Where to Find Worms for Worm Farming

Setting up a worm farm requires three things.  The first is an appropriate bin for containing the worms.  The second is plenty of compost materials to keep the worms properly fed.  We discussed both of these items last week, but of course the most important thing needed for a worm farm is, in fact, the worms. Learning where to find worms is the final step.

It is important to note that worms collected from the garden in the wild should not be used in a worm farm or you may not achieve the results you are looking for.  Various types of worms are available on the market specifically for worm farming.  These worms are sold for traits that make them more desirable for composting or as live bait. 

Red Wiggler (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An established worm farm can require a large number of worms to be efficient enough to compost enough material for a small family.  Most small worm farms need to start out with at least 1000 worms. 

The first place to find worms for worm farming should be the local bait and tackle stores.  These places typically sell a variety of worms that can be used for both composting and live bait.  The Red Wiggler is known as being the best worm for composting and can usually be found in establishments such as these. 

The Internet provides a mass amount of options for purchasing just about any kind of worm to use in a worm farm.  Red Wigglers, Night Crawlers, Florida Wigglers, egg capsules and even exotic breeds of worms can all be found.  A simple search on any search engine will produce a number of opportunities and choices. 

Purchasing live animals online also means that shipping is something to take into consideration.  Care has to be taken when collecting and packaging the specimens.  Most worms ship well and with ease but shipping methods should be investigated.  Simply ask the supplier what the rate of live arrival is and find out what their shipping methods are.

Local garden centers may also prove helpful as a supply for worms.  Typically they sell other supplies for worm farming as well.  Depending on the geographical location, many garden centers have a full line of the various types of worms available for purchase.  The staff is available to answer questions about worm farming for new beginners.  If a specific type of worm is found to be unavailable at a garden center, an order can often be placed for particular varieties.

Close-up of Red Wiggler worm. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A commonly overlooked option for locating worms is other worm farmers.  Worm farmers often have a surplus of worms and are more than willing to part with them.  Some are willing to offer them up for free in exchange for taking them off their hands while others will sell them for a low fee. 

Local worm farmers can often be found in the yellow pages under "worms" or "worm farms".  This provides a great source as worm farmers are often more than willing to give tips and hints for a successful farm. 

Worm farming can be fun and rewarding.  Knowing where to find good quality worms is essential in maintaining a successful farm.  Once your worm farm is established, it may one day prove to be yet another outlet and source of worms for those who are new to the worm farming world!  

Feeding the Worms In Your Worm Farm

Naturally composting waste, providing an organic matter that enriches soil for organic and sustainable gardening, and even supplying hobbyists and fisherman with live bait.  These are all good 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, and therefore important for the health of the farm.

A worm composting bin. Worms are eating the newspaper bedding and producing compost. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Worms are fed a variety of food items, and nonfood items, for composting.  Some food type 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 unless you know chemicals have not been used. 

Dog and cat droppings can be used in a worm farm with care.  Cats and dogs that have been dewormed recently will still have the substance within their bodies.  The medicine used for deworming can be excreted in the droppings.  If fed to the worms, the droppings can kill the worms quickly.  If a pet has been dewormed recently, avoid using the droppings in the worm farm. 

Care should also be taken when offering cat droppings from a litter box.  Inorganic litters are unsafe for the worms.  If your plan is to use the worms to compost the droppings, using a natural and organic litter will keep the worms happy and healthy. 

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. 

Composting-worms just added to a fresh batch of garbage in a self-made worm-bin.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Meats should not 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. 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 they rot.

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. 

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 always 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 castings for soil enrichment therefore keeping the worm farmer and gardener happy as well.

Be sure to check back next week for a few common problems with worm farming, and how to avoid them.

How to Build Your Own Worm Farm

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, are interested in the nutrient rich fertilizer produced by the worms for use in your sustainable garden, or are 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 bin.

Worm farm bin (Photo credit: davesag)

Various models 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.  To figure this out, you'll need to first measure out approximately how much waste you are going to need to use for feeding.  For each pound of waste, you'll need one square foot of space in your bin.  Depth should be at least six to twelve inches. 

A plastic tote or container works well as do wooden boxes.  Metal containers should not be used as irons and chemicals can leach into the soil, harming the worms.  Many worm farmers prefer wooden boxes over plastic as wood is more easily aerated. Plastic can cause more moisture to build up than wood, which can be both good and bad.

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. 

Top layer of a worm farm (Photo credit: Doug Beckers)

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. Temperature should remain between 72 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  The bin should not be placed in an area of the yard that will gain excess rain water, either. 

Once the bin has been constructed, bedding has been added and the perfect location has been found, the next step is to add the worms and begin your own worm farm.  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.

For what to feed your worms, be sure to check back on Thursday!

Worm Farming Resources:
     

Video - Worm Farming - Why & How

Here is a really quick video on why worm farming is important, and how you can get involved, whether for your large commercial business or small family home or apartment. Worm farming is a great way to get wonderful organic compost which can be used for gardening, or even sold commercially (or donated to schools and other organizations if desired). It keeps decomposable waste out of landfills, and provides valuable nutrients to the soil.

This video shows a variety of different solutions for different sizes of worm farms. You can find a couple of family-sized worm farm solutions listed below the video as well.

Worm Farm Introduction and Guide
Worm farming. An introduction to worm farming and Worms R Us worm farm products.


Easy Worm Farming Resources:
   

Why Is Worm Farming Important?

It may come as a surprise to some that worm farming is beneficial to our environment.  After some research into the topic it may be shocking to learn how important these hidden crawlers really are.  There is more to them than just crawling through the garden.

Image via WikipediaWorms have been around since the beginning.  All the way back to the age of the dinosaurs, worms ploughed through rotting debris and excrement, composting it into a more usable substance.  Millions of years ago they were efficient creatures and today they remain the same. 

So why is worm farming so important?  There are three common reasons for worm farming both commercially and individually.  The first reason is for composting. 

Worm farming provides an effective and efficient way for composting food waste and other biodegradable items.  On the larger scale, worms are used in place of landfills by commercial companies.  The worms compost waste, eliminating unnecessary overflows in landfills.  Certain landfills also use worms to help compost the waste that has build up over time to try to prevent an overflow. 

On a smaller scale, home owners and apartment dwellers are able to run their own personal worm farms.  The purpose is to provide a more natural way for composting discarded food products and other items, instead of sending them to the local landfills.  Various sizes of personal worm farms are available on the market today.  These can typically be used both outdoors and indoors for those with limited space. 

Having a personal worm farm means that individuals are able to employ worms to naturally compost items such as fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, paper products, soaked cardboard, egg shells and hair.  What is given in return by the worms is a naturally nutrient rich organic substance that can enrich soil for gardens, crops and house plants.

This brings us to the next reason for worm farming.  Vermicompost, or worm castings, is the product the worms produce as they compost and digest their provided diet.  These castings are as rich in nutrients as the food items provided to them. This substance is so rich in nutrients that it can be used as an effective plant food for a small pot for up to two months.  Vermicompost is one of the best organic fertilizers available.

Chemical fertilizers can be replaced by using natural vermicompost.  Chemical fertilizers often produce a fast effect, but when the soil is analyzed, it is found that the nutrients in the soil are being further broken down by the chemicals.  This requires that even more fertilizer be used later on to produce the same effect. 

Chemical pest removers and poisons have led to the destruction and evacuation of worms in many areas.  The worms are either killed by the poison or they leave the area as the soil is no longer healthy enough for them to live in. 

Image via WikipediaUsing vermicompost as a natural fertilizer helps eliminate the need for chemicals that destroy the soil and rid the area of these helpful worms.  Some worms can be used in garden beds, improving the quality of the soil as they plough through pulling water into the soil and aerating the bed as they go. 

Another reason for worm farming is the production of worms to be used as live food and live bait.  Many exotic pets, birds and aquarium fish require the addition of live worms to their diets.  Offering worms for this reason gives pet owners an opportunity to purchase live food that has not been chemically altered or treated. 

Professional fishermen, bait and tackle shops, and the fishing hobbyist are often on the search for good suppliers of various worms that are best suited for live bait in both freshwater and salt water.  Worm farms offer these buyers a chance to purchase organically raised worms that will produce the best results when fishing.

As surprising as it may seem, worms are a very important part of our environment.  Worm farming is just a way to be able to appreciate their effects on a more personal level.  They are hard workers and keeping them happy in a worm farm will help ensure a healthier environment, less overflow of the landfills and a higher level of plant growth.

Starting your own worm farm may sound like a lot of work, but it's actually very easy. Stay tuned to this blog for more info on worm farming, and by the time summer rolls around, you can have some great worm compost to add to your garden!

Choosing the Right Worms for Worm Farming

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. (Of course here at Sustainable Gardening we will focus on the first two reasons.)

Composting is one of the most common reasons 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.

Image via WikipediaIf 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. 

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. 

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. 

Image via WikipediaOver 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 - even Amazon.com!  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, some have some small traits that make them the best choice for a worm farm with a particular purpose.

Worm Composting Resources:

Video - Worm Composting How-To

Here is a great video on worm composting, which shows you how to set up your own worm farm or compost bin. Some suggested resources are below, or you can also get worms from the website mentioned in the video. This is a great way to compost in winter - you can have your compost bin right under your sink (so you don't have to go out into the snow to empty your compost bucket!), and the worms will eat down the garbage quickly to avoid odors. It's easy-peasy - check it out!

worm composting
worm composting your food waste how-to


Worm Composting Resources:

What is Worm Farming?

If your compost is at a standstill right now due to the frigid temperatures, you may want to consider trying worm composting (sometimes known as vermiposting), or worm farming. Worm farming has been around for years on various scales.  While the reasons for worm farming are not widely known to the general public, those who participate are big believers in the benefits that these worms have on the environment.

Many worm farmers commercially culture worms for profit.  Specific breeds of worms are bred and are typically kept in breed specific quarters.  Commercially raised worms are typically sold for composting.  Some worm farmers distribute to landfills providing a natural method for composting waste. 

These specifically bred worms are also used for soil fertilization.  As worms dig through the soil, they aerate and stir up the soil carrying water with them.  The waste that is composted by the worms is broken down into a substance that can be better used by the soil, improving the fertilization of the soil.  A healthy soil is then produced for better growing plants, vegetables and crops.

Image via WikipediaIn recent years, the supply of worm farming equipment and accessories has made it easier for individuals to make a hobby of this technique.  Household sized bins are on the market in a variety of shapes and sizes.  Home owners and apartment dwellers have been given the opportunity to raise their own worms for waste compost and soil fertilization.

Worm farming provides worms with a nutrient rich diet of what many times is thrown out with the garbage including discarded fruits and vegetables.  Other compostable materials include paper products and cotton rags, leaves, egg shells and hair.  Excreted by the worm is a nutrient rich substance called vermicompost or worm compost.

Worms are also farmed for bait.  Small bait and tackle shops often receive their livestock inventory from worm farmers providing fishermen with various worms to use as live bait.  Fishermen who fish on a larger scale than the hobbyist often use these worms for bait for anglers and other large catches.

Many different worms are available depending on the job.  Each variety of worms is used for its own reasons.  Red worms are commonly used for composting while the Belgian worms are good for both composting and bait.  Home owners looking for worms to work lawns and flower beds will find success with Night Crawlers and Wigglers. 

Image via WikipediaWorm farming can also be an excellent educational tool.  As using worms provide a more space effective way for composting, small kits can be purchased and even hand made to be used in a classroom setting.  Students are able to participate in the project learning about how composting occurs.  Using natural methods for composting and reducing waste in landfills is easily demonstrated by classroom worm farms.

Worms can be farmed just about anywhere.  With the various systems available on the market today, home owners can raise their own supply of worms outside or in an apartment.  Providing the correct amount of moisture, light, bedding, temperature and food will ensure a long living worm population.  In return, the reward will be a natural way for composting without filling up local landfills.  As a result, nutrient rich soil is provided that can be used right away or stored for use during gardening season. 

(Stay tuned to this blog for more on worm farming later this week!)