The Coffee Ground Debate. Coffee Grounds are the best feed and bedding for Red Wiggler Worms

[@happyman9612]

Yes. I picked up two 5-gallon buckets full of coffee grounds twice a week from Starbucks for a good four years to feed my red worms. This works well and was the only way I could feed my worms long-term. I am out of doing this now but had a good run at it thanks to having a good reliable food source.

[@grantestrade8062]

@@happyman9612 nice

[@NanasWorms]

I appreciate getting your commercial perspective on raising worms. One of my bins is a children's turtle shaped sandbox/paddling pool. The bedding would get pretty deep in there. When I harvested it, I found healthy, happy worms pressed against the bottom in compressed castings 18 inches below the surface. I didn't think much much oxygen would get to that depth, but the worms proved otherwise. ~ Sandra

[@grantestrade8062]

Nice job! You get bonus points for having a turtle shaped worm bin..;)

[@ianm6309]

Awesome video. Learning so much here as well as the conversation in the comments. I second what one person said about a video regardityour pre composting process. Thanks!

[@grantestrade8062]

@@ianm6309 🤛

[@norseman9367]

Very impressive operation!

[@grantestrade8062]

@@norseman9367 thank you

[@ausfoodgarden]

Wow! 90% coffee grounds. I've never gone more than 25% or so, but I'm just building compost and castings for a new suburban garden. Do you use coffee chaff too? We can get a truckload of coffee grounds for free but it comes with a lot of bags of chaff. I always struggle to use up the chaff as it is so light (no good for mulch) and mats down if you add more than a sprinkle to regular compost bins. Cheers from Melbourne Australia.

[@grantestrade8062]

@@ausfoodgarden that’s cool you’re getting so much coffee. I’d use the composted coffee as 1/3 of a bedding mix. The other 2/3 can be an aged carbon with a desirable pH. Here we use aged pine/conifer bark. And yes, the chaff is hydrophobic and needs time for moisture to soak in. Once saturated it will quickly start composting. Honestly it’s a pain to deal with but if you’re receiving it, I’d use it for sure.

[@BrentHogenson]

Thanks for the videos. Is composting the coffee grounds primarily to lower the heat they provide? If yes, what temperature is acceptable to add to the worm bins? Appreciate the help.

[@grantestrade8062]

Composting increases biology which is where the worms get a lot of their nutrients. It’s also physically easier for them to process. As far as temp I’d say in the 70’s F range. Just feed in increments where in won’t cycle back into getting hot

[@bretthogan5805]

I dump my grounds daily into the compost. Everything seems to enjoy it

[@grantestrade8062]

@@bretthogan5805 yup, that works as well. A bit at a time is a great way to feed worms

[@princeindoorandoutdoorplan3003]

Nice work

[@grantestrade8062]

Thanks!

[@MemesWorms]

Hi Grant, couple qestions 1. How much carbon/CG do you start the barrel with? 2. Do you add carbon each time you add CG?

[@grantestrade8062]

I’ve found that 10% by volume of woody carbon with 90% coffee works well. If using paper based carbon like cardboard I suspect you’ll need to add more bc paper breaks down so much faster. I’ve both pre-composted with the added carbon as well as added in carbon along with aged/composted coffee grounds at time of feeding. Both work well; it’s more of a labor factor that fits your context

[@MemesWorms]

@@grantestrade8062 how much do you start the barrel with? 1/4 of the way or half way, a few inches?

[@grantestrade8062]

@@MemesWorms about 1/2 to 3/4 full when starting. I use a hardwood based compost so it drains well

[@MemesWorms]

@@grantestrade8062 thank you

[@grantestrade8062]

@@MemesWorms 🤛

[@southsidemikevlogs]

How many pounds of worm can you get out of one of them bins

[@grantestrade8062]

@@southsidemikevlogs on avg I’d say 4-6lbs

[@321homewrecker]

How are you able to lift and dump those bins? I thought of doing this some years back but i can't even move them and I'm in great shape and I'm young. Also just this small set up you have here on film, how much does this bring you in profit weekly???

[@grantestrade8062]

@@321homewrecker we don’t move them. Just remove bedding/castings as needed. This is set up for worms more than castings.

[@321homewrecker]

@grantestrade8062 ok, you don't ever have to put in fresh bedding? Also how much a set up like that bring in profit for a week?

[@grantestrade8062]

@@321homewrecker we’re adding new bedding in correlation to when we pull out worms. As for as financials, I’m happy to discuss those things when I’m hired to consult/coach. I charge an avg of $80 per hour. I will say that most folks pushing vermicomposting as a business broadly over-generalize and make it sound like easy money.

[@321homewrecker]

@grantestrade8062 strade8062 I'm not needing coaching lessons, I been worming for 20 years. I'm just asking a simple question brother and if anyone was to ask me, I would tell them and even show them. It's Collaboration over Competition over here bro. I never said it was easy, I run continuous flow through and motor trays. It pays all my bills and I also run a bee apiary, I got into it back during 215 when I was working in the cannabis industry during the 90s. It's easy for me because it's my passion... I got tons and tons of casting and use most of it but sell worms and cocoons, I raise 5 different species.

[@grantestrade8062]

@@321homewrecker good deal

[@dnawormcastings]

Great worm update about feeding spent coffee 🇳🇿🪱

[@grantestrade8062]

@@dnawormcastings thanks!

[@williamwaters4506]

Do you also compost the filters?

[@grantestrade8062]

Paper filters easily compost with coffee grounds. The coffee grounds we get do not come in with filters but in the past when we did get filters it was no factor and we didn’t have to do anything special. Recommend adding 5-10% by volume some fluffy carbon like hardwood mulch/cardboard

[@Robert-dh3xg]

Best way get hold guys

[@grantestrade8062]

@@Robert-dh3xg www.laughingbuddhanursery.com/on-farm-sales

[@joannthompson765]

How long do u pre compost coffee

[@grantestrade8062]

@@joannthompson765 about 1 month / 1 heat cycle

[@ctang212]

This was interesting. Could you comment on or make a vid about how long you pre-age/pre-compost your grounds and how you do it?

[@grantestrade8062]

@@ctang212 yes, I’ll put that on my punch list of videos. Generally I mix it with 10% by volume fluffy carbon and let it go through 1 major heat cycle. Time wise it takes a few weeks or so.

[@JohnJohn-bc4nh]

@@grantestrade8062 so you could just add shredded cardboard to coffee grounds to pre compost? interesting way to worm farm

[@grantestrade8062]

@@JohnJohn-bc4nh yes you can. You’ll need to tinker with percentage of cardboard used. I would guess you’ll want it use around 20% shredded cardboard

[@grantestrade8062]

@@JohnJohn-bc4nh yup. Coffee ground already have a good C:N ratio but are dense and compact. Adding the extra carbon gives it some needed fluff