My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

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RedEyeJedi
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Country: Pakistan
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Gardening Interests: Intend to grow organic vegetables for personal consumption.

My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by RedEyeJedi »

A worm farm that I started a week ago with 200 red earthworms (red wigglers). Contained in a 1x2 ft opaque plastic container.
Bedding was made with shredded newspapers, two handfuls of soil and a little cardboard. Feeding it only veggies, fruits (non citrus) and teabags from the kitchen garbage bin.
It all got a little too damp (as you can tell from the pics), so I added a bit of coco coir.

It's so easy to get such amazing organic compost, I'm surprised more people aren't doing this (either that, or am I wrong and lots of people are already on it, which would be great)
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newton
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Re: My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by newton »

Great stuff, you can also add crushed eggshells for grit that helps the worms to digest the food quicker, please keep us updated with the results.
RedEyeJedi
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Re: My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by RedEyeJedi »

Next feed has crushed eggshells. I'll keep updating this here...
newton
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Re: My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by newton »

Feed your chiili plants with some of this compost and water run off and you will find your chillies will have more "heat" about them due to the plants chemical changes to deter being eaten by animals
Muhammad Arif Khan
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Re: My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by Muhammad Arif Khan »

Once upon a time I tried it and later found that if you add enough leaf mould to your beds they become worm farms and you have the castings where you want them.
During rains when they come out to mate I collect the ones on the paved surfaces and relocate them to desired places.
RedEyeJedi
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Joined: December 4th, 2013, 4:46 pm
Country: Pakistan
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Gardening Interests: Intend to grow organic vegetables for personal consumption.

Re: My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by RedEyeJedi »

I have veggies going along side, so i get ample green leaf matter from pruning etc. but don't have any brown leaves for leaf mould. Will get around to collecting some this fall and give it a go in the bin.

Interesting, shall give that a shot too Newton. Have a tray going under the bin for the runoff.
Muhammad Arif Khan
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Re: My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by Muhammad Arif Khan »

Muhammad Arif Khan wrote:Once upon a time I tried it and later found that if you add enough leaf mould to your beds they become worm farms and you have the castings where you want them.
During rains when they come out to mate I collect the ones on the paved surfaces and relocate them to desired places.
My earth worms working in situ

Image

The castings are just tip of the ice berg.
Arif
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Re: My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by Muhammad Arif Khan »

Do you know if while hoeing the worm is cut in two it does not die, you get two worms.
newton
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Re: My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by newton »

One word of caution though is to avoid having too many in your lawn as the casts when left on the grass are ideal places for new weed seedlings to develop.

One way to deal with them there is to brush them off so all the soil gets spres inbetween the grass
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Re: My worm farm (for Earth Worm Castings)

Post by Muhammad Arif Khan »

newton wrote:One word of caution though is to avoid having too many in your lawn as the casts when left on the grass are ideal places for new weed seedlings to develop.

One way to deal with them there is to brush them off so all the soil gets spres inbetween the grass
Mowing your lawn high and at least once a week is the answer.
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