do and do nots on a worm bin..

Canadain Closet Gardener

Well-Known Member
Well I have tons of outdoor room..and I plan on feeding them things iv gathered along with scraps..I'll buy some things I can't find as well..and wood working? Please explain..but if you mean what I think then yes I def can
Plastic bins are good but if you can build one out of wood they are much better. I don't have access to a workshop so it's plastic for me.
Cheers
CCG
 

GoRealUhGro

Well-Known Member
I do have access to a garage ..lol plenty of them..but not a person wood working shop .I just build my shit outside anyways ....I'm wondering.. wouldn't you need pressure treated lumber..and I don't think there would be any harm w it but I thought is ask...I guess I could always line the inside w plastic if needed...these are the kinda little things I'm looking for...and the bigger things to lol
 

Canadain Closet Gardener

Well-Known Member
I do have access to a garage ..lol plenty of them..but not a person wood working shop .I just build my shit outside anyways ....I'm wondering.. wouldn't you need pressure treated lumber..and I don't think there would be any harm w it but I thought is ask...I guess I could always line the inside w plastic if needed...these are the kinda little things I'm looking for...and the bigger things to lol
I would most likely use pallet wood as it's free.
I would suggest a paper shredder too one that cross cuts if you can.
I have a guillotine paper cutter for cardboard too.
Cheers
CCG
 

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
Thanks wet...so I have another q...would it be a good idea to have multiple bins and feed each bin separately..I might keep one I feed everything to if this is a good idea...meaning feed certain items to get the desired nutes in the castings..
I'm running 6 bins ATM, 3 - 18gal totes and 3 - 10gal totes, but these did not happen overnight and I started with just one bin. To be realistic, it will take about a year to build up your population to where multiple bins are no problem.

For example: Fresh new bin from scratch, mail order worms. This takes ~5 months till first harvest and the population has a nice balance of adults, babies, and cocoons (future harvests are ~3 months). I divided the worms from the first harvest and started a second bin. The second harvest was still a bit slow since I had split the population by 50% in the first harvest. The second harvest I only needed some from 1&2 to start a third bin and everything speeded up.

Once those bins were in balance with population, starting more bins just involved baiting some worms with melon rinds to add to the new bins. Didn't slow the bins down at all.

BTW, PT wood is a no no in bins as it's toxic to worms.

Wet
 

Uncle Reefer

Well-Known Member
I'm running 6 bins ATM, 3 - 18gal totes and 3 - 10gal totes, but these did not happen overnight and I started with just one bin. To be realistic, it will take about a year to build up your population to where multiple bins are no problem.

For example: Fresh new bin from scratch, mail order worms. This takes ~5 months till first harvest and the population has a nice balance of adults, babies, and cocoons (future harvests are ~3 months). I divided the worms from the first harvest and started a second bin. The second harvest was still a bit slow since I had split the population by 50% in the first harvest. The second harvest I only needed some from 1&2 to start a third bin and everything speeded up.

Once those bins were in balance with population, starting more bins just involved baiting some worms with melon rinds to add to the new bins. Didn't slow the bins down at all.

BTW, PT wood is a no no in bins as it's toxic to worms.

Wet
You would think wood would be ok since they like paper so much, live and learn
 

GoRealUhGro

Well-Known Member
I'm running 6 bins ATM, 3 - 18gal totes and 3 - 10gal totes, but these did not happen overnight and I started with just one bin. To be realistic, it will take about a year to build up your population to where multiple bins are no problem.

For example: Fresh new bin from scratch, mail order worms. This takes ~5 months till first harvest and the population has a nice balance of adults, babies, and cocoons (future harvests are ~3 months). I divided the worms from the first harvest and started a second bin. The second harvest was still a bit slow since I had split the population by 50% in the first harvest. The second harvest I only needed some from 1&2 to start a third bin and everything speeded up.

Once those bins were in balance with population, starting more bins just involved baiting some worms with melon rinds to add to the new bins. Didn't slow the bins down at all.

BTW, PT wood is a no no in bins as it's toxic to worms.

Wet
O I know it will take some time to get going..I will try to order enough to start multiple bins..when they become excessively full I plan on tossing them In my pile..or just making more bins...I think a bin has to be one of the best things you can do when fully commiting to going full or gain and trying to be more self sustainable
 

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
I found so many uses for worm compost and leacheate other than just for growing good ass weed. My veggie and flower gardens love getting some EWC directly on top or leftover worm tea. The leacheate I get from the bottom nozzle is really good stuff too but it can harbor pathogens so I try to only use it on houseplants and heavily diluted at that.
Worms don't like:
Citrus
Grapes
Onions
Garlic
Avacado skins...avacado is ok tho
Potato skins

But they love:

Fruit
Veggie scraps
Shredded paper
Cannabis
Any kind of dried leaves (trim from indoor house plants, etc)
Soft coco coir for bedding
Airflow...aerate with perlite or pumice, etc
 

GoRealUhGro

Well-Known Member
I found so many uses for worm compost and leacheate other than just for growing good ass weed. My veggie and flower gardens love getting some EWC directly on top or leftover worm tea. The leacheate I get from the bottom nozzle is really good stuff too but it can harbor pathogens so I try to only use it on houseplants and heavily diluted at that.
Worms don't like:
Citrus
Grapes
Onions
Garlic
Avacado skins...avacado is ok tho
Potato skins

But they love:

Fruit
Veggie scraps
Shredded paper
Cannabis
Any kind of dried leaves (trim from indoor house plants, etc)
Soft coco coir for bedding
Airflow...aerate with perlite or pumice, etc
Awesome bub.. thanks for the info
 

Thai_Lights

Well-Known Member
I found so many uses for worm compost and leacheate other than just for growing good ass weed. My veggie and flower gardens love getting some EWC directly on top or leftover worm tea. The leacheate I get from the bottom nozzle is really good stuff too but it can harbor pathogens so I try to only use it on houseplants and heavily diluted at that.
Worms don't like:
Citrus
Grapes
Onions
Garlic
Avacado skins...avacado is ok tho
Potato skins

But they love:

Fruit
Veggie scraps
Shredded paper
Cannabis
Any kind of dried leaves (trim from indoor house plants, etc)
Soft coco coir for bedding
Airflow...aerate with perlite or pumice, etc
I find mine like the avocado skin they don' digest it but they gather in there and mate.
 

GoRealUhGro

Well-Known Member
Really.. that's crazy....so what's this I heat about throwing melon rines in to move the heard ...I understand the concept but is it because they go stupid over rines or it just takes so long to break them down that the heard moves in that direction...and what is the worms favorite food in everyone's opinion..like if you were to throw different foods in has anyone noticed them more attracted to one kinda food
 

Thai_Lights

Well-Known Member
They love none acid sweet fruits; bananas, cantaloupe and watermelon and avocado IMO. I feed a lot of avocado they seem to love it. Just started feeding corn meal I'll report back.
 

GoRealUhGro

Well-Known Member
They love none acid sweet fruits; bananas, cantaloupe and watermelon and avocado IMO. I feed a lot of avocado they seem to love it. Just started feeding corn meal I'll report back.
Thanks for that bub..I appreciate it..how bad is smell honestly..i mean does certain foods have long enough to start to stink with a good heard in like..oh..let's say an 18 gal tote
 

ShLUbY

Well-Known Member
Thanks for that bub..I appreciate it..how bad is smell honestly..i mean does certain foods have long enough to start to stink with a good heard in like..oh..let's say an 18 gal tote
never had bad smells from my bin. the key thing is to wait for them to finish a meal if you're just leaving it on the top of the bedding, or burying the meal under an inch or two of bedding. don't feed the bin again until the first meal is mostly worked through and you'll have no issues. other smells will arise from too wet of conditions, leading to anaerobic conditions, and likely your worms will try and escape if that happens. so keep all that under control and you'll have no problems!
 

Thai_Lights

Well-Known Member
I use a rubbermaid with the lid cracked and some landscaping fabric on top never have to moisten my bin stays on point. No smell I have my bin in my kitchen and my girl has been cool about it lol.
 
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