Jack Harer
Well-Known Member
I admire the hell out of your dedication!!! i hope that you can realistically keep that initial idealism. You'll be hearing from me.
are all worm castings created equally?
- Thread starter Dboi87
- Start date
RedCarpetMatches
Well-Known Member
I had a worm bin once with at least 1000 red wiggles in an 18G tote. I used cardboard and black/white newspaper, banana peels, egg shells, etc. I kept everything moist and some still crawled out of airholes. Anyway, I forgot to put lid on after a weekend getaway and came home to the most awful smell of dead worms 
Since then I was to traumatized to start up again lol. Now I'm ready to redeem myself and save money. My question is does it matter what you feed them if your just after the BMOs? How much nutrition can castings actually have...isn't that what the amendments are for? Ready to be schooled.
Since then I was to traumatized to start up again lol. Now I'm ready to redeem myself and save money. My question is does it matter what you feed them if your just after the BMOs? How much nutrition can castings actually have...isn't that what the amendments are for? Ready to be schooled.
Dboi87
Well-Known Member
The actual npk value varies by what is fed. Typically you'll see something near 1-0-0. That doesn't mean there is no phosphorus and potassium, just that there is less than 1% by volume. When compared to liquid ferts it may seem low on a surface level but again It's by volume. Some people mix their soil to have one third of it as pure castings, whereas in a typical liquid fert feeding you're using maybe 1/4 teaspoon.
The added pluses to castings is definitely the bio herd as well as improved aeration and its anti pest properties.
There are other trace elements in castings as well but a little help from amendments never hurt.
As far as your runaway worms... remember the worms are living things just like you and I. If they're unhappy with their living circumstances they hit the highway in a hurry.
Common reasons for them to high tail it are overly wet bins, bins that have become too acidic, and bins that go sour from too much food or unbalanced c:n ratios.
The added pluses to castings is definitely the bio herd as well as improved aeration and its anti pest properties.
There are other trace elements in castings as well but a little help from amendments never hurt.
As far as your runaway worms... remember the worms are living things just like you and I. If they're unhappy with their living circumstances they hit the highway in a hurry.
Common reasons for them to high tail it are overly wet bins, bins that have become too acidic, and bins that go sour from too much food or unbalanced c:n ratios.
RedCarpetMatches
Well-Known Member
Do have a link or recipes? I thought they seemed happy as they were tearing shit up. I only had maybe a dozen try to flee. Thanks for the info.
Dboi87
Well-Known Member
Well I don't follow a specific recipe as of yet. I just try to stay within the range I was talking about earlier. Between a 25:1 and a 30:1 (carbon:nitrogen) ratio.
http://www.klickitatcounty.org/solidwaste/fileshtml/organics/compostCalc.htm
Try that link for ratios of individual items. I'll post more later. Really though the ratios are not hard to find.
Use simple math to figure the ratio of the combined ingredients. For example earlier I mentioned newsprint at 54:1 and grass clippings at 15:1. If I have an oz of newsprint and an oz of grass clippings, i'll add both ratios together giving me a total of 69:2. At this point you divide that ratio by the total number of oz (in this case 2) which means the overall ratio of this mix is a little high for my liking at 34.5:1
I hope that all made sense. I'm not much of a teacher but I'm working on it.
http://www.klickitatcounty.org/solidwaste/fileshtml/organics/compostCalc.htm
Try that link for ratios of individual items. I'll post more later. Really though the ratios are not hard to find.
Use simple math to figure the ratio of the combined ingredients. For example earlier I mentioned newsprint at 54:1 and grass clippings at 15:1. If I have an oz of newsprint and an oz of grass clippings, i'll add both ratios together giving me a total of 69:2. At this point you divide that ratio by the total number of oz (in this case 2) which means the overall ratio of this mix is a little high for my liking at 34.5:1
I hope that all made sense. I'm not much of a teacher but I'm working on it.
