Vermicomposters Unite! Official Worm Farmers Thread

[meangreengrowinmachine]

Ah I just tossed my plans for the day out the window and went to find out what these worms are instead
My worms are very happy and reproducing like crazy, but even at that size they are colored.

These are white worms aka pot worms: https://redwormcomposting.com/worm-composting/ive-got-white-worms/
and belong to the family of the Enchytraeidae - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchytraeidae
Some people even breed them into their bins on purpose: http://lasvegasworms.com/pot-worms-worm-composting-bin/

The only thing that bothers me is that apparently they produce even finer castings, since that is something thats becoming a problem in my pots as is...
But I'm not fazed by the acidity-indicating aspect of their presence, as it was clearly the neem, not the general environment in the bin, that brought them on in these masses.


interesting! Idon't quite get what the plastic is good for though? won't it preven the worms from digging down into the lower tiers?

I just lay the plastic down to catch the worms .. don't need it just makea it easy to scoop them into the new bin

 

[calliandra]

I just lay the plastic down to catch the worms .. don't need it just makea it easy to scoop them into the new bin

ah ok gotcha!
thanks for sorting me there, I was stacking the tiers back up in my head haha

 

[NWHeadies]

So my worms arrived yesterday and were placed in my 2 20 gallon smart pots that will be there new homes. Im having a hard time leaving the shredded paper alone and not looking at them like a kid on christmas. I did feel like my shipment was possibly very short on worms it felt like maybe only half as many as it should have been. But hopefully they multiply and this will not be a problem.

 

[ShLUbY]

So my worms arrived yesterday and were placed in my 2 20 gallon smart pots that will be there new homes. Im having a hard time leaving the shredded paper alone and not looking at them like a kid on christmas. I did feel like my shipment was possibly very short on worms it felt like maybe only half as many as it should have been. But hopefully they multiply and this will not be a problem.

they multiply every 90 days or so. I know what you mean trying to leave them be haha, i was the same way. I had compost and food scraps in the bin for a few days before they arrived so for a bit they were all just hanging out in the layers where that stuff was at. once i started putting stop on the surface of the bedding i could go and peel back the panda film and see them going to town. they're awesome! Good luck with the bin!

 

[NWHeadies]

Thanks I know im months down the road but i cant wait for home made vermicompost amended with my own recipe. So far they are loving malted barley powder. I also saw some fast moving black mites they are beneficial im assuming.

 

[ShLUbY]

Thanks I know im months down the road but i cant wait for home made vermicompost amended with my own recipe. So far they are loving malted barley powder. I also saw some fast moving black mites they are beneficial im assuming.

yeah when i got my worms, within a week i saw evidence of a bunch of other little guys that came along with them. Definitely was liking the extra diversity to the environment.

 

[calliandra]

they multiply every 90 days or so. I know what you mean trying to leave them be haha, i was the same way. I had compost and food scraps in the bin for a few days before they arrived so for a bit they were all just hanging out in the layers where that stuff was at. once i started putting stop on the surface of the bedding i could go and peel back the panda film and see them going to town. they're awesome! Good luck with the bin!

panda film?? please explain?

My first batch has been going for 4 months, but turnover is getting faster and faster as the worms multiply - and it seems they're doing so constantly, I see all sizes of worms in there all the time now
IT's gone from this
to this


Those zucchini sprouts, I pulled them a week ago, the one on the right is even growing its roots into the air lol
I may save it, seeing it refuses to die like that haha
Getting harvested starting today.
Wondering whether I should pile the compost up on one side of the bin so the worms have an easier time getting upstairs to the new layer?
Cheers!

 

[NWHeadies]

How often should i be adding water to my smart pot worm bins if at all? I know they need some but i don't want to drown them either.

 

[Javadog]

I am thinking that moist foods will generally be better than direct watering, but
look forward to the consensus.

 

[NWHeadies]

It seems pretty dry but i will LITFA until i figure out better

 

[Javadog]

If it is literally dry to the touch, then spraying it would be fine, I am sure.

Too much water cannot be removed outright....probably why I am cautious.

 

[ShLUbY]

How often should i be adding water to my smart pot worm bins if at all? I know they need some but i don't want to drown them either.

the medium should be to the moisture of a very wrung out sponge. I generally lift my bin to see what the weight is feeling like. also, keeping a piece of plastic/cardboard/panda film over the surface will help slow evap from the bedding. but yeah as Java said, adding the scraps will help keep moisture in check, but sometimes spraying is necessary (esp with a smart pot i would imagine). or even just watering around the edges of the pot will help since they dry quickly from air flow.

there is no schedule to something like that; only necessity. Hope that helps.

 

[calliandra]

How often should i be adding water to my smart pot worm bins if at all? I know they need some but i don't want to drown them either.

I am thinking that moist foods will generally be better than direct watering, but
look forward to the consensus.

yeah I agree Javadog, I even premoisen my bedding -everything that goes in is at about 50% humidity. That way, it's nicely spread out and you don't get runoff

 

[NWHeadies]

slightly moist got it not wet it sounds like its too dry then because the medium i added a lot of dry powders and coffee etc. I sprayed the shredded paper but that drys out quickly so maybe i will spray the surface slightly underneath the bedding.

 

[calliandra]

got ya so like a freshly watered medium almost?

that sounds too wet. 50% is when you pick up the stuff and when you squeeze it between your fingers (careful not to get a worm in there ) just a little bit of water appear, maybe a drop falls, but not muc more
hope that's clearer - erm, if you meant me that is lol

 

[meangreengrowinmachine]

I never add water ... keeps the worms by their food

 

[NWHeadies]

Well as long as i dont get it wet i think things will balance themselfves out i will add a little moisture if im adding dry food like cofee grounds and leave it be for a while see what happens
I notice they dont go for the bananas yet but that must be because there is no mold on them yet.

 

[calliandra]

Well as long as i dont get it wet i think things will balance themselfves out i will add a little moisture if im adding dry food like cofee grounds and leave it be for a while see what happens
I notice they dont go for the bananas yet but that must be because there is no mold on them yet.

what could also help is if you chop up your fruit and veggie scraps in the blender with water. You can strain the excess, add in the coffee grounds and whatnot, and then add that goo to your bin. That also adds moisture to your bin in a even way

 

[Javadog]

I love to give them melon rinds. It is like their refreshment.

 

[Wetdog]

Well as long as i dont get it wet i think things will balance themselfves out i will add a little moisture if im adding dry food like cofee grounds and leave it be for a while see what happens
I notice they dont go for the bananas yet but that must be because there is no mold on them yet.

How are coffee grounds dry? A real bitch to remoisten dry grounds. It really helps to put the used grounds in an empty coffee jug to keep them moist. Adding a chunk of over ripe fruit also helps to get the mold going while the jug is filling up. Black banana's, brown apples, soft grapes, you get the idea. Even still, the grounds and filters (yeah, add them too), can sit for close to a month till it gets *ripe* and the worms swarm it all at once.

Worms prefer right at 80% moisture content in their bedding and never cared much for smart pots trying to maintain this. Pretty much the opposite with the rubbermaid totes I use, but you learn to balance things out. Been running the totes for a bit over 7 years now.

I know it's hard when you first start out, but I seldom open my bins more than every 2 weeks and usually closer to a month. DON'T go digging in the bedding to check on them, they really like to be left alone to eat and make baby worms.

It's easy, once you sorta learn to forget about them.

Wet