Worm castings are concentrated growing power and the price is a reflection. They are worth the price, but we would all like to pay less. Al

This I surely know, Al :-) Just trying to do a little comparison shopping. Fortunately, a little goes a long way, but with over 100 fruiting trees, vines and bushes, it would be nice to find the best price I can :-)

Patty S.

Barb, I'm ashamed to say I have a worm box. I just haven't set it up, yet :-( I had good intentions, I was going to set up the worm box right outside my garage door, which goes from the kitchen, to the garage. It would be very handy. Just have to move the dog food. I just haven't done it, yet. And, not sure if I would create enough kitchen scraps with just my hubby and I, so I've sort of hesitated. I guess I should just get it set up this weekend, for goodness sake. I really need the worm castings since my soil is so lacking in organic materials, and my trees really, really liked the worm castings last year. Okay, Barb. That was the kick in the pants I needed, lol!!

Patty S.

Have you seen the Red Worm Composting site? The fellow who runs the blog makes it fun. BTW I had two thriving in-ground worm farms ... populated entirely with red compost worms found in truck load of horse manure .... but my sons did away with them while replacing the fence while I was away. So .. OH WELL..asi es la vida ... but in our climate, the in-ground worm farms are way less work. I covered them with old carpeting and sprinkled with water on hot/dry days. And, as for having enough kitchen scraps, I fed my worms newspaper and cardboard.

Here is a link that might be useful: Red Worm Composting

Thanks for the tip, Barb! This is exactly how the worm castings gal I buy castings from at the Vista Farmer's Market does her worms! Wonder if I can do this down in the lower part of my yard, behind my greenhouse. Will have to examine this option. My husband is not so keen on having worms in the garage, lol!!

Patty S.

I created a lot of worms by accident. I had some wood aged wood clips, I put them in a bin, I added some coffee, and I watered it often. After two weeks the worm eggs had hatched, I guess, because it was filled with worms. But, you should add the OM to your soil because if you put the worms in the soil without OM they will starve to death.

I have to seriously figure out how to do this in holes, here. The lady I buy the worm casting from does this in long trenches. She has a huge business going. I have her web site, and I think she actually shows how she does this. Amazing.

Patty S.

I second that you should get the worm box going and do some in the ground. I have 2 worm factories outside in Torrance, similar weather to you. It's never enough vermicompost. I put home made worm towers in my raised beds and there are lots of worms there now too. As someone mentioned, you do need lots of OM but that's good for the soil too.

feeling a little dumb here, but i do have to ask, what is OM?
(you would laugh at what i have guessed.)
min

OM stands for "Organic Material". Basically, all the stuff you run down your garbage disposal can go in the worm bin.

Patty S.

OM can be fruit and vegetable peels or egg shells. If it was once alive it is called OM. Sand, clay or perlite is not OM. Coffee ground are OM.

Om is divided into greens and browns. Wood is a brown but coffee is a green, although it is brown in color. Green grass is a green. Green leaves are greens, but brown leaves are browns. All fruits and veggies are a green.

Worms like to eat OM. If they don't get any OM, they will starve. This is why is you bury an apple core and dig it up later it will have worms in it. If your soil has no OM at all, you can't support worms in the soil. But, they can't eat peat moss. If you just buy sheared wood, they can't eat that. They like to eat greens and the roots of plants that have died. If a plant dies and you don't dig it up, the worms will eat the roots of the dead plant. If they ate the roots of living plants they would harmful, but they only eat the dead roots. Worms are Nature's cleanup crew.

thanks for the info- seems i have plenty of that kind of OM ...now that i know what it is. min

I know George at Agrowinn is planning an online sale in the next few weeks. http://www.fertilizeronline.com/wormcast.php. Super good quality worm castings.

Hi CathyCAzone10,

We also live in Torrance. I am looks nice for few red worms to start my worm bin. Will you be blessed to spare few for me.

Yes, I could donate some red worms.

Thanks a lot cathyCA. I really appreciate this help.. Pls let me know how I can collect them.. You can email me @ Vid_nand2002@yahoo.com.. Thanks

Just sent you an email.

Still though... I'm a landscape professional and it seems there's not a good source to get them in bulk in SD area? Seems like no one is selling them. anyone know a source?