Worm Farming

Some people ask, “Why in the world would I want to have a worm farm? There are plenty of other useful farms that sell vegetables, fruits, animals, and eggs. What good is a worm farm?” Well, it’s an understandable reaction. After all, it’s usually the quiet people in society that go unnoticed; so why shouldn’t there be quiet creatures that go unnoticed? People underestimate the value of the worm.

It’s true that there are worms that do damage to crops, animals, and people. Worms in your intestinal system are best flushed out. That’s why dogs and cats, even horses and cows receive worm treatments. These worms are taking away nutritional values the animals need to survive.

Worms

What about the good worms? The first reaction to a worm is, “Ewww, gross.” Well, understanding anything is the key to appreciating it more. The good worms are not poisonous and have positive benefits that are not readily seen. They’re hard-working little creatures and deserve our respect.

So, what are good worms? Earthworms, compost worms (red wigglers, blue worms), and fishing worms (night crawlers) are good worms. Earthworms are found in rich soil. If your plants are healthy and growing, chances are there are earthworms down there toiling away to help make this happen. Those die-hard fishermen can tell you about the benefits of a good, fat fishing worm! Catfish and bream are two of the types of fish that enjoy worms.

Worms are important for composting. They break down the material and produce a rich compost called vermicast or vermicompost. This compost is an excellent fertilizer. It retains moisture, encourages root growth and is high in the minerals that help plants grow.

Here’s one way you can help an earthworm (I know you want to)-the next time it rains and you see a worm on the street or sidewalk, gently move it to a grassy area so that it can burrow back into the ground. You can then congratulate yourself on being a lifesaver!

So now you know why you should create a worm farm. Worms are a vital part of our ecosystem and they do deserve our appreciation and respect.

Worm farming is a fun and simple activity. Even if you haven’t been brave enough to hold a worm before, don’t let that stop you from making a whole farm of them! This article will explore some interesting and crazy facts about worms and worm farming.

Worms

Let’s start by discussing the various types of “worms”. Earthworms loosen the soil by digging through it. Compost worms eat the mulch layer of soil. Many “worms” are actually the larva of beetles or moths. Grub worms are the larvae of a variety of beetles, including Japanese beetles, June bugs, European chafer, and Oriental beetle. Catalpa worms are not really worms either. They’re caterpillars from a moth species that are known to infest the Catalpa tree. The catalpa worm is an excellent fishing bait . Tomato hornworms are the larva of sphinx (hummingbird or hawk) moth.

Grub Worm

Vermicomposting is using worms to compost. Worms are great little workers that will turn your household waste into a rich soil. The vermicompost they produce can be used on your plants and flowers and will really make a difference in the plant growth.

You can build a worm bin out of wood, plastic, concrete, an old bucket, or an old bathtub. Make sure that you have a drain in your bin. You can’t let your worm dirt get too soggy. They rise to the top of the ground after a rain for a reason, you know.

The liquid drainage is another benefit of your worm farm-it can be used to create a worm tea. No, you don’t drink it!  Dilute this and some of the vermicompost with water and this makes an excellent, all-natural fertilizer for your plants and flowers.

So to get started you need a worm bin, the worms (red wigglers work the best) and whatever you are going to recycle. Worm farming can be an inexpensive way for you to recycle household waste, create fertilizer and produce a rich soil.

Worm farming is a great way to naturally compost waste and other discarded materials. As a result, nutrient rich soil is produced and can be used in flower beds, crops, and gardens. Regardless of all the reading and research one does, issues may arise and can cause some concern.

Here are a few of the commonly reported questions and issues with worm farms.

Smell

It is often thought by many that a smelly worm farm is normal. In fact, it is not. If worms are kept in an appropriate environment, they will not smell. If the farm has an odor, the most likely cause is overfeeding.

Material to be composted is placed on the top layer of soil for the worms to consume. If too much is given to the worms, it can begin to rot causing a build up of bacteria within the walls of the worm farm. This is the cause of the smell.

To remedy the situation, simply discontinue feeding of the worms until any uneaten material is gone. The soil should also be stirred for aeration and to allow the worms to move more freely.

Bugs and other pests

Using a container with a tight lid can help prevent many pests from infesting the worm farm but some are sneaky enough to make it in regardless. Small vinegar flies are often a complaint among worm farmers. This type of fly is of no harm to the worm farm but typically is a result of overfeeding. Large flies appear when there is an abundance of food.

Ants are also a common issue. If ants are seen in the worm farm, the chances are pretty good that the soil is too dry. Adding water to the soil to increase the moisture can help eliminate ants. If using a worm farm that stands on legs, simply apply some petroleum jelly to the legs to prevent the ants from being able to climb up.

Maggots can be found in worm farms where meat is offered to the worms. The best scenario is to eliminate meat from the diet altogether. If maggots have made their way into the worm farm, they can be eliminated by placing a milk soaked piece of bread into the farm; the maggots will be drawn to it and can simply be removed.

Worms leave the farm

If a worm is leaving, he is unhappy with his environment and is in search of a more suitable one. Worms will escape for reasons such as the soil being too dry or there isn’t enough food. On the other hand, soil that is too wet could also be affecting the worms, causing them to want to leave.

The source of the problem should either be eliminated or fixed. If the soil is too dry, fresh water should be added to the farm. If it is too wet, the excess should be drained and new bedding should replace the old. Locate the cause of the excess moisture and eliminate it.

Ensure that the worms are getting enough food and the farm is in a location where the temperature will remain constant.

Feeding

There may be some confusion on what to feed worms. Appropriate foods to feed include fruits, vegetables, egg shells, greens, tea bags and coffee grounds and filters. Non-food items can also be fed to the worms and include soaked cardboard, paper products, cotton rags, leaves, dirt and hair.

More important are the items that should not be fed. Dairy products, meat, citrus, onions and garden waste that has been treated with chemicals are all things to avoid in a worm farm.

These are just a few of the common topics when it comes to worm farming. Although they are pretty easy to care for, it is important to realize the reason for some of the changes or issues noticed within the worm farm. Problems should be corrected early to prevent the loss of the worms.

Providing a proper environment, correct food, appropriate moisture level and temperature will help ensure a supply of happy and healthy worms.

Worm farming is done for several reasons.  Composting, the production of nutrient rich soil and providing live bait are three of the most common reasons for worm farming.  Some worms do a better job at their duties than others so it is important to know how to choose the right worms for your worm farm.

Composting is one common reason for worm farming.  Worms are used to compost waste and discarded material naturally and without adding to the local landfills.  To do this, the worms eat fruit and vegetable scraps, along with other compostable items such as paper products, leaves, cotton rags and egg shells.

If composting is the primary reason for setting up a worm farm, choices should be made for the appropriate types of worms that are known as being the best for this option.  The Red Wiggler, or Eisenia fetida, is reportedly the best worm for composting.  These worms reproduce easily and are extremely hardy.  The trait that makes them best as compost worms is their ravenous appetites.

Worm

Because of their eagerness to devour anything edible, Red Wigglers produce a high quality substance resulting in a nutrient rich soil that is so desirable with worm farming.

Perhaps raising worms for the purpose of providing live bait is the goal of a worm farm.  Bait can be raised for personal use or even supplied to local fisherman through bait and tackle shops.  The best worms for this purpose are the European Night Crawlers.  These worms can be used for baiting fish in all types of conditions, even in saltwater.

The European Nightcrawler is reported to be one of the hardiest fish available for worm farming.  They can also be used as a live food source for other animals such as birds, reptiles, exotic pets and aquarium fish.  They can be used in a composting type worm farm but work best as live food and bait.  Night Crawlers are readily available and have similar care requirements as the Red Wigglers.

Worms used for garden and lawn farming are typically available in sets of three different varieties of worms.  The Red Wiggler and the Night Crawlers are often two of the types of worms in these sets.  The third worm is usually Pheritema, or Florida Wiggler which are worms that burrow deep into the soil.

Over 3000 varieties of worms exist.  The worms mentioned here are the most commonly used and readily available on the market today.  They can be found at various online distributors.  Local worm farmers can be found through online directories or by looking up the topic in the local telephone book.

Most types of worms are typically made available as adult worms, young worms and egg capsules.  Typically sold by the pound, the number of worms per unit will vary depending on their age and size.  Egg capsules yield a higher number of worms per unit once hatched.

A worm farm will be most successful when the appropriate worm is chosen for the job at hand. While most worms will compost discarded items and waste and act as live bait, make sure you choose the right worm for the job.

The number one reason people start worm farming is because they want to turn fruit and vegetable scraps into an enriched potting soil. Great soil that can be used for their garden and house plants. Worm composting is like a natural wonder-drug for your plants and garden. It is a project that can be easily done year round by home owners and apartment occupants. It’s ideal for people who have limited space to set-up a compost bin but want to compost their food scraps. This is an activity that is not only good for yourself but for the environment. Everyone can worm farm!

To start worm farming you will need a strong plastic container about 7″ deep. I usually use one about 9-10″ wide and 14-16″ in length. The worms most suitable for worm farms are red worms (also known as red wrigglers or manure worms), blue worms and tiger worms. Nightcrawlers and earthworms should not be used. Place the containers in dark or well-shaded areas. Container, crates or bins can easily be stacked to take up less room.

In the plastic container you need to add shredded newspaper (not colored paper) dampened, but not soaked. Add a few handfuls of garden soil and a few crushed eggs shells to the newspaper. Keep the bedding material wettish but not drenched. Worms need the moisture for breathing through their skin. If the worm farm is left outside make sure that there is proper drainage in the container. The proper amount of water and temperature is critical to having a healthy worm farm. Eliminate placing the worm farm in direct sunlight and in colder weather bring it into a shed or garage to keep it from freezing. Don’t allow your worm farm to dry out because without water they will die. Temperatures between 50 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit is good for worm farming. Be aware that any temperature over 90 degrees will cook your worm farm.

It is imperative that you know what to feed worms when worm farming. Worms will eat anything, good or bad, so you need to determine what may or may not be appropriate. Fruits, vegetables and starchy scraps (bread, pasta, oatmeal) are very nutritious. Worms prefer the scraps chopped and smaller so they are quicker and easier to digest Some nonfood articles like leaves, hair clippings, cotton rags, paper products and soaked cardboard may be given to worms. Refrain from feeding worms oily substances. And don’t feed them too many acidic foods, coffee grounds or tea bags. Never feed worms dairy products, meat, poultry or salty foods. These items should be eliminated because they create a rotting smell that draws unwanted pests to the container. Foods that have been treated with chemicals and medications should not be offered to worms. Worms in your worm farm will try to leave the container if you feed them onions, garlic or shallots.

When deciding how much food to feed worms remember that worms consume half their body weight each day. So feed them appropriately. New food should be fed only when the other food is almost gone. Never overfeed worms because it can lead to problems with unwanted odors and pests. When introducing new worms to your worm farm feed them smaller amounts of food. As they get settled the amount can be increased. Something that you must be aware of is that the worm population doubles every few months so be careful not to underfeed them.

The benefits of worm farming is that worms use leftover scraps and change them into castings or vermicast. Worm castings and vermicast are a rich soil-like substance that is great for feeding house plants, adding to seedling mixes and potting soil. Many people use it as a top-dressing around plants. Castings can be saved in containers with lids to be used at a later date. Worms reduce the amount of garbage that would otherwise go into landfills. About one-third of household waste can be recycled by worm farms.

A properly fed worm population can live for 5 or more years. You and the environment will benefit from worm farming. A worm farm is easy to set-up. Anyone can worm farm!