Here you will find some common worm farming tips, composting tips and answers to your questions about worms, worm farming and composting.
Can I use regular earthworms from my garden for my worm farm?
If you are primarily concerned about composting the best worms to use are red worms or commonly called “Red Wrigglers” in the worm farm business. You may have red worms in your garden, but they are not as common as night crawlers which most people consider earthworms. Night crawlers are primarily used for fishing and not the kind of worm you want for worm composting. A good worm farming tip is that you order your first batch of red worms from a worm farm to get your worm farm started.
What kinds of foods do worms like or not like?
The preferred foods for worms are fruits, vegetables, smashed egg shells, small amounts of shredded paper, coffee grounds and a small amount of bread. The most important worm farming tip is that you should not feed the worms in your worm farm any citrus fruits, onions, garlic, dairy products, meat or fish. You can add lawn clippings, but you should be cautious about the amount. Too many lawn clippings will not be good for your worms. A good composting tip is to leave out the clippings and not take the chance. Put your lawn clippings on a conventional composting pile or bin.
Where should I place my worm farm?
A good composting tip says the ideal place for a worm farm is in a cool dark place inside or when you keep your worm composting bin outside it is best to have it in a shady spot and out of direct sunlight. The composting process will produce quite a bit of heat on its own and direct sunlight can cause your composting bin to become too hot. In cold weather it is a good idea to cover your bin for an extra layer of insulation and the heat from composting will keep things going.
Do I need to water my worm farm regularly?
The best worm farming tip is to check your worm bedding to make sure that is moist and if it feels dry add a small amount of water by lightly sprinkling the top layer. By regularly adding organic food waste products the moisture level should be fine, but it is a good composting tip to check it by grabbing a handful to check the moisture content. Be careful because too much moisture can cause mold and fungus growth.
What are the best worms for fishing and raising bait worms?
Many people think that the Canadian Night-Crawler is the best fishing bait, but in fact the European Night Crawler is the probably the better choice. They are more active and live much longer underwater which is more attractive for both the fish and the fisherman. They also have a tough skin which will keep them on the hook better. Another hot worm farming tip and reason for selecting the European Nightcrawler is that they do not need to be refrigerated. A great incentive for the bait shop owner or fishing bait seller and they will last weeks longer.
Why does my worm farm stink?
The two most common reasons for a stinky worm farm are over-feeding and/or being too wet. The best worm farming tip is to back off on the food until you no longer see any food scraps and then feed your worms smaller amounts at a time. Overfeeding will cause the bedding to become too wet and the food will rot before the worms can eat it all. If you have excess moisture you can add some shredded newspaper, but not too much.
Is it alright to have insects in my worm farm?
It’s not uncommon to have insects in your worm farm, but not all insects are welcome guests. One of the best worm farming tips is to raise your worm farm bin off the ground. Place it on top of a couple bricks or wood spacers and then cover those bricks or spacers with Vaseline. This will usually keep the insects from crawling into your worm bin. It is also a good idea to cover the top layer of food and bedding with a layer of newspaper and most importantly keep the lid on your compost bin.
Do I have to worry about my worms crawling out of the bin?
Escaping from worm farm?
When it comes to worm farming questions this is probably one of the most common and the best worm farming tips says that a well maintained worm farm is where the worms want to be and they won’t try to escape. Like any living thing, when the conditions are right they won’t leave. However, when conditions are not right they will try and leave. When this is the case, it is usually because the environment of your worm bin has become too acidic for your worms. This can be caused by adding citrus fruits, meat or too many lawn clippings. It can also be caused by over-feeding your worms and the food is rotting before they have a chance to eat the food. Remove any uneaten and rotting food and add some crushed eggshells. You can also add a little bit of watered down lime to neutralize the acidity.
Why won’t my worms breed?
Worms like other living creatures need to have the right conditions to breed. One thing to check is the temperature because the proper breeding temperature should be between 65 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit (18-25 Celsius). They also need a good environment which means moist, but not too wet and a worm arm that is not acidic which means you should not feed your worms citrus fruits, grains and sugar laden foods. Take a lesson with this worm farming tip and keep your worm farm at the right temperature and avoid anything that can cause an acidic environment and your worms will breed like crazy.
How big should my worm composting bin be?
The rule of thumb and a good worm farming tip is that one square foot of surface area can support up to 4000 worms, but it is a good idea to keep it between 2000 to 3000 worms. For example if you had a 12” x 24” bin and started with one pound of worms they could breed and multiply up to six pounds before you would need a larger bin or have to move some of them to another bin. Worms will stop breeding when they run out of room.
How many worms should I start with for composting at home?
One pound of worms will eat about 1/2 a pound of organic garbage a day so you should consider your ability to feed them and your composting needs. It would be a good idea to weigh your scraps that you would feed your worms for a week a get an idea of how much waste you generate because every household is different.
What is worm tea and what do I do with it?
Worm tea is the leachate that comes from worm castings. Worm tea is made from castings that have been steeped in water to make a “tea.” It is used the same as castings, but in liquid fertilizer form. Some people say that worm tea is great for getting rid of some insects that can harm plants.
Now on the other hand there is “Compost Tea” which is the liquid run-off that can be drained from the bottom of your worm composting bin. This liquid can also be used like a liquid fertilizer. Don’t confuse the two because they are different.
Feel free to add your worm farming tips and composting tips below or ask a question that you would like answered.
