Wormcasting

[greenjeans]

I have 8 large recycling bins on the go and have just built a compost sifter - so I'm hoping for great things!! I have in the past just fed them kitchen scraps and whatever is on hand. This year I have stock piled mulched leaves and pond "seaweed" to feed them over the winter. Last year I gave them some pond weed that had "sat" for a year and turned into solid clumps and they seemed to love that so we will see how they like the fresh stuff. Last spring I went so far as to going thru my bush gathering Deer Poop - HEY, don't judge - I'm old and bored. I haven't started naming them yet, so....

 

[Azimuth]

I'm pretty lazy efficient with how I do mine. Rather than bury the kitchen scraps I just spread them over the surface and then cover them with shredded leaves. Makes for some pretty good stuff at the end.

 

[Odjob]

Greenjeans got a few years on me, I still need to be efficient so I can get-r-done. LOL. You will never see me pass up a pond full of duckweed. Not popular today but really great stuff!

 

[greenjeans]

Greenjeans got a few years on me, I still need to be efficient so I can get-r-done. LOL. You will never see me pass up a pond full of duckweed. Not popular today but really great stuff!

I got a late start at it this year!!! I was afraid I was going to screw with the catfish and turtles. I made a grappling hook thingy that I toss out - but - you can end up with a wad about the size of a small cow - so now I just drag that to the edge and use another little dealie that I made to hook it out a bit at a time. That stuff's heavy!!!
I only hauled out one baby catfish that I noticed. I probably took out 8 wheelbarrels full.

 

[Roots]

Been using chicken coop sweeping lately. By they eat that poultry manure up and turn it into nice castings.

 

[Odjob]

I took the insulation away from my bin yesterday and all is well. Barely double digits on the C scale and the pile is rocking! Mine is end to end instead top to bottom.

 

[greenjeans]

and all is well

That is great news!!!!! I bet the anticipation was something - not sure I could have waited!!!! Mine are spoiled and frankly get tired of me checking on them. I can't help it - when I put a big bead of alfalfa slurry down the middle of the seaweed, when I check in the morning, there is just a big glob of writhing worms that scurry away almost instantly. I know, I know, I need to get out more!!

 

[greenjeans]

Last year I gave them some pond weed that had "sat" for a year and turned into solid clumps and they seemed to love that so we will see how they like the fresh stuff.

Well, the jury is in....they love the coontail (seaweed) as a topping layer, they love to crawl thru it and hopefully use it to deposit their cocoons, and as a good place to access the alfalfa slurry but don't eat it up real fast. Yet when it has compressed and aged and turned into the crumbly sold blocks they seem to devour it readily!!! Now we know - I'll try to pull out as much as possible this summer and stock pile. Plus, the alfalfa pellets mixed into a slurry is gobbled right up.

 

[Odjob]

I still have to isolate my finished product if I want clean castings but I don't. I'm using it indoor now bugs and all. Buds are nice though. Suppose fungus gnats can be concidered root pruners. Lol!

 

[greenjeans]

I went whole hog and built a trommel sifter - the finished castings are an absolute pleasure to work with!!!
You can't see it very well but there is 1/4" screen inside.

 

[bobrown14]

Awesome tumbler... I'd pay for something like that.

 

[greenjeans]

Best part is I didn't have to go to town for anything!!! I made the rollers and guides and scrounged around and even found a v-belt. Since the picture was taken I have added a couple of belt tensioners that hold the belt tighter to the drum!! Oh, and I added a couple of retractable lawnmower wheels for easy movement.

 

[Odjob]

I guess we have to learn about the Asian Jumping one. Not around my place yet.

 

[greenjeans]

Asian Jumping one.

And I just saw that there is supposed to be a Hammerhead worm, but I'm not too sure about that one - geez, when the worms turn on us we're probably doomed!!
Shit!!! I just looked it up...https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/hammerhead-worm/

 

[Odjob]

I wonder if you could shock them? Nasty!

 

[Odjob]

Cattle prod would work.

 

[bobrown14]

We all come from worms back before the earth was flat. True story.... ever wonder why birds look at us like we are food??

Meat eating Dinosaurs had feathers.

 

[greenjeans]

ever wonder why birds look at us like we are food??

I had a chickadee having a good look at my hair one day!! I think she was building a nest!!!

 

[Odjob]

I could steam my stuff and clean it up but i don't think i would be getting the full bacterial load of my compost and castings. I get the fungus knats down to a manageable level with a zapper. It's like making popcorn for a while

 

[greenjeans]

I could steam my stuff

I only make the pellets into a slurry because it's easy - water and a couple of hours time - the kitchen scrap goes straight in, buried.