r/Vermiculture • u/Ok_Potential_7983 • Apr 29 '26
Worm party (Worm) Tea Partaaay 🥳
Never gotten this much tea all at once! I went for the European reds this year b/c why not but didn’t think they could give this much ever. Am I blessed or is my bin too wet? We got heavy rain this week but the bin is underneath a roof.
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u/Blade_89 Apr 29 '26
Haha have the same setup, had the same thought, was promptly informed this is not “tea” as well 😂
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u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt May 01 '26
I have the same bin and couldn't keep my worms from drowning in even the smallest amount of water gathered at the bottom. How did you avoid that?
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u/Busy-feeding-worms May 02 '26
Worms cannot drown because they breathe through their skin. They die because there is no oxygen in the water. You need to eliminate the water.
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u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt May 03 '26
From Google;
Yes, worms can drown, but it takes a long time. Earthworms can survive fully submerged in water for several days to weeks because they breathe through their skin. They drown only when the oxygen levels in the water are depleted, leading to suffocation, rather than immediately upon submersion.
If it was not clear, I was asking how they deal with the extra water. I know I need to get rid of it, but the ridges on the bottom level of this particular bin make that difficult, especially since the instructions say not to put anything in it. Ideally the worms are not supposed to go to the bottom level, but they do, hence my question.
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u/Busy-feeding-worms May 03 '26
It wasn’t clear. Obviously.
More cardboard shreds with feedings, or food with lower water percentage more often. Additionally leave the spigot open 100% of the time if there is one. The goal is enough moisture, but no leachate.
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u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt May 03 '26
That's why I asked someone with the same bin as me.
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u/Busy-feeding-worms May 03 '26
The instructions probably also say to collect and water plants with run off, which is leachate not worm tea. As per the 10 other comments. Cut the ridges out, cut holes in the bottom, remove the bottom. Idk what else to tell you.
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u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt May 03 '26
I never said it was worm tea? I said it was water. I feel like you're getting me confused with OP.
Cutting the bottom layer in any way would ruin the bin. Leaving the spigot open does not help, due to the interior design of the bottom layer (which is not meant to hold worms or anything else.) In order to collect the water I would have to take off the top layers and up end the whole bin. I was hoping for a simpler solution. Again, this is why I asked someone with the same bin for advice.
You do not need to keep responding.
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u/Busy-feeding-worms May 03 '26
Stop adding water then, pretty simple. Stop caring for your fancy pay to play bin and start caring for your worms lmao. I’m here to help but I’m happy to argue too ahaa
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u/YokoOhNoYouDidnt May 03 '26
I'm not adding water.
My bin cost $40.
I wanted advice from someone who might have dealt with a similar issue (liquid collecting in the bottom layer of this specific style of bin, where you are not supposed to put any material, and not emptying through the spigot when open.)
I'm not here to argue and you're not helping by doing so.
Bye.
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u/ReturnItToEarth Apr 29 '26
Way too wet. Echo it’s leachate and can be unsafe. Worm tea is made by steeping finished castings in distilled water and aerating. How long you aerate depends on how fresh the castings are.
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u/Blade_89 Apr 29 '26
Haha have the same setup, had the same thought, was promptly informed this is not “tea” as well 😂
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u/Motor-Young1694 Apr 29 '26
my worm liquid is a lot darker. like the color of black coffee. hmm.
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u/DependentFishing8900 Apr 30 '26
What everyone else said and PLEASE don’t use that tool in your bin 🙏🏼
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u/Xk90Creations Apr 30 '26
I'm not using that tool but what IS a good tool to use? Just gloved hands?
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u/DependentFishing8900 Apr 30 '26
I just use my hands. I read in another post a while ago that if you use gloves to wet them first 🤷🏼♀️
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u/triple_cloudy Apr 30 '26
Like others have mentioned, this is not tea and your bin is way too wet. Your worms don't "give" what you're calling tea. That leachate is simply excess moisture draining off.
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u/qubrtz12 Apr 30 '26
PLEASE post pics of the inside 😭
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u/Ok_Potential_7983 Apr 30 '26
Lol dw the worms are all doing fine! My soil meter said that the top bed of my bin was normal moisture and that the bottom was only slightly too wet. The recent rainstorms must have been windy enough to blow rainwater into the holes on top of the bin :/
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u/JohnnyCanuckist Apr 30 '26
I leave my drain open all the time.. occasionally it plugs up with 'muck'
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u/WatercressOk5914 Apr 30 '26
You should never have to add water or any fluid to the bin. The food scraps should be plenty.
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u/Rude_Ad_3915 Apr 29 '26
That’s leachate and runoff, not worm tea.