Been meaning to post this for a few days but ya know how things are...busy.
My worms get fed bokashi, eggshells, greens/canna mulch (usually I let it dry and then crumble it into the bins), shredded newspaper/cardboard/egg cartons, and then all the amendments I usually put into my soil: neem, karanja, kelp, crab, alfalfa (in tiny amounts), sul-po-mag (the occasional sprinkle), greensand, rock dusts etc. whatever I have lying around really.
I usually just dig a little hole in a corner, add my food+amendments, and then cover it again with soil/newspaper. a week or two later I will dig another hole nearby and deposit more food, checking on the previous pile to see how the worms are reacting. I find that a certain amount of negligence is often a good thing when it comes to worms. they definitely prefer to be left alone as long as they have the basics: moisture, darkness, and some amount of food. even if you don't feed them food scraps they will consume their bedding until it is just castings left. I currently have a bin that I havent fed for around 2 months, and I have just been letting them work the same stuff over and over. The worms might not breed in these conditions, but I have enough worms and right now I am focused on producing amazing castings.
i have populations of mites that seem to come and go, along with fungus gnats etc. i just topdress mosquito dunks if the gnats get out of hand. the mites are awesome, the only annoying thing is they love to crawl up my arms when I dig around in the bins, and then I can feel them crawling all over me lol, on the face, etc. not a fan of bugs crawling on my skin...i can tolerate it, but it's not fun.
something that really resonates with my from
worms eat my garbage (mary appelhof) was when mary said that she feeds her worms whenever she wants to feed them, not whenever the worms need to be fed. I don't let the worms dictate anything I do...they just sit in the corner, and when I have the motivation I throw some food and goodies in and cover it up...simple as that. it really doesn't have to be very complicated unless you want it to be. less can often be more with worms. they are awesome pets that way...they don't take up much space, don't make much noise, thrive off negligence (as long as it's moist), and consume my waste when I provide them with it. And in return I get castings! which may be the single most important component of my soil...black gold so to speak.
not bad for a pet...much better than my damn german shepherd who costs a fortune in food (she eats raw organic grass fed beef...spoiled bitch!) and then proceeds to dig up my veggies and bury beef bones in my soil mixes...lol. not as redeeming as the worms...although she does provide a bit more protection from home invaders haha. i have a "beware of dog" sign...where is the "beware of worms" sign??? that'll slow em down....
k obviously i've smoked a few too many bowls of sativa
time to shut up
Heres a few shots of my various bins. I have 4 bins in total, one of which is a smartpot.
using a saucer as cardboard...thats how lazy I am at the moment lol. it works...they love it under there. this bin has some earthworms that I dug up from the yard (about 50) and then a few thousand red wigglers. notice the squash seeds germinating in there...must be from the compost I'm running through. the bin is currently composed of bu's blend, my own compost, some manure, and old roots 707 soil +rootwads.
mites feasting on a dead worm
little guys going to town on roots/rockwool
Here is the bin I have been letting the worms work for ~2 months. the only noticeable things left are avocado and mango pits...along with the pumice of course.
Iv been out worm hunting with not much luck, Im cant pay an arm and a leg for a bag of worms... I may end up doing it though
