glowery
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 07:54
When I was getting down to serious consideration about raising worms, I sent off for the video and information packet from UNCO (just was not prepared to make the cash investment they want you to make  ), but in the box was a 4.5 lb bag of their worm castings.
I set out my tomato plants last night, the containers had finally drained enough that I could work the soil without it clumping together. I lay my plants in trenches, not holes, when I planted them and I put a big handfull of the castings in each trench before I layed down the plant. I know I could probably have used more in each trench but I was dividing this between 16 big containers, I figured some was better than none. My worms are going to have to provide the side dressing as the growing season progresses
I was amazed at how black this mixture was when I opened the bag. I would love to know what they mix with their castings to have the consistancy they have in this bagged mixture. It was very loose and easy to work with, it is orderless and did not seem to be dried out even if it was packed in a sealed plastic bag. There appearedd to be a little perlite but it was very small and fine. Past that I am not sure what else may have been mixed with it.
If I was not raising worms to harvest my own castings, it would make a believer out of me to purchase it to use in my garden containers. I think they said this size bag retails for 7.95, but not sure on that price. That might be a bit pricey if you had a truck patch  but if you are like me and garden small, it would be okay.
We have let friends and family take the horse manure by the truck loads to use on their gardens, but when it comes to my castings (for the first couple of years anyway) I am going to have a hands off policy  I'll let them know when I have an excess, then we can talk.
Glenda
Glenda
I always wanted to be somebody; I guess I should have been more specific. |
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Jerry
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 08:59
Glenda,
Good castings have the texture of damp coffee grounds. They will be loose and not clump together.
We ship 1 1/2 yard super sacks all over the country. Your food source determines how black they will be.
Jerry
www.jetcompost.com or www.compostsolutions.com
THE SIGNIFIGANT PROBLEMS WE FACE CANNOT BE SOLVED AT THE LEVEL OF THINKING WE WERE AT WHEN WE CREATED THEM |
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redhen
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 09:00
I was amazed at how black this mixture was when I opened the bag. I would love to know what they mix with their castings to have the consistancy they have in this bagged mixture. It was very loose and easy to work with, it is orderless and did not seem to be dried out even if it was packed in a sealed plastic bag. There appearedd to be a little perlite but it was very small and fine. Past that I am not sure what else may have been mixed with it.
This would be a good question to ask UNCO. I would be interested in their answer.
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
Starve the Landfill...Feed the Earth. |
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WormMainea
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 09:24
My redworms make deep black castings. Nothing special in the bin-- food and newspaper. We drink a lot of coffee-- so they get plenty of coffee grounds. Black and crumbly texture is obtained (at least for me) only after I've sieved out the uneaten stuff (always celery stalks and peanut shells!) and let the castings sit overnight to dry-- it will still make a loose ball if you squeeze it in your fist. I don't add anything (like perlite) to it. I use it as is. I agree with you about keeping it for yourself-- I sell some, but I really prefer to use it in my gardens or give it to friends.
WormMainea.com |
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glowery
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 10:43
I fished the bag the castings came in out of the tash and it does not list anything on the label except the castings. Maybe I was imagining things. If my castings turn out like these I am going to be one happy camper 
Glenda
Glenda
I always wanted to be somebody; I guess I should have been more specific. |
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glowery
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 11:19
Jerry,
What would you consider to be the best food source for the rich black casings, and how would you covert that to someone like me who uses 18 gallon totes to house the worms?
Glenda
Glenda
I always wanted to be somebody; I guess I should have been more specific. |
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glowery
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 11:25
Jerry,
What would you consider to be the best food source for the rich black casings, and how would you covert that to someone like me who uses 18 gallon totes to house the worms?
Glenda
Glenda
I always wanted to be somebody; I guess I should have been more specific. |
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Worm Police
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A Mature Breeder Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 17:07
Hi Glenda,
I found different food sources create different hues of dark brown, to black, to dark gray castings. A diet of mostly paper will create dark gray castings, a varied diet of different things will create dark brown castings. When I harvest my castings and let them age a little in an open tub or large container (I find plastic hard side kiddy swimming pools ideal for processing castings) in the open air, they turn a really rich deep dark brown to black color.
I feed ashes to my worm bins too (about a cup per bin once a month), I find that makes the end result a little darker too. But you will find, once the castings are processed and aged a little they get very dark and rich looking. Then your product will be the envy of everyone.
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jlance
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 22:09
Wormpolice
What do you have to do to ashs before you put them in.I tryed it one time and it killed some worms.
John
heal the earth with worm farming.
John Lance Indain Valley,virginia |
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glowery
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A Protected Species Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 23:08
Tell me more about the wood ashes. We have a wood furnace so I have plenty of ashes from burning oak, if that makes a difference. I thought ashes were really acidic. Is there something you do to them first, or add something else to the bin when you add the ashes?
My worms do have a varied diet right now, besides the paper and cardboard that is in the bin they get veggies,cornmeal and coffee grounds.
When I divide the bins, probably in July. I will begin to introduce the horse manure to the bins.
glenda
Glenda
I always wanted to be somebody; I guess I should have been more specific. |
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Jerry
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A Juvenile Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/08 23:43
Glenda,
Unco industries feeds black peat. Not the best thing for quality castings.
We feed nothing but compost. we do not add paper at all. Our compost is made of chicken litter, dairy waste, hardwood sawdust, grass and leaves, and in season cotton gin trash.
It sounds to me like you have a good feedstock with horse manure and food scraps. The alfalfa would be good it you don't get a lot for it to heat up.
Make you some alfalfa tea and put it on your roses, they will love it.
We make compost tea and add liquid fish, liquid kelp, liquid humate, and liquid mollasses to spray our hay meadows and if there is any left we spray it on the worms and they really get lively.
Jerry
www.jetcompost.com or www.compostsolutions.com
THE SIGNIFIGANT PROBLEMS WE FACE CANNOT BE SOLVED AT THE LEVEL OF THINKING WE WERE AT WHEN WE CREATED THEM |
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Worm Police
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A Mature Breeder Earthworm
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/09 13:13
Hi John, Glenda,
I feed the ashes from my yard waste, which consists of pine, and fir tree branches, lumber waste and paper waste. It usually weathers for a month or 2 before I sift it. When I notice wild worms in it, then that is a clue its time to take it.
I usually wet and drain the old ash piles a couple of times, if it doesn't rain, before sifting and storing to get out nails and staples.
In the old days, hard wood ashes were used to make lye for making soap. They did that by soaking and leaching the ashes in water in an old wood barrel for a week or 2, then drained, and used the drain liquid for making soap.
If you have doubts about using ashes, don't use them. As hard wood ashes need to be weathered for probably a longer time. I throw the bulk of my ashes into the large general compost bins, along with the grass clippings and other biodegradable yard waste. The ashes seem to give my compost some substance, and my plants do great.
Glenda, what kind of oak do you burn?
I have read that black oak shavings can kill a horse that is standing on it, in 24 hours, so I would assume black oak ashes may not be safe for a worm bin.
If in doubt, don't use them in a worm bin.
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Worm Police
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/09 14:36
I wanted to emphasize, that I feed one cup of ashes per month, to each 26 to 32 gallon size garbage can worm bins. A five gallon bucket of ashes will last me a year or more. I feed from 9 to 12 bins depending on the time of year.
Coal ashes should never be used in composting. As the sandy ash and clinkers has sulfuric acid in it. Coal ash is handy for rock or gravel drive ways and path ways to keep weeds away.
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glowery
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Re:Bagged Worm Castings - 2006/05/09 15:23
We burn mostly white oak. No black oak at all. The black oak trees we have here are really pithy and do not make good fire wood.
There is one particular place back behind the house we dump the ahses from the furnace. If I dug deep dowwn in that pile I am sure there woulf be lots of very weathered ashes.
Some one asked what type of shavings we use in the horse stalls. They are mostly pine (I think. I would have to check with hubby on that.) We get them from a local cabinet shop after they have used their planing machine.
I noticed a few little bugs in the bin this morning. Maybe it is tad bit damp so I think I will leave the lid off the rest of today, cover it tonight, then take it off tomorrow again and see if that helps. We are not talking infestation here, but I noticed them, so I may as well do something about them now.
I can see worms moving, but I don't here that snapping crackling sound many of you talk about.
Glenda
Glenda
I always wanted to be somebody; I guess I should have been more specific. |
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