7 Common Worm Farm Problems Solved

[@angela5391]

I finally found a channel that gives me the facts on how to maintain a worm farm no mumbo jumbo...Thanks Marty!

[@martysgarden]

Your welcome, some of my vlogs have a bit of jumbo hehe😂

[@unclecurtful]

"Seven hearts these guys got. How couldya not luv em." : )

[@martysgarden]

Thanks so much, your very kind

[@KeepOnGrowin]

My wife is trying vermiculture on a small basis. If we get the hang of it, will try to scale. Thanks Marty.

[@martysgarden]

Hi Mike, I am sure you will get it happening. I am actually working on a lot of content on vermicomposting at the moment, hope it helps. All the best from Australia Marty

[@e2U]

Would you like to help me work on a simpler solution?

[@Alta7139]

What to do when my worm bin has midgets from the kitchen scraps?

[@ltlbnsgarden]

About not giving them meat makes total sense. I am taking notes for sure, for when I start. Karin is such a sweetheart! Love you guys 🤗

[@martysgarden]

Thanks Little Bean,,have a lovely day

[@MariaLuciaGomezGreenberg]

I really enjoyed your advice and the fact that you seem to love your worms as much as I do. They do so much for our planet and are usually unappreciated. I’ve been composting with worms for 15 years and love what it has done for my garden. One year though, I had been eating papaya, my favorite fruit, on a weekly basis and discarding peel and seeds in the worm bin. After a month, I realized the papaya, which is great for my digestion, had digested my worms. 😢 I was able to save a handful and start again. Keep sharing your knowledge so that we can save our soil and the health of our beautiful planet 🌎. Take care, María Lucía from California

[@martysgarden]

Hi Maria from California, really enjoyed reading this comment. I too am a huge fan of Papaya. I am able to just grow it with success here where I live. It doesn't like the cold winters. I will do my best to keep spreading the word about compost worms, soil life and biodiversity. It's a real passion of mine. Blessing & Stay Safe Marty

[@kathynix6552]

Oh no i think the enzyme in papaya can soften meat so I can understand that it might affect worms if in high enough amount ts. I’d never thought about it though.

[@cooknwoman]

Thanks for all the detailed information! I really appreciate the time you've put in to help us do it right! By the way, your little helper is a cutie - I love her pet Praying Mantis 🤭

[@martysgarden]

Thanks Susie, my helper is growing up fast now!

[@jean-philippefranko6896]

At last! A well explained video and actionable advise. Thanks a lot! 👍🏻

[@martysgarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@waxtopia]

so i’m having trouble figuring out exactly what to do with the bedding and how to layer it, do i do a layer of bedding, put in the worms and the stuff they came in, and then another layer of bedding ??

[@martysgarden]

Hi Arya. I created a course inside KZbin in my members area here to help people get started correctly. You will find access to it here in level 3 kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin You can also ask me any questions you may have inside there as well. Enjoy Marty😀

[@commanderzach5624]

I am new to worm farming and I used a potting soil called miracle gro nature care organic and natural soil 32Qt. In a 65Qt. Container and use cricket diet food to feed my 36 nightcrawlers and didnt know if theres something I could do to make life better and give them what they need to breed and iv had the farm for almost a month?

[@martysgarden]

I am not a night crawler expert as they can be a bit tricky. Take a look into chicken pellets as that has high protein and my help.

[@jhangfk]

Night crawler worms produce a wet compost. They are slow to eat grub and prefer rotten food. Good for liquid fertiliser daily, I need compost so I threw all in my raised vegetable bed and bought 500 grams red worms.

[@nicolawilson2849]

Wonderful tips thank you.when would you add the compost to the veg patch, would you save the worms or just add the whole bottom tray and start it off again . Do you add any food over the winter or start off in the spring. UK south west area. Lots of questions but great tips

[@martysgarden]

Look in my worm wranglers members area all the answers and more are there

[@elizabethhavenaar7954]

My worm farm is over populated and some are trying to escape, also I want to harvest the farm but it is like mud with heaps of worms. I cut up their food in a blender and spread it the bed then add a little soil litely over the food then top with sheets of newspapers. Am I doing the right thing and how can I harvest without the worms. Thanking you for any advice.

[@martysgarden]

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for the question. My advice would be to do the first course in the Worm Wranglers members area level 3. You are at the stage where you need to harvest worms/ migrate, collect casting add new trays etc. It's all in here kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin Good value at the cost of less than a pizza. Have a nice day Marty😀

[@skyethewylder]

I just started my Worm Factory 360. Right off I got fruit flies. So, I added Mosquito Bits (Bacillus Thuringiensis Subspecies Isrealensis) and within 24 hours great reduction to the fruit flies, and two days later they are gone. We had got an order of beneficial nematodes in for the yard and garden, so I put a spray of them in there. They will do a great job until the wrigglers eat them. And same day, our fly wasp predators arrived, as whoopee, we also had some maggots in the bin. What a start for the first week! This morning there are zero maggots, zero house flies, and zero fruit flies or fungus gnats. What a start to vermicomposting! Fascinating and can't wait to apply the finished product to our cannabis grows.

[@martysgarden]

All the best with it Kiki, once you get the feeding down you should have no pest issues

[@skyethewylder]

@@martysgarden thank you Marty! I took a peek this morning and all I can see are nice big fat crawlers and red wrigglers. And not a single maggot, fly, or fruit fly. So, if people are willing to do some beneficial and biological warfare with other creepy crawlies, I find this very effective. Do you think cannabis leaves would be too spiny for them? They are similar to borage but not as bad, if you rub a leaf against your skin backwards you will be able to feel the spines.

[@martysgarden]

@@skyethewylder they would be fine once they start to decompose a little.

[@skyethewylder]

@@martysgarden oh too right! Didn't think, of that. Thank you ;-)

[@healingheartsulladulla563]

Gday mate how many tubs do you start a farm with cheers Roy

[@martysgarden]

One tub then add another. I have an Ebook here that explains everything you need to know www.buymeacoffee.com/martysgarden

[@ritacarter2438]

We just started our worm farm on a 4 tray system we put the worms and block in the bottom tray and food scraps in the working tray a bit confused do we keep the 1 tray remaining in the farm or take it out? What tray do the castings form in??

[@martysgarden]

You only need the one tray at the moment. I may make a quick video on this if I have time Rita,, stay tuned!

[@monaadams6529]

Do you spray water on the straw right in the farm on top of the worms. I’m always worried about them getting to much water and drowning them. I started with coco coir and it was damp but I feel like it gets too dry. I have added water with the shredded cardboard and I put water with some food and blend it . I have seen people spraying the farm . Should I put more water and just pour it in if I think it’s too dry? Mine seem to stay down low. They are at a great temp. So that’s not a problem. Thanks

[@martysgarden]

It's very hard to drown the compost worms, actually being too dry usually creates more of a problem. I would recommend you check out the Worm Wranglers members area and do the course Starting A Worm Farm A Beginners Guide. kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin *_It will answer all these questions and more to help you build and keep a successful worm farm._* Hope to see you there. Have a wonderful Easter Marty

[@cadfael4598]

Cheers for the response Marty!

[@martysgarden]

Very welcome, I try to get to all my questions. If you haven't already please subscribe to my channel. This will help me reach my goal of getting to 50K subscribers, every sub really helps keep this channel to grow and stay going. Thanks Marty

[@chinaahpek]

I have a lot of quick oats and rolled oats in the pantry. Can i put it in worm farm?

[@martysgarden]

Yes, soak them first or cook them before adding..little bit at a time.

[@Beartriple7]

Just a something on tap water, a lot of places now use chloramine instead of just chlorine, which unfortunately doesnt gas off the same as chlorine and requires other techniques to remove such as Reverse Osmosis,certain filters ,or otherways, but not just as simple as leaving out for several hours because of the bond of the chlorine to ammonia apparently, just food for thought since I was unaware of this until recently and more and more places are using it in town water, believe Sydney Brisbane and Melbourne use it exclusively already.

[@martysgarden]

Thanks for the info, it makes it harder that's for sure. Rainwater is always the better option

[@raynaldisugatamawiranata1578]

Ultraviolet light[edit] The use of ultraviolet light for chlorine or chloramine removal is an established technology that has been widely accepted in pharmaceutical, beverage, and dialysis applications.[10] UV is also used for disinfection at aquatic facilities.[11] Ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate[edit] Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium ascorbate completely neutralize both chlorine and chloramine, but degrade in a day or two, which makes them usable only for short-term applications. SFPUC determined that 1000 mg of vitamin C tablets, crushed and mixed in with bath water, completely remove chloramine in a medium-size bathtub without significantly depressing pH.[12] Activated carbon[edit] Activated carbon has been used for chloramine removal long before catalytic carbon, a form of activated carbon, became available[citation needed]; standard activated carbon requires a very long contact time, which means a large volume of carbon is needed. For thorough removal, up to four times the contact time of catalytic carbon may be required.[citation needed] Most dialysis units now depend on granular activated carbon (GAC) filters, two of which should be placed in series so that chloramine breakthrough can be detected after the first one, before the second one fails.[13] Additionally, sodium metabisulfite injection may be used in certain circumstances.[14][full citation needed] Campden tablets[edit] Home brewers use reducing agents such as sodium metabisulfite or potassium metabisulfite (both proprietorially sold as Campden tablets) to remove chloramine from brewing fermented beverages. However, residual sulfite can cause off flavors in beer[15] so potassium metabisulfite is preferred. Sodium thiosulfate[edit] Sodium thiosulfate is used to dechlorinate tapwater for aquariums or treat effluent from wastewater treatments prior to release into rivers[citation needed]. The reduction reaction is analogous to the iodine reduction reaction. Treatment of tapwater requires between 0.1 and 0.3 grams of pentahydrated (crystalline) sodium thiosulfate per 10 L of water[citation needed]. Many animals are sensitive to chloramine, and it must be removed from water given to many animals in zoos.[citation needed] Other methods[edit] Chloramine, like chlorine, can be removed by boiling and aging. However, time required to remove chloramine is much longer than that of chlorine. The time required to remove half of the chloramine (half-life) from 10 US gallons (38 L; 8.3 imp gal) of water by boiling is 26.6 minutes, whereas the half-life of free chlorine in boiling 10 gallons of water is only 1.8 minutes.[16] Aging may take weeks to remove chloramines, whereas chlorine disappears in a few days.[17][18] Here is the solution for your problem

[@raynaldisugatamawiranata1578]

Vitamin C is often used to remove chlorine and chloramine from large amounts of water, like pools, hot tubs and baths, but it can be used in drinking water too. The downside is you need to buy vitamin C tablets or powder and it can decrease the pH levels of the water, but if used in small quantities it's suitable for fermentation. Best of all, it will remove chloramine, which some municipalities use instead of chlorine because it's more resilient. However, you will need a higher amount of vitamin C to remove chloramine. Approximately 40 mg will dechlorinate 1 gallon of water. The use of vitamin C can be used to declorinate with small price

[@Christian_1980]

Great video. So passionate. Just a question please. I saw a video where someone puts ice into the bin every couple of days. I know hail brings nitrogen to the soil. Is it necessary? Have you tried it before?

[@martysgarden]

The ice is to cool them down, or to slowly keep moisture in the farms as it slowly drips in. It's not necessary. If you would like to take your home worm farming to the next level I suggest you become a Worm Wrangler member and do my course inside the channel called Starting A Worm Farm A Beginners Guide. kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin Have a lovely day Marty

[@mareebrowning4265]

What temperature range should be the water you put through your worm farm

[@martysgarden]

Good question, tepid warm is best,,same as what you like to put your hand in and be comfortable. Have a lovely day Marty & Karin

[@lastephanie8]

Thanks Marty! Very informative. I’ve run into a few of these issues in the early stages.

[@martysgarden]

Your welcome Stephanie, if you want to take it further I am having a sale on my course soon via my newsletter,,,organic seed raising course will be the bonus! It's game changing if your interested in organics!

[@margaretmeyncke3592]

I'm so excited about having a worm farm. Thanks for the information!

[@martysgarden]

Your welcome, so much fun,,stay tuned for up coming vids on the subject

[@gcraigen78]

I just started my 1st worm bin. Do I need a drain hole at the bottom. My bedding is coco coir with roots from cannabis and I also used quit a bit of cardboard and paper? After about 1.5 weeks everything seems food. 1st couple days I would find 3 to 7 worms climbing walls trying to escape. However when I looked today there was only 1 worm climbing the wall. Number of worms trying to climb walls has decreased which I'm guessing is a food thing.

[@martysgarden]

Drain holes are best for new worm farmers, they move around depending on many factors. Check out the members area if you want to learn the ropes quickly. Cheers Marty

[@tamnelson1388]

Thanks for info on city chlorinated water - didn’t know!

[@martysgarden]

Any time!

[@michaelfoster8530]

One way to solve the over feeding problem, is to puree the food and drain out the liquid. The worms will consume the food so fast, it won't have time to rot. For the bedding, I use a mixture of peat moss and leaf mulch.

[@martysgarden]

😀 thanks for your input. My worm wranglers members area covers all this much deeper

[@elgord8509]

can you add plain baking soda if the soil becomes acidic?

[@martysgarden]

Never done that, I use Dolomite mostly

[@magdalena-ug2sl]

can you also feed your worms regulair compost? I find that my compost when I get it out of my regular compost bin isn't fully proccesed yet, there's nothing wrong with the stuff I would just like it to be proccesed a bit more. I was thinking of mixing it with straw and occasional rabbit manure for them. I would also like to feed them apple core's since when I put them in the compost there will be worms in it within a couple of days. I really would like the worms to refine my compost so I can get a bit more of a controlled procces.

[@martysgarden]

Yes, use your compost as bedding. They will eat that. You should consider becoming a Worm Wrangler level 3 everything you need to know is in there Click here to find out more now kzbin.info/door/nPkv-

[@DerekJohnson-fy5xq]

I would be careful of the rabbit manure- the reason why is because the rabbit manure can have rabbit urine which has ammonia and can kill the worms- I saw a video of a vermicomoster on KZbin that added rabbit manure and it started killing the worms- she thought it was because there was some of the rabbits pellets which has alfalfa in it- which wouldn’t help either but I think it was the rabbit urine with the rabbit manure. If you age everything- in a aerobic compost environment- it should allow the microbes to break everything down to be safe- even the ammonia in the urine through the nitrification process given enough time- but I would say try everything with a small amount of worms first- the last thing you want is to wake up to a disaster in your worm bin and find them all dead. Personally I think I would age the rabbit manure and add it to the finished worm castings with other amendments for your soil and let the soil microbes break down the rabbit manure in the ground- I don’t trust a lot of things going into my worm bin-

[@dogmeansmedmm3163]

Hi martys, i started to breed by giving a poultry food. I am not using garbage like you do. But what i found then is the soil become mouldy. Each days i checked it is always mouldy spotted on the food the i pour on. Why and how to handle this. Hope you have time to reply my question. Thanks and success for your channel

[@martysgarden]

Sounds like they aren't able to consume the food you are giving them. Try cutting back on the amount and crushing the pellets. Hard to say without seeing it,,,hope that helps Marty

[@oblivious2reality520]

I don't have a worm farm, but I have a terrarium. My question is, how do I get rid of pot worms in my terrarium? This the first time that I've watched your show. It was very informative.

[@martysgarden]

Thanks Jeffery for visiting my channel,,sorry I don't have any experience with that

[@riesahp]

I started out with a pound of worms; now I see there aren't nearly so many. I see tiny critters scurrying around and once in awhile when I open the lid, something flies out to the window. What are these and how to get rid of them? I'd really appreciate your help. Thanks

[@martysgarden]

Hello, sounds like vinegar flies to me Riesah. I have a full section in Starting a Worm A Beginners Guide on pest management which you can find right here kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin. Thanks😀 Marty

[@ecoknowledge564]

in my vermicompost small snails are produced more and more please how to control them in my vermicompost

[@martysgarden]

Basically, they are fine if not in too large of numbers. I cover pest problems and everything about farming worms in my Worm Wranglers Members area. Take a look at this video to find out more kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin Happy Worm Farming😀 Marty

[@sabelodawudunasibanda1492]

Thanks a lot, are wood shavings okay to add

[@martysgarden]

no,

[@billysummers7683]

I live in a place where it gets freezing cold for 3-4 months so i have a garden tent indoors for herbs in the summer and veggies in the winter could i put the worm farm in the corner of the tent

[@martysgarden]

Lucky worms, they would thrive in there for sure Billy

[@michaeldvorak8140]

Howdy my friend, I am having a problem with what appears to be very small white mites in my finished castings and the bins too. How can I get rid of the little buggers? They don’t seem to do any harm but I can’t get rid of them by adding more carbon bedding that I’ve been doing. Any ideas?

[@martysgarden]

Hi Michael, I haven't had much experience with mites. I would just stop feeding for a while and turn the farm to allow more airflow. 😀 Hopefully that helps,,keep me posted please!

[@nicksox5873]

I really need help.. I wanted to start a worm bin so I purchased worms from "uncle jims" and it has so many tiny redish mites... is this normal ? It looks really bad and I don't see any in any of your videos.. please help.!

[@nicksox5873]

I should note they came like this, noticed them today which is they day they arrived..

[@martysgarden]

I would look at sending it back, sounds like a sad start to me. Other than that just feed the farm carbon, flood the farm with water and leave the tap open. It may help, but not so sure without seeing the farm. 😀

[@nicksox5873]

@@martysgarden unfortunately the bin i had them in just 24 hours after placing the worms smells really bad and most the worms have died.. I used coco bliss coconut coir, horse manure & shredded cardboard as bedding and placed crushed quail egg shells, 2 apple cores, cabbage & some old carrots all wetted down with fresh pond water sprayed on with a small new sprayer.. did I do something wrong or was it the millions of red mites/ what the company did? Very saddened by this.. just purchased 2000 more worms from a different supplier with no reviews saying they had mites.. so hopefully that's better.. before they arrive is maybe the dried coco coir a problem or anything I did? I dont want the new worms to die.. thanks so much for replying! I really need the help

[@nicksox5873]

I should note im storing the new worms in a new bin with no contact with the old worms/mites.. the bin im using is 3 tripple layer plastic totes with holes drilled in top/sides & bottom for air flow/drainage. Middle tote to migrate the worms once top is full of casting and bottom tote to drain worm tea/extra water out with a drilled in spicket on the bottom with a on/off valve

[@redbennyweb]

Ffs I cleaned out my worm farm today and used that exact bedding u said not to use! It was so much cheaper than the worm farm manufacture brand, it even says its good for worm composting! Dammit. I mixed it 50/50 with potting mix.

[@martysgarden]

She will be right matey..it just may take a little longer that's all to get going at full steam. 😀 Have you checked out my members area? I have really awesome courses in there for people like yourself and it costs less than a pizza. Take a look here and see if it's for you kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin

[@oyvind-b]

My worms live in a bucket that got lot of holes in the lid, on the side and in the bottom. I made it in may so a young farm. I use a bedding of wet sliced paper, some dirt around 8-10 cm thick and i feed them very gentle since they only are 100 down there. But every time i take off the lid some are up the sides of the bucket trying to concure new ground. Is this a sign of something i should change?

[@martysgarden]

Could be, mostly they like to migrate when they bin gets full, rain sets in etc. Type in worms escping in my channel..I think I have a video on that

[@kitrobbo1696]

Good video marty l picked up some vital tip to help me with my journey with Sustainable and environmentally friendly home gardening and I thank you for your knowledge. I enjoyed the live session today I was unsure whether I logged in correctly or not I did enjoy it I’m not sure whether you know that I am legally blind in the garden that I have is my main release from the stresses that get me away from everything and just enjoying nature Thanks again mate. Kit The stingy blind gardener👍👍👍👍👍😃

[@martysgarden]

Hi Kit, yes I am aware of your blindness, Happy you are still gardening and enjoying life. God bless Marty

[@mikebenstead7600]

I have a worm farm like yours. What would stop castings from dropping through from the top level down to the next?

[@martysgarden]

Newspaper

[@LisaRobson]

Hi Marty, Thank you for the video. We have a worm farm on its way so your videos will come in handy. Who would have thought that it would be the best way to get rid of shredded paper!

[@martysgarden]

Yes, and it becomes something valuable when it's done

[@robmacgregor2190]

Hi Marty I keep my farm at the the right moisture level but they dont seem to produce much worm tea any ideas cheers Rob

[@martysgarden]

Yes, do my course in the Worm Wranglers members area on my channel ,has all you need to learn in there and more for making worm tea and fertilisers kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin 😀

[@janmckenzie3118]

Hi Marty my problem is I’m going. I’ve had a worm farm now for some years and always always it’s wet. I know that you say the food that I put in is too wet for them but I have tried dry Food etc and still no luck it’s still sloppy. I have plenty of worms that’s not the problem and overtime. I have taken them from their assisting tray and put them into a fresh new bedding and very quickly. The situation changes so exactly how it was all wet and sloppy. Is there anything that I can do to fix this problem? Fingers crossed you have an answer. Just love your videos. Jan McKenzie

[@1SpiritualTruth]

Thank you! Excellent video.

[@martysgarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pathhealer5769]

Hi, thanks for the tube, I have some starter uploaded in the middle of the vertical planter half-way, and watered, now to fill with residue from the liquidiser, but its a baboon area and the waste is pretty potent in fragrance, do you think if I put some bi-carb on the top it would kill the smell and act as a deterrent, and would it feed the process or neutralise it?

[@martysgarden]

Hi Anami,,sorry I don't really understand the question,,

[@cheryljobe6917]

Thanks for this info! At what point do we harvest?

[@martysgarden]

Your welcome Cheryl. if you want to learn it all fast this is the place on my channel kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin

[@cheryljobe6917]

Marty can you explain to me how to become a pa I’d subscriber so I can access worm farm harvesting info

[@cheryljobe6917]

@@martysgarden please give me idiot guide on how to e a paid subscriber

[@martysgarden]

@@cheryljobe6917 follow this kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin cheers

[@cheryljobe6917]

@@martysgarden I finally saw the JOIN button!! Forgive me😬

[@mcsquare5686]

Hi Marty, Thank you for the great video. I recently set up a worm farm and Initially i started with small amount of worm and then I added eggs for 1000 worms. I have added few times kitchen scarps. I could find that the worm farm is full of small maggot worms not the earthworm. I have also added the PH conditioner as well. I am don’t know what to do.

[@martysgarden]

Hi mC, sounds like an over feeding problem and possibly wrong foods. Stop feeding for a while and flood the farm with water and leave the tap open. Hope that helps.

[@shirleybusuttil5996]

Hello, the liquid in my worm farm is a bit smelly and very pale brown colour. Please tell me what I am doing wrong. Thankyou

[@martysgarden]

Check out the course Starting A Worm Farm A Beginners Guide in the members area,,then you will always have a perfect worm farm kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin Best regards Marty😀

[@MarcusRefusius]

We love our Australian friends. My M8 Matt up in Darwin nicknamed me Wombo. “Cause he eats Bushes Roots & Leaves”....lol Great Video!

[@martysgarden]

Yer, now that's gold. 😀😂

[@riklangham6739]

Thanks mate . RESPECT FROM SCOTLAND , STAY WELL .

[@martysgarden]

Thanks, you too!😀

[@davekerr4504]

Hi Marty, Thankyou for your very helpful tips in the video. I have just started my first worm farm and am keen to get it right.😊

[@martysgarden]

Hi Dave. You are very welcome. Please subscribe to my channel here as we have some really cool content coming up about worm farming very soon. You will love it! 😀

[@carolinedelahunty7859]

Wow that is so informative! Thanks so much. Quick question if you don't mind? Do you aerate your compost by turning it over from the base occasionally?? I feel mine is heavy and every time I go to feed the worms I am tempted to turn it over but don't!! Thankyou

[@martysgarden]

Yes I do sometimes or just tease it a little

[@lawrencehinds9133]

Hi Marty.... in my Worm Factory, which I have had for only 2 and a bit months, and now have about 2,000 worms I have just noticed upon lifting the lid that there are thousands of these ‘tiny’ mites over EVERYTHING and they are a brownish red and about the size of a grain of sand....!.!?!? Will they do any harm....?!?

[@martysgarden]

No, but I would slow up on feeding any food scraps for a while and they will back off,,sounds like mites.

[@Ola-ye9ur]

Love ot!! Thank you for all the tips!!! I’ve noticed the other that I have fruit flies in my bin. Any tips how to get rid of them and prevent from coming back?

[@martysgarden]

Slow down on feeding the bin

[@drcolify]

Hey Marty great video. What do you do with your castings? Can you scatter on the garden or do they need to be mixed with soil first? I'm finding the castings dry out and go hard like clay if I dont mix with soil. Any tips would be great thanks

[@martysgarden]

Hi Col, that's an awesome question TOP Stuff, it needs to be mixed around 10% into a compost for best results. You can also scatter it under the leaf mulch. Are you a subscriber Col? I think this would make a great subscriber video as I am sure many others would like to know this too! Let me know in the comments if you would like to see this?

[@christinetysoe4850]

@@martysgarden Yes please Marty, Iwould appreciate information about collecting the castings, and use in the garden.

[@natalieleungkeetsang5926]

Hi Marty, thanks for the video. I’m starting to get lots of little white flies like aphids in my worm farm. Under the lid and on the blanket. What is it and how do I get rid of it? The aphid looking things are quick and some fly away when I open the lid.

[@martysgarden]

Cut back on feeding for a while

[@needsomehike]

My compost worms just arrived, but next morning they were up at the lid trying to escape. Now I added the food scraps but they are not doing their work…..not one is busy with eating and composting….some still trying to escape. Why? Is it too hot (18-23 degrees celsius) or not enough air (I drilled wholes around the edge under the lid)...or the soil may be too wet or too dry ?

[@martysgarden]

Some good questions there and possibly too many to answer at once. It could be a combination of problems or just one. I recommend you check out my course on KZbin called Starting A Worm Farm A Beginners Guide kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin it's quite a simple process once you know-how. 😀

[@needsomehike]

@@martysgarden thanks for the reply, much appreciated....i am worried about them now. also the ants found their way in.......i have a feeling they wont survive....

[@martysgarden]

@@needsomehike it will be okay if you make the bedding moist, wrung-out sponge. And stop the ants entry point kzbin.info/www/bejne/bInReaOHbcxoiJY

[@bree647]

I have tea bags that are completely compostable and made safely for vermicomposting but I add xylitol to my tea at night just a teaspoon or two but is that safe for the worms? I haven't started my worm bin yet but want to learn as much as I can before I start

[@martysgarden]

Hi Bree, that would be okay as it's an organic product. It wont bother them. If your super keen to get your worm farm started right you should check out my course Starting A Worm Farm A Beginners Guide in the Worm Wranglers members area here on my channel..Has everything you need about worm farming. Also in the members area is the course Starting Organic Seedlings a Beginners Guide. kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin Have a lovely day and stay safe😀 Marty

[@bree647]

@@martysgarden I'll check it out thank you! I'm in an apartment in a place where new york is very very cold so I'm doing it inside for now probobly still will unless I switch them to a clear bi. Because pjtti g them out on the balcony/porch it would get too hot because all I can afford to use is black bins I found cheap right now maybe even just cover it in somthing white in the summer just to not attract the sun so much or just leave it indoors and give the compost and worm tea to my grandmother when she starts her garden so I definitely have alot of questions before I start

[@dianephipps4428]

Great video Marty. Have just set up my first worm farm and all is going well so far. I have the tap open with a jug underneath it and was wondering how often to water the worm farm so that I get some of the worm wee? Thanks.

[@martysgarden]

Hi Diane, a couple of times a week works best, less in the cooler weather. More content on the way about worms, compost and organic gardening on the way! Thanks for watching Marty ps: Oxygenate your worm wee for optimum results

[@dianephipps4428]

@@martysgarden Thanks Marty, exactly the advice I needed. You're a champ 👍.

[@elsie5578]

Hey Marty my worm farm has some visitors. Small white bugs that seem to be biting the worms. Any clues on what they are and how I can solve this problem.

[@waynelee17]

Hi Marty. I've just started my wormfarm but only used our rich red soil that we get up here in Far North QLD. Do you think that's ok? Thanks

[@martysgarden]

I would avoid using soil, as they are a compost worm they perform well in compost beddings not soils

[@waynelee17]

@@martysgarden Thanks Marty. Back to the drawing board, lol:)

[@cadfael4598]

We have had problems mole crickets that eat the worms. Think they came from some cow poop we hadn’t properly composted, so we have to check the bins regularly.. also we get soldier fly larvae. I don’t think they eat the worms, onLy the food, anyone else had these problems?

[@martysgarden]

Soldier fly is okay,,,not sure about those crickets though Cad😀

[@jeffjones4320]

i have a 5 tier worm farm do i put soil in all levells or only on the top 1

[@martysgarden]

Everything you need to know is right here in the level 3 Worm Wranglers members area kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin you will never need to watch another video to learn all the ins and outs. kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin Thanks Marty

[@simongordon4196]

I wish there was a LOVE button

[@martysgarden]

Thanks Simon I really appreciate the kind words!

[@gregorypotter580]

II live in a remote area and its hard to Obtain compost worms. I was wondering if the norm al garden worm will be any good got heaps of them.;. Or should I weight for this covad thing to be over and take a trip to Melbourne. Not a good time of year to freight them?

[@martysgarden]

I would build an outdoor compost pile to attract earthworms then get some compost worms later. If it's for the garden a good compost heap can do wonders! Earthworms don't survive in plastic worm bins unfortunately and not really suitable for vermicomposting. 😀

[@caryinky]

How often do you feed the worms? I’m finding blankets of mold forming over the food - what does that mean and is it ok? Thanks!

[@martysgarden]

Hi Cary, when you see the food nearly gone. If you want to learn it all the right way with minimal fuss take a look at this kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin Happy Worm Farming Marty😀

[@caryinky]

@@martysgarden thank you!!!!

[@martysgarden]

@@caryinky welcome

[@kitrobbo1696]

Thanks for your thoughts mate see you in the next video

[@martysgarden]

Thanks Kit Robbo😀

[@rebeccawrightdavison7508]

What do you do with your compost and castings once all the food is broken down? Do you add it to pot plants or to the plants in your garden?

[@martysgarden]

Hi Rebecca, I sell compost so some of it is sold, other goes into pots at 10% blends,,,and to raise seedlings😀 Check out my latest vlogs and vids to learn more. I have plenty of content on the subject and will be covering more on the growing side of things in the coming spring here in Australia. Cheers Marty

[@onionring1531]

Just started a worm farm a couple months ago and very quickly the acidity got too high. I threw a handful of ash in and that seemed to correct the problem.

[@martysgarden]

Ash will do the job, but use egg shells or dolomite as it's much better in the farm than ash

[@mehrmeer6108]

Thanks for your great video. I also LOVE worms and my own wormery has been running for 16 years now. My question is regarding my friend's wormery as she has asked me to feed her worms whilst she is away for several months. It is, like mine, a round 3 tier wormery. Now on my first visit I noted that the bottom tier is all well with healthy looking worms but the two other tiers above are very acidic smelling, slimy, with lots of flies, pot worms and (never seen this before) oodles of meal worms. No good worms in either of above tiers. Can this be rescued with such as cardboard, charcoal, eggshells or does this need to be removed. And if so can it be put into ordinary compost? Thanks for giving this attention.

[@martysgarden]

I would remove the worms and get rid of that material,,basically it's chook fodder. Place the rescued worms into the healthy tray. Happy gardening Marty

[@LittleCountryCabin]

Ok I’m hooked on your channel! I’m learning so much. Thank you!!❤️

[@martysgarden]

That's so cool. Hopefully you can attend my live show and Q&A it's coming on soon? 😀

[@LittleCountryCabin]

@@martysgarden hopefully🤗

[@loieblackburn911]

Hello Marty! Thank you for your videos... can I use fresh chicken manure in our worm farm? Regards Lois from NZ

[@martysgarden]

A small amount of fresh is okay, but it's best aged and soaked into carbon first. Check out my video kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaS9k5yNZbGima8 to get the best results when using fresher nitrogen source.

[@Boxbeat666]

Can you run the worm tea back through the bin even tho it's been sat there a good while or should I pump some air into it ? Or not at all thanks 😀

[@martysgarden]

Oxygen helps if it's old,,,it has bad pathogens if it's old wiithout the oxygen

[@WhatAColourfulWorld]

I'm just feeding them cheerios blended into a fine powder at the moment. Not sure if that's good but they're not dead yet.

[@martysgarden]

haha,,CLASSIC

[@Boxbeat666]

You taking about your kids or the worms 🤣🤣🤣

[@kathynix6552]

Aw u could add a tin of baked beans with those cheerios

[@deadmolecule3236]

Hi Marty, is dry sphagnum moss suitable to be used as bedding for a worm bin? Thanks.

[@martysgarden]

Yes, absolutely, just make it moist

[@deadmolecule3236]

@@martysgarden Thanks Marty and thanks for all the videos! I hope to set up my little worm bin soon.

[@robertosolis55]

Hi. Greetings from Panama I live in a very hot country whit humidity level by the 80. In my worm bin I have a good PH, good humidity level but a high temperature inside the bin. I do not overfeed the worms to avoid the increase of temperature. What could you recommend me to solve or to mitigate my temperature problem. Thanks

[@martysgarden]

A wet towel in the top and leave the lid open,,cover the surface with a towel.

[@drumtum81]

My worms are arriving any day now. The bedding i've made is a mix of shredded straw/cardboard and compost from my bin with a bit of coffee grounds. Should i let the worms just feed on this for a few days or a week before I feed them?

[@martysgarden]

Yes, let them settle in first. If your unsure on the next steps check out my free worm farming course and masterclass. It will save you a lot of time and get you up and running like a pro www.martysgarden.com.au/isikyrkx Cheers Marty

[@wahuwaweru4111]

@@martysgarden Do you have pdfs that someone can borrow??

[@BomJimmy]

Is it good to add peat moss to keep worm in soft, moist and aerated?

[@martysgarden]

Yes, it makes a high quality bedding for the worms😀 Please also take a look at my members kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin area for beginner worm farmers. Click the join button below the video to find out more. I am rolling out a full course for level 3 Worm Wranglers. Thanks Marty

[@BomJimmy]

@@martysgarden thank you very much.

[@christineasay290]

Hey, I recently started my 1st worm bin. I started my bin, for the castings. We use large quantities of castings on our cannabis plants. Castings are hard to come by where we live, in southern NM. My question is this, I feed my chickens, dried meal worms as a treat. They are high in protein. Would it be okay to feed my red wigglers, ground up, dried, meal worms as a treat? Thx

[@martysgarden]

Being a meat source it may attract flies,,but the old chicken manure would make the best worm castings for sure! 😀

[@christineasay290]

@@martysgarden Yeah, they are free range chickens, so they don't have an an accumulation of manure anywhere. I also have a pig and a goat. Sake problem. We are on 12 acres, with no enclosed area for manure to build up.

[@MonkeyKing3333]

Great video, thanks for all that info, very helpful. I do have one question maybe you could help me with. I was wondering if theres a way to move them up through the levels because ive got heaps down the bottom and wanted to use those castings or should I just add them to them garden and not worry about it. Cheers mate.

[@martysgarden]

Stop feeding the bottom and feed the top level and they will come to the top tray. If you want to learn more about worm farming and all the steps check out my free course. There is also a video masterclass if you want to go further. www.martysgarden.com.au/isikyrkx Happy Gardening Marty

[@MonkeyKing3333]

@@martysgarden okay, thanks for the quick reply Marty! 😊👍

[@andysamel3105]

@@martysgarden Hi Marty. Great video. I live in London and have my wormery in a shed. I also have loads of worms in the bottom layer and loads in the very bottom where the liquid builds up. I only ever add food to the top layer. Do you know why so many of the worms are not heading north as they are supposed to be? Thanks. Andy

[@sunnik1019]

Thanks Marty, you’re a legend! My worm farm is a week old and in Sydney it’s been wet/rainy so I tend to find them on the lid (luckily mine’s escape proof!) though it’s under shelter from the rain. I also found a few in the bottom worm juice tray, freaked out, “saved them” and put em back into my first tray. The instruction booklet said to add the second tray after 3 months when castings have built up but I added it anyway.. The soil is quite wet so I added more newspaper. Is this normal? Why are they sinking to the bottom tea tray? When it rains and they go up to the lid, is it okay or something’s wrong with my worm farm? Cheers!

[@martysgarden]

Worms do lots of crazy stuff, a bit hard to answer in one go. However, your in luck as my worm farming course on my website is only $27 AUD for the moment,,goes back up after the sale ends today. You can learn everything and more in there,,get me as a coach too inside the website

[@eboni1111]

Did you have any luck? I’m on month 2 of a tiered worm farm, and some of mine have started going to the tea tray too. They weren’t at first.

[@windybeach2184]

You can add more dry material in wet weather, to absorb some of the sideways rain and humidity. I keep shredded paper in my bottom tier, and a little in the worm tea tray, to stop any escapees from drowning. Catching the leachate also inoculates the paper, which can be used as bedding in a new active tier.

[@wellwhichhandleis]

Hi Marty, nice video 🙂 Any suggestions on how to gently extract the castings while the worms are in it. It's full and too heavy for me to lift out. Also they hang out in the bottom a lot and clog the drain 🤔 Ive had them for 5 yrs, under shady tree, never any problems but Ive never understood the process of the towers so it's a fluke really based on love for the cute little things ☺ but I know somethings not right. Is the food their bedding or is that separate? Thank you, Lynda

[@martysgarden]

Hi Lynda,,sounds like you have done well. I have a video course masterclass that covers all that and more www.martysgarden.com.au/isikyrkx check it out if it interests you. Thanks Marty

[@joshuaduncan3835]

I've seen in a video people adding ice to their worm farm, any thoughts on that?

[@martysgarden]

Great idea in the warmer months when it's wrapped in some type of cloth 😀

[@shirleymontour9773]

I have little white floaties in the water that drains out of worm farm.. is that bad?

[@martysgarden]

I cant say without seeing it, but if your worms are happy and healthy then dont worry😀

[@tristandevonald7459]

Hey Marty, just wondering if I have allowed my word farm to get too wet (that is the bedding- through over feeding and not draining properly) how do I fix this. Love the video

[@martysgarden]

A handful of bedding should have a few drops of water when squeezing!

[@peterschmidt1936]

Hi Marty, I have a small worm farm that I keep in my basement. It’s I large Tupperware type storage bin. Ive run into an issue these past months with a white springtail infestation. From everything I’ve read they’re not harmful to the worms, but I find their numbers are getting out of control. I don’t overfeed and the wetness of their environment seems ok. Any ideas on how to get rid of them? I have tried several tricks I’ve seen on other channels but nothing seems to work. Cheers from Canada!

[@martysgarden]

Hi Peter, if you have deep bedding the worms will dive down to deep to the moisture, so let the top of the farm dry out a little that will help. 😀

[@merrymadden]

I found lots of red eggs about the size of a grain of rice, and now I have lots of grub type worms in my compost bin, and I can't find my red wiggler worms. Did my wiggler worms die because of these other worms/. And do I need to get rid of these grubs?

[@martysgarden]

Yes, I would stop feeding the farm and get rid of the grubs. If you want to learn how to farm worms at home correctly check out my free course and masterclass here. www.martysgarden.com.au/isikyrkx it's all you will ever need to know and more some

[@gladlock]

Hi Marty. I started a mini worm bin recently but I couldn't find a natural compost for the bedding at the garden store, everything has additives because it is meant to feed plants. Since I had already bought the worms, they are living on a bed of moist shredded paper and and I sprinkled some dirt for grit. Are my worms going to die if I don't add compost or can they start enriching the bed just by feeding? Thank you

[@martysgarden]

Hi Evolve, they will be okay, just don't overfeed the bin. If you have time jump over to my website and check out the free video crash course, it will help you.

[@MikaylahJordan]

with over feeding, could you just add more worms? i dont know

[@martysgarden]

More worms needs more space

[@lindak154]

my problem is i have to many worms.I dont want to have any more bins so what do i do with all the extra worms?

[@martysgarden]

Get an underground worm farm and move the extras into garden beds. I have a few videos on this in my channel

[@codykochan-erdman9620]

Go fishing or sell the extras

[@rickdavid1795]

Good stuff. Thanks mate

[@martysgarden]

No problem 👍

[@heathermiller275]

Hi Marty, thanks for the informative video. I am not sure if this is right but my castings keep falling into the wee which in turn blocks the tap. I have a 4 tiered Reln worm farm and I assume by now the worms have eaten their way through the bottom cardboard thus everything is dropping through. Should I swap them into another tier and put something on the bottom to stop the castings from falling through? It appears to be quite wet also, perhaps I need more nitrogen?

[@martysgarden]

I would harvest the worms, bedding, castings and do it again,,I have a full course over at www.martysgarden.com.au You can learn everything from A TO Z and have a successful worm farm..that does it all. Happy Gardening & Stay Safe Marty

[@uchibauki2515]

We have to Appreciate all farmers 🙏🏼🙏🏼it’s really not easy to plant foods ! I just got my anc very terrible worms they are trying to escape and don’t want to eat!

[@martysgarden]

Yes, farmers really do need to be appreciated more

[@kathrynbrown1964]

we have very tiny brown shinney eggs in our worm farm on the egg box cardboard thinking they were eggs we were excited then they started walking what are they?

[@martysgarden]

Cant say exactly without seeing them

[@racebot9963]

I just subscribed and I have a question about my worm farm and I just started it how will I know if they had breaded and what color with their egg looking thing on their body be and how will I know if they have breeded please respond thank you take care stay safe

[@martysgarden]

Hi Racebot. I recommend that you do my free worm farm course and if you like that do the masterclass. It has all those questions answered..takes it way further with breeding techniques, harvesting, pest problems, temperatures, stocks, underground farms. There is also coaching inside for three months where you can ask me anything you like via a private text platform. If you really want success this is the place to be. www.martysgarden.com.au/. it's less than $30 AUD,,so it's a steal. Happy Gardening Marty

[@MattJonesIsWeird]

Do you add Springtails or Isopods into the enclosure? I think they'd be great for worm farms.. Assuming worm farms need good humidity lol, I actually don't know much about worm farming lol

[@MattJonesIsWeird]

I don't farm worms, but I have a bioactive ball python enclosure and I've begun adding worms to help keep the soil from compacting. They seem to be doing well, I see them sometimes against the glass in the soil :D Thanks for the info, I know so little about worms and they're such an important part of that ecosystem. I appreciate you :)

[@martysgarden]

Hi Matt, Spring tails and a range of mites seem to turn up on there own in a healthy system. It's more just keep a balanced farm so they don't get out of hand.

[@martysgarden]

They just need a little bit of grit and some organic waste to eat and they should be fin in there Matt, thanks for watching! 😀

[@Xcemic]

I’m getting ALOT of centipedes in my worm farm I’ve been leaving my worm farm alone (except when I feed them and take some out to fish with) I have Canadian night crawlers, and like I said I have alot of centipedes in there and I’ve got alot of them out and they keep coming, I feed them egg shells, coffee grounds, and greens, I haven’t watched the whole video but answer when you can.

[@martysgarden]

They maybe feeding on your worms, they do predate on worms.

[@Xcemic]

@@martysgarden the centipedes aren’t even an inch, but thanks

[@Maggiebze2024]

Hello, have you ever had a problem with cluster flies in your earthworm bins? If so, what did you do?

[@martysgarden]

Cut down on feeding is the answer. Take a look at this it will help you run and set up a productive worm farm and eliminate any future problems kzbin.info/door/nPkv-JUX4Pqn_LYbykzAtwjoin

[@leroyusa935]

I have plenty of African Nightcrawlers in my worm bin but they are not growing big. They are fed vegetables and fruit scraps (no onions, no citrus) There's no problems eating what I feed them, but they just don't get big for their known species. They multiply with no problem because I've seen their cocoons. Can anyone help with some advice as to why they don't get big?

[@martysgarden]

More space

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

Hi Marty, Greetings from Windermere, Florida zone 9b USA 🇺🇸 This video from 3 years ago popped up on my list to watch. 👍 You really covered it well. Brilliant 👏

[@martysgarden]

Wow, thanks that's great

[@off-gridsimplyhappyrodriguez]

Thank you Marty! New sub from Georgia (usa)

[@martysgarden]

Thanks for the sub!