Hey btw is there a temp the worm bin needs to be at? What temps do they start to die at?
Maine 4-Season Greenhouse Grow
- Thread starter Blew Hiller
- Start date
Think of 55-80 as your prime range I believe Dabber. If you stay in that range, you will be golden brother.
Mmmmm....bacon!!!! We are cooking his brother right now!
YES....YES YOU DO! LOL You can do it Blew!!I need to experiment with thc-infused maple syrup....
nekvt
Well-Known Member
A buddy of mine makes weed infused maple syrup every year from the sap he boils. It's very goodI need to experiment with thc-infused maple syrup....
smokesbetter
Well-Known Member
Great Googly Moogly , Damn that look GOOD!!I need to experiment with thc-infused maple syrup....
Morning Blew....hope all is well brother. Hope you and the family and a wonderful easter weekend!
- Thread starter
- #488
40-90F is safe range, 55-75F is primo...the more media they have around them the less impact from temp spikes.
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- #489
Likewise to you and yours. Feeling like Spring for real today. Thinking blower off, bucket on and give the compost pile a stir or two. Went over my USDA paperwork this weekend and I am free and clear 12/31/2018...so thinking about next summer and the "big grow"...need to make a LOT more vermicompost this summer for 65-gallon pots.
LOL....its snowing here. Spring was here yesterday and gone today!
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- #491
A buddy of mine makes weed infused maple syrup every year from the sap he boils. It's very good
Stay tuned!
- Thread starter
- #492
I was still wearing snowshoes on Friday to get around the farm...we had rain Sat and it all melted off...
Thats something I wanted to talk to you about. I was trying to figure out what capacity I needed to produce to meet the demands of our perpetual grow. I will be essentially needing to produce about 25 gallons of soil per month.
We got the bins yesteday (2 30 gallon bins to start with). I loaded it with about 15 gallons of recycled soils, about a gallon of compost, a bunch of scrap. I will continue to add to it as we go. Just trying to get some bacteria rolling before the worms get here (you can send at any point brother...thank you so much in advance). How much vermi compost do you think that my 15 gallons will turn into as I continue to add stuff to it. I figure the amount is going to increase with all the castings and broken down stuff....but I am not sure how much to expect from it. If I get a decent idea of how much it will return, I can plan how many bins I need to have in order to meet my perpetual demand.
To meet the demand of about 20-25 gallons per month, how many bins do you think I need to have running?
We got the bins yesteday (2 30 gallon bins to start with). I loaded it with about 15 gallons of recycled soils, about a gallon of compost, a bunch of scrap. I will continue to add to it as we go. Just trying to get some bacteria rolling before the worms get here (you can send at any point brother...thank you so much in advance). How much vermi compost do you think that my 15 gallons will turn into as I continue to add stuff to it. I figure the amount is going to increase with all the castings and broken down stuff....but I am not sure how much to expect from it. If I get a decent idea of how much it will return, I can plan how many bins I need to have in order to meet my perpetual demand.
To meet the demand of about 20-25 gallons per month, how many bins do you think I need to have running?
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- #494
If you haven't already...wet all of that down thoroughly. Damp=rot and the worms love it anyway.
Short answer is you can never have enough, and if you did end up making surplus it stores fine...so personally I would find a nice out of the way spot and set up the maximum you can accommodate. Checking/feeding 4x worm bins takes 5% more time and effort than 1x bin...but you get 300% more...
To minimize the lifting aspect, I suggest stacking them but with access to opening lids barely (maybe 6" to add food and water). This is a pic I grabbed from the interweb...(I suggest using lids)
I use a similar concept but with pallets. Once you are rolling, it takes 5 minutes a week to manage 4x bins. If they were stacked on top of each other, that is way too much (unnecessary) lifting...and I know your back agrees! Let's say you have 4x bins...at a point in the future you will have 1-2 that are "working" bins and 1-2 that are "finishing". 8-10 weeks into a new batch you'll stop adding food scraps and let them finish the media. I've seen your soil making post, so you are comfortable with the "tarp" method
....when you want to use it, dump the bin onto a tarp and shine a light (or sun) on the pile of VC....worms hate light and will retreat to center of mass. Every 30-60 min scoop (to a separate pile in tarp) off outer layer of VC...wait, repeat. At a point you will hit a huge worm ball...take those and throw into recently emptied and now newly designated "working bin". You can do this all in front of your worm shelf, even mixing in whatever else you want, (mostly) fill the pots there and move into your grow area for final prep. VC gets HEAVY....minimize the distances and efforts and all will be good.Your worms are on the way today...
Yeah space will be my biggest issue but as I get more stuff out of the basement and into the storage unit, I can increase it. I am worried about being able to feed that many bins.
One question you didn't answer was how much volume I could expect the 15 gallons of recycled soil to increase with the addition of the EWC in there and the materials being fed in. I am sure it will be somewhat dependent on how much you put in. I am just curious if you know off hand what ratios you get. For example...if you generally went with 20 gallons of soil going in and around 25 coming out. I suppose for planning purposes, I could just cap it at what I put in and use that as my capacity goal.
And thank you for the worms!!
One question you didn't answer was how much volume I could expect the 15 gallons of recycled soil to increase with the addition of the EWC in there and the materials being fed in. I am sure it will be somewhat dependent on how much you put in. I am just curious if you know off hand what ratios you get. For example...if you generally went with 20 gallons of soil going in and around 25 coming out. I suppose for planning purposes, I could just cap it at what I put in and use that as my capacity goal.
And thank you for the worms!!
Do you add any minerals into your base soil for the worms/bacteria to break down? I am thinking that I am really going to push increasing my mineral levels in my soil.
The more and more I read on brix and how to achieve it, I have to think its a very important aspect of the soil.
The more and more I read on brix and how to achieve it, I have to think its a very important aspect of the soil.
- Thread starter
- #497
Space...always an issue, and you can expand in time.
Feeding is SO SIMPLE. These are not the family dog...they can go weeks without food. There is no schedule. If they die, they die. I treat them like chickens...the less you care the better they survive. Throw in scraps when you can and water them. A 30-gallon tote needs about a large handful of scraps a week..
more? great!
less? add more next time....
What you put in is what you get. More food = more worms = more VC.
As you evolve you will want more VC, so if you need to make a connection @ the local grocery store and get their old produce (like I do) ...then you are set. Spread around some of that Stank barter love....
Volume basically stays the same...the weight/density will double (and more). I just posted a comment on Shed's thread...he had 6" in his bin, and I said it needed to be at least half full (preferably 3/4). Like all composts, it will compact as it matures and a 3/4 bin filled with media on Day 1 will be 3/4 on Day 90...even with all the food and water and worm shit in there. But it will be HEAVY, and that is magic. I often cut my VC with 30-40% Pro-Mix or Coir just because it is so dense...i am going to experiment this summer (If I have some spare) and do a 30 gallon straight VC (maybe with a Stank in it).
I keep making more and I always use it....hence my suggestion to ramp it up...if anyone will use it ...you will.
Oh I know that I will use it. If I am ever get to swimming in extras, I will use it in the outdoor veggie garden. Damn sure won't go to waste!
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- #499
Unlikely it will go on the garden unless you scale up big time...and then you will probably just start using bigger pots. If you do have extra, throw it in a 5-gallon bucket with a lid and stash it somewhere cool and dark. Good for months...and you always have it on hand...I am just in the process of posting an update...I up-potted my 2x autos because it was heartbreaking to see them looking weak in a 3-gallon...I had a big bin of VC right there and was able to give them each an additional 4-5 lbs of rejuvenating VC (unless they crash from shock, which I am willing to risk...)
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- #500
Live and learn...3-gallons don't really work for me. I used them this time because of space constraints, but it dinged the plants in every way and instead of 1 or 2 great plants I got 3-4 half-ass plants (so far). The grow before this was 3x @ 7-gallons and I was pleased with all of it... great looking plants, good yield, happy happy. I couldn't stand seeing them struggle anymore so I up-potted the NLxBB and the Alien Mephisto, both in flower (and Mephisto getting stinky and sticky!).
Could they get shocked? Maybe, but I am willing to err on the side of giving them a fighting chance at a solid sprint to the finish line. They are now in 7-gallons with double the volume and, more important, new VC which should give them a nutrient boost for the rest of their lives.
Before up-pot looking sad...
My penance for using 3-gallons is 30 and 45 gallons for my summer grow...
Could they get shocked? Maybe, but I am willing to err on the side of giving them a fighting chance at a solid sprint to the finish line. They are now in 7-gallons with double the volume and, more important, new VC which should give them a nutrient boost for the rest of their lives.
Before up-pot looking sad...
My penance for using 3-gallons is 30 and 45 gallons for my summer grow...