I am an Amazon affiliate. The items below are the Amazon affiliate links for the items I use in this video. The cost is the same to you, but the channel will get a small commission if purchases are made using the links. Mesh bags to make worm tea amzn.to/3GAqrW3 Coco coir Coco Bliss amzn.to/3fuyc44 Organic Kelp Fertilizer amzn.to/3GzZ66y Unsulfured Black Strap molasses amzn.to/3Frroih Utility Tub - 26" X 20" amzn.to/3eehgzn Aurora 18 sheet shredder amzn.to/3swpcQR Espoma Green Sand amzn.to/2O4SOpw SE 5-Piece Set of Patented Stackable 13-¼” Sifting Pans - GP2-5 SET amzn.to/3qo5YLh SE Patented Stackable 13-1/4" Sifting Pan, 1/4" Mesh Screen - GP2-14 amzn.to/2PKdbbZ SE Patented Stackable 13-1/4" Sifting Pan, 1/8" Mesh Screen - GP2-18 amzn.to/3rtYd7O SE Patented Stackable 13-1/4" Sifting Pan, Mesh Size 1/12" - GP2-112 amzn.to/2O3y0ie Bon Tool 11-407 Utility Tub - 26" X 20" amzn.to/3eehgzn

On the topic of what the worms eat... I can say for certain that they eat the actual food & not only the microbes present on the foods. This can be seen if you look closely at some of my worm bin time-lapse videos. The worms chomp away at the food directly & if it's something they really like they mob the food & devour it before any kind of bacteria or fungi could get any. Thanks for showing us how you make your bedding! 👍🏻

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

Hi Anne, Thank you for a simple trick to not have the shredded cardboard and paper stick together. I've been making vermicompost and vermicompost tea for about four years. This is a huge game changer for me -- especially because I've had about 50 gallons of peat moss on hand for five years without using it! Thank you very much. Jennifer zone 8B

@PlantObsessed

3 күн бұрын

That is a good way to use it up. The worms make great casting with it to make more tea.🪱😃👍🏼

I enjoy seeing your process for setting up your bedding. Nice worm fact!

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

Another great video. I never thought to put this much effort into the bedding but I can see the benefit. Going to try something similar. Thanks again!

@PlantObsessed

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. I'm glad it is useful.

Hello Ann, I personally don’t bother with all that . I just wet some cardboard, add quite a lot of ground eggshells , a fistful of worm compost, mix the whole stuff together and let it sit for a few days and that’s it…..but I love seeing other methods too. Thanks for sharing.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching 😀

I’m also loving the worm trivia, keep ‘em coming!

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Will do. I'm glad you like it.

So funny - I literally just did a new video on this very thing, but with a set of different methods meant to get the microbes in your bin and bedding. Great stuff!

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Great minds think a like. 😇

Very informative. Thank you 💕

@PlantObsessed

2 ай бұрын

Thank you.😃🪱👍🏼

After watching your first bedding video this is exactly how I make my bedding and my worms love it!

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

I adapted the vermibag version as I don't have coffee for nitrogen sources. I'm glad it works for you. It made all the difference in how fast my bins cycled.

Great video on bedding Ann. 😊 thanks for the video

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching 😀

Thanks for sharing the information and showing just how you make your bedding.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you. 😊

@Dee.C

2 жыл бұрын

@@PlantObsessed You are very welcome.

Great video and the bedding looks amazing I see why your worms are thriving so well. I use a similar recipe for my plants and they love it.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

yep, the only difference is the bubbler for me.

Great video! I like to inoculate new bedding too. Typically, I mix together shredded cardboard, oak leaves & used coffee grounds. Then I use a lactic acid bacteria serum which I make from rice wash water and milk to moisten and incorporate the material. Fantastic method which seems to really crate excellent results

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Do you make your serum new every batch?

@jenn1ferschonberger

3 күн бұрын

@@PlantObsessed I'm also curious!

Id like to get the bags as well as the silicone lids you have for the gallon jugs you use to water with. Love your videos.

@PlantObsessed

4 ай бұрын

Here are the links for the top 3 items I use from Amazon 3 sifter pack amzn.to/3TkCZtD Watering caps amzn.to/4bVGygZ Shredder amzn.to/48FHx2f

Outstanding information about what works very well for mixing bedding. I still have a good amount of bedding but it’s frozen now and unavailable. Thanks again for sharing your efforts with us.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching. I keep my worms in my basement /cellar. It is not good for anything else since it is a dirt floor.

Hi Ann, Great video, as always 👍 Greetings from Windermere, Florida zone 9b 🇺🇸 I love the Worm Facts! More, more 👍

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

Great video. Not only do you teach the reasons for what you do, you demonstrate and cement the lessons in our understanding. I've been using horse manure as a nitrogen source, mixing it about 50/50 with the shredded cardboard. Thoughts on the ratio? Good point on coco coir. I had quit using shredded paper because of clumping. May get some coir and try again, though I have more than ample supply of cardboard. Would like to be able to use shredded documents rather than recycling them.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

We feed all of our shredded paper and cardboard to the worms. The only thing we send to recycle is metal, plastic and glass.

very good, thanx

@PlantObsessed

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching 😃

Beautiful my friend. Have a good night. Blessings.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you

Good to see others pre-composting their bedding. Wouldn't be a terrible thing to add a little more nitrogen to actually allow it to heat up a little. This is the only way to fly in the vermi world. Thanks for showing those little bags as well, very nice trick indeed. Thanks for posting.

@wormweirdo340

2 жыл бұрын

Hi there, I find that the bedding that I mix up in a 30 gallon bin (with 5 lbs of coffee grounds and some alfalfa) heats up a bit in the center.

@CharliePFoogo

2 жыл бұрын

@@wormweirdo340 I've been using the same ingredients as well tossing in a little ground up birdseed. I only do 5 gallons at a time but keep enough in the pipeline to age 3 - 4 weeks before using. It normally heats up a little and starts turning black about 2 weeks in. The worms love it. Premix bedding makes the entire process easier to manage for sure.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

I tend to run it almost out so I er on the side of caution of heating up if I know I have to use it next day.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

I keep meaning to get some alfalfa next time I am at the farm store.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

I just got some bird seed to add to my worm chow. Good idea to put it in the pre-made bedding.

I always watch the video half an hour AFTER I added the bedding. Tomorrow I might go and get it out and add stuff to it. (It's still easier than changing a duvet cover!)😂

@PlantObsessed

Жыл бұрын

It's never too late to make improvements to your process. Thank you for watching 👍🏼🪱😃

mother earth is the buggiest coco I have encountered and I find gnats or root aphids in all coco I have tried.

@PlantObsessed

5 ай бұрын

Wow I wonder if they have changed since I started using them. Thank you for the information. 👍🏼😊🪱

thanks

@PlantObsessed

Жыл бұрын

I'm glad you found it useful. Thank you for watching 😃

This is a great recipe, thanks for suggesting sugar and nitrogen alternatives.

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Some people might not have the same stuff around. I try to make it easy to be successful.

@cherylhowker1792

9 ай бұрын

@@PlantObsessedin the uk I’ve never heard of malaises before But I think you said somewhere to use honey which we do have.

@PlantObsessed

9 ай бұрын

@@cherylhowker1792 yep any sugar will work.

Hi Ann I think this is awesome! The only thing I might add is the soil I got from the ancient forest near me for added microbial and fungal life. I've already added to my worm bins, compost and comfrey juice. Thanks Nick 👍🙏💚😁 I'm making Wormtropolis at the weekend a new outdoor worm bin, Im going to use Coco coir as a base and I'm going to enfuse it with the comfrey juice now.🙏💚👍 😏

@PlantObsessed

Жыл бұрын

Sounds great. When I first started I added old oak forest soil. I'll have to look into comfrey.

@nickthegardener.1120

Жыл бұрын

@@PlantObsessed my worms love comfrey! If you get a plant it reseeds everywhere and is a nightmare to get rid of! Look for boking 14 variety which is sterile. If you don't mind just grab a root from nature and replant.👍💚🙏😁

Question, what shredder do you use? I got one off Amazon and it works but struggles with the thicker cardboard so I’m looking to upgrade. Can you provide me a link to the one you use. With the amount of bedding you produce I’m sure it’s exactly what I’m needing. Ty

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Look in the pinned comment. It will be called aurora shredder. It eats amazon boxes like baby food. The ones marked heavy are harder. It is a champ.

Paper shredder is on vacation ….lol until tomorrow ! Dingy not … forgetful indeed !

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Pitter patter!!

Thank you for all your good info. I watched a worm come out of the ground bite off a blade of grass and eat. Don't know what kind of worm. Nancy

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

I have also heard farmers tell of worms dragging corn leaves off the plant into the ground.

One thing i don't completely understand. Why does everyone who uses molasses insist that it must be unsulfured, and yet the liquid kelp meal has sulfur in it? Why should you not used sulfured molasses? I can only assume that sulfur could harm the worms. If that's the case, then why use the liquid kelp meal that has sulfur in the list of ingredients?

@PlantObsessed

9 ай бұрын

The sulphur is meant to inhibit the bacteria in the molasses. We want the bacteria to grow. I believe that is the reason. 👍🏼🪱

Hey Ann! I assume this is not the same as pre composting. This bedding never heats up right ? It looks relatively the same when given to the worms ?

@PlantObsessed

8 ай бұрын

Yes exactly. There is not enough nitrogen to get the temperature up. 😃🪱👍🏼

If you use coffee for the kelp, how much would you use for the amount you are making?

@PlantObsessed

2 ай бұрын

I would try about 3 cups. 👍🏼🪱😁

You mentioned that each type of worms have their own bedding mix... Are the recipes the same? Or what's the difference for the different worms?

@PlantObsessed

Жыл бұрын

The bedding recipe is the same. They have their own tote by species or mix. I don't want to introduce cocoons from one species into a bin of another.

I’m new to worm farming. I have chickens. I use pine shavings as chicken bedding. When it is time to clean the coop can these pine shaving, now mixed with old chicken poo be used as worm bedding? This chicken bedding makes great compost but wasn’t sure if my worms would like it or be able to use it. Also, do the egg shells need to be pulverized? Or can I just crush them lightly and give them small chunks?

@PlantObsessed

8 ай бұрын

I have not tried chicken manure but it may be a hot type of manure. I would try a little at a far end or pocket and see what it does. 🪱😊👍🏼

Do you fluff your prepared bedding as you use it?

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

Yes I mix it up when I use it to keep air in it

You almost forgot the eggshells. 😱 😎

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

It was a close call. Lol

Can this be stored somewhere and if so how and how long? Thanks ❤

@PlantObsessed

11 ай бұрын

It works best if used within 24 hours. After that the microbes will start to die.Thank you for watching 👍🏼🪱😃

@atwaterurbanhomestead1244

11 ай бұрын

@@PlantObsessed thank you.

@casper9567

10 ай бұрын

@@PlantObsessed I dont understand this. You say in the video "this will be perfect in a week or two" and here you say use within 24 hours??

Do you ever have an issue with mold?

@PlantObsessed

2 жыл бұрын

No, I leave the lid off so it gets air. Sometimes if I add too much water it smells sour. Then I add more paper or coir and it is fine e again.

Damn Ann you know worms ,hows your plants ?

@PlantObsessed

Ай бұрын

They are usually large and out of control lol. I'll post a picture of my garden this week. All the rain we have here has made it explode 🪱👍🏼😃

So you nutrify your worm bedding. Poooof, mind blow. Can I quit my job and do this full time? Please? haha

@PlantObsessed

Жыл бұрын

Maybe. If you play you microbes right 👍