Red Wigglers Stacked System POWERS through Winter

Check in on my red wigglers in the worm factory 360. WATER HARVEST OF THE WORM CASTINGS. Trying new bedding and feeding up the system- Red Wiggler Vertical Worm Farm
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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Coco coir 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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Organic Kelp Fertilizer
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Liquid Kelp
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Unsulfured Black Strap molasses
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Aurora 18 sheet shredder
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[@A-V]

I got a bit distracted while watching this video but it drew my attention back once all that talk of frozen snot started :P

[@PlantObsessed]

I shall endeavor to start talking about Frozen snot earlier in the video 😂👍🏼🪱

[@A-V]

:)

[@Vermicompost]

Oh I hadn't even thought about how cold temperatures could slow down the agitation method!! I learn some thing new every time I watch your videos Ann!!🪱🪱🪱

[@PlantObsessed]

Yep, poor little guys couldn't wiggle through the holes because they were probably shivering. This week is supposed to be nice and warm 50 f so hopefully everybody gets back up to speed 🪱👍🏼😃

[@allonesame6467]

I love your sharing what's going on in your bins and how you manage the various aspects of worm culture. Thank you!

[@PlantObsessed]

You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 👍🏼🪱😃

[@karischmoyer7276]

Speedy Wormzales! Update audio is hillarious! Great content.Torn really breaks down

[@wild-radio7373]

This is EXTREMELY helpful ❤

[@PlantObsessed]

Thanks! I am always trying to make it easier for everyone to do this at home. 😁🪱👍🏼

[@NanasWorms]

Oooh, are you escaping the frozen you-know-what weather for a couple weeks, Ann? I remember going to school on the Canadian prairies as a teenager with frozen hair. I figure I've done my time and can live out my life with mild Vancouver Island/BC weather! 🇨🇦 Enjoy your trip! ~ Sandra

[@PlantObsessed]

Lol nope, it was a staycation. But it is nice and warm in the house, especially with two big dogs to keep me warm 👍🏼🪱😁

[@NanasWorms]

The best! My dog is my hot water bottle. ~ Sandra

[@mulekicker-ut5jl]

I harvested my farm today and got 5 gallons of castings. Best I've ever had plus I saw the cold weather here didn't kill off a bunch. I'm currently in plans to double my bed size

[@PlantObsessed]

Worms are pretty resilient. I have an outside bin that's been going for a couple years and the adult worms seem to live no matter how cold it gets here. Of course they're not eating in the winter. They're hiding underneath or something.😁🪱👍🏼

[@juliepoolie5494]

Very interesting about coco coir helping keep the castings more separated and less clumpy. I’m going to have to add some to my bins. They are like mud balls.

[@PlantObsessed]

In the event that you don't have Coco coir you can use peat moss or sawdust. 🪱👍🏼😃

[@brianseybert192]

Think we were below zero here in WI for about 9 days or so, coldest was around -10F. Went through 30 pounds of bird seed with 4 feeders, birds said THANKS! I bet you are a hell of a cook, just watching you spread the grit on top of the pumpkins, and the worm chow, no messing around. Have a Great week Ann, Stay well !!!!!

[@PlantObsessed]

This week has been nice. Even got the dogs out for a walk. Of course, that means it's back to being mud season, but I'll take it. 😊👍🏼🪱🐾

[@GardeningwithBarchuckin]

Wow the ripped cardboard was sloppy. At least you got to use the soil from the dead pepper plant. Nice pumpkin feeding Ann! I like the chunky worm chow.

[@PlantObsessed]

Yeah my poor little coffee grinder just was not having those chickpeas. It did its best as far as I can tell the worms are still eating it. 😃👍🏼🪱

[@ReefMimic]

Awesome as always

[@PlantObsessed]

Thanks so much! I appreciate your support!🪱👍🏼😊

[@Tippler0611]

Did you speed up something? I had to slow down my playback to make it sound somewhat normal. Very odd. Anywho... Always good to see the tower and see what adjustments I would need to make to restart mine

[@PlantObsessed]

Yes, there was an update to the program that I use. Wasn't sure exactly how to fix it between now and the next video. Hopefully I can fix whatever that was. 😃👍🏼🪱

[@Tippler0611]

@PlantObsessed whew. Good to know the program is crazy and not me, this time anyway

[@asteria4279]

Tip: innoculation trays get a fair amount of castings falling down from above. (Yours had several handfulls.) You can scoop them into the pre-harvest tray and skip a step for this material! This also helps with the "muckiness" of the innoculation tray at start of feeding 😊 Looking forward to all the pumpkin sprouts haha 😂 Mine will grow through two layers!

[@PlantObsessed]

I will pay attention to that next time. I do love making things go faster 👍🏼🪱😁

[@timcoates3821]

I am now putting the tray I want to harvest up the top keeping the lid off to dry off it a bit then harvesting and letting the light do the work

[@jenniferjuniper9118]

Would love to use my vermicompost indoors for the first time … I get it easily worm free but the little mites are stubborn … I don’t want those over all my plants : what to do , what to do ?? 👍 Several years in and I still feel like a beginner 😂

[@PlantObsessed]

Typically the mites in a worm bin are not the same as the ones in plants. You can always use worm tea and then no mites will get on them at all.👍🏼🪱😁

[@jenniferjuniper9118]

@ I’ll wait … surely they’ll eventually march themselves to the bin with decomposing apples.

[@katep4485]

Have you ever looked at any of the birth control options for your mouse problem? My local raptor rescue pushes that option. It helps help the population from growing while you continue trapping them.

[@PlantObsessed]

I have never heard of mouse birth control. I will have to look into that. 😁🪱👍🏼

[@amphiptered.5355]

I am new to this and would like to ask what is the best kind of grit? My worms are African Night Crawlers. And do I need worm chow? And what is it? I see occasionally but I can't find what it is.

[@TheB1Gcannoli]

is it ok too feed worms egg shells? i did it like 8 months ago and they havent fully broken down

[@AJsGreenTopics]

The frozen snot is not good. 😂

[@PlantObsessed]

I'm looking forward to this week. No Frozen anything. 😁🪱👍🏼

[@juanitanoble3190]

My basement spent a couple weeks at 44°. Not a lot of food being eaten by the worms. So much for vermicomposting to use up food scraps when the outdoor composting system is frozen solid. What to do, what to do...

[@allonesame6467]

I'm wondering if you could use an electric heat mat that gardeners use for seed germination to provide heat? Just a thought.

[@PlantObsessed]

Sounds silly maybe. But I put the food in the freezer I suppose if it's frozen outside you could just put it in a bucket that was sealed and leave it outside. I also do throw food in my outside compost system when it's freezing outside. I figured it'll thaw at some point. Yeah, it's rough when your basement's not heated. 🪱👍🏼😊

[@juanitanoble3190]

@PlantObsessed I've done some of that. Freezer is full! It'll all work out. Just a bit frustrating.

[@matthewselm5034]

Anne, I have started with just a handful of red wigglers again and want to be able to run a business out of my basement. So far I have some breeder bins that are able to be cycled. I was wondering what your recommendation would be to put them. Should I put the castings and cocoons in like a tote and make it like a nursery?

[@PlantObsessed]

I have not tried to run a nursery business. I know the channel memes worms does exactly that she takes out the adults and leaves the cocoons to hatch. And then I think she feeds the the cocoon bin separately making sure that it's really wet. I don't have a link but go check her out. I'm sure she'll have some good tips for you if you want to start a business. Also there is The garden and worm lady channel. She runs a small business as well. 👍🏼🪱😁

[@MrLaking123]

What is the best method for migrating the worms up or down I've got the same wormery as in this video

[@asteria4279]

I've found they don't migrate in a tower as well as they do in a wedge system, no matter what the instructions say. I have had success putting my "finished" tray on top without a lid. This a) dries it out, and b) encourages worms down into the feeding tray below. After a few days of fluffing to help it dry, the top half of a very full tray is ready for sifting. Another couple of days and the second half is ready. Or just spread the harvest out over a couple of feedings if you don't mess with it as much. (I kinda love my worms, so I'm happy to do things daily, but that's totally not necessary 😊) I also find that taking it slowly and leaving it above the feeding tray for at least a week (2 is better) helps most of the cocoons hatch before harvest. Worms won't lay new cocoons in drier areas.

[@PlantObsessed]

I agree with the comment below. The worms seem to do what they want in a tower system. I would be inclined to leave the top lid off if I didn't have a mouse problem in my basement right now. 😁🪱👍🏼

[@allonesame6467]

@@asteria4279 Wow! Thanks for this tip which I will try next week or so! Awesome!

[@aussieallrounder6018]

Hi Anne, do you use worm castings for beginning chilli plants from seed? cheers mate.

[@PlantObsessed]

Yes, I do . My seedling mix has 20%. Sifted worm castings. The other 80% is Coca coir.🪱👍🏼😃

[@aussieallrounder6018]

@@PlantObsessed Thanks Anne. Appreciate it.