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 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.

What are the major benefits of a worm farm?  It is a great way to recycle waste, it enriches gardens and plant soil, it provides other animals with food and it is an excellent project to do with the kids.

Having a worm farm is a way to recycle food scraps and other non-food waste.  Fruits, vegetables and starchy food scraps like bread, pasta and oatmeal are good to feed the worms.  Hair cuttings, leaves, paper items, cotton rags and soaked cardboard are things that can be fed to worms. About one-third of household waste can easily end up being recycled by worm farms.  This is one of the greatest advantages of a worm farm.

A worm farm will  produce a wonderfully rich soil that benefits gardens, plants, flower beds and lawns.  Worm composting is like a wonder-drug for growing things.  Plants and gardens flourish with this worm compost (vermicast) from the worm farm.    In turn the economy will get a boost by selling equipment and other supplies that will be needed in order to maintain land on the farm.  An important factor with a worm farm is that you are getting a soil free from chemicals.  Many other products on the market that you buy have been treated with chemicals.

Many animals depend on worms for food.  A worm farm complements chicken farmers, catfish farms, birds and many other animals.  Fishermen can use worms for fishing which in turn puts food on their table.

A worm farm is a great project to bring the family together.  The kids will love getting their hands dirty and helping their parents recycle.  In addition, when the kids need a project in school a worm farm is a terrific project that they can take to school and share.

As you can see, a worm farm has numerous benefits.  Both for the environment as well as for families.  It brings people together to share ideas.  Groups are formed to tell their experiences and dealings with worm farms.  People in other countries are familiar with worms and eat them as regular food.   It’s really interesting when you start to look beyond the usual and see how much worms and a worm farm really helps the environment.

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!