WORM TALK- 55 Gallon Worm Bin Harvest and Feed

[@Dontcare4489]

Just started my first worm farm. I have read at least 4 books and I find I have absorbed more info from your video. The visual helps a lot. Thanks

[@PlantObsessed]

Thank you for the kind words. I have also read many books. Some people still tout dogma that isn't true. I experiment to see what actually works. Like onions and peppers are totally fine in a worm bin. 🪱🌶️😃👍🏼

[@eulerizeit]

I love the "if you don't have time for a 27 min video" graphic. I'm here waiting for you to shovel out the finished size.

[@PlantObsessed]

I'm not going to lie. I watch most channels on 1.25 speed. Some people that talk super slow I watch at 1.5 speed. I do watch 100% of the video so that makes it less bad for their statistics.

[@hazel552]

@@PlantObsessed there is one particular channel I watch if it wasn't on 1.5 I certainly wouldn't be watching it especially with attitude to others at times but like you Ann usually 1.25 Unless it's a good recipe I don't want to miss an ingedient

[@A-V]

Great harvest of castings & nice build-out of the freed-up space with new bedding & foods 👍🏻

[@PlantObsessed]

He needs to eat fast. 3 weeks and he gets more roommates lol 😆

[@NanasWorms]

I kept it on full speed all the way through, Ann! Lovely in-depth explanation of how you run your wedge system. ~ Sandra

[@PlantObsessed]

Thank you. 😁

[@fineartonfire_5327]

I use those exact same green plastic/ metal screens for sifting rock while gold prospecting and also in my explosive’s manufacturing biz. I use the smaller ones to help blend powders together. And ALL of mine have lasted for years. Even using the 1/4” one very rough while gold hunting. They should literally last forever if you’re only using them for worm farming.

[@PlantObsessed]

They are great. I bought them originally for grading bonsai soil. I would recommend them to anyone.🪱👍🏼😊

[@GardeningwithBarchuckin]

Thanks Ann for the shoutout! I would ground up unsalted peanut shells and add it to the feeding zone. I will need to check on getting some more unsalted peanuts. I’m starting another type of composting now. I’m not recording the first attempt but I will start hopefully around the beginning of the new year. 😁 Those are the biggest avocado pits ever. All we have near me are small normal size avocado 🥑 I always enjoy your experiments Ann! The eat my shorts bin is a favorite. It’s very interesting seeing the material left after the worms are finished.

[@PlantObsessed]

Is worm people stick together lol 🤣PS Each avocado weighed about 3 pounds.

[@Dee.C]

I love the channel .

[@GardeningwithBarchuckin]

@@Dee.C thanks Dee! 😁

[@JennStowe]

Loved this video Ann😍🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱

[@PlantObsessed]

Thank you😊

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

I love the shorts shirt sheets experiment coming to an end. 👍

[@PlantObsessed]

It is interesting what is not cotton on 100% cotton clothes. Yeah?

[@ClickinChicken]

it's cool you show people the actual work/time of warm farming. I bought that green kit. want to use it at a local spring for Gold Gold (as opposed to black Gold).. a few shovels to satisfy curiosity.. So far I just did it fast with a 2 X 3' 1/4 box over a lawn mower trailer, and then an office basket same size. Get's it done FAST!

[@PlantObsessed]

Ahh I see what cha did there black gold ..gold gold.

[@cookie761]

I ordered The sprinkler tops and they are wonderful. I shared one with my sister. They are great! I would love to get some of those bags but I can't find your list Of things you use. I will keep looking! Very nice... Great to see it from one end to the other!

[@PlantObsessed]

amzn.to/41V9orQ is the link for the gallon size. Thank you for supporting the channel.

[@miyukicampbell1667]

I just discovered you and Blue. ❤From my experience, I shorten the vermicomposting process by manually slicing up the avocado seeds (softer than you think!), pineapple rinds or anything chunky, and include with other chopped up veggie scraps which I keep in the freezer until the bag gets full. Freezing seems to eliminate pest eggs hiding in peels and leaves. Before adding this to my worm bin, I precompost the frozen material with cococoir, Guinea pig bedding, pulverized egg shells, bokashi, biochar, coffee grinds and tea leaves (I leave out tea bags). It usually takes a week or 2 depending on the season for the compost to reach ambient temp. I then let my worms relish on it. I have been using the same WORM FACTORY tower indoors for 8 years now and started with just a pound of red wigglers. Thanks for all your instructions, demo and tips 🙏!

[@PlantObsessed]

I wish I had the time to freeze and blend everything. I freeze almost everything. 👍🏼🪱😀

[@itsasickness4939]

I’ve tested many batches of castings with my LaMotte test kit. Always in the high range on NPK. Coloration changes greatly depending on food and bedding, leaves are always darker than cardboard and rabbit manure makes them look a little greenish. But my garden has never complained when I give it fresh castings, regardless of color.

[@itsasickness4939]

One thing I didn’t mention is leaves have micronutrients and cardboard really doesn’t.

[@PlantObsessed]

Excellent point about micro nutrients. Cardboard is just wood pulp right? Not likely much to it.

[@itsasickness4939]

@@PlantObsessed that’s right, 14 or so micronutrients can be found in leaves, small outer limbs and from the cambium layer outward on a tree but cardboard is made from heartwood pulp so not much to it. But we don’t waste it because the worms love it and the landfills are full enough.

[@mikkosgarden]

watching while my blue bin video uploads. I agree with your thoughts on leaves. I do have a bin with manure, but there is so much in it that I can't tell what the castings look like yet. I really enjoy the wedge system its working out great. Thanks for the idea.

[@PlantObsessed]

Yes I can see manure as a problem to know when to harvest. Uploads take longer lately. I don't know if it is vacation or something with YT.

[@marlenen6130]

Ann, my seives have done great for years. I think you deserve to get an extra 1/4” size to keep one upstairs. Lol

[@PlantObsessed]

OMG so true. I'm always forgetting where I left it when I bring it upstairs. Lol out of sight out of mind.😃🪱👍🏼

[@esmysyield2023]

I have never experienced any hinderance from worm castings no matter what the percentage. Now i do agree with not using more than you need but they have never given me a bad experience of any kind.

[@PlantObsessed]

I think the hindrance comes from pure castings. I don't let mine finish to the point they are 100% so it probably doesn't matter for me either. Lol but I don't want to waste the black gold👍🏼😃🪱

[@AJsGreenTopics]

Great talk Ann. 🙂🪱

[@PlantObsessed]

Thank you.😃

[@rodelaboxers]

idk about changing the color of the casting but my worms go crazy for leaves. its like a party! i could have some yummy ready to eat fruit on one side and leaves on the other and every worm will be playing and roiling around in the leaves lol

[@PlantObsessed]

I saved up a bunch of leaves this fall. I hope they do well in the bins😃👍🏼🪱

[@Paula_T]

Great video as always. Do you think adding a few drainage holes at the bottom of the bin would let you fluff for recreation rather than necessity?

[@PlantObsessed]

There is no real standing water to need holes. The basement is warm and humid most of the year. I don't want the juice to leak and soak into the brick below.

[@elizabethgillard6986]

Q. How do u keep the red wiggles from getting out at night pl

[@PlantObsessed]

After the bin is mature or about 6 months they stopped running off. Until then I topped up the bin with dry shredded paper. They don't want to crawl through that so they stay in. Thank you for watching 😃🪱👍🏼

[@tommcgehee8190]

What supports you big blue. Im thinking about switching from urban worm bin to big blue.

[@PlantObsessed]

He sits on a solid brick ledge and is kept from rolling by more bricks. The European nightcrawlers in half barrel are on an industrial shelf. Still kept stable with bricks.🪱👍🏼😀

[@nickthegardener.1120]

Hi Anne I will probably only use 20% now💚👍 I normally use 30% which I have had great results but when I've used more it's not so good.👍💚😁🙏

[@PlantObsessed]

I was using 50% in seed mix having no idea it would reduce germination. Weird right?

[@gregbutler9873]

Blue said , no wedgees please 😂

[@PlantObsessed]

He will get wedges and like it!!

[@cathyplantlover2862]

I did that by accident forgotten about the worm bin and they were gooey.....lol 100% castings.....

[@PlantObsessed]

Yeah I did it about a year ago with the ENC and that resulted in the water harvest video. I make every effort to never do that again. Lol. What a mess😭

[@sandy5149]

I did that too. I wondered where all the liquid came from😅

[@lispottable]

So how did you get the worms out of that bin before sifting? Did they just dive to the bottom or is there actually a way for them to get out? Amazing worm bin. I really enjoyed watching you and learning!

[@PlantObsessed]

In the wedge system the worms leave the castings on their own due to lack of food and moisture. They dive down and over to the feeding zone where life if good.

[@tommcgehee8190]

Also is it flat or higher in the middle

[@PlantObsessed]

I have it sloping down towards the feeding end slightly, to keep moisture in the active end and drier in the finished end.😀👍🏼🪱

[@cherylhowker1792]

Can you sift to 4mm??? I have 4,8,12mm screens But need to know if I need to get simular to what you have, I’m in the uk but looking today I’m looking at £50+ for a set of 5

[@PlantObsessed]

That is a good size. If Google is right it is about equal to my 1/8 inch. I do most of mine with the 6mm. Cocoons and seeds do go through. 😀🪱👍🏼

[@gregbutler9873]

You are my boy “ Blue “ 😂

[@PlantObsessed]

Yes he is.

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

Greetings Ann, from Windermere, Florida zone 9b USA 🇺🇸 I love watching you work on Blue 💙🩵💙 600 lb a year! Holy Moly 🪱🍂🪱 I'm really a convert on using pulverized leaves 🍂My Drake Elm has tiny leaves that are turning a golden and brown. It makes beautiful Castings. 🪱💩🪱

[@PlantObsessed]

I wish there was a high volume way to grind leaves. That could replace coco coir.

[@peggyhelblingsgardenwhatyo7920]

@Plant Obsessed I'm using my NutraBullit and I won't want to do more than almost a pound at a time. I'm hoarse from dust and I don't want to burn up the motor.

[@Tippler0611]

@@PlantObsessed I mow my leaves for mulch in the garden. If I rake the leaves onto the driveway and drop the lawnmower all the way down to the ground they get pretty darn fine. Enough that I might put them through a half inch screen for bedding.

[@theunskoch4256]

Amazing to see what happened to the shorts and jeans, i recently placed a piece of a dish towel in one of my buckets, would love to see if its 100% cotton or not

[@PlantObsessed]

It is interesting what is called 100% cotton. Let us know if it turns out.

[@theunskoch4256]

Will do

[@ClickinChicken]

is peat moss any good to use as bedding? I know it's good to start out, but is peat moss eaten by worms like paper, or is it just past along in castings? thanks.

[@PlantObsessed]

I think they eat / digest the coco peat and regular peat moss. The professional worm peep use it exclusively

[@Vermicompost]

Awesome Worm Talk Ann!! Yes let's get Rick above 1000 Subs by Christmas!! That is so interesting that the leaves went before the paper!! Great ending to the Eat My Shorts bin!!🪱🪱🪱

[@PlantObsessed]

Thank you 😊

[@ale-iensbrewery8871]

I don’t think there is anything more satisfying than harvesting your castings. Good old blue doing an amazing job as always.

[@PlantObsessed]

I don't know what I did before worm castings....or worms. Thanks for watching 😃

[@Dee.C]

This weather is crazy here too . I remember it being around 75 F last year at this time and it has been bouncing from 30 F to 50 F for highs and lows in the low 20's F already . That is usually January weather for us . Much of Oklahoma got snow last week , not us thankfully . Maybe you can answer a question for me . I have chickens now , can I add the manure or should I compost it first ? I know with rabbits I just dumped their litter box into worm bins .

[@PlantObsessed]

The books recommend chicken manure to be composted first due to its high nitrogen.

[@rickjay4639]

I had 25 percent of my worm bin (100 gallon galvanized water trough ) go anaerobic. I accidentally fed the same location 3 times in 4 weeks. Normally once in 4. Anyway I took a pitch fork and turned the area to be fed and man what a terrible smell. The odd thing is the worms showed no signs of disease and where actually thriving. Huge worm balls in 4 locations along the feeding zone. After seeing this I mixed in some dried leaf mold that when crumbled turns into a fine dry dust. I checked in a couple days the smell went way down and the worms were still thriving. If you have a way I can send you a picture I will. Thanks for all your hard work

[@PlantObsessed]

[e-mail] is my email for this channel. 100 gallons sounds like a handful. Thank you for watching 😃

[@hazel552]

Ann like me you don't use gloves Under my nails seems to get really dirty What have you found to be the best way to clean yours I have found toothpaste and a good nail brush are the best so far

[@PlantObsessed]

Nail brush and dish soap. If I need them really clean I might use a little bleach cleaner. Never tried the tooth paste thing.

[@genewells6691]

Hey my name is gene I am a prayer warrior in the Pentecostal Church in Fort Worth Texas I would like to know where to find the screens that you use could you let me know please I enjoy you so much I am learning about raising worms and I love it in Jesus name.

[@PlantObsessed]

The screens I use are in the description below the video. There is a link to Amazon. Buying the screens via the link will help the channel with a small commission. Thank you for supporting the worms 😃

[@ontherocksinthesoilmichael6739]

Ann's greatest hits "holding up thong..." I'm even worse at doing and speaking at the same time. As a idea for short vid or blooper reel, what do you think?

[@PlantObsessed]

OMG the amount of blooper would be a long video lol. I'll see what I can do.

[@ontherocksinthesoilmichael6739]

@@PlantObsessed only if you want to, just a fun thought.