View Full Version : Vermicompost and vermicomposting
Jack Daw
08-10-2009, 04:20 PM
Hi gals and guys. I will have some 1000 (a small start, lively colony will have from 20 to 50 times more) adult Eisenia foetides and I was thinking about vermicomposting in a somewhat larger scale (at least 10kg a month would be minumum, the more the better, it generally isn't problem to "get rid of this fertilizer").
If the first thing, that comes to your mind is, whether I will have enough decaying organic material, the right answer for this question is yes. And even if I wasn't able to produce enough organic waste, there's a compost pile of old dead plants (grass, leaves, ...) as a part of our local dump. So the feeding is no problem at all.
I've looked all over the web and found some interesting manuals, DIY tutorials and everything that I would need to maybe start planning and sketching their new home.
You see, the problem is, that I can't find any good "box" for these small creatures. There are some points as air circulation, bird/mole protection... multiple floors of the box... I will have to build my own (which I'm really looking forward to).
But there's only very ... OK, no information on larger and more efficient boxes, only these small, one home boxes sufficing maybe only for kitchen organic waste. But I have much much much more than kitchen waste and so I would need some advice and better, if someone had also sketches that I could use for designing my own compost bin.
I was thinking about 1x2x1,5m (width x length x height), or in your metric system 3,3x6,6x5 feet with one important factor: it must be portable, outdoors and indoors will be a matter of season. I would normally let the worms rest in winter, but I have plants at home, that would need maybe 1kg of fresh compost monthly (so a slowed mode?)... I believe the most convenient would be a shelf system, where each of the shelves would have some purpose and each could be taken out and switched position with other shelves (sort of a small closet, with open roof). Levels (shelves):
Lowest: small vermicompost granules will fall here
Middle: Most of those small creatures will process this part, ideally decayed waste
Top: Freshly decaying organic matter
Then as they eat almost all the matter from the central/middle shelf, they will start moving to the top part with freshly decaying organic matter (via small holes the will be in the bottom part of the shelves). I than take out the lowest shelf and take away all the compost, leaving the shelf empty. The top/uppermost shelf with freshly decaying matter and just arrived worms will be moved to the centre and fresh compost, from which the worms came, will be moved to the lowest shelf. The empty shelf will be moved to the top and I will start putting new organic decaying material there. Vermicompost will have to stay in the lowest shelf til another rotation (about 2 weeks, so that the eggs start hatching and small worms can migrate!!!).
Instead of roof, there will be some semiglass with holes for air circulation, but so that the birds can't come and eat my worms.
Any ideas from your side, tips, tricks, anything that you have observed in other vermicomposting bins, anything even the least important will be helpful. I will need this info ASAP, as I'm probably building the next weekend and desperately need to have sketches done by then.
I need vermicompost for 3 main reasons:
- excellent (if not the best) organic fertilizer and waste disposing matter, it can't really overfertilize anything...
- excellent mulch if it covers something with thick layer, it can hold a little but higher temperatures in winter AND hold water in sufficient amounts, no rotting...
- ideal germination media (better than coco peat, ...)
Thanks a lot.
sunfish
08-10-2009, 04:33 PM
Worm Bins Sale
www.CompostBins.com/Worm
Might give you some ideas. Stackable bins
Jack Daw
08-10-2009, 04:43 PM
Worm Bins Sale
www.CompostBins.com/Worm (http://www.CompostBins.com/Worm)
Might give you some ideas. Stackable bins
Damn.
Oops.
The page you are looking for is unavailable.Anyway, I was already browsing the net, but I was curious if someone had a home bin and cared to share some tricks. ;)
Allright, something like this from that website, but narrower, longer and probably a little bit higher. Also the number of shelves is unnecessarily too big.
Dura-Trel 27 Cubic Ft. Compost Bin - Compost Bins at Compost Bins (http://www.compostbins.com/compost-bins/compost-bins/duratrel27cubicftcompostbin.cfm)
Richard
08-10-2009, 04:58 PM
I need vermicompost for 3 main reasons:
- excellent (if not the best) organic fertilizer and waste disposing matter, it can't really overfertilize anything...
- excellent mulch if it covers something with thick layer, it can hold a little but higher temperatures in winter AND hold water in sufficient amounts, no rotting...
- ideal germination media (better than coco peat, ...)
Jack,
In my opinion, vermicompost from worms fed vegetative material is an ideal compost. I use it in all the soil I make for my plants. However:
it is not a fertilizer, it is a soil conditioner
it is not a mulch, it is compost
it is great for germinating some seeds and terrible for others
More information is at: Info:Fertilizer - Bananas Wiki (http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Info:Fertilizer)
Jack Daw
08-10-2009, 05:18 PM
Jack,
In my opinion, vermicompost from worms fed vegetative material is an ideal compost. I use it in all the soil I make for my plants. However:
it is not a fertilizer, it is a soil conditioner
it is not a mulch, it is compost
it is great for germinating some seeds and terrible for othersMore information is at: Info:Fertilizer - Bananas Wiki (http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Info:Fertilizer)
Thanks, I've seen almost all the different palms germinate in vermicompost with sand 1:1 (which is pretty much everything I will germinate), the ratio of succesfully germinated seeds was about 85-90%, which is extremely good for palms in artificial conditions (one unnamed European nursery).
Indeed it is a compost, but is not as damaging as other composts, so it can be used as mulch (for instance, also this article referrs to it as mulch http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-164.pdf ), an effective one, I've seen documentations on youtube, where people spread lots of vermicompost on large areas and it took the compost about 2 months to get to the soil.
Its main role was to warm up the soil.
Any tips on the bin Richard? Or any experience? How much do you use and where do you get vermicompost?
Richard
08-10-2009, 05:31 PM
When applied to the surface, the worm flem in the castings attracts beneficial bacteria that has a lot of positive effects in the local environment. However, I have seen disastrous results from putting down worm castings and then a wind comes along scattering invading weed seeds throughout. IF you apply worm castings to the surface THEN you should mix them into your existing mulch. If you don't have mulch, then put down the worm castings and then add mulch on top. Somewhere else on this site I posted results from Ag tests run here in San Diego. As a top cover: a cured mulch alone is just as good as worm castings alone, but the combination is better.
Jack, from your earlier post it sounded like you were using pure wormcastings for seed germination. Now the 50/50 mix with horticultural sand sounds much better -- the castings are too dense alone.
Jack Daw
08-10-2009, 05:50 PM
When applied to the surface, the worm flem in the castings attracts beneficial bacteria that has a lot of positive effects in the local environment. However, I have seen disastrous results from putting down worm castings and then a wind comes along scattering invading weed seeds throughout. IF you apply worm castings to the surface THEN you should mix them into your existing mulch. If you don't have mulch, then put down the worm castings and then add mulch on top. Somewhere else on this site I posted results from Ag tests run here in San Diego. As a top cover: a cured mulch alone is just as good as worm castings alone, but the combination is better.
Jack, from your earlier post it sounded like you were using pure wormcastings for seed germination. Now the 50/50 mix with horticultural sand sounds much better -- the castings are too dense alone.
Yep, vermicompost only with some sand, it's too strong when it is pure, very dense, difficult for rooting. It is there only as nourishment for the small plantlets. Many times there's also a tricombination of sand, vermicompost and brown soil.
But I need to plan my bin first. And sketch it. And build it. So is there anyone with particular experience with worm bins? Anything important I should know about when designing my first vermicompost bin?
Any and all advices are appreciated.
Lagniappe
08-10-2009, 06:23 PM
Jack, from your earlier post it sounded like you were using pure wormcastings for seed germination. Now the 50/50 mix with horticultural sand sounds much better -- the castings are too dense alone.
Water runs right through all my castings and it's been perfect for germinating EXCEPT that it dries out too quickly and this can kill any seedling in a days time. These castings were from rabbit manure fed worms and that may be the difference. My coffee ground castings do seem to hold more water and I would definitely amend them with sand or perlite.
Damping off has never been a problem in the castings ....unlike my other germinating mediums.
djmb74
08-10-2009, 08:31 PM
Gonna be taking my kids on a visit to "our vital earth"
Our Vital Earth - All Natural Worm Castings, Worm Tea (http://www.ourvitalearth.com/)
They sell the massive Vermi-converters
Our Vital Earth ~ Vermi-converters (http://www.ourvitalearth.com/vermi-converter.htm)
Had a long conversation with one of the owners at a flea market a few months ago.
We started a small worm farm and we are going to expand it. Already have a bunch of the neighbors dropping off buckets of goodies for them to eat that we have been throwing in the compost pile! Right now are are just using buckets, gonna buy one of the Can o Worms set ups and then take that idea and make it much bigger with a couple 55 gallon drums...
Lagniappe
08-10-2009, 08:35 PM
Here's mine. To harvest castings, just feed in one corner or side for a while and the worms will move there.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=15822&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15822&ppuser=766)
Richard
08-10-2009, 09:47 PM
I buy my worm castings from Julie Harski in Ramona, CA. She created several long trenches (with a backhoe?) on her property to cultivate the red wriggler worms. She feeds them with buckloads of produce scrap from the 4 farmers markets she attends, plus horse manure from her horse. The scraps are just dumped on the surface and then covered with a tarp. To harvest, she has a sifter with 1/8th inch screen mesh. It is columnar in shape, but mounted sideways with an axle running through it. I would guess the capacity is 1.5 cubic yards.
djmb74
08-10-2009, 10:23 PM
Back when I was scouring the internet for worm bin plans there was an article from UC berkely about about a flow through worm bin design called vermitopia and the had it for a few years and went relayed the info on what parts of the bin wore out. But for some reason the link I saved is dead. It was a very large design and they had multiple boxes and the plan on how it was built...
Lagniappe
08-10-2009, 10:38 PM
The way I do it is just like the pros. One company, I can't remembrer the name....the guys that use old pop bottles to bottle worm tea, use a conveyer at an angle and let the worms feed upwards Most castings farms use windrows as Richard described or bins like mine (much longer bins) that are elevated.
Jack Daw
08-11-2009, 12:49 AM
Back when I was scouring the internet for worm bin plans there was an article from UC berkely about about a flow through worm bin design called vermitopia and the had it for a few years and went relayed the info on what parts of the bin wore out. But for some reason the link I saved is dead. It was a very large design and they had multiple boxes and the plan on how it was built...
I found it, or something very similar, but Berkely university link is broken. Damn damn damn. I can't believe no-one on the net saved a working version? Wow. That's just ironic.
This Vermitopia idea is something very appealing. Thanks. Should you see some *.pdf or anything about it, don't hasitate to post it here.
Thanks.
djmb74
08-11-2009, 09:08 AM
I will... I have 4 computers and gotta remember which one I saved all the vermicomposting links to. I think its the one I need to get a new power supply for... haha
Jack Daw
08-11-2009, 09:25 AM
I will... I have 4 computers and gotta remember which one I saved all the vermicomposting links to. I think its the one I need to get a new power supply for... haha
Oh yeah, I know that, always the most inconvenient one is the key. It happens to me all the time. :(
djmb74
08-11-2009, 09:36 AM
its the computer I use to most when I am working, then I get bored an I take 20-30 minute breaks and try to read up on everything I can on a subject open a browser folder and save all the links I want to go back to! I have so many folders on all kinds of subjects its insane. I keep on trying to remind myself to get that firefox add on that saves bookmarks online so you can access them from any computer...
For some crazy reason last 2 years I have been on quest for knowledge...
I think I have developed some mutated form of Attention Deficit Disorder! hahaha
Richard
08-11-2009, 10:44 AM
For some crazy reason last 2 years I have been on quest for knowledge...
probably related to an increased consumption of B-vitamins...
Jack Daw
08-11-2009, 01:30 PM
its the computer I use to most when I am working, then I get bored an I take 20-30 minute breaks and try to read up on everything I can on a subject open a browser folder and save all the links I want to go back to! I have so many folders on all kinds of subjects its insane. I keep on trying to remind myself to get that firefox add on that saves bookmarks online so you can access them from any computer...
For some crazy reason last 2 years I have been on quest for knowledge...
I think I have developed some mutated form of Attention Deficit Disorder! hahaha
Post it here anytime it's convenient for you... Thanks.
D_&_T
08-11-2009, 04:09 PM
We have a small tote out in garage we are using as a bed. Like to find out more to help make vermi-post faster, dont think have enough worms.
Jack Daw
08-11-2009, 04:14 PM
We have a small tote out in garage we are using as a bed. Like to find out more to help make vermi-post faster, dont think have enough worms.
They make babies real fast, within a half year, your population can rise by hundreds of percents, if they have enough food that is... :waving:
djmb74
08-12-2009, 07:54 PM
continuous flow bins!
Wormpost Northeast | Vermicomposting (http://www.wormpost.com/wormbins/continuous_flow.html)
OSCR bin
Worm Digest - Reviews ? Mid- and Large-scale Continuous Flow Systems (cont.) (http://www.wormdigest.org/content/view/73/2/)
The way I do it is just like the pros. One company, I can't remembrer the name....the guys that use old pop bottles to bottle worm tea, use a conveyer at an angle and let the worms feed upwards Most castings farms use windrows as Richard described or bins like mine (much longer bins) that are elevated.
It's Terracycle, they started out here being sold at ridiulous prices in supermarkets. Now they're practically giving them away so I stocked up on a few for additional foliar feed. I'm not sure but I believe this may strengthen the plants imune responses the way a compost tea applied this way would. In any case it cant hurt.
Of course if you have a big compost pile, it's going to be full of castings anyway.
Jack Daw
08-13-2009, 06:40 AM
continuous flow bins!
Wormpost Northeast | Vermicomposting (http://www.wormpost.com/wormbins/continuous_flow.html)
OSCR bin
Worm Digest - Reviews ? Mid- and Large-scale Continuous Flow Systems (cont.) (http://www.wormdigest.org/content/view/73/2/)
Excllent, there was one idea that I especially like and I definitely found a new design, so I'm gonna sketch it now. Worms are here already and I keep them in some proforma shelter with lots of food.
djmb74
08-13-2009, 09:40 AM
once me and my boys finish the new chicken coop and get the fall crop of veggies in the ground I think we are going to go ahead and tackle a large size vermicomposting system project.
Jack Daw
08-13-2009, 10:51 AM
once me and my boys finish the new chicken coop and get the fall crop of veggies in the ground I think we are going to go ahead and tackle a large size vermicomposting system project.
That would be great, we could exchange our experience with different problems we might encounter.
I'm about to sketch a new, medium-sized container (something like a drawer with shelves) for vermicomposting, the real question, that bothers me is the size. I can't really estimate it now.
Where to put it would be another problem... I'll post pix in the end. :ha:
djmb74
08-13-2009, 11:02 AM
sounds good... your gonna be way ahead of me though as I will not be looking to start on something until the end of September...
Just put down on the top of my list of goals...
Make more money to retire early so I can just grow stuff!!! lol
djmb74
08-27-2009, 04:10 PM
alright Jack Daw... you got a worm update?
Jack Daw
08-27-2009, 04:52 PM
alright Jack Daw... you got a worm update?
Update, well, not precisely. Earth worms are all alive and that's positive. THe second generation has hatched a week ago and is already starting to look like a worm.
I put 2 separate colonies into 2 different enviroments (cause of my explorer nature :D ). The first enviroment is unprocessed compost (a pile 1x0,5x0,5m, which has been ripening and decaying for maybe 7 months).
The other colony was placed into fresh fresh organic material (apples, banana leaves, what we didn't eat at home...).
Both groups are fighting and literally making noise (which can be heard even if you are 1m away from the boxes) and I wonder which one will reproduce and at faster. What I now know for sure is that the food doesn't have to be decaying, they will even eat fresh and scraps from the kitchen...
Both piles weigh up to 10kg.
djmb74
08-27-2009, 05:09 PM
just whatever you do... do not fall asleep in one of your worm bins!!!
Jack Daw
08-27-2009, 05:47 PM
just whatever you do... do not fall asleep in one of your worm bins!!!
Obedience was one of the first things I taught them. :ha: But maybe in future, if I see a mouse or rat around, we will find out whether it can put up a fight. :D
djmb74
10-06-2009, 09:33 AM
Hey Jack how are the worms coming along? Can you post any pics of your worm bins? Also that Berkeley site is back up!
Vermitopia Bin Plans (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~compost/binplans.html)
Jack Daw
10-06-2009, 09:35 AM
Hey Jack how are the worms coming along? Can you post any pics of your worm bins? Also that Berkeley site is back up!
Vermitopia Bin Plans (http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/%7Ecompost/binplans.html)
Nope, didn't have time to even sketch something. Wroms are still alive, but are rather slow. :D
Maybe I should already take them inside the wine cellar. :D
Richard
10-06-2009, 04:30 PM
Maybe I should already take them inside the wine cellar. :D
That would be VitiVermiCulture?
Jack Daw
10-06-2009, 05:03 PM
That would be VitiVermiCulture?
Oh yeah. Maybe if I was feeding them wine grapes. But they process just about anything I give them (even paper and manure).
Neighbours dog made a nice pile of poop close to one of my trees (for which it was shot by air-rifle), so I took it and gave to my worms (poop, not the dog). As soon as they smelled it, they ran/crawled into the pile and processed it within day. 0,5kg at least. Very efficient. They seemed to like it more than other rotting food.
momoese
10-06-2009, 05:08 PM
Jack you shot your neighbors dog for pooping near your tree? Really??
Jack Daw
10-07-2009, 11:14 AM
Jack you shot your neighbors dog for pooping near your tree? Really??
Air rifle. That wouldn't even kill a rat. Just hurts so much that dogs will remember it for a veeeeery long time.
djmb74
11-21-2009, 01:05 PM
Someone on free cycle was giving away a bunch of red wrigglers had my son go pick them up yesterday. Somewhere in between a pound to a pound and a half of them...
Jack Daw
11-21-2009, 02:34 PM
Someone on free cycle was giving away a bunch of red wrigglers had my son go pick them up yesterday. Somewhere in between a pound to a pound and a half of them...
They taste the best grilled with Greek salade. :ha:
djmb74
11-21-2009, 06:27 PM
Did you decide to eat your worm farm Jack?
They make babies real fast, within a half year, your population can rise by hundreds of percents, if they have enough food that is... :waving:
Hi, everybody. I´m back again. Don´t remember If I told you but my supplies are onward to Baltimore from where a friend will bring them across on the 14th of December. :woohoonaner:
:woohoonaner:If what you need is compost goole " making compost in three weeks". Will help.
Jack Daw
11-22-2009, 11:30 AM
Did you decide to eat your worm farm Jack?
Maybe I should have. Nowadays I have 10 minutes/week for the worms and they seem to thrive without my attention. Also, they lack some additional food and have processed about 15kg of biowaste since when I got them, which is in my opinion fairly good...
No special bin for them though... Lack of time. :ha:
Engleman
12-07-2009, 10:52 AM
Hi,
One important note on using manures! Some domestic animals are given "wormers". These chemicals can pass through the digestive tract of mammals and still be present and active in their manures. NOT good for the worms you are trying to raise and reproduce. It has been said that these medications will no longer be viable after a period of time how long I don't know, but I'm guessing a month or so.
I have been raising red wigglers for over a year now and have split the original bunch twice now and that's just scraps from a two person household. A great use for those of you planning on planting bananas in the spring is to start your "hole" early. Dig it deeper than needed, throw in a bunch of vegetative scraps some dried grass and/or shredded newspaper, add a couple handfulls of wigglers, abra kadabra presto chango... you'll have a very sweet honey hole for that banana pup in 2-3 months. I've done this several times over the last year or so with great results. The "honey hole" plants seemed to have a huge head start in getting established and leaf growth is noticably greater than those plants without a 'head start.
Hope this helps, Eric
djmb74
12-08-2009, 05:54 PM
So I throw all the potato peels from thanksgiving mashed potatoes into my worm bin. Well a bunch of them decided it was so fertile in there that they wanted to sprout. We pulled a bunch of them out and planted them, lets see if we get some potatoes. HAHA
Jack Daw
12-08-2009, 06:22 PM
So I throw all the potato peels from thanksgiving mashed potatoes into my worm bin. Well a bunch of them decided it was so fertile in there that they wanted to sprout. We pulled a bunch of them out and planted them, lets see if we get some potatoes. HAHA
Me too. I threw away some potatoes, tomatoes, old peppers and they all sprouted, like 1000 plants.
Had to kill them though. It's winter here and they would grow very slowly. Early spring sprouts are significantly more vigorous.
Lagniappe
12-08-2009, 06:41 PM
I found a 1' Mango seedling in my bin.
conejov
12-08-2009, 10:24 PM
hey Jack!
How are the worms doing in the different bins? I think you said that you had some in aged compost and others being fed only food scraps have you noticed anyu difference?
Im going to make my bins out of 10gal bins, like this one: Vermicomposting: Making a Home For Your Worms | One Caveman's Financial Journey (http://www.thatonecaveman.com/2008/05/vermicomposting-making-a-home-for-your-worms.html) I've been collecting my food scraps, coffee grounds and egg shells.
I aslo found this site to be informative: Red Worm Composting (http://www.redwormcomposting.com/)
Any suggestions?
How about some pictures!
So I throw all the potato peels from thanksgiving mashed potatoes into my worm bin. Well a bunch of them decided it was so fertile in there that they wanted to sprout. We pulled a bunch of them out and planted them, lets see if we get some potatoes. HAHA
They should do just fine--if you can keep them from freezing. The farmers plant potatoes in Jan here, but with enough of the potato to support the plant as it grows to the surface. You can probably just cover the plants with dirt whenever there is a frost predicted.
sunfish
12-11-2009, 07:55 PM
Black Soldier Fly Blog - Bio-Composting with Black Soldier Fly Grubs – Responsible, Fascinating and Simple (http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/)
Lagniappe
12-11-2009, 11:16 PM
Black Soldier Fly Blog - Bio-Composting with Black Soldier Fly Grubs – Responsible, Fascinating and Simple (http://blacksoldierflyblog.com/)
I lost a lot of worms when my pile got too hot. The smell was horrible, but it all straightened out once the BSF arrived on the scene. I've had a lot of fun watching them devour whole melons in a day or two.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=27614&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27614&ppuser=766)
Lagniappe
12-11-2009, 11:38 PM
In addition to breaking things down quickly so that the worms can make castings more efficiently, BSF larvae can be used to compost high protein and fatty items that are unsuitable worm fodder.
YouTube - Black Soldier Flies vs Fish (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-zAbzRx29I)
The resulting friable compost can then be eaten by the worms.
djmb74
12-29-2009, 01:06 PM
My son went and picked one of these up, someone was giving it away on freecycle and its in excellent condition! Really wanted one of these... Prayer works!!! :-)
Amazon.com: Can-O-Worms: Kitchen & Dining (http://www.amazon.com/Can-O-Worms/dp/B000H2T75A)
sandy0225
12-31-2009, 07:29 AM
I started a month ago (on a really small scale) with 250 red wigglers in my kitchen in a plastic tub. They're still in the kitchen, eating away. My daughter thinks I'm insane, but she insisted on naming one. His name is Wiggly. I asked her the other day which one he was. She laughed and pointed at the first one she saw that was big. so now we just call random worms in there Wiggly. Sort of our own version of Where's Waldo. We're going to give them a new home in the basement soon, I need the space soon to start plants!
Engleman
12-31-2009, 10:19 AM
Hi Sandy,
I picked my first tomato of the season a couple of days ago and since I see you grow them I thought you'd like to know the 'dirt' of how I got this beauty. I planted it sideways (to increase root development) in one of the "honey holes" I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread. I added an extra shovel full of worm casting when I planted. After I got the first couple of fruit to 'set' I applied fish emulsion solution about 3-4 weeks apart, plenty of water, and NO chemical fertilizers or pesticides whatsoever. It's a "Brandywine" and there are quite a few more coming along on the same plant, three are almost the same size as this one and most of the others are pretty good sized as well. I'm a rookie at posting pics to the thread so if I can't get it to attach you can check it out in my gallery (the only photo in the gallery so far). BTW, the beer can is only for perspective and not an endorsement...:-) Eric
djmb74
01-03-2010, 11:29 AM
Awesome!
This next season I am going to try out a lot of different varieties of tomatoes. I got some cattle panels from my father in law that were turned into round tomato trellises, I have 8 of them and they are huge...
Hi Sandy,
I picked my first tomato of the season a couple of days ago and since I see you grow them I thought you'd like to know the 'dirt' of how I got this beauty. I planted it sideways (to increase root development) in one of the "honey holes" I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread. I added an extra shovel full of worm casting when I planted. After I got the first couple of fruit to 'set' I applied fish emulsion solution about 3-4 weeks apart, plenty of water, and NO chemical fertilizers or pesticides whatsoever. It's a "Brandywine" and there are quite a few more coming along on the same plant, three are almost the same size as this one and most of the others are pretty good sized as well. I'm a rookie at posting pics to the thread so if I can't get it to attach you can check it out in my gallery (the only photo in the gallery so far). BTW, the beer can is only for perspective and not an endorsement...:-) Eric
Engleman
01-03-2010, 05:39 PM
What do you mean by 'this next season'? I'm hoping you mean later this month. If you are in zone 9 you need to be finished picking by June 1st at the latest maybe a little later if you are growing cherry tomatoes. What do you plan on planting? Maybe I can help with the selection process. I've been in SW Fl. for over thirty years and kind of have a handle on it down here.
On another note this cold weather coming in this week really sucks, I've got a few of my bananas covered but the big stuff is impossible. I've got my fingers crossed it doesn't get too cold... How about you? eric
djmb74
01-03-2010, 05:55 PM
spring is the next season I am referring to. I figure I would start my seeds inside later this month...
No cherry tomatoes... A few heirloom varities and some hybrids all indeterminate varieties. We did cherry tomatoes last year. I still have a plant that is producing but I suppose this week it will die...
djmb74
01-03-2010, 06:00 PM
Any varieties you can recommend I will add them to my list.. :-)
As well as any tips...
Most of my banana plants are in a nursery until things warm up...
What do you mean by 'this next season'? I'm hoping you mean later this month. If you are in zone 9 you need to be finished picking by June 1st at the latest maybe a little later if you are growing cherry tomatoes. What do you plan on planting? Maybe I can help with the selection process. I've been in SW Fl. for over thirty years and kind of have a handle on it down here.
On another note this cold weather coming in this week really sucks, I've got a few of my bananas covered but the big stuff is impossible. I've got my fingers crossed it doesn't get too cold... How about you? eric
Engleman
01-03-2010, 06:02 PM
Start your seeds now! Most of the heirlooms take 85+ days to harvest the first fruit. There are so many issues with tomatoes in the Fla. summer I won't won't go into it (unless you ask). It's kinda funny actually, what's good weather for bananas is the worst thing for tomatoes. eric
Engleman
01-03-2010, 06:08 PM
My favorite heirloom is the brandywine while for a hybrid I'd try the celebrity. Cherrys are pretty easy so go with what you like. I personally like the heirloom cherry "stupice" it's a big cherry tolerant of the cooler winter months and has a great flavor. See my earlier post on how I planted along with the photo in my gallery. Eric
You are right about summer tomatoes--even here in North FL we are usually done by July. I tried brandywine, but I like a more acidic tomato. My favorite for flavor is better boy, but I tried an old variety called arkansas traveler and like it. I am always looking for tomatoes that will produce longer into our summer. I do need to get some seeds started.
Engleman
01-03-2010, 06:23 PM
I've got two new ones this year, a "church" and a "Belgian giant". If they don't get nailed by a frost this week I'll let you know how they turn out when I get fruit. Good Luck. Eric
Engleman
01-15-2010, 01:26 PM
everything not picked got nailed in the "big freeze". I'm going to try again for the spring season. We'll see what happens... Eric
Lagniappe
01-16-2010, 12:59 PM
I've stacked a lot of cardboard on my pile, and put corn, coffee grinds, and winter wheat in between the layers. Much of the grain has trichoderma, penicillin, yellow slime mold, yeast, and cobweb mold. I inoculated it with oyster mushroom mycelium, and it's taking off. The worms have move into all of the new substrate, and may very well take care of the contams, but not the slime mold.
I know that the oyster mushroom is omnivorous, and ensnares nematodes and small soil insects. I wonder if it's capable of trapping newly hatched earthworms?
Jack Daw
02-02-2010, 10:37 AM
Answer to the quote below: I think that oyster mushroom (provided that it's large enough), can trap freshly hatched earthworms, they are really tiny. The smallest I've seen so far measured only 2mm (0.08in)
I know that the oyster mushroom is omnivorous, and ensnares nematodes and small soil insects. I wonder if it's capable of trapping newly hatched earthworms?
Okay, time to revive this thread. I've been composting for almost half a year now and (sadly) still haven't build the home for my worms yet. But I'm about to soon, so here's some pics how those worms have been living since July last year. Many books and websites say that it's beneficial to use bedding from cardboard or cut paper, I used layers of thin, yet large pieces of cabbage, salad... and no problems so far.
They are hidden in the basement (one of the outter rooms of the basement) in complete darkness and temps ranging -1°C - 10°C (30°F - 50°F). Darkness is essential since intensive light, even that of camera frightens them and causes their exoskin, exo... whatever to break down, leaving them defensless to painful and slow death.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29429&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29429&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
I prepare some new food for them cirka every 4 days - when the bin I keep inside is full enough or starts to smell funny (meaning that it starts to rot. Surprisingly, rotting food, once it is close to the worms, doesn't give off any odor and smells deliciously, like freshly mowed grass, I think it has something to do with enzymes those worms use to prepare, digest and process the food with.). The plant material is chopped into small cubes or rather rectangular shapes before I toss t on the pile. This helps the worms to process it faster. If I cut it into even smaller pieces, they would get rid of this pile even faster (but why spend so much time slicing the rotting food, ay?).
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29426&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29426&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29428&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29428&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
Watering is also very important. When I go down to feed the worms, I usually take 3 bottles x 2L with me to water the pile. It has to be moist, but not wet. You're doing it wrong, if earthworms try to get out of the pile (it's either too dry or too wet).
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29427&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29427&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
Some pictures of the pile with the flash on...
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29433&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29433&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29432&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29432&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29430&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29430&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
Just below the top layer you can find thriving society that however escapes deeper into the pile before I take my camera out, but as you can see, there are many generations feasting at once. You see the oldest earthworms (with red coat and slightly purple neck), young worms (red exoskeleton or whatever it is) and the youngest babies (white). You can see that the amount of young worms compared to the adults is astonishing. If this new generation procreates within 2 months, I might just as well build 2 big processing bins, 'cause one will not be enough. Dark matter below the worms is pure vermicompost (temperature inside the compost is 5°C or 10°F warmer than on the outisde). I intend to use it for seed germination and to improve the initial growth of young seedlings (tomatoes, naners, palms...) and to kick start their growth very early in the season.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29431&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29431&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29434&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29434&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
Black Gold (the way I use this term) is used for watering. Several of my bananas get dormant, when they are outside. Not with this liquid they don't. 1L of Black Gold and every naner starts growing at much faster rate than before. Dormant plants wake up almost instantly. It's like putting a man on steroids, he just keeps doing something and using the extra energy. So do the plants.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29435&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29435&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29436&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29436&sortby=f&sorttime=9999&way=asc)
* So much from me for now, any questions...? Oh, I forgot to mention: this is the reason, why my cousins are no longer afraid of bugs and worms. 3 days of taking care for these babies did the trick. ;)
** I intend to sketch a new home (improved in many ways and reaching for perfection) for my babies soon. I'll also post sketches and construction pics, when I kick myself to doing it. ;) :ha:
*** Pics were taken with HDMI Camcorder, so sorry if the quality is worse than usual.
**** Btw. girls love looking at creepy little crawling earthworms and if you only do so much as mention that you take care of one big earthworm colony, they will throw your panties at you and burn with desire. :) Or isn't it because of the colony? :ha: :ha: :ha: :ha:
sunfish
02-02-2010, 11:08 AM
How are you controlling fungus gnats
Jack Daw
02-02-2010, 12:24 PM
How are you controlling fungus gnats
I'm not controlling anything. If there's some fungus outbreak, those worms will take care of it. They eat first what is rotten and then start eating fresh food scraps. Only once saw I fungus outbreak there, it was on the inside of one banana skin and the next time I went down (3 or 4 days) it was gone. :)
Any other fungus pests, worms (pretty much anything that could be there)... are quickly eliminated, the only vermin I can't seem to get rid of are wine flies in summer. They don't live directly in the pile, but fly around and know that something rots there. It can be annoying during feeding, but I found also another effective method of controlling that - birds. U just have to protect the earthworms inside with a cage of some sort and the birds will take care of anything that wants to get inside/outside and doesn't belong there.
sunfish
02-02-2010, 07:12 PM
The epidermis is the name for the skin of a worm. It is the outer layer of worm and it secretes a mucous.
djmb74
02-02-2010, 07:19 PM
My worms are multiplying like crazy too...
I have them on my back porch. Haven't transferred any to the Can-O-worms yet.
I don't really do vermicomposting, but the way I manage my compost pile I have lots of worms. I am interested in learning if there are other things I can do to enhance their population.
What I do now is keep the pile more or less divided into at least 2 and sometimes 3 separate sections. The worms definitely do not inhabit the new dry material or the hot areas that I get in summer when I start adding fresh grass clippings, but they are numerous in the older sections that are ready for use.
Jack Daw
02-03-2010, 04:59 AM
I don't really do vermicomposting, but the way I manage my compost pile I have lots of worms. I am interested in learning if there are other things I can do to enhance their population.
What I do now is keep the pile more or less divided into at least 2 and sometimes 3 separate sections. The worms definitely do not inhabit the new dry material or the hot areas that I get in summer when I start adding fresh grass clippings, but they are numerous in the older sections that are ready for use.
Worms (or at least vermiworms such as Eisenia and many other types) process the compost pile quite differently as for example typical earthworms living in the soil. Worms producing vermicompost are not fed by the amount of rotting food, but they eat parasitic, symbiotic bacteria that created a thin layer on rotting food. This is very important, because the red wigglers in fact only eat the becteria with the uppermost layer of the rotting food. Interestingly, this process only helps to speed the decemposition process, probably because the worms intentionally never eliminate the entire microbial flora, but by eating one layer just open another food layer for rotting.
From what I wrote above it is clear, that if there's enough microbial food in one part of the bed, they won't go into a worse part voluntarily. Why worse part?
A) Dry material inhibits and slows down microbial growth, thus meaning that big population of wigglers could actually inhibit the rotting process by eating the entire microflora, or they would have to starve. Add to that the highest tolerated temperature of red worms around 88°F and you get a no go for them (wouldn't you prefer cooler and more acceptable temperatures over extreme highs? ;) ). Also this might be the reason:
Earthworms breathe through their skin and thus need to stay moist at all times. Anyone who has had worms crawl out of their bins will know from experience that they can shrivel up and die relatively quickly, so it is vitally important to make sure that the material in yoru worm bins/beds never dries up – in fact, you should be keeping your bedding as moist as possible.
Research has actually shown that composting worms typically prefer a moisture content higher than that typically recommended for thermophilic composting – even as high as 80-90% (Edwards & Lofty, 1996).
B) Grass cippings... are very dangerous. In general, if you put too many layers of grass clippings mixed with nothing or very small amounts of other food, rotting grass will produce lots of ammonia and the temperature inside the pile while rise exponentially to a point that the pile will give off the heat. Add to this also warmth from the sun and you get a totally no go enviroment for them.
According to Edwards (1988), the optimal temperature range for breeding Eisenia fetida (red wigglers) is 15-20C (59-68F), yet maximum growth (weight gain) occurs closer to 25C (77F).
On the other end of the spectrum are the upper limits for worm survival. Eisenia fetida once again outshines the competition, tolerating bed temperatures reportedly as high as 43C (109.4F) according to Reinecke et al. (1992). That being said, it is definitely best to avoid letting your worm bed temperatures go above 30C (86F) whenever possible, as the success of your worms will decline markedly past this point.
Hope this helps. If you want to make the pile more attractive for them, it must be properly moist, placed in the shade, with temps best around 80°F, filled with rotting watermelons (they love it), tomatoes and other juicy things you can find in the kitchen.
ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE WORMS INHABITING YOUR COMPOST PILE ARE RED WIGGLERS, OTHERWISE THIS ENTIRE POST IS IRRELEVANT. :)
Thanks Jack. I did not realize there was such a difference between earthworms and red wigglers. I do add kitchen scraps to my compost pile--I have a gallon container that I have to empty almost every day (mostly peels, cores and coffee grounds), but maybe I should start a separate bin for red wigglers with just the kitchen scraps. Do you think I could put a red wiggler bin directly on the ground? My pile is in the shade of a big magnolia tree--but outside temps here get into the mid to upper 90s in summer and lows into 20s--of course a bin in contact with ground will maintain a more moderate temp.
I need the other compost pile for all the pine straw (very hard to wet), leaves and grass clippings.
djmb74
02-03-2010, 10:41 AM
Let me know when you are ready to get started with the red wigglers, when I start using my Can O worms I will separate out some for you to get ya started...
Thanks Jack. I did not realize there was such a difference between earthworms and red wigglers. I do add kitchen scraps to my compost pile--I have a gallon container that I have to empty almost every day (mostly peels, cores and coffee grounds), but maybe I should start a separate bin for red wigglers with just the kitchen scraps. Do you think I could put a red wiggler bin directly on the ground? My pile is in the shade of a big magnolia tree--but outside temps here get into the mid to upper 90s in summer and lows into 20s--of course a bin in contact with ground will maintain a more moderate temp.
I need the other compost pile for all the pine straw (very hard to wet), leaves and grass clippings.
Jack Daw
02-03-2010, 10:49 AM
... but maybe I should start a separate bin for red wigglers with just the kitchen scraps. Do you think I could put a red wiggler bin directly on the ground? My pile is in the shade of a big magnolia tree--but outside temps here get into the mid to upper 90s in summer and lows into 20s--of course a bin in contact with ground will maintain a more moderate temp.
You can do this, especially in your climate, but outdoor vermiculture is something I haven't tried yet. The bin construction won't have to be so perfect as in the indoor vermiculture case. Needless to say that other problems will arise. You will have to protefct the whatever is in the bin from 2 sides: top and bottom (ideally with net of some sort, maybe metallic?). Top should be protected because any bird would be delighted to taste your worms and bottom because of moles and other soil dwelling creatures.
You could use a structure like this to start with, final bin would be very similar:
http://grow.ars-informatica.ca/images/wooden_compost_bin.jpg
What I also saw people doing is to dig a rectangular hole in the ground, cirka 45cm deep and start building the structure from there. Not only that your worms will in winter have some space to hide from frosts, but the entire structure will not be so prone to being damaged by winds and storms.
If I were in your climate with enough space in my garden, I wouldn't even try to build an indoor vermiculture bin. Everything you need is outside.
I need the other compost pile for all the pine straw (very hard to wet), leaves and grass clippings.
I can only advise that. There's however another usage for leaves and grass clippings. Both can be used as mulch and in summer as water insulation, they will hold much of the water below it and stop the water from vaporizing even in the hottest days
djmb74
02-11-2010, 07:24 PM
Most fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grinds, tea bags, shredded paper, even some yard waste that has been composted a bit can go in there as well.
What to feed your worms - WormWiki (http://wiki.vermicomposters.com/wormbin/What_to_feed_your_worms)
Vermicompost - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermicompost)
The worms you get from a bait shop may not be the same used for composting.
djmb74
02-11-2010, 07:25 PM
thats odd... how did my post get below yours.... lol
OK Jack, I bought a plastic bin like yours and I put it on a screen to prevent moles and I will put a top on it later. I should be able to buy some red wigglers at the local bait shop.
So, my question is, as far as kitchen scraps, are there any things that should not go in there--besides meat trimmings?
I may eventually build a system to collect water that passes thru it when it rains.
thats odd... how did my post get below yours.... lol
Wierd! But thanks for the reply--even it it was before I asked! I was just reading an article about time travel in Discover!
Jack Daw
02-11-2010, 08:45 PM
OK Jack, I bought a plastic bin like yours and I put it on a screen to prevent moles and I will put a top on it later. I should be able to buy some red wigglers at the local bait shop.
So, my question is, as far as kitchen scraps, are there any things that should not go in there--besides meat trimmings?
I may eventually build a system to collect water that passes thru it when it rains.
You should definitely avoid potatoes (they'll eat it only as long as there's nothing else ot eat), bread, too many citruses (reasonable amounts are acceptable, but acids can make more damage than good). Whatever animal products shouldn't go there either.
The list is slightly longer, but in general you can apply the rule: What came from plant production, can be used in vermicomposting. It's just a matter of how well it will rot and how tasty will worms find it to be. From my experience the tastiest food for them are watermelons. Sometimes I put several watermelon scraps into the bin before I went to sleep and they disappeared until the next morning.
millworkman
02-11-2010, 09:05 PM
I just have a couple outdoor bins, no vermi bins. Every summer I do get the soldier fly larvae in mine and they seem to decomp much faster when they are there. I am going to try a bin just for them this year and see if I can keep it going over the winter in the garage.
cherokee_greg
03-09-2010, 11:58 AM
Most fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grinds, tea bags, shredded paper, even some yard waste that has been composted a bit can go in there as well.
What to feed your worms - WormWiki (http://wiki.vermicomposters.com/wormbin/What_to_feed_your_worms)
Vermicompost - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermicompost)
The worms you get from a bait shop may not be the same used for composting.
Thanks for posting this. I have a worm bin coming Im going to give this a shot. Im excited about trying this out. Thanks
Lagniappe
03-09-2010, 12:12 PM
If you go to your local shopping mall, there's a chance that the cardboard recycling dumpster is overflowing. Get what you can!
My worms turn wet cardboard into castings very quickly. It's fun to watch a 4' pile of wet cardboard be reduced to 1' in a month. I'm not sure why, but they go straight for it regardless of the other nice things in my pile (still no bin, pile works great.) I think other organisms go nuts on wet paper, and this is a food source for the worms.
cherokee_greg
03-09-2010, 12:51 PM
If you go to your local shopping mall, there's a chance that the cardboard recycling dumpster is overflowing. Get what you can!
My worms turn wet cardboard into castings very quickly. It's fun to watch a 4' pile of wet cardboard be reduced to 1' in a month. I'm not sure why, but they go straight for it regardless of the other nice things in my pile (still no bin, pile works great.) I think other organisms go nuts on wet paper, and this is a food source for the worms.
Thats good to know I work in the office at a recycling yard I can get all the cardboard I want.
Jack Daw
05-28-2010, 08:08 AM
Time to revive this thread a lil bit.
Here's an interesting article about ordinary Earthworms, not the Eisenia genus, but still, very interesting reading.
BBC - Earth News - Earthworms eat live seeds and plants, scientists find (http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8694000/8694377.stm)
Jack Daw
10-18-2010, 01:54 PM
Hi guys,
I've been on a newsletter mailing list for quite a while (vermicompost site...) and it's great. Recently a guy who owns and contributes to the vermicomposting family, created an excellent guide for everybody who's interested in this topic. To quote:
Learn more about worm composting & stay up to date with all the new and exciting developments here at RedWormComposting.com!
I am happy to announce that ALL subscribers will now be provided with access to the brand new “Red Worm Composting Guide to Vermicomposting”. It is still very much a work-in-progress (I wrote “worm-in-process” on my first try), with two full sections (and images) still to be added, BUT it is still 77 pages – so you might learn a thing or two!
http://www.redwormcomposting.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif
The first section of the guide is devoted to getting people up to speed on the “Basics” of vermicomposting. I next talk about the vermicomposting “system” and how to set it up. I have also included an extensive “Q&A” section to help people find answers to a lot of the common worm composting questions.
To receive access, please sign up for the email list below
The link to the signup page is here:
Vermicomposting Newsletter (http://www.redwormcomposting.com/vermicomposting-newsletter/)
It's an excellent piece of book. I strongly recommend everybody with the interest in this topic to sign up.
Cheers!
Jack
nannerfunboi
12-31-2010, 05:55 PM
ive been using worms for composting for a yr now.. my bedding i too use
shredded up cardboard..some newspaper.. i use 37 gal plastic rubbermaid
bins(on sale from homedepot).. the 1st one i drilled holes all over it.. took
more time than i wanted.. so now with the last 3 tubs i use a sharp knife
and cut holes all over the bins..bottom too..
i use the lid as a catch for the leache.. and a piece of cardboard as the lid..
my worms give me 2-- 5gal buckets of castings every several months..
i use them in plantings.. my bananas and EE seem to really enjoy it as
a soil amendment.. :08:
good to see others using worm castings...
have a great new yr everyone...
Dreaminofthetropics
05-20-2011, 08:33 PM
Just thought I would bump this thread! How are everyones worm beds going? I just started mine a month ago and have about 8000 worms or so to start! I'm using newspaper, a small amount of peat, cardboard, composted manure, and scraps. My guys are very very happy. I am wondering if anyone can tell me how long until I have castings as I am new to this. My bin is 3ftx3ft and approx 14" high. I also now have Black Soldier Fly larvae in my worm bin and composting piles which those babies can compost some stuff :-) So what is everyone else up to worm wise!??!:0519::0519::0519::0519::0519::0519::0519::0519::0519:
nannerfunboi
05-20-2011, 08:43 PM
great to see another worm fan here :woohoonaner:
i have 4 - 37 gal rubbermaid tubs for housing my worms..
i use shredded cardboard and newspaper..mostly cardboard though..for the bedding..
if i was more attentive in feeding and turning the bedding i know the worms
would compost alot faster..
as is now i get really well composted castings in 2 months..
ive been harvesting more castings lately to put in my potting mix..
all my tropicals love the addition..
i also add castings to my potted up tomato plants..which are blooming now..and getting huge.. its still to early to put them out in garden..
we always seem to get one last nasty freeze..so i hold off till 1st week of june..
best of luck to ya dreamoftropics :goteam:
Dreaminofthetropics
05-20-2011, 09:31 PM
great to see another worm fan here :woohoonaner:
i have 4 - 37 gal rubbermaid tubs for housing my worms..
i use shredded cardboard and newspaper..mostly cardboard though..for the bedding..
if i was more attentive in feeding and turning the bedding i know the worms
would compost alot faster..
as is now i get really well composted castings in 2 months..
ive been harvesting more castings lately to put in my potting mix..
all my tropicals love the addition..
i also add castings to my potted up tomato plants..which are blooming now..and getting huge.. its still to early to put them out in garden..
we always seem to get one last nasty freeze..so i hold off till 1st week of june..
best of luck to ya dreamoftropics :goteam:
I've had mine for about 3 weeks now and I'm just wondering how I will get the castings from such a large bed, will I have to wait until the whole bed turns to castings or??? I mean I've read how to harvest the worms etc, but I just can't figure out if I should just let it sit until I obviously have alot of castings or??? I mean I have 8000 worms there have to be castings in there LOL and should I not add anymore bedding until its mostly castings!?!? I'm sure I'll figure it out when it comes I'm just impatient hahaha:2722:
Richard
05-20-2011, 11:05 PM
I use worm castings, but they are not a panacea (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/panacea). Here's a synopsis from another thread:
Worm Castings have two categories of use in horticulture:
Soil Conditioner. (a) to inoculate a soil mix destined for pots or planter beds. You really don't need more than a cup per cubic foot. (b) Applied 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick on the soil surface of a planter bed or orchard, under a 3 to 5 inch thick layer of mulch (1/2 to 1 inch diameter variety). If the surface of the ground freezes during your winter, then apply once per year in the spring - or at least every other year. If the ground does not freeze during your winter, then every 5 to 7 years is sufficient provided you maintain a thick layer of mulch.
Fertilizer. Well, its better than no fertilizer at all, but it is not a very economical choice in terms of volume, labor, or cost. Mainly worm casting are an unbalanced source of micronutrients -- which cause the "greenup" you see after application. (a) When worm castings are moist (not soggy or dry) then the levels of major nutrients is about 1/4 to 1/2 % each. You'll need about 25 pounds of worm castings per plant per year to deliver a significant impact of major nutrients on the fruiting banana plant, and about 300 lbs / plant / year to reach the plants' capacity. (b) Worm tea contains less micronutrients and less total nutrients than the castings. If you are going to make it then it should be over night and it should never be in a warm container more than 30 minutes because the nitrogen will leave. After 18 hours the beneficial micro-organisms in the tea will be dead. Foliar application (spraying on leaves) is not recommended for many parts of the world because the solution provides an environment for mildew and other fungi to grow.
As far as the worm tea, does the aeration and adding molasses make this more valuable and nutrient rich?
The two things I've noticed about worm tea:
1. It is easier to apply than worm castings.
2. The person making it obtains a sense of accomplishment.
Worm tea is used by industry in very controlled conditions involving aeration to grow certain beneficial strains of bacteria. Despite the claims of sellers of aeration pumps, most people are not going to accomplish this in their backyard.
Some plants respond well to wood sugars (e.g., molasses) as part of an overall nutrition plan. Wood sugars are also used to chelate nutrients in liquid fertilizers and supplements. Typically though we use ligno-sulfate instead of grocery store molasses because:
1. The grocery store variety is missing essential oils (higher sugar content).
2. The grocery store variety costs much more per pound.
nannerfunboi
05-21-2011, 05:02 PM
so true richard..
i started making my own aerated castings tea last yr
ive thought of trying in big 50 gal outside..but still kicking it around..lol
right now i just have 2 - 5gal buckets going.. im truely a newbie with it
so i dont have alot of yrs experience to show plants do better with it..
but as you mentioned.. with proper conditions you can get good bacteria
growths that plants benifit from...
ive used it on my roses and whether its from the tea.. or just a "washing" from the tea..i have little problems with aphids..
but the leaves sure do look great..:goteam:
hope others will try and post their results..
Jack Daw
08-10-2012, 06:30 AM
OK, so today I'll hopefully send Ante some worms and add some resources and material to this thread at some point this month. If the time allows me to.
ive used it on my roses and whether its from the tea.. or just a "washing" from the tea..i have little problems with aphids..
but the leaves sure do look great..:goteam:
hope others will try and post their results..
My friend from Nicaragua mentioned that they use vermicomposting tea to treat plant leaves against Sigatoka. It is supposed to decrease the probablity of sigatoka's occurence.
dkf85281
08-10-2012, 06:17 PM
if one had to choose between worm castings vs. composted chicken manure, which would be the better soil additive?
thanks!
:bananas_b
sunfish
08-10-2012, 06:56 PM
if one had to choose between worm castings vs. composted chicken manure, which would be the better soil additive?
thanks!
:bananas_b
Don't think it would make a heck of a lot of difference
Dalmatiansoap
08-18-2012, 05:24 PM
[QUOTE=Jack Daw;202184]OK, so today I'll hopefully send Ante some worms and add some resources and material to this thread at some point this month.[QUOTE]
OK, worms are here, on the glorious joy of my kids, I dont what to talk public what some other family members think about that, and now I have to prepare bed for this colony tomorrow.
Thanks Jack!
:woohoonaner:
Dalmatiansoap
08-22-2012, 07:46 AM
Hey Jack, whats the scientific name for thid worms?
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2020, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.