EASY How To Start An Indoor Red Wiggler Worm Farm

[@martysgarden]

Nice to see healthy compost worms making organic castings,,we need more people worm farming around the world.

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Thanks! We agree! We continue to try and improve.

[@lionolee5480]

Im one of them.

[@annearsenault7168]

I am starting a worm farm 😀

[@damonwalker7527]

i guess Im asking the wrong place but does any of you know of a tool to get back into an instagram account..? I stupidly forgot my login password. I would love any help you can give me.

[@landynnathan7430]

@Damon Walker instablaster ;)

[@orangevw36]

Thank you so much for all the info!

[@deathtodeception9421]

Beautifully explained and your red wigglers look healthy. Thank you!

[@josephpalarca4566]

will try this at home. really planning on going zero waste

[@LOGAFFY]

I love her nails! Mine always look like that dealing with my worms!

[@glyndagiles5697]

I enjoyed this very much! I'm going to start a worm bin using your methods. I have a compost bin outdoors, but I'm wanting to do one indoors for worm castings for my houseplants. Thumbs up!

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Thank you! Good luck. Keep us posted on your progress. We were amazed with the castings and how they helped our gardening. 😃

[@victorm7274]

I use easy liner solid grip shelf liner to cover my bins . It’s basically a thick plastic shelf liner. It come in a 20in X 6ft roll. Just cut to fit the bin. I don’t use a lid. I never had a single worm try to escape.

[@scottguitar8168]

I think the reason food gets moved from side to side is to keep the worms migrating through the bed and it also makes it easier to retrieve worm castings from the non food side since most will have migrated towards the side with the food.

[@hassanibrahemshokrof]

Nice work , thanks

[@deethedeeplorablemorand2327]

I live by North Pole , Alaska and stumbled onto your video and enjoyed it much , Best wishes and God bless,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,dee

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Thank you! God bless.

[@mrstefansgreens]

thats awesome! I might start a bin as well! :)

[@RidgeLife]

Just Subbed. Nice video. Thanks and look forward to watching more of your videos.

[@عزالدينيوسف-ك8ث]

Wenderful project

[@ezyjack826]

great video and very informative. I was just given a pound of worms so I want to get started. what adjustments should I make? luckily I have compost so should I put them in there with some food and cardboard while my new bin sets up? I have chopped up brown leaves from last fall. how would I use them in my bin? thank you :-)

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Thank you! Just make sure it is moist and keep a lid on for a few days while the worms adjust to their new environment. Don't add hot compost, either. Let us know how it goes. Good luck. What kind of worms?

[@LarryWileyWormFarm-ey8lp]

About a month ago I bought 1 lb of red wiggles. Put them in same type container you have. Later heard I should have put them in a 1 Sq ft container.

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Not so. Red wigglers will, in the correct environment (bedding, food, temp., proper Ph) will do just fine in a larger container. We have done it successfully many, many times.

[@AtlantaTerry]

Here in Atlanta, the larger size concrete mixing tubs at Home Depot or Lowe's cost about US $12.

[@TheNakidGardeners]

Holy crap that is expensive. Here in North Texas they are under $6

[@BigCityBuilder]

Lowe’s has 2 sizes the large ones are $12+

[@AtlantaTerry]

@@TheNakidGardeners OK, what size?

[@STRcircaFKR]

5 gal for 3 bucks at the lowes i went to :D

[@emyshibukawa8078]

You could always get 27 gal black bins at Costco or Sam's Club for only about $7.

[@ChrisTesch87]

Copied your method pretty much 100%. I used pre mixed compost from my outside pile instead of Pete Moss and skipped the egg peels. It’s been working great with my wrigglers 👍

[@AtlantaTerry]

"Peat"

[@chuchonation]

Did they eat the compost?

[@tobe4141]

Very imformative

[@ImASurvivorNThriver]

Great ideas! Thanks for sharing.

[@ivy4559]

Thank you so much!

[@LOGAFFY]

You could also cover a piece of cardboard with a bag or something and tape it together.

[@Mi_amor12345]

Very good method! the only thing it's better to bury the food, if not you gonna have all king of bugs!

[@Lucky_ness]

This might be a weird question but how do I get worms in my compost without actually having any worms? Are they naturally gonna be drawn to it or should I be doing something?

[@markyg1970]

If your compost is directly on the ground then yes they might eventually be drawn to there.

[@Lucky_ness]

@@markyg1970 thanks for your response. I found a tiny one yesterday

[@Versbreizh]

You still have to learn a lot.

[@khchenle8504]

Thankyou for this info :)

[@RobynLeeMiller]

Hi there. Someone gave me a bucket of red wrigglers but didn't put any soil or peat in at all and just put vegetable scraps. Is that OK or should I add coco peat to the top?

[@texaspatty4697]

They need bedding not just food.

[@adambrough7552]

good video but a tripod for the camera would help.

[@mgoh1984]

I think adding the food to one side first, and then to the other side would make it easier to harvest castings from the side the worms aren't eating from. As for the covers, it seems the black plastic would make your light useless to deter them from escape. Why not get a piece of clear plastic?

[@chuchonation]

I use plastic yellow signs . They are translucent and work awesome.

[@uchibauki2515]

You have Beautiful and healthy bedding no mites and I have millions mites 😅

[@AtlantaTerry]

Have you tried sprinkling DE (diatomaceous earth) over the top of your worm bin? It won't bother the worms, but it might do something with those mites. I bought a large tub of DE at my local Ace Hardware store for about US $8.

[@liduinewellink8486]

I heard you should touch them as little as possible. You can put them in the bin and let the light make them go under.

[@lifesystemschiro]

Do you have holes at the bottom of the bin?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

No holes, but we don't over water. We just keep it moist so the worms can breathe.

[@anthonygandara927]

do you ever have problems with ants invading your worm beds, whether for moisture or food. im not sure if ants will harm the worms or not.

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Yes, we did have ants and though they did not seem to hurt the worms, they were not something we wanted to put our hands in so we used diatomatious earth and they disappeared.

[@vristudios]

Could this system stay in a kitchen for its lifespan (3 months) without smelling bad? - provided that its healthy and aerobic? I live in an apartment and the outside environment might be too hot where I am, and I have lots of good space in my kitchen, that would be ideal if there was no smell or flies. Obviously the smell of nice rich soil would be ok. I plan to start with a Rubbermaid tote style bin and am wondering if you have ever installed a spout on one end to draw off any of the castings liquid? Is this even necessary? Thoughts?

[@ryanjames4205]

Short answer, yes. I’ve done 1000cu+ indoors and you can’t really smell it provided you’re drying the additives somewhat and run lids. Also to note Reds are pretty hardy. I’ve had them outside in 100deg heat (under shade) and they were fine.

[@AtlantaTerry]

Rule #1: no meat or meat products such as fat, cheese, milk, etc.

[@tonymoorehead6515]

I see you started the bin with 200 worms....but how many are ideal for this size bin?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

500 is a good number, but if conditions are right, you will quickly have a thousand or two thousand. About two thousand is where we would make a new breaded bin.

[@LarryWileyWormFarm-ey8lp]

This size container is good for about 2.5 lbs worms.

[@kimthevenin8769]

Are the food raw or cooked?

[@magio47]

Congratulations on the video. What is the white powder you spread on the litter box? greetings Giovanni from Rome

[@ericcarve4476]

The white powder was egg shells finely ground up in a coffee grinder

[@magio47]

@@ericcarve4476 Thanks I will do the same

[@annearsenault7168]

What about drilled holes in the bins for oxygen?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

They don't need holes as long as you fluff the bins every week or two.

[@kaybegley9566]

do you have issues with pests since you only have the egg carton on top? I have seen a lot of people recommend using a lot of shredded cardboards.

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Shredded paper and cardboard is awesome and worms will eat it if moist. Since we don't over feed the food doesn't sit long enough to attract pests. We know this because we used to overfeed and we did get ants, springtails, and flies.

[@pamelastansbury1407]

I had watched an earlier video of the worm diet you mixed without using the veggies because it drew mites.. Did you decide to change back to adding veggies?

[@magichathosting]

We are back to using veggie scraps but will not hesitate to supplement with the worm chow off and on. Ideally, veggie scraps is what we would prefer for the majority of the diet.

[@arshiyasheikh5583]

Nice info good

[@timmooney2460]

now that you have worked to get your population increased, what do you do to market your worms and castings . I live in a residential area in central florida.

[@magichathosting]

Unfortunately, we had to put a halt to our plans to market our worms and castings because of the pandemic. We ended up having to work remote which force us to change how we farmed our worms. Fortunately we have been able to save a lot of our worms and they continue to reproduce. We'll be ramping up again sometime in the future.

[@margimorris7360]

Hello. I have just started to watch you video's and notice that you don't use tubs with holes in them. during summer we have ALOT of water melon, rock melon etc which produces water in itself. So am I assuming correctly that you maybe only use more dry foods for indoor worm farms? I can not imagine using a bin with no holes.

[@hanblue4413]

A well balanced worm bin doesn't need bottom drainage holes! If you're getting liquid pooling in the bottom of the bin, there's either too much food or too little bedding, or both. The average consistancy of the material inside the worm bin should be like slightly moist soil, no wetter than that :)

[@MrSpecs52]

Do the Worms breed quickly from 200 worms how long before you get 2000 and create anew bin?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

If the environment is ideal they will breed fast. Spent coffee grounds help. We went from 100 to about 1500 in six months. Then in about a year we had 15,000 or so. Red wigglers double in population in about 60 days. This happens exponentially. The key is keeping their environment as close to perfect as you can.

[@ericcarve4476]

I’ve heard the same that the population doubles every 2-3 months in ideal condotions

[@LarryWileyWormFarm-ey8lp]

I started with 300 about 5-6 months had a out 1k.

[@aajana4990]

Ohhh my God , black gold

[@allenjeng3506]

Great vid. Where did you buy your original worms?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

We started with Uncle Jim's red wigglers. 500 count. Thank you!

[@hearsayhenderson2623]

Why the worm farm? Are you using the dirt?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Yes, we use the castings in gardening. Thanks!

[@sirgravesghastly8892]

can survive in winter outside or gotta come inside??

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Depends on how harsh the winter. Below freezing temps in the bedding is not good. Low temps below freezing for more than a few days in the bedding can freeze and kill the worms. Notice I specified in the bedding and not outside temps. Keep the bedding above freezing temps and you'll be ok.

[@jimmywilson1388]

How long does it take them to eat that amount of vegetables?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

500 worms with soft food about 1 to 2 weeks.

[@beckysmith7142]

Do you drill holes in the bottom of the worm bins? Thanks!

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

No. We just make sure we don't overwater.

[@elwoodanderson4149]

In sc and can get cold,best way to stay warm ?

[@keithcamp999]

How often do you add moisture to the cardboard?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

As often as required to keep it wet. It depends on the environment as to how quick it starts to dry out. Just keep an eye on it and don't let it dry up.

[@Kyautumnlovr]

I heard that too much coffee grounds is too acidic ? How much do you feed them each day abt?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Coffee grounds must be spent/used or it would be too acidic.

[@Kyautumnlovr]

@@HomesteadersDiscovery yes they are spent/ used. My worms are getting larger and should be having lil baby worms soon. LOVE these lil guys

[@OhItsJustMe2]

How is the house building coming along?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

It's a lot of work for two old people lol, but we are making progress. More videos coming on that. Thanks for watching!

[@OhItsJustMe2]

@@HomesteadersDiscovery Old is a state of mind.... at least thats what my mom use to say lol. I am always amazed at the work you two have done and are doing on your home. Looking forward to your next video. God Bless.

[@MrSpecs52]

Are the bins you use very deep?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Maybe 5 inches roughly. Actual bedding depth is about 3 to 4 inches.

[@uchibauki2515]

Can I just use regular top soils 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

No. Let the worms make your "soil"

[@uchibauki2515]

Homesteaders Discovery thank you 🙏🏼

[@toniastownhousegarden7878]

Whee can I find these worms

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

We started by ordering red wrigglers from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm.

[@ccrystal6354]

How do you know, how much about 200 worms are?

[@magichathosting]

It's tedious, but we count them.

[@ccrystal6354]

@@magichathosting wow 😳

[@onwednesdayswewearpink2761]

where do you buy those bins?

[@sandrawilkerson1298]

Home Depot or Lowe’s

[@AtlantaTerry]

Go to your local hardware store such as Home Depot of Lowes then head over to the construction materials department which is usually located along a side wall. Then in the concrete area, you will find shallow large black thick plastic mixing tubs for about US $12.

[@LarryWileyWormFarm-ey8lp]

Lowes or Home Depot just under 9.00

[@jackjamison8392]

Obviously you can't use both the lamp and the cover. Why do you cover?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Covers keep the moisture in and light out. Since red wigglers feed on or near the surface, the cover keeps the light out so they can feed.

[@victorm7274]

2:45 Tupperware container ? You’re showing your age. 😂 My mother use to sale tupperware when I was a kid. It’s funny how older people don’t call it what it is, rubbermaid, sterilite , or ziploc , it’s all Tupperware 👍🏼

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Funny but true!

[@nickterry5690]

About how long did it take that 1 tote to be 100% castings?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Around three months.

[@Workinggirlhomestead]

how do they get oxygen?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Through their skin. That's why fluffing the bedding every now and then is important.

[@vanichunduru8323]

How about fruit flies? How did you manage?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

By not over feeding.

[@lancerudy9934]

What kind of worms!

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

Red wigglers

[@AtlantaTerry]

Here in Atlanta, I buy Red Wigglers from a local fishing bait store.

[@briansalazar7818]

Do you do anything to the peat moss to reduce the acidity or do you just use it as is?

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

As is. Depending on what you feed them, the pH will change anyway. That being said, monitor your pH throughout the lifecycle of the bin.

[@briansalazar7818]

@@HomesteadersDiscovery Thank you.

[@shadrekajackson7051]

Uh oh! I used fresh coffee grounds unused. Are my worms in danger of dying?😬

[@AtlantaTerry]

Huh? Make coffee first, then use the grounds.

[@BrownRecluse1738]

Did your worms die?

[@shadrekajackson7051]

No they are still alive. Although I had a gnat and fly problem so I started burying the food toward the bottom. I saw my first baby baby worm a dew days ago. I'm happy because the feel comfortable enough to procreate.

[@НастяРусакова-ж9г]

Мгого чего полезного для начинающих.

[@elpapaupa838]

I dry my egg shell's in the microwave

[@deannahayes4627]

Love your video; but the touching constantly is making my dizzy.

[@michalamuggiernst464]

Why not have all the food in once side of the bin, then It should be easy to collect them.

[@HomesteadersDiscovery]

With this startup method we are not harvesting the worms. We just want the castings. Your method does work great, however, if the goal was to collect the worms.

[@54071954]

I stopped watching, because ot to many uhmms and it's going to slow. Get to the point and tell us what to do please. Your bins are beautiful and healthy though. You could have done the whole video in less than 5 minutes. Just a thought. Happy farming.

[@roshnid.521]

Adjust the playback speed, that's what I did. :)

[@eds2370]

This guy is long winded. Get to the pioint.

[@YOURLOCALROUGHNECK]

Can I leave my worms in there farm over winter in my garage I live in North Dakota and it gets below freezzing

[@AtlantaTerry]

Does your garage freeze? Then your worms could be in danger. Put the warm bin against a wall where it might be slightly warmer. Add a thermometer so you know how cold it is inside the worm bin. My late mother grew up in Mandan so I know how severe winters are there!

[@uchibauki2515]

Herp Exotics they died below 60F