3 reasons Red Wigglers are the best worms for beginners

/ @plantobsessed 3
First check in on my red wigglers in the worm factory 360.
Play list for the Red wigglers only here
• Red Wiggler Compost Worms
Red Wiggler Compost Worms- These red wigglers have been composting in my basement since May of 2019. The first bin was restarted August of 2021, The second bin August 2021, Newest bin started December 6th 2021- Now they move to the worm factory 360.
I am an Amazon affiliate. The items below are the Amazon affiliate links for the items I use in my wormery. I have read and recommend these books. The cost is the same to you, but the channel will be get a small commission if purchases are made using the links.
Worm Factory 360
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Extra worm factory trays
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Computer Microscope I use
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Cococoir I use
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Reusable gallon zip lock bags
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Down to Earth Organic Alfalfa Meal
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Fish scale, Dr.meter Backlit LCD Display 110lb/50kg
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Tetra 16172 Aqua Safe Fish Tank Water Conditioner
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BLACK+DECKER Coffee Grinder
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pH meter TDS meter compo pack
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Mesh bags to make worm tea
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[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

Good morning, Ann, from Windermere, Florida zone 9b USA I'm chuckling at your raising worms is like raising teenage boys! Aggravate and irritate to get them motivated 😂And they eat just about anything, even cardboard boxes 😂❤😂 I'm amazed at the amount of Castings you produce for your own garden. Great information on Cocoons, babies and conditions ❤🪱❤️ ❤Peggy❤

[@PlantObsessed]

Sounds like you have boys lol. Good thing worms don't get passive aggressive 😄👍🏼🪱

[@leobaltz2057]

Great information as always! You are one of favorite wormtubers! You are one of those people I would love to sit and have coffee and chat for hours! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@PlantObsessed]

I'm so glad you like the content. 👍🏼🪱😃

[@A-V]

All is well in the worm tower 👍🏻 Good to see you getting the hang of using that thing :)

[@PlantObsessed]

Yeah, thank God. That was ugly the last few times 👍🏼😊🪱lol

[@A-V]

:)

[@gregridgeway8790]

That was a really good video. I have just got a couple of these types of bins and I feel like you have got me where I need to be to get them going.

[@PlantObsessed]

There is a learning curve for sure. Everyone's environment is different so the importance of learning how your worms work for you is the best advice I can give. Good luck 👍🏼🪱😃

[@Tippler0611]

Just picked up tower #2 from our local extension office. So grateful for those programs!!

[@PlantObsessed]

That is awesome. I didn't know they provided that sort of thing. 👍🏼😃🪱

[@clivesconundrumgarden]

Those tweaks you made to the system are definitely paying off. The pre harvest try transformed quick !! We need a worm ladder for humas 😂😂😂 Cheers Ann 🌱🤞👍👍👍👍

[@PlantObsessed]

Lol I can imagine the worm people ladder. 🪱😊👍🏼

[@emilyglasser1072]

I make a slurry in my 900 watt NutriBullet so the worms process it faster, nor do I have chunks to take out that they haven't finished, nor any seed germination. I don't know if this is something feasible for you to do. I recently found out that eggshells take many years to decompose, even when ground up. If you batch bake or even stovetop bake them, they become bioavailable. Once The color goes from white to tan, they are baked enough. I did my ground up shells in a frying pan while mixing. Do it on a day when you can open windows. The smell is strong enough but not deadly😄

[@PlantObsessed]

I totally agree. I bake all the eggshells. They grind much better as well. 🪱😊👍🏼

[@debbiegarrett2035]

I just ordered a Vitamix. I’m kinda excited about making smoothies for hubby and me and slurries for for the worms. I don’t do anything with my eggshells except wash them out, let them dry for a couple of days and crush them in a coffee grinder. I have a worm tower 360, a vermi hut, a worm inn flow through and soon a traveling mini worm bin. I love watching your videos!

[@bartcalder2791]

I freeze and slurry all the stuff I feed. Then mix into the card board slivers (Thanks Ann!) of the paper slicer. The Reds eat everything. 2 week feeding schedule. The egg shells get dried out whenever the oven is used for other stuff.

[@Vermicompost]

Love the way you run your worm tower and I love red wigglers!! Great advice and info on both!!🪱🪱🪱

[@PlantObsessed]

I am trying to mirror your method. I still have not stopped them from going to the sump. I'm trying to be patient but it is not my strong suit. 🪱😊👍🏼

[@leobaltz2057]

Bad life decisions 😂😂 naughty little worms! 😂

[@PlantObsessed]

Lol hopefully they live to tell the tale😃🪱👍🏼

[@Wormbin101]

We have one of these towers and it works amazing. I will try your advice to put just bedding in the bottom tray. Your channel is amazing. 😊

[@PlantObsessed]

Thank you. I'm glad it is helpful.👍🏼😊🪱

[@traceybier1128]

Do you have a video on starting worms using a few plastic totes?

[@PlantObsessed]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaG5i6J-ir2af9E. See if this is what you need 👍🏼😊🪱

[@surfcitybusybee]

Thank you for the informative video! Do you or anyone else here happen to know how to get rid of Sap Beetles in my worm bin? Last year, I fed my worms a bunch of Jack Fruit and before I knew it, my bin was infected with tons of these beetles that I had never seen before. I didn't suspect the Jack Fruit at the time, but now I'm pretty certain that that's where they came from. Any ideas on how to get rid of them completely, because I can't use my worm castings now, as I'm afraid that the beetles will take over my garden, as they like fruit, tomatoes, etc.

[@PlantObsessed]

I would say turn the castings into tea and toss the solids. At least you get some use out of them. If the beetles won't leave then harvest the worms and start over. Use the worm casting tea strained through a fine cloth to make the new bedding. I hope that helps.🪱👍🏼😃

[@trishoconnor2169]

I just gave my worms some green tomatoes today, too, but mine were the ones that had been nipped by the first frost, from my sister's plant. Figured there was no sense in those tomatoes going to waste, right?

[@PlantObsessed]

Exactly, the worms will turn them into soil amendments that grow more food In my mind it's no waste at all. 😃🪱👍🏼

[@thomasbazin1529]

Yup I keep adding dry bedding (shredded papper/fallen leaves/egg cartons..) to the bottom layer of my vertical worm bin, they go in there by the hundreds and if it wrre not for this carb, they'd probably just die in a pool with an horrendous disgusting smell of dead worms. Instead, they've got a place with decent moisture and can stay in there as long as rhthey want. Then I can leave some and take some for other bins. Very easy to pick them up, I get 100 worms for 3 or 4 handfuls. 😅

[@PlantObsessed]

Yep that is my policy as well. If you can't beat them join them👍🏼😊🪱

[@memprime]

Do red wrigglers need lots of fruits and vegetables, or can they live on paper, cardboard, tea leaves, and coffee grounds? I have less than 500 worms in total and very little food to compost. Thank you.

[@PlantObsessed]

Yes they can live on ground paper products and a little food. They are self limiting in that they don't outgrow the resources. Sometimes I will feed mine outside plants or weeds in the spring to give them some variety. 😃🪱👍🏼

[@dnawormcastings]

Your worms love pepper nice

[@PlantObsessed]

Just like their momma.🪱👍🏼🌶️😄

[@chuckpool1674]

Do you have any ideals on raising worms outside in Arkansas

[@PlantObsessed]

I don't have all the heat problems you do. You would have to find a shady place to keep the cool. There is a channel from las Vegas that does In ground worm farming. Dekine garden. She might be more helpful with ideas. 🪱😃👍🏼

[@memprime]

Is it OK to feed the worms smaller amounts more often? Like, if I eat a fruit a day, can I put the waste in daily? Or should I wait and put in like 5 apple cores once a week?

[@PlantObsessed]

Yes, that is fine. Not in all the same places. I would rotate corners each feeding so there is no build up of vapors.👍🏼🪱😃

[@vegomatic100]

OMG I've been doing it backwards! Having the worms climb up to to the newer bin! lol

[@PlantObsessed]

Thank you for watching. I can't take credit for the method. I learned it from Vermicompost learn by doing channel. 🪱😊👍🏼

[@cheryltaft8005]

How tall are those risers that you made? Whoever originally thought of that is a guinious.

[@PlantObsessed]

I made them as tall as the little tab on the inside of the tray. The genius is Michael from intherockandinsoil channel. 😃🪱👍🏼

[@memprime]

What does it mean if red wrigglers are kind of pink or partially white?

[@PlantObsessed]

Many of mine are pink but if they are going white it may mean they are malnourished for some reason.. Is it a new bin or over 6 months? 🪱👍🏼😊

[@memprime]

@@PlantObsessed it's a new bin.

[@memprime]

@PlantObsessed Can they turn white because it's too dry? A couple nights ago, I added what I thought was a lot of water and now they're turning red again.

[@PlantObsessed]

@@memprime they look red because we are seeing their blood through their thin skin. If they were dehydrated that could be a reason too.👍🏼🪱

[@GardeningwithBarchuckin]

I’m going on 4 years in the spring and red wigglers are still my favorite composting worm. Great tip Ann with the pvc pieces for the corner. The light/aggravation method works great with the tower system. I’ve used the tray in other systems just to harvest. 😁🪱🪱

[@PlantObsessed]

I think I'm finally getting the hang of it 😀👍🏼🪱

[@GardeningwithBarchuckin]

Definitely looking good😁@@PlantObsessed

[@wesleysmith995]

I agree with some of your comments. I will tell you what I've been doing. 1st off. My worm bid is in a room, that is were I am at the most. I have a my worm bin, in a room ,That is the same temperature, that I'm in. Year round. Also, I only use the top 3 layers. Top 2 Iayers I keep damp. Their temperature is my temperature. Top bin is for feeding, which I keep damp. 2nd layer is less damp than 1st. 3rd layer, I don't add any water. If any worms go to that level, it want take long for them to go back up. I feed Top layer 1st. After they go through it, I change 1st level with 2nd level. Now 1 level is 2nd. I wait till they finish it ,then harvest it. After that, 3rd level becomes 1st level, still have 2nd level. And 3rd level is a new set. Main thing I have been seeing, this system is designed to be at the same temperature as us humans. So don't put them in a cold basement during winter time. Have them in a room that the temperature is comfortable to you , and they will do amazing.

[@PlantObsessed]

Thank you for watching

[@gregbutler9873]

You’re my boy Blu👍🏻 those pot worms came from the outside leaves ?? Does that new worm tower have what ? three trays with holes drilled in them and the bottom tray does not have any drilled holes ?

[@PlantObsessed]

No idea where the pot worms come from. There are 5 layers with holes molded in as far as I can tell. The bottom is more of a pit where water can be drained out. Some people run water through to get worm tea. There is actually a drain.👍🏼😃🪱

[@gregbutler9873]

@@PlantObsessed I should have paid more attention too detail when you put it together . I thought it was only four layers total 😣

[@mikkosgarden]

I agree with your 3 reasons, I went from approx 125 worms to over 2000 in approximately 1 year. 🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱

[@PlantObsessed]

Exactly. I see people buy 5 pounds of worms to start the bin. when they could save money and wait 3 months. 👍🏼😊🪱