The Ranch

[Rcubed]

Rancho!?

@Rcubed
I can help. Some no till growers use 3 different worms...african crawlers cruise across the top. Red wrigglers 1-6" deep. European night crawlers stay deep and finish off. They also good aerators.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I figure that no till should mimic a natural environment as much as possible and that would include the organisms that exist in their natural state. I have all three types of these worms in my backyard so I guess what the hell I'll throw all three types in.

 

[Rcubed]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I figure that no till should mimic a natural environment as much as possible and that would include the organisms that exist in their natural state. I have all three types of these worms in my backyard so I guess what the hell I'll throw all three types in.

It rained cats and dogs here in So Cal on Monday and Tuesday and a bunch of nightcrawlers came to the surface. I grabbed some and threw them in my soft pots so hopefully they're at work

 

[RanchoDeluxe]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I figure that no till should mimic a natural environment as much as possible and that would include the organisms that exist in their natural state. I have all three types of these worms in my backyard so I guess what the hell I'll throw all three types in.

Are you sure you have all 3 in your backyard? That would be one hell of a coincidence. There are hundreds (probably thousands) of different worm species.
Honestly red wigglers are all that's necessary. I've found wigglers in the middle of a 4x4x4' compost pile.
The native nightcrawlers to my area don't survive in bins. My local composting worm is Perionyx Excavatus, which does a pretty good job.

 

[Rcubed]

Are you sure you have all 3 in your backyard? That would be one hell of a coincidence. There are hundreds (probably thousands) of different worm species.
Honestly red wigglers are all that's necessary. I've found wigglers in the middle of a 4x4x4' compost pile.
The native nightcrawlers to my area don't survive in bins. My local composting worm is Perionyx Excavatus, which does a pretty good job.

No I'm not sure at all. I do know the difference between the nightcrawlers and the smaller earthworms and there are skinny small ones and thicker lighter colored ones. What they are I can't say for sure.

 

[Rcubed]

Ok so I'm curious what these are. I only spent about 15 minutes getting these worms and getting photos. All of these are in abundance in my back yard. Any worm experts want to take a shot at what these beauties are? :cool:

Photo #1 This is a big night crawler about 5 inches or so long

Photo #2 Smaller skinny reddish worm. Wiggler?

Photo #3 shorter more stout worms

Photo #4 Different stout worm full of castings

Photo #5 another large worm

 

[Organikz]

Ok so I'm curious what these are. I only spent about 15 minutes getting these worms and getting photos. All of these are in abundance in my back yard. Any worm experts want to take a shot at what these beauties are? :cool:

Photo #1 This is a big night crawler about 5 inches or so long
View attachment 770692

Photo #2 Smaller skinny reddish worm. Wiggler?
View attachment 770693

Photo #3 shorter more stout worms

View attachment 770694

Photo #4 Different stout worm full of castings

View attachment 770695

Photo #5 another large worm

View attachment 770698

Those aren't different worm species. It all depends on what kind of bacterial slime they've been eating. Different nutrient densities. For instance black would be carbon rich....

Could also be hormones or temperatures, moisture, who knows, lol.

 

[Organikz]

See the ring on the worm...you know that's a cacoon. I notice the black one doesn't have one so it just shed a cacoon.

 

[Rcubed]

Those aren't different worm species. It all depends on what kind of bacterial slime they've been eating. Different nutrient densities. For instance black would be carbon rich....

Could also be hormones or temperatures, moisture, who knows, lol.

Cool, I'm pretty stoked to have all these guys workin hard in the yard

 

[Rcubed]

After looking at pictures and reading up, I think the night crawler is a Canadian night crawler. It has a flat tail and those things get really big. The European night crawlers don't look like that one and they're smaller.

 

[JMcG]

It sure would. I ran a 4x4 bed in a 4x7 area for a long time.

Great!
That gives my two 315s a nice footprint...

 

[RanchoDeluxe]

Ok so I'm curious what these are. I only spent about 15 minutes getting these worms and getting photos. All of these are in abundance in my back yard. Any worm experts want to take a shot at what these beauties are? :cool:

Photo #1 This is a big night crawler about 5 inches or so long
View attachment 770692

Photo #2 Smaller skinny reddish worm. Wiggler?
View attachment 770693

Photo #3 shorter more stout worms

View attachment 770694

Photo #4 Different stout worm full of castings

View attachment 770695

Photo #5 another large worm

View attachment 770698

Most of them look to be Canadian Nightcrawlers. Pic 2 I think is Perionyx Excavatus, the clitellum is very close to it's head and has a bluish tint. Does this worm make really jerky motions?

See the ring on the worm...you know that's a cacoon. I notice the black one doesn't have one so it just shed a cacoon.

The ring is the clitellum of the worm. This is where cocoons are deposited from. The lack of a clitellum means the worm has not yet reached sexual maturity.

 

[Rcubed]

Most of them look to be Canadian Nightcrawlers. Pic 2 I think is Perionyx Excavatus, the clitellum is very close to it's head and has a bluish tint. Does this worm make really jerky motions?

The ring is the clitellum of the worm. This is where cocoons are deposited from. The lack of a clitellum means the worm has not yet reached sexual maturity.

Yeah that one in pic #2 jumped around a lot. So you think the others are Canadian Nightcrawlers in different stages of development? They seem to be thriving in the soil I mixed in my big soft pots. Should I make a compost bin with the worm type in pic #2?

 

[JMcG]

Alright!
I think things are starting to sink in a bit... at least enough to get started anyway!
Thanks to all of you guys, first and foremost, for all of your graciously shared information. I am so stoked to try it all out!
So I guess I can get my soil started while I get the raised bed put together, right?
I’d like to go with a simple mix, probably stick to the 30/30/30 rule.
Tad at KIS Organics suggested maybe cutting the ewc back to 20% and raising the cspm and aeration a bit. Any input on that?
I’ll post what my local ( 1 hr away local) grow store has in stock to see if you guys have any experience with them.

 

[JMcG]

Here’s the compost they stock...
Good, bad , or otherwise?

 

[JMcG]

Two types of neem...

 

[JMcG]

And this... can this be used as my aeration?

 

[Tejashidrow]

All of the “above” ^^^^^^^^ can be used.
However unlike Malibu or Ole fish compost
That are some of the best, your bagged ( and mine) fall in somewhere under them.
What this means in realality is that if you use the Bu or ole, your first run will be surprising good.
Useing local less quality will take a run or 2 or 3 to get to it’s optimum operation of web of life micros cycling. ( with also good results that get better)
As long as your doing the inputs you will be fine, just take longer to get there.
I ended up joining a couple local garden clubs.
( a plant is a plant)
Not only are they a wealth of plant growing knowledge they share freely,
Including best local inputs / compost.
And it’s good to get outa the MARIJUNA growing train of thought and see how others grow locally organic non mj gardens!!

 

[Organikz]

All of the “above” ^^^^^^^^ can be used.
However unlike Malibu or Ole fish compost
That are some of the best, your bagged ( and mine) fall in somewhere under them.
What this means in realality is that if you use the Bu or ole, your first run will be surprising good.
Useing local less quality will take a run or 2 or 3 to get to it’s optimum operation of web of life micros cycling. ( with also good results that get better)
As long as your doing the inputs you will be fine, just take longer to get there.
I ended up joining a couple local garden clubs.
( a plant is a plant)
Not only are they a wealth of plant growing knowledge they share freely,
Including best local inputs / compost.
And it’s good to get outa the MARIJUNA growing train of thought and see how others grow locally organic non mj gardens!!

Couldn't have said it better

 

[Organikz]

Ahimsa blows down to dirt out the water

 

[JMcG]

Yup, looking into my local gardening club. Where I live, I'm sure I can source some great composted materials, but right now it's full on winter with feet of snow.
I guess my plan is too put together one raised bed in my indoor grow and get it going using commercially available products. I can do this right away and start my learning curve. Then, as spring thaws my ass out, I would find local materials and get my own compost pile going for future beds.