fabric pots for them to really work. I switched to plastic pot bags and the rest was history. My worms don’t have a problem with plastic pots, as long as they have enough room. I did find one worm that escaped, but other than that I have never seen a mass exodus. Now I finish my plants in SIP’s and the worms like it.

I made this thread a long time ago and have learned much since. I recycle my soil and amend it each time, I store it in like a 20 gal bin. Works great. People will discourage others on breaking the soil up. In my system I take roots out and whole plant put them in a worm bin. The castings go back into my soil, so in a sense it comes back better. My only concern with recycling the soil is the nutrient content. I amend 1/2 the amount of coot’s mix and add more aeration. I use straw as a mulch and top dress with castings every other week or so. I think after the next crop is over I’ll get a soil test before I amend it
 

Avering

Active Member
i had a lot of problems with my 5 gallon fabric pot, soil would loose a lot of moisture everyday. They were perpetually under watered, the soil became hydrophobic, it was a mess. I think I mentioned it earlier but apparently you need larger fabric pots for them to really work. I switched to plastic pot bags and the rest was history. My worms don’t have a problem with plastic pots, as long as they have enough room. I did find one worm that escaped, but other than that I have never seen a mass exodus. Now I finish my plants in SIP’s and the worms like it.

I made this thread a long time ago and have learned much since. I recycle my soil and amend it each time, I store it in like a 20 gal bin. Works great. People will discourage others on breaking the soil up. In my system I take roots out and whole plant put them in a worm bin. The castings go back into my soil, so in a sense it comes back better. My only concern with recycling the soil is the nutrient content. I amend 1/2 the amount of coot’s mix and add more aeration. I use straw as a mulch and top dress with castings every other week or so. I think after the next crop is over I’ll get a soil test before I amend it
Could you show me a picture of the plastic pot bags? Never heard of coots mix. Wonder where I can find some straw near me gonna have a look. Sounds like you got a good thing going!
 
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