Worm Castings

[zeuspaul]

A continuation of a branch of the mycorrhiza thread.
viewtopic.php?t=4162

I measured the moisture content of the Wiggle Worm I got from Walmart. I measured out about an oz of Wiggle Worm and placed it in a 4 oz canning jar. The wet weight was 34.54 grams and the dry weight was 13.60 grams (after several days warming on the hot plate). 20.9 grams of water for a moisture content of 60%.

The moisture content of the Plantonix Worm Bliss I got from Amazon from the quoted post below was 50%.
I weighed the 8 quart bag of Plantonix and it was 8.5 pounds. The bag itself may have weighed a quarter pound so for conversion purposes the Plantonix is about one pound per quart.

I have started the drying process for the Brut I got from Home Depot.
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I ran a moisture test on the Plantonix Worm Bliss I got from Amazon (still waiting on the Wiggle Worm from Walmart). I placed a shot glass of the castings in a 4 oz canning jar and placed it on a hot plate with a low temp setting. The initial weight was 31.56 grams. 16 hours later it was 21.32 grams; + 24 hrs 15.90 grams +24 more hours and it seemed as dry as it would get at 15.88 grams. The Worm Bliss had 15.68 grams of water which is a moisture content of 50% (15.68/31.56).

According to this site the proper moisture content is 55%-70%.

Moisture content
Another important factor you need to consider before getting worm casting is the moisture content. This is majorly affected by the production timeline of the product. For example, if your choice of worm casting has been sitting on a shelf for a long time, chances are the water level has reduced and become insufficient. Avoid such products. The right moisture content should be about 55%-70%.
https://www.gardengatemagazine.com/review/worm-casting/
The site gives Wiggle Worm a best overall rating, Brut an Honorable Mention and VermisTerra an Also Consider.

https://wormmy.com/best-worm-castings/
This site also gives Wiggle Worm their highest rating. The VermisTerra comes in at #4 out of 5 with a caveat that some batches can arrive a little dry which some Amazon reviewers think is a good thing. The Worm Bliss I got from Amazon is #3 and no mention of Brut.


I took a good look at the Worm Bliss and it looked like a high quality dark compost to me. I have nothing to compare it to. I didn't notice any clumping. The moisture content seemed about right to me. I did see a few tiny *twigs*? maybe 5% of the product. Now waiting for Walmart and Wiggle Worm and am tempted to try HD and Brut.

I think worm diet is going to be a factor in the end product and a mix of different brands for different uses will be the way to go.

Brut worm
Reed Sedge peat and certified organic ground grains

Wiggle Worm
fed a very rich organic material which contains a wide variety of minerals and trace elements.

Worm Bliss
At Plantonix, we feed our earthworms a 100% organic, vegan, and non-GMO diet.

VermisTerra
We feed our earthworms green waste material such as grass and tree clippings.

[zeuspaul]

The wet weight of the shot glass of Brut Worm Castings was 33.23 grams and the dry weight was 12.90 grams. Water content 20.23 grams. Moisture content 61 % right in the middle of the recommended 55%-70% range.

I paid $35.14 at Home Depot free shipping. Also available directly from Brut Worm Farms for $33.88 free shipping. I purchased through Home Depot but it was fulfilled by Spreetail in Nebraska.

The major difference I see with Brut Worm Castings is they are fresh. From farm to you without an aging process. They claim greater microbial activity with fresh castings. Vermis Terra claims 7-10 years. How do they plan 10 years ahead? What is the benefit of aging?

Brut is also very responsive to the Q and A at Amazon.

[PlainJane]

I can’t imagine aging worm castings, especially for that long.

[bower]

The nutrient value would still be there after aging, but not the microbial community.
I must say the price for these bagged products is crazy high... another reason I'd rather lavishly feed worms in my own containers, and serve it up fresh a little at a time.

[Cranraspberry]

@zeuspaul did you find much of a difference in texture between Brut and Wiggle Worm? Any discernible additives?
I do have to wonder about the 7-10 year Vermisterra claim.

@Bower we're in a city condo, so no options as far as worms, composting, or frankly even storage (my car is currently the "garden shed" and houses all the fertilizers I was able to buy on clearance, 2 cu ft of potting soil etc - I'm sure anyone who looks in there thinks I'm a crazy hoarder). Next house is definitely going to be a single family with yard!

[greenthumbomaha]

The wet weight of the shot glass of Brut Worm Castings was 33.23 grams and the dry weight was 12.90 grams. Water content 20.23 grams. Moisture content 61 % right in the middle of the recommended 55%-70% range.

I paid $35.14 at Home Depot free shipping. Also available directly from Brut Worm Farms for $33.88 free shipping. I purchased through Home Depot but it was fulfilled by Spreetail in Nebraska.

The major difference I see with Brut Worm Castings is they are fresh. From farm to you without an aging process. They claim greater microbial activity with fresh castings. Vermis Terra claims 7-10 years. How do they plan 10 years ahead? What is the benefit of aging?

Brut is also very responsive to the Q and A at Amazon.

I have been trying to contact a local-to-me worm farm , BIg Red Worms in Lincoln NE to no avail. I wonder what their status is.
I'm not familiar with Spreetail (maybe an online selling platform like Shopify?), but Brut Worm Farms is located in Minneapolis. So no local pickup for me. The temps are below or close to zero in the midwest. Will this have any impact on the biological activity if the product is sitting in an unheated truck?

- Lisa

[zeuspaul]

@zeuspaul did you find much of a difference in texture between Brut and Wiggle Worm? Any discernible additives?
I do have to wonder about the 7-10 year Vermisterra claim.

They look almost identical. The grain size of the Wiggle Worm seem to be more consistent but I don't see what difference that would make. It's a very minor difference. Maybe a slightly different screening process.
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castings.JPG

[zeuspaul]

I'm not familiar with Spreetail (maybe an online selling platform like Shopify?), but Brut Worm Farms is located in Minneapolis. So no local pickup for me. The temps are below or close to zero in the midwest. Will this have any impact on the biological activity if the product is sitting in an unheated truck?

Walmart also sells Brut $29.49 (best price so far) and uses Spreetail as the go between.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Brut-Worm-Fa ... /608621974

Spreetail, Llc is a Limited Liability that operates within the Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses industry. It was incorporated on 2005 and its headquarters are located at 2021 Transformation Dr, Ste 2500 Lincoln Nebraska 68508.
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22spre ... s-wiz-serp

[zeuspaul]

I was researching worm diet to see if it makes a difference. I came upon the type of worm may also make a difference.

Simple Grow claims they do.

Red wiggler worms

While most worms are similar, there are some key differences between them when it comes to the castings that they are used to produce. Red wiggler worms are often used to create compost. This is also referred to as vermicompost.

The drawback to this method of production is the worms often consume a lot of junk. They may be eating table scraps, trash, yard waste with pesticides on it, and anything else you can imagine.

Producers using this method often pay little attention to what they're feeding their worms. In nature, red wigglers find food on the surface of the ground and help decompose organic material. This makes them an ideal worm for composting bins, as they feed on kitchen scraps out in the open. But not the best for castings...

Nightcrawler Earthworms

Nightcrawler Earthworms come in a few different varieties and prefer to live in the soil. They burrow down into the ground and prefer to eat organic matter that is found in the soil (not on top).

When producing castings with earthworms, a food source is often mixed into a bedding comprised of rich, dark soil. The earthworms move around throughout the soil, consuming the food within and leaving behind pure earthworm castings.

For most uses, earthworm castings are preferable to compost produced by red wiggler worms, or Eisenia Fetida, because of the manner in which they consume food and the habitat in which they live.

At Simple Grow, we actually use a special variety of African Nightcrawler, as they have proven to produce the highest quality casting.

Yes, worm type does matter...

https://www.simplegrow.com/pages/ultima ... m-castings

Simple Grow is rated #2 on this site.
https://www.gardengatemagazine.com/review/worm-casting/

$35 for 25 pounds direct from Simple Grow which is competitive except for the $10 shipping to my location.
https://www.simplegrow.com/collections/ ... tings-25lb

I wanted to know what type of worms others use.

I found this on Amazon Q and A.

what kind of worms?

We use African nightcrawlers for our worm castings. They are hearty eaters and are housed in a temperature controlled room at 74 degrees.
Brut Worm Farms Seller · December 31, 2020

and

Question:I have a question for big mike, how long after i buy them will the active life in brut worm castings stay 'fresh' before going dormant? thank you
Answer:Brut Worm Castings are most vibrant when they are fresh. The microbial life will become dormant over time if not used in an active environment or a change in seasonal weather. You can store them in the winter and use them again in the spring.

In other words, castings provide the most value when they are fresh, but they will continue to be beneficial for several years. Worm castings don't spoil or go bad, they just aren't as vibrant and will take a little longer to wake up the microbial life. see less

Brut Worm Farms Seller · October 19, 2020

and

Question:Heavy metal tested?
Answer:Yes, Brut Worm Castings have been tested for heavy metals and the reports indicate there are not any present.

Brut Worm Farms Seller · January 26, 2021https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GTQZN7Q?pd_rd_i=B0 ... 9b3f4&th=1

But there is a red wriggler crowd.

My Thoughts: Multiple Species are Fine, But Not Necessary
There is absolutely nothing wrong with multiple species in a worm bin, but I can’t find a compelling reason to say you should. Of the arguments for intentionally introducing mixed breeds in your bin, the depth issue is the most convincing.

But I’m not convinced.

The species purported to burrow the most deeply is the African nightcrawler. But it is still an epigeic, top-feeding species and despite its size, I don’t think it is an appreciably better burrower than the red wiggler.

And this may sound like heresy, but the diversity argument isn’t convincing either. A healthy worm bin has huge and diverse microbe population. While diversity is generally a good thing, I don’t consider a different flavor of worm poop to be meaningful diversity.

So while I fully support anyone who is experimenting with different breeds, there’s nothing screaming at me that says it’s a better way to vermicompost and the purported upside to me just doesn’t outweigh the added cost. Take the money you would have spent on two separate pounds of worms and just buy 3 lbs of a single species like the red wiggler for the same price.

https://urbanwormcompany.com/should-i-m ... -worm-bin/

[zeuspaul]

I have been researching what to do with 70 pounds of worm castings. I will likely use them as an addition to my potting mixes and add them to planting holes.

I found this for a seed starting mix.

<snip>
When we first started growing garden plants from seeds, our lack of knowledge is what led us to NOT use worm castings or compost in our seed starting mixes. Instead, we opted for sterile growing media and added dilute liquid organic fertilizers until we transplanted our seedlings outdoors.

Our understanding about plant health and nutrition has changed significantly over the years.

Now, we know that robust soil and foliar microbiology is critical to growing healthy seedlings and plants.
<snip>

GrowJourney’s DIY Seed Starting Mix Recipe:

4 parts screened worm castings and/or screened compost made from Berkeley hot composting method (purpose: introduce a massive amount of beneficial microbes to your seedlings while providing plant nutrition | you can buy worm castings here)

2 parts coconut coir (purpose: provide light, but well-draining growth medium for seedling roots | you can buy coconut coir here)

1 part vermiculite (purpose: increase water & nutrient retention | you can buy vermiculite here)

1 part perlite (purpose: increase soil aeration & good drainage | you can buy perlite here)
<snip>

https://www.growjourney.com/make-diy-se ... den-seeds/

[Cranraspberry]

I couldn’t resist - bought another bag. Saved a quart ziploc for seed starting mix (they appear to be pretty water retentive, and I have issues with overwatering, so I use maybe 10% at most), mixed the rest up with a few bags of leaf and lobster compost and some pine fines and top dressed my beds with that. Adding them to individual holes before transplanting is probably a better approach though, more targeted.

[rossomendblot]

I have been researching what to do with 70 pounds of worm castings. I will likely use them as an addition to my potting mixes and add them to planting holes.

GrowJourney’s DIY Seed Starting Mix Recipe:

This is very similar to what I've used for starting seeds for quite a few years with great success. My recipe is more like 60% coir, 20% worm castings, 10% perlite, 10% vermiculite. Coir is much more expensive these days so if I can't source any on offer I will substitute with a decent peat-free compost (which is usually a mix of composted bark, coir, expanded wood fibre or green waste compost). The worm castings I use are from our wormery and they are much fudgier than the sort of dry castings I see for sale, if I add too much the mixture can get a bit stodgy. My castings also set like concrete if allowed to dry out.

I also use homemade compost for sowing, but not for tomatoes or peppers anymore as I've had issues with volunteers popping up which makes things very confusing.

[Amateurinawe]

Today is vegetable soup, brocoli stalks, carrot tops, egg shells, banana skins and a few stalk ends of herbs and raggedy leaves of lettuce left over.

The wormerys is the raised beds will be pleased....

20230722_194238.jpg

[bower]

I've been wanting to repurpose my old (hoarded) blender for that.
Parts available on amazon, I might make it work again... I need two sets of parts now as the 'new' kitchen blender has also failed.
Your worm treat looks... delicious.

[Amateurinawe]

@bower I checked yesterday and there was a lot of activity, it wasn't all a soupy mix in the bucket as there was cardboard and other more solid matter but you could see all the business being done in the soupy bits.