worm castings

[P-NUT]

has anyone tried worm castings from vermitechnology.com or bestbuyworms.com? best buy has a really good deal but i can get a pretty good deal on vermicultures too so anybody with experience with either please speak up and let me know the quality. The only worm castings I've tried is wiggly worm so I wonder how they compare.

 

[microgram]

There could be fillers or other things that companies like to use to cheat consumers out of money with.

 

[CT Guy]

Ask for biological testing from the company.

 

[Cool Moe]

Worm castings aren't cheap where I live and probably not that fresh so I just ordered Uncle Jim's worm factory along with 2000 red wigglers. It seemed a little pricey at first but my thoughts are that over time it will pay for itself 20 times over. Plus my teas will have the freshest, most active castings possible. I'm new to vermicomposting and have read the basic feeding program but was wondering if anyone can recommend special weed-friendly food for the worms that will have my plants thanking me and begging for more.

 

[jaykush]

cool moe two of the best things i think you can add to a wormbin are rock dusts and powdered charcoal( 100% natural or homemade biochar ) this will make your castings amazing.

 

[happyhi]

cool moe two of the best things i think you can add to a wormbin are rock dusts and powdered charcoal( 100% natural or homemade biochar ) this will make your castings amazing.

jay, homemade biochar, like ashes from the fireplace?

also just wanted to make sure that azomite covers all the rock powders?
many thanks, hh

 

[jaykush]

no not as in ashes, google biochar or terra preta to learn more.

and yes the azomite is a good rockdust to use in the wormbin.

 

[happyhi]

no not as in ashes, google biochar or terra preta to learn more.

and yes the azomite is a good rockdust to use in the wormbin.

thanks

 

[Cool Moe]

jaykush, I just read a dozen different articles on biochar and can't thank you enough for sending me in this direction. My first follow-up question: Should biochar be part of my initial soil mix or should I only add it to the worm bin? My starting soil mix is 4 parts organic soil, 1 part worm castings, 1 part mushroom compost, 2 parts perlite, 2 tbsp. powdered dolomite per soil mix gallon. I supplement feed with aerated ewc/molasses/Earth Juice teas along with bat guano top dressing. My second question: Whether I use 100% natural charcoal or homemade biochar, do I need to first smash it into near-powder form for the soil or worms? My third question: Where can I find azomite rock dust for the wormbin? Thanks again for your guidance!

P-NUT, sorry for the hijack but it's not a total hijack, this seems like killer info in relation to worm bins, wormcastings, and general organics.

 

[Cool Moe]

jaykush, I found the IC thread on terra preta and am reading through it now, will withhold any more questions 'til I put in the study time on my end...now back to worm castings...initially I won't be able to generate enough castings for my soil mix, so as P-NUT had asked, if anyone has done the testing and can recommend the best store-bought castings, that info would be greatly appeciated. Thanks!

 

[DARC MIND]

Should biochar be part of my initial soil mix or should I only add it to the worm bin?

im sure jay will comment but im high and thought id give my two cents,
char can be used in both soil mix and worm bin. char I believe has a nice amount of carbon so you may want to compost it first before adding to soil or let it cure in the soil mix for 2+ weeks. here's a link that may help
terra preta

My second question: Whether I use 100% natural charcoal or homemade biochar, do I need to first smash it into near-powder form for the soil or worms

i prefer a mix texture of char, from powder to small chuncks. the powder char maybe better for worms to compost but the small chunks i believe make a good home/resort for microbes.

My third question: Where can I find azomite rock dust for the wormbin? Thanks again for your guidance!

sparetime (soil bark amendments)
wheatgrass kits
groworganic
just google azomite and you may find some @ your local garden center but i have yet to find any

 

[jaykush]

cool moe, if your going to add it to your wormbin, and since you dont have enough castings for soil amending. thats why i suggested you make high quality castings and make compost tea ( or castings tea ) with it so your castings will be spread further. its best added in powder form to the wormbin( even if it looks like powder to us, there are billions of micro pores for the microbes to live in), chunks are better for compost piles. add a little with each feeding, you dont need much to get amazing results. before you know it your castings will be so black and sticky and good. plants will go nuts!

the azomite, when i used to buy things. i got mine from greenfire.net they sent it fast and cheap. a 50 lb bag was like 28$. 50 lbs will last a LONG time. specially for someone with a small grow, and it wont go bad ever. keep it dry and it will last longer than you lol.

 

[VerdantGreen]

worm castings is a pretty loose term - probably as variable as compost - that is a potential pitfall as the quality and nutrition will vary widly.

V.

 

[Cool Moe]

Thanks jaykush, I'm reading through the terra preta thread now...definitely appreciate the replies, I'm new to this and your knowledge has been so so valuable in starting me in the right direction.

Thanks DARC MIND, killer links and thanks for taking the time to help.

 

[jaykush]

glad i could help, everyone deserves the best compost and making excellent wormcompost is by far the easiest method imo. adding the rock dusts and char dust will make your wormbin go nuts! just dont forget to add as much diverse materials as possible, this will give you a high diversity in nutrient processing when you make compost tea( and keep it simple leave out the guanos and all the random stuff unless you know it has a purpose) . grinding materials to a powder helps the worms and microbes a lot. one other thing i like to do is collect flowers, dry them and crush then feed the worms. whats better for our flowering plant than flowers

 

[happyhi]

When you toss a piece of fruit into the bin is the pit good for the bin?
I found a couple that must have been part of the worms and castings i bought
i was going to remove them but found one that the worms had penetrated
but i think it will be a long time before they can decompose them. what do
the experts think?
thanks,hh

 

[jaykush]

it wont hurt your bin at all. it will on the other hand take some time to decompose. also depending on what type of seed it is will define how long it takes. the bacteria and fungi will get at it long before the worms start to eat it.

 

[Cool Moe]

So I got the biochar (cowboy charcoal 100% natural) and also azomite rock powder for my wormbin. I'm gonna soak the charcoal prior to smashing it and wonder if I should add some nutrients to the water, was considering adding powdered ocean kelp, fish meal, and alfalfa meal and hope the charcoal absorbs some of it. Would this be good? Next question is how often/how much of the powdered charcoal and azomite should I feed the wormbin? Thanks!

 

[jaykush]

no need to soak in nutrients if your going to be adding it to the wormbin. it will collect and absorb nutrients in the bin. now if you were going to add some to a soil mix. that would be a wise decision( just not a char powder ).you only need to do it every now and then, maybe 2-3 times from new bedding to harvesting the castings. just sprinkle a layer on top or mix in when starting with fresh bedding. and just remember little but often and less is more. the point in adding these to a wormbin is to increase diversity and nutrient cycling of your microbes. the rock powders will select for microbes that process the minerals. so when you add them to your soil ( which hopefully has rock powders too ) they can process them easier in turn feeding your plant more efficiently. the char is like a catalyst, it stimulates the microbes and in turn the worms, gives them micro pores to move into, its CEC ( cation exchanges capacity ) will bind and hold nutrients as well as a few other benefits. only one thing when adding char, it does hold water better. so keep an eye out on the moisture of the bin. i practically never have to re wet the bin ever. moisture comes from scraps.

once again remember little but often, and less is more. those are key to great success.

 

[Cool Moe]

thanks jaykush, for my soil mix I was gonna add the biochar at about 1 part crushed char to 10 parts soil mix. Does that sound about right? And then for the azomite should I add that at about the same ratio as the dolomite? Water retention in the mix should be helpful, gonna test smart bags @ 26degreesN outdoor this summer. Much appreciative of your tutelage.