Hi Jane. A fun trick that I like to do when I know I can get back into my worm bin is to put a few sheets of cardboard on the bottom of the bin (maybe put that pre-compost down there too), then put a good feeding of worm chow over the top and give a light spritz with blackstrap molasses and water. Cover with a few sheets of wet newspaper and cardboard. The next day I quickly remove the cardboard and paper (and I mean I don’t move the bin prior to this step) and there are all the worms on the top! I scape the top layers quickly and pile it up in a tub (like a big butter tub) and after some light they dive deeper into the container and I can usually get back a bunch of casting relatively easy. It’s a fun way to gather them up by surprise! lol You can add a little weight to the top of the cardboard and it will press the moisture down into those sheets of cardboard and you’ll get worms in the bottom too, as well as, actually dry out the middle section.
Hi Marlene! How have you been? I think I remember you saying that you did something like this in a previous post 😊. Thanks for the reminder! I love knowing lots of ways to accomplish a goal and I’m sure other Castings Crew do too 👍👍🪱.
Hi, I think I might be misunderstanding, sorry. Do you mean you put a layer of cardboard over the top of the bin, rather than the bottom? How else can you gather castings? Sorry if I'm being stupid. Take care 💕
Hi Jayne. Haha I feel that was a personalized video🙃😉🥰, thank you very much. I am REALLY amazed! They just keep on pouring out of that bin. You have a great process there. From the bin full of castings right into the food again, and each sifter full can get right to fattening up while waiting for their brothers (or sisters,....or both) to join them. It will be interesting to see the next results. VERY cool. ...On a different note, I have a neighbor who brings me his used coffee and paper filters every few days. It's a bunch, he must drink an awful lot of coffee, I do too but I use the reusable filter insert. Anyway I noticed that his paper filters take forever to disappear, either by decomposing or consumed by the worms. So what I do is to separate the used coffee from them and just knock off or wipe off the excess, and then lay them on a table in my carport. They dry fast. I then shred them along with the paper and cardboard in my shredder. They come out really like fluffy and easily consumable by the worms, and I think the worms like them because they've already been saturated tn the coffee. Some of the worms told me though that they can't sleep at night if they eat that paper.😋 Ok, I'll be watching for the next bait sifting, but I won't push you. I know you have other things to do besides satisfying my curiosity. Haha. Your work is appreciated though, along with your creative ideas. Thanks again. Ric
I am happy to do videos upon request as best I can. I often forget to give a shout out to the person asking though (head smack). That’s a really good point you make which I did on purpose but didn’t ever say - I wanted to fatten up these worms a bit and baiting with the higher calorie food did accomplish 2 goals at once. Bonus prizes! Thanks for mentioning that. 😎 I think you mentioned that the coffee filters can take a long time to break down. I tried keeping an eye on the several I had from MIL visiting but I lost track of them. Or just as likely, when I finally circled back to a bin enough time had passed and the worms took care of it. It’s a great idea to shred the filters if they otherwise hang around too long. That’s interesting that they come out fluffy. I put some paper towel into the nutribullet and it came out fluffy too. I didn’t think the machine sounded happy though so I didn’t try it again 😳. Those worms you have are complainers! Up all night partying I bet! 🤣😆. It’s actually nice when what I have to do for my worms makes a decent video as well. As I said, it’s not all excitement every day but it is enjoyable! Thanks Ric for your continued support ❤️
Hey Kyle! I’d agree with that number guess. It was really quite a thing to see! Again, I think having hungry worms was key. They just moved on that food fast. 😍
Thanks Peggy! I appreciate your support 🥰. I know the ads are a pain but it’s how I get some remuneration for the work and time that goes into making videos. It’s how the game works! 🙄🪱
Hi Jayne, sorry I haven't been around for a while, my laptop broke and it's just came back from the repair shop. Your videos always seem to be just what I'm looking for at the time you put them out. I was checking my worms today in the grow out trays and I thought I might have too many worms in them. After watching this video, I now know that I definitely haven't! The CFT is still heaving with worms of all sizes so tomorrow I'll take my quarter inch sieve and bait the worms out of the CFT and start another grow out tray, as well as topping up the two I already have. Thank you again for the time and effort you put into making these videos, they're invaluable. Shout out to the cameraman as well. doing a great job.🤩
Hi Bill! I’m glad you’ve not been absent due to anything too major 😊. Of course broken laptop can indeed be a big big deal. Mine is so old I’m surprised the Smithsonian isn’t asking me for it! 🤣 Worm density is a spectrum. As long as the worms are healthy, doing whatever job it is you’re asking of them (cocoons, castings, fishing) then it’s all good 😎. I’d you want bigger worms then giving them a bit more space as well as much food as they can gobble down is the way to go. If you’re mainly wanting castings then a tighter pack in is ok. I try to ride the center line and get a good balance for my needs. I think you’ll like the bait out method with the sifter or other trays. Especially if the bedding is now predominantly castings. I’m eager to hear how it goes for you! 🪱🪱👍 PS Camerman reads most of the comments too and loooves getting a shout out 😍. Thanks for that - I need to keep him happy because he’s cheap labor 🤣🤣🤣
I’ve been unable to send this to you in your response to my skinny worms. I feed them worm chow (5 cups wheat flour, three cups ground oats, two cups chicken crumble, one cup bird seed, one cup ground nuts) but first I add whatever food scraps I have. I add about one pound of this per pound of worms and then Sprinkle with worm chow and chicken crumble. I have noticed them getting weight with beans but I don’t often find them at no cost as I try to keep this at low cost. My worms don’t like cooked grit but they’ll eat ground cabbage. There has been no sign of food poisoning when I feed them a mix of beans, rice and scraps. I’ve offered to start others with their own farm, but they are not interested. I need to find someone that would take them. I’ve called four, five places including schools, teachers and friends. Thanks for all your vids. You are a wealth of information. ❤
Hi Theresa! Have you tried emailing me at RockinWFamilyFarm@gmail.com? I’ve received other emails from Castings Crew asking questions and such. I think we can brainstorm better thru email than on here 😊 As for your skinny worms and fattening them up I do see more weight gain the more I feed worm chow vs food scraps. What you might want to consider is freezing your food scraps for a few weeks and going more with just the worm chow. Your recipe looks good! But if they’re only getting relatively little overall their weight gain will be slower. I completely endorse keeping costs low whenever possible 👍😎. Have you looked into bags of dried beans? That’s usually cheaper if you don’t mind cooking them. But …. I wonder if grinding dried beans into a meal or flour and feeding that would be ok…? I’m not worried about the worms eating the bean meal/flour per se. It’s whether the beans would cause other unintended effects in the worm bin. Hmmm. Anyone have thoughts on this?? 🪱🪱
Hi Jayne, it's a race against time when I do consecutive baiting operations -- the worms get increasingly more difficult to get out of moist castings even with yummy food in the bait area. I was calling out for you to go grab the worms under the screen after you moved it over - glad you saw them and went back! ~ Sandra
Hi Sandra! That’s good information to know. Thanks for sharing that. This is only the 3rd or 5th time I’ve baited out worms like this so I’m very much still learning. Why do you think this is? The castings are definitely moist but not super moist like they do get sometimes. I’m more of a horizontal migration kinda worm wrangler 😆 but I’m really loving this upward migration method! 👍🪱🪱
I do sideways migrations in every bin except my large converted sandbox (Gilligan). I have to set bait cups all over the top because of his large surface area. The younger worms won't migrate up or sideways unless they literally stumble upon the food, in my experience. I think we mentioned it to you the other day in our chat that we think wisps stay fairly close to where they emerged from their cocoon. In my opinion, you have to let those little ones grow up enough so they start moving. ~ Sandra
@@NanasWorms That’s definitely what I’m finding - the wisps are incredibly hard for me to harvest using ANY kind of migration. They can live happily in a tiny bedding ball for a long time. Buggers 😆😍. For Gilligan you may want to try the trays. Less bait cups and the shallow depth for easy in and out is working great for me 👍 With your deeper sandbox you might be able to use shallow plastic woven baskets from the dollar store. Or an extra pasta strainer! 😆
Hey Theresa. Can you give them a couple of feedings of whatever worm chow you can make? I am seeing a quicker fattening up using it vs food scraps. I don’t get avocados anymore right now so that calorie laden food is off the menu. I’m feeding my beans and rice to the hens to get them back laying after the winter down time. My worms are last in line right now for high calorie food scraps 😆. But they’re loving the worm chow! 🪱🪱🪱
So very inspiring!! Question for you.. I use a seaweed based compost for my flower garden. Can I use that in my pre-compost mix for my worms? Thank you!
Hi! Yes you can use your seaweed based compost in your pre-compost mix 👍. It would act as an inoculant as well as any less processed organic material acting as food for the biota. I’d ask you back if your compost even needs further breakdown…? If it’s pretty good on its own you could use it directly into your worm bins. Naturally that means it’s no longer hot, you can see that’s its full of biota, and you don’t put anything toxic in there that hasn’t had a chance to break down sufficiently. And I recommend making a small test area in a worm bin to see how the worms react, just in case. Thanks for watching and commenting 😍👍🪱
When I get mites I add a bit of pulverized limestone. It seems to balance out what ever is drawing them there. Not garden lime. That has a chemical that is toxic to the worms for those that do not know the difference. McCoy's or Tractor supply usually has some
Hi Esmy! I usually add dolomite lime which is in line with what you’re talking about. I haven’t been adding that as much lately. Hmmmm. It does help balance out lower pH which the mites do like. I think I’ll start adding it back in again - thanks! 🪱🪱❤️
@@RockinWorms just reading this and I hadn’t noticed you not using it, maybe you are on camera but not off, I always say if there’s a change in the bin look at what you usually do, and what you are doing. A mate of mine had a problem with pot worms and couldn’t work out what he had been doing differently, where he had been rushed for time and had just been feeding chick crumble instead of chow… there was no egg shells. So he added in a good-large amount and within 2 weeks no pot worms to be seen. He said he won’t be skimping on that again. Just shows it’s always our actions that then have a reaction in some way positive or negative. That’s why we say when it’s ok stick to it. I’ve never seen mites or pot worms in my bins… maybe there will come a time. But I always have lots of egg shess and I’ve got 10kg of lime so don’t think I will run out until after 2030 I don’t expect. Unless my breeders-go mad and really produce like crazy and I go into business lol never say never.
@@cherylhowker1792 I use mostly dolomite lime, egg shells and powdered oyster shells. I have all 3 and use what I grab. I add whichever in when I do a feed, on camera or off. I get more mites when I feed a lot of veggies and fruits as food vs dry food like worm chow and veggie powder. The fruits and veg are usually yucky and probably have more insect eggs already on them. I did start cooking the foods to kill the eggs but once the mites are in the bin it’s harder to eradicate them and frankly I haven’t really tried to do that. As long as the mites are crazy bad it’s ok with me. The bins I don’t have mites in stay might free because I am adding in cooked or dry foods. And of course I’m playing with the mite free experimental small bin to verify that cooked foods and pre-compost and now commercial canned goods don’t have mite eggs in them. I actually have to check that small bin! You’re right - we control the bin and we are the instigators of whatever happens in there, good or bad. It’s up to us to manage outcomes 👍. Haha! Never say never is so true! 😊🪱🪱
No worries on the questions! Ask away! That IS the Cal Ranch I’m talking about. It’s the exact same sifters (brand name is the same too) that Amazon sells for 40%+ more. Here’s the link: www.calranch.com/se-stackable-sifting-pan-set-green-sku7059020 👍👍🪱
This is the way I will do the bucket And I will put the same precompost I want them in I will use a 3mm if that’s ok? Coz it’s that or 6mm I have. And I can set that up next week or tomorrow. I think they have enough food in there to still be happy. But is it better to do it or leave a little longer so they use more of the food that’s in there before taking them out??
Hello. The 6mm is closest to the 1/4” screen I’m using. I think the 3mm is a little too small. I think the longer wait will get you faster worm movement. Unless you need the castings right away I’d put the worms on foraging for at least a week and frankly, more like a few weeks. There’s more bits of food in there than we think or can see. They won’t starve 😊. Then when you offer them the bait tray of yummy food they will rush to it. That’s what you want 👍🪱❤️
@@RockinWorms they won’t starve as I expect there’s still quite a bit in there that isn’t casting by the feel of it, but as it was semi compost when I put it in there, I would use it on the garden for the nutrients in the compost anyways, unless that’s still there after the worms eat it? Yea will leave the a 3week cycle and just go in and air it out each week as was very compacted. Seems as I’ve added nothing too in size I put them in there, no water or food or anything. I just put the lid on, but there’s air holes all round the lid and in the top all round it too. I think baiting them out with some of the compost stuff like you have been doing and some chow and veggi powder to entice them would do well as I can put the lid back on I think the softer fits inside so would work perfectly. Would just be where I keep them after that until they all out, but I will find somewhere even if it’s a small bucket in the mean time, I think I will give them 5? Days to get into it? As I noticed with the 9days they had started to leave and go back down in yours , I think, that’s why so many under the sifter… not enough space for long time . But as you say time is what you have lol. Xx
@@cherylhowker1792 The worms will use some of the nutrients from what they eat of course. But no animal is completely efficient so quite a bit comes out the other end 🙄😊. The main benefit of castings is the bacterial life they have as well as the more readily bioavailable nutrients to plants. I haven’t read anything about worms using up any specific nutrient themselves and therefore eliminating it from the castings. 🤷♂️. You can harvest and use the castings whenever is most convenient for you without worrying. Yea, you gotta have a temp place for the harvested worms to hang out in while the next group is being baited. That can be a challenge sometimes. I agree with you that 9 days was too long. There was definitely still food in the sifter. I saw that when I went back into the holding bin later on. Maybe the sifter was too crowded or maybe food particles where ‘raining down’ as the worms above moved thru the dry powdered food and the worm below were eating just fine…? Regardless I do think they could have been pulled earlier and it been nearly as successful. I’d give them 5 days to move into the bait trap at a minimum. From there you can adjust timing as you see how your worms are acting. Looking forward to hearing how it goes! 👍🪱🪱
@@RockinWorms well I’ve set the 6mm up in the enc bin as they are not happy now as no bedding left- it was cardboard. And I set up my small sifter- looks like a deep pan fryer- like Mc Donald’s do chips in, I set that up in the baby bin so will see how they do, plan to move them into a bin with compost as the beding, as the one I got going is doing very well. So setting up a 2nd bin
Hi! My worms are mostly in my front living room. I moved some out to the screened patio in large totes in late December. I am indeed in southeast Florida. I have not yet figured out what I’m going to do about the patio worms once it started to get hot. 🤷♂️. Thanks for being a Castings Crew! 😍👍🪱🪱
@@mrouterrim I’m sure some house somewhere has a basement but it is rare. Some homes are built on supports and have either an open or closed space under the house. But those spaces are above ground. 🪱🪱
Hey Jayne great vid as always. The first pull out bin is doing great and has a lot of cocoons already. Very successful second pull out there’s plenty of worms 🪱
Hi Bev! I did see cocoons too! I wasn’t looking for them but there they were. And they’re from them being in the new bedding so…9 days. Good worms! Thanks for watching ❤️🪱
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Hi Jane. A fun trick that I like to do when I know I can get back into my worm bin is to put a few sheets of cardboard on the bottom of the bin (maybe put that pre-compost down there too), then put a good feeding of worm chow over the top and give a light spritz with blackstrap molasses and water. Cover with a few sheets of wet newspaper and cardboard. The next day I quickly remove the cardboard and paper (and I mean I don’t move the bin prior to this step) and there are all the worms on the top! I scape the top layers quickly and pile it up in a tub (like a big butter tub) and after some light they dive deeper into the container and I can usually get back a bunch of casting relatively easy. It’s a fun way to gather them up by surprise! lol You can add a little weight to the top of the cardboard and it will press the moisture down into those sheets of cardboard and you’ll get worms in the bottom too, as well as, actually dry out the middle section.
Hi Marlene! How have you been?
I think I remember you saying that you did something like this in a previous post 😊. Thanks for the reminder! I love knowing lots of ways to accomplish a goal and I’m sure other Castings Crew do too 👍👍🪱.
Hi, I think I might be misunderstanding, sorry. Do you mean you put a layer of cardboard over the top of the bin, rather than the bottom? How else can you gather castings? Sorry if I'm being stupid. Take care 💕
Lots of more happy worms ,bait trays are wonderful 🪱🇳🇿❤️
Hi! I’m loving this method. Fast to set up. Fast to reset. And waaay less work for me 👍👍🪱
Hi Jayne. Haha I feel that was a personalized video🙃😉🥰, thank you very much. I am REALLY amazed! They just keep on pouring out of that bin. You have a great process there. From the bin full of castings right into the food again, and each sifter full can get right to fattening up while waiting for their brothers (or sisters,....or both) to join them. It will be interesting to see the next results. VERY cool. ...On a different note, I have a neighbor who brings me his used coffee and paper filters every few days. It's a bunch, he must drink an awful lot of coffee, I do too but I use the reusable filter insert. Anyway I noticed that his paper filters take forever to disappear, either by decomposing or consumed by the worms. So what I do is to separate the used coffee from them and just knock off or wipe off the excess, and then lay them on a table in my carport. They dry fast. I then shred them along with the paper and cardboard in my shredder. They come out really like fluffy and easily consumable by the worms, and I think the worms like them because they've already been saturated tn the coffee. Some of the worms told me though that they can't sleep at night if they eat that paper.😋 Ok, I'll be watching for the next bait sifting, but I won't push you. I know you have other things to do besides satisfying my curiosity. Haha. Your work is appreciated though, along with your creative ideas. Thanks again. Ric
I am happy to do videos upon request as best I can. I often forget to give a shout out to the person asking though (head smack).
That’s a really good point you make which I did on purpose but didn’t ever say - I wanted to fatten up these worms a bit and baiting with the higher calorie food did accomplish 2 goals at once. Bonus prizes! Thanks for mentioning that. 😎
I think you mentioned that the coffee filters can take a long time to break down. I tried keeping an eye on the several I had from MIL visiting but I lost track of them. Or just as likely, when I finally circled back to a bin enough time had passed and the worms took care of it. It’s a great idea to shred the filters if they otherwise hang around too long. That’s interesting that they come out fluffy. I put some paper towel into the nutribullet and it came out fluffy too. I didn’t think the machine sounded happy though so I didn’t try it again 😳.
Those worms you have are complainers! Up all night partying I bet! 🤣😆.
It’s actually nice when what I have to do for my worms makes a decent video as well. As I said, it’s not all excitement every day but it is enjoyable! Thanks Ric for your continued support ❤️
Really impressive results! With just two baits you probably got 80% of the population!
Hey Kyle! I’d agree with that number guess. It was really quite a thing to see! Again, I think having hungry worms was key. They just moved on that food fast. 😍
Good morning, Jayne, from Windermere, Florida zone 9b
Watched completely ❤and enjoyed thoroughly 👌
Great information
❤Peggy❤
Thanks Peggy! I appreciate your support 🥰. I know the ads are a pain but it’s how I get some remuneration for the work and time that goes into making videos. It’s how the game works! 🙄🪱
@@RockinWorms my pleasure 🙏
Hi Jayne, sorry I haven't been around for a while, my laptop broke and it's just came back from the repair shop. Your videos always seem to be just what I'm looking for at the time you put them out. I was checking my worms today in the grow out trays and I thought I might have too many worms in them. After watching this video, I now know that I definitely haven't! The CFT is still heaving with worms of all sizes so tomorrow I'll take my quarter inch sieve and bait the worms out of the CFT and start another grow out tray, as well as topping up the two I already have. Thank you again for the time and effort you put into making these videos, they're invaluable. Shout out to the cameraman as well. doing a great job.🤩
Hi Bill! I’m glad you’ve not been absent due to anything too major 😊. Of course broken laptop can indeed be a big big deal. Mine is so old I’m surprised the Smithsonian isn’t asking me for it! 🤣
Worm density is a spectrum. As long as the worms are healthy, doing whatever job it is you’re asking of them (cocoons, castings, fishing) then it’s all good 😎. I’d you want bigger worms then giving them a bit more space as well as much food as they can gobble down is the way to go. If you’re mainly wanting castings then a tighter pack in is ok. I try to ride the center line and get a good balance for my needs.
I think you’ll like the bait out method with the sifter or other trays. Especially if the bedding is now predominantly castings. I’m eager to hear how it goes for you! 🪱🪱👍
PS Camerman reads most of the comments too and loooves getting a shout out 😍. Thanks for that - I need to keep him happy because he’s cheap labor 🤣🤣🤣
I’ve been unable to send this to you in your response to my skinny worms. I feed them worm chow (5 cups wheat flour, three cups ground oats, two cups chicken crumble, one cup bird seed, one cup ground nuts) but first I add whatever food scraps I have. I add about one pound of this per pound of worms and then Sprinkle with worm chow and chicken crumble.
I have noticed them getting weight with beans but I don’t often find them at no cost as I try to keep this at low cost. My worms don’t like cooked grit but they’ll eat ground cabbage. There has been no sign of food poisoning when I feed them a mix of beans, rice and scraps.
I’ve offered to start others with their own farm, but they are not interested. I need to find someone that would take them. I’ve called four, five places including schools, teachers and friends.
Thanks for all your vids. You are a wealth of information. ❤
Hi Theresa! Have you tried emailing me at RockinWFamilyFarm@gmail.com? I’ve received other emails from Castings Crew asking questions and such. I think we can brainstorm better thru email than on here 😊
As for your skinny worms and fattening them up I do see more weight gain the more I feed worm chow vs food scraps. What you might want to consider is freezing your food scraps for a few weeks and going more with just the worm chow. Your recipe looks good! But if they’re only getting relatively little overall their weight gain will be slower.
I completely endorse keeping costs low whenever possible 👍😎. Have you looked into bags of dried beans? That’s usually cheaper if you don’t mind cooking them. But …. I wonder if grinding dried beans into a meal or flour and feeding that would be ok…? I’m not worried about the worms eating the bean meal/flour per se. It’s whether the beans would cause other unintended effects in the worm bin. Hmmm. Anyone have thoughts on this?? 🪱🪱
We can also brainstorm your worm population issue as via email as well 😍😎
Hi Jayne, it's a race against time when I do consecutive baiting operations -- the worms get increasingly more difficult to get out of moist castings even with yummy food in the bait area. I was calling out for you to go grab the worms under the screen after you moved it over - glad you saw them and went back!
~ Sandra
Hi Sandra! That’s good information to know. Thanks for sharing that. This is only the 3rd or 5th time I’ve baited out worms like this so I’m very much still learning. Why do you think this is?
The castings are definitely moist but not super moist like they do get sometimes.
I’m more of a horizontal migration kinda worm wrangler 😆 but I’m really loving this upward migration method! 👍🪱🪱
I do sideways migrations in every bin except my large converted sandbox (Gilligan). I have to set bait cups all over the top because of his large surface area. The younger worms won't migrate up or sideways unless they literally stumble upon the food, in my experience. I think we mentioned it to you the other day in our chat that we think wisps stay fairly close to where they emerged from their cocoon. In my opinion, you have to let those little ones grow up enough so they start moving.
~ Sandra
@@NanasWorms That’s definitely what I’m finding - the wisps are incredibly hard for me to harvest using ANY kind of migration. They can live happily in a tiny bedding ball for a long time. Buggers 😆😍.
For Gilligan you may want to try the trays. Less bait cups and the shallow depth for easy in and out is working great for me 👍
With your deeper sandbox you might be able to use shallow plastic woven baskets from the dollar store. Or an extra pasta strainer! 😆
@@RockinWorms I was reading this and gonna say a colander would be good. X
@@cherylhowker1792 Yep! The idea is perfect. It depends on whether it fits depth wise into a bin. 👍🪱
Amazing. Your worms are still so much bigger than mine. Great video.
Hey Theresa. Can you give them a couple of feedings of whatever worm chow you can make? I am seeing a quicker fattening up using it vs food scraps. I don’t get avocados anymore right now so that calorie laden food is off the menu. I’m feeding my beans and rice to the hens to get them back laying after the winter down time. My worms are last in line right now for high calorie food scraps 😆. But they’re loving the worm chow! 🪱🪱🪱
Thanks for the update Jayne. I know that you are definitely getting there. I think that one more time will do it.
Hey. I think so too. I’m thinking that after this bait out round I may do a horizontal migration to get the last few stragglers. 👍🪱
So very inspiring!! Question for you.. I use a seaweed based compost for my flower garden. Can I use that in my pre-compost mix for my worms? Thank you!
Hi! Yes you can use your seaweed based compost in your pre-compost mix 👍. It would act as an inoculant as well as any less processed organic material acting as food for the biota. I’d ask you back if your compost even needs further breakdown…? If it’s pretty good on its own you could use it directly into your worm bins. Naturally that means it’s no longer hot, you can see that’s its full of biota, and you don’t put anything toxic in there that hasn’t had a chance to break down sufficiently. And I recommend making a small test area in a worm bin to see how the worms react, just in case.
Thanks for watching and commenting 😍👍🪱
When I get mites I add a bit of pulverized limestone. It seems to balance out what ever is drawing them there. Not garden lime. That has a chemical that is toxic to the worms for those that do not know the difference. McCoy's or Tractor supply usually has some
Hi Esmy! I usually add dolomite lime which is in line with what you’re talking about. I haven’t been adding that as much lately. Hmmmm. It does help balance out lower pH which the mites do like. I think I’ll start adding it back in again - thanks! 🪱🪱❤️
@@RockinWorms yea. I couldn't remember the word dolomite. Lol. But thats the same thing I use.
@@RockinWorms just reading this and I hadn’t noticed you not using it, maybe you are on camera but not off, I always say if there’s a change in the bin look at what you usually do, and what you are doing.
A mate of mine had a problem with pot worms and couldn’t work out what he had been doing differently, where he had been rushed for time and had just been feeding chick crumble instead of chow… there was no egg shells. So he added in a good-large amount and within 2 weeks no pot worms to be seen.
He said he won’t be skimping on that again.
Just shows it’s always our actions that then have a reaction in some way positive or negative. That’s why we say when it’s ok stick to it.
I’ve never seen mites or pot worms in my bins… maybe there will come a time. But I always have lots of egg shess and I’ve got 10kg of lime so don’t think I will run out until after 2030 I don’t expect. Unless my breeders-go mad and really produce like crazy and I go into business lol never say never.
@@cherylhowker1792 I use mostly dolomite lime, egg shells and powdered oyster shells. I have all 3 and use what I grab. I add whichever in when I do a feed, on camera or off. I get more mites when I feed a lot of veggies and fruits as food vs dry food like worm chow and veggie powder. The fruits and veg are usually yucky and probably have more insect eggs already on them. I did start cooking the foods to kill the eggs but once the mites are in the bin it’s harder to eradicate them and frankly I haven’t really tried to do that. As long as the mites are crazy bad it’s ok with me.
The bins I don’t have mites in stay might free because I am adding in cooked or dry foods. And of course I’m playing with the mite free experimental small bin to verify that cooked foods and pre-compost and now commercial canned goods don’t have mite eggs in them. I actually have to check that small bin!
You’re right - we control the bin and we are the instigators of whatever happens in there, good or bad. It’s up to us to manage outcomes 👍.
Haha! Never say never is so true! 😊🪱🪱
Please post a link for the sifter. I realize I’m asking a lot of questions, but the “cal ranch I found had 1/4 in gold pan and accessories.
No worries on the questions! Ask away!
That IS the Cal Ranch I’m talking about. It’s the exact same sifters (brand name is the same too) that Amazon sells for 40%+ more. Here’s the link:
www.calranch.com/se-stackable-sifting-pan-set-green-sku7059020
👍👍🪱
Jayne, where do you get this weggie powder you speak of?
Oops Veggie, not weggie. Geez.
@@Flippin_Crazy Hahahaha! I didn’t even catch that 😜. 🪱🪱
This is the way I will do the bucket
And I will put the same precompost I want them in I will use a 3mm if that’s ok? Coz it’s that or 6mm I have. And I can set that up next week or tomorrow. I think they have enough food in there to still be happy. But is it better to do it or leave a little longer so they use more of the food that’s in there before taking them out??
Hello. The 6mm is closest to the 1/4” screen I’m using. I think the 3mm is a little too small. I think the longer wait will get you faster worm movement. Unless you need the castings right away I’d put the worms on foraging for at least a week and frankly, more like a few weeks. There’s more bits of food in there than we think or can see. They won’t starve 😊. Then when you offer them the bait tray of yummy food they will rush to it. That’s what you want 👍🪱❤️
@@RockinWorms they won’t starve as I expect there’s still quite a bit in there that isn’t casting by the feel of it, but as it was semi compost when I put it in there, I would use it on the garden for the nutrients in the compost anyways, unless that’s still there after the worms eat it?
Yea will leave the a 3week cycle and just go in and air it out each week as was very compacted. Seems as I’ve added nothing too in size I put them in there, no water or food or anything. I just put the lid on, but there’s air holes all round the lid and in the top all round it too.
I think baiting them out with some of the compost stuff like you have been doing and some chow and veggi powder to entice them would do well as I can put the lid back on I think the softer fits inside so would work perfectly. Would just be where I keep them after that until they all out, but I will find somewhere even if it’s a small bucket in the mean time, I think I will give them 5? Days to get into it? As I noticed with the 9days they had started to leave and go back down in yours , I think, that’s why so many under the sifter… not enough space for long time . But as you say time is what you have lol. Xx
@@cherylhowker1792 The worms will use some of the nutrients from what they eat of course. But no animal is completely efficient so quite a bit comes out the other end 🙄😊. The main benefit of castings is the bacterial life they have as well as the more readily bioavailable nutrients to plants. I haven’t read anything about worms using up any specific nutrient themselves and therefore eliminating it from the castings. 🤷♂️. You can harvest and use the castings whenever is most convenient for you without worrying.
Yea, you gotta have a temp place for the harvested worms to hang out in while the next group is being baited. That can be a challenge sometimes.
I agree with you that 9 days was too long. There was definitely still food in the sifter. I saw that when I went back into the holding bin later on. Maybe the sifter was too crowded or maybe food particles where ‘raining down’ as the worms above moved thru the dry powdered food and the worm below were eating just fine…? Regardless I do think they could have been pulled earlier and it been nearly as successful.
I’d give them 5 days to move into the bait trap at a minimum. From there you can adjust timing as you see how your worms are acting. Looking forward to hearing how it goes! 👍🪱🪱
@@RockinWorms well I’ve set the 6mm up in the enc bin as they are not happy now as no bedding left- it was cardboard.
And I set up my small sifter- looks like a deep pan fryer- like Mc Donald’s do chips in, I set that up in the baby bin so will see how they do, plan to move them into a bin with compost as the beding, as the one I got going is doing very well. So setting up a 2nd bin
@@cherylhowker1792 Excellent! Let’s see how it goes😎
R u in a basement or garage being u r in fl
Hi! My worms are mostly in my front living room. I moved some out to the screened patio in large totes in late December. I am indeed in southeast Florida. I have not yet figured out what I’m going to do about the patio worms once it started to get hot. 🤷♂️.
Thanks for being a Castings Crew! 😍👍🪱🪱
@@RockinWorms
I was wondering because I didn't think Florida homes had basements
@@mrouterrim I’m sure some house somewhere has a basement but it is rare.
Some homes are built on supports and have either an open or closed space under the house. But those spaces are above ground. 🪱🪱
Hey Jayne great vid as always. The first pull out bin is doing great and has a lot of cocoons already. Very successful second pull out there’s plenty of worms 🪱
Hi Bev! I did see cocoons too! I wasn’t looking for them but there they were. And they’re from them being in the new bedding so…9 days. Good worms!
Thanks for watching ❤️🪱