Vermicomposters Unite! Official Worm Farmers Thread

[raggyb]

You guys might like this thread.
Eggshell WCA (Water-Soluble Calcium) | Rollitup

thanks,good thread. makes me think probably dry pan toasting the shells before adding to worm bin will probably make the Ca break down faster even without adding the vinegar. since an acid is needed to make the solution in that thread I would think boiling probably doesnt remove very much ca so it would be ok to take boiled eggshells and dry toast them as well for the worm bin.

 

[Friendly_Grower]

Grit is sprinkled on here. You don’t need a great amount. It takes more than coffee grounds. Having plenty of browns in the bin is a must. Got a fancy shredder for unbleached cardboard.

There was a thing called "Mini Chipper Shredder"
It came with a 7HP engine so I said why not.

I have to cut the Amazon mostly boxes on a band saw to keep them around two inches wide so they can feed into the chipper-shredder but if I do I can shread all those Amazon boxes and if you think about it all the "consumer" cardboard.
Think about it. Buy some "fruit bars" and they come in a cardboard package. Buy Raisin Bran and it comes in cardboard!

So small branches and strips of cardboard. Yep, that's my world.

 

[Friendly_Grower]

Well, vermicomposting is a slow process but a wonderful activity for those that lack the time for other composting(s) or want to make their own quality castings.

Thanks to everyone here there is now a plastic tub in the root cellar with those worms.
I think they had plenty of material in the temporary bin but now I know they have plenty for sure!

On the use of oyster shell or lime. I think what i read was correct in that we can use oyster shell or lime to reduce the acrid smells that i think are acidic conditions of decomposing foods and stuff. I did when I transferred the worm bin from the temporary bin.

I had been waiting for fabric screen to arrive and went out and bought my crafty glue gun. Fun thing!
Now I have the proper bin going and I thought to share pictures for those thinking about having their own vermicomposting bin. It's low maintenance for sure. I did have to modify my compostable materials collections. I now walk citrus and other things I believe are bad for worms out to the big composting can outside rather than put it in the convenient kitchen collection can. Cute mini-garbage can looking thing. Very respectable looking it is.




So nothing really special. A plastic bin with drain holes. Some fabric window screen hot-glued over the holes.
A bed of shredded cardboard and food stuffs for the worms.

I dumped the temporary bin in on top of the new bedding and then brought the old bottom stuffs and wet paper-fiber to the top where it can air out since it was smelling a bit anaerobic.
I then slid everything over a bit and added the full kitchen collection can in on one end.

If I understand things they will get around to eating it when they want to. There is plenty so i doubt I need to worry for four or six weeks.
I put it on the calendar so I will remember to feed them again on time. I'll be checking temperature with the cool Urban Worm thermometer. It's not a needed toy but it looked fun. I think I'll be concerned about it getting too cold when Winter comes. Perhaps a seedling heater pad may be needed to keep it in the 70s

For my Grit I mixed green sand fines with oyster shell flour.
Well, it is fun and once the bin is ready, the worms in, it looks like easy work.

 

[TaoRich]

It's the way it was supposed to be.

True, dat.


I'm catching up on this thread. Am up to page 55.

I've been using worms for the past 2 outdoor grows. Almost every bit of my amendment collections is put through my worm bins.

• Fresh seaside kelp
• Horse shit
• Rabbit poop
• BSF frass
• Steaming fresh spent brewer's grains
• Prawn shells & heads
• Household kitchen waste
• Supermarket fruit & veggie spoils
• Coffee shop grounds & egg shells
• Last year's cannabis waste
• This year's male seedlings
• Dried lawn cuttings
• Brown cardboard
• Toilet rolls
• Prickly pear cactus
• Last year's organic living soil
• Indigenous nursery compost which is mostly leaf & bark bits

All in all, it's a winner.

Microbial life and fungus strengthen every aspect of every stage of the plant life.

I tell people:

"I don't grow plants. I grow soil."

"It's that soil that grows my plants. Fat & densely budded terpene aromatic happy & healthy plants."

I use about 1/3 EWC by volume in my pots.
And I top dress every 3 weeks during my grow.

So back to this:

It's the way it was supposed to be.

There is nothing new under the sun.

What we think is new science is merely a rediscovery of old ancestor knowledge.

{edit: autocorrect}

 

[GroBud]