Depending on the moisture level that is between 25 to 40 pounds from what I've harvested.

I saw in a different post that you were interested in flow-thrus. E-mail me if you want.

Keith

My interest in flow through is designing a one of a kind just for me model specific to my micro vermicomposting situation out of materials already owned. And I only own 5 buckets three round 5 gallon and 2 square 4 gallon. So I am going to think a while before cutting into the bottom of them. Luckily after more than a year I now have what I imagine to be a pound of worms. None are breeders right now.

Although vermi products can vary in price and quality I did my price comparison to see what my long hours of work were worth comparing for vermicastings screened 1/8". This will include very little to no vermicompost. Not that mine is at that quality. I might of replaced a penny for your thoughts with a penny per hour pay especially if research online counts as worm care too.

I feel as if I am in an epic battle to get the vermicompost as near to vermicastings as I can before sending it out into the big bad world of the garden protectting seedlings. Especially as I do not prechop, freeze, nuke or age the ingredents. And even the bedding is unlikely to be shredded and more likely to be an egg carton split into two halfs.

Equinox: I use kitty litter buckets myself. I started last year with 55 red wigglers in one bin and 32 european nightcrawlers (marketed as 'panfish worms' at Walmart) in the other.

I thought the populations were not doing anything and had pretty much died out so I put them out in my garage last fall.

A couple months ago I was doing some cleaning and decided to put the contents of both tubs into my outside compost and was surprised to see a heavy layer of black vermicompost in the bottom of each bucket. I was even more surprised to see the numbers of live worms in there. Guess neglect has it's advantages. I had a baseball-sized mass of red wigglers. I did not count or separate the hortensis as there was alot of uneaten bedding mixed in. I wanted the pure compost to add to some potting soil.

Two days ago I split my wigglers into two bins with approximately the same amount of bedding. I'm considering testing the theory that some kind of grit will help them consume paper. I'm thinking of using a handful of the dried clay we have here. Problem is it won't be that scientific as I'm not going to weigh and count the wigglers and the bedding, so the difference will be anecdotal.

"I feel as if I am in an epic battle to get the vermicompost as near to vermicastings as I can before sending it out into the big bad world of the garden protectting seedlings."

No scientific proof, but I've had pretty good success using rough (~30-40% castings?) vermicompost to start seedlings. I'm also not screening my VC. Instead I'm embedding "wormholes" in my garden plots. I dig some 6" deep holes in the middle of plot and insert a handful of VC with worms & cocoons. I add some decaying leaves & manure and cover the hole with an inverted plastic pot.

I'm hoping the worms continue to produce castings and the plants around the wormhole can benefit from it throughout the growing season. I add water each week and may add foodstock in a couple of months if it looks like they need it.

Andrew

pjames aren't kitty litter buckets great? I think mine had potatoes for a restaurant. But the square shape has advantages the round does not. Tilting them a quarter turn lets them stack with out sinking into one another. I am thinking about trimming out most of the bottom of one bucket and stacking it on a second bucket. Think can of worms but the worms stay at the same level while the vermicompost self sinks down. No moving of trays, but we can still "bother the worms" to see what is happening and how stuff is decomposing to their liking. And the bottom bucket has maybe little to no bottom so the castings can just cascade into a catchment tote. Slide a new one in when one is full. If the buckets are free and the catchment totes are those "free" ones from hospital visits then the cost is zero. And I like the design better than can of worms or worm factory because air gets in everywhere and the components do not need to be lifted and can remain stationary other than grabbing a tote of vermicastings as needed. I'm still afraid to make the first cut into my precious bucket. But I know just the configurations I want for the levels. Made much more difficult because I do not chop, freeze, nuke, crush or shred any of the worm goodies.

I bet what I planted seeds in last year was (~30-40% castings?). If I was lucky. Maybe a bit less. The seedlings seemed to fend off dampening off exceedingly well even being drowned by epic spring rains while sitting in inches of water for days before being planted many times. To harvest vermicompost I put the contents of the worm bin into a plastic easter basket with holes half inch by one and a half inches on the sides and bottom. I shake, rattle and roll it over a container to collect the good stuff. I toss into a new bin the stuff retained in the basket and treat the stuff that falls through as harvested. I let this set a bit with lots of air and moisture to hatch the eggs. I harvest the worms by hand from this a few times over a few months to not loose any babies. Spring time seed planting verses are there more babies to hatch from this? Or do I really need stuff to plant in and the babies will hatch in the leaf composting rich garden?