I am a synthetic perpetual grower. Wanting to go living soil. What are some good do an don’t s ? List of good bugs? Easy to find an know the bad ones
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I’d start by getting a hold of & reading Jeff Lowenfels “teaming with microbes” and “teaming with nutrients”… may even be in your local grow store(mine has a few stacks!).
Start composting or a worm bin… you’ll dig it.
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Been checking into composting. For sure look into that book as well as worm bin
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there’s really good information on these forums bro just use the search bar … i pretty sure @lotus710 is all about the organic, i think @ReikoX too iirc
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Back in October I won a compost tumbler at auction. It’s been down in the basement all winter. I have been adding things and tumbling since. Coffee grounds, wet leaves when I can, vegetable scraps, the pumpkin scrapings from Haloween is one of the first things went in is how I remember. 
I add water too occasionally.
So…about 6 weeks ago I said lets add a cup of this alfalfa meal in here and water it in. Then got started on living soil inputs in my grow space and decided a half cup of kelp meal and a 1/4 cup of crab shell meal would be good to add. Dumped a finished plants root ball in.
It’s getting full and I need compost…but I’d rather start a worm bed and have the containers a paper shredder and paper bags for bedding. No worms.
What worms should I use? I think earthworms aka nightcrawlers. Here some come up after rain could use those. Or just go to the bait store and buy some red wigglers?
I should make it mostly bedding and like a 1/4 of bottom container would be from tumbler for food? Always before when trying I dried out and the worms died. Have Chapin sprayer and should be ok
The basement too cold? Average temps above 60 F before I start?
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Red wrigglers is what ya want for composting, reds can take a wide range of temps but their production does slow down when colder temps set in. Iv been doing mine in 20-25 gallon smart pots these alow them to breath well brought mine into the garage for winter placed it on thick styrofoam boards got into the low 40’s at time cover them with cardboard and some thick cushions for extra cold protection. 50% moisture is what you want to try and achieve but I know mine at times dries way lower than that . Freezing food helps break it down fast and they really seem to like a blended up meal at times also
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Thanks for the fast reply. I was thinking of using the sterlite but like the smart pots idea better. I should have mostly bedding and reserve a corner for feeding and move the corner around each feed cycle. As I understand it. Moisture was a big issue for me. Takes a lot of water and was only a spray bottle not good enough. Got a big gallon pump sprayer now.
I have tried this before with some small fleeting success.
Looking in to gathering rain water so I don’t have to deal with chloramine. I need to get some of this up and running soon…
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Ya I love smart pots edges have a tendency to dry quicker but in those size of pots the longer it goes the more moisture seems to hold iv dumped 1/2 to 3/4 of gallon of water on it with very little run off just to keep things comfortable for them
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I like using compost that’s already went through the hot composting phase that shit holds water like a mofo! Lol
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Glad you mention it since I’m about to move some soggy friends out of a plastic tub into a 25gal smartpot.
Do you have a drain setup to collect leachate? Do you ‘irrigate’ ever?
…aaaaand do you have a cover on top or screen to keep out flying things?
Mine will be outside. Just went from the house to the garage last night because I overfed them stanky dog kibble & it kinda smells like dogshit 
Not so pleasant in my living room & the dog is wondering what I’ve been doing in there. 
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