Worms! Worms! Worms!

[Jasa]

Hello my fellow growers hope to find everyone enjoying one of nature's greatest plants. As the topic suggests I am reaching out to the forum to get a better grasp on the benefits of worms. I have read quite a bit about worm bins and how to feed them and such. Not sure if I want to do the whole worm bin thing or not, I'm lazy. Anyway if I may, this so called novice has questions for those who care to share their infinite knowledge. I am using 15 gallon fabric pots filed with a super soil recipe from Master Mark. I am still using LEDs in a very controlled environment. I am not using C02 as of yet. Even though I used worm castings as one of the elements of the super soil I was wondering if worms would add enough value to add them to the soil. I will provide a dining room in order to feed them scraps, egg shells and such. So question numero uno is, is it a good idea to add live worms? How many should I add to the size of pots I'm using? What kind of worms are best? Where would I buy them? I just mixes my soil and placed it in the fabric pots yesterday. Last night I soaked them down to start the "cooking process". Seeds have arrived at another location. So I figure that the soil will have time to "activate or come to life" about the time I germinate and then veg (about 2 months total and three transplants each with a hotter soil mix) at which point I'll make the final transplant into the 15 gallon pots. Hope that's enough information, just ask if you need or would like more and thanks for you help my fellow horticulturists.

 

[One drop]

Use worm casting 5 % of your mix it’s very fine particulate so go easy or you will muddy up your drainage again only use a small amount it goes a long way have been using worms in my systems for many years . Regards OD.

 

[Jasa]

Yo One drop appreciate the input. What's your take on using live worms?

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

is it a good idea to add live worms?
Yes, especially if you plan to reuse your soil.

How many should I add to the size of pots I'm using?
Doesn’t matter too much, they are good moderating their own population size to fit their conditions. 100 would be plenty.

What kind of worms are best?
Red wigglers.

Where would I buy them?
Uncle Jims worm farm

 

[Jasa]

tomatoesarecooltoo brother I love straight to the point answers too. I'll be ordering today. Journal will start soon. Happy growing my people.

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

Glad to hear it, best of luck!

 

[One drop]

Yo One drop appreciate the input. What's your take on using live worms?

No I don't want living worms in my pots I rather them in my worm farms .

 

[Oa.ahhu]

No I don't want living worms in my pots I rather them in my worm farms .

He's right, unless you are using clean products and leaving something for them to eat it is best to just stick to vermicomposting with the worms.

 

[Jasa]

My super soil does have several amendments and I plan on feeding them worm food as well. While I'm taping into your minds, any recommendations for worm food aside from what is offered by Uncle Jims? I've heard egg shells, banana peals, a little coffee grounds. Oh did I forget to mention dining room! In each fabric pot I have installed a 4" PVC pipe that goes 12" into the soil and has 1" and 3/4" holes drilled to within 2" of the surface. The piping is empty and allows me feed them and them cover the pipe so as not to attract insects or flies. I would love to hear your opinions or suggestions because that is how we grow as a community and perfect our craft.

 

[Oa.ahhu]

My super soil does have several amendments and I plan on feeding them worm food as well. While I'm taping into your minds, any recommendations for worm food aside from what is offered by Uncle Jims? I've heard egg shells, banana peals, a little coffee grounds. Oh did I forget to mention dining room! In each fabric pot I have installed a 4" PVC pipe that goes 12" into the soil and has 1" and 3/4" holes drilled to within 2" of the surface. The piping is empty and allows me feed them and them cover the pipe so as not to attract insects or flies. I would love to hear your opinions or suggestions because that is how we grow as a community and perfect our craft.

I have done something similar, but with a 120 gallon pot , I fed strictly off of the plant to avoid cross contamination. I also used a line of nutes/amendments that wouldn't kill em.

 

[tomatoesarecooltoo]

My super soil does have several amendments and I plan on feeding them worm food as well. While I'm taping into your minds, any recommendations for worm food aside from what is offered by Uncle Jims? I've heard egg shells, banana peals, a little coffee grounds. Oh did I forget to mention dining room! In each fabric pot I have installed a 4" PVC pipe that goes 12" into the soil and has 1" and 3/4" holes drilled to within 2" of the surface. The piping is empty and allows me feed them and them cover the pipe so as not to attract insects or flies. I would love to hear your opinions or suggestions because that is how we grow as a community and perfect our craft.

I didn’t realize you were doing a full on indoor worm hotel. I was imagining a small population feeding off of the mulch layer, soil bacteria, root exudates, barley or compost top dresses etc, and helping break down the rootball between grows.

I imagine your biggest challenge will be gnats even with a cover on the caps. Its easy to overfeed fruit scraps creating a moldy buggy mess.

I am really excited to see what you decide and how it turns out.

Also coffee grounds are acidic and the caffeine can stunt some plants unless its composted away first.

 

[Oa.ahhu]

These guys thrive off of sterilized (DRY) leaf matter that is top dressed into the soil, they have not been fed in weeks.there is cocoons/babie/adults all still doing well currently. Just a little hack to help you out.

ll

 

[Jasa]

As you all know our craft allows us be creative and actually measure our results. I grow full spectrum to help family and friends not for profit. Also tending to the girls is beneficial for me as well. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this gift from our creator is of benefit to all of us to one degree or another and I am blessed to be on this journey. I actually feel obligated to help create the highest quality medicine that I can he the most natural environment I can. For us I've found that Lemon OG Haze has a beautiful balance of Indica and Sativa with a touch of CBD. I hope to one day to keep the current characteristics and increase the CBD content, but that's down the line. That is why I reach out to others for help and guidance. It's what I admire about our growing community. Lol....I just read what I wrote and I'm wondering where it would have gone if I partook of my medicine.

 

[Jasa]

That is awesome bro....thank you. The cycle of life. If everyone would just fire up and chill the world would be filled with munchies and love....lol.

 

[frebo]

I have friends with a goat farm and I get pickup loads of goat shit with loads of red wigglers. The last load didn’t have as many in it because it was old and mostly worm castings. I can get it every year and I grow outdoors, so they are always in my soil.

 

[Gimik]

Use worm casting 5 % of your mix it’s very fine particulate so go easy or you will muddy up your drainage again only use a small amount it goes a long way have been using worms in my systems for many years . Regards OD.

I haven't found this to be true, the part about it muddy'ing up the soil. I built my super soil equal parts of: Peat Moss / worm castings / perlite. I made 21gal total which means I used 7gals of worm castings. People have even planted seeds directly in worm castings mixed with perlite and been okay.

I agree though that worm castings offer endless benefits for your garden... They are rich in nutrients and introduce beneficial bacteria to the soil.

 

[frebo]

As you all know our craft allows us be creative and actually measure our results. I grow full spectrum to help family and friends not for profit. Also tending to the girls is beneficial for me as well. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this gift from our creator is of benefit to all of us to one degree or another and I am blessed to be on this journey. I actually feel obligated to help create the highest quality medicine that I can he the most natural environment I can. For us I've found that Lemon OG Haze has a beautiful balance of Indica and Sativa with a touch of CBD. I hope to one day to keep the current characteristics and increase the CBD content, but that's down the line. That is why I reach out to others for help and guidance. It's what I admire about our growing community. Lol....I just read what I wrote and I'm wondering where it would have gone if I partook of my medicine.

I couldn’t have said it better. I have a large family that depend on me. They used to pay me but not so much anymore and the black market has really been wiped out here.
Dispensaries here are selling flower they call “One on One” that have a higher percentage of CBD, say 13%, and THC say 9%. It does NOT sound good BUT try them they will definitely surprise you.

 

[LittleDabbie]

I haven't found this to be true, the part about it muddy'ing up the soil. I built my super soil equal parts of: Peat Moss / worm castings / perlite. I made 21gal total which means I used 7gals of worm castings. People have even planted seeds directly in worm castings mixed with perlite and been okay.

I agree though that worm castings offer endless benefits for your garden... They are rich in nutrients and introduce beneficial bacteria to the soil.

it GREATLY depends on the person/Farm who raised the worms and produced the castings, I've seen soggy wet almost marsh like worm castings and i've seen rich black gold round perfect worm castings.. It just depends..

My own bin right now if i pulled castings from it would be a great mix of sand coir and castings I could grow and kinda am growing seeds in it right now cuz shit keeps sprouting like corn kernals lol..

so yeah it just depends on the source..

 

[Seraphine]

where are the worm pictures?!

 

[LittleDabbie]

where are the worm pictures?!

I'll update my vermicomposting thread in a bit with some worm pictures ok :)