Using Red Wigglers for Making Vermicompost

Out of all the worm specie only a few are suitable to use in composting bins. The red wiggler (Eisenia) is the most popular as it has the characteristics useful to breading and growing worms. It is claimed that they will eat between 50% to 100% of their weight a day. With their hearty appetites they then leave behind more castings. Their activity is usually within 6 inches of the surface. This makes feeding the worms and harvesting the castings a simple process.

Another reason the Red Wiggler is a popular composting worm is because they reproduce faster than many of the specie. Since each worm is both male and female any two worms of the specie can mate. How they decide the role each one should play I do not know. Maybe its who surprises who.

As the earthworms tunnel through the soil, the soil from the tunnel passes through their digestive system scavenging organic material and bacteria. The worm castings are of a ph that most plants thrive on (slightly basic -ph a little above 7). They contain nutrients from the organic material in the soil and a lot of bacteria. If in their tunneling the worms encounter harmful bacteria, by the time it passes through the worm's digestive system it becomes beneficial bacteria. As an added benefit the worm castings are coated with a mucus membrane enabling them to hold moisture and slowly release nutrients into the soil.

One of the considerations of having your own worm bin is to duplicate the living and growing conditions they would thrive on in the open soil. Although there is a wide range of materials that can be used in the bin worms do have their preferences. Bin moisture is essential. This is one of the most important conditions to control. To little moisture will make tunneling through the bin difficult for the worms and to much moisture will eliminate any oxygen from the bin and the worms cannot live. Two much water will also will tend to putrefy the bin materials and cause a smell.

Many worm growers suggest using a moisture meter to determine the correct moisture content. Especially until one develops a feel for the correct moisture content. Most of the worm farms selling worms and equipment tout how easy it is to raise worms. It really is easy once you figure out what to do and be consistent doing it. It is not unusual to lose the first batch of worms while you figure out what to do.

Bin can be constructed from a wide range of materials. Avoid having treated wood in contact with worm media. Chemicals detrimental to the worms could leach out. Most untreated wood will have a limited use as moisture present in the bin causes rotting. Using a wooden box for structural support and lining it with a plastic material would eliminate a lot of the wood rotting problem. Be sure to provide for effective drainage.

Bins constructed out of a durable plastic material have become popular for small to midsized bins. Any of the plastic formulations that provide sufficient structural strength should be ok.

Bin temperature is also important. Bin temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees F are ideal. Keep the bins out of sun and below 95 degrees F. You may start losing some worms at temperatures above that. Worms will freeze. Cold weather protection is important.

For more interesting information on worms and worm bins please visit my blog. http://wormstotherescue.blogspot.com

worm bins,worm compost

Out of all the worm specie only a few are suitable to use in composting bins. The red wiggler (Eisenia) is the most popular as it has the characteristics useful to breading and growing worms. It is claimed that they will eat between 50% to 100% of their weight a day. With their hearty appetites they then leave behind more castings. Their activity is usually within 6 inches of the surface. This makes feeding the worms and harvesting the castings a simple process.

Another reason the Red Wiggler is a popular composting worm is because they reproduce faster than many of the specie. Since each worm is both male and female any two worms of the specie can mate. How they decide the role each one should play I do not know. Maybe its who surprises who.

As the earthworms tunnel through the soil, the soil from the tunnel passes through their digestive system scavenging organic material and bacteria. The worm castings are of a ph that most plants thrive on (slightly basic -ph a little above 7). They contain nutrients from the organic material in the soil and a lot of bacteria. If in their tunneling the worms encounter harmful bacteria, by the time it passes through the worm's digestive system it becomes beneficial bacteria. As an added benefit the worm castings are coated with a mucus membrane enabling them to hold moisture and slowly release nutrients into the soil.

One of the considerations of having your own worm bin is to duplicate the living and growing conditions they would thrive on in the open soil. Although there is a wide range of materials that can be used in the bin worms do have their preferences. Bin moisture is essential. This is one of the most important conditions to control. To little moisture will make tunneling through the bin difficult for the worms and to much moisture will eliminate any oxygen from the bin and the worms cannot live. Two much water will also will tend to putrefy the bin materials and cause a smell.

Many worm growers suggest using a moisture meter to determine the correct moisture content. Especially until one develops a feel for the correct moisture content. Most of the worm farms selling worms and equipment tout how easy it is to raise worms. It really is easy once you figure out what to do and be consistent doing it. It is not unusual to lose the first batch of worms while you figure out what to do.

Bin can be constructed from a wide range of materials. Avoid having treated wood in contact with worm media. Chemicals detrimental to the worms could leach out. Most untreated wood will have a limited use as moisture present in the bin causes rotting. Using a wooden box for structural support and lining it with a plastic material would eliminate a lot of the wood rotting problem. Be sure to provide for effective drainage.

Bins constructed out of a durable plastic material have become popular for small to midsized bins. Any of the plastic formulations that provide sufficient structural strength should be ok.

Bin temperature is also important. Bin temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees F are ideal. Keep the bins out of sun and below 95 degrees F. You may start losing some worms at temperatures above that. Worms will freeze. Cold weather protection is important.

Earthworms for Your Garden

To the causal gardener earthworms may seem like a slimy unwelcome guest. Something that has to be tolerated if there is to be a lawn and garden. If that is your attitude this article will help change you mind.

*Worms it turns out are very beneficial to our gardens and lawns. As they tunnel through the soil, they loosen the soil making it easier for plant root growth. Their tunneling also tends to aerate the soil which is beneficial for plant root growth.

*As they tunnel, the earth from the tunnel they make passes through the worm scavenging any organic material and bacteria. Decaying organic matter is full of bacteria as a result of the decaying process. Worms process these bacteria into beneficial bacteria.

*The material that has passed through the worms digestive system is called worm castings or sometimes worm compost. Worm compost is often referred to as vermicompost. This brings out the importance of having organic matter or humus in your garden soil. Worms need organic material and bacteria to live and multiply. Gardeners have noticed that by adding humus to their garden soil worms will show up. I don't know how they know organic matter has been added, but, they do.

*Organic matter or humus is virtually any thing that once was growing. Even cow and horse manure as well as rabbit droppings are enjoyed by the worms. Although dead animals were once growing, it is not recommended to add dead animals to your garden soil. Adding citrus peals and garlic to the garden soil is not recommended either as they are difficult for the earthworm to digest.

*When adding organic material to your garden, grind the material if possible. Small particle size make the material decay more rapidly and therefore more accessible to the worms.

*The use of chemical fertilizers has been popular for the past several years. These chemical fertilizers often produce deep colors and large foliage and fruit. But, as beauty is only skin deep, so is the plant appearance using chemical fertilizers. The good looking foliage lacks essential nutrients making it more susceptible to insect damage and diseases. The fruit which is the part we eat has less nutritional value. This causes humans and animals dependent upon the fruit and foliage of plants to be more susceptible to diseases. If the unused parts of the foliage and fruit raised with chemical fertilizers were added to the soil as organic material it would still benefit the soil in that the soil would be more friable and it would have a greater water holding capacity, it would not return essential nutrients to the soil.

*Chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides are not organic matter and are toxic to earthworms. To encourage earthworms, these chemicals will have to be minimized or eliminated.

*Attracting and encouraging earthworms to visit our gardens can eventually restore our garden soil nutrients to levels that again will be beneficial to man and animals. This will require a continuous program of adding organic material to our gardens.