luckydux
Active Member
Can anyone help with which species of worms are best suited for no till containers?
No till soil and worms
- Thread starter zmutt00
- Start date
red wrigglers
Yes red wigglers. We started our compost heaps and they just kinda showed up for the party. They are everywhere. Can also use the Euro night crawlers they get along with the red wigglers fine.
If you have woods near by you can go for a hike. Look for some dead rotting trees/limbs and get up close you will see worm castings beside the logs/limbs. Scoop that up - free castings and add some to your compost. You will have worms in short order. I've never bought any worms always have plenty.
We have worms as big as rattle snakes.... wait... maybe they are snakes! lol
If you have woods near by you can go for a hike. Look for some dead rotting trees/limbs and get up close you will see worm castings beside the logs/limbs. Scoop that up - free castings and add some to your compost. You will have worms in short order. I've never bought any worms always have plenty.
We have worms as big as rattle snakes.... wait... maybe they are snakes! lol
gr865
Well-Known Member
There are two species of worms that are used for Vermicomposting (VC). I use Red Wigglers (Eisenia fetida) for my Can-O-Worms and in my outdoor vermicomposting bins/cages, for green waste (yard waste) I use both Red Wigglers and Redworms (Lumbricus rubellus) . The first year I let them naturally populate one of my 4 bins then transferred them into the remaining bins. I harvest the bins at the end of the season and let it mature over winter. I will fill one bin/cage with green waste when I do my last mowing of the year add it to bin and seed that bin with worms, cover and let it sit over winter. That way I have worms for the following spring.
On average I get about four to five 23 gallon sorghum tubs (around 500 to 600 pounds) that let finish over winter. When I say let it finish I mean that when I put the VC from the bin's/cages into the tubs I make sure there is a population of worms that go in as well. Overwinter the worms finish the compost, they go back thru it in the tubs and eat what is remaining in the tub. This way in the spring there is no waste left and only the Worm Poop, the good stuff, remains
I have been raising worms for over 25 yrs now, started when I was in the golf biz and used Vermicompost teas on my golf greens and used the VC mixed in my top dressings for the course.
Although I know the wonderful benefits of VC, I don't grow with it. Being from a non friendly state I have to grow indoor and organic/soil grows just don't give me the numbers I need, so I grow in coco/perlite. May begin selling some of the VC or VC tea now that people are beginning to build their own gardens now with the virus.
On average I get about four to five 23 gallon sorghum tubs (around 500 to 600 pounds) that let finish over winter. When I say let it finish I mean that when I put the VC from the bin's/cages into the tubs I make sure there is a population of worms that go in as well. Overwinter the worms finish the compost, they go back thru it in the tubs and eat what is remaining in the tub. This way in the spring there is no waste left and only the Worm Poop, the good stuff, remains
I have been raising worms for over 25 yrs now, started when I was in the golf biz and used Vermicompost teas on my golf greens and used the VC mixed in my top dressings for the course.
Although I know the wonderful benefits of VC, I don't grow with it. Being from a non friendly state I have to grow indoor and organic/soil grows just don't give me the numbers I need, so I grow in coco/perlite. May begin selling some of the VC or VC tea now that people are beginning to build their own gardens now with the virus.
I grow indoors with VC + organic soil. 2-3gm/watt 50-60 day flower cycle.
luckydux
Active Member
Good stuff peeps! Many thanks.
I do have a small worm bin and pretty sure it’s fetida that I have in it. I was thinking they were mainly mulch layer dwellers so just wanted to see what others may be using. I have several 10-15gal pots on the patio that i assume would qualify as no-till (used for perennials) and every time it rains I tilt them to gather the worms underneath and toss back in that pot or inoculate a newer one. Don’t know where they came from but there’s plenty!
I do have a small worm bin and pretty sure it’s fetida that I have in it. I was thinking they were mainly mulch layer dwellers so just wanted to see what others may be using. I have several 10-15gal pots on the patio that i assume would qualify as no-till (used for perennials) and every time it rains I tilt them to gather the worms underneath and toss back in that pot or inoculate a newer one. Don’t know where they came from but there’s plenty!
gr865
Well-Known Member
Where can I find your results, that sounds like something I might like to try, I am only pulling 1 plus gram per watt in a 4x4. Have never heard of an organic grow pulling those numbers. This is cool beans.
I've been doing it for many years.
My soil recipe is Coots soil. Clakamas Coot - he was an old BOEL member old timer imported some of the best weed from around the world. Figured out how to grow organically indoors in soil.
Passed the soil recipe along. The key ingredient is Vermi-compost. "get that right you won't have anything to worry about". Coot
Yeah so we spend a good deal of effort and time in the compost bins.
We just moved in December so getting our new bins up and running.
I usually run 2 large (+100 gal) bins and rotate annually. Can scale that up to what you're running but we run 1 bin and let the other sit and finish over winter and in early spring we switch to the other bin for waste additions. By the time we ready for outdoor planting the first bin is ready for harvest. I put a lot of amendments like kelp and minerals to help the microbes and the minerals help the worms digest better.
Quality in quality out. I don't usually put anything in there I wouldn't eat or feed to an animal or plant I was going to eat. Neem cake prolly an exception.
My soil recipe is Coots soil. Clakamas Coot - he was an old BOEL member old timer imported some of the best weed from around the world. Figured out how to grow organically indoors in soil.
Passed the soil recipe along. The key ingredient is Vermi-compost. "get that right you won't have anything to worry about". Coot
Yeah so we spend a good deal of effort and time in the compost bins.
We just moved in December so getting our new bins up and running.
I usually run 2 large (+100 gal) bins and rotate annually. Can scale that up to what you're running but we run 1 bin and let the other sit and finish over winter and in early spring we switch to the other bin for waste additions. By the time we ready for outdoor planting the first bin is ready for harvest. I put a lot of amendments like kelp and minerals to help the microbes and the minerals help the worms digest better.
Quality in quality out. I don't usually put anything in there I wouldn't eat or feed to an animal or plant I was going to eat. Neem cake prolly an exception.
I prolly exaggerated a little there. lol meant to say 1-2gm per watt. Since I just did a harvest and calculated .... I've done 2gm+ before but that's very large sativa, can do it just a shit ton of work.
gr865
Well-Known Member
What is your room size? Looks like a 4 x 10 or so.
Nunyabiz
Well-Known Member
LOS no-till produces the best bud bar none and can get really close to the same yield as any other method.
I average 8.5 to 9oz per plant and that was with my old blurple lights, I have a feeling my new lights should out produce the 4 year old blurples by a decent margin.
I average 8.5 to 9oz per plant and that was with my old blurple lights, I have a feeling my new lights should out produce the 4 year old blurples by a decent margin.
greenjeans
Well-Known Member
Hey Guys - This has been a real interesting read. I have just repopulated my wigglers over the winter. One thing I just added was "Pond weed". I have about a 100' dia. pond about 5 - 6' deep and when the weeds seem to be getting thick I have made a grappling hook that I throw out and drag out the weeds. I then let it dry on the bank for a week or so and then pile it up. It has sat over the winter and just for the heck of it I added a layer on the top of the bins - when I looked in this morning it was covered in worms. To me it looked like they were really enjoying themselves.
One question...would this be good to add to soil or better to run it thru the worms. I'm doing a small test on a few of my plants to see if it does anything.
I also think I may start using my tractor to pull out the weeds - when you snag a good chunk it comes out in one big glob about the size and weight of a medium size cow!! By the time I've pulled out a few of those I'm pretty much done in!!!
One question...would this be good to add to soil or better to run it thru the worms. I'm doing a small test on a few of my plants to see if it does anything.
I also think I may start using my tractor to pull out the weeds - when you snag a good chunk it comes out in one big glob about the size and weight of a medium size cow!! By the time I've pulled out a few of those I'm pretty much done in!!!
Been busy sorry for the late reply I run in a 5x10 and before move it was a 4x8. So 8 plants 1500w. Depending on strain I run I get to the 1gm/watt in 40-50 days. Sometimes more but it takes longer time wise and larger plants (sativa).
The last 6 months or so with moving I've been running Cookies variants and they are not larger yielders.
Id run that thru the worms. But can be used like kelp meal and dried and added in as an amendment. Just depends on the water quality of your pond so if there's a lot of nitrites and nitrates going in from nearby farms I'd let the worms work it first. The nitrates will cause algae to grow so if you are pulling that out, worms ftw. If its just weeds Id use it in the garden like that.
greenjeans
Well-Known Member
Yeah - so far I don't like the way it acts straight into the mix - it seems to harden everything and form a crust on top as it drys. But in the composting bin it stays moist and the worms seem to love it. I may try it in some vegetable applications by will keep it away from my weed.
If you want to top dress cannabis with something that will break down and help the plant, try growing Comfrey (Bocking 14). Can put Comfrey leaves around the base of the plant and it will break down in a 3-5 days. I harvest my Comfrey 4-5 times a year - cut them down to the crown and they grow back fast. I add them to my compost bins and also top dress. Can do that with dandelion as well.
Nunyabiz
Well-Known Member
Can also take that Comfrey, mix it fiddy fiddy with brown sugar and ferment it a few weeks for FPJ and add some EM-1 , LABS, molasses and Super Cera Powder.
@Nunyabiz have you tried that with Comfrey? I've done a green tea with it and about the 2nd day the tea smells enough to make me wanna barf.... get the dry heaves...wooo doggy had to add that to the compost bin pronto.
I've noticed a lot of people mention Coast of Maine soils in the earlier posts, as a great starter for a no til mix.
They are owned or partners with the Frey Group Soils. If you are ever looking for a great mix, Frey will mix one up for you as you want it. You tell them your percentages of ingredients and whatnot and they will mix you up a batch! If you need bulk or a custom mix try them. I just googled them after I got lucky and found their potting mix at a local store. Awesome stuff.
B61
They are owned or partners with the Frey Group Soils. If you are ever looking for a great mix, Frey will mix one up for you as you want it. You tell them your percentages of ingredients and whatnot and they will mix you up a batch! If you need bulk or a custom mix try them. I just googled them after I got lucky and found their potting mix at a local store. Awesome stuff.
B61
ColaCalyx
Well-Known Member
I kept African Nightcrawlers and Red Wigglers separately, until I got lazy and just decided to keep the populations in the 45 gallon notill fabric pots I grow in. I also added some local earthworms from my backyard to the mix. If you want to keep them happy, add a thick mulch layer like wheat straw, because it breaks down quickly, and add your normal weekly topdressings under the mulch layer, and water your plant through the mulch. Another trick is to buy the wheat straw bale before the rain, and keep it outdoors. When the sun dries it out, there should be mushrooms sprouting out of it with lots of mycelium running through it. When you break it up, spores will be flying. Break that up and add it to the pots. The worms go flipping crazy. They crawl into the mulch. I have a constant supply of castings, and the thick mulch layer keeps my roots cool...in fact, here's my Ace Seeds Zamaldelica (zamal pheno) a few days after the garden hit 118f!
