Worm Farming

If you want to raise worms as a business then you need to raise worms that can be used for fishing bait, food for birds and reptiles, for composting or those used to help benefit the soil.

Worms have no exoskeletons and are not created the same inside as humans and other animals. A worm has one brain and five hearts. Contrary to popular belief, if you cut an earthworm in half you will not get two new worms. If the cut is behind the vital organs the worm will grow a new tail-the other end will die.

Earthworms breathe through their skin. They breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. They can’t control their own body temperatures. When they’re in captivity, you must control their environment-especially the temperature and moisture content.

Some people grow worm farms for their own personal adventure. Kids use them for pets. Gardeners encourage their growth to maintain healthy crops or flower gardens. They create excellent natural compost and fertilizers! Some people eat worms, although it isn’t something that is a big hit in the United States.

Composting is encouraged to help the environment and to reduce the amount of waste that is hauled to landfills daily. Worm farming is one small way to help. Small ways add up to big benefits when enough people join together in their efforts. If you have complaints about the environment, if you’ve thrown away food scraps, newspapers, sticks and grass clippings or leaves, if you want to be involved in a positive way to help, then worm farming may be just the right adventure for you!

Night crawlers, red wiggler worms, catalpa worms, and grub worms all make good fishing worms.

When feeding worms in your worm bin it is important to remember a few things. Worms love vegetable and fruit scraps. If you cut the scraps into small pieces it will be easier for the worms to eat, but is not required. Do not feed them onions, garlic or peppers-it will only make the worms want to escape! Never feed the worms meat-it takes too long for it to decompose and your worm bin will start to smell. Make sure that when you feed the worms you bury the food.

Check out what the other worm farmers are doing. Their prices, shipping methods, growing bins, advertisements may all come in handy for helping you plan your own adventure in worm farming.

Make your own worm bin. Recycle instead of throwing out – Use your garbage to make plant fertilizer!

Click to get more information about the Worm Factory 360

Go to Red Wiggler Composting Worms to find out more.

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.

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.

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.

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and set up your own worm farm. Perhaps you’re looking for a natural way for composting waste or are interested in the nutrient rich fertilizing substance produced by the worms. Or you may be looking to provide a constant supply of live bait or live food for exotic pets. Regardless of the reason, you’re going to need to set up a worm bin.

Various worm farm kits are available for purchase at worm farming supply companies and garden centers. These come in different shapes, sizes and colors and each have their own benefits. The frugal approach is to build your own.

The first thing to consider is how big of a container you’re going to need.  For each pound of waste you will be feeding the worms, you’ll need one square foot of space in your bin. Depth should be at least six to twelve inches.

A plastic tote or  wooden container works well. Metal containers should not be used as irons and chemicals can leach into the soil, harming the worms.

Once a container of the appropriate size has been chosen, it’ll need to be prepared. Holes should be drilled or punched through the top of the container to allow for air flow.

There are two ways to address the bottom of the container. One method is to drill or punch holes into the bottom of the container to allow excess water and other liquids to drain out. Another is to install a spout at the bottom of the container. When liquid begins to fill up in the bottom, the spout is turned on and releases the fluid.

If using a spout, a raised shelf should be added within the container. This shelf should be the same width as the container, but be allowed to sit a few inches above the bottom. This will allow the empty space at the bottom to fill with liquid and prevent it from sitting in the soil and bedding. This raised shelf should be made of slats or have several holes to allow liquids to drain into the bottom of the container.

If a raised shelf is not used, screening should be installed over the holes to allow liquid to run out of the container but prevent worms from squeezing through. Screening should also be attached to the top of the container to prevent escape.

Some thought should be put into what will be used for bedding material. Soaked and shredded newspapers, cardboard and even dampened leaves can be layered in the bin. Regardless of the material used for bedding, a small amount of soil should always be mixed in. If using the raised shelf system, bedding should be layered on top of the shelf.

The container should be put in a location that will ensure optimal conditions. Temperatures should remain between 72 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  The bin should not be placed in direct sunlight.

Worms can be added to your own worm farm once the bin has been constructed, bedding has been added, and the perfect location has been found. Worm farming is rewarding whether it is done for a profit or a hobby. Constructing an appropriate home for these guys is your first step towards becoming an authentic worm farmer.

Click to get more information about the Worm Factory 360

Go to Red Wiggler Composting Worms to find out more.

Naturally composting waste, providing an organic matter that enriches soil and even supplying hobbyists and fisherman with live bait. These are all reasons for worm farming. Taking care of the worms in a worm farm is typically quite easy but there some guidelines to follow. Proper feeding is important for the health of the worms.

Worms are fed a variety of food items, and nonfood items, for composting. Some food items that can be offered are fruits, vegetables, greens, bread products, cereals, tea bags, coffee grounds and filters and egg shells. The worms will eat just about anything so it is imperative to know which foods are appropriate and why.

Fruits and vegetables are easily composted by the worms. The important thing to remember when serving fruits and vegetables is the size of the portions. Fruit pieces should be cut down to 1/2 inch pieces or slices. Smaller pieces will be consumed more quickly. Food blended up with water will also help the worms find the food and consume it faster.

Fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious. Worms that are fed an appropriate diet will in turn produce a nutrient rich substance that is beneficial to crops, gardens, flower beds and even indoor flower pots. Some nonfood items that can be offered to worms for composting are paper products, cotton rags, hair clippings, leaves and soaked cardboard. A pizza box that has been torn up and soaked is a wonderful treat for worms.

When offering leaves to a worm farm, be careful to only use products that have never been treated with chemicals. For the safety of the worms, grass clipping and other yard clippings should be avoided in case chemicals have been used.

While there are many foods that can be offered readily, there are also those that should be avoided. Care should always be taken with items that have been treated with chemicals, medications or other substances that may prove harmful.

Meats should never be offered to the worms in a worm farm. Being voracious eaters, the worms will gladly consume whatever meat is offered. The problem with meat is with the pests it will attract. Flies and maggots will be found in a worm farm that uses meat and the best way to eliminate these pests is to eliminate the use of meat.

Citrus fruits, onions and garlic should not be used either. The worms appear to find the smell of these items offensive. Most worms will try to escape the bin to get away from the smell. Dairy products will also attract unwanted guests into the worm farm. Another problematic issue with serving dairy products is the foul smell that is emitted as it rots.

Feeding worms is a pretty easy job. The key is to know which items are good and which are bad for the health of the worms. Another point to remember is to not over feed. New worms should be fed in small amounts when they are becoming established within the farm. Once settled, the amount can be increased over time.

Over feeding leads to problems such as foul smells and pests. Keep feeding down to a minimum, offering new food only when the old food supply is running low. Worms can eat over half their body weight in food per day. The worm population can double every few months. Overfeeding can cause a problem but keep an eye on the population as well to be sure that underfeeding isn’t an issue.

A well fed worm population is a happy worm population. Happy worms produce a lot of naturally composted, healthy worms castings for soil enrichment therefore keeping the worm farmer happy as well.